I just found this blog from 2007 that I wrote on Myspace (remember that thing?). I thought I would put it up and reflect on how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Here it is:
So I just finished watching the first period of the Calgary Flames vs Detroit Red Wings game and the Flames are getting crushed 3-0. Not much incentive to continue to watch that, which brings me to my main topic: What is my incentive to watch proffessional wrestling, or as the two Vinces with a pen call it Sports Entertainment. To me, the stories are moving along way too fast and the ones that are sticking around don’t revolve around wrestling. The current example of this is Vince vs Trump. They are not wrestling so what’s the point. It’s not entertaining to anyone other than the McMahons and MAYBE Trump himself.
The main arguement that I have heard is that people’s attention spans are shorter. Well if that is the case, then why are the two main event challengers at Wrestlemania 23 people who were in the main events of Wrestlemanias 11, 12, 13, and 14?? Batista and John Cena are the only two wrestlers in the past five years that WWE have made into main eventers and kept. Brock Lesnar left, Booker T was headlining in WCW (albeit at its decline), and the Canadian Chris’ were made main eventers but not kept as main eventers.
TNA has a much bigger problem because they haven’t been around long enough for there to be an emotional attachment to most of their characters. Samoa Joe and AJ Syles should be the main event of Impact and the PPVs. Christopher Daniels as well. I have no problem with Angle, Christian, and Team 3D but they need to be mixed in with “TNA” guys. The Russo booking has always been about throwing 10,000 things at us during a show and hoping at least 1 thing sticks. To me this is assinine when no one knows who the hell your wrestlers even are.
When Russo WAS successful (the one freakin’ time) it was in 1997-1999. Ten years ago I might add. Jim Cornette booked prior to Vinny Ru and he rode Austin and SLOWLY turned him face, along with SLOWLY turning Bret Hart heel and Russo took advantage of that character building period. Also, Undertaker and Mankind had a LENGTHY feud in the summer of 1996, under Corny, that was off and on to the point that it made sense that they would have a Hell in the Cell match in 1998 with minimal build up at the time because we knew that they hated each other. Russo let the Rock be the Rock. Nuff said. Jim Herd could have done that. Another example is the near year build up from Paul Bearer hinting at Kane’s existence to the Mania 14 match itself. Survivor Series happened and Russo lucked into it. He didn’t plan it or script it. It happened and his timing was good.
Around the same time, Vince MCMAHON, not Russo, signed for Mike Tyson to appear. Again, Vinny Ru lucked into it. All of the peices of the puzzle came together and we had the attitude era. Did Vince Russo have alot to do with the writing of the attitude era? Hell Yeah. But would the attitude era done just as well without the Godfather and Val Venis? Probably. The Undertaker as a heel leading a group vs Steve Austin would have worked without “Demonic” Undertaker in that role, in my opinion. The writing was fine but the main eventers were established through WWF/E for at least 2 years prior to the Wrestlemania 14 Austin Era explosion.
To make a short point long, TNA doesn’t have that yet and they are blowing their proverbial loads by hotshotting title switches at every PPV and blowing off Angle vs Joe (Three freakin’ times no less) in the span of 4 months. I’m frustrated and bewildered because the thousands of people who I read online thoughts from are saying the same thing. SLOW THE HELL DOWN AND TELL GOOD STORIES!!! Is that so hard? Vince Russo did it once before…..or did he?
Agree or Disagree? I’d love to hear from you! SHoot me an email at addie@wetalkwrestling.com
