Listen up!

It's lecture time, and the subject is the current mess of a product called World Wrestling Entertainment.

I'll use a portion of Monday's "RAW" to make my overall point. It was at the very end, after Triple H and Shawn Michaels -- the newly-reformed Degeneration X -- interfered in the tag-team match featuring newly-crowned champions Ric Flair and Roddy Piper versus heels Edge and Randy Orton.

In an effort to humiliate the heel referee in that match -- Eric Bischoff -- DX brought out a fellow named Big Dick Johnson. Mr. Johnson, shall we say, is a bit tubby. That's not the problem. He's also a guy who stripped down to a g-string, with everything -- and I mean everything -- jiggling about. DX, as the script called for, forced Bischoff's nose in the man's rather large naked backside for the show's grand finale. It was a moment when even the staunchest supporters of sports entertainment had to shake their heads in utter embarrassment.

Now I can understand that it's pretty tough to write two hours of TV each week, but this was beyond terrible. Why is it so hard to put on a wrestling show, Mr. McMahon? Do you hate the industry so much that you pollute it with this type of garbage? How do you get away with marketing toys to kids and then expect them to watch this? I know you've been dodging this question for years, but it's time to ask it again. Why do you go for schlock when you really don't have to? Why do you lure kids into the circus tent promising them something fun and then turn around and give them trash? Better yet, how do you sleep at night?

I try to keep this column a light, fun Friday read. But some weeks it's really tough to do. This is one of those weeks.

A few months ago, I started to do a podcast (the latest episode is right here ) just for kicks. It features me, and two other gentlemen -- Dr. Mike Lano and George Schire. Both men are wrestling historians, and to be perfectly honest have forgotten more about the subject than I'll ever know. They're that good.

While Mr. Lano enjoys some of today's WWE product, Mr. Schire utterly detests it. He loves the wresters of yesteryear, however, and decided to give "RAW" another shot this past Monday because Flair and Piper were to be featured. After seeing the segment mentioned above, he sent me the following e-mail:

Professor:

After watching the disgusting DX episode with Bischoff on Monday night, I don't know why we or anyone should waste podcast time on WWE whatsoever! I watched it, and I swear, I was speechless. I can't believe that anybody that tunes in, can even jokingly try to say that WWE resembles something called wrestling. And, the more we talk about it, and give it coverage, we are just condoning McMahon to continue presenting this junk. It raises my blood pressure just thinking about it!

It galls me that people complain about the content of the programs, but yet they continue to tune in. Do they not realize that they can "choose" not to tune in? Wouldn't people not watching deliver a message? There is power in numbers! The more that don't watch, the sooner he is either off the air, or better still, out of business.

Do they not realize that each $40.00 they pluck down for McMahon's PPV's is only making him richer, and showing him that he can provide distasteful and disgusting programming?

I only tuned in because you mentioned that Flair and Piper got the straps. Seeing both of these once-great wrestlers was pathetic. McMahon is promoting nothing more than the dumbing of America.

One more thing. Do you realize that by doing an "anti- WWE" column, you are giving McMahon attention? Everyone should quit watching, ordering PPV's and quit discussing his product. We could run him out of business!

--George

I've known George for a few years. You won't meet a kinder, gentler soul. What he says above speaks volumes to me.

I'm not going to be a hypocrite and say I'll never watch WWE again. I will. I also know it's just a wrestling TV show, and I probably shouldn't go off on a tangent like this. But folks, there are alternatives out there: TNA, Ring Of Honor, your local independent circuit. It's time they got your attention, if they haven't already.

It's also time Mr. McMahon looked in the mirror and asked himself a simple question: "Why?"

(Professor Wrestling is a masked employee of Internet Broadcasting. Got a question, comment, complaint? E-mail him right here. )