Man, this race is a mess. 2 cars don't even attempt to run, 1 guy hurts his back, 2 blow their engines before it even starts, and 2 more go out on the first lap. There's only 13 cars in this motherfucker!
Can't say I'm surprised that a company's network doesn't give a shit about it's subscribers when the company itself doesn't give a shit about its fans.
Spent all day yesterday drinking. Didn't look at my fantasy hockey team or any scores once. Wake up this morning and see I somehow now have an 11 point lead for the last spot in the BoD playoffs.
At this point, fighting IC Champion Daniel Bryan is all I can really hope for. He gets a title match every week on RAW for the next 6 months and gets hot again... maybe for a Unification match at SummerSlam.
I realize how wildly hopeful and optimistic this sounds.
Your Nashville boys and goalies tore shit up late after Jellystone couldn't pull away early. Same thing happened against me, so I'm looking at going in cold.
After not watching for 10+ years my cousin convinced me to look at two wrestlers called CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Got me back on the product. And just like that I was gone again. But that Reigns....he gonna be a mainstream star!
Hey noggers. Just popping in to note that the Network seems to going just fine for me: both archived & live stream. The only issue I've had is a couple times over the last week I've gotten an error message saying "Content Not Available", but if I back out of the app and back in it works just fine. This is on a Roku 1. While I haven't used it as much, I also haven't had any problems on my Sony bluray player (which I don't use because the interface on the Roku is faster & smoother). Maybe just lucky I guess. Oddly enough I *am* having problems streaming movies on VUDU as they keep stopping to buffer. Yet I can access the same movies via the Flixster app and they stream just fine. Everything else streams well on the Roku too (YouTube, Google Play, Crackle, etc.)
I have probably never been a bigger fan of wrestling in my life and know I won't be watching Wrestlemania. I cancelled my sub a while back and have only watched a half hour of Raw since the Rumble. I'm really amazed at how bad the build is this year.
I just noticed that interview with Reigns where he is talking about how he doesn't get the crowd. Something about him being a character and this all just being a story.
No, we get that. It's that the story and character suck, we can't stand either, and this is the logical reaction you fucking idiot.
I did not have a dislike for him, but thought the story sucked, his character was booked poorly and he was in an unwinnable situation.
The more I hear him however, the more I am glad he is going to bomb.
He's come across as slightly arrogant and self absorbed in a few of his interviews. Like he truly believes he's the "next big thing" and is kinda annoyed with the fans because they aren't acting like it's true. Dunno if it's a bruised ego or what with him.
I am astounded that it's two weeks til the show and at this point they could not put together a legitimate sizzle reel to hype Lesnar vs. Reigns. They can try, and I'm sure it'd be their usual quality work, but it would totally be masking the fact that there's just been next to nothing there to hype the match. They've been in a room together once on the studio RAW. Heyman has cut a few promos. Reigns has talked more about people doubting him than actually about Lesnar. Has there been a worse-hyped Mania main event than this? Ever?
Except they didnt telegraph his "winning" 6 months in advance like they have with Reigns. Triple H's being given the title was such bullshit especially to new world champion Brock Lesnar.
This is partly why I scoff at the "you shouldn't be angry towards Roman!" comments. Yes, he's being booked horribly, and yes, he's likened to a lamb heading to the slaughter. But the guy comes off like a Grade-A Douche in his interviews outside the ring. Thus, Buddy Rogers' famous line is apropos here: "To a nicer guy, it couldn't have happened!"
When Daniel Bryan's contract is up, what are the chances he signs with ROH or TNA and turns them into a legit #2 promotion. I know I'd follow him to another company.
0%. Unless the WWE screws the guy legitimately on the way out, when he leaves WWE he probably retires to pop children out with Brie and save the environment or something.
I think it's his way of trying to appear confident--cocky even. Someone probably told him to cop a bit of attitude or ego. If so... well I know I'm not the only one not feeling it so far.
Too many people are still tuning in to watch RAW and sending signals that the product is better than it really is. The drop off needs to be huge for anyone to really notice and/or act.
Roman Reigns is less over than both Diesel circa 1995 and Lex Luger circa 1993. Ponder that thought and despair. Never before as the babyface challenger heading into WrestleMania been so cold going into the Main Event. The question becomes this: if the WWE has to use every measure of smoke and mirrors to conceal the fact that Reigns is bombing... wouldn't it be more wise and practical to put that energy into pushing someone who isn't bombing?
I was more depressed about 29 because I was still waiting for the product to turn around. Now that I realize that this shit is the best we can do, I'm ready for the trainwreck to commence.
Psh, like who? That Daniel Bryan guy? He's not over, Biff. Have you seen the size of that pipsqueak? Or his hair? It's not luxurious hair, Biff. Only B+ players don't have luxurious hair.
Didn't he want to join some sort of group who went and helped others and was talked into giving wrestling another shot with the WWE? There was rumour he was going to retire at somepoint while he was in ROH before being picked up by the WWE.
Nobody else would've gotten that push because Vince is convinced Reigns is the next big star. Problem is, he's more often wrong about who's going to be the next big star (Warrior, Diesel, Luger, Lashley) than he is right.
Fuck, it doesn't even have to be Daniel Bryan. For whatever reason, the fans still treat Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose as something special after shit booking in 2015. Why not try to take them and make them something special? Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville have been mired in NXT for the better part of a year; they couldn't have a shot at it? At this point, RYBACK is a better option than Reigns.
Reigns could've been a big star, but three things happened. Vince pushed him too soon, Creative squandered him horribly, and the anti-WWE fan backlash kills anyone who is associated with being 'the guy' backstage dead.
Yup. Plus, had he not gone down with injury he could've taken Ziggler's spot at Survivor Series and that would've went a long way to making him look like a beast.
If you were comparing wrestling to hip-hop, the Triple H/Jay-Z parallel is pretty much perfect. Both guys initially hung around for a couple of years as unknowns in the mid-90s who befriended the biggest stars in their industries (Biggie & Bad Boy/The Kliq) and received help getting their names out with them while learning a ton about the business.
Both rose to power after their best friend was suddenly out of the picture in the late 90s (Biggie murdered/HBK retired) and while there was a subset of people who weren't on board, they reached the top of their professions while also becoming big businessmen. They're very polarizing figures for their tactics and perceptions of how they reached their status, married a powerful woman in the industry, and some feel that they're overrated. Regardless, their spots in the pantheons of their industries is undeniable.
You know, I'm honestly excited to see WrestleMania. Just not for any of the reasons WWE wants me to be. Because I'm excited to see just how bad this show will be and whether the crowd is going to shit all over it.
Not gonna lie. I kinda hope they do. What city is it in, anyway? Is it known for being a smarky crowd at all?
At this point the city is irrelevant. So many hardcore fans fly in from around the world to see it, the show could be in Mark Town U.S.A. and still get the smark reaction.
I think that must've actually been Reigns spot to begin with, and they just stuck Dolph in there. Dolph's booking before and after that would back up him really not having supposed to be in there.
Why is it so Damn hard for Vince to make Bryan "THE man"? Ungodly over, great PR, amazing in-ring performer, good on the mic. What is the fucking problem? His height?
Cali crowds are good in general at least, though. They're not overly marky OR smarky and just enjoy the show if it's good. That could work both ways for Mania, so it'll be interesting at least.
I don't know if that last part is true. Last year, we all knew he was being pegged as the new "guy" but a lot of us (myself included) were pretty on board with it. He had a great look, he was being pushed as this awesome badass who spoke little, and they were making him look like a million bucks. Especially his run in last year's Rumble, which got him over.
But a year later and the shit booking and Vince's determination has killed any of that.
You know what just dawned on me? Vince and Kevin Dunn are in far more trouble than I realized. They're facing a double whammy that contributes a lot to the backlash against the product. For one, the dreaded 'internet fandom' that has long been a thorn in their craw is expanding thanks to the spread of the internet. Most fans these days can hop online and discover the dirt sheets and the wrestling websites that perpetuate the IWC. But while the number of smart fans increase, the number of casual viewers decrease, which means the IWC each passing year becomes a proportionally larger segment of the fan base, considering the IWC is the one group that is almost guaranteed to keep watching.
I was gonna post this in the other thread, but everyone's here now, so...
I can't believe Cena/Rusev is just going to be a plain old rematch. Yet another sign that this Mania is going to be a flaccid disaster this year. I mean, it didn't have to be a flag match necessarily, but that particular gimmick would have made so much sense, and Mania should NOT be the place for just an ordinary old rematch...do that shit on RAW.
One major difference: Jay-Z is arguably the most popular/famous rapper in the world. Triple H doesn't even make the top 10 of WWE's most famous/popular wrestlers.
You know, it doesn't help Reigns's case that Paul Heyman goes out there trying to build him up as the biggest thing since Brock, then Reigns does nothing in the ring to back that up. We're supposed to believe from the hype that Reigns has potential to be the greatest ever, but he's booked to lose or look normal. There has never been a bigger disconnect between McMahon's infatuation and everyone else's perception.
I just watched Kane vs Albert and it's like this match took place in a different universe
1. Smackdown in MSG? 2. Kane did a hurricanrana 3. The crowd is actually into it. I'm just so used to watching comatose crowds that I'm amazed they used to actually make noise. 4. DDP interfered in this. 5. Cole was excited about the arrival of the WCW wrestlers.
They fucking TELL their fans all show to get on social media, they encourage them to be internet fans, and then they mock them for it! They're fucking nutjobs.
Hell I thought his AWESOME promo last Monday did nothing but HURT what they want for the match, because no one listening to that epic speech would cheer for anyone other than Brock. Bryan would get booed out of the building after hearing that pep talk. Heyman takes an awesome pro wrestler in Brock and turns him into a GOD.
He didn't marry a powerful woman in the industry to stay on top. His best shit was already out there and considered legendary rap stuff for the time period when he met Beyonce.
SHE married a powerful man in the industry because she still had the girl group stench on her when they started being spotted together.
I never saw that match because I was visiting somewhere UPN-less at the time but I remember it hitting the spoilers and people talking about how surprisingly great it was and then a giant wave of disbelief.
Quick Network update: just tried to watch the latest NXT and I got the "Content Unavailable" message. Exited the app, went back & tried again, and I got an ad! First one in... six months? Commercial for that new Liam Neeson movie. NXT then played just fine. Very odd.
2001 was exceptionally hot on Raw and Smackdown with all the WCW guys then the ECW guys appearing and then they lost all the heat as soon as the Alliance were formed and ego ruined it for everyone.
In hindsight: Knowing what he knows now does HHH not go ahead with the idea to kill the Bryan reign at Summerslam and kickstart the Authority angle.
Because remember the product was strong at that time, relatively speaking. Summerslam '13 was a great card, two top-level matches and a great ending before everything went to hell.
This is what I dont understand. Everyone forgets when they all shat on the direction of WWE and instead act like it was all awesome in hindsight. Yes Summerslam 2013 was fantastic but the year itself and the countless shitty RAWs and Smackdowns were not good and were painful to endure.
That was a fucking perfectly booked pay per view. They've made a multitude of questionable choices, and had stops and starts then, but that ending was, dare I say.....A+
I was turned off by Kane and UT being top faces that I stopped paying attention. Other than the memorable stuff (the quad blow, etc) I don't remember much of that year
That's why they want to keep tailoring the product to kids. Not because they're more profitable but because they're the ones dumb enough to enjoy the product.
If in a years time everyone looks back and says 2015 was a great year then I'm going to leave this hobby and never look back and you know what, I totally expect everyone to say how they loved 2015.
Everyone complains at the time yet seem to forget what they were complaining about a year later. 2003 and 2004 were horrible, horrible years filled with countless shitty PPVS and TV events but because we can now nitpick in hindsight everyone considers them to be better than they actually were.
He was making business moves but he wasn't/isn't relevant. All the athletes seem to be marks for him but he has no place in pop culture and hasn't since whatever that Rick Rubin album he did came out.
If I get any vibe from Jay-Z is that he'd rather be a big star than be a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker.
The HHH years were terrible. You don't comment here enough if you think people love that crap. Just bring up elimination chamber if you need a refresher.
Raw is 2004 has always been regarded as great. Scott in particular was gushing over the Spring and Summer. On the other hand, most people agree that 2004 SmackDown was awful.
We really need to stop these blanket "everyone" statements.
We also thought there would eventually be a payoff. When we realized Bryan's future was to look like an idiot, give up his challenger spot to Big Shit and join the Wyatt Family the authority angle didn't look so great.
... except that both guys' finishers are submission moves where their opponent literally could not easily say "I quit." Unless they actually worked that into the storyline--that the winner would have to be the guy who best changed their strategy--a better stip would be a No DQ match. Even better than that would have been an unsanctioned No DQ match, meaning the US belt wouldn't be on the line. Rusev could job to Cena but still have the title for someone like Bryan or Ziggler to go after down the road.
I'm listening to some random Dr. D stuff. He got ran off because of the 20/20 thing but he was going to get fired anyway, right? Can you imagine Vince putting that guy on NBC? He doesn't seem like the type of guy to filter himself.
I think it's time for the elimination of college basketball conference tournaments. Just give auto-bids to the winners of each conference. Eliminates teams with losing records who have to win just 4 games to get to March Madness or teams like Murray State who win 25 in a row but get bounced out of the conference tournament early.
WWE Network continues to run like hot garbage especially with archived PPV shows. WWE Customer service dont seem to care.
ReplyDeleteAbout time, Bayless.
ReplyDeleteAny longer and I have to take you down to my dungeon and stretch you.
I know. I feel like taking them down to my dungeon and stretching them.
ReplyDeleteMan, this race is a mess. 2 cars don't even attempt to run, 1 guy hurts his back, 2 blow their engines before it even starts, and 2 more go out on the first lap. There's only 13 cars in this motherfucker!
ReplyDeleteCan't say I'm surprised that a company's network doesn't give a shit about it's subscribers when the company itself doesn't give a shit about its fans.
ReplyDeleteDo I look like Bayless to you, asshole?
ReplyDeleteSounds like some drivers need to be taken down to my dungeon to be stretched.
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks until WrestleMania.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't seem like it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the guy that hurt his back already was.
ReplyDeleteAll you white posters look the same to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd you should be taken down to my dungeon and stretched.
Welcome to GenericMania!
ReplyDeleteThis gimmick is already getting old.
ReplyDeleteWorking a Stu Hart gimmick, are ya?
ReplyDeleteLack of a good build will do that.
ReplyDeleteYou so old I'm gonna take you down...to my dungeon...to be stretched.
ReplyDeleteI'm just so apathetic this year. It sucks when your favorites are buried in the same clusterfuck match... and may all lose to R-Truth.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not surprised just disappointed.
ReplyDeleteNerd gimmick was better
ReplyDeleteSpent all day yesterday drinking. Didn't look at my fantasy hockey team or any scores once. Wake up this morning and see I somehow now have an 11 point lead for the last spot in the BoD playoffs.
ReplyDeleteYou're so infamous that after I take you down to my dungeon for stretching, you'll be famous.
ReplyDeleteWinning the IC ladder match just means you will lose every match for 6 months. I think it's going to be the perfect swan song for Daniel Bryan.
ReplyDeleteThe only way it'll change is when a lot of people start unsubscribing, which will happen right after Mania.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, you mean you don't think a bunch of guys stealing the IC title from each other makes you want to see them wrestle?
ReplyDeleteSounds good. You don't need to come down to my dungeon and be stretched.
ReplyDeleteStu Hart nerd.
ReplyDeleteWWE customer service is a hot pile of garbage too.
ReplyDeleteYou'd think they'd try and spruce things up a bit at least when they had their free month promotion to keep some of the new subscribers, but nope.
At this point, fighting IC Champion Daniel Bryan is all I can really hope for. He gets a title match every week on RAW for the next 6 months and gets hot again... maybe for a Unification match at SummerSlam.
ReplyDeleteI realize how wildly hopeful and optimistic this sounds.
Or you know just hire someone who actually looks at the network and addresses the issues.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like Steve-O's dad.
ReplyDeleteDown to 12. Fuck...
ReplyDeleteJust for that profanity, I'm going to take you down to my dungeon to be stretched.
ReplyDeleteOh piss off.
ReplyDeleteRed Wings/Penguins game coming up. Kinda cool to have a hockey game at 9AM.
ReplyDeleteYour Nashville boys and goalies tore shit up late after Jellystone couldn't pull away early. Same thing happened against me, so I'm looking at going in cold.
ReplyDeleteYet Arnold saves the day, apparently.
ReplyDeleteThis Fatal 4 Way PPV from 2010 while not spectacular is still an fun easy watch, I certainly wasn't bored watching it.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a person who sorely needs to go down to my dungeon for a good stretching.
ReplyDeleteI can't bring it up right now, but this gimmick definitely deserves the TPIR Loser Horn.
ReplyDeleteMore like GeriatricMania,what with all the part-timers.
ReplyDeleteAfter not watching for 10+ years my cousin convinced me to look at two wrestlers called CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Got me back on the product. And just like that I was gone again. But that Reigns....he gonna be a mainstream star!
ReplyDeleteLordy, I can already smell the trouble brewing if the WrestleMania stream bombs out.
ReplyDeleteHey noggers. Just popping in to note that the Network seems to going just fine for me: both archived & live stream. The only issue I've had is a couple times over the last week I've gotten an error message saying "Content Not Available", but if I back out of the app and back in it works just fine. This is on a Roku 1. While I haven't used it as much, I also haven't had any problems on my Sony bluray player (which I don't use because the interface on the Roku is faster & smoother). Maybe just lucky I guess. Oddly enough I *am* having problems streaming movies on VUDU as they keep stopping to buffer. Yet I can access the same movies via the Flixster app and they stream just fine. Everything else streams well on the Roku too (YouTube, Google Play, Crackle, etc.)
ReplyDeleteI've been having more problems with Hulu Plus than I have the WWE Network these last couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteFucking racist assho...
ReplyDeleteOh, noggers. Carry on.
I have probably never been a bigger fan of wrestling in my life and know I won't be watching Wrestlemania. I cancelled my sub a while back and have only watched a half hour of Raw since the Rumble. I'm really amazed at how bad the build is this year.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed that interview with Reigns where he is talking about how he doesn't get the crowd. Something about him being a character and this all just being a story.
ReplyDeleteNo, we get that. It's that the story and character suck, we can't stand either, and this is the logical reaction you fucking idiot.
I did not have a dislike for him, but thought the story sucked, his character was booked poorly and he was in an unwinnable situation.
The more I hear him however, the more I am glad he is going to bomb.
Three weeks to Easter matters more to me.
ReplyDelete11 now. What a joke, one more car goes out and everyone that finishes gets points. What a joke.
ReplyDeleteHe's come across as slightly arrogant and self absorbed in a few of his interviews. Like he truly believes he's the "next big thing" and is kinda annoyed with the fans because they aren't acting like it's true. Dunno if it's a bruised ego or what with him.
ReplyDeleteHe keeps telling us how great he is without actually showing it. Give us quality matches and people will be more willing to put up with the shit.
ReplyDeleteWho know, maybe he's told to act like that, though he strikes me as someone who's a prick IRL.
ReplyDeleteRoman Reigns winning at WM is like when Triple H was awarded the World title back in 2002.
ReplyDeleteI am astounded that it's two weeks til the show and at this point they could not put together a legitimate sizzle reel to hype Lesnar vs. Reigns. They can try, and I'm sure it'd be their usual quality work, but it would totally be masking the fact that there's just been next to nothing there to hype the match. They've been in a room together once on the studio RAW. Heyman has cut a few promos. Reigns has talked more about people doubting him than actually about Lesnar. Has there been a worse-hyped Mania main event than this? Ever?
ReplyDeleteExcept they didnt telegraph his "winning" 6 months in advance like they have with Reigns. Triple H's being given the title was such bullshit especially to new world champion Brock Lesnar.
ReplyDeleteWhat *exactly* were you going for with "noggers?"
ReplyDeleteMy best player getting hurt isn't good news but as long as I get in, idgaf
ReplyDeleteThis is partly why I scoff at the "you shouldn't be angry towards Roman!" comments. Yes, he's being booked horribly, and yes, he's likened to a lamb heading to the slaughter. But the guy comes off like a Grade-A Douche in his interviews outside the ring. Thus, Buddy Rogers' famous line is apropos here: "To a nicer guy, it couldn't have happened!"
ReplyDeleteLiterally can't remember a time I was less enthused.
ReplyDeleteThat one was an "in the moment" hate because it ended twenty minutes early.
ReplyDeleteI can. 27.
ReplyDeleteAnd 29.
ReplyDelete29
ReplyDeleteWhen Daniel Bryan's contract is up, what are the chances he signs with ROH or TNA and turns them into a legit #2 promotion. I know I'd follow him to another company.
ReplyDeleteThe three headed monster of Dunn. Barrios, and Wilson signed new 3 year deals. Fuck.
ReplyDeleteIs that code?
ReplyDeleteBonzai needs to come around. I need to know if I get to lose in the BOD Fantasy Baseball league this year or not.
ReplyDelete0%. Unless the WWE screws the guy legitimately on the way out, when he leaves WWE he probably retires to pop children out with Brie and save the environment or something.
ReplyDeleteYeah I noticed it what was shorter than most but thought it was fine for it. Sometimes less is more especially with not adding more filler to a PPV.
ReplyDeleteI think it's his way of trying to appear confident--cocky even. Someone probably told him to cop a bit of attitude or ego. If so... well I know I'm not the only one not feeling it so far.
ReplyDeletehttp://deadspin.com/is-wrestlemania-going-to-be-garbage-or-what-1691333419
ReplyDelete*shakes the magic 8-ball*
ReplyDelete"Signs point to yes."
Oh for fuck's sake, even the 8-ball is doing the sign pointing now.
Everyone already knows that except for Vince. Actually, I think Vince even knows it at this point.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling he's going to retire, honestly. Maybe open up a wrestling school or something.
ReplyDeleteManchester United in kicking-ass shocker
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wrestlezone.com/news/561095-details-on-daniel-bryan-seattle-return
ReplyDeleteHey look, another great Daniel Bryan story that WWE will ignore on TV!
Too many people are still tuning in to watch RAW and sending signals that the product is better than it really is. The drop off needs to be huge for anyone to really notice and/or act.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they BLUR the crowd when he's giving promos. That reddit article was nuts. Fake crowd noise and BLURRED visuals. God it's terrible.
ReplyDeleteKane/Orton from WM28 is a forgotten gem.
ReplyDeleteRoman Reigns is less over than both Diesel circa 1995 and Lex Luger circa 1993. Ponder that thought and despair. Never before as the babyface challenger heading into WrestleMania been so cold going into the Main Event. The question becomes this: if the WWE has to use every measure of smoke and mirrors to conceal the fact that Reigns is bombing... wouldn't it be more wise and practical to put that energy into pushing someone who isn't bombing?
ReplyDeleteA lot of Orton matches are.
ReplyDeleteOh, sure. Ratings are dropping, but too slowly to put WWE in panic mode.
ReplyDeleteI was more depressed about 29 because I was still waiting for the product to turn around. Now that I realize that this shit is the best we can do, I'm ready for the trainwreck to commence.
ReplyDeletePsh, like who? That Daniel Bryan guy? He's not over, Biff. Have you seen the size of that pipsqueak? Or his hair? It's not luxurious hair, Biff. Only B+ players don't have luxurious hair.
ReplyDeleteDidn't he want to join some sort of group who went and helped others and was talked into giving wrestling another shot with the WWE? There was rumour he was going to retire at somepoint while he was in ROH before being picked up by the WWE.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Kane's best ever singles match?
ReplyDeleteNobody else would've gotten that push because Vince is convinced Reigns is the next big star. Problem is, he's more often wrong about who's going to be the next big star (Warrior, Diesel, Luger, Lashley) than he is right.
ReplyDeleteIf Daniel Bryan posted to the BoD after his final SD segment, Night would reply with. ..
ReplyDeleteTurd nerd
Fuck, it doesn't even have to be Daniel Bryan. For whatever reason, the fans still treat Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose as something special after shit booking in 2015. Why not try to take them and make them something special? Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville have been mired in NXT for the better part of a year; they couldn't have a shot at it? At this point, RYBACK is a better option than Reigns.
ReplyDeleteAlbert or Benoit.
ReplyDeleteMaybe HHH in May 2001. The chain match.
ReplyDeleteI like The Ryback.
ReplyDeleteWhich Albert match? On a PPV or Raw?
ReplyDeleteAgain, the Albert one is overrated. It's 4 minutes of them busting out things that they had no business doing well... but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I liked that match. And the top rope chokeslam finish was pretty cool I thought.
ReplyDeleteReigns could've been a big star, but three things happened. Vince pushed him too soon, Creative squandered him horribly, and the anti-WWE fan backlash kills anyone who is associated with being 'the guy' backstage dead.
ReplyDeleteRandom Smackdown. It was great.
ReplyDeleteI have a Roku 1 too! Yay!
ReplyDeleteHad very good title match at Summerslam with Mysterio years ago
ReplyDeleteKane/Kurt Angle was good back in the day.
ReplyDeleteAlso the injury killed his momentum and they didn't bother giving it back.
ReplyDeleteIt's a reference to Old School Wrestling (OSW) Review.
ReplyDeleteYup. Plus, had he not gone down with injury he could've taken Ziggler's spot at Survivor Series and that would've went a long way to making him look like a beast.
ReplyDeleteMy HHH/Jay-Z comparison from last night:
ReplyDeleteIf you were comparing wrestling to hip-hop, the Triple H/Jay-Z parallel is pretty much perfect. Both guys initially hung around for a couple of years as unknowns in the mid-90s who befriended the biggest stars in their industries (Biggie & Bad Boy/The Kliq) and received help getting their names out with them while learning a ton about the business.
Both rose to power after their best friend was suddenly out of the picture in the late 90s (Biggie murdered/HBK retired) and while there was a subset of people who weren't on board, they reached the top of their professions while also becoming big businessmen. They're very polarizing figures for their tactics and perceptions of how they reached their status, married a powerful woman in the industry, and some feel that they're overrated. Regardless, their spots in the pantheons of their industries is undeniable.
Of course, you've got to bring the goods at WM. Had that match happened any other time, it would not have been as good.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'm honestly excited to see WrestleMania. Just not for any of the reasons WWE wants me to be. Because I'm excited to see just how bad this show will be and whether the crowd is going to shit all over it.
ReplyDeleteNot gonna lie. I kinda hope they do. What city is it in, anyway? Is it known for being a smarky crowd at all?
One of the Undertaker matches when Kane was the champion was pretty damn good as well.
ReplyDeleteAt this point the city is irrelevant. So many hardcore fans fly in from around the world to see it, the show could be in Mark Town U.S.A. and still get the smark reaction.
ReplyDeleteI think that must've actually been Reigns spot to begin with, and they just stuck Dolph in there. Dolph's booking before and after that would back up him really not having supposed to be in there.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it so Damn hard for Vince to make Bryan "THE man"? Ungodly over, great PR, amazing in-ring performer, good on the mic. What is the fucking problem? His height?
ReplyDeleteYup. Give Reigns that spot and keep him away from the microphone and there would be a lot more fans behind him
ReplyDeleteIs it the one for the IC title? I'm watching it now to see what it's all about
ReplyDeleteCali crowds are good in general at least, though. They're not overly marky OR smarky and just enjoy the show if it's good. That could work both ways for Mania, so it'll be interesting at least.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that last part is true. Last year, we all knew he was being pegged as the new "guy" but a lot of us (myself included) were pretty on board with it. He had a great look, he was being pushed as this awesome badass who spoke little, and they were making him look like a million bucks. Especially his run in last year's Rumble, which got him over.
ReplyDeleteBut a year later and the shit booking and Vince's determination has killed any of that.
Tottenham needs to chuck the controller and hit the Power button.
ReplyDeleteYou know what just dawned on me? Vince and Kevin Dunn are in far more trouble than I realized. They're facing a double whammy that contributes a lot to the backlash against the product. For one, the dreaded 'internet fandom' that has long been a thorn in their craw is expanding thanks to the spread of the internet. Most fans these days can hop online and discover the dirt sheets and the wrestling websites that perpetuate the IWC. But while the number of smart fans increase, the number of casual viewers decrease, which means the IWC each passing year becomes a proportionally larger segment of the fan base, considering the IWC is the one group that is almost guaranteed to keep watching.
ReplyDeleteHe's apparently too laid back and doesn't argue. Vince hates that.
ReplyDeleteLOLHAMILTONWINS. This is going to be just like last year. Mercedes very well might sweep the season.
ReplyDeleteThe Jeff Hardy style drop kick escape from Kane is pretty neat.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna post this in the other thread, but everyone's here now, so...
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Cena/Rusev is just going to be a plain old rematch. Yet another sign that this Mania is going to be a flaccid disaster this year. I mean, it didn't have to be a flag match necessarily, but that particular gimmick would have made so much sense, and Mania should NOT be the place for just an ordinary old rematch...do that shit on RAW.
One major difference: Jay-Z is arguably the most popular/famous rapper in the world. Triple H doesn't even make the top 10 of WWE's most famous/popular wrestlers.
ReplyDeleteRight now, EVERY fan is an "internet fan" to some degree. That's the CRAZY META CONCEPT they can't wrap their dumb carny heads around.
ReplyDeleteKane did a frankensteiner. I've seen it all
ReplyDeleteRemember back in the day when they'd wait a whole year for rematches?
ReplyDeletePepperidge Farm remembers.
Santa Clara in Cali, outside San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best Manchester United half an hour of the season. Tremendous. Title challenge back on!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I recall, I don't think Californian crowds are generally snarky. It's more east coast crowds. I think.
ReplyDeleteHoly shit, someone below pointed out that fucking Ryback was more over with fans than Roman Reigns is now. That's sad.
ReplyDelete30/30-150 remembers. 30/30-150 hates.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it doesn't help Reigns's case that Paul Heyman goes out there trying to build him up as the biggest thing since Brock, then Reigns does nothing in the ring to back that up. We're supposed to believe from the hype that Reigns has potential to be the greatest ever, but he's booked to lose or look normal. There has never been a bigger disconnect between McMahon's infatuation and everyone else's perception.
ReplyDeleteRyder was depushed for the same reasons, I believe.
ReplyDeleteCurtis fucking Axel has more fans than Roman Reigns right now.
ReplyDeleteCURTIS AXEL.
I just watched Kane vs Albert and it's like this match took place in a different universe
ReplyDelete1. Smackdown in MSG?
2. Kane did a hurricanrana
3. The crowd is actually into it. I'm just so used to watching comatose crowds that I'm amazed they used to actually make noise.
4. DDP interfered in this.
5. Cole was excited about the arrival of the WCW wrestlers.
Weird, weird, weird.
Was it? I thought it was almost 100% because he got himself over via YouTube?
ReplyDeleteYes men are never that appealing, not willing to fight for your own worth is exceptionally detrimental for such a competitive form of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteThey fucking TELL their fans all show to get on social media, they encourage them to be internet fans, and then they mock them for it! They're fucking nutjobs.
ReplyDeleteEh, I'll criticize WWE for lots of stupid things, but not invoking a flag is fine with me.
ReplyDeleteGotta go watch it now. I'm guessing its on YouTube as the Network still aint working for I
ReplyDeleteHell I thought his AWESOME promo last Monday did nothing but HURT what they want for the match, because no one listening to that epic speech would cheer for anyone other than Brock. Bryan would get booed out of the building after hearing that pep talk. Heyman takes an awesome pro wrestler in Brock and turns him into a GOD.
ReplyDeleteI thought it's because he sucks. That should have been the reason, anyway.
ReplyDeleteOh! No no no. You misunderstand. See, those are SOCIAL MEDIA fans. Those aren't the same as dreaded INTERNET fans.
ReplyDelete...
Yeah, that didn't make sense to me, either. But it wouldn't surprise me if that's exactly what they though.
That too, but he was completely buried because he never spoke up about being depushed. It was a one-two thing
ReplyDeleteLike I said, didn't have to be a flag match, but SOME kind of gimmick.
ReplyDeleteHe was never going to be world champion material, but they could've done so much more with him
ReplyDeleteI think social media is retarded, so they must really hate me.
ReplyDeleteCome on. As many have said, he was never going to be a main eventer, be he could've easily been a solid mid-carder for years.
ReplyDeletethis one is clipped.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ZpqHI2fwI
He didn't marry a powerful woman in the industry to stay on top. His best shit was already out there and considered legendary rap stuff for the time period when he met Beyonce.
ReplyDeleteSHE married a powerful man in the industry because she still had the girl group stench on her when they started being spotted together.
An I Quit match would work.
ReplyDeleteI only use it out of necessity to promote my published work.
ReplyDeleteI never saw that match because I was visiting somewhere UPN-less at the time but I remember it hitting the spoilers and people talking about how surprisingly great it was and then a giant wave of disbelief.
ReplyDeleteHe should be doing nothing more than jobbing in under 90 seconds.
ReplyDeleteQuick Network update: just tried to watch the latest NXT and I got the "Content Unavailable" message. Exited the app, went back & tried again, and I got an ad! First one in... six months? Commercial for that new Liam Neeson movie. NXT then played just fine. Very odd.
ReplyDeletebut after a few years she was way more over than he was and he's having to leach her heat to stay relevant
ReplyDeleteSomewhere UPN-less? The deep south?
ReplyDelete2001 was exceptionally hot on Raw and Smackdown with all the WCW guys then the ECW guys appearing and then they lost all the heat as soon as the Alliance were formed and ego ruined it for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIn hindsight: Knowing what he knows now does HHH not go ahead with the idea to kill the Bryan reign at Summerslam and kickstart the Authority angle.
ReplyDeleteBecause remember the product was strong at that time, relatively speaking. Summerslam '13 was a great card, two top-level matches and a great ending before everything went to hell.
Mainly NYC, PA, and Chicago.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midwest and we didn't get UPN through our provider until 2003.
ReplyDeleteJay-Z also screwed over Dame and Biggz while HHH has screwed over (fill-in-the-blank)
ReplyDeleteIt's because UPN was all black comedies, see...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that ending. Had they not screwed around with "Abeyance" then it becomes a memorable angle.
ReplyDeleteI guess I didn't realize that. Hmm.
ReplyDeleteThe product wasn't strong at all during 2013.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I dont understand. Everyone forgets when they all shat on the direction of WWE and instead act like it was all awesome in hindsight. Yes Summerslam 2013 was fantastic but the year itself and the countless shitty RAWs and Smackdowns were not good and were painful to endure.
That was a fucking perfectly booked pay per view. They've made a multitude of questionable choices, and had stops and starts then, but that ending was, dare I say.....A+
ReplyDeleteI was turned off by Kane and UT being top faces that I stopped paying attention. Other than the memorable stuff (the quad blow, etc) I don't remember much of that year
ReplyDeleteThe Authority ain't the problem.
ReplyDeleteNo. Not really. He had a top clothing line and was trying to invest in professional sports franchises.
ReplyDeleteShe was still just a musician, he owned the label and the studio. He graduated from she is to another level of life and stature.
Everyone! Pretty sure most hated the entire period from after Summerslam through to the Rumble, and still do
ReplyDeleteYou're forgetting rule one of posting here: Whatever's happening now is the worst ever.
ReplyDeleteWe reassess PPVs later on a case by case basis
The PPVs were solid. They had a nice run that summer with programs.
ReplyDeleteThat's why they want to keep tailoring the product to kids. Not because they're more profitable but because they're the ones dumb enough to enjoy the product.
ReplyDeleteIf in a years time everyone looks back and says 2015 was a great year then I'm going to leave this hobby and never look back and you know what, I totally expect everyone to say how they loved 2015.
ReplyDeleteEveryone complains at the time yet seem to forget what they were complaining about a year later. 2003 and 2004 were horrible, horrible years filled with countless shitty PPVS and TV events but because we can now nitpick in hindsight everyone considers them to be better than they actually were.
I thought the Authority angle was great until the Big Show and abeyance nonsense.
ReplyDeleteYou misuse "everyone" one more time, young man, and everyone's gonna give you a right kicking!
ReplyDeleteWe do? Because I'm pretty certain 2003 and 2004 WERE shit years.
ReplyDeleteUnless...when did the Smackdown Six stuff occur? Was that around this time?
He was making business moves but he wasn't/isn't relevant. All the athletes seem to be marks for him but he has no place in pop culture and hasn't since whatever that Rick Rubin album he did came out.
ReplyDeleteIf I get any vibe from Jay-Z is that he'd rather be a big star than be a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker.
03 Smackdown and 04 Raw were awesome. If you just watched one show those years it was fine.
ReplyDeleteSorry I generalised but I'm certainly not young.
ReplyDeleteThe HHH years were terrible. You don't comment here enough if you think people love that crap. Just bring up elimination chamber if you need a refresher.
ReplyDelete"You keep using this word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
ReplyDeleteRaw is 2004 has always been regarded as great. Scott in particular was gushing over the Spring and Summer. On the other hand, most people agree that 2004 SmackDown was awful.
ReplyDeleteWe really need to stop these blanket "everyone" statements.
Great show before the last five minutes. But, man, those last five minutes...
ReplyDeleteThe subject of the HBO series "The Jinx" got arrested in New Orleans on a warrant out of Los Angeles...tonight's the series finale, by the by, haha.
ReplyDeleteWe also thought there would eventually be a payoff. When we realized Bryan's future was to look like an idiot, give up his challenger spot to Big Shit and join the Wyatt Family the authority angle didn't look so great.
ReplyDelete... except that both guys' finishers are submission moves where their opponent literally could not easily say "I quit." Unless they actually worked that into the storyline--that the winner would have to be the guy who best changed their strategy--a better stip would be a No DQ match. Even better than that would have been an unsanctioned No DQ match, meaning the US belt wouldn't be on the line. Rusev could job to Cena but still have the title for someone like Bryan or Ziggler to go after down the road.
ReplyDeleteYeah, everyone uses those statements too much.
ReplyDeleteBled into 03 Smackdown. Which was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI'm listening to some random Dr. D stuff. He got ran off because of the 20/20 thing but he was going to get fired anyway, right? Can you imagine Vince putting that guy on NBC? He doesn't seem like the type of guy to filter himself.
ReplyDelete2003 SMackDown started great but I think it faltered once the McMahons started dominating the shows again.
ReplyDeleteAnyone any suggestions to what are the top 3 WWE PPVs of 2006 and 2007?
ReplyDeleteI think it's time for the elimination of college basketball conference tournaments. Just give auto-bids to the winners of each conference. Eliminates teams with losing records who have to win just 4 games to get to March Madness or teams like Murray State who win 25 in a row but get bounced out of the conference tournament early.
ReplyDeleteYou also had the rise of Cena and Eddie. There was some bad stuff from October on but Raw turned good again at that point.
ReplyDeletewat
ReplyDeleteWM 23
ReplyDeleteNo Way Out 2006
That's all I got for now.
No Way Out 06's main in a forgotten ****1/2 star match.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get confused?
ReplyDeleteYeah, this isn't NPP. "Everyone" doesn't think anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing One Night Stand 2006 is one of the more loved shows? Wasn't NWO 2006 just a one match show?
ReplyDeleteEveryone likes The Ryback!
ReplyDelete