I can’t wait till I die so everyone will describe me as “one of the best” at whatever it is I choose to do, even though I wasn’t all that impressive.
Opening my eyes, what do I see? The WWE has gone indy. In presentation and philosophy. What does it all mean, though? Probably not much, but I thought of that intro at 1:30 a.m. this morning and thought it sounded pretty radical, so I jotted it down in my memo pad on my phone and decided to write an entire article about it. So, read on to find out what I’m talking-slash-rambling about.
CM Punk is WWE Champion. Wait, what? How?!
redeemingmys3lf asked: my argument about john morrison is just based on rumor and dirt sheet ? isn't morrison one of the most over guys in wwe ? i agree he takes his work seriously but don't you find it a little bit weird that for all of his talent all of his charisma and how over he is that he has not been a legit world champion ? forget the wwe/ecw title that was a joke it's more or less a consolation prize.
as for jeff hardy not being able to wrestle i don't believe that is the case i am simply disagreeing with you because it varies on who he has to work with.
jeff changing his style of wrestling would be the equivalent of mark henry doing high spots. it simply wouldn't work. i know you may think of jeff as all flash no substance but i'm sure you and i have both seen guys who are all flash no substance come and go like nothing it obviously says something about jeff and his work ethic & please let's not get started on jeff's drug problems there are wrestlers that have abused drugs way worse than him and he still gets more shit than just about anybody
If you read my post correctly, you would have seen that I said I would not get into his drug problems. Which I didn’t. I don’t know the full story, so I didn’t even touch on it, and for that reason alone. The only story I know is the one told in the ring, whether he’s wrestling or cutting a promo, and to me, that story is not very good.
A lot of guys are as talented as John Morrison, many more exceeding Morrison in that department, even, and they were never World Champion. It took Christian what, 15 years to do it? He’s better than Morrison, in my eyes, in the ring and on the microphone. Guys like Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, Roddy Piper, they were never champions either, never getting beyond the Intercontinental Championship in the primes of their career. Is Jeff Hardy better than those names? I don’t think that a wrestler winning a championship is the sign of how good he is, especially in today’s business, because that’s exactly what it is: a business. Jeff Hardy sold tickets, so they gave him a couple World titles.
So you’re telling me that it depends on who Jeff is working with to determine how good he is at wrestling? Like, if he’s going up against good wrestlers, such as Kurt Angle, he can do well, but if he’s up against a not-so-good wrestler, he can’t? That’s what it sounds like you’re saying. If that’s the case, then I disagree with that logic. It takes two to make a good wrestling match, but it should not take a Hall of Fame-worthy wrestler to make another look halfway decent in the ring. It should not take gimmicks like tables, ladders and chairs to make someone look competent.
Look at Edge. He too built a career around ladder matches and dangerous spots, but the difference is he can wrestle without that stuff, and he can do it well. His use of gimmick matches wasn’t to get him over with the fans, it was a part of his character. In the case of Jeff Hardy, it was all he really knew how to do and before long, the moves he would do in TLC matches would become predictable and boring. Every time I saw that Jeff was going to be in a match involving a ladder, I came to expect some sort of stupid dive off it and through a table. It never changed in the 10 or however many years Jeff was with WWE.
Simply put, you sound upset because my opinion is different. Because I personally do not like Jeff Hardy, whereas you do. But for some reason, it didn’t end there for you. For some reason, you took offense to what I said and messaged me several times about it. What does it matter to you that someone online doesn’t agree with your opinion? To me, it shows me that you think I’m not allowed to have different taste in the wrestlers I enjoy, follow and talk about. If that’s the story, you don’t have to follow the blog and you certainly don’t have to read it. I’m not holding a handgun to your head, forcing you to read my opinions or agree with them. This isn’t a hostage situation; you could’ve just walked away.
I’m done responding to messages such as these. I have an opinion, and that is why I have a blog. It’s one thing to disagree with that opinion, but it’s an entirely different thing to get so upset about it. If you’re so moved by what I said, why don’t you start your own wrestling blog where you can keep your own opinions? Why do you have to invade mine, tell me I am wrong and enforce your own beliefs as being above my own? That you’re taking such offense to an opinion, I don’t know, it baffles me.
redeemingmys3lf asked: i find your criticism about jeff hardy to be wrong.
let's take a look at what annoys me most about your criticism
you say he shows glimmers of brilliance but not much more really ? so his tables match with the dudley's wasn't awesome ?
the tlc matches weren't brilliant ?
oh wait that's right you said those gimmick matches are covers because he can't wrestle or take pride in his craft.
so i'm guessing his matches with kurt angle in 2010 weren't brilliant ? yet that is why it both singles matches were voted as 2 of the best matches in 2010 ?
you say jeff does high spots the wrong way care to elaborate ?
and really ? his mic skills are atrocious ?
then how come when he was the anti-christ when he talked everyone listened ?
i agree he was never all that great on the mic but his personality and ability to be so like-able got him really far.
also a lot of wrestlers don't try to break away from what is there comfort zone so you have to give respect to him wanting to be a heel. he could have easily stayed face for the rest of his career but he wanted to show people his worth.
also when he was with wwe he had great matches with cm punk, triple h, randy orton, and many more i think you are slighting him because you are simply not a fan. sorry if my writing isn't all that great as i'm just typing this as fast as i can.
my point being is don't be so critical off jeff when there have been a lot of wrestlers who never even deserved to be world champion. give credit where credit is due.
oh and as for morrison caring about his co workers that is why people backstage have had arguments with him because he puts other people at risk right ? as much as i like morrison he is the one who puts people at risk not jeff hardy. you tell me when jeff hardy injured someone please
So you find my criticism, which is my opinion and nothing more, to be wrong? OK, thanks.
Look, it’s fine to disagree with an opinion, which is what you’re doing, but you’re doing it wrong. You sound like a huge Jeff Hardy fan who is grasping at straws because my opinion differs from that of your own. Your counterarguments aren’t very good. Like, you said it was his ability to be liked that got him far, and that is supposed to make him a great wrestler? How does likability factor into this discussion at all? I’m not denying his popularity; I’m saying, given the circumstances, it is a bit silly.
I’m “slighting” him because I am not a fan? Then what are you doing? Slighting me because you are a fan? How does that make you any better than me?
Also, you’re using rumors and dirt sheet reports of John Morrison to form your argument, which is ridiculous. You don’t know the guy, so you’re believing hearsay, which is also ridiculous. I based every one of my points around watching his matches, listening to his promos and NOT believing everything I had read.
Another thing is he is gimmick match-reliant. He has had great matches, that I will admit, but they were mostly gimmick contests employing the use of tables, ladders and/or chairs. The matches were good but they were each littered with high spots and “extreme” maneuvers which covered up Jeff’s inability to work an actual wrestling contest.
When I said he does high spots in the wrong way, I meant that he uses them as a crutch. High spots, in my opinion, should be used sparingly and to accelerate the pace and drama of a match; overusing them, or making a career out of them, heightens nothing. It brings fans in the door but it doesn’t make a good wrestling match or a good wrestler.
I don’t mind that you disagree with me, but your counterarguments aren’t going to change my opinion of him. And, in my opinion, he is popular and likable because of his flash. Whether it’s his outward appearance, his flippy moves or his love for ladders, everything he does speaks to that one group of people that pops for that kind of stuff. Everything Jeff does is done to be accessible to the masses, and the masses want to see high-flying, danger, flash, etc. I’m sorry, but I like wrestling. I do enjoy a good ladder match from time to time, but not every time.
Anonymous asked: Could you try to keep your rants and negative comments OFF the tags? People track the tags of their favorite wrestlers for a reason, when we go check the tags (in this case; the Jeff Hardy tag) we don't want to see your annoying bullshit.
Don't tag your rants, you're just going to annoy people.
Could you grow a pair and come off anonymous? Don’t anonymously message on Tumble, you’re just going to annoy people.
Jeff Hardy: A “charismatic enigma,” indeed.
I dislike Jeff Hardy. He’s shown glimmers of brilliance, but not much more. In my estimation, to borrow a line from Jim Ross, he is more “sizzle” than “steak,” more flash than fire. He gets a lot of hell for his drug problems, but that has nothing to do with why I so dislike him.
It does, however, have everything to do with everything else. He’s average-at-best in the ring, and he is too reliant on gimmick matches to cover up that fact. From seeing his very first matches in the mid-90s on Raw to his more recent, more embarrassing work on Impact, I can’t help but feel he doesn’t take the art of professional wrestling seriously. His move set consists of sloppily done maneuvers and high spots, so much so, it’s become a gimmick for him, which I find silly. I don’t have anything against top rope finishing moves or high-risk spots, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Jeff Hardy goes about it the wrong way.
webbistlefou-deactivated2012011 asked: Your post about Punk and the new era was very well written; cheers! However, I had a pessimistic reaction to last night's events. The change, is beginning to take place (hopefully), however, the execution was rather poor in my opinion. Hunter showing reluctance towards relieving Vince of his duties symbolized WWE's unhappiness with moving on. Furthermore, Hunter's record in finding talent is 0-2 so far (Kong and Sin Cara), so why is he in charge?
Dethroning Vince and Cena was a first step but let's face it. Cena pulls in so much cash. He may not be a good performer but he gets by on his passion for wrestling and charm outside of the company. He isn't going anywhere.
Of course, I'm being overly critical after only one episode into this new supposed era. But that's exactly why - we're not even sure if it is a new era. I'm looking forward to see what happens next week and the week after but I'm reluctant to get on board just yet. Time and time again, I've seen myself go on auto pilot with Raw. I remember past episodes where I would have it on in the background as I leveled up my Final Fantasy IX characters for the next big boss battle. It's been a while since I was able to immerse myself in an episode completely.
I've been down this road before. I don't plan on seeing any radical change, but I can hope. And if it's going to be business as usual for the WWE, I can always have the last month to reflect on as the greatest story arc in a long time (maybe ever).
I think it’s only natural to be pessimistic in this situation, especially given the way things have been going the last number of years. As I mentioned in the article, 2005 through 2009 weren’t the best times for WWE, and the product grew incrementally worse as the weeks passed. By the time 2009 hit, Vince had “sold” Monday Night Raw to Donald Trump, who then passed it off to various guest hosts, and it seemed we were in for another dark age. The year after, 2010, was a little better, but there was still as much bad as there was good, and you could sense that changes were coming. Undertaker was starting to get worn down, Michaels retired, Jericho left, Triple H switched to a part-time role, and so on. That left the two titans, John Cena and Randy Orton, to carry the programs, encourage the ratings and sell the programs. As expected, it didn’t work out as hoped.
WWE is in worse shape this time around. Edge is retired, Taker for sure looks done and the new stars they’ve been trying to create haven’t all taken with the fans. I think the “New Era,” or any new era of wrestling for that matter, is symbolized by two things: A spark and a changing of the guard. In terms of the Attitude Era, it was mostly Montreal that created that spark, and it was the departures of both Bret and Shawn, and the rise of Stone Cold and The Rock, that served as the changing of the guard. In this “New Era,” I believe the departures of Jericho, Michaels, Edge, Undertaker, Batista and Triple H, will be the changing of the guard, while CM Punk was the spark that bled.
Now, I will admit, it’s going to take WWE, creative, Triple H, Vince, Johnny Ace and all the workers, from the wrestlers to the referees to even the live crowds, to make it work. And I think you are correct in saying Cena is WWE’s top draw, and that he won’t be heading anywhere — not that he was heading anywhere to begin with. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you’re having a little trouble telling fact from fiction. Cena was never going to be fired in real life, nor was he even fired on the program itself; Triple H admitted that Cena was far too big a selling point to just fire.
Also, it is unfair to Triple H to blame him for being “0-2” in terms of scouting talent. Kharma was getting over big time, and her gimmick was fresh, as was her look. Unfortunately, the person playing the character became pregnant, so she had to be pulled from television for the safety of her unborn child. That was neither Triple H’s fault nor his vision for the character, who was in line for something special. About Sin Cara, his failing the drug test was all on him and nobody else. Triple H would never tell someone to take any sort of performance enhancer or illegal drug, especially if that person was his pick for the next top star. Technically, while he may be down 0-2 in the count, so to speak, he is at fault for neither performer’s current woes, and I’m sure his superiors in WWE realize that.
Another thing: Don’t say John Cena is not a good performer, because if you watched the same exact match I did Sunday, you would know that to be untrue. I don’t buy into the whole “X carried Y through the match” philosophy because wrestling is a lot like dancing in that it takes two to tango. While much of the pacing was Punk’s doing, Cena stepped up his game big time and pulled out all the stops to top Punk in his hometown. And, if you’d recall, the majority of the “botches” (I hate that word, but whatever) were on Punk’s end. Simply stated, John Cena knows how to handle a main event on a big stage, while CM Punk, decidedly less so. He slipped, he fell, he landed awkwardly at times. Not that it hurt the match, not by any means, but if you’re going to discredit Cena, you may as well discredit Punk right along with him. John Cena is the hardest-working man in WWE, and perhaps in all wrestling.
Is he the best wrestler between the ropes? No. We know that. He knows that. Is he the best entertainer? Absolutely. And that’s all he’s being paid to do, is entertain, and in a Hogan-like fashion. His move set is limited for a reason, and that’s because the majority of fans are young, or casual in nature, so it is more difficult for them to keep up with a wrestler who has 50 moves. But I guarantee you every kid sporting a Cena shirt or hat Sunday knows exactly what moves Cena can do — Five Knuckle Shuffle, Attitude Adjustment, STF. Like you said, he is the best money-maker WWE has right now, and complicating his move set would likely confuse many younger fans, who only know of his “five moves of doom.” So let’s give Cena a break and appreciate his work ethic for a second. Like his character or hate it, if it was anybody but Cena in that match Sunday, nobody would have cared as much as they did. That match needed a hero and it needed a villain, and nobody could have filled those respective roles as well as CM Punk and John Cena.
Thank you for your message, and I urge you, to keep your chin up. WWE is in uncharted waters right now, where they absolutely need to make new stars, and quick, and for that reason it isn’t always going to work out. The best wrestlers, the best Superstars, are the products of proper builds, no mega-thrust pushes, as those rarely take. I’d like to say Brock Lesnar was one of the few exceptions — many even call such a push the “Lesnar Push” — but let’s remind ourselves the era in which it occurred, and who Lesnar’s manager was (a proven, tested veteran, and a heat magnet to boot).
Will there be bumps on this road? Ups and downs, good and bad? You’d better believe there will be, but just look at the product recently. I’m not talking the last couple weeks, I’m talking about since November 2010, since Linda McMahon lost her Senate bid. Since then, WWE has stopped censoring the product, allowing words like “ass” and even “son of a bitch” to hit the air again, and everyone seems to be a lot looser in the ring and on the microphone. Much of the so-called “PG Era” was due to WWE as a company going public and Linda running for Senate. A lot of it was also the Benoit backlash, where WWE had to shelter itself against the constant bombardment of negative criticism, including the use of performance enhancers and illegal drugs by many of its former and current Superstars. Slowly, yet gradually, WWE is crawling out of its self-imposed dark age and looking toward the future.
Whether or not that future takes hold and delivers, we shall see, but I will definitely stick around to see it. And I’ve a feeling you will too.
This image may be the very moment WWE changed forever — and for the better.
I’ve read a lot of criticisms about WWE’s supposed “New Era,” none of which were very substantial. Many disagreed that the current state of things would last past summer, some bringing up the argument that WWE always has a hot angle during summer leading up to SummerSlam. Last year it was The Nexus attacking John Cena during his match against, guess who, CM Punk. The year before it was Donald Trump “buying” Raw. The year before that it was Vince McMahon (nee: “Mister”) running his “McMahon’s Million Dollar Mania” weekly sweepstakes. But, having been around for those occurrences, and having watched for much of my life, I can say that what we’re being given now feels different than all the aforementioned “summer stories,” if only because it feels real for the first time in ages. The Nexus attack was the closest thing WWE had that felt real last year, but that was quickly sidetracked and killed by WWE having to release Daniel Bryan. It was really all downhill from there for that particular angle, though, admittedly, there were flashes of brilliance woven in there week after week.
I can’t describe it. I remember watching Raw in November 1997 and feeling this way, like something massive was about to occur. Maybe it was the social relevance of it all that made it work. People were talking about WWE for the first time since the Hogan era due to the ongoing ratings war with WCW, and WWE itself was desperate for new stars to fill the roles of the old ones. Same deal here and now. Punk, like him or not — like it or not — is getting WWE more positive press than they’ve received in quite a while, being featured in articles on NFL.com, in GQ Magazine, on ESPN. He’s done more for WWE with a microphone in his hand than any wrestler has done in the ring, and that alone is impressive. But it also helps that there was a changing of the proverbial guard.
Little change of format this time around, kiddos. Oh, and hello! I didn’t even know I had so many followers on here. All the better (or worse) I suppose. Anyhoo, today’s article is a more, uh, “aggressive” look at the Rock/Cena WrestleMania XXVIII feud. Earlier today Cena posted a bunch of junk on his Twitter, again calling out “Dwayne,” so I thought I’d offer a contrarian’s take on those comments, as well as The Rock and John Cena. There is cursing and somewhat unnecessary anti-Cena speech up in here, so if you’re pro-Cena, you might want to bite a pillow or something. Just sayin’.
Though Cena’s comments were, most likely, in character, there’s an underlying (and perhaps overbearing) semblance of Cena’s true feelings in his words and in the feud itself.
Go The Rock.
Thankfully, I’m not one of those fans Universe residents who thinks “Dwayne” owes me something. And John Cena and CM Punk and everyone else today’s crowds eat up with a spoon can say otherwise, but I don’t care.
The Rock doesn’t have the passion for wrestling anymore — and that’s exactly why he left. It almost seems like Cena and the majority of the fans would rather the guy stick around, long past his time of usefulness. That time expired some seven years ago, when he committed to Hollywood rather than WWE. His passion lay in making movies; not wrestling matches. Yet, we blame him for this. We blame him for doing what most people, most wrestlers, don’t have the heart to do, and that is leave. The Rock’s heart was no longer with WWE, so he left.
You think Hulk Hogan’s heart is with wrestling? What about Ric Flair, who is still blading and bleeding buckets? You think that’s “passion”? “Dedication”? Hardly. That’s working. Hogan and Flair need the paychecks. Most wrestlers who stick with WWE, even though they are never used, even though they have no chance of ever being used, they stick with the company for the paychecks. At least until they receive their eventual future endeavors. And we’re blaming The Rock for not wanting that WWE dollar? For fuck’s sake.
Anonymous asked: Why has Edge held the WWE/World strap 11 times while Christian only held the TNA/ECW belts? I thought there were peeps?
Oh, my anonymous friend, I wrote this latest post just for you.