10 Times Wrestling Was More Hardcore Than "Real" Sports
10. Fan Interference: A Very Bad Idea
https://youtu.be/NOhKVCDqrME Sports: When sober and in their right mind, pro athletes really do not want to fight fans. They may be annoyed by heckling or a little interference, but the legal and career risks for laying out a fan are just too high. Even in The Steve Bartman incident, the athlete kept his cool. Those unfamiliar with American baseball may not have heard of it, but it's such a famous case of fan interference that a whole episode of the ESPN series 30 for 30 is dedicated to it. The Chicago Cubs looked to be on their way to the World Series when they took on the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field in 2003, having not won a Series since 1908. In an important play, outfielder Moises Alou was prevented from catching a a hit by an overreaching Cubs fan, Steve Bartman. Once footage of Bartmans reach was played repeatedly in the stadium, the other fans looked ready to murder the man. He had to be escorted out of the stadium by security to avoid a fight breaking out. Once the press leaked Bartmans name he was placed under police protection. But for all the threats and rags Bartman received from the public, Alou the man who had his catch denied, just made an aw shucks motion in response. Wrestling: Trying to get into the ring at a wrestling show is one of the worst mistakes a human being could make. Whether fuelled by alcohol, arrogance or just plain stupidity, the fans who have stepped over the ropes are usually dealt with a swift dose of painful reality. Unlike the shrugged response to Bartman, wrestlers are universally instructed that it is their job to fight any fan that gets past security and into the ring. In the above clip, notice the ref is actually restraining the fan so that Guerrero can get a good shot at him. Refs do not do that in other sports, they would be the ones pulling the athlete off the fan. By occasionally fighting an obnoxious audience member, wrestlers actually manage to legitimize the proceedings to the entire audience from then on. The same is not true of legitimate sports outside of those based in fighting. If Roger Federer goes apesh*t on a drunk in the third row, nobody thinks he's a better tennis player.