Wow. I have to admit I was disappointed to not see CM Punk last night, but I must commend the way that the WWE and in particular Paul Heyman worked the crowd to minimize the damage.
I wouldn't be surprised if WWE execs just went to Paul and said "this may very well be a disaster...what do we do?" and Paul came up with this. It didn't shy away from the CM Punk situation, which I was terribly afraid they would do, and it cleverly segued the frustration into another, real program. Granted, a lot of the audience saw right through it, but enough of the Chicago crowd was behind what Paul Heyman was saying that they completely bought into the seamless way he associated Punk with Lesnar and Taker. It was promo psychology at it's best, and a prime example of how a good talker can work even a hostile crowd, provided the crowd is invested in the product as a whole.
Again, I am disappointed to not see Punk, just because I am a fan of his. That being said, if he is indeed not coming back immediately, I now see him not returning until after WM30. What would be the point of a surprise return at Wrestlemania? You would want to advertise a draw like that.
I was very impressed with Raw last night. I am still not sure if I am completely sold on the emerging card of Wrestlemania, but of course I will watch it regardless. That leads me to another topic I want to briefly tackle today: the success of the WWE Network.
I have seen a lot of people online saying that the network will fail because of the number of subscribers presumably needed to break even. I think I am a good example of why it will ultimately succeed. I have not purchased a WWE ppv since Wrestlemania 18, and only them because I hosted a party for my employees at the time. I consider myself a pretty devoted fan of wrestling, I have been watching ever since I saw WCCW on my grandmother's tv when I would visit her on the weekends. As a kid, I only had three channels and would watch the WWF every weekend. I followed the entirety of the Monday Night Wars, and I am a wrestling trivia buff (perhaps not to the extent of someone like William R. Washington but I pride myself on my personal database). My point is, the WWE Network has convinced me to subscribe, because $9.99 a month is much easier to swallow and the value is so much greater than buying inflated ppv prices each month. I wonder how many other wrestling fans are of the same mindset. Even if I had pirated ppv's, which I didn't, but if I had, $9.99 would be low enough to make me go legit. Those are my two cents.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
The Road to the WWE Network
I feel a renewed sense of vigor when it comes to the wrestling industry this week, but also a new sense of apprehension. At the center of this contradiction of emotions is the WWE Network.
I signed up for my free trial on day one, and based on the traffic and the issues that I had, I certainly wasn't the only one. I've seen a lot of news reports online regarding the problems that the network had with signups, as well as the issues with on-demand content, and I for one didn't have that many issues. I had to refresh several times during registration, but a little perseverance got me through just fine. I did have issues watching content on the PS3, and if I hadn't had my laptop to fall back on (not literally), I certainly would have been much more frustrated than I was.
After tinkering around with the network for a few days, I do have one glaring concern that has worried me...over-saturation of content. I remember when I was a kid, playing Nintendo games that I rented on the weekends for $2.52 at the local video store, or watching Saturday morning cartoons on the three channels that we had at the time, and I remember being very very content with the entertainment that I had at my disposal. Fast forward to today, with the instant streaming of Hulu and Netflix, the constant gaming content of Gamefly, the massive amount of channels at my fingertips, and I find myself more ADD when it comes to my entertainment. It is harder to keep my attention, and often times I spend my days off trying to decide what game or TV show or movie to watch, and at the end of the day I have wasted it.
My point in relating all of that is, sometimes too many options is a bad thing, and over saturation is a bad thing. What if, after six months, we all realize that we don't want every wrestling match ever at our fingertips? What if we slowly stop watching Raw because we have gotten burned out? The quickest way to devalue something is to almost give it away. Don't get me wrong, the price point is very desirable. But in a way, I am afraid that Wrestlemania this year will feel more like a ROH iPPV than the big league, high dollar spectacle that it used to...simply because I bought something for $9.99 and basically got Wrestlemania as a free bonus (at least that is how my brain is going to look at it).
I hope that doesn't happen, mind you. I hope that this is a new era for the WWE, and the original content is going to be key here. In a few weeks, once we get a few episodes of the original content under our figurative belts (can I say belt or do I have to say title?) we will have a better grasp of what the network will be like as an actual network instead of an archive. I suppose we will all see.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A New Beginning
The title of this post could be referring to my return after a long hiatus, but it is intended to mean my hopes for the WWE in the upcoming months. There are a lot of potential changes and storylines in the possible future, and it is my hope that with the supposed renewed emphasis on the creative team and the Diva's division, that some of the possibilities come to fruition. Here are a few of my hopes, I may go into more detail on a few of them in future posts.
1. The Undertaker's streak. I may get some heat for this one, but honestly I hope that Punk breaks the streak. There are a couple of reasons why I want this to happen, and a couple of completely different reasons why I think it might. Mainly I want it to happen because of the goldmine of storytelling it will mean for creative, if they use it properly. Punk would receive a massive amount of heat for it, and would bring about a whole new level of greatness and arrogance to his character, none of which could ever be taken away again. "Titles come and titles go...but I did something that no one else will EVER be able to do."
I think it is a possibility because Taker is old school...I don't see him as wanting to retire the streak, because in the old days you used what you had to put over other people...Andre putting over Hogan, Hogan putting over Warrior, etc. That's how it was done. If Taker is ready to retire, this may be how he does it.
2. A renewed emphasis on the Divas divison. I would like to see more screen time to the Divas, if only because they need to find a better use for all that extra time on Raw these days. Calling up rookies from NXT (Paige for example), bringing back some DECENT talent, and/or some compelling non-throwaway storylines would all be major pluses. I would like to see a titleholder want the Women's championship back (they were unified after all) because of the negative stigma associated with the divas. Paige the anti-diva would be a good choice, but it would have to be a ways off as I don't agree with slapping the title on a rookie.
1. The Undertaker's streak. I may get some heat for this one, but honestly I hope that Punk breaks the streak. There are a couple of reasons why I want this to happen, and a couple of completely different reasons why I think it might. Mainly I want it to happen because of the goldmine of storytelling it will mean for creative, if they use it properly. Punk would receive a massive amount of heat for it, and would bring about a whole new level of greatness and arrogance to his character, none of which could ever be taken away again. "Titles come and titles go...but I did something that no one else will EVER be able to do."
I think it is a possibility because Taker is old school...I don't see him as wanting to retire the streak, because in the old days you used what you had to put over other people...Andre putting over Hogan, Hogan putting over Warrior, etc. That's how it was done. If Taker is ready to retire, this may be how he does it.
2. A renewed emphasis on the Divas divison. I would like to see more screen time to the Divas, if only because they need to find a better use for all that extra time on Raw these days. Calling up rookies from NXT (Paige for example), bringing back some DECENT talent, and/or some compelling non-throwaway storylines would all be major pluses. I would like to see a titleholder want the Women's championship back (they were unified after all) because of the negative stigma associated with the divas. Paige the anti-diva would be a good choice, but it would have to be a ways off as I don't agree with slapping the title on a rookie.
Monday, February 14, 2011
The 02/21/2011 Spectacle
It seems like everyone wants to put their two cents worth in when it comes to the 02/21/2011 advertisements. I suppose I should be no different, so here goes.
At no point has WWE done anything but make a pretty obvious series of clips regarding The Undertaker's return on February 21st. The IWC has taken them and run with them, however. Rumors of it being Sting's WWE debut, or the Awesome Kong debut have been running rampant. I would be inclined to speculate as well, if it weren't for the fact that they don't even really seem to be vague at all...they simply seem to be spooky vignettes heralding The Deadman's return.
Don't get me wrong...I'm ready for Kong to stir up the Divas, and Sting's debut would be very interesting...but I cannot really get behind either theory because they are both baseless speculation. Speculation is fun, but it shouldn't get anyone's hopes up. I doubt WWE expected there to be any real controversy, they were just doing a basic Undertaker Returns package.
That being said, If I were booker (tm), I would have the cabin be Undertaker's (which would explain the Johnny Cash song) and Sting is the person looking for him. Perhaps it is where the Undertaker heals, and him not being there means he is all better....
Nah. No Sting.
Incidentally, I expect the guest host of Wrestlemania to be announced tonight as The Rock.
At no point has WWE done anything but make a pretty obvious series of clips regarding The Undertaker's return on February 21st. The IWC has taken them and run with them, however. Rumors of it being Sting's WWE debut, or the Awesome Kong debut have been running rampant. I would be inclined to speculate as well, if it weren't for the fact that they don't even really seem to be vague at all...they simply seem to be spooky vignettes heralding The Deadman's return.
Don't get me wrong...I'm ready for Kong to stir up the Divas, and Sting's debut would be very interesting...but I cannot really get behind either theory because they are both baseless speculation. Speculation is fun, but it shouldn't get anyone's hopes up. I doubt WWE expected there to be any real controversy, they were just doing a basic Undertaker Returns package.
That being said, If I were booker (tm), I would have the cabin be Undertaker's (which would explain the Johnny Cash song) and Sting is the person looking for him. Perhaps it is where the Undertaker heals, and him not being there means he is all better....
Nah. No Sting.
Incidentally, I expect the guest host of Wrestlemania to be announced tonight as The Rock.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Overrated Wrestlers
I told myself my first real post would not be a rant, but I also told myself I wasn't going to have dessert last night and look how that turned out. So here we go.
The interwebs are covered with accusations of wrestlers being overrated. Some people consider Christian to be overrated. Some called the Ultimate Warrior overrated. At some point most popular wrestlers have been considered overrated. The issue I have is with the constant arguing...I have no problem with people disagreeing with the individual worth of different wrestlers, but the definition of "overrated" is pretty simple. The problem that most people seem to have is that they forget that there are three distinct groups of people involved in the "support system" of wrestlers...the bookers/creative, the internet wrestling community, and the mainstream fans. For those of you that don't know, let me run down each category individually.
*sidebar...I will refer to wrestlers as wrestlers...Not Superstars, not Divas, not Knockouts. I agree that this gives some of them too much credit, but I am just "old school" enough to dislike the term "Sports Entertainment". Until they come up with something else that fits the category, like scripted tennis matches, we don't need an umbrella term like "Sports Entertainment" to classify wrestling. Yes, I will always type "Sports Entertainment" in quotes. Anyway, back to the support system.
Bookers, or the creative team as WWE calls it, is the group of people who devise storylines, write some dialogue (good wrestlers write a lot of their own), and shape the world that the wrestlers live in. If you are an individual that doesn't believe that wrestling is scripted, this probably isn't the blog for you. When people talk about wrestlers getting a "push", this is the group of individuals that make that happen. Wrestlers become showcased and prominent because of this group.
The second group, the internet wrestling community, is most likely the majority of you readers. Some individuals may stumble across this blog and not necessarily fit into this category, but most of you will. The IWC is the group who discusses what goes on in the wrestling world, from storylines, to hirings and firings, to public opinion.
The third group is the mainstream fans. People who just watch on tv and go to shows, but who do not participate in online discussion fit this category.
Someone who is overrated is someone who has a lopsided popularity: one group is high on the wrestler but the other two are not, or considerably less so. What this means is that a lot of wrestlers are overrated, depending on who you talk to. A lot of the IWC is high on Christian, but ask creative and they may say he's overrated...same with Daniel Bryan. The opposite is true for The Ultimate Warrior...creative was high on him for a while, as well as the mainstream audience...but the IWC thinks he was always overrated.
The problem is that each group values different things.. the IWC values skill, both physical and verbal, creative values marketability and potential profitability, essentially trying to predict what the audience will like, and the mainstream audience just sees general likeability. Rarely does someone please all groups at the same time, and those are the few individuals who avoid being called overrated by almost everyone. C.M. Punk fits this category.
Essentially what I am trying to say is that if someone states that a particular wrestler is overrated, then he is probably right in some form or fashion. If there is a solid reason why a certain wrestler is not "the perfect specimen" then there is probably one of the three groups that doesn't like him or her, validating the term. And as a self disclaimer, all of the wrestlers I used as examples I have been fans of at some point in my life, and all but one of them I am a current fan of. You guys will never hear me call someone overrated, because I feel that the term has no value. I am either a fan, or not a fan of someone...I will make no judgement on whether you should be a fan of that same individual.
The interwebs are covered with accusations of wrestlers being overrated. Some people consider Christian to be overrated. Some called the Ultimate Warrior overrated. At some point most popular wrestlers have been considered overrated. The issue I have is with the constant arguing...I have no problem with people disagreeing with the individual worth of different wrestlers, but the definition of "overrated" is pretty simple. The problem that most people seem to have is that they forget that there are three distinct groups of people involved in the "support system" of wrestlers...the bookers/creative, the internet wrestling community, and the mainstream fans. For those of you that don't know, let me run down each category individually.
*sidebar...I will refer to wrestlers as wrestlers...Not Superstars, not Divas, not Knockouts. I agree that this gives some of them too much credit, but I am just "old school" enough to dislike the term "Sports Entertainment". Until they come up with something else that fits the category, like scripted tennis matches, we don't need an umbrella term like "Sports Entertainment" to classify wrestling. Yes, I will always type "Sports Entertainment" in quotes. Anyway, back to the support system.
Bookers, or the creative team as WWE calls it, is the group of people who devise storylines, write some dialogue (good wrestlers write a lot of their own), and shape the world that the wrestlers live in. If you are an individual that doesn't believe that wrestling is scripted, this probably isn't the blog for you. When people talk about wrestlers getting a "push", this is the group of individuals that make that happen. Wrestlers become showcased and prominent because of this group.
The second group, the internet wrestling community, is most likely the majority of you readers. Some individuals may stumble across this blog and not necessarily fit into this category, but most of you will. The IWC is the group who discusses what goes on in the wrestling world, from storylines, to hirings and firings, to public opinion.
The third group is the mainstream fans. People who just watch on tv and go to shows, but who do not participate in online discussion fit this category.
Someone who is overrated is someone who has a lopsided popularity: one group is high on the wrestler but the other two are not, or considerably less so. What this means is that a lot of wrestlers are overrated, depending on who you talk to. A lot of the IWC is high on Christian, but ask creative and they may say he's overrated...same with Daniel Bryan. The opposite is true for The Ultimate Warrior...creative was high on him for a while, as well as the mainstream audience...but the IWC thinks he was always overrated.
The problem is that each group values different things.. the IWC values skill, both physical and verbal, creative values marketability and potential profitability, essentially trying to predict what the audience will like, and the mainstream audience just sees general likeability. Rarely does someone please all groups at the same time, and those are the few individuals who avoid being called overrated by almost everyone. C.M. Punk fits this category.
Essentially what I am trying to say is that if someone states that a particular wrestler is overrated, then he is probably right in some form or fashion. If there is a solid reason why a certain wrestler is not "the perfect specimen" then there is probably one of the three groups that doesn't like him or her, validating the term. And as a self disclaimer, all of the wrestlers I used as examples I have been fans of at some point in my life, and all but one of them I am a current fan of. You guys will never hear me call someone overrated, because I feel that the term has no value. I am either a fan, or not a fan of someone...I will make no judgement on whether you should be a fan of that same individual.
The Reason For This Blog
Greetings. It is my hope that you and I get to know each other, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Daniel Moore and I have been a wrestling fan for over two decades, which makes me a newbie in some circles and a veteran in others. Ultimately, however, it is my love for the history and culture of wrestling going back many decades, my direct exposure during the past twenty years, and my interest in the strange turns it has taken more recently that has led me to believe I have something to say.
There are areas that I know more about and areas that I am less versed, as with anyone. I can assure you of several things...I will never claim to be an expert on any part of wrestling, only that I am a fan. I will always welcome respectful discussion, criticism, and correction. I will try to write about things that I know, and hopefully be entertaining and create discussion without inciting arguments and conflict intentionally.
Let's talk about wrestling.
There are areas that I know more about and areas that I am less versed, as with anyone. I can assure you of several things...I will never claim to be an expert on any part of wrestling, only that I am a fan. I will always welcome respectful discussion, criticism, and correction. I will try to write about things that I know, and hopefully be entertaining and create discussion without inciting arguments and conflict intentionally.
Let's talk about wrestling.
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