|
Post by FLUX '97 on Mar 2, 2018 12:42:45 GMT -5
I realized something. And just to make it clear, this is opinion. Opinions cannot be wrong, but they can be good or bad.
When it comes to WWE, all the top babyfaces are incredibly similar to The Rock on the mic. Almost too similar.
As different as Cena, Styles and Roman (And all of you know they’re the top babyfaces, no matter what your opinions on Cena and Roman are, because they’re all one of a kind talents when they want to be.) are both appearance wise and moveset wise, when it comes to promos? It’s all the same wise-cracking, catchphrase spewing roast style promos that The Rock did...nearly twenty years ago. It’s all the same “gift” just wrapped up in different colored wrapping paper. Hell, they’re starting to do it to Braun too with “Get these hands”, and it just irks the hell out of me because Braun is too much of an enigma to be saddled with that level of baggage.
I’ll be honest, as much as I love Braun, my favorite Superstar over the past year or so has easily been The Miz. You notice how Miz dropped a lot of his trademark quirks and his catchphrase? You’re able to hear the real emotion in Miz’s promos, rather than the force-fed catchphrases and lame Dad jokes. And that’s what makes his character so easy to latch on to. You don’t hear five pages of script when he talks.
Roman took a great step on Monday with his (allegedly worked) shoot on Brock, but I’m sure they’ll screw it up sooner rather than later. I never thought I’d call AJ Styles or John Cena “generic” or “cookie-cutter”, but when it comes to their promos? That’s exactly what they are.
|
|
|
Post by ClashOfStyles on Mar 2, 2018 12:47:42 GMT -5
Cena’s promos have been generic and boring since 2008. AJ is a better wrestler than talker. Always has been and always will be. As for Roman, he’s drastically improved in the past couple years in the ring and on the mic. He’s nowhere near as bad as he was before.
|
|
|
Post by Jonathan Karate on Mar 2, 2018 12:53:26 GMT -5
It’s called marketing, character and branding my friend.
“The House That AJ Styles Built” “Get These Hands” “This is My Yard”
These are things that allow these guys to help build their brand and market themselves with T-Shirts, Hats, Towels, etc.
It’s not something that is new. It was around way before The Rock. Ever heard of a little thing called Hulkamania? Or one of those nice cold cans Austin used to open up?
Yeah, this isn’t a thing that will ever end and it’s really not an issue.
|
|
|
Post by FLUX '97 on Mar 2, 2018 12:59:23 GMT -5
Cena’s promos have been generic and boring since 2008. AJ is a better wrestler than talker. Always has been and always will be. As for Roman, he’s drastically improved in the past couple years in the ring and on the mic. He’s nowhere near as bad as he was before. That’s the issue I’m getting at. Instead of giving them character development, they just stuck all three of them with the same lame ass schtick that got tiresome a decade ago.
|
|
|
Post by punksnotdead on Mar 2, 2018 13:02:29 GMT -5
I think your opinion is bad.
Am I doing it right?
|
|
|
Post by FLUX '97 on Mar 2, 2018 13:04:19 GMT -5
It’s called marketing, character and branding my friend. “The House That AJ Styles Built” “Get These Hands” “This is My Yard” These are things that allow these guys to help build their brand and market themselves with T-Shirts, Hats, Towels, etc. It’s not something that is new. It was around way before The Rock. Ever heard of a little thing called Hulkamania? Or one of those nice cold cans Austin used to open up? Yeah, this isn’t a thing that will ever end and it’s really not an issue. No, I have not heard of Hulkamania. But in all seriousness, I’m smart enough to understand that they’re marketing in an attempt to sell merchandise. It’s a business. But the product they put out is hindered by an over-reliance on the same tried and tested strategies when as a business, when you need to adapt to an ever-evolving market to keep succeeding. It’s the same reason that Blockbuster went out of business and the same reason ESPN lost subscribers en masse. I think your opinion is bad. Am I doing it right? My opinion is that your opinion of my opinion is a bad opinion.
|
|
|
Post by alanpartridge on Mar 2, 2018 13:08:09 GMT -5
If the writers wrote anything too intelligent or edgy it could alienate casual fans. Even CM Punk in his worked pipe bomb said "Best in the World" and that was marketed on all his t shirts.
|
|
|
Post by rkmo: Aviso de Diez Meses on Mar 2, 2018 13:21:09 GMT -5
This is Vince McMahon's WWE. All faces are booked to crack wise and take on all challenges. All heels are booked to be chickensh*t cowards that run from fair fights at some point, no matter how intimidating they are. The heel booking bothers me a lot more than the face's, honestly.
|
|
|
Post by FLUX '97 on Mar 2, 2018 13:23:25 GMT -5
If the writers wrote anything too intelligent or edgy it could alienate casual fans. Even CM Punk in his worked pipe bomb said "Best in the World" and that was marketed on all his t shirts. That’s not what I’m getting at. I’m airing my grievances with the lack of variety when it comes to writing for top stars. As much of a detriment as Russo was, his one redeeming quality was that he gave everyone unique storylines and promos were unique because the character traits of every Superstar weren’t the exact same. You could stick lame ass wisecracks from Roman, AJ, Cena, Roode, Rollins, New Day, etc. in a bag, shuffle it up and pretty much everything that doesn’t say pancake, glorious or champ could match up to any of them.
|
|
|
Post by Triple S: POOR on Mar 2, 2018 13:26:22 GMT -5
I think your opinion is bad. Am I doing it right? You bastard. You beat me to it! You lovely, wonderful bastard!
|
|
|
Post by PJ on Mar 2, 2018 14:31:54 GMT -5
I think your opinion is bad. Am I doing it right? Of course you are. It’s your opinion so you can’t be wrong.
|
|
|
Post by ClashOfStyles on Mar 2, 2018 14:32:18 GMT -5
Cena’s promos have been generic and boring since 2008. AJ is a better wrestler than talker. Always has been and always will be. As for Roman, he’s drastically improved in the past couple years in the ring and on the mic. He’s nowhere near as bad as he was before. That’s the issue I’m getting at. Instead of giving them character development, they just stuck all three of them with the same lame ass schtick that got tiresome a decade ago. Not really their fault though. It's just the script that was written for them.
|
|
|
Post by blissfan4life on Mar 2, 2018 14:37:15 GMT -5
I simply don't agree about Styles, he cuts the best promos, heel or face.
|
|
enigmafigs
Superstar
Sup.
Joined on: Nov 26, 2017 13:37:26 GMT -5
Posts: 648
|
Post by enigmafigs on Mar 2, 2018 19:34:09 GMT -5
This is Vince McMahon's WWE. All faces are booked to crack wise and take on all challenges. All heels are booked to be chickensh*t cowards that run from fair fights at some point, no matter how intimidating they are. The heel booking bothers me a lot more than the face's, honestly. Oh god, I hate that they do this with every heel wrestler at some point. I hated it in particular when they made Rollins and Punk into cowardly heels.
|
|
|
Post by Triple S: POOR on Mar 2, 2018 19:37:49 GMT -5
This is Vince McMahon's WWE. All faces are booked to crack wise and take on all challenges. All heels are booked to be chickensh*t cowards that run from fair fights at some point, no matter how intimidating they are. The heel booking bothers me a lot more than the face's, honestly. Oh god, I hate that they do this with every heel wrestler at some point. I hated it in particular when they made Rollins and Punk into cowardly heels. I think it irked me most with Kevin Owens.
|
|
Negan™
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Jul 31, 2013 16:42:44 GMT -5
Posts: 356
|
Post by Negan™ on Mar 2, 2018 19:52:28 GMT -5
I agree that every top face seems to do the whole “stand up comedian” act and really badly at that. Rock and Jericho could pull it off. When Cena does it, it’s corny as crap. Styles was an amazing heel and part of his lame catchphrases like “BEAT UP JOHN CENA!” And “The Champ that runs the camp” kinda endeared fans towards him. But as a face? It just doesn’t work. “Kami” was ing awful material. I can’t blame Styles for that. Reigns should just stick to being a silent badass type. If he does talk, he should keep that swagger and attitude in his promos. That promo where he said “I’m not a bad guy, I’m not a good guy... I’m just THE guy” was his best promo yet. And it was literally just one line and mic drop. He should stick to that cocky stuff cause fans eat it up. Nowadays I find myself not wanting anybody to turn face cause I know the writing for them will be so outdated and rundown. There’s been so many examples of “cool wrestlers becoming uncool”, it’s ridiculous. Just keep them the same and change who they face. It’s that simple. Fans don’t like people who suck up to the crowd or talk about “not backing down” and crap. They want to cheer for anti hero types.
|
|
|
Post by tylerbreezee on Mar 2, 2018 20:07:20 GMT -5
This is Vince McMahon's WWE. All faces are booked to crack wise and take on all challenges. All heels are booked to be chickensh*t cowards that run from fair fights at some point, no matter how intimidating they are. The heel booking bothers me a lot more than the face's, honestly. Oh god, I hate that they do this with every heel wrestler at some point. I hated it in particular when they made Rollins and Punk into cowardly heels. Punk wasn’t really a cowardly heel at any of the points he was heel.
|
|
|
Post by rkmo: Aviso de Diez Meses on Mar 2, 2018 20:30:21 GMT -5
This is Vince McMahon's WWE. All faces are booked to crack wise and take on all challenges. All heels are booked to be chickensh*t cowards that run from fair fights at some point, no matter how intimidating they are. The heel booking bothers me a lot more than the face's, honestly. Oh god, I hate that they do this with every heel wrestler at some point. I hated it in particular when they made Rollins and Punk into cowardly heels. They even did it with Braun Strowman. As he was approaching the height of his first monster heel push in 2016 just before Mania, he backed away from confrontations with Roman Reigns on multiple occasions, slunk away through the crowd in his only face-to-face with the Undertaker, and even backed away when confronted backstage by the Big Show at one point. I read somewhere that Triple H played off the concept of faces and heels referring specifically to Roman that there's no need to write him as a heel since people are already booing him. Then why make heels like Strowman and Kevin Owens, and I'm assuming a future Dean Ambrose, never face up to challenges in an effort to not have people cheer them?
|
|
|
Post by Next Man’s Knowing Rock on Mar 2, 2018 20:45:15 GMT -5
Then why make heels like Strowman and Kevin Owens, and I'm assuming a future Dean Ambrose, never face up to challenges in an effort to not have people cheer them? Fans don’t like people who suck up to the crowd or talk about “not backing down” and crap.
|
|
|
Post by kingnothing ~ Hardwired... on Mar 2, 2018 21:58:14 GMT -5
Then why make heels like Strowman and Kevin Owens, and I'm assuming a future Dean Ambrose, never face up to challenges in an effort to not have people cheer them? Fans don’t like people who suck up to the crowd or talk about “not backing down” and crap. That’s it in a nutshell. There’s also merch sales, which factors into all this heavily. If someone doesn’t have many shirts to sell, if any, they can push him or her as a heel by their actions and through commentary. Once they start moving the needle in ratings and selling product, things begin to change. For example, Roman acts and speaks like a cool heel and the majority of the crowd boos, but the commentators remind the parents regularly that he’s a good guy so they keep buying their kids his shirt and action figure. I do miss the times before WWE became publicly traded and Vince and company could listen to the fans more. Anyone remember when the Rock’s Uber face act had run its course and they decided to turn him into a Hollywood heel? He started singing and playing guitar and insulting the fans and before you knew it we were cheering for him all over again.
|
|