POLL: Enthusiasm for Mania

[DMJ]

Voted "Low Enthusiasm."

 

Won't bother with the HoF ceremony live, though I may watch clips of it on Sunday.

 

Will be watching with friends and while I'm sure that'll be fun, I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy the show itself too much. Oddly, I think the casual fans I'm watching with will like it significantly MORE than I will. They will love Sting probably. They like Roman Reigns while I'm indifferent at best about him. They think Orton is an all-time great and one of the best wrestlers of the decade while I think he's supremely overhyped by the WWE machine. They respect Taker so much, they wouldn't dare criticize the man or his matches. They are far less jaded on the "Cena Wins" tedium. They aren't offended by Daniel Bryan being put into a midcard clusterfuck match.

 

Basically, this card looks awesome to them, while I'm pretty unimpressed. Still, as a mostly WWE fan, I can't miss a Mania - especially one I've already paid for with the Network (I had no problem missing PLENTY of them in the past when they were $60 bucks).

[Goodear]

Where's "Very enthused because it's Mania and friends and family will be with me as we have a good time enjoying a show and each other's company while eating lots of pizza and wings and drinking beers" ?

 

I know we like to pick on Johnny and all but this makes a whole lot more sense to me than a bunch of people who are watching a show they are completely primed and ready to hate. Why put yourself through all that? You don't all have a reaction podcast to do the next day. This is coming from someone who isn't going to watch the show because BLECH.

[goc]

I voted "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, still going to watch" but the real option is "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, will probably only watch the top matches and leave the rest as background noise"

The last PPV I watched the whole thing was TLC, and that was just for the curiosity factor of seeing what the hell Big Show & Erick Rowan were gonna do for a Stairs match. I generally find myself only watching the top 2 matches of PPVs now. I'll probably only watch Cena/Rusev, Brock/Roman & maybe the IC Title clusterfuck although I'm still pretty bitter that WWE put Stardust in that match and the story with Goldust seems to already be over so I may not watch that out of spite.

[artDDP]

I voted "Low Enthusiam" because even though the card is complete shit I'm fucking going to my first WrestleMania. I'm pretty close to the ring, I'm pumped for the (90 minute) road trip, the potential tailgating, checking out the stadium, and having a blast. And I'm pretty excited to see AJ Lee and Nikki Bella in person.

 

I'm sure it will be a lot more fun in person than on TV. The card does nothing for me and there isn't one single match I'm really looking forward to; maybe Cena-Rusev. Still, I'm sure WWE will pull off something to make this card somehow memorable.

[Lee]

Sting was one of my idols growing up. It's just dawned on me that he's working his first ever WWE match, his first ever WrestleMania... and I could not give a shit. Good going, Hunter!

[The Chief]

Anybody catch SmackDown? Clearly Mark Henry is the only one who can save WrestleMania at this stage. He injures Reigns and takes his spot against Brock. Everyone wins

[Marty]

Still have to figure out a vote here, as it's either the 2nd, 3rd or 4th options. I'm not going to pretend it's been a great build; heck, I hardly watch RAW or Smackdown at least semi-regularly because WWE TV has been so unwatchable. However, since getting the Network, I do catch the PPVs, among other things. I dunno, the lack of commercials helps. There are some things I'm interested in: Cena-Rusev, Orton-Rollins, the main event just for the crowd possibilities, the stadium atmosphere that I'm a sucker for, etc. I haven't been extraordinarily fired up for a Mania since at the most recent probably 26. I'm hoping that this year's does to me what last year's did (I actually had low expectations for 30, but came away thinking it was about as good a show as they could've booked and executed.).

[Hollinger.]

I haven't been particularly enthusiastic beyond "It's Wrestlemania" but even though most of the show was boring, being at RAW this week helped get me kind of pumped up. The Brock promo and Heyman/Reigns got me more into the main event than I had been, the six man was fun and that match should be entertaining, and the shit with Sting at the end was really exciting in person, with the crowd reaction making me think they might be able to pull this off.

[(BP)]

I'll admit to being more excited as the show approaches, but that's a testament to Mania as a brand more than any of the TV. I took the weekend off, I'll watch the hall of fame Saturday night, probably have everyone over early Sunday to watch the Rock on SNL, and have a fun WrestleMania party (not as fun as Johnny Sorrow's always sound). The show could be heaping pile of shit (I mean it really could be), but it'll still be a fun time.

[rzombie1988]

I'll be working, so I'll only see some of it.

 

I'm not really excited for it. I'm interested to see who ends with the belt at the end of the night and to see Roman get booed out of the building, but there's no match I really care about or am looking forward to otherwise. I guess I want to see some of the big entrances otherwise.

 

WWE had a goal this year - make sure everyone except Brock is as unlikeable as possible and make sure no one cares about them. They've accomplished that goal.

[GOTNW]

I have had zero emotional investment in the WWE product for years. I'm pretty sure I went a year without watching a full WWE produced show. Then I watched like six months worth of Raw in two weeks. Not because I enjoyed it, merely as a means of escapism. Last year's show didn't do much for me. It was booked absolutely perfectly-but most of the matches were bad and the show was aimed at people enthusiastic about the product, whatever their thoughts on it may be and that, to me, just seems insane (caring about WWE, not aiming at people that care-which WWE dislikes doing for whatever reason). I'll watch it. It probably won't be very good. The card looks shitty and none of the matches have an aura of specialness to compensate that. Best case scenario is I'll make shitty puns with my friend and remember absolutely nothing from the show other than perhaps minor hallucinations during the pre-show. Or maybe we save that for the following Raw that will actually be good.

 

 

[The Thread Killer]

Just found out I'll be seeing the show after all. I have a friend who just got the WWE Network (albeit the crappy Canadian version without the On Demand features) and he also has a massive plasma screen and surround sound that takes up his entire family room wall. He's hosting a Wrestlemania party, so I am going to go. Because hey - I get to see friends I haven't seen in ages, plus there will be food and drink and I get to see the show for free.

 

So I cast my vote for "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, still going to watch."

[BigBadMick]

Just found out I'll be seeing the show after all. I have a friend who just got the WWE Network (albeit the crappy Canadian version without the On Demand features) and he also has a massive plasma screen and surround sound that takes up his entire family room wall. He's hosting a Wrestlemania party, so I am going to go. Because hey - I get to see friends I haven't seen in ages, plus there will be food and drink and I get to see the show for free.

 

So I cast my vote for "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, still going to watch."

Will you be dressing up for the occasion?

 

[Marty]

Just found out I'll be seeing the show after all. I have a friend who just got the WWE Network (albeit the crappy Canadian version without the On Demand features) and he also has a massive plasma screen and surround sound that takes up his entire family room wall. He's hosting a Wrestlemania party, so I am going to go. Because hey - I get to see friends I haven't seen in ages, plus there will be food and drink and I get to see the show for free.

 

So I cast my vote for "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, still going to watch."

 

Dave, the Candian version has the online features, or will eventually, depending on who your provider (or your friend's). Right now, online access is available for Rogers, Eastlink and Optik. Will be available for the others eventually.

 

http://www.wwe.com/canada

[The Thread Killer]

Will you be dressing up for the occasion?

 

 

 

 

Yes. As Joan Rivers.

 

 

Just found out I'll be seeing the show after all. I have a friend who just got the WWE Network (albeit the crappy Canadian version without the On Demand features) and he also has a massive plasma screen and surround sound that takes up his entire family room wall. He's hosting a Wrestlemania party, so I am going to go. Because hey - I get to see friends I haven't seen in ages, plus there will be food and drink and I get to see the show for free.

 

So I cast my vote for "Low enthusiasm - This card looks like shit, still going to watch."

 

Dave, the Candian version has the online features, or will eventually, depending on who your provider (or your friend's). Right now, online access is available for Rogers, Eastlink and Optik. Will be available for the others eventually.

 

http://www.wwe.com/canada

 

 

Hey, is this Marty...as in MartyEWR my old buddy from WAAAYYY back?

 

Sadly, my friend (and myself) are on with Bell ExpressVu. I have been enjoying the free preview myself (which ends this Sunday, one week before Mania) but without the On Demand Library there is no way I am ponying up the dough for this Network. I really like NXT, but I am not paying money every month to basically see NXT, and a bunch of old episodes of Nitro.

[Log]

Not planning to watch. I've tuned out. Can't give a shit. I've tried...can't.

 

I've got dvds full of wrestling I haven't watched. That's way more appealing to me than heatless, meaningless stuff that won't matter in a month.

[Wade Garrett]

I've been watching for 50yrs. It's only a 90min drive and I'm not going. You have to be a glutton for punishment if you're following this shit.

[JerryvonKramer]

Are they really having the IC ladder match go seven ways?

[Zoo Enthusiast]

At least.

[JerryvonKramer]

That's fucking retarded.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

The only reason I'm watching WM this year is some of my friends from high school are coming over, period.

[Cox]

I enjoy smoking delicious meats in my back yard (this year's choice: ribs), drinking bourbon, having my friends over, and watching Wrestlemania, roughly in that order. No matter how shitty the card looks, I like the hang more than anything, so regardless of the fact that I've watched very little WWE TV the past several months, I will be watching Wrestlemania.

[sek69]

I have a relatively recent Mania tradition (as in this is the second year we're doing it) where I take my PS3 over to a friend's house and watch it via my network sub. He's a bit of a foodie so he takes the opportunity to whip up tons to eat while I set up the network/watch the pre show stuff.

 

As far as the show itself goes, I'm mainly interested in Cena/Rusev and Sting/H in terms of potential good matches. I think Hunter will be hellbent on proving he can have a good match with Sting, and the Rusev entrance alone should be stellar. I'm kind of interested in Brock/Roman but in a "how bad is this trainwreck going to be" way. I suppose the IC title match will be good considering multiple man ladder matches on PPVs tend to be showstoppers, but I really don't want to see guys nearly kill each other over the jobberweight title.

[anarchistxx]

I actually think Reigns/Lesnar will be perfectly solid. Obviously it can't be predicted how the crowd will react and/or try to derail it...if they play it straight then it will be a respectable match. Neither are terrible and both have been involved in very good matches. Can't be much worse from an in ring perspective than Rock/Cena II.

 

They might put Sting/HHH on last anyway.

[Parties]

I def. agree Lesnar-Reigns will be a solid match. In fact, I think it'll be the best surprise of the night. My optimistic hope is that something about this feels reminscent of Rock's ladder match with HHH in '98 that "made" him for the casual fan (though I'm of course not suggesting that Reigns is on the verge of Rock-level stardom). Or perhaps a better example is Cena-Umaga "Last Man Standing" at Rumble '07. Lesnar vs. almost anyone is a fresh, never-before-seen pairing, so if nothing else it has marquee novelty value. If it's even somewhat better than expected, it could validate Reigns in the eyes of detractors, for the same reasons that Cena's rep was enhanced by his Lesnar matches and other "Monster-of-the-Month" outings. I expect it to be booked as a Clash of the Titans slugfest with a lot of brawling outside the ring, and the refs taking a "let them fight" attitude. And as anarchist says, when you look back on the actual main events of Mania for the last 5-10 years, I expect this will end up a better, more fondly remembered match than a lot of them.

 

If Sting-HHH goes on last, that's as bad an indictment of the company as anything in the last year. I don't even think Hunter's ego is inflated enough to book it, even given past hubris re: his placement on big cards.