I'm sitting on the couch, watching Tivoed episodes of Tony Bourdain's fantastic travel show, sipping coffee and settling in for a day of coding-for-fun and basketball-watching (I got off to an okay start, but I know I'm doomed). It's so, so nice.

Naturally enough, I'm psyching myself up for all of this by reading some old material on the internet about professional wrestling. What could be more logical? I used to know an awful lot about it, considering myself a "smart mark". I even went to the theater to watch Jake The Snake Roberts smoke crack on film. I don't really keep up with it anymore, but it's relaxing and familiar, and that makes it just right for this morning's pre-caffeinated period.

So, a wrestling-themed link trail:

• Bad News Hughes' glorious wrestling career
• Roland Barthes' ur-analysis of professional wrestling. You've probably already read it. If not, you should.
• A few years ago the Village Voice surveyed the state of academic inquiry into the field and asked (among other things), "[shouldn't wrestling] stand for [labor] unions?"
• Answer: No