Wrestling, Ryback and the Bucket List

       THE ROYAL RUMBLE IS TOMORROW!!  Can you tell I am excited??

     I watched professional wrestling as a kid.  I'm a redneck for shit's sake.  I can remember watching Haystacks Calhoun, Chief Jay Strongbow and others, with Granny (no kiddin', we called her Granny).  It was a take it or leave it proposition though.  I didn't get all caught up.

      Back then there wasn't nearly the designed drama of today's WWE.  I kept watching well into my teen years.  In fact, I can remember watching Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, etc., and loving it.  The Hulkster won his first Championship belt in the WWE (then the WWF) in 1984, which was a banner year for me for a variety reasons.

     Advance forward a year or two...I had stopped watching wrestling.  I started to call it lame, fake...you know, all the things most detractors say about professional wrestling.  I had better things to do, trying to get a life.  Work, some school, a few dates, births, deaths...same thing everyone else gets to do.

     Bring it even further forward, around 2012.  Friends had come.  Friends had gone.  One particularly had returned.  My evil redheaded twin and I had reconnected a year or two before through Facebook.  She is also a wrasslin' fan.  It had become a ritual to talk or text every evening.  On a Monday evening in the spring of last year, she was once again harassing me about watching Monday Night RAW.  Okay, I live alone, with two cats.  Television is typical evening's entertainment.  I had always found something else to watch on Monday night.

     This evening I caved, partly just to shut her up, partly out of curiosity.  'Fine, I will watch RAW.'  What a fateful evening, for this Monday evening included an appearance by the WWE's latest phenomenon. Enter Ryback...all 6'3", 291 lbs of pure muscled intensity with the sweetest ass I have seen on any guy in a long time.  Damn!  Double damn!!

     I rarely crush on anyone...seriously...been there, done that.  I have to admit to my 'little' obsession with Ryback.  He is the reason I now watch wrestling, often.  He is also the reason many of my Facebook friends roll their eyes and shudder when they see my name in their notifications list.

     Part of my obsessive nature is to find out as much as I can about whatever it is that interests me.  I've done my research.  Here is what I have discovered: Ryan 'Ryback' Reeves is a force to be reckoned with, in and out of the ring.  He has a strong will, a powerful drive to succeed and the work ethic to make it happen.    Plus he seems to be a genuinely all around nice guy.  Add to that the whole physical package he presents and, I suppose, I picked a great one to follow.

    My previously mentioned evil redheaded twin (or ERT, for short) has been a nearly rabid fan of Randy Orton (the Viper & Legend Killer) and Sheamus (the Celtic Warrior) for some time.  WWE pay per views give me a chance to hang out with her and her family.  Tomorrow evening, the Beast from Sin City, the Viper and the Celtic Warrior are all participating in the Royal Rumble...a 30 man elimination match where participants have to get others out of the ring by putting them over the top rope.  If the feet hit the floor, they are done.  It is the first time that any of our favorites will actually be against each other in a match.  Both of us are very vocal supporters of our favorites.  It is gonna get loud!!  ERT and I may likely clear the room with all of our cheering and screaming.

     I have added 'Meeting Ryback' to my bucket list, which ERT finds amusing, my family finds sad and others think is stupid.  I know I would stand there mute, with nothing but my teeth in my gums, but I still would like to meet him someday.  Till that opportunity arrives, I will continue to piss off the downstairs neighbors by yelling at my TV when Ryback wrestles some dumb ass who thinks he can beat him in a straight match, screaming at the (CM) Punk who beats him by opportunistic interruptions (The fuckin' jerk!!) and generally making a fool of myself by posting pics to my Timeline and Pinterest board.  If determination can get Ryback to the Main Event, maybe a little determination will help me check off an item on my bucket list.