the commentary being one example. EVERYTHING is scripted and homogenized. And yes, commentators, wrestlers, and pretty much anyone would get fired for going off script. It's been made pretty clear.

I do agree though, as I mentioned earlier, the corperate machine will choke the life out of the business. Like trying to grow a rose in the desert.


But every guy who has been star quality in the era has done it the same way: taking it by the balls and pushing what HES selling. Not what the booker had him sell. Tht's what resonated 10, 15, 20, 30 years ago and thats what will continue to do so going forward.


The guys who fail to do that should be held accountable though.It's on them.

Typically they get pushed

how successful can anyone be when EVERYTHING about the product is corporate buzzwords?

Your lunatic fringe dean ambrose calls the fans, the WWE universe. That is fucking retarded.

The buck stops at Cena. Whereas Rock and Austin were trailblazers who took risks, Cena was a kissass. I respect John, but he's too fucking company and he started failing when it became apparent that he was the manifestation of the WWE corporate monster, and he did nothing to change it.

and yeah, he's the #1 guy of the past decade.... but he's the #1 guy of a stagnant, boring business.

It is, but if that's whats keeping him being a breakout star I'll eat RP's cum sock

it's certainly part of the problem. The need to book him in stupid comedy shit doesn't help either. Plus his punches and selling :'(

Fact is, he was HOT coming out of the shield, he had a lot of steam as a bad boy, but it was within weeks he was doing weird shit with manikins and constantly losing by roll up distraction finishes like everyone else.

Going off script would not get someone fired if they're already a star. They need to go off script to become a star though. Kind of a catch-22.

Like Dale said, the product is micro-managed like never before. You can't become your own guy in that environment. It's night and day compared to 20 years ago when it comes to your ability to get yourself over.

There really isnt any evidence of that though. Seems like the power play is pretty respected as long as you get your shit over while you're out there...Im sure if you came to the back and it was a turd it would be a new ball game...


CALCULATED RISK

A CALCULATED RISK when not over but trying to get over would make sense if there was another promotion that offers the $$$ that WWE does. "Back in those days" there was still WCW to go to.

Now it is.... maybe ROH and NJPW.

Top tier indy guys and NJPW guys make as much as WWE guys who arent main eventish

WWE undercard guys are are pulling about 45k before travel. Take home is like 35k unless you're crafty.

If you're talented a bold move on the national level could get you more on than indies than in the fed. Look at Rhodes. His gross this year will be the biggest of his career.

There's a lot of marks who run shows too. Theyll pay some stupid money for a name.

Some might. Just seems, since "then" vs "now" was being compared, the calculated risk of today vs that of yesterday just wouldn't be worth it.