Cross Face Chicken Wing

Did WWE coin the phrase "Reality Era?" Or did that annoying Grantland writer come up with it and WWE ran with it because "OMG WE GOT PRESS ON ESPN!!!!" ?

You're on an elevator with a dude who used to watch WWF fairly regularly during the Hulkamania years and the Attitude Era. He's now 35 years old, has a wife, a couple of kids, a white-collar office job and lives in the burbs. He has fond memories of his years as a wrestling fan, but due to his life changing and wrestling "just not being what it used to be," he hasn't watched the modern product more than a handful of times since the WWF/WCW merger. What would be your 45-second elevator speech to try and convince this guy to watch modern WWE again?

Absolutely not.

Group No. 1 wants to feel that same raw passion and emotion that Group No. 2 gets when watching wrestling. They get that feeling when seeing guys like Bryan, then get pissed when Bryan is pushed down the card for no logical reason. Group No. 1 will always love and watch wrestling, even if all they do is bitch about it. That's why WWE can get away with mocking Group No. 1 and continue to give more of the spotlight to guys who appeal more to Group No. 2. WWE doesn't have to worry that much about losing Group No. 1. They're lifers. What WWE has to worry about is hooking Group No. 2 enough so that when they graduate to Group No. 1, they continue to watch and invest in the product, even if all they do is bitch about it.

Well, to be fair, Jon Hamm is a much more convincing actor than Shawn Michaels.

And this was........???

Yup. That's exactly the type of stuff I love reading about on this board. Twitter is more for live reactions to events as they're happening or linking to interesting shit to read or watch. If I want to opine that Paul Heyman really killed it just now during his Raw promo, I'll take to Twitter. If I'm really impressed by an analytical piece someone wrote about WWE financials, I'll share the link with my Twitter followers (and come to PWO to see if it's being discussed in depth). If I want to marvel at the thickness of Kamala's beard in 1988 or wonder what type of tobacco Skinner was chewing during his 1991 vignettes, I come to PWO.

Has there ever been a one or two day American pro wrestling tournament that was praised as being good among a clear majority of fans? The Crockett Cups come to mind. So does the first King of the Ring. But even those two shows had some major flaws and I'm not sure you could get a clear majority to agree that they were great shows.

What are some of the stupidest things non-wrestling fans say to you once they learn you watch wrestling? The top three I hear are: 1. You know it's fake, right? (My reply: Are you sure? Really? Well, that's disappointing to hear.) 2. This stuff is still on TV? (My reply: Yeah, it's managed to stay on the air somehow.) 3. Ketchup! (when a wrestler bleeds) (My reply: Nope. It's spaghetti sauce. Usually Ragu.) Bonus: 4. You're watching this shit again!? (It's my wife who says this often. And I can't blame her.)

As long as you don't shut these types of threads down once they (inevitably, IMO) veer off into a bunch of different directions or start getting multiple replies to posts that may be worthy of their own thread just like the comments megathread did, it's got a good chance of working. We'll still lose some of the randomness that made PWO so much fun and unique compared to other boards, but hopefully we'll retain a good portion of it. I guess it's up to us board members who enjoyed all the neat things in the comments megathread to now bring as much of that type of thing out into the regular board if we want to keep that vibe going. Challenge accepted!

That was written over 4 years ago. People ignored it and for a long time, we let it slide, but I would go in there and have to sift through three pages of a discussion that DESERVED its own thread. In the meantime, other posters are posting random thoughts not associated with the three page discussion that should have been its own thread in the first place. For smaller companies (TNA, ROH, Modern Indys) we have given them their own threads and that is fine. They haven't become so huge or important that they become a chore to sift through. The original idea of the Megathread forum was not to have a place where people can just post random thoughts in a convenient storage area that others have to sift through. It was supposed to be an archive of threads that people may have find memories of and go back and read. We may have been too generous in letting it become people's playground and I'll accept some of the blame for that. As a mod, it is much easier to merge the occasional threads than clicking on individual posts splitting and creating a new topic. If a problem occurs in a discussion, and it happens enough, it is much easier to clean up a smaller thread than a bigger one that becomes too big to fail. For Current WWE, I like to post random thoughts on RAW or SD as they happen if I am watching live. It's part of the experience for me. Last night's RAW had 5 pages of comments and running. It clearly deserved its own thread. Thankfully, even though we have grown, we are still small enough that we don't have to prevent posters commenting on a show as it happens the way a site like DVDVR has to. When Brock Lesnar signed hi newest contract, somebody created a thread but people still felt it was necessary to post their thoughts on the Brock Lesnar signing in the Current WWE thread. It isn't what the spirit of those threads was intended to be. I hope it doesn't drive away people from creating new topics. I love creating new topics and reading new topics on the board. Someone complained about all of the WrestleMania threads created and that was by design. I was not excited about Mania going into the show but I wanted to be!!! I did 9 podcasts in 8 days and wanted as much Mania talk as possible to keep interest high including creating threads. Most of those threads were well received so I won't apologize for them and would rather have too many topics than nothing to talk about. I will respond to specific posts when I get home. I see your point on the current WWE thread. I like it because I don't follow the modern product that closely and it's a great way to check in with what people are saying in general and chime in every now and then without having to wade through endless new threads about modern WWE on the main board. But I understand why you'd want to close it. I don't see your point on closing the comments megathread. It's one of the best things here. I've learned so many cool little things from that thread that I never would have had it not existed. Nobody is going to start a new thread to find out if Bam Bam Bigelow actually saved kids from a fire or to get a quick answer about Abdullah the Butcher being a babyface in Montreal. A lot of the little things in the comments megathread is what makes PWO so great.

If I ever feel like wins and losses don't matter in wrestling, I'll probably stop watching wrestling. Of course, there's a lot more to what makes a great worker/match/promotion than who wins or loses, but it definitively matters.

This decision is going over about as well as having Reigns win the Royal Rumble and Bryan lose to Shemus in 18 seconds a couple of Wrestlemanias ago. The general comments and current WWE megathreads were daily reading for me. Are the mods turning heel? The bookers shouldn't turn the mods heel yet. They're still plenty over as faces.

First, thoughts and prayers to Aguayo Jr's family and friends. Second, you never know on the manslaughter thing. Wrestlers are always talking about "working snug," "laying their shots in," "legit heat," "working extra stiff," etc. To a prosecutor who doesn't know the business (and maybe wants to make a name for him or herself), they could view/twist it as Rey taking things beyond simply putting on a show. I doubt that's how it'll play out, but you never know. That's kind of what happened to Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe a few years back.

I don't understand it. There are a lot of things I used to enjoy as a child that I no longer enjoy today as a an adult. My past enjoyment of those things plays no role in how I currently view those things. Instead of complaining about them and bemoaning the fact that these things I once enjoyed used to be so much better, I don't watch/listen/participate in/play with or consume them any more. Is allegiance to WWE like an allegiance to a sports team for some people? Fans of the Cleveland Browns might do nothing but bitch and moan about how shitty their team is, but the Browns are still their team, dammit, and they still enjoy watching and supporting them, regardless of the misery that comes with it. That I can understand (even if I don't personally feel the same way about wrestling).

Yeah, that sucks. Here's a letter one of the guys posted. "As a life-long fan of your product, I was very excited to attend your show last night (Des Moines 3/16/2015). I had secured 10 tickets in the front row at $100 a ticket. By my math that is $1,000 that we paid the WWE to attend your event. The seats were in the front row. Being a huge fan, I made sure to invite 9 other rabid fans and we all made the decision to pay tribute to our favorite wrestlers and dress like them. Within 10 minutes of the show starting, we were told that our outfits were "too distracting" and to change clothes, or we would be moved. I assure you none of the members of our party were being in any way unruly or belligerent. You can watch the taping and see for yourself. We were merely watching the show. Now, I have heard rumblings in the past of people being booted from their seats for costumes, but I always sided with the WWE and assumed that those fans HAD to have done something else to lose their seats, and WWE wouldn't boot people for simply dressing up. Now I know that they indeed will do that, regardless of how respectful you are. This seems to contradict your "Be a Star" promotions (which ironically enough was running on the screen as we were being scolded by WWE producers) that seem to encourage fanaticism.I guess at the end of the day, all I am looking for is an explanation as to why you would boot fans who spend the time, energy, and money on advocating your product. Seems like just the kind of people you would want in your corner. For the record, I am still in your corner, however disappointed I may be. Thanks for your time, Matt Sheridan PS - Had we all been dressed as John Cena or Roman Reigns would the outcome have been different? Please advise so I can let the other 9 guys know for future shows" Key word in that whole letter is this: "For the record, I am still in your corner, however disappointed I may be." For as much as everyone bitches about WWE and the shit it pulls both inside the ring and out, most everyone "remains in their corner." Nothing will change until people start leaving that corner. Makes for good message board fodder, but nothing will change.

Randy Orton. I sat down to watch Raw the day after Fast Lane so I could do my annual get-caught-up before Wrestlemania routine. Orton was the first guy to come out. Before he even made it to the ring, I turned off the TV and haven't watched since. Yes, that's right, I hate Randy Orton so much that he single-handedly caused me to check out of the Wrestlemania buildup for the first time in my lifetime. I thought this turd was gone for a while? Why in the hell would they bring him back before their biggest show? There is not one single person on God's green earth who has said to themselves, "I gotta go to this WWE show so I can see Randy Orton!" Not one. Ever. If FiveThirtyEight.com analyzed the numbers, their studies would show that Orton has made 5,894,105 people hate wrestling and caused zero people to become wrestling fans (that's a negative ratio for all of you people who might reply with "Ahhhh c'mon, Orton isn't that bad. He had a great run on Smackdown in October of 2007" or some shit). I'd rather watch Bill Demott slap concussed wrestlers in the head before watching Randy goddam Orton.

What would the WWE powers-that-be have done if Bryan walked in a few hours before Fast Lane started, dug his heels in, and said he'll walk out before he'll job to Reigns? Bryan sounds like the complete opposite of a person who would do something like that, but the way some of the powers-that-be at WWE, including Vince himself, talk about how they wish guys would "step up," I wonder if it might not have been the smart move long term. Not wanting to have a torpedoed main event during the free WWE Network month, the powers-that-be cave and put Bryan over Reigns. Reigns is pissed, but Bryan pitches it like this: If Bryan beats Brock at Mania, Reigns is set up for a nice run with Bryan after Mania using the "you swooped in and stole my title shot" angle. If Brock destroys Bryan, Reigns is still in good position to finally get his title shot at Brock at the next PPV. After initially being furious, Vince settles down in the following weeks and gains respect for Bryan finally "stepping up." As a gesture of goodwill, Bryan goes to a steak dinner w/ Vince and agrees to vote for the republican presidential candidate in 2016.

I turn on Raw tonight so I can do my annual tradition of paying attention for a month or so leading up to Wrestlemania, and who are the first two guys to show up on my TV screen? Randy Orton and Triple-H. Click. What a joke.

Flair is doing a podcast? Opening odds on this are as follows: Complete disaster and unlistenable (+850) Greatest podcast ever (-550) Better than Jim Ross (+100) Flair is too drunk to speak on at least 25 percent of the episodes (pick 'em) Jerry is right. If Flair was simply a "guest" on his own podcast every week and had a knowledgeable co-host who would just ask him questions for an hour every week, it'd be very good. Flair spouting off on random topics and interviewing guests......oye.

WCW's defensive line and Sting are freaking people out ATLANTA, GA -- Ted Turner's money hasn't been able to buy a great quarterback. It's also left the WCW Big Boys with mediocre running backs and an offensive line filled with holes. But take one look at WCW's defensive line, and you immediately forget about weak spots on the rest of the roster. Ron Simmons, Vader and Bill Goldberg might be the best defensive linemen in the SCFL, and they all play for Turner's Big Boys. And they yell a lot. Loudly. Their parents never taught them about the "inside voices" concept. "You're next!!!!" Goldberg asks rhetorically when asked about if WCW's d-line can carry it to the SCFL Title Belt. Then he randomly blows steam out of his nostrils. "It's time! It's time! It's Vader time!" Vader yells when asked the same question., Then the 440-pounder points at his shoulder pads, causing steam to shoot out of an attached helmet. "Damn," Simmons deadpans before cracking open his 17th Budweiser and digging into a 3-pound Angus steak. Even Norman Smiley, WCW's veteran possession receiver and starting cornerback -- making him the only two-way player in the SCFL -- is scared of Vader, Goldberg and Simmons. "Why do you think I play both ways?" Smiley said. Those three hate me and they scare me to death. If I'm not paying attention on the sideline, Vader will powerbomb me, Goldberg will spear me and Simmons will kick me square in the nads." Smiley is asked why his three behemoth teammates choose to pick on him. "Because I'm Norman Smiley," he says. "Everybody likes to bea--" Before Smiley can finish, Simmons comes up from behind and drills Smiley with a chair, ending the interview. Perhaps the three angry d-linemen should direct their rage at the Big Boys' quarterback, Sting, who hasn't lived up to the hype since joining the team. Sting also hasn't bee able to draw fans. WCW hasn't sold out a game in three seasons. However, rumors are swirling that WCW will be getting a new version of Sting this season. Sting hasn't been photographed, filmed or interviewed all offseason. Nobody has seen him around the WCW team complex, either. Well, kicker Disco Inferno claims he's seen Sting. But what he describes doesn't sound like the blonde-haired, painted-face, upbeat Sting we all know. "I saw him, man" Disco said. "It was Sting, no doubt in my mind. But he had white facepaint and long black hair. He was wearing a black trench coat and hanging out in the rafters of the practice facility. I was freaked out, but I waved to him. All he did was point at me with a black bat and disappear." Keep in mind, Disco has been suspended in each of his nine SCFL seasons for using LSD. Whatever version of Sting WCW gets, and whoever its defensive line decides to beat up, 2015 is shaping up to be an interesting season for Ted Turner's Big Boys.

White and bloody: Grapplers fate rests on Flair's focus, sobriety CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Here's what you learn when looking at the NWA Rasslers team photo: · After another offseason filled with debauchery and tabloid headlines, superstar quarterback "Nature Boy" Ric Flair looks to be in as good a shape as ever. · Tight end Giant Baba is still the most awkward looking player in the SCFL. · The NWA Rasslers are white. Very white. Crazed guard Abdulla the Butcher, backup tackle Thunderbolt Patterson and defensive back Pez Whatley (who is high on cult fame but low on talent) are the team's only black players. There's an Indian (Jay Youngblood), a Japanese running back (Great Muta), tight end (Baba) and two Somoans (Samu and Fatu), but the fact remains that the Rasslers are one of the palest looking teams in professional sports. When asked about being one of the only black players on the team, Abdullah the Butcher pulled a fork out of his pants and tried to stab a group of reporters gathered by his locker. Adbullah's fellow starting guard, the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, ended up taking all race-related questions. “It ain’t no thang, brutha,” Rhodes said in a dialect that kind of sounded black, but not really because it was being said by Dusty Rhodes. Their whiteness isn’t the only strange thing about the Grapplers. They also bleed easily. Routine tackles, even post-play celebrations that involve two teammates clanking their helmets together, often result in a Grapplers player bleeding from the forehead. “We call it wearing the crimson mask,” Flair says. “When we say it takes blood, sweat and tears to win it all – WHOOOOOO!!!!! – we ain’t kidding.” Rumors have been circulating that Grapplers players actually use small razor blades hidden in their wrist tape to cut open their own foreheads. But whenever a Grapplers player is asked about it, the response is always “kayfabe,” followed by the interview abruptly ending. On the field, the Grapplers are all about Flair. If the quarterback is healthy, sober and focused, the Grapplers are as good as any team in the league. If Flair is spending too much time styling and profiling instead of preparing for the an upcoming game, the rest of the Grapplers roster is too slow to pick up much of the slack. On defense, Terry Funk is one of the hardest hitters in the league at safety and middle linebacker Harley Race rarely misses a tackle.

Every year I anxiously await to see which legends will be wrestling at Mania. I hope Austin comes back one year. I'm looking forward to seeing Sting. Rock can keep making as many one-off appearances at Mania as he'd like. Shawn Michaels? One or two more Mania matches would be great. Undertaker, too. Hell, wheel out Flair and Hogan and I'll still pop. WWE needs to build new stars and book the young guys in a way that elevates them to Rock/Austin/Michaels/Taker status? You can shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first. Meanwhile, I'm going to enjoy the old guys at Mania (well, the old guys not named HHH, anyway).

Oversized WWF Superstars out to take over SCFL STAMFORD, Conn. -- You can learn a lot about the WWF Superstars by sitting and chatting with their head coach Vince McMahon by his pool at his mansion on a hot summer day. You'll learn that McMahon is confident quarterback Randy "Macho Man" Savage has finally learned to control his temper, and won't threaten to lock any receiver who drops a pass in a closet for the remainder of the game. You'll learn that tight end Hulk Hogan has a great chance to be the first tight end to take home league MVP. You'll learn that linebacker Bret "the Hitman" Hart still has a chip on his shoulder and always will. And you'll learn that the WWF Superstars are tired of talking about steroids. "Listen goddamit," McMahon snarls, immediately putting an end to his laid back, poolside mood. "What we've accomplished, we've accomplished through hard work. Everyone on that roster has stepped up and grabbed the brass ring." But with an offensive line weighing in at an average of more than 450 pounds, talk of performance-enhancing drugs will follow the WWF Superstars forever. Kind of like the deflated footballs story stuck with the New England Patriots in the old NFL, only this time we're talking about balls, aka testicles, and how they, too, can deflate from overusing steroids. "I do not know what you mean," said guard Yokozuna, who weighs in at over 550 pounds, through his interpreter, Mr. Fuji. Before this reporter could ask a follow-up question, Fuji threw salt in the reporter's eyes and ushered Yokozuna out of the room. Hogan was also asked about steroids. "Let me tell you something, brother," he yelled. "We train hard. We take our vitamins. We say our prayers. Ask all the Hulkamaniacs, they'll tell you we're clean." We may never now just what the WWF Superstars inject, snort or rub into their bodies. But we do know Savage, Hogan and running back Dynamite Kid will have to put up a lot of points to cover for a defense that lacks true playmakers outside of defensive end The Undertaker. Yes, middle linebacker "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is as good as they get, but he won't sack the opposing quarterback, sit straight up, then cause the stadium lights to flicker as part of his sack celebration like the Undertaker can. "Oooooh yeaaaaaah," Savage said when asked if the WWF Superstars have what it takes to win it all. "Diiiiig it."