Wrestling: The Action Soap Opera Thread

[Hotwire]

who was under the costume?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Lloyd

 

[Nemi]

I was watching NXT for some reason and I have a few thoughts:

- Are they ever going to eliminate somebody?
- Nobody is ever going to take Lucky Cannon seriously because of the name. Lucky Cannon sounds like an alias porn star Ron Jeremy would use.
- Maryse is hot.
- So the winner of this season gets a spot next season? So stupid.

In the words of some writer on Cracked, the people behind this show are not giving a **** so hard it's burning calories.

 

[chapin]

Swagger as a face? I dont know about that one

 

[LOBO3315a]

The All-American American, American? Maybe they'll change his name to Quad-A?

 

[TheFuture]

Mickie pics

Not a patch on her WWE photo shoots.

 

[Nightmare]

Swagger as a face sounds boring.

 

[Metallo]

By That logic Bret Hart had not business being a face either. Swagger isn't bad on the mic at all, he just has a lisp.



Anybody can be turned into a face if it's done the right way.

Early in his singles run Bret was so much better than Swagger in the ring its not funny. Like Hunter said when Bret got in the ring you knew he meant business and nobody was as sharp or as crisp as him at the time with the exception of Curt Hennig.

Brets precision and execution were great and he took his opponents apart with surgical like skill. Why do you think Bret was called "The Hitman"? He was serious but he could take anybody out in that ring. Swagger doesn't know how to work like that yet. Thats what got Bret over as a face. What he did you just didn't see everyday at the time. What Swagger does a lot of people have done but they've done it better.

I like Swagger and he is talented but he's still green. Swagger brings nothing to the table right now that Brock Lesnar didn't do but better. Jack might work as a face one day when he gets better but he's got a lot of work to do. As he is now? I just don't see it.

You can't say Swagger or Miz don't work as faces though because you've NEVER seen them do it.

It's no different from how a lot of people were in here ragging on R-Truth about not being talented or being boring and then changing peoples opinions after his heel turn.

I always knew Truth could work as a heel when looking at his more serious work. When he's serious and angry he comes off as way more thuggish and that works as a heel. Just ask New Jack. But Swagger and Miz are just barely over as heels and thats EASIER to do than becoming a face in this day in age. Why do you think WWE seems to debut so many guys as heels today?

I was watching NXT for some reason and I have a few thoughts:

- Are they ever going to eliminate somebody?
- Nobody is ever going to take Lucky Cannon seriously because of the name. Lucky Cannon sounds like an alias porn star Ron Jeremy would use.
- Maryse is hot.
- So the winner of this season gets a spot next season? So stupid.

This is the definitely the "we don't give a f***" season. As soon as I heard what the prize was going to be for the winner I thought it was some kind of joke.

Not a patch on her WWE photo shoots.

She still looks hot to me. I don't think its going to stop people from ogling.

 

[E-Man]

in the words of some writer on cracked, the people behind this show are not giving a **** so hard it's burning calories.

lmao

 

[Warhammer]

I think at this point in time, Miz turning face could backfire like Carlito turning face did. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The dude is doing fine right now. Turn him after he starts to fizzle then make him a tweener.

 

[The Sage]

By That logic Bret Hart had not business being a face either. Swagger isn't bad on the mic at all, he just has a lisp.

Bret was a better talker and his moves wowed the crowd.

 

[TheFuture]

She still looks hot to me. I don't think its going to stop people from ogling.

She does, but something about the shoot was wrong. I didn't like her get up, expressions or poses. That's not her fault, that's bad photography.

 

[Metallo]

She does, but something about the shoot was wrong. I didn't like her get up, expressions or poses. That's not her fault, that's bad photography.

Its not the best photography but I wouldn't say its bad photography. They are simple shots. I've seen stuff way worse than that for it to be called "bad."
The get up was her choice. Thats the kind of gear she wears. Her expressions are pretty neutral. I've seen her do much the same stuff in WWE photoshoots. The biggest flaw I see in these photographs is how tight the shots are and some bleaching out with the lighting but thats nitpicky. If it was truly bad it would have made her look really bad.

That first shot: I've seen WWE do just about the same kind of pose, angle, and lighting; the camera was just pulled back more/the picture wasn't cropped as tight and didn't have as much contrast.

Location shooting is a different matter since of course its going to look better if a nice local is wel captured vs inside a studio/against a white backdrop. WWE DOES do more of that but thats because they have the time and recources.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Bret was a better talker and his moves wowed the crowd.

A lot of Bret's face appeal came from the amount of genuine respect fans had for him as a longtime fixture in the WWE and a hard-working, blue collar (or pink collar) type wrestler. By the time he was a solid mid-card singles wrestler, he had already been in the WWF for 7 years as a tag team guy, which is almost like 17 years in today's WWE.

 

[Metallo]

A lot of Bret's face appeal came from the amount of genuine respect fans had for him as a longtime fixture in the WWE and a hard-working, blue collar (or pink collar) type wrestler. By the time he was a solid mid-card singles wrestler, he had already been in the WWF for 7 years as a tag team guy, which is almost like 17 years in today's WWE.

Yeah Bret had more diverse experience. Thats not Swaggers fault but he just has less hands on experience of mixing it up in the ring. He looks like he was trained by WWE's assembly line farm system. Bret meanwhile got to bring his own style of work to the audience over half a decade before he even got his singles push.

Bret was innovative at a time when it wasn't normal to see a lot of people doing what he did. While in todays WWE Swaggers chances of being allowed to be innovative are slim.

 

[Slushy]

They need to bring back Swagger's Eagle Mascot. I honestly believe if they do that, it'll help get Swagger over as a face due to the possible entertaining segments that can happen.

 

[Superark]

This discussion of Bret Hart has me thinking of how badly WWE failed to capitalize on the Hart Dynasty. WWE missed the boat on them big time.

The Hart Dynasty could have been pushed big and made to be a powerful faction that could have potentially groomed DH Smith into a main event star, while making Tyson Kidd a solid mid-card player. With Bret's return last year it was the perfect opportunity. He could have served as the Godfather of the group who occasionally made an appearance, while WWE could have made Edge or Jericho the leader of the group to give it some legitimate star power so the others in the group could get the rub and have room to grow and become seasoned.

It's a shame because WWE is really in a position right now where they are lacking top guys because of their failure to create new stars with the veterans they have or because of the off and on again pushes.

 

[chapin]

Any good thing on tonight's TNA Impact? Or more sting-rvd-hogan promos?

 

[Kaleb]

Found this little article

CM Punk Would Be the Last
By Kevin Kelly

So, rumors abound about CM Punk perhaps looking to step away from the WWE at the end of his deal. If that’s what makes him happy, I’m all for it. I don’t know him, never met him but he seems like a sharp guy who saved his loot.

But if CM Punk leaves, he will be the last of an era.

I guarantee you that no wrestler will ever be able to come in to the WWE with his own name again. No way Vince ever invests in anyone again and allows them to leave with tangible assets.

I am not saying that CM Punk leaving the WWE would be wrong… far from it. He owes them nothing and he’s given them a ton. In an era when only paint-by-numbers, bland clones are given the ball, Punk has been as non-conformist as you’d expect. I’m not writing his eulogy, signaling the end of his WWE career but to me, he’s never fit in… CM Punk was never a WWE guy.

They’ve taken Bryan Danielson and jacked him around.

They’ve taken everyone else, including all second-generation guys and given them horribly stupid names.

They’ve launched Tough Enough– fart sound – and NXT – bigger fart sound - because the WWE still believes they can create wrestlers when the theory has never worked. Sorry to Miz and Morrison… they work hard but nothing they do in the ring makes me care. And I’ll argue that the WWE still wants wrestlers but they can’t figure out how to get them over anymore. So, they blame the wrestlers, not the broken process.

All the while, CM Punk was working hard to get over and got over, despite the changes along the way, all because of his abilities as a Professional Wrestler.

John Laurinaitis will never be invited to Harvard Business School to discuss his acumen. After all, when some schlub in FCW called Johnny and said his heart wasn’t in it, the former flag-carrier for the Sheepherders did what every good exec would do… he gave the schlub more money. True story. Didn’t release him… he gave him more money. Genius.

So how would I try to motivate CM Punk to get him to stay? Assuming he wants to stay and the company wants him to stay? Be honest with him. Punk seems like the guy who would sniff out BS quickly. Then I’d call Stone Cold and enlist his help. Word is Austin likes Punk and the boys trust the boys more than the Office.

So don’t cry for Punk, who may decide to re-sign with the WWE and finish his career there. He could go the Jericho route and take some time off, only to come back when he’s ready. Or he can move on and do what he wants.

That’s what Professional Wrestling is supposed to be. You work for whom you want, as long as it’s mutually agreeable for both the wrestler and the company. Agree on money, agree on dates and go put asses in seats. If you don’t, move along. Even if you do put asses in seats, eventually you’ll move along because nothing is forever when you are a Professional Wrestler.

That’s the problem with so many independent wrestlers today. They are comfortable living where they live and rarely, if ever, pull up stakes and move to a new area. Those who are tied to either Mommy’s apron strings or their childhood home are not Professional Wrestlers. They are wanna-be’s.

If you are comfortable doing what you are doing, then you are going to stay doing what you are doing.

Don’t cry about “unfulfilled dreams” when you only dream.

But when a carload of guys drive to the Midwest from the Northeast for gas money, that’s pro wrestling. When a guy moves to Louisville or Nashville or Chicago in hopes of getting regular work, that’s pro wrestling. When a guy who was over huge in ROH goes to the WWE and gets over, that’s pro wrestling.

Vince pays his talent well and in return, they surrender all rights. That’s the deal. No gun to their head. The Punk story also says that he won’t have big-money matches until he signs a new deal. Again, Vince’s rules.

But it’s the Professional Wrestler’s decision in this case and that bothers Vince.

So, what will CM Punk decide?

 

[Superark]

Any good thing on tonight's TNA Impact? Or more sting-rvd-hogan promos?

The spoilers said the main event was really good tonight.

 

[The Sage]

- R-Truth will be appearing at the KMart on Paul Road in Rochester, New York on June 11th at 1pm. A wristband policy is in effect for the first 300 fans showing up.

- Matches for today's WWE Superstars on WWE's website are Tyson Kidd vs. Trent Baretta, Zack Ryder vs. David Hart Smith and Divas action with Gail Kim & Natalya taking on Melina & Alicia Fox.

- Stan sent word that this past Monday's WWE Draft RAW had 37 minutes and 56 seconds of in-ring action, down from last week's 40 minutes and 58 seconds.

- Alberto Del Rio has been described by sources as someone who has become a master politician backstage, and has picked up how to navigate the company quicker than almost anyone.

- Below is a segment breakdown of the April 18th RAW that was taped from London, England. That show did a 3.12 rating with 4.73 million viewers.

The R-Truth vs. John Morrison opener and Truth's heel turn gained 203,000 viewers. Dolph Ziggler vs. Evan Bourne and the Edge farewell video gained 183,000 more viewers and brought the quarter-hour rating to a 3.30, which was the high point of the show.

The segment and beginning of John Cena & Sin Cara vs. Alex Riley & The Miz lost 67,000 viewers while the ending of the match and Eve Torres vs. Nikki Bella gained 11,000 viewers back. Michael Cole being knighted and the segment with Jim Ross kissing his foot lost 214,000 viewers.

Sheamus vs. Santino Marella lost 381,000 more viewers while the main event of CM Punk vs. Randy Orton and the post-match angle gained 608,000 viewers back, bringing the overrun rating to a 3.28.

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that The Undertaker was backstage at Raw this for the show's Draft special. 'Taker was said to be there because he was traveling with his wife, Michelle McCool, but gave no indication that he is prepared to return to TV. Sources claimed that he was still hurting, and that right now WWE has no immediate plans for him.

As far as The Undertaker's return is concerned, it is believe that when he does return it will be on the Raw brand as the Monday night show just lost a top baby face with Randy Orton being drafted to Smackdown.

As we exclusively reported this past Monday night, the decision as to what to do with The Undertaker has been discussed, but because he is considered more of a special attraction rather than a full-time performer, company officials are still unsure as to what they are going to do with him when he is ready to return.


Partial source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

http://www.pwpix.net/pwpixnews/headlines/306006286.php
http://www.pwpix.net/pwpixnews/headlines/306006715.php
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/art...-backstage-at-raw-more-on-return-plans-129103

 

[ImWithTeamConan]

Where are these Kevin Kelly articles coming from? I see an occasional one or two posted here and I find them extremely fascinating.

 

[Specter313]

Ziggler vs Bourne helped bring the rating to its highest point of the night? That should tell you something, WWE. It should also tell you something in how the Cole BS lost the second most amount of viewers for the whole show.

 

[venom892]

Del Rio must have learned from his father and uncle. I believe they were really good at the backstage in Mexico.

 

[Kaleb]

Where are these Kevin Kelly articles coming from? I see an occasional one or two posted here and I find them extremely fascinating.

Wrestlezone plus he is on twitter.

 

[Kaleb]

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