sek69 Posted March 26, 2020 Report Share Posted March 26, 2020 Basically just starting this after watching NXT and being puzzled that WWE clearly sees something in Austin Theory but book him to lose all the time. Especially to modern-day Steve Lombardi, Tyler Breeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Evans Posted March 26, 2020 Report Share Posted March 26, 2020 Debuting Malcolm Bivens and Killer Kross in an empty Full Sail is a weird choice. Glad they did it though. Also glad to see Io back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMJ Posted March 26, 2020 Report Share Posted March 26, 2020 17 hours ago, sek69 said: Basically just starting this after watching NXT and being puzzled that WWE clearly sees something in Austin Theory but book him to lose all the time. Especially to modern-day Steve Lombardi, Tyler Breeze. Maybe cuz of those tweets about Cena? I really have no evidence behind this, um, theory, but I could see Triple H being the type of guy who believes that calling out a guy of Cena's stature when you're still just an "indie guy" means you need to be humbled a little. Or maybe its just the usual "We'll get the fans behind him by making him lose all the time!" idea that they seem to believe is the way to get someone over when, aside from Daniel Bryan (kinda) and Bayley, it has worked for absolutely no one. I don't know. One question I do have, and I"m not sure we'll get an answer until we have some hindsight, is whether this WrestleMania build and the general lack of excitement around the event is more because of the Covid-19 crisis or because of the card/build? Obviously, the Covid-19 factor is massive and I'd say is probably 80% the cause of disinterest...or is it 90%? Or is it really just 70%? I mean, lets say everything was "normal," we weren't in quarantine, and the WWE was able to produce the intended build-up and go-home shows that they had mapped out originally. How excited might you be? Pessimistically, I believe that, in some ways, we've actually seen what the WWE intended and it wasn't all that great. The build for Edge/Orton has been fantastic, Reigns/Goldberg good, but McIntyre/Lesnar has been paint-by-numbers. Lynch/Baszler has had a decent build and Flair/Rhipley too, but I think its apparent that these two matches were Option B when they realized Rousey wasn't going to be back for the show. Taker/AJ has been an absolute mess to me, a match that I think just about anyone could've fantasy-booked better than the WWE has. Cena/Wyatt is meh, but I wasn't expecting gold considering how much Wyatt's been exposed to be the same ol' Wyatt he was a year ago. I don't think I'll ever be interested in a Kevin Owens* or Seth Rollins program ever again so pairing them up is like pairing a shit sandwich with a diarrhea milkshake. The rest of the card is filler despite presumably featuring a bunch of acts that deserve better, including the company's most consistently great worker (Daniel Bryan) and two acts that have really hit their stride after some lulls, Asuka and Sami Zayn. (I'd also throw The Miz in there as a guy who should be taken in consideration for a top spot every Mania season at this point because he's still one of the top 5 guys at selling a match on the mic and making it seem like a big deal.) So, yeah, that was a really long-winded question, but how do y'all feel about it? In a world without the Covid-19 crisis, how does this card/build make you feel? Excited? Underwhelmed? Somewhere in the middle? * I don't even dislike Owens really, its just, he's been involved in so many cringe-worthy storylines and feuds over the past 2-3 years that I just don't think he has any "edge" or "cool" factor left. Even his adoption of the Stunner gets an eye roll from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocco Posted March 26, 2020 Report Share Posted March 26, 2020 I think its because almost no one wants to see a WM with no fans and thinks its really really dumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoS Posted March 27, 2020 Report Share Posted March 27, 2020 Now that the coronation of their top guy has been postponed for like the 15th time, surely it's time to swallow pride and push back Wrestlemania? They have so much golden content in their vault, I doubt their TV partners would be upset about them going away for a couple of months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasher Posted March 27, 2020 Report Share Posted March 27, 2020 Oh yes they would be upset. They paid for live content. Obviously though, there's nothing they can do at this point that would really work for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawadaSmile Posted March 27, 2020 Report Share Posted March 27, 2020 The WM card was actually pretty dope so of course the lack of excitement is due to a pandemic. USA Network and FOX should understand that live events are insane and risky, and WWE should understand that people who paid for the fucking main event of the year would get that it's okay to postpone the show under those circumstances. Stubborn fuckers. Also. Fuck Bolsonaro, that piece of shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawadaSmile Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 This Daniel Bryan/Drew Gulak tag is actually pretty fucking good and I hope it survives long enough to make it to live crowds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 So as of half way into the show they are still promoting the Roman Reigns was going to be at Wrestlemania. seriously what the fuck Also really weird that they are showing the main event of the Wrestlemania that they are planning to show on ESPN Sunday Night. Seriously must be strapped for content Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 7 minutes ago, hammerva said: So as of half way into the show they are still promoting the Roman Reigns was going to be at Wrestlemania. seriously what the fuck It's funny, I've been watching WCCW from Feb 84 this past week and Fritz aired a show hyping a David vs Flair match eight days after David had died. That's the bar for extreme promoter tastelessness Vince needs to clear in the next 10 days or so in case anyone was wondering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactus Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 The Firefly Funhouse vignette and New Day vs Usos were the only things worth seeing on Smackdown this week. That opening promo was awful. Porn tier acting unfolding in front of no one. Had to fast forward that. Yeah... I think I'm done with these empty arena shows. The novelty has worn off. I'll give Wrestlemania a watch, but I'm not going to bother keeping up until this all settles down. I'm hoping that they take some much needed time off soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav'oh Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 I laughed at Bayley and Sasha using microphones to speak to each other, when they were stood right next to each other. Pity they weren't playing for laughs. Then Lacey comes out with a microphone to talk to them, and I went and did some gardening. It just looked terrible, and as the opening to an already-hard-to-watch empty arena show, it took me out of commission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Given how difficult it is to fill 2 and 3 hour shows I can't imagine what they are going to do after Wrestlemania. Are they even allowed by USA and Fox to not run a show? If not then I wouldn't be surprised if they just air Wrestlemania again in pieces for the next 2 weeks The RAW after Wrestlemania was always where the real fun was. Seeing it be either an empty arena shows with just promos or a highlight show is going to be harder for some people than WM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 That's a good question. If I were USA and FOX, I would allow them to run a format like Vintage Collection used to, covering their entire library. I don't understand why they haven't done extensively in the past few weeks. This is something they can afford, as opposed to AEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasher Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Likely because they don't want to yield any room for AEW to gain more fans from airing original content vs the WWE's vintage stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 That's something that honestly baffles me. When you're too worried about your competition that you don't use all the weapons you have in your possession, you've already lost half of the battle. The Network is a tremendous weapon that WWE has to eventually draw new eyes to their product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMJ Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Yeah, I mean, if you're USA, you're seeing your numbers dwindle with everyone's eyes on cable news anyway. There is nothing, short of first-run blockbuster movies, that the network can air that will draw a number. But imagine curating the best 3-hour highlight show ever. Warrior beating Honky Tonk. Michaels vs. Taker. Austin/Bret at WM13. One of the Shield six-mans. Punk vs. Cena at MITB. Savage/Flair at WM8. Hogan/Warrior at WM6. That one DX/McMahons & Big Show cage match that was fun. The list goes on and on... I don't think this would pop a huge number, but again, what would? And it is 100% free to produce and risks no one's health. And, in a weird way, you might even have people stumbling upon it and watching it because, truth be told, the WWE's Greatest Hits are better than anything they could produce now. And I don't think USA would even be able to criticize it. FOX, on the other hand, probably does have the ability to say, "We want first-run shit" because they do probably have the power to air a first-run, family movie on Friday nights (for sake of argument, lets just say Jumanji II), but even they probably wouldn't protest too much in this climate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted March 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Watching Smackdown, i see Bayley decided to go full Karen Mode "may I speak to the manager" with her hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted March 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Finishing up Smackdown (Animal Crossing interrupted the first viewing), doing an angle where Elias is sent to the "local medical facility" in a state on lockdown due to Coronavirus reminded me of the WCCW "we've had two tragedies this week, Chris Adams was blinded and Gino Hernandez died" deal. It never fails to amaze me how deep in the bubble they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJRogers Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 19 hours ago, Dav'oh said: I laughed at Bayley and Sasha using microphones to speak to each other, when they were stood right next to each other. Pity they weren't playing for laughs. Then Lacey comes out with a microphone to talk to them, and I went and did some gardening. It just looked terrible, and as the opening to an already-hard-to-watch empty arena show, it took me out of commission. Could be the only way the camera filming them picks up the audio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 This entire segment is [chef's kiss]. The cartoon splat when Elias hit the ground is the icing on the cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav'oh Posted March 30, 2020 Report Share Posted March 30, 2020 20 hours ago, SteveJRogers said: Could be the only way the camera filming them picks up the audio I can understand that (maybe boom and clip-on mics were out of the question), it's just the aesthetics, and the whole, "we're acting like there's actually an audience here". I found it nonsensical, but then I watched a clip of Elias' fall and...wow. How am I meant to buy that? I hope Martha Hart wasn't watching (highly likely she wasn't, I know) because my first thought was of Owen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted March 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2020 AEW had folks wearing clip on mics and it seemed to work fine in an open air building, not sure why WWE couldn't do it in a much smaller indoor one other than "we're so attached to our format we're incapable of ever deviating from it". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted April 2, 2020 Report Share Posted April 2, 2020 On 3/30/2020 at 4:48 AM, Dav'oh said: I watched a clip of Elias' fall and...wow. How am I meant to buy that? I hope Martha Hart wasn't watching (highly likely she wasn't, I know) because my first thought was of Owen. Was there actually a bump though? It looked to me like they showed him about to jump, then showed him on the ground. On a pre-taped show, it would be easy to fake. If it wasn't faked, shame on them, because it certainly looked that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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