Anybody else growing weary...

[Guest Jack Potts]

I've been a big fan of WWE since 1997 or 1998. Now, I can barely stand to watch it. Over the past two weeks, I've been turning the channel or turning off the TV completely before the beginning of the second hours of Raw and Smackdown!

 

I think it's a combination of the mass firings, the bum deal Hassan got, the ridiculous Diva Search contest, the uninspired writing and the bland wrestling that are pushing me away, especially after the high bar set by the ECW: One Night Stand ppv.

 

The final straw this week was Raw opening the show with a faux retard and then dwarf tag team wrestling. (I know neither term is PC. Forgive me.) Then, I tuned in late to Smackdown! where they introduced "Jillian" with the melted M&M- Rice Krispie treat mass glued to her head in lieu of actual character development. Hearing the once-great Tazz trying to sell that crap as something interesting or funny immediately made me turn to Smallville.

 

It saddens me to say so, but I'm caring less and less about the WWE, and just surveying these boards tells me I'm not the only one. It seems like there are fewer and fewer new topics and less interaction on The Smartmarks with every passing month. We're the diehard fans, and if we continue to lose interest, then that doesn't say much for the future of the WWE.

 

I really, REALLY want to start caring again, but the kernels of worthwhile moments or matches aren't worth the tons of detritus and guano I have to sit through to get to those moments.

[notJames 0]

Wax and wane, wax and wane…

 

It's 1994 all over again.

 

I am hopeful though, seeing that Lesnar is coming back, and from what I just read, Spanky and Jamie Noble as well.

 

Of course, with Jillian the Mole Girl and the Boogeyman, I'm not sure that the balance will ever be set right again.

[Mole 0]

But people like Chris Jericho give me the fix I need for good wrestling everyweek.

 

Oh wait...

[Guest seth86]

I know i'm getting sick of hearing Michael Cole say 'NOT THIS WAY!' on every smackdown main event.

[Guest Ransome]

The markout city of ONS was, for me, a depressing reminder of how stale and uninteresting the modern WWE has become. I've barely made it through a complete Raw or Smackdown since then, and WWE's lack of direction has been distressingly obvious lately. Just a combination of lacklustre world title programs, ridiculous new gimmicks, the misuse of so much talent and Hogan on top again is just too frustrating right now. Nonetheless, I can't see myself quitting watching WWE entirely, particularly given that I made it through the dark days of 2002.

[Black Lushus 0]

I think the Brand Extension aspect would be more interesting if wrestlers would randomly switch brands as opposed to one big re-draft every year...kinda like in the WCW vs. WWE days...remember when you'd be shocked to see a WWE guy suddenly, one day show up in WCW or vice versa? When Ric Flair went to the E in 91, I was shocked (didn't have the "inside" info back in those days).

[ragingfear79 0]

for me its actually gotten to the point where i have stopped watching it completely, i try so hard to sit through raw or smackdown but i end up falling asleep or changing channels. Is just not interesting anymore.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

I realized the other day that I can't really watch RAW or SD unless I'm watching it with someone. See, in that case, you can at least make fun of it. By myself, it holds little/no interest.

[Black Lushus 0]

our digital cable is the type that lets you bring up a menu to see what else is on while the show you're currently watching goes PIP up in the corner...i tend to surf that menu a LOT during wrestling shows anymore...

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I usually just watch the end of Raw before UFC comes on, and haven't watched SmackDown since before WrestleMania.

[Mik 0]

What the hell is this doing in general chat?

[Slayer 0]

Growing weary was about four years ago. Now I'm just not watching at all.

[BHK 0]

I've been a big fan of WWE since 1997 or 1998.  Now, I can barely stand to watch it. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not to be offensive towards you, but perhaps one of the reasons that you feel unsatisfied is that you became a fan right around the "boom" period when the influx of casual fans was large due to the larger appeal of the product.

 

It could jstu be that you've tired of wrestling becasue you weren't THAT interested in the first place.

 

WWE has been stale since late 2001, with a few bright spots here and there. After I attenend the AUgust 8th Raw, I'll probably largely tune out the product as well.

[Guest Nathan]

I haven't watched WWE at all since around last September other than downloading a select few matches and shows.

[cabbageboy 0]

People who started watching wrestling in 1998 or so aren't real wrestling fans in my view. Those are the bandwagon types who just enjoyed the shock sports entertainment stuff, like seeing the McMahons on TV, etc.

 

Wanna be a real wrestling fan? Try watching Mabel get a main event push sometime and come back for more.

[spman 0]

Honestly, I've been a fan all my life, and if I sat through all of 1995 WWF and still kept watching, then I don't think there's much of anything that could ever get me to stop. As bad as WWE has been lately, they can NEVER top 1995, particularly the period lasting from KOTR until Survivor Series. With WWE running 14+ PPVs a year, the bad ones are quickly forgotten. In an era when they were still only running 8 PPVs a year, Vince managed to run a 6 month gap featuring non-stop nonsensical booking, PPVs that are rmemeberd amongst the worst of all time, and main event pushes that could not be explained by any logical means possible. I don't think it's even possible to pair up any two random guys on either roster right now and come up with a main event worse and more nonsensical then Mable vs Kevin Nash.

[iggymcfly 0]

People who started watching wrestling in 1998 or so aren't real wrestling fans in my view.  Those are the bandwagon types who just enjoyed the shock sports entertainment stuff, like seeing the McMahons on TV, etc. 

 

Wanna be a real wrestling fan?  Try watching Mabel get a main event push sometime and come back for more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh, fuck off. So you had to deal with Mabel in the main event for a few months? At least he has the "500 pound monster" appeal. We've had fucking BRADSHAW as the WWE Champion for TEN MONTHS! It doesn't get worse than that.

[Just John 0]

I thought all the 98 "Attitude" bandwagon fans had quit watching by now. Part of being a real fan is sticking with it through the bad times. Just like your favorite sports teams, you don't abandon them when they have down years.

 

That said, WWE is in a horrible state right now. The last three shows are on par with some April-June 2002 stuff. I don't blame anyone for being unhappy over the god-awful shows WWE has put out recently. I certainly feel the same way, but I won't quit watching.

 

If for nothing else, when the next boom period hits in a few years, I can say "Yeah, well I was watching during the days of Facial Disease Jillian, The Boogeyman, and a year-long Bradshaw ME push."

 

The early-90's WCW viewers as well as mid-90's WWF viewers can relate to that.

[Guest *KNK*]

People who started watching wrestling in 1998 or so aren't real wrestling fans in my view.  Those are the bandwagon types who just enjoyed the shock sports entertainment stuff, like seeing the McMahons on TV, etc. 

 

Wanna be a real wrestling fan?  Try watching Mabel get a main event push sometime and come back for more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh, fuck off. So you had to deal with Mabel in the main event for a few months? At least he has the "500 pound monster" appeal. We've had fucking BRADSHAW as the WWE Champion for TEN MONTHS! It doesn't get worse than that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

JBL as champion for 10 months was more tolerable then Diesel for 12 Months.

[Ced 0]

People who started watching wrestling in 1998 or so aren't real wrestling fans in my view.  Those are the bandwagon types who just enjoyed the shock sports entertainment stuff, like seeing the McMahons on TV, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But, honestly, you could say the same for the fans like me who came in during the peak of Hulkamania. The only difference is that I've stayed with the product regardless of the cycle. Those that came in during 1998, endured the decline, and are still watching get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their fandom, in my mind.

[AlaskanHero 0]

I've been a fan of the WWF/E in some form since I was five. I can't see myself not watching it or being involved with wrestling. I love WWE as much as I did as a kid. Maybe it's because I get Vince's sense of humor.

[Guest wildpegasus]

WWE sucks. It's not going to get better and it looks like it might even get worse. There's no hope in the booking. Now that I don't have to watch WWE with anyone I'll just be checking out the occasional match I tape from Smackdown.

 

 

 

Nothing has any meaning in the WWE. Nothing. There's no reward for watching anything only punishment. If anyone can actually sit through a whole show and watch everything my hat's off to them. Save yourself the trouble of sitting through the nonsense and just watch puroresu or some classic wrestling. If you're worried about missing a good match just tape the show. Don't reward the WWE by watching their pure and total 100% crap.

[CBright7831 0]

People who started watching wrestling in 1998 or so aren't real wrestling fans in my view.  Those are the bandwagon types who just enjoyed the shock sports entertainment stuff, like seeing the McMahons on TV, etc. 

 

Wanna be a real wrestling fan?  Try watching Mabel get a main event push sometime and come back for more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What if you watched wrestling in the late 80's, early 90's quit watching it from 1992 through 1996 and then began watching it in May of 97 (WCW to be exact) without hearing much about wrestling at the time?

 

Would that count me as a bandwagoner?

 

EDIT - Oh and not to mention I have went back and seen pretty much seen every high profile match that I missed, and even a few PPVs of note. Keep that in mind before you answer my question.

[claydude14 0]

I started watching weekly in 95 (watched here and there before that as a kid), but I feel that any attitude era fans that have stuck with it from the InVasion on have become true fans in my book.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I personally started watching back in '99, came in during the beginning of Test/Stephanie. The actual wrestling was worse back then, but I have seen some astoundingly stupid booking of late, such as this girl with a freaking growth on her face or Matt Morgan the stutterer, I mean, I'm not looking for deep things but I want more than Matt Morgan is mean and he stutters. Actual characters can count for something, even if the shoot element is worked in ie Sandman. I used to gobble up any wrestling I could watch, I taped Shotgun Saturday Night to watch a few matches, but now, I don't feel compelled to watch Smackdown every Thursday(no cable means no Raw), despite having Rey Mysterio, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Paul London, all wrestlers I like, on Smackdown, because there are so many dumb things going on, bad characters, this stupid secret nonsense. As someone once said, the marquee says wrestling, and I would like it f we got some better angles, because that''s all that's REALLY bothering me right now, bad angles and characters

And the WWE style, how could I forget that after watching the RVD DVD? No hardcore wrestling killed some guys

Edited July 30, 2005 by Masked Man of Mystery

[Jericholic82 0]

Have we all forgotten how godawful some of attitude 98-early 00 era WWF was? Not to mention the actual wrestling was crap, we had during this time for example: Val Venis:Wrestling Porn Star (and the whole Yamaguchis wife/choppy choppy angle), Mark Henry gets with a transvestite, and Mae young(who of course gets pregnant and gives birth to a hand), Pat Patterson and Brisco in the ring again, The ministry of darkness, Vince McMahon: WWF Champion

 

Just to name a few.

 

 

Is it really that much worse today? Hell at least we get some good matches sometimes.

 

Sure some things bother me, but I can ignore them (and despite the urge I didnt throw my tv out the window when I saw Pizza The Hut with MNM), so long as there is something good on there.

 

My point is I have been watching the WWF/E since 1990 and have seen it all from bad to good. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[Caliban 0]

They should rename RAW, there is NOTHING raw about that show these days. The show feels so polished and scripted, Smackdown is even worse for this. You can feel the commercial breaks coming just by what the wrestlers do in the ring. The backstage segments are badly acted and they don't feel like they are live and spontaious.

 

I can't really describe it better. But it doesn't feel like Raw anymore.

 

And even my casual fan friends asked me if WWE were "running out of ideas" when they wheeled out the midgets.

 

I'm starting to feel like I can't watch WWE beause it's aimed at 11 year olds. And that "mole" on Smackdown was so fucking bad, even the kids must be thinking "how stupid".

 

The best thing that can happen to the wrestling industry is for Stephanie McMahon to die. Sorry if that sounds cold and heartless - but the bitch is ruining wrestling.

 

I'm sure an interview with Charlie Hass which was published in this month's Powerslam will be transcribed on the net soon where he highlights the problems with the writers they have.

 

I can't understand why WWE doesn't use writers who know - you know! - wrestling.

[ragingfear79 0]

the problem is that Vince has become comfortable with being the only promotion on top, I have been watching wrestling since WM3 and have never stopped watching wwe till recently, like i said before it has just became a chore and is not entertaining at all cept a few things here and there. I think the only way the WWE is to get any better is if they get some sort of competition but then itll be good for a bit and then go back to the same crap. I'll never trully give up on them is just hard to watch now.

[Guest]

I've watched WWE since 1994, and I have never been so close to turning my back on the product. Once TNA comes back to television and is on Spike, it will be very hard for WWE to hold my interest any longer.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I've always watched every show (except for Hear and Velocity) since I started watching in 2001 but now I've misted the Great American Bash, last RAW and last Smackdown!, because what I hear just doesn't attract me. The Road to WrestleMania had some great shows in my opinion, after WM they had some good shows as well but now you've still got BORING Kane in a feud with Lita and Jillian Hall, JBL against Batista AGAIN at Summerslam with Jericho/Cena, we all know Batista and Cena will retain because Batista losing to JBL twice would ruin him. Everything is just the same every frigging week. I'll watch when something important or shocking happens.