justcoz

I understand what you are saying but did you see this past Wrestlemania and how vocal that "small percentage of their audience" was during the Brock vs. Goldberg crapfest? I realize that we are talking a New York audience and that the Brock-leaving rumors did leak out to a few major newspapers leading into the show but I also believe that WWE under estimates the size of that "smart" audience. When I run into people that used to watch wrestling during the late 90's boom and no longer follow the product they aren't necessarily marks. They were on the net during the Monday Night Wars era. They were reading the insider wrestling columns that were popping up in regional newspapers at that time. They may still check out an online wrestling site from time to time to keep up with what's going on but they don't have the time or interest to watch the product. I think smarks grew out of the past wrestling boom more so than marks. They were the 80's kids that came back to the product when their childhood hero turned into a bad guy, a middle finger waving Stone Cold was beating up Vince McMahon, rumors about which WWF guy was going to join the NWO, DX, ECW, each show making shoot comments at the other and cruiserweight and hardcore action that was different than the wrestling they were bored with in the early 90's. I would agree that it's a smaller portion of their audience than the gullable marks but it's still a portion of the audience that deserves to have a bone thrown to them from time to time. Just say Brock really wasn't leaving for the NFL and it was just a storyline to play the media while giving the big lug a break. The media, Meltzer, etc. bought into it and Brock comes back at 2005's Mania. Is it a mistake for the company to devote time to have a few jollies at the expense of mainstream media, the Internet and "insider wrestling journalist"? It's the creative team being creative.

I'm not saying that spending their time working the sheets or the Internet will necessarily draw anything but WWE as a company has gone out of their way to shut off communication with these people, kayfabing their own website and express displeasure, sometimes potentially changing plans or finishes because information is leaked to the sheets or the net. In my opinion, that's the wrong approach. Just beat them at their own game and make asses out of them. Make someone like Meltzer hesitant to break a big story until it's confirmed with multiple sources because he's been made a fool out of by the company, unintentionally building interest in their angles even. You are essentially taking away any power they may have rather than just pretending they don't exist, they don't leak out your big plans, etc. Flair and Foley would be a classic set up because interest is created because converstation among fans would be centered around the fact that these two guys don't like each other for real. Just read Flair's book and see on the Internet... Flair punched Foley backstage. Drawing money involves many things. Creating interesting television and a good product is one. I just personally believe that this means playing all ends of your fan base. From the casual fan at home or the arena to the know it all smart fan on the net. You want them all to be interested in your storylines and that can be done.

I personally don't believe the Montreal screwjob was a work. I was simply stating that they could easily go that route to work insiders. Montreal was essentially the beginning of the Mr. McMahon character. My point all along is that it would be easy for WWE to leak out false info to the sheets, Internet sites, etc. I never understood why they seldom attempt it. It can't be that difficult. Sources backstage are reporting that Ric Flair threw a punch at Mick Foley. Just get some "sources" on the phone with Meltzer, Wade or Shearer. For instance, the backstage scuffle between HBK and Bret Hart following the "Sunny Days" HBK shoot.

In my opinion, WWE should constantly be working the net and people like Meltzer, Keller, etc. It would dilute what the net and sheet reporters are trying to cover by putting their legitimacy on the line. Why not have working those people and the smark audience. Look at it this way. Remember when news broke of Brock leaving WWE for the NFL and how that coupled with the Mania match being Goldberg's last appearance created more interest in that match? What if they had just planted the Brock leaving rumor? Did any of us technically see Bret Hart punch Vince? We still talk about it. That whole Montreal screwjob could have been an elaborate work on all of us.

It would have to be the Dudleys, dressed as the Blues Brothers, meeting up with guys like Sabu, Sandman, New jack and Mikey Whipwreck in seedy locations, leaving them with the message that they are on a "Mission From God" and are "getting the band back together. With the Pulp Fiction music in the background like the old ECW promos.

HBK's character has been really dull and bland ever since he started hanging out with Jesus. Apparently Jesus doesn't like stuffing meats down your shorts and humping Canadian flags.

Vince Russo said something a few months back that I totally agreed with. He said that it was beyond logic that the company wasn't pushing in storylines the fact that HHH and Stephanie are married and pretty much trying to run the company. Granted we know that Russo has had a fetish for ill excused "shoots" but he has a point. The McMahon/Helmsley era was four or three years too early. This should be the top angle right now. The two of them trying to take the company from Vince. Perhaps throw Bischoff on their side as well. Vince could play a major face and get over some of the new younger talent like Shelton Benjamin for instance. Everyone on the roster could pretty much shoot in promos about the political power within the company and it wouldn't be insider info or outside of the storyline because it would be a storyline! It plays off of the classic NWO, We're Taking Over bit. Us vs. them. It's proven to be successful in this business.

They could use the Manhatten Center (if it's still available) instead of Viking Hall. Also, strike up a deal with ROH where their shows are featured on WWE 24/7 for the occassional use and swapping of talent (similar to the ECW relationship during the Monday Night Wars). This way guys like Samoa Joe, American Dragon and CM Punk, who for all intent and purposes would be working for ECW if the promotion was still around, could be featured on the PPV. You can't build the PPV on classic ECW names alone. Hype it as an ECW Reunion show but also test the waters to see if such a product has a future, test out some new talent, etc. Plus, if WWE befriends ROH, it stops TNA from hijacking their talent. And I'm sure ROH could find use for guest appearances by guys like Paul London, Akio, Ultimo Dragon, Rey Mysterio, Eddie, Benoit, etc. Heyman should have total creative control of the product. Whatever network WWE programming signs with should leave one time slot available, maybe a 11pm slot following Raw on Mondays, for a possible recurring ECW television show. Styles and Tazz on commentary.

What happened in 2001 with Shane on creative? Really, I understand everything Paul is saying about Stephanie and why it's necessary for the future fate of the company that she leads creative now for hands on experience. My problem is with the fact that she's been doing this for four years now. She's had her experience by now. Instead of demoting someone like Heyman who has the respect of the locker room as a wrestling genius - promote Stephanie to another role within the company. I've stated this a few other times. Make her the public spokesperson for WWE in place of maniacal Vince and bland Linda. She can put out a book about growing up in a male dominated industry, marrying a wrestler, learning how to run the company, etc. Business is on a downward trend and it's painfully obvious to everyone in the organization and all of us who follow it that the responsibility rests on the shoulders of this creative team. Just get her out of the process. She knows how it operates by now and she's only standing in the way of improving the product at this point. There needs to be a WWE in the future for her to run. When you are drawing 3,000+ at MSG, it's kind of scary.

I was very interested in Smackdown's product then as opposed to lately where I've been more likely to watch something else or just go out. Let's put it this way, we still remember the Smackdown 6 and are still talking about them. That's because Heyman showcased them and played to their strengths. I don't think Heyman's recent stint saw him with the same type of creative influence as his role as head writer on SD when they first split creative teams. I just didn't see it although something like how Heidenreich's been booked seems to have a Heyman influence. In my opinion they should just give Heyman control of Smackdown. It's his ass if he has a problem meeting deadlines, etc. Let him take one of the current crop of writers if he chooses or let him pick a team of writers and consultants. Tell Kevin Dunn, HHH and Stephanie to leave him be. Vince works as his editor. No one else. Stephanie, Gerwitz, Laguna and the other hacks can write for Raw. See which team builds a better product. Take the actual friction within the creative team and turn it into a positive rather than ousting Heyman and continuing with the same formula that is accomplishing nothing.

But I think the one man who could possibly create a quality alternative to WWE, create competition and challenge WWE with a solid business man and investor behind him, just got ousted from WWE creative. I'm curious to know, with Vince owning the rights to ECW, being mentioned in the bankruptcy, etc. if Heyman has to be tied to McMahon for the rest of his life? Could he jump or just quit the company? I'd like to know the details of his contract with them. Same with Bischoff. Is there something written out for Bischoff that says he can't create or work for an opposing organization if his WWE on-air deal expires or is voided?

I'd be curious to know if any of this had to do with him opposing something like the Tough Enough Tranvestite challenge which Gerwitz, Dunn and Vince probably loved. You are absolutely correct Precious Roy. If Vince would let Paul work, without restrictions, we probably would see the best product. Whatever happened to JR's cries of, "We'll drink your Kool Aid, Paul" when ECW was closing shop. It sickens me the amount of talent this organization currently has, probably more so than ever before, and how bad the product is. I've never "stopped watching wrestling" since I was 7 years old. It's nothing for me now to watch Monday Night Football instead of Raw or The OC and CSI rather than Smackdown. It's completely related to how awful the creative team and Vince's merry brand of "Yes Men" are. Dare someone challenge them, call their ideas stupid or lobby to try to get talent like RVD, Booker, etc. pushes.

This completely pisses me off. He's the greatest "wrestling" mind on the entire creative team. Each time he's been involved in creative, ratings and show quality have improved (although SD is still struggling IMO). I don't care if he gets in screaming arguments with others in creative. They don't know the business. HEYMAN DOES! If Stephanie knew anything about building a successful wrestling product, she would have demonstrated this already, four years into her creative stint. If these TV writers knew anything about building a successful wrestling product, we'd have a good product right now and business would be through the roof. Is the Rise and Fall of Brian Gerwitz's Monday Night Raw DVD selling out across the country? No, it's not. Does the talent (which should be your most successful indicator) want to work with Stephanie, Dunn, Pritchard, Gerwitz, TV writers, etc.? No they want to work with Heyman. They feel he knows the product, can hide their weaknesses and create a successful product. Chances are he was removed from creative because he fought with Gerwitz, argued with Stephanie and HHH or Kevin Dunn. And that's bullshit. This company in it's current form deserves to die.

Why couldn't we have a show like this in the states? Hell, at least on the Internet. It couldn't be within a Raw or Smackdown as it would kill the illusion but there is no reason there can't be an insider type show seperate from the rest of their programming. They should sign Landsberg for a 24/7 show or something.

Not seeing $$$$ in acknowledging HHH and Stephanie's relationship on camera and pitting them against Vince McMahon for control of the company. Having your competition during the wrestling boom of the 90's, Bischoff and Heyman, on payroll and using them in bland on-air roles rather than utilizing their creative talents and business knowledge. In addition to Heyman and Bischoff, having people like Jim Cornette, Mick Foley, Ric Flair and Tommy Dreamer on payroll and using a creative team with little to no industry experience. Circa 1997. Connecting with an audience by listening to your online followers, appealing towards the smart fans on the Internet and in your publications, boasting that you don't "insult the intelligence of your audience with good guy vs. bad guy, leading into your most successful business period. Circa 2004. Refusing to acknowledge any online criticism or opinion of the product. Going back to kayfabe on the Internet and in your publications, insulting your audience's intelligence with good guy vs. bad guy angles that don't even make sense (Angle/Big Show and Kane/Snitsky) and failing to see the connection as to why you aren't connecting with your audience. Scripted promos when the guys who have got over in this business the most (Flair, Austin, Rock, Foley) didn't have someone scripting their lines. Not realizing that everyone wrestling the same style is boring to audiences and that diversity and different styles are necessary. Hyping "season premieres" with no noticeable change in the look of the shows to set it apart from "last season". The World Wrestling Entertainment Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion (of what?). Either name the titles after their brands or make one show ECW and the other WCW under the World Wrestling Entertainment banner. Not realizing that the new talent coming up have been influenced by guys like HBK, Bret, Jericho, Benoit, Eddie, Flair, Taz, WCW cruisers, etc. more so than Warlord, Sid Vicious, Ahmed Johnson, Ultimate Warrior and the hoss's of yesterday. By setting size requirements on the talent you're considering to bring in - you are possibly screwing the business out of the next Flair or HBK for the sake of pushing talentless developing talent. For every failed Nathan Jones experiment, for every botched Heidenreich or Matt Morgan push, there is a Paul London or Spanky who could have ran with half the television time devoted to them. Having a cruiserweight division and not bringing in new luchas, not looking at ROH and the indies, X Division, etc. Gene Snitsky and Viscera are employed with WWE. Samoa Joe and CM Punk are not. Forgetting about the brand rivalry between Smackdown and Raw. Failing to create the illusion of the Monday Night Wars WWF vs. WCW rivalry. The dueling GM's out to make their show number one with talent raids, trades, promotional stunts, verbal jabs at the competition. Seperate creative teams.

I'll agree that the Cena character has had it's balls cut off with the babyface turn but he sells merchandise and is considered a star by the company despite his mid card status. You don't see a WWE films movie vehicle for Christian, do you? So yeah, they are different. They look at Cena as a crossover star and he will more than likely get a WWE or world championship before his career ends. You can't say the same for Christian. I also don't think Christian is stale and his E&C personality isn't his detriment. It's over with the crowd but he's continuously hurt by their horrid creative team.

Shawn Michaels to Smackdown John Cena to Raw Chris Benoit to Smackdown Charlie Haas to Raw Chris Jericho to Smackdown Carlito Colon to Raw Stevie Richards to Smackdown Paul London to Raw Jerry Lawler to Smackdown Tazz to Raw Nothing really new with my picks but this would shake up both brands and freshen each product up a bit. Pretty much you are taking established veteran workhorses like HBK, Benoit and Jericho and moving them to Smackdown. Getting all of them away from HHH and building Smackdown as a good wrestling show with fresh programs like HBK vs. Angle, Jericho vs. Eddie, Benoit vs. RVD or any of them plus the cruiser division. Raw is being estalished as the place for the new talent. With the ideal situation being HHH's role, as the future owner of the company, is to put as many of these guys over as possible. Cena gets a live mic and sparks some pop into his tired character. Haas gets moved to a place where he can reunited or feud with Shelton Benjamin. Carlito would fit in on Raw. Paul London may raise some eyebrows because you are removing him from the cruiser division but he can still have good programs with people like Hurricane, Christian or Edge, Simon Dean, Shelton, Haas or even HHH. The objective is to make Raw seem fresh and unlike the same show it was in 1998 like it currently does. Get all of the veterans out of there and make it the new breed's show. The announce change would help both shows. Maybe Lawler could get more into his heelish smart ass commentary without with Cole to pick on rather than his obvious buddy/buddy relationship with JR. Tazz and JR worked nice together on joint PPV's.

Since they now own WCW, shouldn't the Hall of Fame be represented of WWF, NWA, WCW, etc? I would think that people like Ric Flair, the Road Warriors, Steamboat, Dusty (well probably not due to his role with TNA) would be eligible regardless of their acomplishments in the actual WWF.

This sort of plays into my idea of offering indie promotions across the country tv slots on WWE 24/7 in return for feeding WWE talent. They could even just rebuild the territory system of the 80's which it seems like they've considered. This would require having bookers in each region to prepare for roles in WWE creative too. They could maybe do a PPV supershow each year spotlighting the up and coming talent leading into something like this draft. This would be how WWE would operate if they actually cared about the future of the business.

It was always my understanding that there had to be a certain level of trust in this business. This is their profession. They step into the ring with the general belief that one of their co-workers will not intentionally harm them during their match. It would be one thing if Holly connected with an actual punch to teach Dupree a lesson or just worked a little stiff with him. That happens all the time. Trying to bust someone's eye out and potentially blinding them is another story. Would it have been okay if we found out that Owen Hart didn't protect Steve Austin with his tombstone piledriver because Austin stuck him on a restaurant bill earlier that afternoon? The bottom line is Bob Holly is a pussy because he can't confront anyone face to face over issues. He chooses to take it out on them in the ring. Just like Matt from Tough Enough. That's not professionalism and the jackass shouldn't be in the business.

But you have to admit that Crockett Promotions, with Dusty in control, was quite a nice alternative to the WWF at the time. Yes, the heavy emphasis on pushing Dusty and the screw job finishes were horrible and dragged the company down but very rarely did I want to miss an episode of World Wide or the Saturday night show. Dusty was also a master of getting emotion from an audience. The way the Horsemen were booked for example. The Russians. The Midnight Express. No matter who they were put up against, from Sting or Magnum to even Wahoo McDaniel or Johnny Weaver, the crowd went apeshit and the heat in the arena was off the hook. It's a totally different landscape these days though. The audience is also totally different. I'm interested in seeing what he can pull off at least.

How about just giving Paul Heyman, Todd Gordon, Mick Foley and Tommy Dreamer control of WWE creative?

I wouldn't really see them doing anything beyond a segment where Eugene marks out over Steamboat. They may possibly put Steamboat in someone's corner to counter Ric Flair. I don't see him as the GM type but I also haven't seen his ROH stuff either.

I'm glad he posted it. It was an interesting read.

Hopefully, if they do sign on with USA, one of the stipulations would be for Raw to get a fresh look and for the brand extension to be ended to enable the show to have a larger poll of talent to work with. This could be good. Say Fox Sports doesn't do the Best Damn Wrestling Event Monday night TNA show like the rumors are suggesting. It's conceivable that Spike or USA, whoever the losing network is, would want a rival wrestling show.