Wrestlemania: The Real First Day Of Spring

For many people, the first day of spring is marked by the vernal equinox, that day in which the number of hours of daylight and darkness are equal as the Earth transitions from winter into springtime. Still others use events such as the start of the Major League Baseball season or the tip-off of March Madness. For millions of us, however, spring officially starts today, and the season will be brought in with the appropriate pomp and circumstance on South Beach.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's Wrestlemania day. . .the real first day of spring.

This is the biggest event on the wrestling calendar, and this year's event may be one of the biggest Wrestlemanias ever. If you've been reading our preview, then you know everything there is to know about the eight matches currently on the card, as well as how Minnesota native Brock Lesnar is back in WWE on a one-year contract. (We'll also be providing match-by-match results, so make sure to stay tuned.)

Now, I know that there are a lot of people that still poo-poo professional wrestling because "it's so fake." As someone that's been watching wrestling since they were old enough to change the channels on their own, I've always loved that. See, I'm going to let everyone in on a little spoiler here:

Everything on television is fake. That's why it's television.

Remember that show "Lost?" Yeah, those people weren't really stranded on a desert island after a plane crash. That was fake. There isn't really a guy named Jack Bauer that saved the United States of America on seven different occasions, and only required 24 hours to do it each time. That was fake, too. (Oh, and Pedro Cerrano was not the President of the United States before he went on to do ads for insurance companies.) Nobody ever criticized anyone for not watching Lost or 24 because they were ridiculously unrealistic. Yet professional wrestling is demonized for being "fake" or "scripted" or whatever term people want to use.

People watch wrestling for the same reasons that anybody else watches any other television show. There are compelling characters, good storylines, and. . .above all else. . .because they enjoy it. For as long as I've been a fan, I've never understood why this is an issue. The funny part is that so many of the people that are critical of wrestling fans have probably never watched more than fifteen minutes of professional wrestling, yet feel content to pigeonhole wrestling fans as unintelligent for their viewing choice.

If you're one of those people, I challenge you to head out to your local sports bar this evening. . .yes, there will be plenty of sports bars putting Wrestlemania XXVIII on the big screens. . .grab some munchies and beverages, and give it a shot, starting with this show. Or invite a bunch of friends over to your place and split the cost of the show, if the bar scene isn't for you. If tonight's show lives up to expectations, you won't be disappointed. You might even begin to understand what all the fuss is about.

It is officially springtime, ladies and gentlemen. The sun is shining, the grass is green, the birds are singing, and Wrestlemania is just hours away. It really doesn't get a whole lot better than this.