Stuff that you miss about the past

[The Naitch]

I remmeber sitting drinking some alcohol with a buddy in a park yesterday and we were talking about the year 2000 (the year I graduated high school)

Man, looking back, it was a long time ago, but I recall back in this time when wrestling was cool. He is not a fan, actually I can tell that he thinks it's gay, but back then he was declared in the yearbook to "Most Likely To Be The Next WWF Champion"

Anyways, I used to go over his house (I didn't have cable at the time) to watch RAW. I recall one episode where Austin and Rock teamed to face The Outlaws. DX reunited that night. I hated to see it since I was a huge Rock mark back then (and still am)

Point is, I don't think I'll never be into wrestling like I was back then. The time has passed

What are your fondest memories of being a fan excited to see RAW and SD every week?

Are we just growing out of it?

Discuss

[Gerard]

I used to like it when you got suprised by wrestlers jumping ship from wcw to wwe or vice versa. Big Show showing up under the ring in the mcmahon\austin cage match, Rick Rude being on wwe and wcw at the same time, jericho showing up and getting verbally bitchslapped by the rock. The nwo appearing in wwe (though wwe fucked it up big time).

After a while though it does get boring, just seems that they're trying to invent new matches and they always seem to have the concept of some kind of cage involved in it, punjabi prison match...seriously what the fuck was that. Watch any tag match these days and its like a script theyre sticking to from 10+ years ago. Wrestlers becoming champion and are suddenly able to kick out of moves which basically killed them before they were champion. Look at big show in ecw, he may as well not have the chokeslam anymore as its being kicked out of on a weekly basis almost.

[NeanderCarl]

I remember back when wrestling was it's the height of it's popularity, back in 1999/2000. That was my final year of school (sixth form) and we had a newly opened common room, where we would spend all day between scarce lessons.

Well, somebody brought in an N64, and I brought in my WCW vs NWO Revenge game, and before I knew it, we had 30 wrestling addicts in my sixth form, rather than just the 2 or 3 previously. Each new N64 wrestling game (WrestleMania 2000 and No Mercy) would be awaited with baited breath (whatever the fuck THAT means??) and people who had no prior interest in wrestling would be watching WWF every week. There was a whole wrestling culture in my year, and on the social/drinking scene too. (The big "Whassssssssssap?" phenomenon, that spilled over into many drunken nights on the town, was more widely recognised from the Dudleys than from the Bud adverts in the UK). We would all go out every Saturday night to a club called Bowlers, where they would play that week's WWE SmackDown (on mute, of course) but rather than drinking/dancing, half the club would be glued to the mute TV screens! It really was that damn good!

Now of course 90% of those guys who were WWF fans back then no longer watch it. And that whole culture/crew has evaporated. But for a year or two... man, it was sweet.

[Londoner]

What do I miss? Good storylines, mostly. Also everytime I sat down to watch Raw/smackdown I knew I was going to be entertained. These days i'm just watching out of habit and just tonight when watching Smackdown I must've turned the channel about 15 times during the show because it was shite. I never would've turned the channel over back then.

Good tag team matches/tag teams is another thing I miss.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think what worked about the Attitude era, was that anything could happen. Remember when The Hardy Boyz teamed up to face Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H? Remember when Edge & Christian used to do important stuff while being a heel, yet entertaining tag team? Remember when the Divas, albeit not being as talented as some of the women in the WWE now, used to play a bigger part in WWE storylines?

They also had unpredictable Championship reigns. Matt Hardy winning the European Championship from Eddie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy winning the Intercontinental Championship from Triple H, Vince McMahon winning the WWE Championship from Triple H, etc. Now it's John Cena, John Cena, John Cena. Undercard guys never get that grasp at glory that they used to back in the day. Even with SmackDown! looking as shit as it is, you don't have Brian Kendrick bumping into King Booker in the back, and Booker then telling Kendrick he wants to kick his ass tonight, then having a HUGE upset when Paul London runs in for his partner and Bobby Lashley makes his return and takes out The Court with London. Brooklyn fucking Brawler beat Triple H back in the day. Now someone with Brawler's status would be lucky if they ever beat Johnny Nitro.

My point is: Everything in the WWE these days seems so fixed. If they want people to watch, they should make their shows more unpredictable. Have The Great Khali jump ship to RAW to avoid The Undertaker. Have Test appear on RAW the same week he appears on ECW. Have M.V.P. wrestle on Heat even though he's a SmackDown! Superstar. There doesn't seem to be enough unpredictability surrounding the rosters, both externally and internally.

My suggestion for next week's shows, taking a more "Attitude Era" approach:

RAW:
-Mickie James pins Trish Stratus to retain the WWE Women's Championship. She then cuts a promo about how her cousin has signed a WWE contract, and will be facing the WWE Tag Team Champions on SmackDown!, and as Women's Champion, she will be there in his corner.

-Vince McMahon appears on the Titantron and says that Triple H will face Umaga in the main event, but Shawn Michaels will also have to be in singles action, against a man he knows quite well. McMahon also announces that the Orton/Hogan match at Summerslam may be off due to an injury sustained by Hulk Hogan. A decision will be made by Vince McMahon next week on the matter.

-A promo airs announcing that the Natural Born Thrillers (Chuck Palumbo and Mark Jindrak) will be returning to the WWE.

-Kane pins Randy Orton with a Chokeslam. Orton is about to win the match after hitting an RKO, but Hogan's music plays and Orton gets distracted long enough for Kane to sit up and Chokeslam Orton.

-Montell Vontavious Porter appears in Vince McMahon's office. He wants a contract. McMahon says that Porter needs to justify the price he's asking for. Porter leaves the office and bumps into Armando Alejandro Estrada. The two exchange introductions.

-A promo advertising Carlito airs. Carlito will be facing Rob Conway on Heat.

-Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring to face his mystery opponent. Shelton Benjamin's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. HBK picks up the win when Shane McMahon runs in and hits Shelton Benjamin with a steel chair by mistake. A Sweet Chin Music later, DX's theme is playing. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch attack Shawn Michaels from behind, though, and hit him with the Sweet & Sour to Shane McMahon's approval.

-Johnny Nitro pins Ric Flair to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a match which barely even gets started. Ric Flair is making his way to the ring, and Mick Foley attacks him, rolls him in the ring, and Nitro hits a standing shooting star press for the pin.

-Melina is interviewed by Todd Grisham about what Nitro plans to do for Summerslam. Melina says that Mick Foley will be winning his match with Ric Flair, and that there is "Nitro doubt about it". Nitro beats on Ric Flair after the match, but John Cena runs out for the save.

-Cena gets on the microphone and says he would rather face Edge in a match with no rules than one with strict rules. Edge comes out and says that he is prepared to do that next week, but he will not defend wrestling's top prize in a fight. He wants Cena to be disqualified if he even so much as throws a punch at Summerslam. Vince McMahon comes out and says that next week, they will choose tag team partners to go one-on-one against each other, and the following week, they will go at it in a Non-Title Street Fight.

-A promo advertising Victoria and Beth Phoenix airs, claiming that the Women's Division has never looked better, and when two of the WWE's most talented ladies return from their injuries, WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James, will be on call.

-Kenny & Johnny of The Spirit Squad retain the World Tag Team Championship via disqualification against Charlie Haas & Viscera, when they are attacked by The Highlanders. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch then attack The Highlanders. Charlie Haas & Viscera then clean house of Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. Jonathan Coachman comes out and announces a Fatal Fourway World Tag Team Title Match RAW in two weeks. Next week, one member from each team will square off in a Fatal Fourway Match.

-The Diva Search is hosted by The Miz, as per usual, but Val Venis comes out and tells The Miz that he is not welcome on RAW, and that when it comes to the ladies on RAW, The Big Valbowski makes sure he doesn't swallow on his own lines. Venis goes on to host the Diva Seach, but Ryan Reeves attacks Val Venis from behind when it is over, with The Miz laughing, looking on.

-In the main event, Umaga pins Triple H after Montell Vontavious Porter runs in (whilst Armando Alejandro Estrada is distracting the referee) and hits Triple H with his own version of The Pedigree, allowing Umaga to get the pin.

It's pretty easy to do. Just get as many people as you can onto one show, promote each division, and when there is an excuse for top level talent to lose, let them lose. Also, have talent appear numerous times during one show. I am reminded of the episode of SmackDown! where Chavo Guerrero faced Rey Mysterio in a Street Fight. Guerrero and Mysterio both made many appearances on that show to promote it. Good times. Each episode should be able to be identified by what occurs on it. It seems these day each and every show blends together.

[SammyG]

I miss WCW 1997-1999. That was awesome shit. New, new, new world order. Luger beating Hogan for the belt on Nitro. Sting coming down from the rafters. Hell, even Raven's flock. DDP diamond cutting people left and right. Marking out for tag team wrestling. The Outsiders. Everything about that era.

[Rammsteinmad]

Stables Wars

Remember back in the day when there were loads of teams, and every week they'd be against each other, working with each other, running into each other etc... WWE had the Corporation, Ministry, DX, Job Squad, Nation of Domination etc. WCW had NWO, Wolfpac, Raven's Flock, Four Horsemen... Revolution, Natural Born Thrillers, Filthy Animals etc.

These days there is pretty much a limit of one stable per roster. Raw doesn't currently have one, but it was Evolution for a while. Smackdown has King Booker's Court, which by the looks of it is finished now...

Spectacle

Remember when Austin come in with the beer truck? Triple H being dropped in his car at Survivor Series 2000? Big Show and Austin (I think) destroyed the Titan Tron? Hell In A Cell 1 and 2? WWE needs more spectacle. More "entertaining" holy shit moments. I'd say the best thing we've had to any of that lately was when Lesnar and Big Show made the ring break. I'm not counting Undertaker's lightning stuff coz I'm bored of that.

Unpredictabilty

Remember way back in 1999 when DDP lost the title to Sting? Only to win it back later on in the night? What about Mankind's title win on Raw? EVERY time there is a title match you KNOW it won't change hands... Smackdown for example, did anyone actually think Undertaker would win the title? And as someone else said above, what's up with wrestler's never running into each other and having one-off matches? Every time a match is on TV you pretty much know who's going to win. Funaki almost beating Triple H comes to mind. Today that would be a squash match.

Wrestlers being allowed to wrestle

No comment needed here. As someone said above... EVERY tag team match has the same script.

[Jaton]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 -snip-

Okay, seriously dude..sometimes your ideas are a little much. Why would we, as fans, care about Palumbo and O'Haire? Most wrestling fans probably wouldn't even care enough to remember the NBTs, and would care even less about the fact that they came back.

Give it up on London and Kendrick. As long as the booking stays like it is now, they'll never be more than what they are now.

[Hanso Amore]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 I think what worked about the Attitude era, was that anything could happen. Remember when The Hardy Boyz teamed up to face Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H? Remember when Edge & Christian used to do important stuff while being a heel, yet entertaining tag team? Remember when the Divas, albeit not being as talented as some of the women in the WWE now, used to play a bigger part in WWE storylines? They also had unpredictable Championship reigns. Matt Hardy winning the European Championship from Eddie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy winning the Intercontinental Championship from Triple H, Vince McMahon winning the WWE Championship from Triple H, etc. Now it's John Cena, John Cena, John Cena. Undercard guys never get that grasp at glory that they used to back in the day. Even with SmackDown! looking as shit as it is, you don't have Brian Kendrick bumping into King Booker in the back, and Booker then telling Kendrick he wants to kick his ass tonight, then having a HUGE upset when Paul London runs in for his partner and Bobby Lashley makes his return and takes out The Court with London. Brooklyn fucking Brawler beat Triple H back in the day. Now someone with Brawler's status would be lucky if they ever beat Johnny Nitro. My point is: Everything in the WWE these days seems so fixed. If they want people to watch, they should make their shows more unpredictable. Have The Great Khali jump ship to RAW to avoid The Undertaker. Have Test appear on RAW the same week he appears on ECW. Have M.V.P. wrestle on Heat even though he's a SmackDown! Superstar. There doesn't seem to be enough unpredictability surrounding the rosters, both externally and internally. My suggestion for next week's shows, taking a more "Attitude Era" approach: RAW: -Mickie James pins Trish Stratus to retain the WWE Women's Championship. She then cuts a promo about how her cousin has signed a WWE contract, and will be facing the WWE Tag Team Champions on SmackDown!, and as Women's Champion, she will be there in his corner. -Vince McMahon appears on the Titantron and says that Triple H will face Umaga in the main event, but Shawn Michaels will also have to be in singles action, against a man he knows quite well. McMahon also announces that the Orton/Hogan match at Summerslam may be off due to an injury sustained by Hulk Hogan. A decision will be made by Vince McMahon next week on the matter. -A promo airs announcing that the Natural Born Thrillers (Chuck Palumbo and Mark Jindrak) will be returning to the WWE. -Kane pins Randy Orton with a Chokeslam. Orton is about to win the match after hitting an RKO, but Hogan's music plays and Orton gets distracted long enough for Kane to sit up and Chokeslam Orton. -Montell Vontavious Porter appears in Vince McMahon's office. He wants a contract. McMahon says that Porter needs to justify the price he's asking for. Porter leaves the office and bumps into Armando Alejandro Estrada. The two exchange introductions. -A promo advertising Carlito airs. Carlito will be facing Rob Conway on Heat. -Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring to face his mystery opponent. Shelton Benjamin's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. HBK picks up the win when Shane McMahon runs in and hits Shelton Benjamin with a steel chair by mistake. A Sweet Chin Music later, DX's theme is playing. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch attack Shawn Michaels from behind, though, and hit him with the Sweet & Sour to Shane McMahon's approval. -Johnny Nitro pins Ric Flair to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a match which barely even gets started. Ric Flair is making his way to the ring, and Mick Foley attacks him, rolls him in the ring, and Nitro hits a standing shooting star press for the pin. -Melina is interviewed by Todd Grisham about what Nitro plans to do for Summerslam. Melina says that Mick Foley will be winning his match with Ric Flair, and that there is "Nitro doubt about it". Nitro beats on Ric Flair after the match, but John Cena runs out for the save. -Cena gets on the microphone and says he would rather face Edge in a match with no rules than one with strict rules. Edge comes out and says that he is prepared to do that next week, but he will not defend wrestling's top prize in a fight. He wants Cena to be disqualified if he even so much as throws a punch at Summerslam. Vince McMahon comes out and says that next week, they will choose tag team partners to go one-on-one against each other, and the following week, they will go at it in a Non-Title Street Fight. -A promo advertising Victoria and Beth Phoenix airs, claiming that the Women's Division has never looked better, and when two of the WWE's most talented ladies return from their injuries, WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James, will be on call. -Kenny & Johnny of The Spirit Squad retain the World Tag Team Championship via disqualification against Charlie Haas & Viscera, when they are attacked by The Highlanders. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch then attack The Highlanders. Charlie Haas & Viscera then clean house of Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. Jonathan Coachman comes out and announces a Fatal Fourway World Tag Team Title Match RAW in two weeks. Next week, one member from each team will square off in a Fatal Fourway Match. -The Diva Search is hosted by The Miz, as per usual, but Val Venis comes out and tells The Miz that he is not welcome on RAW, and that when it comes to the ladies on RAW, The Big Valbowski makes sure he doesn't swallow on his own lines. Venis goes on to host the Diva Seach, but Ryan Reeves attacks Val Venis from behind when it is over, with The Miz laughing, looking on. -In the main event, Umaga pins Triple H after Montell Vontavious Porter runs in (whilst Armando Alejandro Estrada is distracting the referee) and hits Triple H with his own version of The Pedigree, allowing Umaga to get the pin. It's pretty easy to do. Just get as many people as you can onto one show, promote each division, and when there is an excuse for top level talent to lose, let them lose. Also, have talent appear numerous times during one show. I am reminded of the episode of SmackDown! where Chavo Guerrero faced Rey Mysterio in a Street Fight. Guerrero and Mysterio both made many appearances on that show to promote it. Good times. Each episode should be able to be identified by what occurs on it. It seems these day each and every show blends together.

Wow, no clean finishes, you should apply for the WWE writing team.

[D Mac]

Originally Posted by MatthewAllenHanso Wow, no clean finishes, you should apply for the WWE writing team.

That's what we've always told him, dude.

[KingofOldSchool]

[Hanso Amore]

Originally Posted by KingofOldSchool

JJ Dillon and Tully were on the radio in Norfolk VA last night, as they were appearing on a card last night. Tully is the virginia champion and he is looking OLD OLD OLD. Jj looks younger. They had amazing stories on the radio and old the true story of how the 4 Horseman came to be. The radio hosts are huge wrestling fans.

Koko B Ware and Harley Race were also in town.

[The Mackem]

The way that PPV's were built/hyped seemed a lot better back in the day. You could believe that the guys wanted to hurt each other.

Plus the brand split put an end to the seemingly endless combinations of match ups. It's not quite the same now.

[Pepsi Man]

I miss the red, white, and blue ring ropes on all WWF programming, along with the blue turnbuckle pads, blue ring posts, blue ring steps, and the guardrails instead of the barriers they have now. Also, I miss it being an aisle instead of a "ramp". Oh, and Vince McMahon at the announce table.

[Dorkchop]

I miss when the WWE used the term wrestling, wrestler, wrestle, or any other variation of that word. Now, they're avoiding it at all costs for some reason.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Dorkchop I miss when the WWE used the term wrestling, wrestler, wrestle, or any other variation of that word. Now, they're avoiding it at all costs for some reason.

Because they're afraid if they use it, people will realise there is none.

[Dorkchop]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight Because they're afraid if they use it, people will realise there is none.

Yeah. I miss wrestling in the WWE too

[DaveWadding]

[Corkscrewed]

I miss the high adrenaline, anything can happen finishes on the shows that kept you wanting to watch more, and made you tape each show so you didn't miss anything exciting.

Like someone up there said, it just seems so fixed, blasse, and formulaic these days. Like they're not even trying to create suspense.

[Corkscrewed]

Heck, that's what I miss from the old days: suspense.

[Executioner]

Originally Posted by KingofOldSchool

Best....stable...ever....

[Disturbed316]

Originally Posted by SammyG I miss WCW 1997-1999. That was awesome shit. New, new, new world order. Luger beating Hogan for the belt on Nitro. Sting coming down from the rafters. Hell, even Raven's flock. DDP diamond cutting people left and right. Marking out for tag team wrestling. The Outsiders. Everything about that era.

great memories

[Fox]

I could do a laundry list.

-I miss watching the first hour of Nitro and then spending those next 2 hours flipping back and forth between the two shows to see who had the best shit on. Sometimes it was DDP vs. Austin, sometimes it was Sting vs. Rock, sometimes it was nWo vs. DX. Choices, baby.

-I miss having a babyface I could cheer for. Steve Austin, The Rock, DDP, Sting, Luger, Nash, etc; they all made me care and want to see them win. These days the top faces on RAW are a white-fish wannabe rapper/actor, the boss' Son in Law (who stopped being entertaining over three years ago), and a douche bag who overstayed his welcome return in 2002. I'm not even sure who the babyfaces are on SD except for Mysterio (who has been buried into all infinity) and Batista (who I don't care about).

-Bill FUCKING Goldberg. I don't care what he became or what his career was in hindsight. His run as WCW's top face was fucking awesome. Until it ended with a taser.

-Gauranteed cruiserweight action every Monday night. Even if WWF was promoting Gillberg as the champ, WCW always had at least one good, 10-minute cruiserweight style match on each show. RAW is seriously lacking in this department.

-Sting coming down from the rafters.

-DX's skits.

-Guys you can get behind. These days, the only guys you can get behind are the ones that WWE TELLS you to get behind. Anyone else who gets over on their own will be squashed to eternity.

-Mysterio & Kidman as a tag team.

-Booker T with the long tights and short hair.

-Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff at fucking war every monday night.

[Xero]

Originally Posted by Fox -I miss having a babyface I could cheer for. Steve Austin, The Rock, DDP, Sting, Luger, Nash, etc; they all made me care and want to see them win. These days the top faces on RAW are a white-fish wannabe rapper/actor, the boss' Son in Law (who stopped being entertaining over three years ago), and a douche bag who overstayed his welcome return in 2002. I'm not even sure who the babyfaces are on SD except for Mysterio (who has been buried into all infinity) and Batista (who I don't care about).

lol, note that no one from TNA is listed there.

[Caged Heat18]

Originally Posted by Pepsi Man I miss the red, white, and blue ring ropes on all WWF programming, along with the blue turnbuckle pads, blue ring posts, blue ring steps, and the guardrails instead of the barriers they have now. Also, I miss it being an aisle instead of a "ramp".

I agree. I miss the old look. I do not like the ramps as the aisles, as it makes every show and arena look generally the same. Back in the day when they had aisles, they were generally different, and gave the arena different looks for different shows. It is a small thing, but still something I miss.

Also, the days of tag team wrestling, with a division that had more than one credible tag team.

[Fox]

Originally Posted by Xero Limit 126 lol, note that no one from TNA is listed there.

LOLers!!!! thats soooooo funny.


fucking tool. maybe that's because the top faces in TNA are actually, what do you call it? entertaining? Samoa Joe is the goods, so I have no complaints there. Christian Cage is usually fun to watch, even if he hasn't had much TV time. and Sting is... well.. he's fucking Sting. and I'm a huge mark for him. those are the top faces in TNA, and I have absolutely no complaints there.

Maybe the reason that no one from TNA is listed there is because

a) They have one hour of TV programming a week. That gives them very little time to shove shitty wrestlers down our throats (okay, I know, Jarrett fucking sucks; but we're talking about faces here).

b) WWE has 6 hours of TV time every week and a huge roster, which is why it's surprising that the best faces they can push are John Cena, DX and Rey Mysterio.




but seriously. LOL! he didn't mention any TNA wrestlers! LOL!

[Boondock Saint]

I miss those days too. Life was good. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.