So, Brian Gerwitz is gone and Vince lost his shit on creative.

[Innovator]

Credit: PWInsider.com

In what I am told was a "scary scene" backstage at Raw about an hour ago, Vince McMahon pretty much told the WWE Creative team that he wanted to see things change and that no one's job was safe if they didn't.
Perhaps to illustrate his point, Bryan Gewirtz, who has been the top writer for the company for a long time and especially oversaw the Raw side of things (Dave Kapoor wrote the show but everything went through Gewirtz, then Stephanie and Vince McMahon), has been dropped from the creative team.

Gewirtz' official position was Senior Vice President of Creative Writing. Technically, he is still with the company as of this writing. Gewirtz being sent home was described as shocking to me and something that no one saw coming. One person told me they believed that he "fell on the sword" to show everyone else they can be replaced.

McMahon's declaration to the creative team comes just a week after the lowest rated Raw (non holiday, non taped) in 15 years last week. Since expanding to three hours, the flagship WWE series' ratings have slipped considerably, especially in the third hour.


-----------------------

About time he did something to shake things up, he can't/won't fire himself or Stephanie so this is the other power play to make.

[Big Vic]

Should have fired Gerwitz when he was writing all of that guest host crap.

[Schlomey]

He did some good work but I'm happy we may be getting better writing going forward. I bet that dude was soooo burnt out with all these shows....

[Shisen Kopf]

Gerwitz? That name sounds awfully Schlomey like!

[WinterDecay]

About time someone in creative got "future endeavored" for not having some thing creative for the talent.

[Big Vic]

Now they can hire more writers that know nothing about wrestling

[Schlomey]

Gerwitz? That name sounds awfully Schlomey like!

always knew i liked that guy for a reason.

[drave]

Now they can hire more writers that know nothing about wrestling

OOOORRRRR!!! Give a bit more creative control to the wrestlers themselves perhaps?!

As much as almost everyone here hates to admit it, the only reason Cena(sucks) is as big as he is, is b/c he was told to go out there and do what he wanted one night, thus came the "freestyles" and the birth of Thuganomics. At least, he has gone on record saying it was his own idea.....

[Schlomey]

OOOORRRRR!!! Give a bit more creative control to the wrestlers themselves perhaps?!


John Cena: "I have a fever, and the only prescription is more Hornswoggle!"

[Shisen Kopf]

Isaac Yankem needs to return

[Schlomey]

This needs its own thread: If wrestlers booked their own show

[Schlomey]

Dolph Ziggler would wear a singlet and flip gum into the crowd..I just know it.

[Pintint]

I think its time to make it a 3-hour ALL RYBACK show.

[Schlomey]

Monday Night RAWback?

[Sepholio]

Monday Night Rawback starring Brock Lesnar.

[Sepholio]

Premieres this Wednesday night on SyFy.

[James Steele]

Monday Night Bareback on Cinemax.

[XL]

If only they had an experienced booker already under contract...someone who has critical acclaim for his ability to write a wrestling show...someone who arguably set the scene for the WWE's biggest boom period...

Or they could rehire Russo.

[James Steele]

Perfect timing for Heyman to take over the book...if only.

[XL]

You got that that was what I was getting at, right?

[James Steele]

You know I will never give you credit for anything.

[James Steele]

EVER THINK I WAS FUCKING AGREEING WITH YOU? HUH? THAT THOUGHT EVER CROSS YOUR MIND MR. "I'M SO FUCKING CLEVER"?!?!?!?!

[James Steele]

http://mosshippohaven.info/mossdos/flying_hippo.jpg

[Supreme Olajuwon]

We're sorry, Brian, but Creative has nothing for you at this time...

[XL]

EVER THINK I WAS FUCKING AGREEING WITH YOU? HUH? THAT THOUGHT EVER CROSS YOUR MIND MR. "I'M SO FUCKING CLEVER"?!?!?!?!

Yeah, that's why I questioned it. I couldn't tell if you were saying "Yes, it would be a good idea for Heyman to take over" or whether you missed what I was getting at.

[Innovator]

Nostalgic sexual tension.

[Shadrick]

27 posts and fan isn't in here yet? What gives?

[Pintint]

If only they had an experienced booker already under contract...someone who has critical acclaim for his ability to write a wrestling show...someone who arguably set the scene for the WWE's biggest boom period...

Or they could rehire Russo.

http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/v/vincerusso/03.jpg

It's definetely time for Vince Russo!

[Rammsteinmad]

Seems every week there's a "Vince furious at Raw" news post. Guy should just fire everyone and run the show himself, if he thinks it's that easy.

[DaVe]

Vince is the chairman of the board and CEO of an enormous public company. His behaviour would not be dissimilar to many other highly-paid, and highly-important leaders. Apparently Steve Jobs wasn't an easy guy to please at Apple, either. For us Australians, Kevin Rudd is someone I think is a fair example, too.

If you are to succeed as a company, you need a strong leader: someone who is decisive, frank, and has a vision.

[Theo Dious]

Whoever booked the end of Raw this week should be in charge. Awesome fucking ending.

[dronepool]

Paul Heyman should help out.

[RaginRonic]

Some food for thought.

http://www.lordsofpain.net/columns/Mr_Tito_Strikes_Back_-_Are_Stephanie_McMahon_and_Triple_H_Conspiring_to_Remove_Vince_McMahon_as_WWE_Ruler.html#GHT5k40kmZq X5B1K.99

As a follow up to yesterday's column about CM Punk hitting a fan. Some of you had the wrong impression of the column. I do NOT want to see CM Punk suspended, nor would I ever want him released. I wrote that with what the WWE Corporation could do in response to the potential for bad publicity and also for Linda McMahon's Senate campaign putting pressure on the WWE Corporation to act. Additional video angles are coming out from fans in which (a) WWE Security FAILED to surround CM Punk in the crowd and (b) one idiot fan was seriously trying to push CM Punk down the stairs. Still, Punk swung at a guy, twice, on live WWE television and the WWE Corporation has become too protective about its image.

Speaking of image, we're seeing the WWE in a pure panic about how Monday Night RAW is losing viewers. Reportedly, the fire in Vince McMahon's belly has been lit as he's looking to shake-up the WWE locker room and even used himself on RAW this past Monday to help add 0.3 points to the ratings. As the WWE Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WWE Corporation, it's good to see the top manager of the WWE wanting much needed change. After all, it's in his best financial interest as the WWE's top shareholder (81% voting power from what I approximate to be an individual 54% majority ownership of shares, I approximate from the 10-K & Proxy Statement from 2011).

But something is in the air... Wrestling insiders (Observer, Torch, PWInsider) are repeatedly reporting that Vince McMahon has been throwing tantrums backstage. Could it be that the 67 year old McMahon is getting senile and grumpy in his old age? After 30 years of owning the WWE, has Vince finally become burned out? In addition to a fan report of Vince yelling at a stage manager about a sign after his RAW segment, the Wrestling Observer reported that Vince McMahon demoted lead RAW writer, Brian Gerwirtz before the show after 10 years of service. Quite a bold move...

Wait a second? How did that newsbyte get reported so quickly to the wrestling news media, just before RAW was about to air? Wouldn't that have been a closed door meeting?

There have been other instances of Vince McMahon "going off" backstage. Following his storyline "removal" by the WWE Board after the Money in the Bank 2011 Pay Per View by the "new" "Chief Operating Officer", Triple H, Vince got real pissed when Alberto Del Rio mentioned Vince's name in a promo in the following weeks. After all, Vince was cooking up a big Triple H vs. Vince McMahon "dick measuring contest" storyline that was going to set the wrestling world on fire! However, full details of that storyline leaked and Vince's tantrum about Del Rio mentioning his name in a promo circulated throughout the internet.

Wait a second again! Wouldn't all storyline ideas be behind closed doors? Doesn't Executive Management meet behind closed doors, as necessary, at WWE events? Somebody is leaking...

When I had sources within the WWE through the mid-2000's, I've heard that Vince McMahon executes all of his meetings behind closed doors with upper management, and then upper management communicates with writers/road agents to convey directions directly to wrestlers. Vince is not out in the open as the insider news media might paint him out to be. All actions and directions by Vince McMahon are behind closed doors and in front of his most trusted people. Or the people he believes he can trust...

During the 1990's, Vince surrounded himself with "good ol' boys" from WWE's past that Vince trusted could help him run things backstage. Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco (no longer road agent - talent scout), David Hebner, Bruce Pritchard, and other Vince McMahon favorites are no longer backstage. The infamous "yes" men of Vince have been replaced by, well, his daughter Stephanie McMahon, his son-in-law Triple H, and a bunch of hired Hollywood writers... Even a guy who became a Vince loyalist, John Laurinaitis, was recently demoted and his role was replaced by Triple H and a newly hired staff... Even Shane McMahon left the company when many assumed he'd assume the mantle left behind by Vince. Kevin Dunn appears to be the lone "Vince guy" remaining from the Attitude Era, but his abilities as a television producer and work ethic probably makes him tough to replace.

So who is leaking news about Vince McMahon's temper tantrums or about his storyline ideas? Who could it be?

Well, consider this... Do you EVER hear any derogatory insider news about Triple H or Stephanie McMahon? Ever? Seems like wrestlers or other leaking WWE personnel seem very silent on those two individuals while having unlimited courage to rip Board Chairman/CEO Vince McMahon. Provided Vince's track record as a tough guy and with Vince owning the majority of the WWE, shouldn't the WWE wrestlers and other personnel be afraid of leaking details to insiders about Vince? Shouldn't the rip on other Executive Managers more?

The WWE Network is Vince McMahon's baby... Yet, the Observer/Torch/PWInsider seem to report on it more than the actually WWE Corporation does. WWE Network is supposed to create a new source of reveue yet insider report after insider report calls the project an utter failure. If the WWE Network's planning is possibly being discussed behind closed doors, how on earth are wrestling insiders hearing about Vince's big project and its problems? Who within the WWE, with access to planning materials of the Network, would have a vested interest in the WWE Network's failure? Who, within the WWE, has an incentive to repeatedly make Vince McMahon look bad?

The pattern is becoming clear to me: Stephanie McMahon and Triple H are conspiring to make Vince McMahon resign from the WWE.

Remember - Vince McMahon is majority shareholder and holds the strongest overall voting interest within the WWE. Everything runs through Vince, as it always has... For any ambitious Executive Manager who wants to rise up and knock the king off the mountain would have to be bold in their actions. For any WWE Executive to receive the promotion as CEO or even Board Chairman, they would need the majority shareholder and existing Chairman/CEO to step down. They would need to entice him that his best days are over and his role as top WWE chief is actually harming the WWE corporation in the long-run.

It's becoming clear to me... Both Stephanie and Triple H have voluntarily increased their roles within the WWE, taking over supervision of multiple departments and handling other duties. Getting rid of John Laurinaitis was one of the last hurdles to remove to fully have influence over key WWE matters and directly with Vince. Triple H, in particular, has increased his WWE management role as the #1 consultant to Vince and attempting to put a stranglehold over the WWE's talent developmental system. Furthermore, Triple H is assuming more and more duties for live events and taking over whatever duties that Vince grants him. I'm quite sure that he wants to become Vince McMahon...

Stephanie McMahon has been the lead creative personnel since late 2000, to which I'd argue began the WWE's downslide from the peak 2000 year. While Vince McMahon never hesitated to hammer many of his "yes men" who once oversaw WWE's creative decisions, Stephanie McMahon gets a free pass. Despite her ridiculous educational background for the job (communications major), Vince gave her a shot and we've been treated with the worst WWE storylines and character development of all time by the WWE. The disaster of the 2001 WCW/ECW Invasions should have been the writing on the wall, but by 2001, the WWE monopoly was in place and Vince no longer had to care about improving his product.

In recent times, Vince McMahon has been looking for people to produce "results or resignations"... Why not look within your own family, Vince? It's quite coincidental that as Stephanie/Triple H gained more power from 2000 through now, the WWE has been on a downward spiral. Television Ratings, Pay Per View Buyrates, and Live Event Attendance... All down, down, down under the Stephanie/Triple H regime which has fully replaced all of Vince's typical "yes men". Coincidence?

Vince McMahon should actively root out WHO is leaking his backstage actions and storyline ideas. I guarantee that the "leaks" would shock him, as it could be insulting to his family. Whether Triple H/Stephanie or their flunkies are leaking the details, it's highly damaging to the WWE as a corporation to have company matters for the internet wrestling fans to see with ease. It's becoming quite evident that Vince is getting stabbed in the back and quite possibly from 2 individuals who believe they could actually run the company better themselves. Hasn't 10+ years of damage as top WWE management members been enough proof?

If Vince wants to really fix his company, he needs to properly evaluate Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Sure, they're family, but Vince has trusted them to "carry the ball" on key WWE initiatives. What's worse is that Vince actually employs two individuals whom he should lean on to help him run the company and modernize pro wrestling properly for the 21st Century. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman both earn WWE paychecks and both were proven commodities as great wrestling minds and managers of talent within pro wrestling. Yet, Vince prefers to have his daughter and pro wrestling husband run the company instead.

Stephanie and Triple H are the problems, Vince. Their stupidity is actually ruining the WWE, if not intentionally sabotaging the company from within. As Board Chairman, CEO, and majority shareholder... It's time to STEP UP and truly fix the WWE... Hell, I bet shareholders would pump up the share price upon hearing the news.

[James Steele]

Shut the fuck up.

[Innovator]

How dare you besmirch my thread

[Joesgonnakillyou]

Man, those LOP columnist's talk some shit but that's the worst thing I've ever read

[Curd]

Seems every week there's a "Vince furious at Raw" news post. Guy should just fire everyone and run the show himself, if he thinks it's that easy.

Vince becomes "The Whole F'n Show" AND "The One Man Band," baby!

[Mr. Nerfect]

I do wish that the WWE would at least trial Heyman in a creative position again. The dude managed to make OVW a better show than WWE programming when he had the book down there. What does the WWE really have to lose with him taking the book? Trial a more conventional heir apparent on SmackDown, and see if they can turn that show into something more than a buffer between RAWs.

[Saving Grace]

Didn't they try Heyman in the booking position for ECW when the show was re-launched on SyFy and he threw a mental breakdown type temper tantrum when his "Paul Heyman guy" champion at the time Big Show got told by Vince and the higher ups to drop the title to Bobby Lashley and Heyman about laid siege to the December to Dismember PPV and then got verbally dismissed and later released by Vinny Mac? If that is the case, situations like that is why Heyman won't get the book again. Guy is a pure genious from a creative standpoint but he makes shitty business decisions and has issue carrying himself when branding the overall product and not just one guy.

[slik]

We noted before that Brian Gewirtz was being kept around as a consultant mostly because he writes material for The Rock. PWInsider reports that there is a feeling that Gewirtz being demoted may affect WWE's relationship with The Rock as the two are very good friends.


When Rock first left WWE years ago, Gewirtz was the one who kept in touch with him and the one who wrote most of his promos when he would come back for special appearances. Gewirtz had been working from Stamford for some time but was brought to TV tapings just to work with The Rock when he was there. Often The Rock would work exclusively with Gewirtz on his segments and promos.


credit: wrestlinginc

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Countdown starts on McMahon re-hiring Vince Russo ..NOW.

[Kane Knight]

Seems every week there's a "Vince furious at Raw" news post. Guy should just fire everyone and run the show himself, if he thinks it's that easy.

But then who would he blame?

[Mr. Nerfect]

Didn't they try Heyman in the booking position for ECW when the show was re-launched on SyFy and he threw a mental breakdown type temper tantrum when his "Paul Heyman guy" champion at the time Big Show got told by Vince and the higher ups to drop the title to Bobby Lashley and Heyman about laid siege to the December to Dismember PPV and then got verbally dismissed and later released by Vinny Mac? If that is the case, situations like that is why Heyman won't get the book again. Guy is a pure genious from a creative standpoint but he makes shitty business decisions and has issue carrying himself when branding the overall product and not just one guy.

Wasn't it a re-write of December to Dismember that ended up being a disaster that Heyman got the blame for, despite his continued pleading against the show going forward like that lead to Heyman leaving the company?

[James Steele]

I don't think Paul Heyman was the one fighting to build ECW around Bobby Lashley instead of CM Punk.

[Mr. Nerfect]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/sun-fc/762131/Paul-Heyman-Why-I-left-WWE.html

A very interesting read. It pretty much explains what went down with December to Dismember. I remember thinking that the Elimination Chamber should have gone down almost exactly like that. Big Show was leaving, so he should have put over someone in the first minutes of the match. Punk didn't need to win the Chamber after he had choked Show out. He would have been made then. Test and Hardcore Holly really didn't need to pick up any falls during the match, and could have easily been used to put over Punk, RVD or Lashley. I can understand that the WWE didn't want to have RVD win the belt, and that they might have felt it was too early to give Punk the brand (the ECW Title was considered a "World Title" at this point), but the way they went about Lashley was all wrong, and Heyman knew it.

I always felt that the best ending for December to Dismember would have been Lashley being a back-up choice for Heyman's new "chosen Superstar." Heyman's character at the time, remember, was that he was championing a new, glorious age for ECW -- with the old-school ECW guys being scars that kept ECW in the dark, bingo hall days. It would have made sense for Heyman to absolutely love this genetically gifted Superman in front of him, in Bobby Lashley.

It comes down to Lashley and RVD, and Heyman then somehow gets his enforcers into the Chamber and they beat-down RVD. Lashley then joins in on the fun and pins RVD after a Dominator. Heyman celebrates with Lashley and the enforcers as Bobby replaces Big Show as the top heel on the brand.

RVD continues to chase Lashley, and gets his title shot at WrestleMania. Someone else gets the "Battle of the Billionaires" spot, hopefully creating another major babyface star for the company. While it would have made sense to put the ECW Title on RVD from a storyline perspective at that point, since the long-term future was with Lashley, you could have him go over RVD cleanly at WrestleMania, ending RVD's little winning streak there. CM Punk would still win Money in the Bank, and Punk could spend the next few months taunting Lashley, giving him more time to shine in promos and as a character.