Why do you watch professional wrestling? Is it the excitement of the crowd, the larger than life personalities of the performers or the tough, in-ring action which draws you back for more each week? Perhaps it’s the entertainment aspect of WWE which you like, with slick presentation and cartoon-like performers who both captivate and thrill you each and every week. Maybe you’re one of those fans who have turned your back on Vince McMahon’s promotion and prefer to get your mat-based kicks from divisions such as Ring of Honor, where the focus is on actual grappling and the matches themselves. Whatever the case, wrestling is unique in its ability to have such a diverse audience of fans – who each take their own opinions from the show.
So many wrestling fans nowadays do nothing, NOTHING but whine about what’s presented to them on their TV screens. Be it WWE constantly pushing John Cena to the forefront, TNA with yet another series of brain-bending and confusing storylines or the whack production values of various independent leagues out there – it seems there’s a lot which grinds the gears of your average fan of wrestling. Much has been written (a lot of that by myself) regarding this and how truly irritating it can be to listen to fellow fans take no joy at all out of the product before them.
Apparently, within wrestling fan circles, there’s a few distinct types of fan. There’s the “casual” fan who takes the show for what it is; entertainment, and overlooks plot holes and doesn’t care if the same few men remain in the main event scene. Infact, these happy-go-lucky types probably don’t even refer to the headliners as the “main event scene”. This writer would like to state right here and now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Why so many other fans (and we’ll get to them, they also have their plus points), feel the need to look down on the “casuals” is really beyond me. Let them enjoy the show and take from it what they wish to take. Are they really doing any harm by just enjoying the show?
Perhaps the most apparent ‘other’ type of fan group is referred to as the “smart” fan base. These folks usually seem to be those who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes at your typical wrestling show, whilst still being capable (for the most part) of suspending their disbelief and having fun whilst watching the show unfold. Of course, there are those who seem to take no pleasure from RAW, Smackdown, NXT, Superstars, iMPACT and the like. Why these guys and gals even bother watching is beyond me, although they are entitled to watch whatever they wish.
In closing for this brief article, isn’t there room for both sets of fans in the wrestling kingdom?
It’d be interesting to see what the readers and writers here at Bored Wrestling Fan.com think of pro wrestling in general and hear some of the reasons why you all keep watching. I’ve written at length in the past regarding my own reasons and will happily post up an old article of mine which explains why in great length. For now though, what do YOU think? Why do YOU watch?
With the “Road To Wrestlemania” now upon us and the wheels to that event fully in motion, there’s an awful lot to talk about this time of year in the world of professional wrestling. It’s no secret that our friends at WWE put a lot of faith in the annual extravaganza known as Wrestlemania and thus expect surrounding events such as the Royal Rumble and the Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View’s to do great business themselves. With all the furore following the start of each calendar year, other wrestling promotions try their best to effectively cash-in on what’s happening in the largest company this brand of entertainment has to offer and this year shall surely be no different. With that said, on with the topics!
Online Hype Surrounding Michelle McCool
There’s been a lot of talk over the past few years regarding one Michelle McCool and her position within World Wrestling Entertainment. Her off-screen and very much real-life relationship with one of the biggest stars in the company, The Undertaker, has led many to suggest she is only still hired due to the backstage clout of her hubby.
Regardless of the strings he can pull, this writer feels anyone who bluntly ignores the woman’s talents and puts all her success down to her husbands ability to pull some strings with the office, is extremely short-sighted. Indeed, an ex-writer for the Smackdown brand, John Piermarini, has recently surfaced on a large number of wrestling-related new-sites decrying these suggestions.
Piermarini states that McCool can talk (which is true) and can wrestle (which, depending on your opinions about what makes a good wrestler, could also be seen as true). In my humble opinion, the lady in question is easily one of the most accomplished females in wrestling today. She easily rivals much-heralded women as Lita, Chyna and Sable inside the ring and actually shows more personality than all of the above combined. Like it or not, her duo with Layla, “Laycool”, is over with the fans. This is evidenced by the mass amount of boos which accompany their entrance and matches.
Sure, Mrs. Undertaker isn’t the best female performer ever to burst onto the scene in North American wrestling, but she isn’t that far away from being one of the best, certainly in the modern-era. There’s a joke in here somewhere about being “Flawless”..
Sid Vicious Arrested
Various online news sources are reporting the arrest of former WWF/WWE, WCW and ECW talent Sid Eudy this past weekend on drug charges. Mr. Eudy was apparently pulled over for driving without a seatbelt before the law officer found a bag containing large quantities of marijuana in his car. The man has since been released on a $1000 bond. Rumours that he threatened the policeman/woman with a Powerbomb whilst muttering something about being “the master and the ruler of the world” are unsubstantiated.
Having seen the mugshot of Sid, which is readily available online right now looking to search mugshots of him, it’s very clear that he’s getting on in years. I know, I know, that’s kinda obvious. What I’m really getting at here is that we’ve all heard rumours regarding his possible return to the spotlight with WWE over the past number of years. Sid himself has even been quoted to be interested and feels he’s ready to make a comeback to the promotion which gave him so much in the early and mid-1990’s.
Being a big fan of the man formerly known as “Sycho Sid”, “Sid Vicious”, “Sid Justice” and plainly, “Sid” – I’ve always loved the idea that he may make his way back into a wrestling ring at some point in the near future. The big guy was always one of my most favoured characters in a pre-Attitude era WWE and many countless hours were spent imitating his fiendishly creepy laugh which permeated his promos.
One of the better big-men wrestlers, Sid was surprisingly nimble for such a huge figure. Never the most technical of workers, he nonetheless had a presence which stuck with the fans and still keeps him fresh in so many people’s minds, even so many years after his last appearances on the grand stage for WCW.
Will we ever see him back in WWE? With the group’s new decree that they won’t be hiring anyone over the age of 30, this surely rules the monster out?
Triple H Beginning To “Wind Down” In-Ring Career?
This is another huge topic which is sparking debate amongst fans all over the internet and one which will definitely polarise opinion. The master of the Pedigree manoeuvre has long had a love/hate relationship with those of us who happen to use a keyboard and watch pro wrestling. He doesn’t really think much of the IWC (“Internet Wrestling Community”) and clearly feels there’s too much negativity doing the rounds on wrestling message boards across the land.
I’ve written about it in great length many, many times and will not bore you with the details but, I actually agree with HHH on this one. There is far too much whining that goes on about the overall product, with people nit-picking until they can nit-pick no more. Indeed, it often times feels as though these folks don’t actually enjoy what they watch on a weekly basis, which begs the question as to why they bother to tune in.
In any event, there will still be a large number of fans who will be a tad disappointed that the man is supposedly contemplating taking a backseat as it pertains to being a main-event regular. “The Game” has been one of the linchpins holding together the top-line scene in WWE for over a decade now and has participated in so many fantastic matches down throughout the years, even before he was competing for the top belts.
It’ll be extremely intriguing to watch and see if the rumours are true that Triple H is being groomed as the eventual true successor to Vince McMahon and is effectively then given full control over World Wrestling Entertainment, from an in-ring point of view. Perhaps his wife, and Vince’s daughter, Stephanie will oversee the business and marketing aspects of the company leaving Mr. Helmsley to fully focus on boosting the ratings and crowds for live events, TV and PPV.
One thing is for sure, there are few other people employed by the promotion who have the drive, commitment and shrewdness to take over the steering wheel.
If you’d like to email me any of your thoughts, please feel very very free. I enjoy hearing from all of you, even if your opinions and thoughts don’t exactly match my own! jamiekennedy@live.com! TAKE IT HOME!
Happy New Year to one and all! I’d hope each and every single one of you have been ploughing merrily into the beer/wine/champagne/snakebite (?) by now and simply having a ball of a time. Here’s to a good 2011, both in wrestling and for everybody personally. On with the topics!
Matt Hardy Says He Will Change Pro-Wrestling in 2011..
The saga of one Matt Hardy continues to be ongoing into the new year it seems, with this latest video tirade from the former WWE mid-card star. In his most recent video, Matt (who was wearing a “PG SUX!” t-shirt) asked his loyal fans how he should get his hair cut. Adding to this, the man decreed that he would make 2011 his year and would definitely “change pro wrestling forever”.
Having been a big Hardy Boys fan over the years, I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything Matt has been associated with. His much-lauded tag-team with brother Jeff was responsible for many fantastic matches in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s and I loved his initial solo run as “Matt Hardy: Version 1”. It’s therefore pretty sad to see where he’s ended up, even if the guy himself appears to be pretty happy with life. Sure, this writer is all for engaging your fan-base. However, didn’t Matt say almost exactly the same things last year?
It’s seen as fact now that Matt will join his sibling in the merry land of TNA when his no-compete clause with WWE expires. Will he become just another WWE release who is pushed to the moon by the fine folks at Orlando? Or will he show his true potential as a star and further his career in the iMPACT! Zone? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure, taking cheap clothing-related shots at your former employers is hardly professional or befitting of a man who was such a company man up until recently.
FCW Champion to be Pushed Upon Main Roster Arrival..
It seems the youth initiative in WWE is set to proceed, with Welsh grappler Mason Ryan the next in line to receive a shot at stardom. Company officials are apparently extremely high on Ryan, who stands 6 ft 6 in and weighs in at around 280 lbs. What won’t be hurting his career is his striking resemblance to huge WWE name Dave Batista, who had recently left the company in the Summer.
Word is that the promotion are looking to almost immediately push Mason to the moon and have him slot comfortably into a high position on the card. Ryan (real name; Barri Griffiths) has an impressive physique and an intimidating presence, something us fans know will stand him in good stead.
Having seen the man perform in person, he does come across scarily similar to Batista, albeit a very raw and untested Batista. There was also a lot there to remind me of a younger Brock Lesnar too. This might be one to keep your eye on for the new year. Perhaps a move to the struggling Smackdown brand is in the Welshman’s near future, where they are in dire need of some top-line help.
TNA Star Set To Return North of the Border..
Having been one of the young wrestlers TNA hoped would become a major player, Shawn Hernandez is ready to return to the company early in the new year. The big man has been plying his trade in Mexico for the past while, on extended leave from the Orlando-based group. Featuring on cards promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), it now seems as though he’s ready to have another crack at success in North America.
In my humble opinion, I was really disappointed by Hernandez feud with fellow man-mountain, Matt Morgan last year in TNA and would love for him to be given another chance in a profiled program. It just seemed to be a case of the pair not gelling with one another inside the ring, failing to capture the fans imaginations and leading to some stifled and rather uninteresting matches. Hopefully, we can chalk this one up to experience and both men will find their rhythm with other opponents in the future.
Hernandez was clearly the stand-out from the well received “LAX” team with Homicide and would have been a clear favourite to become a main event-level performer in 2010. This never seemed to happen for the big guy, and while we can argue about why not – he obviously deserves another shot.
I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!
With quite a lot going on in the wrestling world as we head towards the end of the year and into the annual “Wrestlemania Season”, you fine readers may well see a lot more of the “Mat Musings” concept. This is simply because there is a hell of a lot to talk about this time of year, specifically when it comes to World Wrestling Entertainment. Having said that, one of the topics in this article has absolutely nothing to do with the biggest company in all of the wrestling kingdom! With that said, on with the topics!
Scottish Wrestler to Appear on TNA Maximum iMPACT! Tour..
I have no clue how familiar many (or indeed any) of you are with the wrestling scene here in the UK. As it happens, it’s going through quite the boom period in regards to talent – which will be obvious to any of you who regularly tune into WWE or TNA television. The amount of British-born grappler’s currently making headlines in the major promotions is at an all-time high. This obviously bodes well for my local scene as the bigwigs at WWE and TNA seem to be on the lookout on this side of the water.
Recently, none other than Jeff Jarrett was flown in at the expense of TNA wrestling to hold a seminar with the young students of The “Scottish Pro Wrestling Academy” and the hard-working roster members of “Premier British Wrestling”. PBW has recently joined up with the “British Wrestling Council” (an institution put in place to improve the safety and working conditions for all those involved in the British wrestling scene, be they wrestler, manager, announcer, referee or ring crew) and this marks a clear statement of intent from TNA to sweep the shores of the UK for talent.
Adrian McCallum, who goes by the ring name “Lionheart”, was the man chosen by Jarrett at these training sessions to show the biggest amount of potential. Lionheart has long been a local favourite in Scotland, specifically Glasgow, and there is a fantastic buzz and excitement over him being given this opportunity. Having had the chance to see him wrestle a number of times, I can tell you that he reminds me of a younger AJ Styles and will no doubt thrive in front of a huge crowd at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Go get ’em buddy!
A special mention must be given to Ross Watson and his gang over at PBW too, for all the hard work they have put in removing the stigma and overall ‘cheapness’ of the British product. Their live shows are regularly jam-packed full of wrestling-hungry spectators and it wouldn’t be stretching the truth to say that nobody leaves a show feeling disappointed. This writer is in no way associated with PBW but feels that credit is due for all their efforts! It’s exciting to think, for somebody like me who is trying to break into the British wrestling scene, that someday I could perhaps be a part of all this. You just never know!
Vince McMahon Banking on Brock Lesnar..
When WWE announcers start mentioning something heavily on TV at the direct request of their boss, it’s a good indication that the company and its owner are fairly confident said thing will come to fruition. The undoubted largest company in professional wrestling have always been very careful when it comes to things like this. Mr. McMahon really does like to follow through on things and doesn’t often leave things to chance, with his wrestling promotion at least.
There is still a lot of talk regarding the possible appearance of UFC performer and ex-WWE superstar, Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania this coming spring. Personally, I’m not entirely sure what to make of it all. I find it very difficult to imagine that Dana White, the owner of UFC, would allow one of his contracted fighters to show up on a WWE show for any reason. WWE and UFC may be two different monsters but they are in the business of ratings and trying to secure a bigger audience than the other, on the face of it. On the flip side, Lesnar appearing at the most-watched wrestling show of the year could be seen as the perfect advert for UFC. The chance of grabbing some new viewers could be a clever move, with WWE receiving the “cool” rub of being associated with mixed martial arts. Perhaps there is something in it for both sides afterall.
From a purely personal standpoint, I would love to see Brock back in a WWE ring. The chances of him ever returning full-time are extremely slim, which I realise, but a one-off appearance would only heighten my anticipation for the event. By far one of my favourite superstars from the past decade, “The Next Big Thing” became a world class main event level wrestler very fast – learning off peers such as Kurt Angle and The Undertaker with superlative quickness. With his intimidating size and impressive agility, I’d be a liar if I said I wouldn’t “mark out with my mark out” if the master of the “F5” showed up with his game face on.
Yours truly can recall being mega-disappointed with the way the man’s wrestling career ended. Coming to a close in complete and utter insouciance, his match with fellow-leaver Goldberg was treated with disdain by those in attendance at Madison Square Garden. It was a sorry end for the man in whom Vince McMahon saw great things. It would be entirely fair to say that Lesnar would still be a huge star in the land of the WWE had he not decided to pursue an American Football career, tired of the long roads he had to travel with the industry.
The only thing for us fans to do, is play the waiting game. It’ll certainly be an interesting watch to see if WWE ramp up their interest in their former champion. Or perhaps they already know something the rest of us do not..
I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!
Rather ironically, when I was approached about penning a column on wrestling house shows – I picked up the latest copy of the UK-based grap magazine “Fighting Spirit Magazine”, only to find that they themselves had written an article dedicated to the art and history of the non-televised event. This has happened to me quite a few times in the past when writing for various websites and it’s always freaked me out. I start thinking about an idea for an article, randomly flick through some old or current wrestling mag/book and see what I thought was my idea spread out across the page! This particular instance was no different to all the other ones and actually made me laugh a little bit, kinda like Michael Cole does when John Cena acts all immature. Thankfully, the piece was an awesome read and really helped get my creative juices flowing for putting together my own diatribe.
Still I find myself lacking the means to really write as many columns as I would like. We don’t have internet in our new flat yet and therefore I’m only managing to write this due to being home for the weekend to visit my family and spend some time chilling out. Quite honestly, I can think of no better ways to relax than watching, thinking and talking about professional wrestling. With that said, let’s take a look at the wonderful world of ‘wrestling on tour’..
Earlier this month, my good friend Richard Flynn (who is responsible for this weeks WWE Smackdown report – check it out!) and I attended a WWE live event featuring the superstars of the Friday Night Smackdown brand in action. This is a pretty regular occurrence nowadays; for us to attend these shows. On a few occasions in the past, other friends have joined us for a night of live and in colour wrasslin’ entertainment but most of the time it’s simply Flynn and myself geeking it up. To say I love spending time with the guy and watching wrestling with him would be an understatement. The amount of hours we’ve let go past by watching WWE and TNA shows is probably mind-boggling. Not to mention the oodles of time we’ve dedicated to chatting about the aforementioned companies and also our favourite moments from the past. Seriously, we have spent a lot of time thinking about wrestling together. We seem to feed off one another’s passion and it has made for some very cool and very pleasurable afternoons and evenings, to say the least.
Our continued excitement at attending these WWE and TNA shows is equal to that of pretty much any kid you know who likes wrestling. I’m glad I can say with all seriousness that I am just as thrilled by the thought of seeing this brand of entertainment live today as I would have been had I been fortunate enough to grab tickets for a show when I was 10 years old. Rather unfortunately, whenever the then WWF and then WWE visited these shores back then, I always found myself facing a ticket hotline with no more remaining tickets. As much as my parents tried (my mum phoned as early as she could every time and my dad even drove the 150 miles from our home in Campbeltown to Glasgow on the off chance the venue would still have some seats left), it just never seemed to happen. This is probably just aswell – 10 year old me would likely have passed out with excitement had he been privy to The Rock or Triple H up close!
As it pertains to the day-to-day running of any wrestling organisation, there can be no arguments that non-televised or “house” show events are the least important they have been for quite some time, maybe even in the entire history of the industry. There is far more stress placed on the signification of a Pay-Per-View event or the rating for an episode of Monday Night RAW than there is for how many fans are drawn to arenas for the next WWE nationwide tour. House shows used to be the place to see your chosen wrestling promotion but has in more recent times been usurped by TV tapings and major shows such as “Wrestlemania”. This shouldn’t take away from the overall necessity of a company touring the country or indeed the world however, far from it. The revenue boosts WWE alone will feel from visiting the UK must be worth the trip. In between ticket sales (and the fact these tickets are snapped up readily due to the scant nature of shows in any given town each year), merchandise and crossover TV appearances, it’s clearly worth the promotions while to head on over the Atlantic frequently. It’s also a valuable tool for TNA, who have played before their biggest crowds when not in the United States. Big, American pro wrestling companies are simply devoured quickly in foreign markets, such is the fascination with only having one or two chances per annum to see them.
Due to this shift in how a wrestling company, specifically WWE, views its un-televised product, it’s far more of a mixed bag when you attend one these shows. What I’m getting at here is that it’s a clear learning ground for younger members of the roster and a chance for established superstars to try out new things and further develop their characters, far away from the scathing perfection of television. It has been really rather interesting to view things at the handful of house shows Richard and I have bought tickets to which would NEVER feature on WWE TV or PPV. As mentioned before, this can bring both positives and negatives along with it. It’s engrossing to view someone such as Chavo Guerrero, a man scarcely used on the air, be allowed to partake in a 12-minute long match and fully show off his skills to the audience. On the other side of the coin, it can be disheartening to know that nothing of any great significance is likely to happen on the show in your town.
This leads me rather nicely onto an argument which has been permeating wrestling writers and fans over and across the world; have WWE officials decreed that their wrestlers shouldn’t work quite so hard and take so many chances at a non-televised show as they would when the cameras are rolling, thus reducing the risk of injuring themselves or a peer?
If this is the case then it could be argued as short-changing the loyal fan who is excited to see the company and expects to see something pretty close to what he sees on TV each and every week. Surely, with the prices as they are for admission to the typical WWE or TNA house show (I.e not very cheap!), it’s not being cheeky to expect a level of performance matching that of what you are used to. To be completely fair to TNA, they encourage their performers to give their all, regardless of the platform or if the event is being filmed. Having witnessed this with my own 2 eyes, it does make for a thrilling spectacle.
Again, using the proverbial “other side”, I really don’t think the overall feel of the shows have suffered that much. Having been in attendance for a couple of RAW-brand house shows and a few Smackdown-brand ones, the match-quality has been pretty darn good. Sure, there are restholds and not nearly as many high-flying antics as we would see on TV but it’s not exactly a million miles away from your typical match on Monday Night RAW. Infact, I’d go as far to say that the promotion makes up for this with some well-placed and excellently executed (oh boy..) storyline goodness. This writer can recall just earlier this month some TV-inspired goings on with the “Nexus” stable and also some in-ring promo’s which draw you closer into the show. Therefore, I don’t think it’d be fair to say that either WWE nor TNA treat the fans with disdain in the house show market, certainly not on this side of the pond.
With all this said, what do YOU think? Have you attended a WWE or TNA house show event in which you’ve wished you’d saved your money? Did you wish instead that you’d spend some extra cash to go to a TV taping or Pay-Per-View? Or were you like me and felt both companies did their utmost to put on a good evenings entertainment and ensure the fans would come back in droves the next time around? Your thoughts are every bit as important as mine and opinions are definitely a huge part of what makes Bored Wrestling Fan and wrestling fans in general so great! Let me know what you reckon, either by leaving me a comment below or by sending me a quickfire email to jamiekennedy@live.com ! Until the next time, TAKE IT HOME! To your house. To your house uh…show..
“Mat Musings” was a column idea I came up with a long, long time ago which basically involved me waxing lyrical about a bunch of subjects/news stories currently ripe within the pro wrestling world. Basically, we take a headline and then yours truly gives his take on that particular topic. It’s simple but really seems to be effective and is a column-type which I’ve always really enjoyed doing. Now I’m not claiming that it’s the most original conception ever conceptualized, but it has proved to be one which sparks debate amongst the wrestling fan base. With that said, on with the topics!
WWE Has WCW-Themed DVD Projects In The Works..
Having been a huge fan of the original “World Championship Wrestling” promotion, this headline really caught my eye. I actually have plans to do an entire article dedicated to the company and maybe even bust out some old ones from my growing library of wrestling article work. Look out for those!
The story basically runs that WWE are planning to release a DVD-set based on the popular “Monday Nitro!” TV show, similar to the 3-disc set they recently brought out for “Monday Night RAW”. It would document the first few years of the shows history (which arguably is the only few years worth watching!). Also hot off the press is that there is a DVD ready to be put together which would be a biography of one Bill Goldberg.
This is exciting news, certainly to a WCW fan such as I. I’m very sure both these DVD’s would sell pretty heavily, although perhaps not among the younger market of fans currently tuning into RAW and Smackdown. It’s long baffled me however, as to why WWE do not capitalise more on all that video footage they have for the Atlanta-based promotion. Sure, I’m not forgetting the “Rise & Fall of WCW” video they put out not so long ago, not the various DVD’s chronicling “The Four Horsemen” and the like.
Where I’m coming from more here is all those Pay-Per-Views they just have laying around. Surely it would be worth Vince McMahon’s time to pair these broadcasts up and release them under the “Tagged Classics” banner, just like WWE have done with events from their own history. I for one have long-awaited such a move and they’d definitely pry some money from my wallet! Many newer wrestling fans might not be so interested but it’d be worth the effort in order to make some dollars off all that old footage, much of which is highly significant to the annals of wrestling time.
There is of course the theory which has been reported as fact; that Vinnie Mac just wants the entire WCW thing to go away, which is exactly why he bought it and effectively buried it during the ill-fated “Invasion” angle. It’s merely my opinion but I’d be willing to say that McMahon is a trifle more intelligent than that. As an obviously shrewd business-man, he couldn’t fail to see the appeal these DVD’s would have to many a wrestling fan across the globe. Even some folks who may not tune into the product anymore could be caught, willing to part with the cash to relive fond memories from yesteryear.
Another idea, as an extension of this, may be to package a classic WCW event with a compilation of newer WWE matches, highlighting the superstars of today and attempting to draw those fans who have “left it all behind” back into being paying customers. Just a thought.
MVP Feels Disgruntled At Current Positioning Within WWE..
Let’s face it, the poor guy SHOULD feel a little aggrieved at how things have panned out for him in the past 2 years or so. Once a sure-fire bet to be one of the next headlining atop WWE cards, Mr. Porter now finds himself filling air-time on “WWE Superstars” and without a meaningful story arc to sink his teeth into.
It’s pretty difficult to make guesses as to where it’s all went wrong for the “Ballin’” grappler without having actually been backstage at a number of WWE events or pulling up a chair at one of the bosses production meetings/creative sessions. None of us really know what might have went on between MVP and WWE management which has left his career going cold. On the flipside, nothing at all could have happened. Management may have simply lost interest in the character or are biding their time with the man until they have something worthwhile for him to be involved in.
For most of us fans, it’s pretty darn clear-cut where it all turned sour in this particular wrestlers career; a frostily received babyface turn.
Sometimes it really does seem as though those and such as those in charge of writing the shows and making creative decisions just…get bored and decide to throw some changes out there without any real rhyme or reason. One example could be the sudden split of the popular brothers Colon, Carlito and Primo. This can be directly linked to their rapid descent down the cards into near-obscurity and also perhaps the parting between Carlito and his WWE contract. The MVP situation seems to be pretty much the same deal. A random change just for the sake of it, one which hasn’t really been planned out all that well with any clear vision as to why in the name of jebus we’re now supposed to be cheering a dude who’s claimed for many a year that he’s better than all of us, in character of course.
It’s as definite as day turns to night that everything I say here is simply speculation. I have no idea whatsoever the reasoning for MVP no longer being a focal point of WWE TV. As I also said before, there may not really be any real reason at all. One thing I do believe however is that his career and gimmick could still be rescued by a return to the heel kingdom. It just makes sense that a character such as his should be on the bad side of the fence.
It’s nothing more than my own idea (although I’m sure more than a few of you have had the same thoughts before) but the guy could be catapulted right back into the upper-card mix if he were to appear before us on RAW and decry the audience, blaming them for distracting him from his true potential and almost ruining his career by having him put more effort into entertaining them than winning matches and titles. Thus, MVP would be disowning the “WWE Universe” and getting an edge back into his disposition. Immediately, I feel WWE would have a hungry performer again. One who would be motivated to bust his ass both on the mic and in the ring, which can only be good for the product. One thing’s for sure, there is a hell of a lot of talent going to waste as we speak if MVP is kept as this ‘opening match relief’ like he is right now. He could be a major player within the company, no doubts.
I hope you enjoyed what’s going on in my head regarding the above subjects and the “Mat Musings” concept in general. Feel free to add your own viewpoints below as all your comments are surely as important as mine, maybe even more so! I’d love to hear some more opinions on these topics as that’s what being a wrestling fan is all about – mixing with other fans and debating till the cows come home! You can also send correspondence to my email at – jamiekennedy@live.com
I look forward to hearing from you and have a great week! TAKE IT HOME!
Ladies and gentle/wild-men of the “Bored Wrestling Fan” community, welcome to my very first article here in the land of the strange, crazy and indeed wacky. Please let me begin this by stating how awesome it is to be here and how sweet it really is to be back writing about professional wrestling again! Oh wrasslin’ journalism, how I have missed thee!
I’ve basically been given free reign to chatter away to my hearts content about all things wrestling, which is perhaps the most fantastic welcome email I could have received by “the boss” (I’m very sure he walks just like Vince McMahon into the office every morning), ThinkSoJoe. So, with that said – feel free to thank that man for inflic…erm…bringing me onto your computer screens each week. You can thank him in anyway you see fit, likely by screaming at him in a voice akin to Paul Heyman, “WHO’S THE RAMBLING SCOTSMAN WITH THE GRAMMATICAL SKILLS OF A 4 YEAR OLD!?”.
It’s plainly obvious why I am here and why I have managed to stumble, with the help of the lovely Drowgoddess, blind drunk into the land of BWF; yours truly simply loves professional wrestling. I have done since I was a very small boy and will continue to do so until I’m a very small old man. It’s always hard for me to convey or put across my true passion for what all those men and women do each and every night. I’ve penned many an article for many a website regarding my thanks for the countless hours of fantastic entertainment they have given me over the years. The sacrifice and dedication to performance is evidently appreciated by millions, with me amongst those millions. I love wrestling for the drama, the spectacle, the over-the-top hammy acting and the head-in-hands moments where you’re failing to believe what you’ve just witnessed. It has made me laugh, it has made me cry. One thing it has never really failed to do however, is fail to entertain me.
I’ve long pondered why I am so enraptured by this unique form of scripted theatre. In the many years I’ve followed the grap-game, there have been many people I know who have moved on from it’s clutches. “Grown out of it” or grown bored of it, the numbers aren’t exactly sparse. In my circle of friends, I’d go so far as to say that 90% of them now view professional wrestling as “something for kids” or “entertainment for morons”. They don’t mean anything harsh by these statements but they seem to be missing the point of why I’m still heavily into it – it’s more than entertainment to me. I enjoy thinking about what might go on backstage. Where the storylines come from and how they’re put together is a topic which has long kept me awake at night, basking in the afterglow of another Pay-Per-View conclusion. Sure, I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that goes on when the lights go down and the show’s over, but it doesn’t stop me from daydreaming about it.
The above may seem like a pretty wacked-out piece of nonsense to a number of you. I appreciate that there are those and such as those who merely wish to watch the show week-to-week, never thinking of what goes on behind the curtain. Afterall, what’s wrong with that? If you’re getting what entertainment you need out of the product then by all means treat it how you wish to treat it. One thing nobody should ever do however, is tell another fan how to go about enjoying the same product. This is partly what makes pro wrestling such an exclusive commodity however. How many people do you know who watch…say…CSI and when they switch the TV off, they wonder for hours how the show is put together, what the cast are like as real people and will eagerly debate with others on whether or not William Petersen as “Gil Grissom” is protecting his spot and keeping the minor characters in their place, hogging the limelight all for himself?
Now we all know that if this does happen, it’s a very rare occurrence. Most fans of most TV shows are happy to tune in, enjoy and then tune out, getting on with the rest of their day/evening. Not so in the wrestling world. It’s one of those entertainment mediums which has it’s content scrutinised relentlessly by a huge number of it’s fanbase each and every day of the year.
The internet itself has become so renowned that the fans who like wrestling AND use the web are now referred to as the “IWC” or “Internet Wrestling Community”. There’s a negative stigma attached to this too, wherein fans who surf the net to talk about wrestling are perceived as fat nerds who just want to pick holes in what happened on Monday Night RAW. Now I’m extremely sure there are those of that ilk among us but, y’know, some of us just want to chat to fellow fans about what’s going down, where the promotion could possibly take the stories from here and wax lyrical regarding Velvet Sky’s entrance sequence.
Personally, and I’m sure I’m not alone here, this reputation irritates me. It’s not that many wrestlers and creative team members of the various wrestling companies have bias against opinionated forum-users that gets to me. It’s a large portion of the vast number of wrestling-based message boards userbase that gets to me. The very same userbase which I myself am a part of. There does seem to be so much negativity around, to the point that sometimes you find yourself wondering why most of these people even watch the shows anymore. What pleasure can be gained out of watching any entertainment medium you find ridiculous, seething over it and then venting your self-made frustrations to others over the internet? Surely to heck some of these folks need to relax and if wrestling isn’t as good to them as it was back during the “Attitude” era, they should just stick to YouTube clips, videotape libraries and memories?
Having said all that, I beg of you – please do not get me wrong. There are many things which happen on wrestling shows which perplex me to absolute unholy hell. Do these things ruin my day? No. Do these happenings destroy my enjoyment of the show as a whole? No. I wouldn’t watch it for one minute longer if they did! I guess I do understand where some of the bitching comes from but, like I said, it impresses me how some of these people beat the product up and yet still find the time to tune in. It’s simply something I may never understand.
If you’re still awake, I must thank you for taking the time to peruse through my article. I really hope it’s apparent how passionate I am about the weird and wacky world of pro wrestling. As much as I know about it, I like humbling myself by saying that I know next to nothing about it, really. I know what I think, what I’ve read and heard, which is possibly not actually what happens in the day-to-day running of World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling.
I’d really like to hear from you regarding the content of this column. Any opinions, questions or corrections you can think of, I’m more than happy to read them all. I just love talking to others about wrestling! That’s why I’m here! I’d also just like to thank ThinkSoJoe, Drowgoddess and each and every one of you for welcoming me here with such open arms. It’s great to be a part of the family! You can send all correspondence to jamiekennedy@live.com
