Chazz 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Just curious as to how many of you have lowered your expectations when rating If Raw or Smackdown! Is good or not. For example, I can't tell you how many times I read on The 'Net a similar version of this: (Particularly when dealing with Raw) "Nothing was expecially good this week, but nothing was horribly bad, either. That Is enough to make It a Thumbs Up Show." When you give a show your seal of approval, Is It because It was firing on all cylinders, or have you lowered your expectations from The Kick-Ass Programs of The late 90's? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewTS 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 For Raw I've lowered my expectations, because I know they lack the talent to pull of great shows. They aren't particularly high expectations: I want good writing, decent wrestling, angles to revolve around wrestlers, booking that makes sense and makes both guys look pretty good, and there should be some measure of reward system for those who get over on their own. I've set my standards too high for SD to bear watching last night's show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ghettoman Report post Posted October 10, 2003 It's not lowering your standards, it's putting them back where they belong. No one seems to understand that there a different fan now then they were in the Attitude era or farther back. None of us would of wanted to see Lance Storm and Hogan go, if we saw Rey Misterio beating someone up twice his size we would of thrown a canipshit. We're different, the business is different, yet according to most of us are perspective has gone unchanged. The WWE isn't in the business of putting on the best wrestling matches they possible could, if they were it would be Benoit/Eddie everyday. Is it sad? To some sure. Is it hurting pro wrestling as a whole? That case certainly can be made. Is someone forcing you to watch and there for support it? I sure hope not. All I expect on Mondays and Thursdays is to be entertained, however they can. If I wanted to see great wrestling match every Monday or thursday I'd work on a tape collection. Either way there should be no complaining over a luxury, if you don't like gold, don't wear gold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Even the absolute LOWEST expectations would not prepare one for the crap that WWE puts on TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Hmmmm, Raw now or Raw between 93-96? Both had it's fair share of shit and very few gems. The main eventers actually wrestle on the shows now. Less jobber matches today. Deisel or Triple H? I'll take Triple H. Goldberg or Yokosuna? Not sure..... Bret/Shawn or Triple H/Goldberg? I'll take Bret and Shawn in their hay day but they didn't always wrestle on the shows then. Midcarders like Owen/Davey/Hennig/Taker or Jericho/RVD/Storm/Christian? Hard call.... The production then or now? Now and it's live. Announcers then or now? I'll take the combo's of Vince/JR/Lawler/Brain/Gorilla/Savage, etc. I think if I watched some old tapes of Raw I'd be more impressed with today shows and my expectations were lower then. BTW, I'm watching VH1's 40 greatest rock feuds and Steve Austin is hosting it right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Loss Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Vince is not in the business of providing great wrestling matches and I don't think anyone expects that from him. But he is in the business of creating new stars and the least he could do is put fresh faces on top, not Randy Orton or John Cena fresh faces, but Rob Van Dam or Eddy Guerrero fresh faces. You mention that the fans have changed since 1998. This is true. So why hasn't the product changed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 I have not. Coincidently, I haven't liked a single episode of RAW since the end of the Invasion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Goodear Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Dude, Eddie Guerrero and RVD are getting bigger pushes than Cena and Orton... or do I not want to go down this road? Maybe I don't. Anyway, people are looking back with hindsight to the awesome of 2000-2001 whatever. There was still a ton of dreck, but this is probably two tons of dreck that we're seeing at the moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buffybeast 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 I used to have high expectations for the Smackdown side of the business. But over the last couple of months I've lowered my expectation and interest in that brand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Well, the current rumor is Vince changed Smackdown to be more like Raw. He wanted more segments, promo's and storylines. [McMahon]Fuck Wrestling[/McMahon] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
notJames 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Dude, Eddie Guerrero and RVD are getting bigger pushes than Cena and Orton... or do I not want to go down this road? Maybe I don't... Just to crack Pandora's Box open a tad... EDDY~! and RVD are getting pushed as the top stars in the "lesser belt" category, while Cena and Orton are rubbing elbows with the Main Eventers. I guess it depends on how you look at things, but anytime you're feuding with the Big Show and the image you leave audiences with is a fecal hosedown, you've really gotta stand back and reevaluate your position in life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 They aren't particularly high expectations: I want good writing You got HHH offering a bounty and as a result we get the Mark Henry Main Event. decent wrestling You got RVD & Storm vs Jericho & Christian, yeah thats about it. angles to revolve around wrestlers Kane vs Shane is not good enough for you? booking that makes sense and makes both guys look pretty good JR & King are back as the main announcers........ there should be some measure of reward system for those who get over on their own. Garrison Cade, Mark Jinjrak, Maven payed their dues in OVW..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Austin3164life 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 I still have high expectations because the WWE's talent pool is very rich and there should be no excuse for the kind of crap we are seeing lately. I'm not saying every section on each show has to be perfect, but they should be able to create excellent Main Event scenes and mid-card scenes. How did they do it in 97, 98, 00, and early 01, when they didn't have as many talents as they do today? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Sakura Report post Posted October 11, 2003 All I expect on Mondays and Thursdays is to be entertained I thought that's what EVERYONE expects from a WWE show? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mulatto Heat Report post Posted October 11, 2003 Entertainment is purely subjective so how anyone can use that as a measuring stick is beyond me.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Sakura Report post Posted October 11, 2003 We're talking about our own personal expectations.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 I gave up around September 2002. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 How low are my expectations for RAW? Well, every night I expect to doze off durring some part of the show...it almost always happens. So when it doesn't it's been a better then average show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ray Report post Posted October 11, 2003 (edited) decent wrestling You got RVD & Storm vs Jericho & Christian, yeah thats about it. Whoa! Van Dam is a decent wrestler? I lower no expectations. If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. Edited October 11, 2003 by Ray Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BorneAgain 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 decent wrestling You got RVD & Storm vs Jericho & Christian, yeah thats about it. Whoa! Van Dam is a decent wrestler? I lower no expectations. If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. Maybe its just me, but did any body else, when they saw the title, think of the old Mad TV dating sketch with the same name? But in reply to your post, I've lowered my standards for Raw since May of 2002 and have only lowered them for Smackdown in the last few months or so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 decent wrestling You got RVD & Storm vs Jericho & Christian, yeah thats about it. Whoa! Van Dam is a decent wrestler? I lower no expectations. If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. Compare Mark Henry to RVD and tell me who is better. If RVD had Teddy Long as his manager he would be in the main event more often. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 I still like Smackdown for the most part. There are bad weeks and good weeks, just like there always has been. I can live with that. But when every week for the better part of two years is terrible (like on RAW or the latter days of WCW) I get turned off on the product. Anger and annoyance is simply the first stage. If it lasts too long, I just quit watching. I won't be watching RAW until after MNF season at the earliest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RavishingRickRudo 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 Velocity is now the best WWE show. Think about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JHawk 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 Velocity is now the best WWE show. Think about it. I have. And trust me, as soon as Stephanie McMahon hears about that (since she doesn't actually watch it despite being backstage when it's taped) that will change too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2003 Good wrestler or not, Van Dam can entertain a crowd and get them behind a match Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
