New Mattitude Commentary-- Be positive, guys.

[The Mandarin 0]

mattitude.wwe.com

 

THE LATEST VERSION

July 9, 2004

 

Greetings everyone! It’s that time again -- time for a double dose of Mattitude courtesy of The Latest Version. It’s my time of the year -- hot, hot July weather and long, long summer days. So enough with the warm introduction, let’s get right into it …

 

This Sunday live on pay-per-view, WWE RAW presents Vengeance from the Hartford Civic Center. On the card, I’ll be facing Kane in a No Disqualification Match where anything goes and anything is legal. This is my highest profile match as a singles competitor ever on a WWE pay-per-view, as Kane is a former WWE Champion and perennial top star. More importantly, Kane and V1 have a major issue to settle over Lita. Hartford, we have a problem. Matt Hardy and Kane have a major, major problem that is going to get very ugly and very violent on Sunday. I know that I’m in for a beating -- win, lose, or draw -- so I’m going in with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked about the status of my injured knee. So for the record, here’s an update. I had an MRI done on my knee recently, and not only is my MCL torn, but my meniscus is torn as well. My meniscus in torn in a way that causes it to catch inside my knee joint and force my knee to lock up. Not good. My knee has locked up six times in the last couple of months, and it’s getting worse. On top of that, I’ve got plenty of torn cartilage in there that has to eventually be removed. Not good. As you can probably guess, this injury isn’t something that’s going to heal itself -- it will have to be surgically repaired. I’ll most likely have to get my knee done sooner than later, as I’ve been limping and in constant pain for the last month or so. My knee is another obstacle I have to overcome this Sunday, not that it’s anything new to me. I need all the MFers behind their Sensei more than ever now to support me against Kane at Vengeance.

 

As a large percentage of all of you know, Matt Hardy is a firm believer in positivity. I believe in making positive situations even more positive, and I believe in turning negatives situations into positives scenarios. That’s a huge theme in my life’s journey and my daily life. It is a defining quality within me that has allowed me to be very successful thus far. Due to the fact that The Latest Version is an Internet column, I have a bone to pick with the negativity floating around cyberspace as it relates to my business.

 

I enjoy the Internet, but I’m not a fan of constant negativity when it comes to our business. I’m aware of the fact that the Internet wrestling community is slightly influential in the progression of the wrestling business. That’s cool by me -- it could and should help the business expand and get better. You would think anyone in the business or a fan of the business would do their best to build upon the positives. My biggest gripe is the negativity the Internet is breeding due to people being desensitized and one-dimensional when it comes to our product. I want the "wrestling negativity snowball" to stop, or at least slow down for the good of the entire sports-entertainment business. Too many people read someone’s opinion on the Internet and take it as factual information. It’s way too often that the majority of the Internet wrestling community takes a writer’s view and lazily allows that to become their view. My challenge to all of you is to question opinions. Don’t take opinions as facts; don’t even take them as good opinions. Come to your own conclusions. If you find something enjoyable that others don’t, that doesn’t mean you’re wrong in liking it.

 

A majority of Internet writers are one-dimensional when it comes to their opinions on the wrestling business. The main concern to many who cover or comment about wrestling on the Internet is the in-ring product. If the matches on a show aren’t long enough, aren’t athletic enough, or don’t score high enough on their ratings system, then the show was no good to them. That’s not the case. I’m a huge fan of the in-ring product, but I’ve learned that’s not the only thing our broad fan base cares about. The majority of our fans like wrestling, but they also enjoy the entertainment aspect that only WWE provides. Vince McMahon’s sports-entertainment theory obviously works because we’re the dominate force in the wrestling business that has outlasted every other organization.

 

Quick example: A portion of the Internet writers dislike the current Matt-Lita-Kane saga, but every week it is one of the most-watched segments of the show and gets a ton of feedback and reaction. As of this morning, myself and Kane were the most anticipated match on the show Sunday according to fan votes on WWE.com. Obviously, there is interest in our conflict that has people talking and watching.

 

Quick example No. 2: A portion of the Internet writers don’t think Lita is that great of a WWE performer or asset to the company. For whatever reasons, they aren’t Lita fans, whether it is her in-ring skills or character or whatever. You’re wrong. She is the most popular and successful woman currently in the wrestling business. Success isn’t measured solely by how great of a wrestler you are. Never has been, never will be. She is talented in so many ways that some people just don’t know and can’t see from the surface. Go to WWEShopZone.com, pull down the Superstars menu, and look how many girls have their own merchandise section. There’s only one, and that’s Lita. Do some research and find out which female has had the most action figures made of them. Look at the number of Lita signs in the crowd every week during RAW. I could give you examples all night. These are the things that ultimately determine how successful and popular you are. Lita attracts people far and wide, and has brought more new fans to the WWE than any other Diva.

 

Until someone has worked within the sports-entertainment business, they really have no idea how things work and what makes things successful. There are many aspects of the wrestling business that only people on the inside understand. It’s impossible to be on the outside of this business and understand how everything works within it. My main objective is to educate anyone who follows the wrestling business into being open-minded. Don’t be so narrowed-minded that you only see things from one viewpoint. To attempt to understand and fairly view our product, you have to be able to think outside the lines. You have to be able to see the full spectrum, the big picture, not just one point of view.

 

With all this being said, I would love for the Internet to be a place where positivity exceeds negativity. I want everyone who follows the sports-entertainment business on the Internet to form their own opinions, not copy someone else’s. If you don’t like something you see on our show, don’t say "it sucks," or "that was terrible." Offer a suggestion to make it better. Criticize in a positive way, not a lazy, negative way. If something’s good, say it’s good. Remember that everyone who steps into a WWE ring is a human being that gets hurt and is wrestling an incredibly heavy schedule. We strive to entertain you, but don’t desensitize yourself to the risk we take night in and night out.

 

If you disagree with everything I’ve said and you think you know everything there is to know about the wrestling business, I have a challenge for you. If you have all the right answers of what would make a wrestling company successful, start your own company. With your superior knowledge of the wrestling business, your promotion should be competing with WWE in no time. Put your money where your mouth is. And before you say that suggestion is ridiculous, I did it before I even knew how the business really worked. I started and ran the small OMEGA promotion before I worked with WWE. I’m sure I would have an organization of my own right now if I didn’t work for the McMahons.

 

Is everything about the WWE product absolutely perfect? No. I’ll go on record and say that. Is the WWE product good? Absolutely. Despite people’s criticisms, WWE is a hugely successful and profitable organization. The WWE Superstars are recognized worldwide, our events are watched throughout the world, and WWE is the biggest and best promotion of all time. Work with us, not against us, and the entire wrestling business and landscape will benefit from it.

 

A closing note for all my true MFers: There’s a new member of the family and his name is Lucas. Check out my personal pix for a shot of my new little buddy. See you guys on Sunday at Vengeance. Be well, and until then …

 

Matt Hardy

V1 and Only

I’m V-Oonnneeee-uuuuuhhhhhh!

 

[deancoles 0]

Chyna,Sunny,Torrie Wilson,Trish and Sable have all sold more merchandise(yes I am counting playboy) or been more popular than lita at one time or another(Torrie and Trish still are).

[Australian Pride 0]

Well, I guess i cant blame him for being biased towards Lita, but i think he's talking out of his rear end. And yet another WWE star bashing the internet! It's getting very old.

[AndrewTS 0]

Did Matt even write this whole thing?

 

A majority of Internet writers are one-dimensional when it comes to their opinions on the wrestling business. The main concern to many who cover or comment about wrestling on the Internet is the in-ring product.

 

"Majority" segues into "many," which segues into an overgeneralization. Yeah, the internet writers hated Raw and especially Eugene lately too, eh?

 

Plus Matt automatically becomes a tool in my book for saying "in-ring product."

 

Quick example: A portion of the Internet writers dislike the current Matt-Lita-Kane saga, but every week it is one of the most-watched segments of the show and gets a ton of feedback and reaction.

 

Most watched? If that's true, it's probably completely to the credit of Kane--you know, who has been a consistent ratings draw in the past?

 

"A ton of feedback and reaction" = it sucks and people know it sucks. He didn't say "positive" feedback and reaction.

 

Also, how does that change the fact that the storyline is insulting and stupid?

 

As of this morning, myself and Kane were the most anticipated match on the show Sunday according to fan votes on WWE.com. Obviously, there is interest in our conflict that has people talking and watching.

 

The same voting process that wanted Test to be the new Evolution member and K-Kwik to lead the Alliance, right?

 

Quick example No. 2: A portion of the Internet writers don’t think Lita is that great of a WWE performer or asset to the company. For whatever reasons, they aren’t Lita fans, whether it is her in-ring skills or character or whatever. You’re wrong. She is the most popular and successful woman currently in the wrestling business.

 

The last part of this has already been countered. Also, Matt is VASTLY understating the criticism, since Lita botches moves nearly every match and her offense looks like total crap.

 

Success isn’t measured solely by how great of a wrestler you are. Never has been, never will be. She is talented in so many ways that some people just don’t know and can’t see from the surface. Go to WWEShopZone.com, pull down the Superstars menu, and look how many girls have their own merchandise section. There’s only one, and that’s Lita.

 

How much of it is sold, though?

 

Also, where's Hurricane and Matt himself's big push if merchandise sold is such a big deal?

 

Chyna,Sunny,Torrie Wilson,Trish and Sable have all sold more merchandise(yes I am counting playboy) or been more popular than lita at one time or another(Torrie and Trish still are).

 

Trish consistently LOSES viewers when she's on TV, since she's so overexposed. Torrie has the tendency to do the exact same thing if they don't quickly yank her back off TV.

 

Is the WWE product good? Absolutely.

 

He's roughly half-right.

 

. Despite people’s criticisms, WWE is a hugely successful and profitable organization.

 

That's such a measure of quality--however isn't Smackdown bombing quality and financially?

 

The WWE Superstars are recognized worldwide, our events are watched throughout the world, and WWE is the biggest and best promotion of all time.

 

Wow, I'm totally convinced.

 

Work with us, not against us, and the entire wrestling business and landscape will benefit from it.

 

When the fans "worked against" them and watched WCW, WWE was forced to get better. That's the whole point of the "brand extension," "Matt," you idiot.

 

It boils down to "watch, and if you criticize do it constructively, although we know better and will do what we want anyway."

[Silence 0]

Matt Hardy's obviously becoming another corporate puppet of Vince McMahon's. Just shut the fuck up, Matt, we're sick of all the smark-bashing.

[Art Sandusky 0]

(sniff) Poor Mason.

[AndrewTS 0]

Who the hell is Mason?

[Guest The Ultimate Fantasy]

Maybe he thinks that if he bashes the internet, he will get a bigger push or probably he's trying to rationalize the crap that he is going through.

[Guest Fook]

Who the hell is Mason?

Is he a mutilator of some kind?

[CanadianChick 0]

He's not 'bashing' the internet. He obviously is huge on positivity in life (which is quite obvious from his past columns), so why should it be different with his views on the internet? And he is right about Lita when saying she draws in fans (teenage girls in particular) and is popular. He never said her ring work was great or anything.

 

I don't see the big deal. He didn't call us 12 year olds on our mommy's computer who are nerds at school. He rightly points out we are negitive. Judging from that column, he doesn't mind constructive critisism, but rather blind hate. Of course, I bet some people will hate this column, blindly.

[The Mandarin 0]

^^ Mason, the only one pictured who recently recieved a push.

 

 

..into moving traffic.

 

R.I.P

[Shanghai Kid 0]

I really don't think Lita is more successiful or popular than Trish, Sable, Chyna, and Sunny.

 

Trish right now is the #1 Diva, it's pretty obvious, she's also the most successful womens wrestler.

[Silence 0]

I don't see the big deal. He didn't call us 12 year olds on our mommy's computer who are nerds at school. He rightly points out we are negitive. Judging from that column, he doesn't mind constructive critisism, but rather blind hate.

If something we see on WWE TV or a PPV sucks, we have the right to criticize it with reason, and the in-ring product SHOULD be an important factor in a wrestling promotion. Sports-entertainment became stale a long time ago, although there should be at least some simple and logical storylines to build to a feud in addition to a great match.

 

Just because Matt Hardy said that the Lita/Kane/Matt pregnancy angle is getting a reaction, he never said WHICH reaction it is getting like AndrewTS said, which is obviously negative, because logically, pregnancy angles not only shouldn't ever happen in wrestling again since pregnancy deals more with real life, but also because they always turn out shitty, like Mae Young giving birth to a hand, for example.

[CanadianChick 0]

I don't see the big deal. He didn't call us 12 year olds on our mommy's computer who are nerds at school. He rightly points out we are negitive. Judging from that column, he doesn't mind constructive critisism, but rather blind hate.

If something we see on WWE TV or a PPV sucks, we have the right to criticize it with reason, and the in-ring product SHOULD be an important factor in a wrestling promotion. Sports-entertainment became stale a long time ago, although there should be at least some simple and logical storylines to build to a feud in addition to a great match.

 

Just because Matt Hardy said that the Lita/Kane/Matt pregnancy angle is getting a reaction, he never said WHICH reaction it is getting, which is obviously negative, because logically, pregnancy angles not only shouldn't ever happen in wrestling again since pregnancy deals more with real life, but also because they always turn out shitty, like Mae Young giving birth to a hand, for example.

You are absolutely right: you are allowed to criticize when something is bad. Far be it for me to put words in Matt Hardy's mouth, but I think that it's blind hatred that bugs him. He even said himself that instead of just saying something sucks, explain how it can be fixed. And everyone here knows that pure wrestling isn't the whole thing. It's the basis of success, but storylines are important too. No one can dispute that, and you haven't obviously.

 

I'm not a fan of the pregnancy angle, but is it getting them ratings? If it is, then it's a success. If it isn't, it's a failure. I hate it, you hate it, a lot of people hate it, but if it gets ratings (I have no idea if it does), it's obviously attracting other people.

[Guest Thrashist]

This thread is a classic example that Matt Hardy is absolutely right.

 

There's no question that the internet crowd can be at times crude and harsh towards many aspects of the state of the business. This has resulted in so many wrestlers reacting just as negatively in return, making men like Flair and Jericho look very frustrated and bitter at the internet. The negative reactions they got in return were justified, simply because the level of discourse was consistently low anyway.

 

But here we have Matt Hardy being as polite as humanly possible in giving constructive criticism on how we, as the internet crowd, should perhaps ourselves be a tad more constructive in our criticism, and yet look at how people balk at this. It was justified in the past to criticize wrestlers who bashed the internet because they showed no respect to our segment of the fanbase. However, Matt Hardy right here did his absolute best to be objective, weighing all of the positives and negatives involved. If an article like this can be thrown away and discredited as a typical anti-internet rant, then there is no hope for the divide between the internet and many wrestlers. Of course trading insults will not solve anything. But when one side offers the other an olive branch and is handed back an insult, that's when you know it will never be solved.

[AndrewTS 0]

He even said himself that instead of just saying something sucks, explain how it can be fixed.

 

And since people outside the business "don't understand," they don't "get" the big picture, so that criticism will be ignored anyway.

 

And everyone here knows that pure wrestling isn't the whole thing. It's the basis of success, but storylines are important too. No one can dispute that, and you haven't obviously.

 

He'd apparently disputing that the Kane/Lita/Matt angle sucks. If it was redeemable at all, we'd normally discuss what could be done to fix it.

 

IT ISN'T REDEEMABLE, however. It's a stupid, insulting mess that most of hate for similar reasons. Only Kane's over-the-top performance makes it watchable.

 

I'm not a fan of the pregnancy angle, but is it getting them ratings? If it is, then it's a success. If it isn't, it's a failure. I hate it, you hate it, a lot of people hate it, but if it gets ratings (I have no idea if it does), it's obviously attracting other people.

 

This affects the belief that it sucks how? Basically Matt is advocating that the writers throw crap against the wall, and if it sticks to run with it. That is, opposed to coming up with good storylines that would also be a success.

 

The same attitude would advocate an Al Wilson angle or the Kane/HHH angle from October 2002.

 

Of course, I'm just a fan. I don't know any better.

[Guest Rrrsh]

If the bashers actually read the article, Matt pretty much admits that Liat isnt very good in the ring, but is very popular and is very useful.

 

 

And he is 100% correct.

[AndrewTS 0]

"It was justified in the past to criticize wrestlers who bashed the internet because they showed no respect to our segment of the fanbase. However, Matt Hardy right here did his absolute best to be objective, weighing all of the positives and negatives involved. "

 

Even if you sugar-coat the message "shut up and like it, because your opinion doesn't matter to WWE," it's still the same message. He's basically saying we should enjoy horrible storylines because other people don't care about it or like it.

 

Hot damn, maybe I should "just enjoy" the new Catwoman movie, since WB put their stamp of approval on it.

 

He's basically denying that in many areas WWE is seriously lacking. He didn't even touch upon how lackluster Smackdown has been, since there's really little you can do to justify that. How about the almost complete lack of build for current and last WWE World Title feuds on Raw?

 

Any of the internet writers who get any modicum of respect keep their criticism constructive and try to limit their bile. However, Smackdown's been so bad that "casual" fans and internet fans alike have not cared for it and it has been reflected in the ratings.

 

So should those fans shut up and enjoy it, or are their opinions the only ones that matter?

 

Does Matt realize that the fans have largely been apathetic to Lita for quite some time? She gets a fraction of the reaction she used to at best these days. That, combined with her declining ring skills and terrible acting mean that she's not entertaining to watch on many levels.

 

Internet writers and internet fans have been giving Raw props lately because it's actually been strong on both a writing and wrestling standpoint. It's been a bit weak in the past few weeks the Lita pregnancy angle is definitely a low point. So people voice their disapproval, and frankly I don't see a way to make it entertaining since they've already screwed it up by starting it in the first place.

[AndrewTS 0]

If the bashers actually read the article, Matt pretty much admits that Liat isnt very good in the ring, but is very popular and is very useful.

 

 

And he is 100% correct.

She was very popular...I'd dispute that now.

 

Also, she can't hold up her end in the ring or when a storyline calls for acting, so it's hard to enjoy seeing her.

 

Plus, he's the last person I'd call upon to objectively assess her.

[Guest Rrrsh]

If the bashers actually read the article, Matt pretty much admits that Liat isnt very good in the ring, but is very popular and is very useful.

 

 

And he is 100% correct.

She was very popular...I'd dispute that now.

 

Also, she can't hold up her end in the ring or when a storyline calls for acting, so it's hard to enjoy seeing her.

 

Plus, he's the last person I'd call upon to objectively assess her.

A: She still is popular enough to remain on the roster and be part fo mid card angles. So.....she is perfect where she is

 

B: Her acting skills are irrelivant towards 13 year old kids, her demo.

 

C: Just becaus ehe is biased dosnt mean he is wrong.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

My biggest gripe is the negativity the Internet is breeding due to people being desensitized and one-dimensional when it comes to our product.

 

That's what happens when you provide a product without feeling and depth you fucking dumas.

[AndrewTS 0]

If the bashers actually read the article, Matt pretty much admits that Liat isnt very good in the ring, but is very popular and is very useful.

 

 

And he is 100% correct.

She was very popular...I'd dispute that now.

 

Also, she can't hold up her end in the ring or when a storyline calls for acting, so it's hard to enjoy seeing her.

 

Plus, he's the last person I'd call upon to objectively assess her.

A: She still is popular enough to remain on the roster and be part fo mid card angles. So.....she is perfect where she is

 

B: Her acting skills are irrelivant towards 13 year old kids, her demo.

 

C: Just becaus ehe is biased dosnt mean he is wrong.

A. Not angles involving an upper-midcarder who was challenging for the title at the time.

 

B. Because there's no such thing as a 13 year old who doesn't have a clue about what horrible acting is, and it isn't as if Raw's key demographic is 18-25 year olds. :-P Also "if your boyfriend is being beat up, screw the bully to keep him off your b/f's back" is a great message to send to 13 year olds, by the way.

 

C. Naturally, he's in the business and we're not. He knows better, you know.

 

But when one side offers the other an olive branch and is handed back an insult, that's when you know it will never be solved.

 

A condescending, holier-than-thou, restatement of the same old "just enjoy it" message isn't an "olive branch." This is particularly true when there are obvious areas that the shows are lacking in quality-wise.

 

Plus an angle is above any criticism if it gets ratings, according to Matt. Wonderful.

[Guest Rrrsh]

Lita is not T and A, she isnt going to that demo. Here demo dosnt care that she is Julia Roberts. We care, they dont.

 

 

This is the biggest angle Lita has had in forever. She isnt like Taker, who is always there. This is an blimp on tha radar, its the exception, not the rule.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Oh, and if My Daddy ran a wrestling promotion, I'd probably take Matt up on his offer. What a fucking maroon. I lost any respect I had for him with this generalizing piece of shit. Matt can't even take his own advice and see things from all views; because if he put himself in the shoes of WWE fans, he'd see what we have to put up with - like WWE.com and its affiliates completely talking down to their internet audience and insulting us at every single chance they get forever reminding us that we know nothing and they know everything. Fuck em. This shit makes me sick.

[AndrewTS 0]

Lita is not T and A, she isnt going to that demo. Here demo dosnt care that she is Julia Roberts. We care, they dont.

 

 

This is the biggest angle Lita has had in forever. She isnt like Taker, who is always there. This is an blimp on tha radar, its the exception, not the rule.

She's Julia Roberts? Oh come on, Julia's far better than Lita. Give her more credit than that.

 

Blimp on the radar?

 

Dude, I think you're a bit too tired right now to post.

 

Rudo: to be fair, this was probably 3/4 written by a WWE.com staff member.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

There's no question that the internet crowd WWE can be at times crude and harsh towards many aspects of their fans state of the business.  This has resulted in so many wrestlers fans reacting just as negatively in return, making men like Flair and Jericho the fans look very frustrated and bitter at the internet WWE. 

There, fixed it up fer ya.

[Copper Feel 0]

i agree with most of what matt said as it seems like a lot of the web smarks just insult the wwe product for the sake of insulting the wwe product this pregnancy angle ounds pretty crap althoug i wouldnt know as since we now get roh tna and noah on british television i have no desire to watch wwe.

[Guest combat_rock]

I can understand him being upset when people comment negatively on Lita, but then again, it's not like we can sugercoat how we feel and call it honest, objective, or constructive.

 

As for the general internet "bashing", I think it's a matter of perception. Wrestlers and others in the WWE look at the news sites and think all we do is bash. It's human nature. I mean, ask any conservative right now, and they'll say the media is too liberal. Ask any liberal and it's the other way around. So of course wrestlers will think we're always against them.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

It doesn't help that the wrestlers have a superiority complex over the fans marks that watch them perform.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Matt Hardy is boring. His music sucks. His "look" sucks. This angle with Kane sucks. His style sucks. I do not like watching him on television. My friends go and get snacks when he appears, or groan.

 

But I shouldn't say "sucks" he says. Make positive suggestions.

 

"Dear WWE,

 

I do not like Matt Hardy. Please get him off television and I think you will have more fans be interested in your product."

 

His knee problem sounds really bad, though. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.