RAW is BORE

[Guest RollingSambos]

I found it very funny last night that the WWE.com poll was "Is Stone Cold responsible for the mass chaos on RAW?"

 

That's why the ratings are in the toilet...because there ISN'T any fucking chaos on RAW. The way that the show is set up is so cookie-cutter that it's not even funny. RAW used to be the show where anything could happen. Now you can pretty much guess when the requisite women's match is coming up...you can also guess when the mid-carder snoozefest match featuring Maven, Rodney Mack, Mark Henry, Val Venis, Hurricane, Rosey, and/or Tommy Dreamer is coming. Usually around 10:30. At least they're out of the 2002 mold where Trish would kick off every fucking episode, but now it seems that the Dudleyz have taken her spot...unless there's a new champ, of course. RAW is so paint-by-the-numbers that it's an insult to the fans.

 

Business may be down, but Vince needs to remember that RAW is WAR was the show that once did 7.0's and 8.0's. Remember when Steve Austin was making Bret Hart's life a miserable hell and you never knew when he was gonna attack him next? Remember when Bret got screwed out of the title right before WrestleMania 13 in the cage match against Sid, went postal, starting punching out officials, and the show went off the air with him and Austin beating the shit out of each other? I miss the days when RAW used to end with wild pier-six brawls...you never see that stuff anymore.

 

Sad, sad, sad.

[Guest Coffey]

Yes, but wrestling is in a down period right now. 7 & 8 ratings aren't possible right now. The WWE are building superstars for the future and it takes time. The war in Iraq is affecting viewers. 9-11 made people lose interest in wrestling.

 

How many other excuses can I think of?

 

The bottom line is people are tired of watching the same old shit. Austin/McMahon was new when it first started. Pissed off employee goes after asshole boss. It made for good television. How long do they think that they can rehash the shit though?

 

There are a couple of lights shining through the darkness right now. If the WWE takes the time to capitalize on those areas, and fade out at least some of the negative aspects, then business will pick up.

 

The WWE thrive on competition. So, if they get some, that'll improve them as well.

 

It's just a waiting game.

[Tawren 0]

Yes, but wrestling is in a down period right now. 7 & 8 ratings aren't possible right now. The WWE are building superstars for the future and it takes time. The war in Iraq is affecting viewers. 9-11 made people lose interest in wrestling.

I'm so fucking tired of that excuse. Popularity is low because it is sucking right now. They are being lazy and unoriginal. Would wrestling have still hit a boom in 98-00 if they were being this boring and un-creative? No. It's their own fault, and the only way to get out of it is to stop sucking.

[Guest Coffey]

Obviously.

[SamoaRowe 0]

I'm not comfortable saying that this is just a "waiting game." That is the sort of attitude that will have the WWE going "We can book whatever shit we want because our ratings will just magically get better once wrestling is hot again!"

 

Well, what are they going to do to make wrestling hot again? So far they've tried HLA, nWo, Triple H in a Kane mask having sex with a dummy, Sable, Goldberg, and Roddy Piper.

 

Sadly, the only thing that worked at all was Goldberg. Recently Raw has been hotter with marks due to the Kane storyline. At this point I'd encourage WWE to do more angles like that one just because I'm so desperate for people to be interested in wrestling again.

[Guest Coffey]

But it is just a waiting game. They keep throwing stuff at the wall, and eventually something has to stick. If it doesn't, then the WWE will die. Since I don't see that happening anytime soon, we just wait for the next boom period.

 

Yeah, it sucks. We can't do anything about it though. Our voices fall on deaf ears. As fans, we just have to sit back and wait it out. Whether you follow the product while waiting it out, or tune out while waiting for it to get better, you're still following the waiting game.

[SamoaRowe 0]

I guess you're right. It's just that it seems like we've been doing this "waiting game" for an awfully long time now. I'll admit that some things have improved. I almost gave up on wrestling last fall, Smackdown and TNA saved me at the last moment.

 

It's just so depressing to love wrestling so much and to see it's current state. I remember back in 2000 i was thinking how great it was that the WWF was doing so well in everything. I never stopped to think that a time might come when things wouldn't be so good.

 

I miss being a mark sometimes.

[Guest Basswitch]

IMO, WWE just needs a good competator.

 

TNA could become a good competator.

 

If TNA puts out more shows like the 9-3-03 one, then they will get to that point, probally.

 

But if they keep givin us crap shows 3 times a month, and then a good one the last week of the month.. they are not going anywhere.

[Guest Coffey]

Well, just because the WWE is in a down period, that doesn't mean that you have to give up on wrestling. If you're going through a state of professional wrestling depression, don't just give up on the whole business. Go back and get some tapes of when wrestling was good. Or, expand your horizons and try some new areas of the business. Like AAA, NOAH, AJPW, NWA:TNA, NJPW, Classic WWF, Classic WCW, Classic NWA, RoH, MLW, etc.

 

You have to be able to find something that you like. That hard part is finding a trustworthy contact to obtain the tapes from. Sometimes the money is hard for people to get too (particularly the younger fella's) but if you can get past those two problems, you shouldn't even think of not watching wrestling anymore.

 

When you watch bad indy wrestling, you'll have a greater appreciation for the WWE. When you watch great wrestling matches as they are perceived as sport/athletic contests, you'll see why so many people care about workrate. When you see tremendous athletes competing in arenas with less than 500 people, you'll understand why people get mad at Shane McMahon or Mark Henry taking up WWE time.

 

It's a great hobby of mine. Collecting wrestling tapes that it. I try to give everything a shot. Hell, I even bought $60 worth of XPW when they first came out, and I'd never heard of them before.

[Guest The Grand Pubah of 1620]

Until the writers they have are gone, including Steph, it will continue to suck. The creative team as a whole should be canned now. That is the only solution.

 

And Austin is still the best thing on RAW!~

[SamoaRowe 0]

Just for the record, those XPW shows are entertaining

[Guest Coffey]

Not the ones I got.

 

Baptized in Blood I & II along with "The Revoluion Begins" (which was basically a 3-hour VHS tape catching new viewers up to date on what has went down so far in XPW).

 

I just saw a lot of ex-porn stars and bad hardcore wrestling.

 

Seeing Michael Modest do a top rope Fisherman Suplex into a perfect bridge on impact was almost worth the $60 though. Almost.

 

Seeing New Jack staple a dollar bill to "Diamond Dollar Man"'s head, was not....

[AndrewTS 0]

"And Austin is still the best thing on RAW!~ "

 

If by "thing" you mean "bald part-time wrestlers."

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Like some else said Vince needs a good competator, someone that can give him a run for his money. Because, as long as the WWE is the only game in town then Vince is only going to book for himself.

[NoCalMike 0]

"building stars for the future" is such bullshit. It aint happening. WWE is just biding their time with that they have got until the next Austin/Hogan/Rock guy shows up. The TRUE CROSSOVER wrestling stars, don't really take that long to get over or become huge. Austin was in the business a long time, but it didn't take the StoneCold gimmick very long to get over and when it did it was huge. Same with Rock & Hogan. The gimmick combined with the charisma made it huge. Guys like Triple H/Orton etc.....just don't get it if they think the way to get super over and become crossover stars is too just shove themselves down people's throats.

 

Vince doesn't care much about the wrestling aspect, we all know that. All he is doing is settling for what he has until someone unexpectedly pops out of the pack and becomes a star. It DOES NOT happen very often, and this is a period where it aint happening. As good as HBK/Bret Hart were at WRESTLING they were NEVER the STARS that Hogan/Austin/Rock were and never brought in the money that those three did. Vince would rather find another of those three, then another HBK/Bret Hart any day of the week.

 

So don't blame any of the problems on, "well the WWE is in a downcycle and building for the future"

[justcoz 0]

The thing is they will never have another breakout star if they continue to allow things to be run as they are right now. It seems that right now, when some one has the potential to break out and possibly become a star, their push gets derailed when it makes absolutely no sense business wise.

 

When the company looks at someone like RVD, how can they not see money in this guy? He was incrediby over and fresh at one point. Here is a guy who has been in B movie/action films and could possibly star in some straight to video WWE film productions. He has a comic book following so you can do a comic. Martial arts people respect him. Stoners love him. He has proven the ability to connect with the audience on his charisma and style alone. So let's shut him down and bury him while Shane McMahon gets his spot in a feud with Kane which viewers actually seemed interested in.

 

Eddie Guerrerro is receving a Stone Cold type buzz and pops. He has a chemistry with audiences and has become a star who along with Rey Rey has contributed greatly to the Smackdown rating numbers with the Latino demographic. He's been great on the mic and is versatile enough to also star in WWE Film productions. It would only be natural to increase his star power. So of course he should headline a PPV while he's hot. Put him in a main event program for the title against Brock Lesnar. Instead we get Lesnar vs. Taker and Eddie vs. Chavo in the mid card? What sense does this make and how do you explain the logic?

 

My buddies who only casually tune into wrestling these days love John Cena. The gimmic is today and the audience can relate. The character took off right around the time as Eminem's 8 Mile which was a hit and it's safe to say that most of us know someone with this character. Cena's mic work and everything he showed in the vignettes leading up to the Taker PPV match were the non wrestling highlights of Smackdown. The momentum was with him and for Taker to do the job. So of course Cena loses and they capitalize on nothing. The momentum is paused.

 

I could go on. Jericho's undisputed champion reign. Booker T going into Wrestlemania. Chris Benoit post Kurt Angle feud. What excuse are we using to not push Matt Hardy despite the fact that he's over and has a fun character? Does he not work WWE style? Did he disrespect Stephanie back stage or something?

 

They don't make the most of their talent nor do they get their investment back from them and that's just bad business. Screw Stephanie and Triple H's ego. If someone is hot you run with it. Allowing someone the creative freedom to become the next Austin or Rock is money for the entire roster and people in suits. Do Stephanie and HHH even want a company when Vince passes the torch? You do what's right for the business and stop it with the excuses to not do so.

[Guest RollingSambos]

WWE needs chaos. Chaos makes stars. Chaos sells.

[justcoz 0]

Everything is so formulatic now however. You can't script chaos. The guys need more free reign when it comes to promos and establishing their characters. Part of the Monday night wrestling boom was because people like the NWO, Austin, Rock, Foley, etc. were able to improvise somewhat during their promos and it made for more interesting and entertaining televison. When we got comedy back then it was because of the coolness of the characters. It wasn't because of Brian Gerwitz. These days promos are written word for word and they come off that way too. There is already a lack of spontenenity from the lack of competition and the fact that the urgency to prevent the viewer from switching over to "the other show" isn't there. Still, they should treat every show as they don't want to lose viewers. Whether it be to Nitro or Monday Night Football or Will and Grace or CSI. The fact of the matter is WWE television doesn't come off as fun for the characters anymore and they completely need to reevaluate their presentation of the product. It's time to move on from 1998.

 

Personally, I think we are screwed until NWA TNA gets a Monday night time slot on TBS, FX or whatever channel is willing to take a gamble on wrestling.

[NoCalMike 0]

I do agree that guys like Booker T/Jericho/RVD should be headlining Raw, but even though, those guys would provide a better wrestling product then what we have now, however neither of those three are the CROSSOVER stars that Vince cares about. Trust me, as much as a strangle Helmsley has on the books right now, if a new Austin/Rock/Hogan hit it big and showed that breakout/crossover star impact immediately, Vince would tell HHH to go fuck himself and start the job......however right now Vince honestly believes that Triple H is the best thing going CURRENTLY.....and won't give it up.

[justcoz 0]

I do agree that guys like Booker T/Jericho/RVD should be headlining Raw, but even though, those guys would provide a better wrestling product then what we have now, however neither of those three are the CROSSOVER stars that Vince cares about.

 

But you never know until you give them the opportunity. Chris Jericho does great on talk shows and is a known commodity to heavy metal fans and viewers of MTV2.

 

Rob Van Dam, as I stated earlier, could star in WWE Films produced straight to video/DVD action movies. He's had these types of movies already on HBO and Showtime. He's had guest appearances on network and cable tv shows even going back to pre WWE. He's been featured in High Times (granted it's not a Rolling Stone cover but still, it's non wrestling press.

 

Booker T has crossover potential with the sports world. How many NFL impersonations do you see with the hand motions and the spinarooni. He did well in those Hungry Man commercials.

 

Someone isn't going to pop up and have it instantly recognized that they are the next Rock. Did you think when Rocky Maivia with his Kid n Play hairdo debuted at the Survivor Series at MSG that he'd be a Hollywood star? Did we think that the Ringmaster would be the biggest draw since Hogan. They were given the ball and they ran with it. They didn't have their pushes stopped for lame reasons or anything like that.

[JJMc 0]

Well, just because the WWE is in a down period, that doesn't mean that you have to give up on wrestling. If you're going through a state of professional wrestling depression, don't just give up on the whole business. Go back and get some tapes of when wrestling was good. Or, expand your horizons and try some new areas of the business. Like AAA, NOAH, AJPW, NWA:TNA, NJPW, Classic WWF, Classic WCW, Classic NWA, RoH, MLW, etc.

 

You have to be able to find something that you like. That hard part is finding a trustworthy contact to obtain the tapes from. Sometimes the money is hard for people to get too (particularly the younger fella's) but if you can get past those two problems, you shouldn't even think of not watching wrestling anymore.

 

When you watch bad indy wrestling, you'll have a greater appreciation for the WWE. When you watch great wrestling matches as they are perceived as sport/athletic contests, you'll see why so many people care about workrate. When you see tremendous athletes competing in arenas with less than 500 people, you'll understand why people get mad at Shane McMahon or Mark Henry taking up WWE time.

 

It's a great hobby of mine. Collecting wrestling tapes that it. I try to give everything a shot. Hell, I even bought $60 worth of XPW when they first came out, and I'd never heard of them before.

Right on with the tape idea. I'd really encourage anyone to dig up some old tapes. It's a great way to enjoy wrestling in a time when there ain't as much as there used to be. -JM

 

Cough

 

www.jmtapes.com

 

ahem

[Chazz 0]

I agree with everything you said, Rolling Sambos. It's almost like The Writers are just concerned with filling 2 Hours of time rather than putting together an entertaining program. This week's Show was a prime example of that.

[Ultra Violence 0]

I can see the old guard begining to crack at the moment, Nash's contract is up in January, can you see him getting another one on his past performances? Taker will probably retire at WMXX. HHH nearly injures himself every time he hits the ring, its just a matter of time until his career is ended by injury, Hogan is gone and hopefully won't return, Austin is no longer allowed to be physically involved. Eddie Gurrero looks likely for a WM title match, the point of him tagging with Chavo is so he can drop the US title to him, then fued with a semi main eventer who will do the job before he goes on to his world title program. They seem to be building a long term Angle / Cena fued. Jericho is back at the top getting title shots where he should be and is about to enter a major storyline / long term fued with Austin which will culminate in a match at XX with Austin doing the job. Even though the current focus on the announcer fued is over inflated, the reason its being done is to test different teams on RAW and see how they do which eventually if ratings rise will see the downfall of the abysml team of JR/King. A new stable of green talent is being formed on RAW, the weakness's of the wrestlers involved will be exposed, and if Orton has talent it will shine through, if he fails Vince will de-push him. When HHH does come back. he will probably get injured, then things will get better.

[Guest JumpinJackFlash]

Don't worry. According to my theory of WWF being popular in the latter years of decades, the WWE will be in another boom period by 2008........Fuck!

[Guest nikowwf]

I think the problem with Raw is the wrestling. Smackdown is fun, because we get good matches. Good matches make the crap much more tolerable. Sable annoys me, but I put up with Stephanie/Sable because its sandwiched between Eddy, Benoit, Angle, etc. Raw can have the greatest angle, but generally its contained in two boring hours of so-so wrestling.

 

Raw especially, and Smackdown to a lesser degree really need to match better combinations of people to guarantee some better matches cause its getting a little ridiculous. With the talent on the roster, to have PPV's with only 2 or 3 good looking matches going in is just not reasonable.

 

niko

[Guest deadbeater]

I think the next breakout stars will be...the Divas, as a collective.

 

They all get along, and have great chemistry. What they need is an epic-type storyline like the Chigusa/Dump Masomoto saga.

 

They potentially have one in Molly/Trish, as natural a rivalry as one can get: an 'Oh Golly, oh shucks' smiling bumpkin who hides almost unmatched skills and a work ethic she expects, no demands, all others to follow; versus the ultimate cosmopolitan, who is as comfortable being a famous model as being a nerdy student. Writers kill to have two great characters in one story, and they have two performing as extensions of their real selves. Yet they are not taking advantage, and in fact low-balled it.

Edited September 26, 2003 by deadbeater