WWE Network... It's Here

[The Chief]

Steiner used Steinerized around the time of the phony retirement, but by 2000 he was definitely using the sirens.

[shoe]

A you tube clip show. Why???, they also have a tribute to the troops icon that is up, but no content yet .

[Matt D]

They've already made the content and there's no cost to putting it on? I think the youtube stuff is generally pretty well done, to be honest.

[bradhindsight]

I'd watch a compilation of their YouTube shorts over the Total Divas re-runs they hock on the live stream all the time.

[BillThompson]

I liked the idea the The Main Event brought up of airing some of the Podcast One shows in a live capacity, kind of like what ESPN does with some of their radio shows. The shows are already there, and it would be a good fit to have Austin, Jericho, Ross, or someone doing that sort of thing on the Network. Also, the match commentary idea was another great one. Have wrestlers/promoters/bookers/reporters/anyone in the business really do commentary for various matches on the Network.

[shoe]

My point of the you tube stuff is that you can watch it on you tube. It's not necessary for it to take up space on the network.

[goc]

"Taking up space" isn't really an issue. It seems silly to have something be a youtube exclusive when you're asking people to pay for The Network. It should be a one stop shop. Not to say they couldn't still have shows on youtube, but it should be on The Network as well.

[C.S.]

I watched a few things on the Network last night:

 

Usos: 10 Hours to Houston: Remember the old "Before They Were Superstars" DVDs? That makes its return - by name - with this special, so I'm assuming we're going to get more of these and eventually a DVD/Blu-Ray. That's just speculation, but I hope so! This was short but great for what it was. Very touching stuff about their uncle Eddie (Umaga). They seemed closer to him than their own dad, Rikishi. I had no idea they were childhood friends with Roman Reigns. Well worth a watch.

 

ECW Exposed Part 2: I wish this and the Usos special were longer. Like the first Exposed, there was nothing groundbreaking here, but I think I preferred the follow-up overall. They dispensed of the bios and old footage entirely and just answered fan questions from Twitter, which made for a faster-paced and more entertaining show.

 

Batista: The Animal Unleashed: The first Batista documentary, "I Walk Alone," was surprisingly good. This one is more of a mixed bag. They spend too long going over Batista's jujitsu and low-rider hobbies. Other than his cool Eddy Guerrero car, those portions didn't really interest me. (BTW, If anyone watches this, please tell me if Joey Mercury and Kofi Kingston were in the jujitsu clips, or if I'm just imagining things.) I'm glad they at least touched on Batista's mixed reaction at the Royal Rumble, but that's where the documentary ended. I wish we could've gotten another hour about WrestleMania and the other PPVs Batista appeared on before leaving again.

[BigBadMick]

I watched a few things on the Network last night:

 

Usos: 10 Hours to Houston: Remember the old "Before They Were Superstars" DVDs? That makes its return - by name - with this special, so I'm assuming we're going to get more of these and eventually a DVD/Blu-Ray. That's just speculation, but I hope so! This was short but great for what it was. Very touching stuff about their uncle Eddie (Umaga). They seemed closer to him than their own dad, Rikishi. I had no idea they were childhood friends with Roman Reigns. Well worth a watch.

 

ECW Exposed Part 2: I wish this and the Usos special were longer. Like the first Exposed, there was nothing groundbreaking here, but I think I preferred the follow-up overall. They dispensed of the bios and old footage entirely and just answered fan questions from Twitter, which made for a faster-paced and more entertaining show.

 

Batista: The Animal Unleashed: The first Batista documentary, "I Walk Alone," was surprisingly good. This one is more of a mixed bag. They spend too long going over Batista's jujitsu and low-rider hobbies. Other than his cool Eddy Guerrero car, those portions didn't really interest me. (BTW, If anyone watches this, please tell me if Joey Mercury and Kofi Kingston were in the jujitsu clips, or if I'm just imagining things.) I'm glad they at least touched on Batista's mixed reaction at the Royal Rumble, but that's where the documentary ended. I wish we could've gotten another hour about WrestleMania and the other PPVs Batista appeared on before leaving again.

I thought Arn looked very fat backstage with Batista. Could do with shedding a few pounds anyway....

[C.S.]

I thought Arn looked very fat backstage with Batista. Could do with shedding a few pounds anyway....

 

Yeah, Arn did look bigger, but what do you expect from an aging wrestler who has been retired for 15 years?

[cowboy hats]

Noticed Kurt Angle as a talking head for the first time in the MNW Celeb episode. Next week: a combined profile of Stimg and Undertaker.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

"Taking up space" isn't really an issue. It seems silly to have something be a youtube exclusive when you're asking people to pay for The Network. It should be a one stop shop. Not to say they couldn't still have shows on youtube, but it should be on The Network as well.

I agree. They also should have been putting up all those HHH sitdowns with Cole that were on .com (may still be, haven't really been following), and every other new piece of video that they produce.

[SteveJRogers]

I agree. They also should have been putting up all those HHH sitdowns with Cole that were on .com (may still be, haven't really been following), and every other new piece of video that they produce.

 

 

Those sitdown interviews are still being done, less frequently with Triple H though (and I'd assume due to storyline reasons, he won't be on for a while) and mixing and matching with what ever they want to get over as the premiere storyline.

 

They even had Jericho in the Cole role for a kayfabe sitdown with Bray Wyatt in the middle of their feud!

 

Actually, part of me wonders if that's kind of the reason the YouTube/website stuff isn't on there. Kind of separating Network programming from stuff they'd dole out in free and less than 10 minute increments on the YouTube channel and their website (though they did premiere ECW Exposed Part 2 on YouTube/WWE.com.) I'd also mention the kayfabe aspect of the Cole sitdowns, but then again the pre/post shows tend to be 100% kayfabe, so they aren't above keeping with storylines on the Network despite all the kayfabe bending/breaking content already on there (Beyond the Ring, Legends of Wrestling, etc).

 

Batista: The Animal Unleashed: The first Batista documentary, "I Walk Alone," was surprisingly good. This one is more of a mixed bag. They spend too long going over Batista's jujitsu and low-rider hobbies. Other than his cool Eddy Guerrero car, those portions didn't really interest me. (BTW, If anyone watches this, please tell me if Joey Mercury and Kofi Kingston were in the jujitsu clips, or if I'm just imagining things.) I'm glad they at least touched on Batista's mixed reaction at the Royal Rumble, but that's where the documentary ended. I wish we could've gotten another hour about WrestleMania and the other PPVs Batista appeared on before leaving again.

 

 

It came out on DVD/BluRay sometime around WrestleMania actually, so that's why it cuts off right at his return and Rumble win. With the exceptions of The Usos, Daniel Bryan's Road to WM and The Shield's Road to SummerSlam, all the Beyond The Ring/Special presentations are all from previous DVD/BluRay releases. Though, yeah if they probably should have produced like a "bonus disc" re-release, or "includes new afterwards" using a book analogy, sort of "Network exclusive" especially tying in the reception of Guardians.

 

Noticed Kurt Angle as a talking head for the first time in the MNW Celeb episode. Next week: a combined profile of Stimg and Undertaker.

 

 

Trying to think, when did Eddie's DVD doc come out? If it came out after WM XX, I'm surprised he wasn't on that, and therefore used as archive footage for the WrestleMania Rewind episode that their match was featured on.

[southofheavy]

So, ahh, that Watchlist thing.

 

Yeah.

 

I saved a bunch of stuff. Twice.

 

It doesn't work.

[pantherwagner]

Yep. And on both iOS (iPad) and Apple TV I watch something and it still shows up as not fully watched.

[C.S.]

Yep. And on both iOS (iPad) and Apple TV I watch something and it still shows up as not fully watched.

 

I'm getting this too, on Roku.

 

Watchlist does work for me though.

[kayfabe1984]

I'm guessing the Network on Roku updated the other day as everything I had saved in my watchlist and everything that was in the "continue watching" section went POOF!

 

Anyway, I watched the special on the Usos this afternoon. Quite good for a 30 minute profile piece. I figured it'd just be a fluff piece but it went into a lot more detail than I thought it would. I especialy liked the part where they discussed how Umaga got them into wrestling. If you have 30 minutes to kill, I'd suggest checking it out.

[Sidebottom]

Noticed Kurt Angle as a talking head for the first time in the MNW Celeb episode. Next week: a combined profile of Stimg and Undertaker.

 

This was from the excellent Mania of Wrestlemania documentary looking at WM19 weekend (put out on the WM20 DVD). I really hope this finds its way onto the Network with the original music intact as I haven't seen it in years.

[cowboy hats]

Hmm, I can't argue against that, but don't they put a date in the corner of the screen when using previously shot footage (every Bischoff clip has 2002 or 2003 on it, I think)? I didn't notice that for Angle's clip.

[DR Ackermann]

The search function seems to be working really well now. Don't know if it was an issue for everyone, but it was useless on the ps3.

[Sidebottom]

Hmm, I can't argue against that, but don't they put a date in the corner of the screen when using previously shot footage (every Bischoff clip has 2002 or 2003 on it, I think)? I didn't notice that for Angle's clip.

 

Managed to find it on Daily Motion: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxdf06_the-mania-of-wrestlemania_sport (Some of the interview is at 14.30).

 

The watermark dates issue is inconsistent but as a general rule a date is inserted when a dead wrestler is speaking or if the footage looks very old / not up to standard so a viewer doesn't think it's their current output standard. The Kurt Angle footage looks as if it were shot on film rather than video tape, or even the "early" digital HD formats Phantom Menace was filmed on. It may explain why they didn't insert a watermark as you can play with that footage to make it look high end.

[MikeCampbell]

It looks like the raw replays jumped ahead a coupe of weeks. I'm sure there wasn't a raw on 12/25/95, but wasn't the "Raw Bowl" on New Years day?

[Loss]

They replayed Bret-Davey Boy somewhere during this time in an attempt to draw a rating. But yes, the RAW Bowl aired on 1/1/96.

[jushin muta liger]

Just saw the Network's twitter that they are running a special that if you purchase the Network for a full year, you get a free Roku stick included. Now I feel stupid for buying one months ago where I could've got it for free.

[cowboy hats]

Ughh. Bought a roku stick last week. And I was an early subscriber, so I don't think I received November for free. I guess this is what happens on any sale, those who bought before the mark-down don't get the benefit (though I guess price matching can be a thing in places). But now I'm frustrated, though I won't do anything about it.