Woo! We went to WWE

This is the view we had at last night's wrestling experience at Earls Court. To those of you not in the know, the world of wrestling is dominated by the huge US-based WWE organisation, which was apparently once called WWF (to the confusion of animal lovers around the world). Despite bearing with my eldest son's obsession with this odd pastime for several years, I haven't quite got my head around the various leagues within the WWE, but I have got to know most of the characters from the strain called Smackdown.
Yesterday was his big day - his first chance to see his heroes live.
Some observations...

- Whenever the stadium lights go out, the arena is lit by the glow of thousands of mobile phone cameras

- The "no video cameras" rule is superfluous in this age of mobile media

- All bottle tops are confiscated (for "Health & Safety"... yeah, right)

- Despite being a Tuesday evening, this was a Friday Night Rumble

- US TV idents on the big screen for brands I've never heard of

- Stop - Start - Stop - Start - between the bouts, idents and ads. I imagine this is what watching live American football and baseball is like (very peculiar to someone who goes to real football and rugby matches)

- Despite being the reluctant chauffeur and portable wallet, I did find it fun

- Bitch fight! A couple of athletic blondes getting it on in the ring (well worth the £90)

- The Boogie Man really does eat worms

- Superb athleticism and choreography of the combatants

My camera is very low-res, so the quality of the pics isn't great, yet looking at "event" photos taken by myself always provokes conflicting feelings of disappointment (that the pics don't do the experience justice) and satisfaction (remembering the event).
You will think the view was crap, looking at these photos, yet it was probably the best view you could buy, other than being at the very front, ringside.
I've been to one FA Cup Final, plus several Rugby League Cup Finals and, despite knowing that TV provides a far superior view, it doesn't beat being there. I have often wondered why this is - I don't buy the "it's the atmosphere" argument. Maybe it's the thought that nothing other than air separates you from the sportsmen and seeing it with the naked eye provides the spectator with a feeling of ownership of the event. Maybe that's why we waste so much time taking poor-quality photos and videos instead of just watching the event.

A thing of rare and great beauty... yes it really is a genuine red Routemaster bus