The IWC's negativity

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

Fellas,

 

I'm wriiting a major piece on the IWC's negativity and I wanted your input. What do you perceive the IWC(internet wrestling community's) overall attitude towards the sport...Has it changed in the last few years. Who is right, the iWC or the corporate promotions...Does our banter further or hurt the wrestling we say we love...

 

your thoughts, please

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

it depends, the "real" IWC is beneficial for wrestling, as we attend the indy shows, buy the ppv's etc. we also generally offer more balanced opinion and generate intelligent discussion. the "sheep" and "poser" portions of the IWC i like to think of as newbies, they contribute nothing, know nothing, and just piss everybody else off. they are by no means beneficial.

 

both parties are ultimately right, as there is an old saying:

There are three sides to every argument: your side, their side and the right side

now both sides are wrong, as they dismiss us very easily as if we dont matter and show us very little respect, while we dont give them any credit and assume we know more than they do, which is false. so really, everyone is guilty, although perhaps the promotions are more culpable due to their head in the sand approach. by and large, the IWC is more likely to accept constructive criticism than the promotions, though we do often forget our place.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

I think the attitudes of the IWC are basically the same - it's just that people inside and outside of the IWC have reacted to it differently...if that makes any sense.

[Guest SuperTonyJaymz]

yeah, its like half of the IWC is reu wrstling fans, enjoy the sport, yadda yadda while the other half is a deeply cynical group, more concerned about ratings and backstage going ons than the actual product

[Guest Trivia247]

Wrestling fans Smarks Marks etc etc

 

There are many levels of us. (And this is my own Opinion alone here)

 

what the Wrestling Promotions like WWE hate is those Smarks who go on big wrestling pages and BLAST wrestlers on their wrestling or try to tell them what to do when they haven't even been in a ring or have been a wrestler. Kinda like being Sofa Coaches yelling at the TV during Football games. Where they are wrong is that they Put every Smark in the same catagory as those rabid ones.

 

Then there is us Moderates Who love wrestling who watched for years and watched other promotions and compare and contrast, people who take their time learning everyones moves. remember the past histories and so forth. We understand that we aren't Backstage and know whats really going on, Half the stuff we talk about is Uninformed Opinions. We get to have those opinions because we spent years watching. Me personally Only admitted Disliking two wrestlers Ultimate Warrior and Goldberg... Everyone else from the Benoit's to the Haku's To the Blitzkreig to the Mr Pogo's as Long as they can go, they are physically able to perform, then they can go.

 

Then you got those Mark Smarks who like Marks center around One wrestler and buys all the merchandise and Rattle on with the catch phrases. However Mark Smarks Research every little event That wrestler does. His opponent so wrapped around his own wrestler, he demands He MUST get the title shot NOW and must have a long title run and critize whoever he faces.

 

 

Then the usual Classic Marks From head to toe Wearing Hulkamania outfits and is Not 10 years old or Less. you can't blame kids what they like. Thats cool for kids. But once they get past 15 and they watch wrestling awhile then you can ask... So you like Hogan??? yea Cool. Umm Why?

 

then there is the causal Wrestling fan. Doesn't care about backstage antics, Doesn't seem to care about the Montreal Snafu , doesn't know about the Kliq's backstage influence, wouldn't have guessed Wrestlers booked. Just sits backand Enjoy the show...

 

 

I went off on a Tangent there.

 

 

Now..

 

The Smarks who Proclaim the WWE Or their Wrestlers are Doing something wrong, or Insulting them and their wrestling, or TELLING them what to do. Thats Wrong.

 

WWE and its wrestlers are Wrong In the sense that they Throw all of us into the Torch.Com the Wade Kellers Group thinking we are All Alike. We aren't WWE is also wrong to the point where they don't give a outlet for us to talk to them. IF the WWE gave out a email for the fans to Email in and Vent or gripe or just make fan suggestions that would be like 5 times better. Hell even if they never read them, If they had a Email like that, I would feel better pouring out my frustrations at them. LOL Byte this is the only Outlet for us to talk to them.

 

The rest of us isn't wrong. We have our opinions, and we have the right to them, We aren't being Slanderous, we aren't doing any Libel. we aren't insulting Performers, people who wrestle and do their business for years. We just talk about the entertainment we enjoy that we know alot about from a FANS standpoint. We may do some Living room Booking here and there, but we aren't phoning Titan Towers Demanding Vince on the phone LOL

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

Thanks fellas very much...id like to hear more of your opinions, especially on the changing role as more and more fans find themselves online

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

*bump*

[Guest RickyChosyu]

I think it's stupid to segregate the internet into various groups, or generalize them into one group. I think that's wrong in any case, and the internet is no exception.

 

I think it all comes down to the fundimentals of what the internet is: a global network of information and comunication that allows people to know more than ever before and to voice their opinions more freely than ever before. Now, given this much freedome to know everything and bitch about it to their heart's content, the internet fans are not always the most beloved of wrestling fans, and understandably so. However, I do feel like internet fans, on top of every negative aspect that can be pinned on them, are, at heart, the most dedicated fans in the world. Wrestlers and promoters will always love the marks because of their seemingly-unconditional acceptaince of everything they do, but the internet fans live and breath wrestling, and despite how bad or good they are at expressing this passion, it's there, without a doubt.

 

I would compare the internet wrestling fans to really protective parents watching over a defiant child. Many times they make snap judgements and brash decisions without knowing the full story, are critical of what they love almost to a fault, and generally get on the nerves of their "children" to no end. Furthermore, they know that what they love is far from perfect, but they love it anway and continue carring for it because that's what they care about.

 

Hope that helps you in some way.

[Guest RobJohnstone]

Wrestling fans Smarks Marks etc etc

 

There are many levels of us. (And this is my own Opinion alone here)

 

what the Wrestling Promotions like WWE hate is those Smarks who go on big wrestling pages and BLAST wrestlers on their wrestling or try to tell them what to do when they haven't even been in a ring or have been a wrestler. Kinda like being Sofa Coaches yelling at the TV during Football games. Where they are wrong is that they Put every Smark in the same catagory as those rabid ones.

 

Then there is us Moderates Who love wrestling who watched for years and watched other promotions and compare and contrast, people who take their time learning everyones moves. remember the past histories and so forth. We understand that we aren't Backstage and know whats really going on, Half the stuff we talk about is Uninformed Opinions. We get to have those opinions because we spent years watching. Me personally Only admitted Disliking two wrestlers Ultimate Warrior and Goldberg... Everyone else from the Benoit's to the Haku's To the Blitzkreig to the Mr Pogo's as Long as they can go, they are physically able to perform, then they can go.

 

Then you got those Mark Smarks who like Marks center around One wrestler and buys all the merchandise and Rattle on with the catch phrases. However Mark Smarks Research every little event That wrestler does. His opponent so wrapped around his own wrestler, he demands He MUST get the title shot NOW and must have a long title run and critize whoever he faces.

 

 

Then the usual Classic Marks From head to toe Wearing Hulkamania outfits and is Not 10 years old or Less. you can't blame kids what they like. Thats cool for kids. But once they get past 15 and they watch wrestling awhile then you can ask... So you like Hogan??? yea Cool. Umm Why?

 

then there is the causal Wrestling fan. Doesn't care about backstage antics, Doesn't seem to care about the Montreal Snafu , doesn't know about the Kliq's backstage influence, wouldn't have guessed Wrestlers booked. Just sits backand Enjoy the show...

 

 

I went off on a Tangent there.

 

 

Now..

 

The Smarks who Proclaim the WWE Or their Wrestlers are Doing something wrong, or Insulting them and their wrestling, or TELLING them what to do. Thats Wrong.

 

WWE and its wrestlers are Wrong In the sense that they Throw all of us into the Torch.Com the Wade Kellers Group thinking we are All Alike. We aren't WWE is also wrong to the point where they don't give a outlet for us to talk to them. IF the WWE gave out a email for the fans to Email in and Vent or gripe or just make fan suggestions that would be like 5 times better. Hell even if they never read them, If they had a Email like that, I would feel better pouring out my frustrations at them. LOL Byte this is the only Outlet for us to talk to them.

 

The rest of us isn't wrong. We have our opinions, and we have the right to them, We aren't being Slanderous, we aren't doing any Libel. we aren't insulting Performers, people who wrestle and do their business for years. We just talk about the entertainment we enjoy that we know alot about from a FANS standpoint. We may do some Living room Booking here and there, but we aren't phoning Titan Towers Demanding Vince on the phone LOL

great post, sorry I can;t contribute, I just wanted to say that your post was GREAT

 

--Rob

[Guest Will Scarlet]

Well, I always viewed the relationship between the WWF and the IWC as a relationship between two good friends where one friend(the WWE) suddenly gets new friends(casual fans), who have a bad influcence on the friend(sportz entertainment.) At some point, the friend realizes that if they act a certain way many more people will like them, and they will be happier.

 

They basically start ignoring their old friends(the IWC,) and start hanging with the new friends and have an entirely new attitude(sportz entertaiment.) which the old friends do not like or may like at first, but immediately start getting sick of. They want their friend(the WWE) back to the way it was(wrestling.) The old friends basically start calling the WWE complaining, and warning them that the new friends will eventually leave them unless they start changing to suit the times. The WWE blows it off, telling the IWC to stick it, and if they do not like it, then they can "get the F Out!"

 

Eventually, the IWC starts being right, as the casual fans start leaving, the WWE, now worried, start to REALLY act they think the casual fans want them to act, but the casual fans are saying that they are "old news," and that they are now following the new Australian kid who basically goes out and has had a bunch of adventures out in the wilderness(Survivor, reality tv.) So, the WWE counters that they themselves have had their own little interesting adventures(Tough Enough.), which keeps the casuals around for a short time more, before they meet another new kid(whatever the new tv fad is.) And now, the new friends are leaving the WWE in droves to be friends with the hip, new thing in school. The WWE is slowly starting to realize that the same old stuff(sportz entertainment) does not interest the casual fans any more, and, while they gained some new friends who have stuck with them, they have to go back to the IWC, and show they have changed(elevation, more wrestling) in hopes that the IWC will take them back, which the IWC will because they like the WWE deep down, and no matter how critical they are of the WWE, they will almost always be there for them. The WWE is back to square one, gaining a few new fans, while losing a few old ones.

 

Ultimately, both the WWE and the IWC are wrong, to a point. The IWC should be more accepting that the WWE has to change with the times so that they can gain new people who will watch them and be loyal to them like the IWC; however the WWE should be more respectful to the IWC, and should not blow them off and take them for granted. I am taking a guess that the IWC, while not a force in the tv ratings, are a somewhat significant part of those who buy PPVs, thus if the IWC suddenly stopped watching in droves, or stopped ordering PPV's, then the WWE would probably take a hit in PPV revenue. You would think if a company is having massive ratings losses, they would not be as dumb as to tell people who are loyal and watching the program and ordering the PPVs that should stop watching if they are unhappy. You would think bells would be going off wondering, "Why is the IWC unhappy?" Considering that the IWC is unhappy with the WWE, and casual fans are leaving in droves, it might be wise to realize that there might be a problem with the product that needs fixing.

 

I think the banter can help wrestling for both the WWE and the IWC. For the WWE, they can see what they MIGHT be doing wrong, and fix it before the casual fans catch wind of the problem. As for the IWC, I think all the discussion enhances the product, and may help smarks to see wrestling from a viewpoint they may not have looked at it. They may learn to like a new style of wrestling, or finally realize what bothers them about a certain wrestler, or something else, which could end up being a good thing for smarks, as it increases their love and respect for wrestling, in general.

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

bump, last time...cmon you regular posters

 

AS, BPS, Downhome, oh wait you did post, thanks! and the rest of you US doods...

 

your thoughts

[Guest nikowwf]

I think part of the problem is the people driving the IWC, the main columnists and reporters tend to be on the negative side. (not all of them, but a good percentage.) The generally negative comments is what drives the conversation more unfortunately.

 

Think about it. Post a topic about how great a match was and discussing it. Then post a topic about Stephanie killing the WWE. Which one gets more responses?

 

I also think it's bad that the IWC goes into an event they are going to watch with a thought in their mind of what they WANT to happen from a booking standpoint, instead of from a fan's standpoint. Not, I WANT EDGE TO WIN BECAUSE HE IS MY FAVORITE, but I WANT EDGE TO WIN TO SHOW THE WWE IS PUSHING A YOUNG TALENT PROPERLY. I think we are all gulity of that sometimes.

 

Niko

formerly of SMARKSNET.COM before it became a crappy linking to other people's article site =(