Originally Posted by Big  But if you tell your lay female friend while watching the match: "We have to wait for the ball to determine the wrestler with the favorable hold, she will possbly get excited and more into it".
In 2000 it wasn't Soviet Union anymore but the fact of the matter is Karelin was a Soviet product and defeating him meant almost like the end of Cold war as was portrayed by the media. Do you think it would be as important if Karelin was Canadian? |
My Mother-in-law is a huge Olympic fan and loves watching gymnastics, diving, figure skating etc. She is the target audience that the networks (and therefore FILA) wants to attract. She does not follow any sports or watch any sports on TV besides the Olympics, but will watch hour after hour of anything the network puts on during the Olympics. In my opinion none of the rule changes are going to make wrestling more appealing to her. She will watch it if it is on TV and she will enjoy the drama of a Gold medal match no matter what the sport is and how the rules are tweaked. She is never going to understand wrestling or become a fan.
I really don't think it mattered what country Karelin was from. He was the best in the world by far for so long, plus he had the look of a badass so it was a great story (even if it was a boring match). In 1980, during the height of the Cold War, it mattered that the team that the US hockey team beat was the USSR for political reasons, but not in 2000.