fakeplastictrees

Ric Flair has every right to be called out for not making good on his contract. Flaking out should never been excused or covered up. If Flair owes money, he needs to pay up.

For me this really comes down to commitment. I don't want to see WWE flake out after the first 6 months and have people showing up on the opposite brand. There should be no invasion angles or even a draft until at least two years in.

I wouldn't mind a brand split, but in all honesty I would love if Stephanie/HHH had full control off Raw (cause let's be honest it WILL BE RAW) and continue the boring template it currently has while filled with a bunch of people I don't care about. And let Smackdown be the show filled with the characters that aren't tired. Styles, Sami Zayn, Ceasaro, Kevin Owens, etc. Keep Sheamus, Big Show, Kane, Alberto Del Rio, etc. on Raw and let HHH/Stephanie have the program they feel the fans 'deserve'. This is a situation where WWE can (as they did with NXT) have its cake and eat it too. Keep The Dudleys, Jericho, HHH, The Ascension, and the other stale acts on the main show. I would also love to see only one world champion and not multiple. Give Raw The I.C. and Women's title. Give Smackdown the U.S. and Tag titles. I know no one asked for it, but if I was in control the first 15 drafted superstars to Raw would be: The Ascension Kane Big Show Sheamus Chris Jericho Alberto Del Rio The Dudley Boys Randy Orton Fandango Swagger The Miz Maryse John Cena Keep building to WM 34 and the main event will be Cena vs. Reigns for the first time...watch the money pour in. I also hope WWE hard splits the women's roster. The split would be the workers (Charlotte, Sasha, Becky, Natalie, etc.) from the non-workers (Eva, Lana, Rosa, etc.). Again, this is really a situation where WWE can keep Raw stale and full of 'the names' while Stephanie gets to brag about leading a revolution. As all of this goes on and Raw continues to be a 3 hour death march, Smackdown is just tearing it up.

What is Jericho's NPS score? His presence is a big fucking meh! His matches are average at best the majority of the time, and his promos are pretty much on the on money, and his overall character work is fine. Is a 45 too high?

MITB is pretty much 'fail proof' at this point. All WWE has to do is NOT let Jericho win. That's it. The case can go to ANYONE ELSE and WWE would be okay. This is like the smallest and least amount of effort WWE has to put into something this year. Holy Fuck if Jericho wins!

It's amazing that after all these years Natalie has maintained the con of her being one of the best female workers in the company even though there is a ton of evidence to the contray. Sure, Natalie has had a handful of matches people consider good, but Extreme Rules was Natalie being Natalie and hope she is never back in the title picture.

I can see how my comments can come off as policing black people, but I think of it as a bit different. The message isn't "Don't be/do X", but rather "Don't be afraid to be/do X". I have seen it in every day life where people of color limit themselves and stigmatize themselves with a gimmick of 'the hood' that is, in all reality, un-creative and far from charming. I think there can be 'street' elements with Black wrestlers without pulling out the worse aspects. Look at John Cena. Appropriation at its finest and yet he has avoided the gun shot motifs, the gang pattern designs, etc. I have longed believe that Vince McMahon and other's definition of the 'street' and 'hood' and the styles/culture within is patterned off of Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel music video and Elvis' Jail House Rock. Its not relevant and if you think watching Season 1 of the The Wire will 'get you up to speed', then there is a lot more study that needs to be done. So how can WWE and pro wrestling allow a black wrester to be a black wrestler while at the same time being a wrestler that happens to be black? Staying relevant is one way. R. Truth should be coming to the ring rocking the newest Supreme dickie's and since he wrestles in sneakers anyways why is he not rocking the new Kobe's, Jordan's, etc. WWE has so much money they can easily get buzz on sneaker websites, TMZ, etc. by having R-Truth come out rocking the new Yeezy's. This all plays into the street elements without playing into the negative street elements that is mainly attributed by the white man's view of the black community. WWE and pro wrestling can show the positives with reflecting and glorifying and fore-fronting the negatives and the stereotypes that are used/viewed as negatives. We also have to ensure we are embracing blackness and all attributes associated to blackness. I alluded to Kim Kardashian earlier and this is the zeitgeist we live in. Pro wrestling should embrace this point in history where tons of women around the world are looking toward a woman who is spending tons of women to have these Afro/Caribbean/Latin features. This is a point in time where someone like Amber Rose is rocking the natural look and has over 11 million Instagram followers and 3 million Twitter followers. Perhaps its time for Foxy to ditch the unconvincing weaves that try desperately to adhere to a European viewpoint of beauty. Black wrestler can and should be more than what they believe they can be, need to be, and what they are told to be. Again, New Day has taken a bunch of stereotypes and parodied them to the point that they are background to a much larger picture of three guys who are fucking over as shit and who just happen to be black.

How does WWE come to release guys like Tiny, Lombardi, etc. when people like The Ascension are RIGHT THERE. WWE has been doing a pretty good job as it related to spring cleaning, but fuck! I remember when they got rid of Sgt. Are these guys really that much dead weight or is this Stephanie/HHH slowly phases out the old guard to establish a new generation of 'guys with a job for life?

Bayley is at a very interesting place that not a lot of wrestlers find themselves. She can suffer a loses for the next 3 months and then put into a WHC title and still be seen as a threat. This is the best time for WWE to get some of the Bayley magic rubbed off onto the rest of the roster. Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky had the benefits of working with each other Emma, Paige, Natalie, and Bayley in NXT. As it stands right now Asuka and Bayley are the only women left with any real workrate and magic. Athena, Billie Kay, etc. will need further build and will do well for NXT in 2017. Maybe Alexa will step it up as well latter this year, but as of right now Bayley being 'jobbed out' keeps her interesting and fresh for Asuka/Bayley II. If this was WWE proper, they would have had a match at Extreme Rules and it would have all meant nothing as Bayley would have jobbed out the following night and her and Carmella would have decided to end their friendship as Bayley packs her own lunch and gets ready for her trip to 50/50 ville.

How do you guys feel about Taker vs. Reigns? Also, does Jericho vs. Reigns (which I hope never happens) makes either of them look good coming out or is it a situation where both of them in the same ring will create this vacuum of apathy.

I was never a fan of Cody Rhodes. Ever. I always found him boring and if he last name was Jones, he would have been fired a long time ago. The guy is a cream cheese sandwich with the crust cut off. I am glad he stepped out of the box to become Stardust and he had some good moments as that character, but overall this guy was so un-over for a long time and he can blame HHH, the writers, politics, or whatever/whomever he wants to but at the end of the day it all comes down to Cody having a million gimmicks, a million partners, a million title reigns, and in 2016 being one of the most un-over people on the roster. If Zack Ryder is STILL OVER in 2016, then Cody Rhodes (who has been booked way better and again has had more success) has no excuse. This is not a missed opportunity and I say good-riddance. With all that said, I wouldn't mind if Cody Rhodes popped into TNA. If TNA has been good for anything over the years it has been an awesome redemption place for people. Christian Cage provided he can be a legit main eventer, Steiner proved that if WWE booked him correctly in 2002-2003 he could have been a nice player within the company, and that Kevin Nash could actually get people over and if booked correctly can still be entertaining within a role outside of the WHC picture. I honestly feel that Cody Rhodes will have a lot of people thinking differently if he goes to TNA and has some matches against Lashley, Galloway, Jeff Hardy, etc. You want something Southern? Book Storm vs Rhodes and let the blood flow. Cody really does need a different environment, bookers, etc. at this point as he just didn't get over in WWE for 10 years. The elements are there, but perhaps new chefs are needed?

Styles/Reigns for the second PPV in a row had the MOTN in my book and this match has definitely earned a spot in The Best of WWE 2016 comp that I am sure someone will make in the near future. The rest of the show kept me entertained aside from The Asylum match which had me just questioning everyone and everything involved. The gimmick wasn't bad, it was mainly the two wrestlers involved within the gimmick. The Usos and The Club is a match I do not care about whenever it happens, but I always love to see as I know all four guys will try their best to get over and put on a show. The Usos have been pretty lukewarm for a while and this Reigns association is doing them no favors. Having Reigns run the "The Guy" gimmick is all fine and well. It works for him, but being "The Team" will get the Usos coming out to crickets and in a position where WWE will need to take a drastic measure to keep them fresh in some way. New Day was fun and its good to see Xavier establish some credibility. I have always been a fan of him and laughed when TNA released him as I knew it would only be a matter of time before WWE scooped him up. Now look at him. A good match all around. I have the same feelings on The U.S. title match as it told a good story and everything was setup nicely to build off of each other.

There are very few matches that feel like parodies of itself and its genre, but this was one of them. HIAC has become way too self-conscious with too many guys looking to un-organically get out of the cell, climb the thing, and cosplay KOTR 1998. This is what this match felt like. Both guys KNEW they had to deliver within the gimmick and I am not sure where it occurred, but this match turned into the HHH/HBK Badd Blood match with both guys working hard, but not working hard within the context of the story, but rather the context both believed to be the story. The crowd wasn't into it and people can blame the time all they want, but the truth of the matter is that this match had no heat and Jericho screaming constantly (with a long record of phoning it in to proceed this match) didn't help anyone involved. From Jericho wearing blue jeans to Dean playing his "Crazy 101" character with no interesting quirks and zero sincerity- this match shit the bed. With zero urgency from either wrestler and without reasonable escalation within the structure-- this was everything I feared it would be. Everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves for putting that on-air and expecting people no to shit on it. However, big Kudos to Jericho fo taking the tack up at his age and at this point in his career. Chris Jericho,at this point, doesn't need to take a back full of tacks. But he did it. No one can say with a straight face that he isn't, despite himself sometimes, trying to do everything he can to get guys like Owens, Ambrose, Styles etc. over.

What a way to start off the week! Styles jobbing two nights in a row and disassociating himself from "The Club", Apollo Crews getting attacked by Sheamus and then jobbing out to Jericho of all people, Dolph Ziggler trying to convince the world that he is a shoot wrestler, and of course the Seth Rollins promo to start the show. This week hasn't started off too good.

Not to pile on here, but I NEVER 'got' AJ Lee. She was annoying as a character and nothing more than passable in the ring. She was light years ahead of the women in the promo department, but when that consistent of Natalie Neidhart, The Bellas, Eva Marie, Summer Rae, etc. then that's not saying much. The worse of AJ is when she ran her 'Too Cool For School' gimmick and essentially acted as the female CM Punk with even less sincerity. If you are into fake revolutionists and people who only pretend to speak his/her mind, then AJ Lee is the wrestler for you. Nothing she did in the last year or so came off as authentic. CM Punk and others had a shoot gimmick because at some point-in-time, they were actually shooting. AJ Lee had a shoot gimmick that was written by the writers and cribbed note from real shooters and yet was trying to be passed off as the real deal. A big NO THANK YOU to AJ Lee and everything she did in her career. The wrestling, the promos, the character, the skipping. All just terrible and easily one of the most overrated 'good' female wrestlers in WWE since Katie Lea Burchill walked into an area of crickets and failed to get over for 3-5 years before being released.

Nothing fancy here, just a stream of thought. I have touched on this in the past, but haven't really gone into detail. Some people associate 'being black' as a mentality and not just a skin color. I am smart enough to know that a skin color doesn't define a person and doesn't tell the whole story, but for some there are certain lifestyle choices excepted from a black person. The main expectation is to 'act black' which is usually a bunch of negative stereotypes and pejoratives. Some black people within their own communities have accepted this way of thinking and shame people within their own community for 'acting white' or 'wanting to be white' because those people decide they want to listen to Paul Simon, wear pants above his/her own waist, completely forego Ebonics, etc. No one likes to be made fun of or made a social outcast, so some cave into this social pressure of glorified and accepted ignorance and thus decide to live his/her life as a caricature and definition of a white man's view of black people. Ahmed Johnson and Harlem Heat were the first black wrestlers I was really exposed to and I loved it. All three guys were dynamic in the ring and they had a kick-ass vibe to them. Harlem Heat was having fun matches on Nitro and PPV against teams like LOD, Sting/Luger, American Males, etc. While Ahmed was almost killing jobbers on Monday Night Raw (seriously watch some of those early matches). The lack of focus on the skin color of the wrestlers allowed for true success in their careers. When their skin color was the primary focus (Harlem Heat in the early years and Ahmed in his later years), of their characters and their gimmicks where built around their skin color, their popularity wasn't at a desirable point. The New Day faced the same problem when they were put together. People saw three black guys in suits, speaking intelligently, and bringing up grievances and because of this people automatically assumed that the yet unnamed New Day were going to start pulling the race card and run a NOD/New Black Panther Party-lite gimmick. When The Social Outcasts got together and essentially cut the same promo, no one thought a Neo Nazi gimmick, etc. was coming. Why? An educated negro is one of the scariest things to some people. This is because some people believe not only the negative stereotypes, but the positive as well. Bigger dicks, bigger bone density (which I believe this is a fact), a body more suited for athletics, etc. Imagine being the skinny kid at school and you are in the gym locker with all the jocks with six pack abs, etc. You'd feel a little intimidated. But guess what? You are an Honor-Student so you have that going for you and those guys just have the six pack abs. You will do pretty well in the future, but what happens when one of those jocks opens his mouth and starts talking about Quantum physics with the other guys and a discussion ensues without anyone missing a beat? What happens when you later find out that not only can these guys hold an intelligent conversation, but they are all on The Principal's-List. Good looks, power, and brains. Now you are faced with that fact that not only are these guys getting the girls, but they are probably going to be more successful then you and make more money. Your 'edge' is now gone. So what's left? Aha! Time to insult their skin color! That will teach em! People have grown up with this thinking and application of stereotypes that they do not apply to any other race. When we talk about the number 1 terrorist in America right now, who are we talking about? Some would say Muslims and/or ISIS/ISIL, but the real answer is white Christian males. However, no one is asking for a band on Christians coming into this country, no one is over-policing white neighbor hoods, there are no political campaigns running to talk about dealing with the number 1 domestic terrorist. Everyone else is the enemy! Pro wrestling has long feed into both of these lines of thinking. This is why the outcome of New Day is so refreshing as its three black men together and they are not playing characters that are from the streets and trying to 'keep it real' nor are they the NOD/NBPP-lite gimmick. They are three guys who love comics, love making jokes, love fun, and love eating Booty-O's cereal, and they JUST HAPPEN to be black. Its not put in the forefront. Like Harlem Heat and Ahmed, they got over once they were allowed to be wrestlers that just happen to be black instead of Vince McMahon's definition of a black person translated into a black wrestler. Earlier, I touched on the fact that some people being 'forced' into a caricature and I feel WWE's Naomi is the current on-air personification of this. Naomi, by all accounts is probably one of the nicest female wrestlers in WWE. She has speed, athleticism, and at times has shown she is one of the most believable promos in the company. While Naomi's character is that of a wrestler that just happens to be black, Naomi has taken strides to pigeonhole herself into a black wrestler role. I find this fascinating because she is essentially taking the opportunity that WWE has given her and decided to limit herself and present herself as if 1994 Vince McMahon was calling the shots. WWE made their first Naomi shirt a while ago and she was very happy about it and commented that she was told that she 'wasn't marketable'. Now I know 'not being marketable' is keyword for not being white with blonde hair and blue eyes, but I think the second problem here is Naomi's desire to 'keep it real' and to 'be black'. This means adhering to negative stereotypes and imagery. Both Charlotte and Natalie decided to pigeonhole themselves based off their last names and they will ride that into the sunset. Becky Lynch isn't so lucky. She doesn't have a Lynch family dynasty to fall back on, so she had to create her gimmick from scratch. Her imagery is that of steam-punk which automatically sets her apart from the other female wrestlers and is something a lot of people don't automatically dismiss and instead (in some cases) actually find intriguing as the designs of her costumes are intrinsic, fun, and beautifully done. Naomi, having this same freedom, decided to go the less imaginative route and decided to tailor her gear with a pattern that is normally associated with gangs. The bandanas tired around her wrist is a common trope with a lot of gangs showing their 'colors'. Her entrance mannerisms (at times) are of those seen in the average rap video. A lot of people can't relate. A lot of people don't want to relate. She is being the 'ghetto girl' and that is not favorable or desirable to a lot of people. Being 'ghetto' isn't seen as a badge of honor in a lot parts of the world and while Naomi and others may very her a 'keeping it real', she has unknowingly contributed to her own un-marketability and niche status. She could have had her costume designed after Wonder Woman or really anything else, but she choose the default 'black' thing and ran with it and in essence, to a degree, became a black wrestler instead of a wrestler that happened to be black. R-Truth is another interesting case as he is both a black wrestler and a wrestler that happens to be black. He raps, he dances, he wears bagging pants, and his catch-phrase is 'What's Up!?' However, he also dresses up as different characters, hangs out with people like Goldust and The Miz, and gets in whacky mis-adventures along the way. These elements are juxtaposed in such a way that R-Truth isn't too heavy on either side of the spectrum and has been allowed to show the range that most in the position would not be allowed/able to do. Despite the bullet proof vest, the gun shot and chain imagery, and being in racist and perceived to be racist angles/segments (WWE has disabled the comments on his confederate solider promo video for a reason), he is all over WWE programming, advertisements, merchandise, etc. R-Truth also makes it out to a lot of WWE PR sprints. I am not saying that eliminating anything and everything that may be deem 'black' is the most desirable outcome for a push and will automatically make a wrestler successful. The most sought after and desirable female in the United States has had surgery and enhancements to look like a black woman and these features that were shamed not even 20 years ago are all of a sudden the rage. Twerking is all of a sudden mainstream now and of course Iggy's "Fancy" was a global smash. Elements within our world deemed 'black' are still accepted today and are making tons of people money. I just don't feel that black sterotypes are needed or should be allowed and perpetuated in the 21st century. Pro wrestling needs less black wrestlers and more wrestlers that happen to be black. Pulling upon common 'black people' tropes, like Sasha Banks has, is fine as long as its not over-done and isn't put into the forefront. A wrestler relying too heavily on the gimmicks and/or mannerisms can easily, and unknowingly to some, place a wrestler in the black wrestler category which makes them a caricature of a broken system and world-wide thought process.

That Nattie/Charlotte stuff would have died a terrible death in any other city. Natalie was terrible (as usual) on the mic and I am not sure why she/WWE haven't realized that Nattie works better in soundbytes. Glad to see The Clockwork Orange House of Fun match make it to WWE and with an added budget. Should be fun. I don't believe the rules were really explained, but I believe this is just going to be a weapons match inside the steel cage. No escape rules applied. Hopefully all goes well on Sunday and I will be able to go to bed on time. If these two shit the bed in this new gimmick, I might have to stay up and listen to PTBN reaction show.* Shane/Stephanie being in the backdrop of almost everything is pretty annoying, but WWE is going to WWE. I really hope (as other have mentioned in the other thread) that this DOESN'T lead to any more Shane or Stephanie matches. If HHH really wants to work SummerSlam, he has Styles, Rollins, Wyatt, and tons of others to choose from before the conversation should even get to Shane. Stephanie running a proxy war angle with Charlotte will only turn Charlotte face and she is terrible as a face. There are certain people who should be a heel for life and thus far from what I have seen from Charlotte, she is one of those people. *Plug

The Figure 8 is the first one that popped into my mind. I understand how its suppose to be 'cute' and an extension of a legacy, but doesn't the elevation actually lessen the pain?

Over the last 20 years (starting in 1996) in the major U.S. promotions (ROH, TNA, ECW, WCW, WWE), I venture to say that there are more one named female wrestlers that female wrestlers with first and last names. The tricky thing here is that some names where shortened and some where extended depending upon the promotion/angle at the time. Katarina Waters was known professionally as "Katie Lea Burchill" in WWE, but in TNA she was known was "Winter". The same can be said for Terri Runnels/Marlena, Brooke/Brooke Tessmacher, etc.

Why do the majority of female talent go by only their first name and nothing else? I believe it comes down to two things: 1. Some of the most famous female celebrities of our time only go by one name. Cher, Madonna, Adele, etc. Even those who 'have a last name (i.e. Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, etc.), usually mark their 'coming out' and 'milestone albums with just their first name. It's a statement that there is only one. If you are an A&R of a music company and your receptionist tells you 'Mariah's' agent is on line one and wants to talk shop...you would automatically assume "Mariah Carey" as she has branded herself both ways.Kleenex is a brand of tissue, however people use the brand as a synonym for tissue. It is incorrect, but the branding is so strong it has slipped into out lexicon.This is what promoters are trying to achieve with the one word names. It sounds very "Diva","Diva" in this case being viewed as something strong and empowering. 2. The flip side to all of this is, of course, the stripper name. Women are only in pro wrestling because the male audience needs some eye candy between the big matches. This is of course what some promoters truly believe and whether or not the audience agrees means absolutely dick because these women are going to get the stripper treatment. "Now coming down the aisle...Naomi!", "From Australia...Emma!", etc. In WWE, TNA, and ROH (thought WWE is the bigger offender) we see these women wrestling matches in full makeup and ridiculous amounts of hair extensions. The expectation of the presentation is started before the women hits the curtain, and while it doesn't play heavily into the perception of women in wrestling, it does play a factor. Trish Stratus sounds like a real person. Jazz sounds like a stage name someone is using as it most likely her nickname (as "The Fridge" became Perry's nickname). "Cameron" on the other hand, just sounds too plain and because it has no real significance based on the commonality of the name, people associate no value and are left with the default thinking of 'eye candy'. When women named "Cameron" are booked to do nothing, then it just exemplifies this point even further. If these women are considered strong and empowering characters, then that's all fine and good-- but being and sounding 'sexy' is first and foremost hence in a lot of cases no last name..

To answer Loss' question, no -- no one moves the needle but Cena. As much as they have paid Lesnar, its not happening with him and the McMahons self fullfilling prophecy of booking themselves in the normal highest rated segment points of the show doesn't count.

Would a pay tier system work for WWE workers? Would that make Ryback happy? A pay tier that would add 'benefits' to lower card workers that would allow for them to keep more of their check instead of it going to travel, hotel, food, etc. In this fantasy pay tier system guys like Slater, Ryback, Ryder, Swagger, etc. will be paid something like (and I am totally pulling this out-of-my-ass) 100,000 flat. However, the company will take care of ALL TRAVEL arrangements, gym membership fees, and provide a monthly stipend for food and ring gear. In addition these guys will get a bigger percentage of sold merch and get a little bit more time off compared to the top guys. That MIGHT satisfy some people, but what happens when someone like Ryder is clearing 150,000K a year based off this system and still wants that JOHN CENA MONEY? This would require WWE to include some 'advancement system'. The 'advancement system' would be set guidelines and marks a performer will NEED TO HIT before moving up to a different tier. This is problematic because unlike a traditional job, how is this actually measured? How would it be measured? One of my ideas is self-promotion outside of WWE. The best case example of this is someone like Zack Ryder. He was doing nothing, making no waves ,and then he decided to do a Youtube channel. The crowds across the world started to heavily respond to this guy who wasn't on the main show and in WWE cannon was doing absolutely dick. Due to this reaction, WWE was FORCED to do something with him. I can see this being 'dangerous' for a company like WWE who doesn't want people getting over on their own and/or getting TOO OVER and becoming bigger than the brand, but in an age where WWE loves to brag about how many Youtube views, Twitter followers, Facebook linkes, etc. the company has- shouldn't a wrestler be rewarded in some way if he/she is able to double his/her own Twitter followers within a 6 month time span? Thinking a bit further, I am unable to come up with other metrics, because even the one I provided can be dubious with a wrestler getting desperate and deciding to pay a firm in Russia to jack up his/her Instagram followers. I do know that ring work should count for something, but should not be the end-all-be-all or even a large factor as agents lay out matches and what happens in between is usually the same spots done every night. Another problem with this system as I am thinking about it, is that it would essentially have a start and finish point. Meaning that if EVERYTHING on this imaginary list is satisfied then that means WWE would have to full-fill the end of its bargain and actually do what is listed in the final tier, which means someone like Health Slater could potentially (within 3 years) Headline WM, make a million dollars a year, have at least ONE WHC title reign that last 90 days, etc. and be barely over with the crowd. But then again that hasn't stopped WWE from pushing people both past (Michelle McCool) and present (Sheamus) to the top of the card despite getting zero reaction. This really comes down to opportunity and wrestlers want to know what boxes need to be checked to get the Cena spot. All the passion, hard work, dedication, etc. means nothing is Vince doesn't want to push you. But then again, I guess that's really the same at other jobs, but WWE can get away with it because the landscape isn't as diverse and plentiful. If I am in the banking business and my boss won't give me a raise, I will just simply put out my resume and go to another company that will pay me what I want. The problem with pro wrestling is where does someone like Ryback go if he wants to make more money? A TNA that may or may not be in business come 2017? NJPW who is still working numbers for their dome shows? The Mexican companies that may or may not be having money issues depending on who you are talking to? What about the EL Rey show that already has 3 seasons in the can, but the whole idea is still up in the air as far as longevity is concerned?

The 50/50 booking definitely helps prevent people from becoming bigger than the company and thus being able to carry other companies. This also makes wrestlers pulling a Punk/Rock/Lesnar a few less likely experience. Its about the brand and not the wrestlers in the brand. TNA has proven that the wrestlers, for the most part, aren't draws anymore. Bound For Glory 2010 had Sting, Kevin Nash, RVD, Ric Flair, ECW guys (Sabu, Rhino, Dreamer, Raven), Mick Foley, Jeff Hardy, and Kurt Angle all on the card and it only managed to get 3500 people in the building that day. This is all intenational, get people over, but not TOO over.

My general takeaway was that people were more-often-than-not pissed off at the way/questioning the way Reigns was being booked. HHH making Reigns look like a chump, Reigns checking Twitter to see if his BEST FRIEND is okay, Reigns hardly being around when his BEST FRIEND was getting the shit kicked out of him, the corny lines, etc. Once Reigns dropped a lot of these elements and became 'The Guy' instead of being a 'Good Guy' (like his gimmick implies), things started to turn the table. The work has been there for a while now and if the last few weeks are any indication of what's to come-- its all up from here.

I am actually working on a piece, for my website, that will touch on this in some respect. In short: feminism has been portrayed in the worse way in pro wrestling over the last 20 years or so. The majority of companies play to straw feminism, the worse element of feminism, for both heels and faces which has lead to some of the most ridiculous self-parodying of feminism passed off with a straight face. If you want to know how NOT to do feminism in pro wrestling, take a look at the biggest example: Stephanie McMahon.