Can't just about any wrestler get over...

[Guest Redhawk]

Don't get me wrong, I totally love The Rock's new persona, but don't you think he's getting a little too much credit?

 

I would think that ANY wrestler can get massive heel or face heat, provided they got 10-15 minutes of promo time and a couple other segments during the show to show off their heel/face side. I mean, at one time Spike Dudley was one of the top babyfaces for a couple of weeks during Steve Austin's heel run.

 

And I bet if HHH got as much TV time as Rock did last week in order to get a new babyface persona over, everyone would be having a hissy fit. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Rock could've gotten just as over in half the time. I am sick of promos going over 10 minutes unless there's some kind of back and forth.

[Guest iamsherm]

I think a lot of it has to do with the pauses they take during interviews. I'm guessing their trained to do that so the live crowd can take time to chant "asshole" or "Rocky sucks" or what not.

 

It doesn't make for very exciting TV after a while though. I think the 20 minute promo is better suited for a taped program so a lot of the pauses can be cut out.

 

As an aside, that Spike/Austin program was pretty good. I especially loved it when Austin called Molly a bimbo and Spike stood up for her by ripping apart Austin's petition. You KNEW Spike was going to get his ass kicked for that.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

As an aside, that Spike/Austin program was pretty good. I especially loved it when Austin called Molly a bimbo and Spike stood up for her by ripping apart Austin's petition. You KNEW Spike was going to get his ass kicked for that.

Spike: *angry* "You can't talk that way about my girlfriend!"

Austin: *calm* "Yes I can"

 

FRIGGIN GOLD!

 

I can deal with the long stuff as long as there's more then one person there and they're not taking too much away from the show and putting it on themselves.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Yeah since I didn't like Spike to much I was like "Oh man.....he's dead....YES!"

[Guest MaxPower27]

As an aside, that Spike/Austin program was pretty good.  I especially loved it when Austin called Molly a bimbo and Spike stood up for her by ripping apart Austin's petition.  You KNEW Spike was going to get his ass kicked for that.

Spike: *angry* "You can't talk that way about my girlfriend!"

Austin: *calm* "Yes I can"

 

FRIGGIN GOLD!

 

I can deal with the long stuff as long as there's more then one person there and they're not taking too much away from the show and putting it on themselves.

Austin: Yeah, that Molly, she's a bimbo

Spike: You can't talk that way about my girlfriend

Austin: I just did.

 

Then, Spike tore the petition up. I marked out hard for "I just did"

[Guest HartFan86]

I think people are giving Rock so much credit because we've had to deal with HHH for 6 months of his boring bullshit, so it's like a whole new world for the opening promo.

[Guest teke184]

Trips hasn't had the opening promo for ALL that time... we've also seen Test, Bischoff, Morley, and Undertaker get that spot. Of those, only Bischoff ever had anything of interest to say in that spot.

 

The only thing this has proven is that someone who CAN talk should be given that 20 minutes because it kills the crowd to hear "I am that damn good!", "Dead man walking", or how the Dudley Boyz will regret ever doing something.

[Guest Trivia247]

there is great instances like the Spike Austin promo...

 

I'll even admit the Rock and Hurricane segment was also Cool and it played out at the Battle royal Masterfully..

 

Back in the Invasion days Austin and Tazz's little crappy side feud that could have developed into something serious also had its moments.....

 

when Tazz went to Austin to tell him something and Austin blew him off, and Tazz said something like, you know what my watch is saying now??? And Austin goes I dunno I don't speak Mexican... that was so Ludacris it was funny.

[Guest Flyboy]

when Tazz went to Austin to tell him something and Austin blew him off, and Tazz said something like, you know what my watch is saying now??? And Austin goes I dunno I don't speak Mexican... that was so Ludacris it was funny.

He actually said, "I don't know... my watch don't speak Spanish" or something like that.

 

Yes, that line was fucking gold.

[Guest iamsherm]

Back in the Invasion days Austin and Tazz's little  crappy side feud that could have developed into something serious also had its moments.....

 

when Tazz went to Austin to tell him something and Austin blew him off, and Tazz said something like, you know what my watch is saying now??? And Austin goes I dunno I don't speak Mexican... that was so Ludacris it was funny.

OH MY GOD YES

 

I vaguely remember this (it might have actually been in the same segment you're talking about Trivia) but I remember during a Tazz/Austin backstage segment Austin said to Tazz "Do you know what my watch is saying?" and Tazz actually responded with a total smartass line like "It's saying it's time for you to go out there and lead the Alliance to greatness?" I loved that!

 

I can't help but feel responsible for deviating this thread into Austin memories when it was supposed to be about 20 minute promos. Sorry.

 

Ah hell, one more. Summer of 2001, Angle/Austin feud, Austin just threw Angle's medals into the Detroit River the week before and they were doing Austin appreciation night (I believe). Backstage, the entire alliance got together to surprise Austin and it went something like this:

 

Austin: "Thanks all of you for coming out here for Austin appreciation night. It really means a lot to me."

 

Stephanie: "Yeah, well we know who WON'T be here! Kurt Angle! He's back at the Detroit River fishing for his medals!"

 

Entire Alliance (except Austin): *light chuckle*

 

Austin: (a good couple seconds after the rest of the gang, insanely loud) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA ... HAHAHAHAHA

 

I'm convinced nobody noticed that but my friend and I, but it's the little things like that that have me rolling for DAYS.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

That reminds me of Austin explaing his problems to Tajiri

 

Tajiri: *bunch of Japanese*

Austin "uh huh."

Tajiri: *more Japanese*

Austin: "You're a very wise man, Tajiri."

 

Then later to Vince

 

Austin: "You know what?! Tajiri was right!"

 

That Austin/Vince/Angle crap in 2001 was the funniest stuff they've ever done. And I didn't mind that taking up as much of the show as it did, cause it was at least entertaining.

[Guest Trivia247]

actually one of the funniest skits involved Tajiri speaking broken English just to try and get into Maven's Hospital Room, dressing up as a doctor and running around the Hospital.

[Guest Choken One]

Yeah, In truth It's really just an excitement or relief to finally have an entertaining thing to watch for 20 minutes on Raw...

 

But Let's face it...No...Not everybody can get over with an 15 minute promo...Benoit couldn't, he has to rely on the off-chance that he is either in CAN-A-DA or he puts on a hella show.

 

The Hurricane segment is the biggest example of how Rock is great for WWE in an short term useage...He will entertain AND put over more then just himself and his buddies.

 

He does *Little* things in his segments that go largely unnoticed...The eye movements, the reactions, the tone of his voice...he actually allowed Hurricane to get the last word in and IT ACTUALLY added some side story to an FRICKING Battle ROyale...a match CREATED purely as time filler for those with Short attention spans. The way he reacted after he was tossed over the ropes...He was initally shocked but chuckled and nodded his approval and put Booker over then HHH or WWE ever did just by mouthing "He pretty good" and clapping his hands...

 

Yes, We all love our little side fueds like Austin/Tazz but they have RARELY ever meant something or even had some sort of blowoff...the last example I can think of is Bubba/HHH...I REALLY thought they were gonna do a Long term deal with those two...because Bubba was getting over as the "Every day man" and HHH was just getting into Flair mode...I really thought HHH wanted Bubba to be his Dusty Rhodes.

 

As for the *20* Minute promo, I am all for it as long as it SELLS something and isn't an masturbatory write off. Rock didn't just spurt catchphases and mock the fans and draw tremendous heel heat, He sold his angle with Austin better in just 20 minutes then Most storylines in recent months...

[Guest kane3212321]

That entire Alliance time I was waiting and waiting for Tazz to snap and destroy Austin and have a match with him. But alas the best the WWF could deliver was a 10 second low blow-stunner match.

[Guest teke184]

Choken, Bubba WOULD have been a long-term opponent for Trips but an injury caused him to fuck up and drop Trips' head on the corner of a table.

 

The extent to which he fucked up is debatable. In the office's eyes, he should have put Trips through the table instead of RVD finishing the job. In our eyes, Bubba should have put Trips out and then he would have gotten HUGE pops.

[Guest Army Eye]

That reminds me of Austin explaing his problems to Tajiri

 

Tajiri: *bunch of Japanese*

Austin "uh huh."

Tajiri: *more Japanese*

Austin: "You're a very wise man, Tajiri."

 

Then later to Vince

 

Austin: "You know what?! Tajiri was right!"

 

That Austin/Vince/Angle crap in 2001 was the funniest stuff they've ever done. And I didn't mind that taking up as much of the show as it did, cause it was at least entertaining.

LOL, one of my favorites right there. Especially the later remark about how Tajiri was right all along.

 

Even better is that he said 'Tie-jiri'

[Guest MaxPower27]

Back in the Invasion days Austin and Tazz's little  crappy side feud that could have developed into something serious also had its moments.....

 

when Tazz went to Austin to tell him something and Austin blew him off, and Tazz said something like, you know what my watch is saying now??? And Austin goes I dunno I don't speak Mexican... that was so Ludacris it was funny.

OH MY GOD YES

 

I vaguely remember this (it might have actually been in the same segment you're talking about Trivia) but I remember during a Tazz/Austin backstage segment Austin said to Tazz "Do you know what my watch is saying?" and Tazz actually responded with a total smartass line like "It's saying it's time for you to go out there and lead the Alliance to greatness?" I loved that!

 

I can't help but feel responsible for deviating this thread into Austin memories when it was supposed to be about 20 minute promos. Sorry.

 

Ah hell, one more. Summer of 2001, Angle/Austin feud, Austin just threw Angle's medals into the Detroit River the week before and they were doing Austin appreciation night (I believe). Backstage, the entire alliance got together to surprise Austin and it went something like this:

 

Austin: "Thanks all of you for coming out here for Austin appreciation night. It really means a lot to me."

 

Stephanie: "Yeah, well we know who WON'T be here! Kurt Angle! He's back at the Detroit River fishing for his medals!"

 

Entire Alliance (except Austin): *light chuckle*

 

Austin: (a good couple seconds after the rest of the gang, insanely loud) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA ... HAHAHAHAHA

 

I'm convinced nobody noticed that but my friend and I, but it's the little things like that that have me rolling for DAYS.

You're a bit off on the facts. Austin still had yet to toss Angle's medals off the bridge. A.A.N. was appreciation for Austin defeating Kurt the night before at Summerslam.

 

But, my favorite 2001 Austin moment (besides cowboy hats) was the night that Austin pretended to be hurt with an "injured arm." Shawn Stasiak was trying to get on Austin's good side, so Stasiak put a bucket of spoiled milk on top of the catering room door, trying to get it to land on Kurt Angle.

 

Debra walks into the room, gets the sour milk on her, and runs back to Austin.

 

They started arguing, and the quarreling gets louder and louder, until Austin just yells, "I'M THE WORLD CHAMP!" at the top of his lungs. Debra replied with something, and they start arguing again, this time Austin yelling, "GO TAKE A SHOWER!"

 

I almost pissed myself in my pants that night.

 

And that Tajiri stuff was gold.

[Guest Trivia247]

That entire Alliance time I was waiting and waiting for Tazz to snap and destroy Austin and have a match with him. But alas the best the WWF could deliver was a 10 second low blow-stunner match.

heh don't get me started

 

despite the fact I enjoyed Tazz's work since his ECW days and considered him a legit tough mean son of a bitch who may work Stiff and is a bit small, but is like a Pitbull..... I thought that if they did a Program with Tazz retaliating on Austin for his attack on Michael Cole, that a Feud llike that would be so Money.

 

BUTTTT NOOO

 

Then came Invasion, and Tazz and Austin were on the same side, and Tazz the Little company man and NOT the God of Suplexes TAZ because the favorite Austin Whipping boy...literally. and only showed some of his own self when he went in and choked out Paul Heyman.

 

No Credibility would have been lost had Austin and Tazz had a serious match. An Elevated Tazz would have cemented why he was a ECW champ and why he was in the WWF at all. I wouldn't had minded Austin beating him, as long as he let Tazz look at all good. If Tazz could Suplex bam bam around, he can certainly jolly well Suplex Austin around.....

 

Buttttttt Nooooo

 

Mr. Austin, who seems to have forgotten where the Lowcarders Locker room is at all, can't be bothered with sweating the small stuff like doing a program with someone lowly as a Tazz , that HHH style Motivations that demands only he work with Main eventers and only main eventers, and if he has to deal with anyone else he Must SQUASH them and make them look like nothing.

 

People complain about the Undertaker doing the same thing, which he does to a certain extent but at Least the Undertaker allows whoever he is facing to get SOME kind of offense going... A respect he gave to Tazz, Dreamer, Jeff Hardy, RVD, Randy Orton etc etc....

 

Austin... nahhh low blow and stunna is good enough for the Likes of Tazz.

 

 

Its not about winning or losing in wrestling, because thats all scripted and we know that. But its about telling the story. And what is the Story Austin tells??? That I have to squash this feeb so I can git back to the lockerroom to discuss my next big PPV main event...Or I will go home and Pout.

 

Thats how the Rock is at least good... He knows how to treat those he wrestle... he sells like he was SHOT.... Think Austin would ever Bump that much too Punches from the Fricken HURRICANE?????

 

I Know I sorta went off topic but I was into RANT mode.

 

LOL

[Guest MaxPower27]

A Tazz v. Austin storyline would have been stupid though. Austin was busy fighting off the evil Kurt Angle, he beat up Tazz because he could. Tazz got a match with Austin, he lost, and that was that. No need for a program there.

[Guest iamsherm]

You're a bit off on the facts. Austin still had yet to toss Angle's medals off the bridge. A.A.N. was appreciation for Austin defeating Kurt the night before at Summerslam.

My memory is not the greatest, but I remember that dialogue taking place. Maybe it was Austin's birthday or some other event? Was the tossing of the medals before or after the Summerslam match? That segment above happened in somebody's dressing room the week after Austin threw the medals in the river - I'm sure of it.

[Guest MaxPower27]

Austin tossing Angle's medals into the river was the setup for either Unforgiven or No Mercy.

 

A.A.N. (Austin Appreciation Night) was for Austin defeating Kurt the night before at Summerslam.

[Guest Choken One]

I might be off here but was it the RVD celebration?

[Guest Redhawk]

Back on topic...

 

Let's use Undertaker as an example. I remember sometime in late 2000-early 2001 when one of the Internet writers said this about 'Taker (paraphrasing):

 

"Well, he gets this super-cool entrance with both a Limp Bizkit song AND a motorcyle, he never sells anything so he looks unbeatable, he gets 10 minutes of promo time and he never loses. He's BETTER be over after all of that."

 

Thing is, you could say that for a lot of guys. HHH, Austin, RVD, Kane, etc. Now I'm sure some of them could get over if they weren't given such a big push, but I think if...hell..Chuck Palumbo got his own entrance music by a pop star, got a lot of interview time and never lost, HE'D be way over too.

[Guest Army Eye]

Trivia347 and then there was that tag match where Shane McMahon repeatedly got the best of Tazz. Through nothing cheap either, just beating the crap out of him.

 

There was also a promo with the whole Alliance at some point with Shane deriding Tazz, and Tazz had to act all intimidated like he was scared of the guy.

 

I can't believe how shabbily Tazz was treated during that whole angle. It was disgusting.

 

THe guy was getting pops too, no matter what they did

[Guest kane3212321]

Austin Appreciation Night was on the 20th of August.

 

He stole the medals on the 27th after the RVD and Tazz vs. Jericho and Angle match.

 

He threw them in the river on the 28th at Smackdown

[Guest Trivia247]

Trivia347 and then there was that tag match where Shane McMahon repeatedly got the best of Tazz. Through nothing cheap either, just beating the crap out of him.

 

There was also a promo with the whole Alliance at some point with Shane deriding Tazz, and Tazz had to act all intimidated like he was scared of the guy.

 

I can't believe how shabbily Tazz was treated during that whole angle. It was disgusting.

 

THe guy was getting pops too, no matter what they did

You just wanted that Old TAZ to just bust out of the WWE trademarked shell and Just DRAGON TazPlex everyone in sight and maybe a Tazmission plex Austin through a Table.... He might get fired because Austin is SOOO Brittle and all. but hell then TNA would get him. lol

[Guest NoCalMike]

I doubt Rocky will ever be viewed as a true heel ever again. He is too recognized as being GREAT by everyone in the company. I mean hell, even this new Heel Rocky is being cheered except when he bows out for the cheap "I hate your city" heat. I mean the hurricane skit was hilarious, but if they wanted Rock to come off as a heel, he should have just beat up Hurricane without telling 10 minutes of hilarious jokes first. Heel or no heel, when you tell funny jokes especially that insult another wrestler, the fans will LOVE IT.

[Guest Creepy Crawl]

I wish Bubba Ray still stuttered .

[Guest NoCalMike]

I wish Bubba Ray still stuttered .

Hahaha, that was greatness, but it aint EVER coming back.