When it comes to being a wrestling fan today, it seems like you’re given more than you bargained for. Look into the tweets made by wrestlers or more specifically, those wrestlers who seem to make the most commotion on Twitter after being released.
Enter Trent Barreta, a good talent who many hardcore fans did not think received a fair shot (Barreta was released from his contract on January 11th of this year). Barreta was employed by World Wrestling Entertainment for a little over five years before his release but never seemed to elevate beyond WWE Superstars, the company’s Internet-only show.
Instead of bowing out gracefully, Barreta took to Twitter about five days after his release. If you thought Zack Ryder could air his grievances on Twitter, I’m starting to think Barreta wants to give him competition. On that Wednesday, Barreta posted a derogatory Tweet, slamming WWE wrestler Kofi Kingston.
Just recently, former WWE talent Wayne Farris, known better to wrestling fans as the Honky Tonk Man, posted a rather scattered yet venomous Tweet in regards to WWE Hall of Famer, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.
Anyone who airs their dirty laundry on the Internet does not deserve to be taken seriously. How can one avoid this, you may be asking yourself?
1. Don’t mention anything relating to your employer by name. In Barreta’s case, if you simply can’t live without airing your dirty laundry on the Internet, fair enough, but remain as low-key as possible.
2. Even if you don’t mean it, mention on Twitter just how fulfilling the experience was. It’s only going to help you look better in the public eye and possibly open up business opportunities in the future.
3. Be Taboo with Twitter. There’s no code stating that you have to list every detail of your life on the Internet, right? Go rant to a family member or close friend, if you need to get something off of your chest that is that personal it doesn’t need to be seen by the world.
Whatever the case may be, it’s proof that being a wrestling fan can be somewhat shameful. When I see the people on TV whom I admire behave like children on Twitter, I can’t help but die a little inside. I thought well-versed wrestling fans had a rough go of things watching these shows but to be bombarded with these childish Tweets is worse. Trent, we understand that it’s tough to lose your job after five years; however, do you really think that acting this way is going to help your chances of being hired by another company?
There’s a lesson to be had here: leave your dark thoughts in a diary where fewer people are going to see them.