Response to "Shut Up & Wrestle"

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Shut Up and Wrestle? I Don’t Think So!

by Anthony Cali

 

Professional wrestling always has been and always will be sports-ENTERTAINMENT. The athleticism seen in the ring is only half of what makes this business as unique and successful as it has become. And while the overall direction of the business has changed a great deal in the past decade, one philosophy remains steadfast: Give the fans what they want.

 

Take a look at the last major boom period in our industry beginning about 1997. It was during that time that some our most memorable moments came to fruition. Skits like D-Generation X dressing up like the Nation of Domination and the Corporation or using a tank to invade WCW headquarters amidst the Monday night ratings wars were segments that will undoubtedly live in our minds for eternity.

 

Where would the Austin/McMahon feud have gone if it relied simply on in-ring action? The answer is not very far. It was the back and forth promos between those two rivals that made for months worth of great television. Do you think that The Rock would be making movies in Hollywood if he were never allowed to cut promos and show the audience his quick wit and unique sense of humor?

 

In other words, WWE has always been about maintaining a proper balance of action, drama, humor and even romance. With an audience as diverse as ours, and fans spanning every corner of the globe, it is absolutely impossible to go entirely in one direction while still making everyone happy. No matter what the genre, someone is sure to want something else.

 

There’s an old adage that says, “different strokes for different folks.” Just as one “Old-School” writer may feel that a backward trend to the days of yesteryear is the answer, another “Next Generation” writer may feel that ring action is only a small part of what makes WWE so great. And while one fan might hold up a sign saying, “Shut Up & Wrestle,” another fan 10 rows back might have a sign saying “Stop Wrestling and Talk.” Whatever point those particular fans are driving home, the translation still reads, “Entertain Me!” It’s this same desire for satisfaction that makes our form of entertainment so challenging and worthwhile.

 

If a show like “The Sopranos” were to only have nonsensical violence without any storyline, it never would have made it past a first season. If “ER” were only about tales from the operating room and never dwelled on the lives of it’s physicians, they probably never would have won an award.

 

No matter what type of audience a show is targeting, they need to figure out an equation that will make as many people happy as possible.

 

What makes Superstars today so different than their predecessors is their ability to shine at every aspect of the business. Whether it’s cutting promos or defying the limits of human physicality, superstars like Triple H, Kurt Angle and The Rock can do it all. That’s why they have all become such big-time players and even crossed over into other forms of entertainment.

 

So I say, think outside the box. Because it is imperative to the future of this business that we try new things and continue to experiment with new ways to better entertain our loyal fans whether it be in the ring or on the “stick.” If the entertainment industry as a whole were to sit on its hands and not try new recipes, this world would be a very boring place to live in. So God Bless World Wrestling Entertainment, God Bless you great fans and God Bless America. Thank you ladies and gentlemen.

 

Credit: WWE.com

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

while the overall direction of the business has changed a great deal in the past decade, one philosophy remains steadfast: Give the fans what they want.

We're waiting......

[Guest Trivia247]

Problem in that is that the Balance is offset. there is two Non wrestling segments to every one Wrestling segment. when the fans themselves are complaining and the WWE is telling us how we suppose to like or not that begs the question is the WWE losing its touch with their fans?

[Guest the pinjockey]

"another fan 10 rows back might have a sign saying “Stop Wrestling and Talk.” "

 

And to that fan I say change the channel to something like Friends because if you dont like the in ring action there are much better shows on television than the out of ring WWF segments.

 

 

"If “ER” were only about tales from the operating room and never dwelled on the lives of it’s physicians, they probably never would have won an award. "

 

OK, but if they dwelled only on personal lives with no hospital action it never would have made the air because it would have been seen as a joke to have a show named ER without ever seeing an ER. Just like it is absurd to have the World WRESTLING Federation and to say we dont want to give you wrestling. The show would not last two months if they took out wrestling.

 

"So I say, think outside the box."

 

How about rebuilding the box before wanting to jump right outside of it. And if you are going outside of the box get people who have an idea what they are doing to lead the way.

[Guest Goodear]

Problem in that is that the Balance is offset. there is two Non wrestling segments to every one Wrestling segment. when the fans themselves are complaining and the WWE is telling us how we suppose to like or not that begs the question is the WWE losing its touch with their fans?

And Bingo was his nameo.

[Guest tominator89]

I think this jabroni is just using this opportunity to write a kiss ass article that makes himself look good in Vince's eye.

[Guest the pinjockey]

Probably be seeing a headline tomorrow

 

"Anthony Cali joins Smackdown creative team"

 

Put him there to get rid of that pesky decent wrestling problem they have.

[Guest mickberna]

This guy totally missed the point of the article he was rebutting. The original article simply stressed the fact that there are too many pointless segments, and too many long-winded promos. The problem with today's product is that the "entertainment" part of sports entertainment is not very entertaining. It isn't Austin/McMahon. It's not DX. It's usually just plain crap. And that was the point. Not "stop doing promos completely and just wrestle", but rather, "cut down on the useless promos and focus on the in-ring action".

 

Anyway, the writers for WWE.com suck, so it doesn't really matter.

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

"Anthony Cali joins Smackdown creative team"

Yeah, and right before that Headline you'll read "Heyman replaced,"

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I have finally begun to understand why there are so many non-wrestling segments.

 

Because the WWE doesn't give people what they want...they have to spend alot of time and money trying to make the fans like what they want them too.

 

And it's just not working.

[Guest Goodear]

"Anthony Cali joins Smackdown creative team"

Yeah, and right before that Headline you'll read "Heyman replaced,"

Yeah because the WWE cares about these articles so much. I thought the guy who wrote the last one was supposed to be fired... did I miss it or what? No one cares what these people write and it certainly has no bearing on the writing team.

[Guest snowfan]

I have finally begun to understand why there are so many non-wrestling segments.

 

Because the WWE doesn't give people what they want...they have to spend alot of time and money trying to make the fans like what they want them too.

 

And it's just not working.

Hey Vince....

 

I'll shut up and watch MNF and you'll talk in Bankruptcy court.....

 

WWE shut up and wrestle.

[Guest snowfan]

I have finally begun to understand why there are so many non-wrestling segments.

 

Because the WWE doesn't give people what they want...they have to spend alot of time and money trying to make the fans like what they want them too.

 

And it's just not working.

You got it....

 

Vince: "By God they'll love HGH or I'll poison the product trying....."

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

The problems are that their balance of sports and entertainment is really off and the "entertainment" isn't very entertaining.

 

They don't give the fans what they want. If they did that they would let the fans dictate who's face and who's heel like it's supposed to be. But with all the weird pushes and people jumping back and forth from heel to face it makes it hard for the fans to know exactly what they're supposed to boo or cheer.

 

They mentioned Austin/McMahon, the point there is that every segment set up a match down the line. The entertainment value there was not separated from the sports.

 

Pointless entertainment segments that do nothing to further storylines are just that......pointless.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I have no problem with occasional pointless entertaining segments. What pisses me off is when we get pointless "fucking suck" segments.

 

That, and the fact that they expect me to watch Show vs. Hardy instead of Rams vs. Bucs is just plain insulting.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

If they're going to have a pointless entertainment segment it needs to be put in a spot where it's needed to liven up a crowd after a heel wins or something. It should be short and should be actually entertaining.

 

Other than that the "entertainment" part should be used in conjunction with furthering storylines.

[Guest Trivia247]

Hows this for Reverse Psychology....

 

WWF at the time Destroyed WCW and Absorbed its Talent and ECW's head promoter and most of the name talent into its Company. Destroying any viable competition. The WWF realize that they cannot stand as being the best product if there is no competitive Product so what do they do? They become CRAPPY!

 

Now why?

 

Because they want their robust Fanbase to abandon the WWE...Only long enough to Watch TCW or NWA TNA or WWA or XWF which ever. The larger the fanbase the bigger the fed gets. And The bigger the fed gets, the More National Exposure it gets and becomes a Viable Competitor. Give it a another year for the fed to grow and get national TV timeslot. After a year McMahon cuts it off, and restarts producing some Decent Wrestling, then Good wrestling....the Interest comes back, and those former WWF fans come back to WWE and Vince Destroys the Competition in 5 years Max absorbing its talent into the WWE, and starting the whole process over....

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Hows this for Reverse Psychology....

 

WWF at the time Destroyed WCW and Absorbed its Talent and ECW's head promoter and most of the name talent into its Company. Destroying any viable competition. The WWF realize that they cannot stand as being the best product if there is no competitive Product so what do they do? They become CRAPPY!

 

Now why?

 

Because they want their robust Fanbase to abandon the WWE...Only long enough to Watch TCW or NWA TNA or WWA or XWF which ever. The larger the fanbase the bigger the fed gets. And The bigger the fed gets, the More National Exposure it gets and becomes a Viable Competitor. Give it a another year for the fed to grow and get national TV timeslot. After a year McMahon cuts it off, and restarts producing some Decent Wrestling, then Good wrestling....the Interest comes back, and those former WWF fans come back to WWE and Vince Destroys the Competition in 5 years Max absorbing its talent into the WWE, and starting the whole process over....

 

It would explain why Vince is doing all the wrong things and pushing them as the right thing to do.

[Guest evilhomer]

This guy totally missed the point of the article he was rebutting. The original article simply stressed the fact that there are too many pointless segments, and too many long-winded promos. The problem with today's product is that the "entertainment" part of sports entertainment is not very entertaining. It isn't Austin/McMahon. It's not DX. It's usually just plain crap.

Exactly the point. There hasn't been a single compelling storyline in a long time, the writers couldn't even take the "can't miss" invasion angle anywhere. It's not "stop the interesting angles that have meaning", it's "stop this bullshit that makes no sense, bores us to sleep, and/or goes absolutely nowhere".

 

Talking is and always has been as big a part of wrestling as the matches themselves. I enjoy the hell out of a Benoit/Angle match, but on the 20th time around, I'm not going to be compelled to watch unless there's some new and interesting story behind the match. I'd still watch it of course (as it is Benoit/Angle), but I wouldn't really be up for the match because it's been done before, and there's nothing of interest other than the great action. Two less talented superstars, who are fighting over shampoo or because one spilled coffee aren't going to make me want to watch at all.

[Guest NoCalMike]

This article is basically a joke. Long Bischoff/Steph promos do NOTHING for the matches. What good is a hot promo, if when the match finally happens, the workrate is garbage? Who cares if The Rock is making movies. It is not like that should be a WWE stars main goal is to make it in hollywood. And on top of that, not like The Rock was any good. His material was written for him, "quick wit, and unique sense of humor" bwahaha, oh ya mean the writers, right? Rock, at least I give it to him, he could deliver a good script, but he didn't make it up.

 

What this article fails to realize is that "WRESTLING" fans, NEVER go away and leave the product in it's "down" time. It is the casual "soap opera" fans that jump on and off the wagon when the product gets hip or cool. If/when WWE hits rock bottom again(no pun intended) all the hardcore "wrestling" junkies will still be there because ratings or no ratings, watching Benoit work a match is still a thing of beauty for a "WRESTLING" fan. Vince should build the audience to enjoy wrestling and not drama so in the future the fans will respond to the in-ring action which NEVER goes away.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I'd like to see how long Vince would last if he took away the ring.

 

All this "Wrestling has changed - it's sports entertainment" is SO 3/4 years ago. Guess what? THAT'S BORING NOW! It's like the Wwf in 1995 trying to be like the Wwf in 1991 - it doesn't work because it has already been done. This is no different.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

"Shut up and talk?"

 

What the hell? I have NEVER seen a sign advocating talking over wrestling. And yes, this guy just wrote this to defend the pure crap the writers are thinking of. I mean, it's a REALLY blatant blowjob of everyone in charge right now, even going to the point of making falsified claims.

 

I really want three minutes with some of these people.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest BlackRainbow1025]

Maybe this guy should watch Benoit/Angle from Unforgiven and listen to the crowd reaction. I don't recall anyone being upset they weren't talking then. I know this guy is just one of the "yes" men that Vince has seemed to surround himself with but come on, "Shut up and talk"? At least try to make some valid points as to why HHH is on RAW about 75% of the show, or why we are wasting time on HLA. The point is, he can't. These things aren't entertaining. The fans have showed that by either booing, or giving no reaction at all. It's time for a change. They need their "Attitude" back, the edgy storylines mixed with good wrestling. That's what made wrestling. I don't watch it for the fucking talking and "drama". It's not the Sopranos, or ER. It's wrestling. I watch it for the violence and athleticism.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

Dumbass.

 

If "Stop wrestling and Talk" worked, they'd be 6.0 in the ratings right now. Guess what? It dosen't. This isn't the ER/Sopranos/Soap Opera audience. This is the wrestling audience. Is it too much of a stretch that we'd want wrestling on a wrestling show?

 

Good storylines are important, but you don't need guys babbling for 20 minutes every night. That means the owners, too. Less is more in this case.

[Guest DerangedHermit]

That one fan a while back, screaming at HBK and Nash's promo the night he came back/got injured, summed it up nicely.

 

GET TO THE POINT!

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Vince should realize by know that the people on the entertainment side of the fence jumped ship a while ago.

 

All that's left are the diehards now.

 

And they aren't happy.

[Guest Raven_Effect01]

Benoit vs. Angle at Unforgiven was well-received by the fans that night, so it seems like there ARE WWE fans who don't mind seeing wrestling, yet guess which direction WWE will keep going in? The lame, shoddy booking of pointless segments, constant turns, etc. of course.

[Guest Brian]

I'm hoping that and the attempt to make Brock ground himself means that SmackDown is headed to more of a wrestling oriented program.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I thought they grounded Brock to make sure he won't get over.

 

Isnt' that always the point?

[Guest HartFan86]

I think it's a proven fact that a lot more fans of the WWE watch it for wrestling then the entertainment. Proof: 2000.