TPWW Forums - View Single Post - The 10 most important moments in televised wrestling history.

**darkpower** · 10-19-2007, 07:45 PM

A few other things to add to this list

BRIAN PILLMAN PULLS A GUN ON AUSTIN TO PROTECT HIS HOME AND HEALTH:
This was the beginning of the WWE "pushing the envelope" (I said this a few years ago, I'm feeling a sense of deja vu here), or, to put it simpily, the TRUE beginning of the "Attutide era". Many people were outraged that Vince would script something like that. If you don't remember what happened in the angle, Austin threatened to go to Pillman's house, who he already injured the knee of, after he got less than desirable interview venues and time. In response, Pillman brandished a gun in the middle of an interview, leg casted. No bullets were shot (though I thought it would've ended nicely with the cameras signing off and then you heard a gun shot going off), but for half of the broadcast, the feed mysteriously went dead.

Some called it the best RAW ever, some basically wanted Vince's head, but this was the first time Vince really took a chance and did something controversial on his show (in the family friendly type of way, I mean). Who would've thought that it would be the start of many things to come (and why not show this on 24/7? It was history).

THE LESNER/GOLDBERG WM20 MESS:
Not only did Lesner and Goldberg put on a less than perfect match, but EVERYTHING about it sucked. The entire angle they had originally set into the match fell apart with both Brock and Goldberg departing afterward. It became "what side would Austin take". Unfortunatly, you don't do a match like that, under those circumstances, with what would happen to each wrestler's stance in the company clear, IN THE MIDDLE OF NYC'S MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, ONE PLACE WHERE FANS NOT ONLY READ THE INTERNETS CONSTANTLY, BUT ARE NOT AFRAID TO SAY WHAT THEY REALLY THINK AND NOT CARE ABOUT KAYFABE ONE BIT!! The announcing for this, King/JR, was the WORST thing, too, since JR sounded like an idiot as always. It could've been saved if the announcing knew how to incorperate the chants into something more kayfabe than they did, but in the end, this turned out to be a disaster. It also made clear to Vince that there is another crowd that knows these things and you can't hide from them, especially in NY. The IWC got the biggest boost in crediablity at that moment.

ECW INVADES WWE:
Lawler invited ECW onto a WWE RAW in 97, and ECW took full advantage of the mainstream exposure, plugging the first ECW PPV, plugging the extreme style, and forming a small side angle of Lawler vs. ECW for a while. It was, for starters, a TRUE interpromotional angle. Secondly, this catapulted ECW into the mainstream and many of its stars into the spotlight. Even though ECW enjoyed much success in a smaller light before, the exposure it got on that night just took it off until the end of its days.

10-19-2007, 07:45 PM	#37
darkpower Why So Curious? Posts: 3,408	A few other things to add to this list BRIAN PILLMAN PULLS A GUN ON AUSTIN TO PROTECT HIS HOME AND HEALTH: This was the beginning of the WWE "pushing the envelope" (I said this a few years ago, I'm feeling a sense of deja vu here), or, to put it simpily, the TRUE beginning of the "Attutide era". Many people were outraged that Vince would script something like that. If you don't remember what happened in the angle, Austin threatened to go to Pillman's house, who he already injured the knee of, after he got less than desirable interview venues and time. In response, Pillman brandished a gun in the middle of an interview, leg casted. No bullets were shot (though I thought it would've ended nicely with the cameras signing off and then you heard a gun shot going off), but for half of the broadcast, the feed mysteriously went dead. Some called it the best RAW ever, some basically wanted Vince's head, but this was the first time Vince really took a chance and did something controversial on his show (in the family friendly type of way, I mean). Who would've thought that it would be the start of many things to come (and why not show this on 24/7? It was history). THE LESNER/GOLDBERG WM20 MESS: Not only did Lesner and Goldberg put on a less than perfect match, but EVERYTHING about it sucked. The entire angle they had originally set into the match fell apart with both Brock and Goldberg departing afterward. It became "what side would Austin take". Unfortunatly, you don't do a match like that, under those circumstances, with what would happen to each wrestler's stance in the company clear, IN THE MIDDLE OF NYC'S MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, ONE PLACE WHERE FANS NOT ONLY READ THE INTERNETS CONSTANTLY, BUT ARE NOT AFRAID TO SAY WHAT THEY REALLY THINK AND NOT CARE ABOUT KAYFABE ONE BIT!! The announcing for this, King/JR, was the WORST thing, too, since JR sounded like an idiot as always. It could've been saved if the announcing knew how to incorperate the chants into something more kayfabe than they did, but in the end, this turned out to be a disaster. It also made clear to Vince that there is another crowd that knows these things and you can't hide from them, especially in NY. The IWC got the biggest boost in crediablity at that moment. ECW INVADES WWE: Lawler invited ECW onto a WWE RAW in 97, and ECW took full advantage of the mainstream exposure, plugging the first ECW PPV, plugging the extreme style, and forming a small side angle of Lawler vs. ECW for a while. It was, for starters, a TRUE interpromotional angle. Secondly, this catapulted ECW into the mainstream and many of its stars into the spotlight. Even though ECW enjoyed much success in a smaller light before, the exposure it got on that night just took it off until the end of its days.