How Much More Does He Owe Us?

This latest rant of mine has been brewing ever since it was announced Taker underwent gallbladder surgery, which isn't exactly a minor thing. Yes, he probably had the laproscopic (laser) type, which means his recovery time wouldn't be as long as the regular cut em' up type and can be done with just one night spent in the hospital. And I know that recovery takes at least a couple weeks. I've first-hand experienced someone who had the surgery, and they were still feeling under par a week later. From nausea to pain to fatigue to being able to feel the stitches pulling, it's not a fun thing. It's even been said that his doctors recommended him being out of the show for 3 weeks, just to heal up properly. However, he was scheduled on October 14 to appear for the début of his Universal Studios attraction in California. And this surgery seemed to spell no-show for a lot of people, and understandably so. I'm sure, if in his situation, most of you (and myself, for that matter) would have crawled under a blanket instead of hopping a flight to California and dealing with a large crowd of people.

And instead of being understanding about it, all I had seen on many sites is bitching. Bitching because he probably wouldn't be there. And that really raised my ire. The man just had surgery, for chrissakes! And you expect him to hop a plane to California just so you can get a glimpse of him- unbelievable!

Well Undertaker showed, just 2 days after having the surgery, and was apparently riding around on a Titan. And some said that it's great that he was there because it shows how much he loves his fans and that he feels he owes us so much. And that's where the opinion begins. Really, how much more does he owe us?

It's not a well-kept secret that the Undertaker gives the majority of the credit to the fans when it comes to his rise in the wrestling ranks. He still has one of the strongest, if not the strongest, fanbases out there who have been rock-solid for many years. A loyal fanbase who will turn out in droves just to catch a glimpse of him or shake his hand at an autograph signing, at the entrance of the arena, or other public appearance. And since he holds us in pretty high regard, he always tries to do what he thinks will make us happy. Hell, he was even worried the new incarnation would make a lot of us turn away.

But there should be a line to tow. There should be times that he can say, "no." And the Universal Studio appearance should have been one of those times. Just because he's the Undertaker and all doesn't mean that he has to bow down to public demand all the time. In my opinion, he's given his fans so much already that we shouldn't cry out, "unfair" or "he better be there" if he's too ill to make an appearance. After all, he's given us entertainment for 10 years as the Undertaker, and about 5 before that as other wrestling characters. And we should be grateful for that, instead of asking for more and more of him.

 

 

Date Written: (10-16-00)