2004 was roughly when I stopped watching on a weekly basis. I straight up stopped watching aside from occasional peak-ins from 2005-2008. The drop in quality was pretty obvious to me, and early on I could totally see Cena eventually being destined to be Neo Hogan.
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September Wrasslin' |OT| Almost Brings a tear to my eye
- Thread starter Sibersk Esto
- Start date
2004 was roughly when I stopped watching on a weekly basis. I straight up stopped watching aside from occasional peak-ins from 2005-2008. The drop in quality was pretty obvious to me, and early on I could totally see Cena eventually being destined to be Neo Hogan.
In ring wise has been as good as ever for WWE in the last 2-3 years. The wrestling on Nitro for the most part was not better than the standard stuff today. You had the really really talented guys doing great stuff, but stuff that wouldn't get much attention as being special today. WWE's work rate in general was higher every year after the Attitude Era except for around 2004-2005, which had a lot of dog shit and unready guys debut with terrible gimmicks.
I dunno, I feel kind of worried about the Wyatts right now. They're going through the early stages of what happens to everyone who gets put into a major feud with Cena.
bitesnintendog
Member
While it went down in quality after WCW was gone I think it started free falling when Raw had HHH with the title and it was apparent no one was going to get it for a long time even though they had a number of performers on their roster who could carry the ball. Smackdown started and stayed a much stronger show until they decided to make it apparent that it was the B team by taking most of their best performers.
Sibersk Esto
Banned
Chris Benoit damage control was rouuuuuuugh.
Start of a really bad couple of years too.
Sibersk Esto
Banned
I just lump 2008-2011 as the "Benoit damage control years." The insistence on focusing on a really safe, homogenized, unremarkable product in order to distance themselves. The concept of a strong heel basically died during this time period also.
Good move. Never go into business with carnies.
Cena is well beyond what Hogan ever was, in terms of how much the company seems to rely on him, how long he has been on top, and the backlash against the character. The guy has been on top almost as long as WCW the company existed, has been on top for far longer than the Monday Night Wars lasted, and has been on top longer than Hogan's run in the 80s in WWF. It's truly insane how the same guy, in this day and age of weekly television, has remained on top. When you consider how much more John Cena is seen by the public with how TV is these days compared to how it was for Hogan back then, it's even more insane to consider.
I don't even have too much against the guy. He's a capable hand in certain matches, he has a charisma, and he does a great job with the public. But they have put too much on his shoulders for way too freakin' long. Since Cena went to the top there have obviously been other guys come and go, but no one has reached the top like him. Not Batista, not Orton, and certainly not any of the random guys like Eddie, Edge, Benoit, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, and so on.
The really scary thing is that I don't see any sort of end in sight for Cena at all. He could be doing this for another 5-10 years if they really are hell bent on it. Ugh. If they don't hurry and do something else with him he wont even have time to turn heel and have that part of his career, and still have time for him to ultimately turn face once again as it winds down. They are so stuck on him I wouldn't be shocked if he remains a face from here on out period. That kinda disgusts me.
Cena's been the top guy in WWE for over twice as long as the entire Attitude Era existed. Rock and Austin's time at the top combined isn't even as long as Cena has been on top, and both of them are universally considered bigger WWE stars than Cena.
I don't think Cena's got another 10 years left in him though. Maybe 5. The injuries are starting to pile up on him, they're grooming his successor (ready or not), and it's only a matter of time before his freakish Wolverine healing factor finally gives out on him.
There is no doubt that we have had incredible matches. Even before the last few years we had great matches, that will always be the case every now and then. The problem is that most of those great matches haven't had the storylines involved that they need to truly be remembered for years and years to come. Ever since they went to this type of writing team years ago, it has just been awful We are lucky we get almost anything passable from them lately. Most of the times the matches are forced to overcome the horrible writing, and it's a miracle when it happens.
I know, the storylines isn't what is important, but it's a huge part of the overall picture.
And I'll say this as well - even in most of those great matches, for most of the guys that are involved that weren't around "back in the day", even those great matches are missing the little details I talked about earlier that mean so much to me.
Exactly, that is literally insane. I have no clue what they are thinking, and yes even with him on the top he hasn't reached the heights of a Hogan, Rock, or Austin. I don't think he had it in him personally to do so, and to be fair to him he is usually given just God awful material to work with.
Maybe, but we'll see. I was kinda hoping this last Brock match would be the start of something but noooooooo, he comes out a week later without a scratch on him, not so much as a limp or any bit of selling in any way at all. He was perfectly fine, super-Cena indeed.
Oh man, if they let him beat Brock at the next PPV, oh man...
I'm half worried that is where they are going with it too. I'm worried they realize they put the belt on a guy that wont be around hardly at all, and they are going back to the guy they always do to get them out of yet another hole.
I really hope I'm wrong.
Honestly I think part of the reason Cena will never be viewed on the same level as Hogan, Rock, or Austin, is because a lot of fans view Cena as "manufactured" while Rock, Austin, and even to Hogan to a lesser degree got over and got to the main event on their own.
Brock/Cena 2 is the entire reason I'm holding off resubbing to the Network. I want to see if they actually keep the belt on Brock or if they revert to Cena again.
Sibersk Esto
Banned
The big problem. Meaningless filler matches should be abolished.
Good, appearing on this carny ass show would be a terrible move, hyped for Micheal Samdow
Nocturnowl
Member
That'd be my choice as well, no hype can match the Austin interference (except for that one other Austin interference from Foley/Rock), crowd are at a fever pitch for like the entire finale.
But to choose another from 2000, HHH vs Cactus Jack at the Rumble is one hell of a main event match.
real_slime
Banned
if brock loses in any fashion at night of champions i swear i'm gonna tell my friend nick and i'm just not gonna watch anymore.
btw i'm reading this topic again after two damn weeks of abstinence. quitting wwe is gonna be a rough one huh.
btw i'm reading this topic again after two damn weeks of abstinence. quitting wwe is gonna be a rough one huh.
Seems like the easiest time to quit in quite a while actually
back when the dude was still in his 20s, healthy, and lean (well, as lean as a guy can get for that size) he was a pretty good worker. did high spots in addition to the normal big man game
edit:
the thing about the quality of wrestling then vs now is, now there's still good stuff, definitely. but back then you could tune in for nitro during the mnw and almost be guaranteed 40~ solid minutes of awesome in ring work. benoit, malenko, juvi, eddie, mysterio, jericho, booker t
i mean the best of 7 booker t/benoit stuff was some of the best wrestling on prime time ever.
BoboBrazil
Member
Hold up. So Michael Sam isn't even confirmed for Raw? They just invited him to come? That's desperation. Vince is shook by MNF.
lovely ladies
Member
You should get a free month with that shirt.
Well... at least the shirt is only $9.99.
What possible reason would anyone have to buy this? Buy an advertisement for the Network?
HarryDemeanor
Member
Does the shirt come with Nitro?
Sir, may I ask you to remove your post and step outside this thread?
lovely ladies
Member
Where's the fine print with the 6 month commitment? Don't leave that out.
serenewarfare
Banned
Guess drunk reddit guy was lying and exaggerating. Imagine that.
HarryDemeanor
Member
I'm not going to take this shit from some Kevin Dunn stooge!
Dr Duncan Steel
Member
Man raw was so bad. Network sub expires tomorrow. Think I might legit not watch entirely until Bryan comes back. Ambrose cannot justify three hours.
But NXT Takeover.....nope gotta stay strong.
But NXT Takeover.....nope gotta stay strong.
I give it a week at most until I resubscribe.
You could wait for Bryan to come back, then sign up for a month and get caught up
They are just getting on the trend. Now even wrestling podcasts have there own t-shirts for you to wear. I know at least 3 podcasts who have there own shirts and a lot of people buy them.
Sir, you're making a scene and disturbing children.
Dr Duncan Steel
Member
But I sort of have a weird attachment to subscription services, like you don't know what you have until it's gone sort of deal. It's dumb I know. There's only one way to find out though.
smh....no words for such struggle.
slightconfuse
Banned
I love the idea that yelling 9.99 will get more subs than making awesome content like the Shield Doc or promoting the fact you can finally watch Nitro
Sibersk Esto
Banned
Carny mentality
You could, but then you'd have to drop Wrasslegaf for the same time because the gifs would spoil T2keover.
This thread has become 9.99 a month.
Even if he wasn't signed why the fuck would he associate himself with this carny ass company while he's looking for a team?
also that 9.99 shirt is hilarious. fucking hell.
Nerdkiller
Membeur
So tell me? How much does this shirt that advertises the WWE Network cost? Does it in any way have anything to do with how much the Network costs? Someone please, tell me of this so other could learn of the cost of the service.
I'm honest to god shocked that this isn't a joke.
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