I'm so tired of this stereotype. Not only do we regularly have to hear how dumb professional wrestling is, but in plenty of cases we also have to put up with people directly stating that we must be some kind of idiots in order to watch this stuff. This stereotype seems to be readily accepted by the mainstream, even by the media, who should have higher standards but clearly do not.

The reason I bring this up is a recent sports article about Roman numerals in the Houston Chronicle in which the writer states "After all, WWE's Wrestlemania is 23 going on XXIV in its strange back-and-forth branding, and their fans wouldn't know what a XXIV was if one hit them in the face with a spinning heel kick from the top rope."

To the writer's credit, the WWE isn't helping matters with the back-and-forth branding, as he calls it. Roman numerals are not exclusively used to promote Wrestlemania. Last year, it was in fact Wrestlemania 23 and not Wrestlemania XXIII. In previous years we've born witness to Wrestlemania 2000, Wrestlemania X8, and even Wrestlemania X-Seven. Are these purely marketing gimmicks, or does the WWE believe the stereotype itself?

Nevertheless, I expect journalists to have higher standards than marketers, so I'm still put off by the writer's comments. I happen to know Roman numerals quite well, and could easily pepper a paragraph with them. For example, I could talk at length about how Ric Flair is a XVI time world champion. Or about the Royal Rumble, which has XXX participants each year. Or how Chris Jericho has been known as the man of MIV holds.

And I'm curious if other wrestling fans are capable of the same. Below I've posted a small quiz on Roman Numerals and Wrestlemania. I'll list the event, and all you have to do is answer back with the year in which the event will take place, given the following assumptions:

- The WWE will never go out of business.
- Wrestlemania will continue to be held annually without fail, and never more than once a year.
- The WWE will actually use Roman numerals to promote future Wrestlemanias (as if).

I'd like to be able to email the writer with a link to this blog when all is said and done, so remember Kurt Angle's III I's. (At least intelligence and integrity.) So if you want to participate, please do your own work and don't copy off of others' papers. (Or else you'll have to listen to a lecture from Matt Striker.)

At last, the quiz. Again, do not just translate the Roman numeral, provide the YEAR in which each event will take place. I'll post answers/results on Wednesday.

I. Wrestlemania XLII

II. Wrestlemania XXX

III. Wrestlemania M

IV. Wrestlemania DX

V. Wrestlemania CLV

VI. Wrestlemania XLV

VII. Wrestlemania MLVI

VIII. Wrestlemania XIXV

IX. Wrestlemania XCIX

X. Wrestlemania MDCCCLXXIV