Post by managermike99 on Oct 23, 2020 14:12:44 GMT -5
I pretty much stopped watching WWE other than the occasional match once the WCW folded into WWF and the Invasion angle just died out.
Now I find myself tuning in again for various reasons; with Covid and the lack of new sports, my interest again in my TNM fantasy fed, the amount of material being posted on you tube by WWE and others.
There is good stuff and bad stuff. On the balance I would say my interest is still a little below luke warm, maybe tepid? So I thought I would make a list of the top 10 things that I enjoy that are dragging me back in, and the top 10 things that bore me and push me back out.
This is kind of off the top of my head though, so bear with me.
Plus 10
Some of the old guard, Rey Mysterio, Kane, John Morrison, are still putting in some good stuff.
Minus 10
Most of the NXT guys are just blah.
Plus 9
Randy Orton. Best of the old guard. Didn't like him when he started but I think i had him grouped in with Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes, neither of whom I enjoyed. Since he broke out on his own he has been a total stud.
Minus 9
Jeff Hardy. Last of the old guard. I know there are others, but I just don't like the Hardy's, pretty much never have. Watching them is like nails on a chalkboard. I think I actually prefer Matt, slightly.
Plus 8
Stars that are new to me. Specifically Riccochet, Sami Zayn, and Nakamura. Saw some of their past stuff on you tube but its actually better for me now that they are in WWE.
Minus 8
Stars that aren't new to me. Can't stand that guys who I didn't like when I stopped watching are still there taking up space. Bobby Lashley, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth....more at #1
Plus 7
The "unassigned wrestlers". Brock Lesnar, Edge, Goldberg, Ronda Rousey, The Rock. Their guest and rare appearances are highlights. I know Brock really shouldn't be on that list but what the hell.
Minus 7
Lack of a crowd. Double edged sword, Covid making me tune in more but there is no live crowd. WWE is doing a pretty good job of this. Watching some other companies and you tube stuff and others look and SOUND so bad, like backyard wrestling.
Plus 6
Some of the cross over guys. It's fun to see certain guys now in WWE. Top of this list is Robert Roode.
Minus 6
The fact WWE is a publicly traded company. So many bad things for the product stem from this.
Plus 5
The amount of product. Damn, RAW and Smackdown with separate brands, all the PPV's all the you tube material, its enough to keep you busy.
Minus 5
Some of the moves. Yes the moves are way better than they used to be, but there is such a proliferation of moves that are so convoluted that they really push the suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. On the other hand, at least they have gone away from the constant dropping of people on their heads.
Plus 4
The way they use the legends. Sometimes its sad to see guys like Shawn Michaels, reminding me how old I am, but at the same time its fun that they still make appearances. Seeing them reminds you that they are over the hill and there is a reason the torch was passed. It was not like this when Vince first took over as he tried to distance himself from the past product when he was consolidating the empire.
Minus 4
Lack of real competition. AWE is giving it's best but WWE has done a woeful job of creating real internal competition. This is due in large part to Vince having to be hands on with both products.
Plus 3
I am really starting to like the leader of the tribe angle with Roman Reigns and the rest of the Samoans. Especially since it really teases the hell out of another return by The Rock.
Minus 3
The Tag team division. There are a lack of compelling teams, and a lack of teams that make me think the tag division means anything. Both the Street Profits and New Day bore the hell out of me.
Plus 2
The Heavyweights. Back in the mid 90's my favorite wrestlers were the mid-carders who could grapple; Regal, Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko, etc. Some main eventers like Sting, Savage, Jake Roberts, etc were good too, don't get me wrong. Well there was for a while a lack of big men who were entertaining. I mean Mark Henry lasted forever and quite frankly was the most boring piece of work in the business. The Big Show was only tolerable when he was matched with the right guy. But now I find myself impressed especially with Braun Strowman, but also Bray Wyatt, Dabba-Kato has promise, Kevin Owens is okay, and most of all Keith Lee who is right near the top with Strowman.
Minus 2
Well this one isn't a surprise, and I can't say I know first hand. It's not original as it always comes up with shoots of former wrestlers, but its the overly scripted "team" approach of writing, and not allowing the performers enough leeway to develop their own character. So much of the great wrestling came from chaos and impromptu. Hell, the the whole Stone Cold 3:16 came from Austin seeing the John 3:16 sign. The product is just too slick, and too predictable.
Plus 1
The Women's Division. I admit enjoying the T&A of WWE/WWF past, but this woman's division combines nice to look at with actual entertainment. I remember seeing click bait about how Stephanie wanted the roster to be half and half and frankly I would welcome that. I prefer the more Amazon or strong girls over the glamour dolls. I would say my favourites are Rousey, Charlotte, Dana Brooke, Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Natalya, and Rhea Ripley.
Minus 1
The lost generation of main eventers. At least this is what I call them. There is a whole bunch of guys at the top who rose over the past 10 years that I don't like, and that would be partly because I didn't watch them rise through the ranks, and become attached. Still I think they lack the "It" factor that I was used to from the golden days of the late 90's. These guys are pretty much Miz (worst ever), Sheamus, Roman Reigns (starting to grow on me a little), Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre (starting to grow on me), MVP, Samoa Joe, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, King Corbin, Murphy, Seth Rollins. I know some of those guys are not main eventers but I just kinda kept going down the roster.
Now I find myself tuning in again for various reasons; with Covid and the lack of new sports, my interest again in my TNM fantasy fed, the amount of material being posted on you tube by WWE and others.
There is good stuff and bad stuff. On the balance I would say my interest is still a little below luke warm, maybe tepid? So I thought I would make a list of the top 10 things that I enjoy that are dragging me back in, and the top 10 things that bore me and push me back out.
This is kind of off the top of my head though, so bear with me.
Plus 10
Some of the old guard, Rey Mysterio, Kane, John Morrison, are still putting in some good stuff.
Minus 10
Most of the NXT guys are just blah.
Plus 9
Randy Orton. Best of the old guard. Didn't like him when he started but I think i had him grouped in with Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes, neither of whom I enjoyed. Since he broke out on his own he has been a total stud.
Minus 9
Jeff Hardy. Last of the old guard. I know there are others, but I just don't like the Hardy's, pretty much never have. Watching them is like nails on a chalkboard. I think I actually prefer Matt, slightly.
Plus 8
Stars that are new to me. Specifically Riccochet, Sami Zayn, and Nakamura. Saw some of their past stuff on you tube but its actually better for me now that they are in WWE.
Minus 8
Stars that aren't new to me. Can't stand that guys who I didn't like when I stopped watching are still there taking up space. Bobby Lashley, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth....more at #1
Plus 7
The "unassigned wrestlers". Brock Lesnar, Edge, Goldberg, Ronda Rousey, The Rock. Their guest and rare appearances are highlights. I know Brock really shouldn't be on that list but what the hell.
Minus 7
Lack of a crowd. Double edged sword, Covid making me tune in more but there is no live crowd. WWE is doing a pretty good job of this. Watching some other companies and you tube stuff and others look and SOUND so bad, like backyard wrestling.
Plus 6
Some of the cross over guys. It's fun to see certain guys now in WWE. Top of this list is Robert Roode.
Minus 6
The fact WWE is a publicly traded company. So many bad things for the product stem from this.
Plus 5
The amount of product. Damn, RAW and Smackdown with separate brands, all the PPV's all the you tube material, its enough to keep you busy.
Minus 5
Some of the moves. Yes the moves are way better than they used to be, but there is such a proliferation of moves that are so convoluted that they really push the suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. On the other hand, at least they have gone away from the constant dropping of people on their heads.
Plus 4
The way they use the legends. Sometimes its sad to see guys like Shawn Michaels, reminding me how old I am, but at the same time its fun that they still make appearances. Seeing them reminds you that they are over the hill and there is a reason the torch was passed. It was not like this when Vince first took over as he tried to distance himself from the past product when he was consolidating the empire.
Minus 4
Lack of real competition. AWE is giving it's best but WWE has done a woeful job of creating real internal competition. This is due in large part to Vince having to be hands on with both products.
Plus 3
I am really starting to like the leader of the tribe angle with Roman Reigns and the rest of the Samoans. Especially since it really teases the hell out of another return by The Rock.
Minus 3
The Tag team division. There are a lack of compelling teams, and a lack of teams that make me think the tag division means anything. Both the Street Profits and New Day bore the hell out of me.
Plus 2
The Heavyweights. Back in the mid 90's my favorite wrestlers were the mid-carders who could grapple; Regal, Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko, etc. Some main eventers like Sting, Savage, Jake Roberts, etc were good too, don't get me wrong. Well there was for a while a lack of big men who were entertaining. I mean Mark Henry lasted forever and quite frankly was the most boring piece of work in the business. The Big Show was only tolerable when he was matched with the right guy. But now I find myself impressed especially with Braun Strowman, but also Bray Wyatt, Dabba-Kato has promise, Kevin Owens is okay, and most of all Keith Lee who is right near the top with Strowman.
Minus 2
Well this one isn't a surprise, and I can't say I know first hand. It's not original as it always comes up with shoots of former wrestlers, but its the overly scripted "team" approach of writing, and not allowing the performers enough leeway to develop their own character. So much of the great wrestling came from chaos and impromptu. Hell, the the whole Stone Cold 3:16 came from Austin seeing the John 3:16 sign. The product is just too slick, and too predictable.
Plus 1
The Women's Division. I admit enjoying the T&A of WWE/WWF past, but this woman's division combines nice to look at with actual entertainment. I remember seeing click bait about how Stephanie wanted the roster to be half and half and frankly I would welcome that. I prefer the more Amazon or strong girls over the glamour dolls. I would say my favourites are Rousey, Charlotte, Dana Brooke, Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Natalya, and Rhea Ripley.
Minus 1
The lost generation of main eventers. At least this is what I call them. There is a whole bunch of guys at the top who rose over the past 10 years that I don't like, and that would be partly because I didn't watch them rise through the ranks, and become attached. Still I think they lack the "It" factor that I was used to from the golden days of the late 90's. These guys are pretty much Miz (worst ever), Sheamus, Roman Reigns (starting to grow on me a little), Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre (starting to grow on me), MVP, Samoa Joe, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, King Corbin, Murphy, Seth Rollins. I know some of those guys are not main eventers but I just kinda kept going down the roster.