Guest savagerulz Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 From IMDb.com: Wrestlers Returning to Primetime Professional wrestling, which in the early days of television, was invariably included in the program line-ups of virtually every local TV station but which has not had a regular spot on any broadcast network in 13 years, is returning. NBC announced Wednesday that it had signed a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment to bring back Saturday Night's Main Event between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays, beginning March 18. In a statement released by the network, WWE chief Vince McMahon said, "The original Saturday Night Main Event was a pop culture phenomenon with a rich history of big moments. We promise to make the new Main Event in prime time on NBC even bigger and better." Previously, the network had announced that it was moving its magazine show Dateline into the 8:00 hour on Saturdays from its current slot on Fridays. 8-10? I take it that NBC execs aren't familiar with the angles Vince has pushed over the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest savagerulz Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 One good thing that could come of this would be shitty ratings waking Vince up to the fact that his current product sucks...unless of course he blames the shitty ratings on the male demographic being jealous of John Cena and his movie star good looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 The ratings will probably be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest savagerulz Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I just want them to get on the ball and start having widely interesting programming that doesn't have everything center around titles. That's what SNME used to do...really make the upper mid-card shine, and find ways to advance storylines in dramatic and interesting ways. At the time, they had the advantage of being a show filled with premium matches instead of the usual jobber matches, but I could see a situation where SNME becomes a show where things really HAPPEN in addition to Raw. Also (I am hoping, at least) I would think the very nature of the show, where it is, the time it's on, etc...will curb the lamer and baser instincts and encourage the truly interesting and shocking. Of course, if it means cameos by NBC sitcom stars...not so awesome. But if you want to see the Rock on your TV wrestling, SNME would probably get him to do it more than Raw would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 What made SNME special in the 80s is that it was the only time you'd see guys in competitive matches on free TV instead of the squash parade that was Superstars. Now, every RAW and SD is the way SNME was then, and it won't have that specialness this time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest savagerulz Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 What made SNME special in the 80s is that it was the only time you'd see guys in competitive matches on free TV instead of the squash parade that was Superstars. Now, every RAW and SD is the way SNME was then, and it won't have that specialness this time around. No, Raw and Smackdown aren't the same as SNME. Let me ask you. Did you see those shows? If you were, then maybe you have a short memory. Let me explain why they were different. SNME weren't just the alternative to the other jobber match shows, it was the show where things tended to HAPPEN, and stars were truly showcased. Title matches didn't happen much...more like combinations that you wouldn't see otherwise. But wait, isn't that what happens now? Nope. Because of the "brand extension," certain people tend to be kept apart from others. But on SNME, I would imagine that all bets would be off as far as brand extension...or at least things would be greatly loosened. Plus, production. The production in the WWE has taken a slow but steady decline since the Monday Night Wars. Camera mistakes, screw ups in segment switches, even bad lighting at times. Those fuck ups will stop quick, fast and a hurry on SNME. SNME was the show that got the WWF to raise their production value and how they viewed televised wrestling in the first place. Will this SNME be "the same" as the old one? Nope. Will it be just another variation on their regular show? Nope. Just use your imaginations for a second. Instead of just shitting on everything and being goddamn ignorant, fire up that hamster in that wheel of a brain and think of what could be and what has been done in the past instead of just putting the smark stamp on everything. It just goes to confirm a suspicion I have that it isn't so much wrestling that's gotten worse but fans that have become jaded know-it-alls. Don't be that guy that yells "Two!" whenever there's a near fall and feels superior for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I do think with that much time on NBC, it's too valuable to let a match run over 10-12 minutes. 6-8 minutes should be more the norm, so they can showcase as many guys on the roster as possible. Definitely no long in-ring promos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 What made SNME special in the 80s is that it was the only time you'd see guys in competitive matches on free TV instead of the squash parade that was Superstars. Now, every RAW and SD is the way SNME was then, and it won't have that specialness this time around. No, Raw and Smackdown aren't the same as SNME. Let me ask you. Did you see those shows? If you were, then maybe you have a short memory. Let me explain why they were different. SNME weren't just the alternative to the other jobber match shows, it was the show where things tended to HAPPEN, and stars were truly showcased. Title matches didn't happen much...more like combinations that you wouldn't see otherwise. But wait, isn't that what happens now? Nope. Because of the "brand extension," certain people tend to be kept apart from others. But on SNME, I would imagine that all bets would be off as far as brand extension...or at least things would be greatly loosened. Plus, production. The production in the WWE has taken a slow but steady decline since the Monday Night Wars. Camera mistakes, screw ups in segment switches, even bad lighting at times. Those fuck ups will stop quick, fast and a hurry on SNME. SNME was the show that got the WWF to raise their production value and how they viewed televised wrestling in the first place. Will this SNME be "the same" as the old one? Nope. Will it be just another variation on their regular show? Nope. Just use your imaginations for a second. Instead of just shitting on everything and being goddamn ignorant, fire up that hamster in that wheel of a brain and think of what could be and what has been done in the past instead of just putting the smark stamp on everything. It just goes to confirm a suspicion I have that it isn't so much wrestling that's gotten worse but fans that have become jaded know-it-alls. Don't be that guy that yells "Two!" whenever there's a near fall and feels superior for it. God damn, do you only hang out here to disagree with my posts? Anyway, other than the potential of some inter-brand matches (which aren't even that special since they have so many cross brand PPVs), there's really nothing that can happen on SNME that can't happen on RAW or SD. The Angle-Taker rematch would be a good SNME event, but that's happening on SD next week. Or does pointing that out make me a cynical, jaded, know-it-all smark with a hamster wheel for a brain? Perhaps if WWE hasn't gotten so lazy since WCW died, fans wouldn't become so cynical. Perhaps if they didn't have writers who failed at shitty sitcom writing, fans wouldn't be so cynical. Perhaps if talent didn't get released because they were turned into walking dick jokes, fans wouldn't be so cynical. All I ask of WWE is a reason not to assume something's going to be a waste of my time to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I remember the old SNME format where they'd have the title match on after the opener or 2nd match. Usually it involved Hulk Hogan, so the match wasn't too long. Then they'd have a long, workrate friendly match afterwards. Didn't the Harts/Rockers match that was so popular take place after the main? Also, I demand "Obsession" be used as the opening theme music again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resident Evil Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Am I reading that original post wrong? Because I could swear that it says it's going to be a weekly show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Yeah, they used the SNL format: have the good stuff early and have the jobbers at the end. The Harts and Rockers had a good match that ended when Demoliton got involved and turned into a three way schmozz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 All old wrestling shows did that. You'd have the main event in the middle so it had all the time it needed and then a handful of standby matches to use up whatever was left. Hogan seemed to always bring his working boots whenever it was a SNME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Thread Killer Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hogan had working boots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Metal Maniac Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I thought he left those in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 He also seemed to have them in Canada too. I guess they don't clear customs in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Let me ask you. Did you see those shows? If you were, then maybe you have a short memory. (etc.) What the fuck is this shit? Just going off outta the blue? You're a mo-mo. I'm actually surprised that Loss didn't say something to you about that post. I'm on a "wait and see" with SNME this time around. When it was on last time, I was a blind WWF mark and would've watched anything thrown my way, up to and including thinking that Zeus was a world title threat. This time, I'm a lot more pessimistic. I've been optimistic enough with WWE as can be evidenced by people calling me an apologist and whatnot in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alfdogg Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I watched the two old Best of SNME tapes from CV recently, and Hogan's suplex on Boss Man in the cage match realy stuck out to me. Jesse said it was "off the top of the cage", but really it was just Hogan standing on the top rope and Bossman kind of laying across the top of the cage. Still, pretty damn impressive to see Hogan pull off a top rope superplex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bruiser Chong Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 All things considered, those aren't good representations of what SNME had to offer. I was always a fan of the great tag team matches most editions featured, not to mention the occasional singles match involving a pair of talented mid-carders getting a nice chunk of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Most 80s SNMEs had a common layout: Start off with a match between to uppercard guys, usually to a non finish to sell the next PPV. The Hogan match would be next, usually around 12ish. Factor in pre-match interviews and post match Hulk posing, this would eat up more time than you'd expect from a Hogan match. Then there'd be a match for the workrate fanatics, that'd be your Harts vs Rockers kind of match that would usually get a decent amount of time. They'd usually close off with a jobber match since it was closing in on 1 am and most of the kids have already gone to bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest savagerulz Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I think SNME has a real shot at being something different. This is your ray of hope, intermarks. Not only will the show have top tier talent (and they will), it could also be the show that forces the WWE into really building people up and really having storylines. The WWE is going to have to get their shit together, and I have a feeling that they're going to do it and quick. The ways things WERE going, their incentive to greatly improve themselves was minimal...no real competition, Vince was still making huge bank, Raw was doing fine and the post-Monday Night Football ratings upsurge happened per schedule...but now the WWE isn't dealing with a familiar USA Network that took them back...or a UPN network that couldn't make itself viable enough on it's own. They are dealing with the one group that taught them how to produce wrestling in a modern and interesting way. They are dealing with the network that they embarrassed themselves in front of because of the XFL. The WWE are being given, for all intents and purposes, a gift by NBC. And I have a feeling that they are going to maximize that gift for any number of reasons -- money, power, and pride amongst those. They aren't going to put nobodies out there. They are going to make sure they make the best initial impression possible, and they are going to search for ways to make themselves an interesting show, not just a good wrestling show. Their competition isn't TNA anymore, it's the other shows running on Network prime time. It's a whole different ball game...and if history teaches us anything about Vince and company, it's that when the ball game changes (either by their own or another's hand) they find a way to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasher Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Considering SNME's first main event would likely be Edge vs Cena for the belt and something involving Angle and Taker, I forget the exact match. I'd venture to guess that they do intend to give a good first impression. They won't keep up maintenance of it though. What I would do with it, and I do it on EWR, is that I have Raw and SD as the brand shows but SNME as the best of both worlds. Raw and SD's main events would be like Shelton vs Rob Van Dam for the IC title or Booker T vs Chris Benoit, and SNME's would be HHH vs Big Show or Taker vs Orton. The top champions would make appearances on Raw/SD in a nonwrestling capacity and maybe a tag team match or a "special" title match during one brand's non-PPV month like John Cena vs Edge during May or whatever on SNME. Any thoughts on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I hope they have a classic angle in the bag for HHH/Cena, for their sake, that they're saving for this show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bruiser Chong Posted February 26, 2006 Report Share Posted February 26, 2006 What, like it being revealed the HHH has a fear of snakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alfdogg Posted February 26, 2006 Report Share Posted February 26, 2006 "She was mine before she was yours!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 26, 2006 Report Share Posted February 26, 2006 That would be brilliant on so many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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