The Tag Team scene used to be full of big, bad “Roughneck” teams. These were the thick, hyper-masculine, no nonsense Heel teams: brutish, hairy, sadistic killers. They were meant to be scary and intimidating. They never smiled (except when they were hurting somebody.)
Check out unsmiling and burly Arn and Tully — their manly bulges proudly unconcealed, both men forming a fist to remind you that they’d love to punch you in the face.
In a sport where most participants are focused on looking good (or even pretty), these brutish teams mostly tried to look mean. They didn’t shave their bodies, or dye their hair, and didn’t care if their trunks made them look fat. They were Real Men, focused on being cruel, saying threatening and boastful comments, and kicking somebody’s ass.
These big manly killer teams brought a certain authenticity to the show — an air of believability that made you think: maybe they really are hurting their cute little opponents.
And when you were still young and innocent and impressionable, these big hairy testosterone-soaked beasts really struck fear, respect and admiration in your heart. You may have even thought to yourself: Maybe these scary monsters could show up in my bedroom some day and attack me. And that thought struck fear (and a measure of excitement) in your heart.
The Roughnecks were the epitome of masculinity and strength — from the bygone days when we still believed that mankind (and America) was invincible. We believed that some men — these big ugly Bad-asses — were rough and tough enough to either punch you out, Bearhug you until you passed out, or even put their dicks in your mouth if they felt like it. Might Makes Right was the philosophy back then.
We just don’t really believe in strength any more — neither the existence of invincibility, nor the morality of using brute force to get your way. We’re more civil, or cynical, or politically correct now. Maybe that’s why we don’t see Roughnecks in the wrestling ring any more… Masculinity is an anachronism.
The Blue-Eyed tag teams — the good guys and pretty-boys — could not have existed as heroes if there weren’t these villains to punish them. You can’t have a good Batman without a Bane to break him in half. The big mean serious sadistic brutes provided that foil — that merciless opposition — to the heroic High-Fliers.
As Tag Team wrestling has evolved (and the world has grown more cynical), we see fewer and fewer pretty-boy good guy teams — those who clearly say their prayers and drink their milk and always remain true and honest — and fewer big, cruel sadistic Roughneck monster teams. It’s getting harder these days to tell villains from heroes (in both Pro Wrestling and in politics.)
I’m not saying this is a bad development, because I realize all art forms evolve and become both better and worse. I’m just saying I sometimes miss that jaw-dropping trepidation, that sense of intimidation, that feeling of “What are those killers going to do next??” when these unrelenting and 100% pure Bad-Ass beasts made their way to the ring to hurt somebody.
