Sports’ new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania
Yes, that is a long-time NFL executive, Rich McKay, standing between WWE eye-candy "Eve" and "Kelly Kelly."
NFL executives generally are concerned when they walk into a press conference accompanied by possibly artificially enhanced athletes, who might one day embarrass the organization.
Funny. Falcons president Rich McKay didn’t seem to mind Monday when he was escorted to the dais at a Wrestlemania news conference by “Eve” and “Kelly Kelly,” who appear to share the same dentist and magical female balloon doctor.
“I would like to thank Arthur Blank, who couldn’t be here today,” the Falcons’ president said, standing between the Stepford escorts. “If not for that, I wouldn’t be here.”
How much has sports changed? So much that the once snooty and better-than-everybody-else NFL is now crawling into the same promotional bed with professional wrestling. It’s debatable whether the NFL has dropped down, or the WWE has risen up, or they’ve just met somewhere in the middle — at an ATM.
Vince McMahon was laughed out of the football buisiness with the XFL.
But when Wrestlemania XXVII — it turns out the Super Bowl didn’t have a copyright on Roman numerals — officially was announced for April of 2011 at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons had a high presence. Their logo was on the backdrop. Four of their players were in attendance. Their team president and former general manager, McKay, had a seat on stage — just in front of “Big Show” and “Rey Mysterio” and “Edge” and “Kelly Kelly.”
That's the "Big Show" (7-0, 485), towering over a group that includes four Falcons: Quinn Ojinnaka, Ovie Mughelli, Verron Haynes, Erik Coleman.
Go ahead, laugh. But this is where we are. How many millions did Vince McMahon have to make before the NFL realized he might not be a bad guy to partner with? And isn’t this the same Vince McMahon who was mocked by “real” football people for his XFL experiment? And it seems to me the WWE also has at least one edge over the NFL in 2011: There’s no threat of a lockout.
McKay — whose brother J.K. was the general manager of the XFL champion Los Angeles Xtreme — acknowledged the Falcons are helping promote and market Wrestlemania. They will sell corporate sponsorships. The Arizona Cardinals have a similar arrangement with the upcoming Wrestlemania event in Phoenix in two months. As part of the Falcons’ deal with the Dome, they share in profits from the stadium. So there could be an obvious benefit to their participation, even if, as McKay said, “We’re doing this for the community.”
And that is why Eve and Kelly Kelly looked so happy Monday. Because they’re all about the community. And we, gosh darn, care all about them.
McKay: “They distracted me.”
Go ahead, laugh. Wrestling isn’t going anywhere. The numbers scream people don’t care that it’s a scripted exhibition. Vince McMahon’s little venture reportedly has generated over $2 billion in pay-per-view revenue and $600 million in annual retail sales.
The WWE speaks NFL.
It’s scripted. It’s a sideshow. It’s a bizarre mutation between sports and entertainment. Pro wrestlers are the most lampooned individuals on earth, outside of those who hold public office.
But an interesting observation from Mark Henry, a former Olympic weightlifter in the 1996 Games in Atlanta, who has done this for 14 years: “What we do is Broadway. It’s Broadway plays with physicality and life-threatening injuries.
“Some people who criticize feel like we’re such intellectuals that we can’t enjoy ourselves and [escape]. The fact is, that’s why we read books. Maybe we’re not always high-brow, but it is what it is.”
He also said this: “Anybody who wants to trivialize it, say it to my face.”
“The consumer knows who we are,” McMahon said. “The media doesn’t understand us very well because we’re not sport, and we’re not the strictest form of entertainment. You can’t put us in a box. We’re not Beyonce. We don’t we fit anywhere. We’re a hybrid. But our audience understands that. We’ve been an exhibition since Abraham Lincoln wrestled.”
Erik Coleman of the Falcons stood next to the “Big Show.” “Walking into here with a 7-foot, 485-pound makes you think about things,” he said, laughing. “Anybody who thinks these guys aren’t athletes is crazy.”
For the record, McKay joked that he tried to recruit “Big Show” for the Falcons’ offensive line, “but Vince McMahon pays him too much.”
Lampoon that.
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86 comments Add your comment
marcus
February 1st, 2010
8:06 pm
In the words of The Rock”Finally Wrestlemania has come to Atlanta” Say what you want about wrestling but they put on a great show almost everytime.Can you say the same about football?There are only a handfull of really good football games every year but almost every WWE pay per view will have you on the edge of your seat.I would rather watch Monday Night Raw than Monday Night Football any week .In closing let me quote Stone Cold”And thats the bottom line because this wrestling fan said so.
JabboRockefeller
February 1st, 2010
8:32 pm
Vince McMahon is a clown’s clown. Trump wrestled him, and I believe shaved his head. That tells ya something; what, I have no clue….
todd grantham
February 1st, 2010
9:03 pm
Jeff, do you think there’s any chance Michael Vick might enter the world of wrestling?
he could become the new “mad dog vachon”
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February 1st, 2010
11:01 pm
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February 1st, 2010
11:33 pm
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February 1st, 2010
11:36 pm
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Doc Holliday
February 2nd, 2010
12:07 am
Bring back Stone Cold Steve Austin, the best actor/wrestler ever.
scottbravesfan
February 2nd, 2010
1:02 am
This is a huge score for the city of Atlanta. These things draw huge numbers and a ton of money for the area. The event is always in a huge stadium it’s in the Cardinals stadium in Glendale this year and it’s been in the Mariners stadium in Seattle before. This is going to bring a lot of money to the city. you guys should be thanking the Falcons for getting this event.
I might go just because I loved wrestling when I was a kid but as someone else posted earlier, once you have seen MMA it’s kind of hard to go back to guys pretending to fight.
Benjamin
February 2nd, 2010
1:14 am
I was at the Royal Rumble last night; as someone mentioned above, I dropped 100.00 and don’t regret a dime of it. It’s entertainment.
Whether or not the NFL/Falcons should be involved because of this or that merit-based reason is up for debate, but I don’t think it should be a controversy. Professional sports leagues partner and cross promote with musicians and Hollywood often, and I don’t view McMahon’s little world as as being any different than that.
Wrestlemania will bring in a lot of revenue to the city next year, and I’m glad it’s here. Even if I have to pay the same amount of money to sit in the nosebleeds…
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
February 2nd, 2010
8:18 am
next stop, bringing in the final 4 and Super Bowl. Good for ATL
Women of Countdown: Miss Georgia, Divas, Bobby Hebert(?) | Jeff Schultz
February 2nd, 2010
9:02 am
[...] needs to take marketing tips from the WWE. A couple of these guys need to whacked with a folding chair and thrown out of the country club [...]
Bill
February 2nd, 2010
9:15 am
Female Balloon Doctor…..nothing real anymore?
Same Dentist? ……..can’t see the teeth. Who’s looking at teeth?
Outside of those who hold public office!……….Now, Now!
Thanks Jeff, just having a little fun.
Al
February 2nd, 2010
10:45 am
There’s that stuff about wrestling being “scripted exhibition”, like fans are supposed to be embarrassed by that … “Lost” and “The Office” have scripts too, but people aren’t ashamed of watching that, so why is wrestling any different?
It’s not meant to be viewed as a sport … if anything, WWE is more of a live theater experience (like Broadway) than pro sports, but non-fans seem to have a hard time understanding that. It’s just weird to me.
chzbykr
February 2nd, 2010
12:29 pm
C’mon McKay show him “Big Show” the money. Birds could put that mountain on right side by himself, and add nother receiver. Or for sure Turner get ten yards a pop.
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 2nd, 2010
2:09 pm
Sure it’s scripted but if you’ve ever sat within 10 feet of ringside, you know those guys are athletes.
demOcratic
February 2nd, 2010
2:28 pm
“magical female balloon doctor” you mean the same doc all the NFL Cheerleaders consult?
Why did you spend the entire article insulting these people? Who you really insult is your readers and Atlanta.
The top guys in ‘wrasslin’ will make more money in a year than you do in a decade? Is that why you’re jealous?
Yes it’s scripted. But YES it’s athletic. No less Athletic than a typical NFL game.
All of you who have shown your ’superiority’ by insulting these people are the real hillbillies.
Pete
February 2nd, 2010
2:47 pm
Just so we’re all clear.. Everything that is televised has a script. Whether or not it is real though, is up to the show, or segment. For somebody to complain about wrestling being fake, obviously has never watched it. Do people whiff punches? Of course they do, but do people get dropped on their head, and do people really get injured? Of course they do.
Let’s talk about athleticism, in football, be it professional, collegiate, or high school, you wear a helmet, you wear proper padding, and you play by the rules. Pro wrestlers, for the most part, have elbow and knee pads, and have to rely on communication to keep themselves safe in the ring. To be able to do it night in and night out (not once a week like football players) is nothing short of amazing, no matter how big, small, athletic, or immobile they are. They still get the job done, and they do it for less than what NFL players make, so.. yeah think about that. And those criticizing none of it hurts, look at the welts on the chest of the wrestlers after they get chopped. I’m sure most of the people who criticize it couldn’t take chop, much less several, add that in with the risk they take by getting dropped, thrown around, having the added pressure of keeping the others guys safe, and you’ll see why most of these detractors do nothing but sit at home, and complain. And for those of you “intelligent” NFL fans who look down at wrestling fans, Detractor might be too big of a word, so hit up your Dictionary.
As far as WrestleMania coming to Atlanta, it’s excellent for the city. It brings in people of all walks of life, not just ‘rednecks’ like some of you geniuses were claiming. Celebrities all over the world attend these shows, not to mention people of all ages, races, incomes, preferences, everything. It draws all types of people, much like anything in life.
So, in conclusion, before you go judging people for being a fan of something, look at what you’re a fan of. Odds are, the things you like, would be looked down upon by somebody else.
Vince McMahon
February 2nd, 2010
3:21 pm
Ir would probably be a good thing if you spell check your articles after writing them. You may have noticed at that point that business is not spelt “buisiness”.
Jwalk
February 2nd, 2010
3:56 pm
Figure skating, ice dancing, gymnastics, synchronized swimming and diving are, like pro wrestling, athletic exhibitions, not sports. If someone created a scoring system, professional wrestling could be part of the Olympics.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 2nd, 2010
4:32 pm
Jeff
I see that last week you ran an article on Mike Vick, then the other day, one was posted by Bradley and today by Ledbetter.
Can you tell me why there aren’t any blogs about the CHOKE?
I think it would be interesting to run one like:
“Are rookie quarterbacks expected to reach the Championship Game”
I mean Flacco did it last year and Sanchez did it this season.
Neither Flacco or Sanchez won the Rookie of The Year award, yet both of them went deep in the playoffs in their rookie seasons.
Maybe that’s another blog that can be run. I mean, since you receive so much grief for running Vick blogs, that may be something to consider.
FEAR
February 2nd, 2010
6:35 pm
good pick up for ATL. will bring alot of money into the area.
Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz : Not Quiet
February 3rd, 2010
1:13 am
[...] Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz [...]
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 4th, 2010
12:17 pm
2.8 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS TUNE IN TO THE PREMIERE AND ENCORE OF “THE MICHAEL VICK PROJECT”
NEW YORK—February 3, 2010— BET banked impressive viewer numbers for the premiere of THE MICHAEL VICK PROJECT on Tuesday, February 2 at 10:00 PM.* The premiere and encore presentations drew in 2.8 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research. Throughout the run of this original docu-series, viewers can expect to see not only the NFL star’s return to football after a two-year prison sentence stemming from his association with a dog fighting ring, but will also get a glimpse at much of his life prior to that turning point.
The premiere of THE MICHAEL VICK PROJECT was the number one first quarter Tuesday original series debut in BET history and stands as the number one BET original series telecast of 2010. Additionally, the premiere episode posted double-digit time slot gains of +46% versus last year as well as +33% versus the BET’s Tuesday season-to-date average through last Tuesday.
The series, produced by DuBose Entertainment, MV7 Productions and Category 5 Entertainment, follows the iconic and polarizing professional football player as he journeys on the road to redemption — in both his personal and professional life.
The series is executive produced by DuBose Entertainment, Michael Vick’s MV7 Productions and Brian Sher’s Category 5 Entertainment.
kmilton
February 4th, 2010
1:49 pm
when will tickets go on sale? i normally don’t watch wrestling but i will be there
Tim McDaniel
February 5th, 2010
11:04 am
Bill Goldberg tore his abdominal muscles, which kept him out of football.
What's Important
February 5th, 2010
3:57 pm
“Choke” you must be unemployed. How else are you able to cruise the blogs and insert inane information about MV. This blog ostensibly was about the Falcons and wrestling. Unless MV is going to trade dog fighting for bear wrestling, it doesn’t pertain. Dear God man, get a life.
Tweets that mention Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
February 5th, 2010
4:29 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ajc sports editor, RJ Ulbricht, Carlo Catering Too, Consumer Advocate, David Kosta and others. David Kosta said: _Arizona Sports Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz: The Arizona Cardinals have … http://bit.ly/c2rA7c [...]
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 6th, 2010
12:17 pm
What’s Important
February 5th, 2010
3:57 pm
“Choke” you must be unemployed.
“Yet here you are”
It having a brain was a crime, you’d be in the state pen
Don’t worry, after next season when the CHOKE gets benched for ANOTHER season with NO playoff wins he will be looking for a reality show, entitled:
“CHOKE – Redemption to not winning a playoff game”
Murphy
February 6th, 2010
2:11 pm
Gary your Feb 1st Post about Mckay was So way off Base and You dont seem to Know anything About McKays Knowledge of NFL and Lawyer. Wake up and Get out of the “Brain Dead” Era with Shultz !!!!
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 7th, 2010
9:47 pm
HA HA HA
The Saints finished last in 2008 and are now SUPER BOWL CHAMPS……..
Falcons are losers
Sad Day For Football
February 8th, 2010
12:19 am
It’s a great fit—NFL and WCW—the Saints Super Bowl win couldn’t have been better scripted. (Do officials get rings too?)
Ric Flair
February 11th, 2010
5:06 pm
Maybe the Falcons will give me a shot……afterall I am still wras-a-lin at 70 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hulk-a-mania
February 11th, 2010
5:09 pm
Hey Flair I hear the Falcons are hiring!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr.D(David Schultz)
February 11th, 2010
5:12 pm
I am not related to the clown who writes these Blog columns.
Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz | Football Pro Sport
February 15th, 2010
3:25 pm
[...] Go here to see the original: Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz [...]
Sports' new bizarre tag team: Falcons and Wrestlemania | Jeff Schultz | NFL Topics Blog
February 21st, 2010
1:34 pm
[...] unknown wrote a very interesting post today. Here’s a quick excerpt:The Falcons are helping promote Vince McMahon’s Wrestlemania XXVII scheduled for April 3, 2011,at the Georgia Dome. [...]