The Day You Became A Smark

[icansleep]

What was the turning point for you? What made you decide you needed to know about backstage happenings, independent promotions, overseas promotions, workrate, etc? What are your thoughts on being branded with the SMARK label? Are you able to watch wrestling as a mark any longer?

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Something that kind of happened over time.

I mentally confirmed it was fake when I was 7, and reading PWI kind of gave some key information away, despite their attemps to maintain kayfabe. I didn't learn extensive details about the industry's inner workings until I got online in 1998.

[icansleep]

I should've been a little clearer with my questions. I realize that few of us were born smarks and it was just something we worked towards being, but what was the day you could say, "Hey. I'm a smark."?

[Big Daddy Bad Booking]

Started when I knew Booker T should have won the WHC at Wrestlemania XIX. About 5 or 6 months after I came a fan of wrestling.

[DJ Peapod]

when I saw a ROH show...when TNA began on TV...when I realize that there is better stuff out there, I became even a bigger smark with the radio show, as well as starting to follow the indy feds even more that I was

[KLRA]

Around the time when I was 14/15, which ironically enough was when I started getting more into indie wrestling. It was just easier to follow the results on the internet. And then when my favorite wrestler of the time RVD came into the WWF was really when I made that last final step into smarkdom, because I was honestly pissed that he wasn't being pushed more even though he was retardedly over with the audience. I remember saying to one of my fellow semi-smark buddies "He's more over than apple turnover."

And now I feel old, because that was a good 7 years ago at least.

[heyguesswhatidid]

Like 1995 when I was watching ECW and using the internet.

[Bo Rida]

In the year 2000 when everybody at school loved the faces and I was marking for E&C and HHH.

[bubbles]

I don't really think of myself as a typical smark, I don't really pay attention to work rate and stuff, I just mark for the stuff I like for no real reason.

[Reverend BTY]

I'm not really a smark. I go on the internet, complain, and enjoy feds besides WWE. However, when I watch I'm usually just a fan. As for when, I have no f***in clue.

[willywonka666]

I guess after I got here and realized what a "Smark" was

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

I don't really consider myself a smark. I like what i like. Sometimes, that's what the IWC likes and sometimes it isn't. I do enjoy a match with solid workrate, but I can also appreciate a match built entirely on story (Hogan vs Andre, Warrior, or hell Hogan vs anybody)

When I watch, I'm a mark. I'll cheer and get excited just watching alone at home. I do whatever I can to make the show more enjoyable for myself. Hell, I even chant along with ROH crowds sometimes when I'm at home.

[willywonka666]

Actually I don't care about workrate, but until the internet, I didn't know about dirtsheets and I thought the only wrestling sites out there were wwf.com and Pro Wrestling illustrated's website

[Samoa Kenny]

When I started reading spoilers.. i wish i never started... it's a girlfriendless trap haha

[Godhand]

hard to say really. I never really read news sheats and i only learned insider terms through shoot interviews. I dunno I guess when I started following indies in 2005. That lead me to forums.

[Aceorton]

I don't think the word "smark" was around in 1995, but when Shawn Michaels collapsed on Raw, I initially thought it was real. Then a visit to the old RSPW group taught me otherwise. After that, the Internet became a required part of my wrestling experience.

[KevFalcön07]

I'm 16 years old (told from the beggining that wrestling was/is "fake" at the age of seven-ish), so excuse this one but...

I think it began when I watched Wrestlemania 21 in the hospital. Specifically, Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle. I was also literally on the edge of my seat for Taker/Orton that year but I think it really it started with HBK/Angle. That match made me...develop a thirst for...more matches of that quality in terms of technicality, action, performance, call it what you will...I had a LOT of spare time on my hands that Summer, and using the magic of the internet...

yep.

[x]

I had just came off of my Bret Hart Retired-Royal Rumble 2004 hiatus and I found this place.

The first thing I read was a thread about how Ultimate Warrior sucked. And I was remembering thinking he was good. Then after seeing a couple of the youtube links that people posted of him and being utterly bored with them I started to understand.

I then became the WWE smark. Where I would just root for Benoit and all the heels.

It wasn't until like 2006 when I started discovering good wrestling and became the indy smark that you see on the forums today.

And I can still become a mark. Anytime I watch an ROH or CHIKARA show I become a mark. Except for Shane Storm matches. I bitch and whine through those.