RIP “Mean” Gene Okerlund

Legendary professional wrestling ringside interviewer and commentator “Mean” Gene Okerlund passed away on Wednesday, WWE confirmed. He was 76. Okerlund was a prominent figure during the 1980s and was the lead interviewer for the then WWF. After the 1990s he made few returns to the company. He was referred to as “Mean” Gene by Jesse “The Body” Ventura during his commentary stint though he was always an affable figure backstage.

Gene Okerlund was born in 1942 and became famous after becoming an interviewer for the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He joined WWE in1984 and quickly became a staple in the company by interviewing stars like Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and many more. Okerlund moved to the rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993 and became their lead announcer. In WCW he worked with legends like Sting, Ric Flair, Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg. After making his return to WWE, Okerlund was inducted into the Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006, by Hogan. Okerlund made his last appearance on television in January 2018 when he appeared on the 25th-anniversary episode of Raw to interview AJ Styles.

Okerlund had been married to his wife Jeanne since March 27, 1964 and had two grown children. Gene’s son Todd starred on the University of Minnesota ice hockey team from 1983 to 1987. Todd played on the 1988 United States Olympics team that competed in Calgary. He played four games with the NHL’s New York Islanders. A chronic knee injury ultimately forced his early retirement.

Do Mobile Phones Help Or Hinder Socialising?

When we refer to a mobile phone today, it carries an entirely different connotation to what it did years ago. It’s amazing how mobile phones have changed over the years, far beyond simple mobility to much more through to texting, cameras, social media apps, banking and so on. Mobile phones are a multi-functional tool that encapsulates mostly everything we need to survive in modern society.

But most importantly, one of the the most interesting things about phones being what it does and doesn’t do for our social skills. We can’t deny our interaction with each has changed as relationships with our phones have become stronger, so let’s explore a few areas we’re all too familiar with in order to answer whether cells help or hinder social lives.

Hiding Behind The Screen

The ability to hide one’s emotions by using our cells is an incredibly powerful and desirable tool for many. For example, face to face interaction with another while arguing may become more heated when you can witness one another’s body language and words fly out without thinking in the moment. However arguing over text, it’s impossible to see or hear how the other person is actually feeling, all you have to go on is there choice and arrangement of words, and perhaps a few emojis on a message. The ability to downplay our emotions by using our phones as a filter, can help in some circumstances to think about what you’ll type before you send it, and even convey that you’re not at all upset about a situation you are. In opposition you can explain you’re incredibly happy for someone, even though you may not be. In person, hiding is a lot harder to do, as your body language, tone of voice,and language are a strong indication of your standpoint on a discussion. Using your phone to actively hide your emotions to prevent hurting someone is a positive for socialising. However, consistently pretending you’re not as happy, sad, or pleased as you express over your phone can begin portraying yourself to others as someone you’re not. This can hinder your social life by sacrificing who you truly are as you constantly dull/or even change what you think to suit and serve others.

On The Go

If you’re travelling, working and just generally a busybody, you may have little to no time as it is to dedicate to visiting your nan you haven’t seen for a while or having a catch up with your best friend. This is when mobile phones could enhance your social life, however, it can’t replace the impact of real face to face interaction, but advanced technology such as Face-time allows it to come pretty close. The same goes for keeping in touch with your sibling, friend, work colleague a text message to catch-up, or a phone call on your lunch break. When you’re physical presence is everywhere else but with your closest, a mobile can keep you connected to a degree, helping you to maintain connections with people when you’re away.

Living In The Moment

It’s not unfamiliar to go out for lunch whether with family, friends or a date and sometimes (usually by habit) be driven to look at your phone. Worst of all it’s probably not for anything of particular importance, it’s just a sudden impulse that takes you away from living in the moment. When you’re too concerned with taking selfies, tagging your location for every stranger and it’s dog to find you and posting on Facebook to update your status your constant connection to your cell could mean you miss what’s going on in front of you. Some people may think looking at your phone while you’re with them is actually a bit rude, which also hinders the socialising factor.

Dating

With a surge in apps such as Tinder and Grindr, it’s changed the game for romantic hookups almost completely. With people advertising themselves as a commodity online, the past protocol of  meeting people in person has somewhat taken a back seat. There are some drawbacks to discuss here. With Tindr for instance being concocted solely on the basis of how someone looks and swiping people left to right depending on whether you approve or not. This action entails judging people imminently and  encourages a shallow selection process meaning you may reject someone whose personality who would of perfectly gelled with yours. However, for those leading a busy lifestyle, it enables them to meet like minded people without having to actively leave their workplace or house to connect with someone initially in person.

The answer to the original question is, phones hinder socialisation when people use it as there only option to interact with people, as opposed to making an effort to see them face to face. After all, mobile phones don’t force people to carry them everywhere and compulsively look at them at every opportunity, that’s purely based on how individuals decide to alter their behaviour around phones, to an extent some may even have withdrawal symptoms. So in fact, when the questions of whether socialisation is hindered or helped by cells, actually largely come down to the choices of people, the phone cannot be blamed for hinder or enhancing socialising.

Ever Thought About Becoming A Wrestler? Now Is The Time To Act

The world of wrestling and sports entertainment is a truly fascinating environment. Whether you grew up with Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, John Cena, or Daniel Bryan doesn’t matter. You’ve probably had dreams about stepping inside the squared circle for yourself.

Spoiler alert: getting into the WWE roster is almost impossible. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t get into wrestling by joining a school with a view to joining an independent promotion. Here’s why 2019 is the year to do it.

Wrestlers Enjoy A Greater Status Than Ever Before

At the top end of the scale, wrestlers even have the opportunity to become mayors! Likewise, the crossover of WWE stars to UFC and Hollywood has seen their stock rise. Meanwhile, many of the smaller promotions are now blessed with big name stars, even if they only do guest spots. Essentially, then, the stigma and condescending elements surrounding wrestling have gone. If you want to try wrestling out, you will command greater respect than in previous generations.

The Opportunities Are There For Women Too

While the WWE has always had women wrestlers, they were often eye candy and little more. Nowadays, Vinnie Mac’s global giant champions the athletic ability of the women’s division. The fact that Ronda Rousey is signed to the company says it all. Crucially, the WWE is still the trendsetter, even though smaller operations do things with their unique quirks. As women thrive in the big pond, the opportunities continue to grow across the board.

Wrestling Improves Your Life

Given that wrestling is likely to start as a hobby, you will need it to bring some value to your life. Aside from the obvious benefits of getting fitter, it can encourage you to become more confident and a better speaker. It’ll also train your brain to think quickly and make instant reactionary decisions. So, grab some awesome wrestling shoes and hit the nearest locker room as soon as possible. It could be the start of a truly life-changing time in your life.

It’s Better Than Living With Regret

There’s nothing worse than looking back on life with regrets. If you’ve been thinking about wrestling, it’s probably not a one-off thought. It’s something you’ve wanted to do for several years. Conquering your fears and pushing yourself to the limit in this sense will unlock a far happier future. Not only will you discover whether wrestling is right for you or not, you should also gain a mindset that will help you in other areas. Wondering ‘what if’ is the last thing you need.

You Just Never Know

If you’re going to become a wrestler, it’s OK to have dreams of joining the WWE. Nonetheless, you must accept that the odds are stacked against you. Thankfully, though, there could soon be a new big hitter in town as the Khan family’s new promotion is set to challenge the WWE. Seriously, All Elite Wrestling could change everything. So, if you become a talented ringmaster over the coming months and years, a future career as a professional wrestler may yet be on the cards.