Mainstream WWE, thoughts, opinions, ideas, remarks?

[Rollermacka]

I'm sure this has been adressed before but I feel like talkin about it again ;). So how dose everyone feel about the fact that the WWE is no longer just known as "wrestling", but has everything from there own movies, mid card guys appearing on talk and game shows, and everybody "guest hosting" RAW? What are your thoughts, opinions, ideas, remarks, agreements, disagreements, etc. about the subject?

[TerranRich]

I started watching WWE for the first time in nearly a year, and I've got to say, I'm not impressed. The guest host thing is OK... just OK. I mean, some weeks it works and there are good promos and segments, and even the Chavo/Hatton "match" was somewhat entertaining. But then you have guest hosts like those NASCAR drivers that had the personality of a brick. Then again, the destruction of the NASCAR car at the hands of Kofi Kingston did give us a great moment.

As for the appearances on game shows and whatnot, that's been going on since the Attitude era. I remember a game show, I think it was Weakest Link, with Kane (complete with mask) and other wrestlers. I want to say it was around 2000, 2001.

As for the elimination of "wrestling", that's been going on for a long time, too. Joey Styles "quit" because of it, giving us an epic speech.

[Emperor Smeat]

The guest hosts have been very hit or miss based on some of the guests such as the horrible ZZ Top episode or the good Shaq episode. It's more of the fault of the guest host idea is meant to be promoting something unrelated to wrestling instead of benefiting RAW storylines with the exception of the main event some of the time.

[CWK]

Yeah just a comment..... and a question all in one....

How in the fuck do you call a wrestler "The Rated R Superstar" when your show is rated PG?

[Loose Cannon]

I honestly can't stand it. I've been completely turned off by wrestling this year. They have just went a direction that doesn't interest me in the slightest. The Guest Host thing really killed it for me. I stopped watching during the summer. I'm sure I'll get back into it again, but after 20+ years, I finally gave up on it.

[IRodC]

The guest host thing already peaked with the million dollar man HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Chavo Classic]

I still watch Smackdown as it remains to be a good wrestling show, and is a less-nauseating experience than the alternative of TNA Impact

[Rammsteinmad]

I haven't given a shit about Raw in a long time. Smackdown is okay but is starting to get swamped down with the likes of Batista and Undertaker again. I can't stand this whole media frenzy with WWE. All this PG13 and 'WWE Universe' crap. But I've been following wrestling since 1993 so it's damn hard to decide enough's enough. But it is generally really fucking shite at the moment.

Which is a shame, because the first half of the year was overall fantastic.

[Innovator]

I didn't watch RAW during the MLB playoffs and World Series, didn't miss a thing. That shouldnt be the case

[Steveviscious89]

You know, I've gotta say, I made this call about four years ago but most people on this site thought I was crazy for saying that the product had died. But now here we are, as predicted...Raw isn't worth a darn. I knew if something didn't get stirred up by now, there wouldn't be much left by 2010. And why some of you continue to crap on TNA I just don't know, because it's honestly at least as good of a show. The only problem is that Impact Zone makes it look small time and takes away from the excitement. Hopefully this will change soon. As for WWE, no doubt they will be forced into another attitude era or something similar within the next couple of years.

[TerranRich]

I think TNA should capitalize on the crap product WWE has become. Focus on wrestling, get rid of Vince Russo once and for all, keep a tight reign on whatever hell Hogan and Bischoff might try to unleash, learn the lessons that WCW taught us all, and try to just be an overall great product.

I haven't watched TNA in a while, so I don't know if they're not already doing this, but they could easily draw the fans that are unhappy with the current WWE product.

[Indifferent Clox]

Russo has been making tna a lot better, supposedly. I mean it has def. got better.

[TerranRich]

Yeah but is that Russo's doing? Maybe they're finally reigning him in. When Russo's shit is filtered through a higher-up, his stuff can be gold. But unfiltered, it's like drinking a rich blend coffee with grounds and other shit floating in it.

[The Fraze]

Mainstream WWE is hard to take. But it's so hard for me to turn away after all these years of following. I guess it could be just out of hope that the product will return to where it was when I started following. It's just a part of me I suppose. But there was legit competition back then. And it seemed as though the people hungered for more than the bullshit we see now. Because if they didn't get cutting edge, they'd just watch the other show. That's all fair and good. I like a lot of the guys now, sure. But it just seems so soft. Raw lately has been all jokes, and very little merit. Breaking the diehard's heart, just to please the casual fan. Shame...

[The Mackem]

To me they lack identity. There are so many things that you hear that WWE is this and that but you watch a show and one segment contradicts this and one segment contradicts that. The actual idea isn't that bad, they actually have decent booking but a lack of interest maintaining storylines and character development. This is only from watching the Osbourne Raw the other week.

[The Fraze]

The actual idea isn't that bad, they actually have decent booking but a lack of interest maintaining storylines and character development. This is only from watching the Osbourne Raw the other week.

I feel ya.

It seems as if they get sidetracked or are just uninterested when it comes to developing new stars. New guys get introduced, but then they stay the same for a long period of time and are never given the time to develop as a character on tv. There aren't as many compelling storylines either. I don't know about anyone else, but there have been multiple occasions where it seems like they give us one good storyline or match per pay per view. That's if we're lucky.

[The Jayman]

Mainstream WWE is hard to take. But it's so hard for me to turn away after all these years of following. I guess it could be just out of hope that the product will return to where it was when I started following. It's just a part of me I suppose. But there was legit competition back then. And it seemed as though the people hungered for more than the bullshit we see now. Because if they didn't get cutting edge, they'd just watch the other show. That's all fair and good. I like a lot of the guys now, sure. But it just seems so soft. Raw lately has been all jokes, and very little merit. Breaking the diehard's heart, just to please the casual fan. Shame...

I actually agree with this. It has alot to do with the Monday Night Wars. The WWE was putting on awesome shows because they had a strong competitor in WCW and it was vice versa. The problem really is not the guest host thing or the PG thing it's really the writing. The WWE has been laid back as far as the writing goes b/c they feel as there is no competition which is true. Yes there is TNA but Vince does not see them as a threat. Smackdown is a strong show as is ECW. So only time will tell.

[TerranRich]

I don't care if TNA burns themselves out in the process, but if they got to WCW's level circa 1997-99, we'd get some amazing TV as a result of the two inevitably competing on the same night

[The Fraze]

TNA has some cool aspects, and some guys that I really like. But they aren't a threat to WWE at all right now. I don't really enjoy their product either. However, I do like to catch it when I can. Hopefully they can become a more reputable company. WWE is the mecca, sure. But if TNA were to become a legitimate factor, or threat, then Vince and the WWE would have to play ball. There's no way in hell they could just sit back at that point and watch as an opposing company rises. The time will tell, you're right. Sometimes I think the WWE just goes in cycles. But who really knows anyway?

[Damian Rey]

After Mania I took a break from WWE for a long while. I've only recently made my way back, and that has to do with both me missing the product I've watched my whole life, and reading how well ECW and SmackDown has been.

Raw has been absolutely bland of late. I won't say it's been terrible, becuase there have been a few bright spots, but it seems like it's the same shit, different week. SmackDown on the other hand is being handled extremely well. CM Punk become a top heel, Jeff Hardy was THE top face for a bit, Morrisson and Ziggler are tearing up the mid card right now, Batista looks refreshing and interesting for the first time in years, Jericho has been great for the past two years, etc.

ECW is doing a fine job. Last week's show with Christian and Regal in the main event was great. And the whole show, for being only an hour, is very entertaining.

I think as a whole, WWE is much better than what it has been in the past. New guys are getting oppurtunies because of the brand splits, and slowly but surely WWE is beginning to pick back up. It's going to take some time, and the realization that what's going to best create interest and sell their product is their middle name; wrestling.

[The Fraze]

MSG was pretty crazy last night. I was glad to see it. The crowds nowadays lack so much energy. When my buddies and I go to shows we're so out of place. We're constantly freaking out. We're stuck in the past hahaha.

[Tb1]

Although I hate it, I'm not surprised at the lack of energy. There's children and parents everywhere.

[The Fraze]

Although I hate it, I'm not surprised at the lack of energy. There's children and parents everywhere.

That's true, we've come to expect it. But it's so damn hard to not get pissed off when we watch a show and the jackasses in the front are sitting down during the climax of the match. Or they're watching the titantron when they're sitting ringside! Unless the show is in Canada, Chicago, or New York, the people are terrible.

[TerranRich]

I dunno, even the crowd at last night's RAW seemed to be so-so.

[The Fraze]

Definitely not Attitude Era-esque, but a good crowd for today's standards.