Stand up for WWE/Vince on RAW

[Xero]

First thing on WWE.com:

http://www.wwe.com/

YouTube video (same video):

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---

From PWInsider:

WWE announced on their website that Vince McMahon will be appearing on Raw for a "special announcement." I am going to surmise that the announcement will be the "Stand Up for WWE" campaign. Or maybe he's just going to give us a performance of "Stand Back." Having grown very tired of all the political much in recent weeks and knowing it's only going to get worse until Election Day, I am hoping for the latter.

WWE is now running a list of "Ten Things" fans can do to "Stand up" for the company. Among that list is for fans to tune in for McMahon's announcement tonight. So much for "Stand Back" getting performed!

[Xero]

Am I wrong or would something like this actually force WWE to give equal time to Linda's opponents on RAW?

[Juan]

I thought they were doing this because of the recent investigations by the state of Connecticut over the "independent contractor" thing?

[Gerard]

I find it amusing that he wants people to upload videos on youtube. You'd have people uploading ranting vids with WWE footage supporting them on one hand, with WWE employees running about flagging them for deletion on the other.

[Innovator]

I'm pretty sure they'll skirt around the VOTE FOR LINDA deal, just to avoid that.

[Xero]

WWE Fact: This is considered PG:

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[Juan]

A girl dancing? :?:

[Xero]

Getting crunked, sir.

Regardless, this is clearly to support the campaign. The independent contractor thing is dead in the water for defense. They're independent contractors, there's no way to say they aren't.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Getting crunked, sir.

Regardless, this is clearly to support the campaign. The independent contractor thing is dead in the water for defense. They're independent contractors, there's no way to say they aren't.

Eh, arguments can be made to say they aren't. Independent Contractors have a lot more control than "WWE Superstars."

Courts look at a variety of factors when they decide if someone is an employee vs an Independent Contractor. I'm not trying to say a court wouldn't say they are, I'm just saying it's not as cut and dry as some people would make it seem.

[Team Sheep]

He looks like he's been crying.

[erickman]

i wish tna could hijack that vid have ric flair and beer money drinking beer and goofing on linda and wwe.

[Chavo Classic]

I hate what the WWE has become. This is just embarrassing.

[Steveviscious89]

Yeah I feel very sorry for WWE that they have to do this in order to back Linda. They basically have to embrace an era of their company that has left fans bored to tears with wrestling and turn their backs on the era and style that brought in more fans than the wrestling business has ever seen. Everything that they've been attacked about is stuff that the fans probably actually want. This is a travesty.

[parkmania]

Eh, arguments can be made to say they aren't. Independent Contractors have a lot more control than "WWE Superstars."


My wife, who is an independent contractor with the USPS would differ with you.

[AJHayes]

So, it is my humble opinion that this is an AWFUL idea.

WWE's target audience is 9-14 year old males. They're not old enough to vote. A huge majority of Raws audience doesn't live in the Connecticut voting district.

Thus, you are pandering to a bunch of kids and people out of the district. You are ruining a show, the first Raw since TNA had an amazingly strong show on Thursday.

Were I the promoter, this would seem like the opposite of what I would want to happen on a wrestling show.

Why further alienate (see steveviscious89's post) what remains of your most loyal viewers? Why drive them to watch the competition because they want to watch wrestling, not a political platform?

Seems like a dumb idea to me, but, what do I know?

[Aguakate]

I don't know if Vince is doing this with a political motive behind it (helping Linda), but if that's the case, with less than a month before the elections, it's kinda late.

[Volare]

He wants the 18 year old (and higher) members of the WWE universe to move to CT so they can register to vote and vote Linda in.

[The Show Off]

This is a stupid attempt for Vince McMahon to help his wife get elected by lessening the stigma of professional wrestling...

Vince as been ashamed to run a "professional wrestling" company for decades and now he wants his fans to help him show what "professional wrestling" isn't the embarassment he treats it? Good luck.

I find it offensive that he wants the help of wrestling fans to help his wife's campagin in a state that 99% of wrestling fans don't live in. I hate this stupid campagin because it is the ultimate admission by the owner of the biggest wrestling company in the world that he cares about doing anything but running a wrestling promotion.

[Aguakate]

Is "Droz" a part of this campaign?

[Juan]

He wants the 18 year old (and higher) members of the WWE universe to move to CT so they can register to vote and vote Linda in.

Clearly

[Juan]

gotta love the overreactions tho.

[itsmeJD]

Is "Droz" a part of this campaign?

Fucking funny....horrible....but funny :rofl:

[James Steele]

I was getting from the video that this has more to do with all the wrestling-themed attack ads against Linda which make WWE to look very bad and he is trying to make his company look good.

[erickman]

i wish tna was a smarter company, this would have been the time for the james gang going around outside goofing on the wwe.

[AJHayes]

i wish tna was a smarter company, this would have been the time for the james gang going around outside goofing on the wwe.

Hell no.

Fuck no.

Hell, no fucking way.

James Gang is fucking awful, and "goofing on" WWE would make TNA look like a spoiled little shit laughing at a sibling for getting in trouble.

[erickman]

i want to watch the james gang get crunk with former 3 live crew member r truth. that would be as good as dx invading wcw vids

[Xero]

http://botchedspot.com/comics/2010-10-18-stand-up.jpg

[Savio]

Getting crunked, sir.Crunked in the way he is saying it means "Hyped" just because he is using a word that has multiple meanings doesnt mean his is using the worst form of it.

ex: The word "Hoe"

[BizarroKing]

I'm tired of standing up for WWE. They blew it, they knew it.

[Lock Jaw]

If you feel them, stand up and say WHAT'S UP

[DAMN iNATOR]

If you feel them, stand up and say WHAT'S UP

Knuckle up, and BLOW DA ROOF UP! :shifty:

[RGWhat316]

Yeah I cant believe this is really going on. It is embarassing to see what WWE is becoming. What made them popular was the edginess, and now they are turning their back 100% on it. They are essentially trying to be a kid-friendly company overnight, and its just not going to happen. Its like me being a nascar fan. Most of the world, not matter what nascar tries to do, will always associate it with being a redneck sport. So just like WWE, it will always be considered trashy and low brow by some.

[Xero]

I wouldn't call a transition that took at least 3 years "overnight". And it's not like this is unknown territory for WWE. In fact, WWE first got huge on this type of stuff.

See: WrestleMania I

[Juan]

lol @ people calling this an embarrassment

[Jeritron]

lol @ wrestling fans in general. What is so bad about this?

[Jeritron]

WWE is about making money. They book to a new demographic to create a new fanbase and do good business. It's the same thing they've always done.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>90% of the people in this thread are idiots. Nothing wrong with trying to take the heat off your company when it's been dragged through the mud because of an election.</font>

[The Show Off]

<font color=goldenrod>90% of the people in this thread are idiots. Nothing wrong with trying to take the heat off your company when it's been dragged through the mud because of an election.</font>

If he did it to get the heat off his company that'd be one thing but the only reason he's doing this is because of Linda's senate bid. He is trying to use wrestling fans to help her achieve something that effects 1% of his audience and that at least 40% of his audience wouldn't want to endorse anyway.

If this was about making his wrestling company look good this plea would have come out when Eddie Guerrero died or when Chris Benoit died when professional wrestling was getting horrifically slandered. Instead it comes up when to help him politically, which is bullshit. He's trying to use the fervor of wrestling fans for something that by and large they don't care about.

I hate when people in here making statements lime "90% on this thread are idiots" because you disagree with an opinion. Try to have a conversation. Try to make points. Don't jump to the easy dismissivness of claiming people of diffrent opinions are idiots. It not only hurts your chances of making people that disagree with you point see the validity of it, but it also hurts your own chances of seeing the validity of other peoples points.

I know this is a message board and trading barbs is part of the deal, but don't lump yourself in with the idiots by dismissing others and calling them idiots. You're not and idiot, but neither are those that disagree with you. At least not on this point.

[Vastardikai]

I'm still trying to figure out what the Slander is.

Have they miscategorized the wrestlers as "Independent Contractors," possibly illegally? I think a case can be made. And there's an investigation going on as a result.

Have they profited on the backs of dead wrestlers? Certainly. If you argue this fact I have two words for you: Eddie Guerrero.

Is there an environment where the 'boys' are all but required to be on at least pain pills? I would say yes. I would argue that Eddie's release from WWE (for drug related issues) was directly related to the concern of him "losing his spot." In one of his last interviews, Cade said that the reason behind his painkiller addiction was the fear of him "losing his spot" after an injury at a guy who was, wait for it, addicted to pain killers.

________________________________________

It's getting to the point where my main thing about posting on the wrestling board is talking about the old days and issues like the above.

[Innovator]

Nothing to do with the topic, but I hope WWE gets burned with the "independent contractors" thing.

[The MAC]

please TNA take a moment to mock this. Please!

[#BROKEN Hasney]

I wish all companies did this. People could stand up for McDonalds against attacks for people concerned with the worlds health.

You know, if those people could stand up :(

[M-A-G]

I gotta admit, they almost had me with that pretty nice video package that aired on Monday. Then I remembered what kind of a politic-driven sleazeshow wrestling is and what type of guy Vince McMahon is. Whoever put that video together though deserves some kind of award or raise or poon tang.

[M-A-G]

Yeah I cant believe this is really going on. It is embarassing to see what WWE is becoming. What made them popular was the edginess, and now they are turning their back 100% on it. They are essentially trying to be a kid-friendly company overnight, and its just not going to happen. Its like me being a nascar fan. Most of the world, not matter what nascar tries to do, will always associate it with being a redneck sport. So just like WWE, it will always be considered trashy and low brow by some.

Except that SmackDown! has been PG for years. The stuff that made them popular hurt the entire industry as a whole because of all the negative attention their stuff was getting. The WWE is so synonymous with wrestling that anyone bringing up the word during that supposed Golden Age would most likely have been met with 'Oh, that X-rated garbage?' And it's not like Hogan and Savage and DiBiase and Andre and all the rest didn't help make wrestling huge during another major kid-friendly era. Of all the faults the WWE has, this PG stuff isn't at the top of the list.

[Evil Vito]

If he did it to get the heat off his company that'd be one thing but the only reason he's doing this is because of Linda's senate bid. He is trying to use wrestling fans to help her achieve something that effects 1% of his audience and that at least 40% of his audience wouldn't want to endorse anyway.

If this was about making his wrestling company look good this plea would have come out when Eddie Guerrero died or when Chris Benoit died when professional wrestling was getting horrifically slandered. Instead it comes up when to help him politically, which is bullshit. He's trying to use the fervor of wrestling fans for something that by and large they don't care about.

I hate when people in here making statements lime "90% on this thread are idiots" because you disagree with an opinion. Try to have a conversation. Try to make points. Don't jump to the easy dismissivness of claiming people of diffrent opinions are idiots. It not only hurts your chances of making people that disagree with you point see the validity of it, but it also hurts your own chances of seeing the validity of other peoples points.

I know this is a message board and trading barbs is part of the deal, but don't lump yourself in with the idiots by dismissing others and calling them idiots. You're not and idiot, but neither are those that disagree with you. At least not on this point.

<font color=goldenrod>Sorry. My idiots commented isn't so much directed at the people who don't like this as it is the people who call it "embarrassing". I mean, come on.

I think that what they are doing makes sense. As a CT resident, I know first hand that pretty much every commercial break I will see at least one Blumenthal ad that focuses on attacking WWE. Here in CT (where WWE headquarters is, mind you) they are getting slandered even more than they did during the more controversial incidents.

It makes sense for them to try and silence the critics at this point. I'm not saying Linda's campaign has nothing to do with it, because I'm sure it does...but to call it "embarassing" for a company to finally try and refute the negativity is ridiculous.</font>

[The Show Off]

I can see that point. Here in New York we get some of the political ads on both sides and both sides make me cringe by how bad they make wrestling fans look.

The thing I don't like about this WWE/Vince McMahon ploy is that he wants us to stand up for the WWE meanwhile in Linda McMahon's early adds she tried to distance herself as much as she can from the WWE. Her inital tactic is proof that she thinks wrestling in embarassing. So when Linda McMahon and the WWE had the oppertunity to stand up for the very fans that made them rich they backed down and ran away from it. But now that they look bad they need our help? Fuck that. Help yourself. I help the WWE every time I buy their merchandise, PPV's and watch their ever worsening television programs. I've been loyal to them for over 20 years. So asking fans to now make pleas on their behalf is laughable.

Do I think it's silly politics that Linda's opponent is using her affiliation with the WWE to try and beat her? Yes. Do I think it should be up to anyone but Linda's campagin supporters to defend such accusations? No.

[The Naitch]

just bring back the Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club

[Vastardikai]

<font color=goldenrod>Sorry. My idiots commented isn't so much directed at the people who don't like this as it is the people who call it "embarrassing". I mean, come on.

I think that what they are doing makes sense. As a CT resident, I know first hand that pretty much every commercial break I will see at least one Blumenthal ad that focuses on attacking WWE. Here in CT (where WWE headquarters is, mind you) they are getting slandered even more than they did during the more controversial incidents.

It makes sense for them to try and silence the critics at this point. I'm not saying Linda's campaign has nothing to do with it, because I'm sure it does...but to call it "embarassing" for a company to finally try and refute the negativity is ridiculous.</font>

Which leads me back to this question:

WHAT'S THE SLANDER?

Independent Contractor Abuse? They're under investigation for it.
Dead Wrestlers? All my heroes are dead.
Exploiting Dead Wrestlers? Again, Eddiesploitation. More sinister than that was the time Vince dragged Melanie Pillman onto Raw and more or less had her call her late husband, who isn't even in the fucking ground yet, a drug addict.
Culture of Steroids? Remember the big thing people were joking about with Chris Masters? How were we supposed to get invested in a character who's gimmick is based on his body? Half the roster looked like him at the time. He gets off the gas to comply with wellness and is ridiculed on air, by the Boss's Son-in-Law.
Dangerous Working Conditions? Sure, they'll stop a match for blood. But not for a concussion. In fact, working through injuries is seen as a POSITIVE.

So, again: WHERE'S THE SLANDER?

[Xero]

From PWInsider:

The Associated Press reported today that Nancy DiNardo, chairwoman of the Connecticut Democrats is seeking a federal elections investigation into whether Linda McMahon's Senate campaign coordinated the "Stand Up for WWE" campaign that the company launched this past Monday. DiNardo filed an official request today.

Both McMahon's campaign and WWE have already publicly claimed that the two issues are independent of the other, although Vince McMahon noted in the "Stand Up" video posted online by the company that the campaign is a direct result of "attacks" and incorrect media statements made as a result of his wife's campaign.

[Vastardikai]

Saw that coming...

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>I can't help but cringe every time a news outlet talks about dead wrestlers and steroids and they nearly always mention Owen Hart in the same breath as though he died of steroids. Awful.</font>

[The Naitch]

Vince needs a haircut. I will stand up for that

[addy2hotty]

Well, this DEFINITELY means Cena isn't turning heel.

:shifty:

[RatedGSuperstar]

OMG guys, this is SUCH an embarrassment! How dare they show some random PR/advertising pitch video they had stashed away!

P.S. bring back blood and boobs.

[Kane Knight]

Eh, arguments can be made to say they aren't. Independent Contractors have a lot more control than "WWE Superstars."

Courts look at a variety of factors when they decide if someone is an employee vs an Independent Contractor. I'm not trying to say a court wouldn't say they are, I'm just saying it's not as cut and dry as some people would make it seem.

WWE talent as "independent contractors" is pretty much WWE trying to have its cake and eat it too. Like you said, it doesn't mean the ruling will be in that vein, but it's hardly "dead in the water."

[Kane Knight]

My wife, who is an independent contractor with the USPS would differ with you.

Could you be more specific?

[parkmania]

Could you be more specific?

She investigates discrimination charges. She gets paid on a per case basis, has no option on health insurance, can't contract herself out to ANYONE else, gets told how much she's able to work (if she's behind on casework, whether through her fault or someone's non-responsiveness they won't send her new work), has no retirement benefits, can be released at any time if a high enough boss doesn't like the way she spells her name...

Anything more specific you'd like to know?

[Aguakate]

I work with the United States Postal Service (I'm a City Carrier) and they also have Independent Contractors which are used to deliver mail along Rural Routes (in the countryside, where we can't get into with our Delivery vehicles) in their own cars. They are USPS employees but are not "permanent", they can be cut off at anytime and told not to come back because they are not needed. However, they start off with a higher salary than we do and have benefits while they work with the USPS. Some of them have been working like that w/ the USPS for years and years. WWE can call their guys Independent Contractors all day long if they want, but should at least give them some benefits, healthcare, etc.

[Xero]

From the AP:

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut's voter registrars are being told they can ask people wearing World Wrestling Entertainment garb to cover that up while voting.

Av Harris, a spokesman for the secretary of the state's office, says that's because Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon is so closely associated with WWE, which she left to run for office.

There is a law that prevents political advertising within 75 feet of the polls.

The story was first reported Friday by the Hartford Courant and WTIC-TV.

Harris says enforcement will be left up to officials at the polls. He says a similar policy was put in place in California, where voters were advised not to wear "Terminator" garb, while Arnold Schwarzenegger was on the ballot.

The WWE had no immediate comment.

[Volare]

Got to love politics.

[Aguakate]

Do they really think Connecticut voters are so weak in the mind that if they are at the voting center and they see the WWE logo they will immediately think "Ok, I gotta vote for Linda McMahon"?

[Volare]

If WWE has been shoved down the throats of everyone who watches the news/reads the papers up there, then maybe.

[Aguakate]

If voters have had WWE shoved down their throats on tv and the news, etc, then they already have made up their minds about voting for Linda. But I think that whoever goes to the voting center thinking about voting for the Democrat, and then sees a WWE logo or a John Cena shirt and says "I'm voting for Linda!", is stupid.

This guy (Linda's opponent) is showing alot of nervousness, having such a big lead in the polls with so little time to go. He's always on the offensive, talking about Linda and the WWE. He doesn't show confidence at all, which in Politics, is a bad thing, because voters can pick up on that...and in the long run, THAT can be what does him in, not people wearing WWE gear.

[Volare]

Honestly if I lived in CT, I would be that guy who would be blasting Sheamus's theme from my car 75ft away from the polls.

[Aguakate]

IDK, but I feel Linda can pull the upset. There's gotta be a reason that a candidate who has a 10 point lead over another is coming out with so much stuff. He's gotta know something.

[Emperor Smeat]

To be fair, its mostly about the branding since if people are coming to the polls dressed in WWE gear, most likely they are wrestling fans and know Linda McMahon. It could also give away who they are voting for and if enough of them show up at a time, it could sway people in the line who won't make a decision until they get the ballot.

Even if its just the logo or a wrestler related shirt, its subtile enough to become a small advantage in the poll areas where no advertising or sponsoring is allowed by candidates.

[Kane Knight]

Do they really think Connecticut voters are so weak in the mind that if they are at the voting center and they see the WWE logo they will immediately think "Ok, I gotta vote for Linda McMahon"?

Do they allow political materials where you vote? Because if a candidate were part of a major corporation, related merchandise would be barred from polling materials there, too.

Besides, do they think American voters are so weak minded that if they are at the voting center and see a political sign they will immediately think "Ok, I gotta vote for _________?"

Are wrestling fans really so pissed that they're not making an exception for WWE material?