TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Jun 28, 2021 14:16:56 GMT -5
Great promo, but they screwed it up straight away in typical WWE fashion.
In hindsight, the promo didn't have the longevity of a true shoot promo, because of what we now know in the scripted creation of it.
To be honest the Mat Hardy 2005 "invasion" and name dropping ROH looked more believable.
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TheXtremisT
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on Jun 28, 2021 12:54:37 GMT -5
You guys have made me change my choice.
I originally went with the higher power, but even before hbkbigdaddycool and Diviak said it had to be Vince, I was also thinking this recently. Who ELSE could it have been, after all that buildup? Anyone less and it would have been a wet fart. Jake could have been cool if he was sharp as he was in the late 80s/early 90s, but he was battling drug addiction, bloated and beligerant by 1999.
Christopher Daniels makes zero sense to me. He was basically a nobody by this point. He was 5'11 (with lifts) and 220lbs. He'd never wrestled on a major stage. He was unproven in promos in front of a large crowd. He had a handful of matches on Jakked or whatever. What upside was there to him? He'd have fizzled out in 2 weeks going up against Austin and then whoever else. People would have been like - "WHO???".
I don't care what Prichard says, I just cannot see this happening nor that it was seriously considered. I think someone threw it out there and it got shut down. That's it.
Regarding the driver - I've said this a few times - it should have been Test. But it'd have had to have been booked right from the start.
Triple H stole Steph from Test. He pretty much gave up without a fight after almost marrying her. He got no revenge, and on the first Smackdown of 2000, even did what Triple H asked of him. They turned him heel, and slipped down the card. He looked like a chump.
So instead, they should have had Test being livid, want revenge and kept him really strong and booked him against DX and maybe put on the shelf by them for a few months to work on his promos.
Then fast forward to October - grainy CCTV footage shows a long, light-colour haired man with a beard in the driver's seat of the car. It "looked" like Test. But after a couple of months of feuding with Stone Cold and Test proclaiming his innocence but still up for a fight - it is revealed it was actually Triple H, who framed Test. It looked like Test in the car, but Triple H is also bearded and blond. HHH wanted to ruin Austin's career (like we got) and humiliate Test so he could keep him out of the picture whilst he married Steph.
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TheXtremisT
Main Eventer
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on May 27, 2021 5:56:23 GMT -5
Triple H spoke some BS about why they don't have actual tag-teams in the WWE.
Basically, they prefer to throw tag-teams together from 2 guys under contract, rather than specifically sign tag-teams from outside the WWE, because they don't see the value in giving them individual, equal contract on par with other guys on the roster for essentially half the work.
To his credit, I see the point in a roundabout way. But that still doesn't excuse why WWE doesn't put any real effort into the tag division and try to make big tag-team stars (eg New Age Outlaws, Edge & Christian...) even WITH using thrown together tag-teams or 2 NXT guys under contract without any singles experience on TV. For example The Revival, The Ascension, American Alpha....
Sure, there are tag-teams that are pushed (Usos, Street Profits), but apart from the New Day, they don't really consistently keep them strong/consistent. Teams get over and then are split up. They come up from NXT and are jobbed out/victims of 50/50 booking.
There also may be less teams on the indies, but even when they're given the chance on the main roster, they're wasted (Viking Raiders).
So I think Triple H's excuse is weak. They need to be putting more effort in like they did in 2000 and build tag stars. Split them after a couple of years of being on the top, instead of building them and splitting them instantly. Build the chemistry, keep them together for a while. Have several hungry teams at the same time and vying for the titles. Sounds simple?
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TheXtremisT
Main Eventer
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on May 17, 2021 5:52:01 GMT -5
The RVD one was pretty good.
Loved how they showcased his early days, especially prior to ECW and during.
However, it was ironic to see Vince put him over like he did, because he was definitely held back due to his detractors-uh, who thought he couldn't cut a promo-uh or was difficult or dangerous to work with-uh.
Such a shame that his momentum after 2001 was wasted during 2003-2005. They just didn't know how to book him. Instead, he was putting over flops like Dupree, Suzuki, Jindrak etc....
Shame he shot himself in the foot in 2006, he was finally getting to where he should have been all along.
However, even despite of this, I still think they would have got the titles off of him by Summerslam 2006 and he would have been back to upper midcard again....
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on May 14, 2021 7:47:11 GMT -5
They have done this for eternity. It's not a few things here and there, it's all the time.
They just CBA to acknowledge the past because that's too much effort in the storyline/script writing. It's always the past 3-5 years that counts.
For the past 15+ years, they employ a load of failed soap opera writers who aren't wrestling fans, so of course they don't know the history.
I've said this many times, that WWE needs a Kevin Fiege type - a guy who is like an encyclopedia of knowledge and can recall important facts/relationships or more. And have a roundtable of wrestling fans who know the characters/wrestlers inside and out so they don't instead make guys act out of character/read off a script that makes no sense....
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TheXtremisT
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on May 14, 2021 7:41:12 GMT -5
Bill fn Alfonso.
Biggest goof ever. Really hated that damn whistle, should have been shoved where the sun don't shine.
Also was an awful promo, seemed like he had more teeth than he had braincells and that's saying something....
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TheXtremisT
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on Apr 25, 2021 7:39:13 GMT -5
Can't wait for the RVD one. Hopefully they get him a merchandise deal and results in mattel figures again. Dying for an early WWE RVD.
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TheXtremisT
Main Eventer
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Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by TheXtremisT on Apr 6, 2021 11:43:18 GMT -5
After watching highlights of late WCW, in early 2001, I can't say much improved.
They were still relying on the same formulae as before - cruiserweights to have exciting matches, bloated over the hill guys in the main event, heel authority figure and a big uber heel faction running over everyone....
There were still a lot of head scratching things happening and dumb moments.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Mar 26, 2021 8:15:52 GMT -5
He debuted (as Essa) in February 2000. He was exciting to watch for about 2 months, having some great matches including with Eddie. Then they began making him abusive towards Lita and gave up on him after about 3 months. Then he faded into obscurity.
He was released in mid-2001 and returned to Mexico, only occasionally appearing in the US like TNA in 2004 for the World X cup.
It's a shame because he was really talented and definitely would have fit well in WCW's Cruiserweight division. He could have been used better in 2002 in WWE's Cruiserweight division. But probably preferred being in Mexico.
He lacked charisma and didn't connect with the crowd.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Mar 15, 2021 10:07:06 GMT -5
Yeah because they already had the molds/headsculpts and only had to do paint apps. Too easy for them.
They would have made that decision basically almost a year before the release date and just changed it last minute to prevent consumers kicking off too soon.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Mar 11, 2021 4:27:31 GMT -5
There was clearly a big difference between Jakks not trying, and not putting any effort in at all.
Re-using parts that didn't work for certain wrestlers (including widely out of scale parts), not putting in effort for new sculpts (looking at Paul London/Brian Kendrick), lacking tattoo/logo designs..... all just so they could save money.....
And I'm talking since 1996, not just the final year they made figures. Obviously 2009 was notoriously bad, but they still pulled some of that s*** on a lesser basis, throughout their whole run.
Looking at Mattel vs Jakks, Mattel seem to actually care enough. Jakks kind of did, but their bottom line was to half-ass things to save money and make poor choices.
The Classics line was mostly well-handled. But overall, the RA line was only a slight improvement over TTL and were cheaply made figures.
Toybiz/Marvel Toys' TNA figures (ones with no action feature) were better handled. Better paint apps, more dedicated sculpts, better articulation. For the same price point. At the same time period. Obviously WWE licensing meant the prices were higher comparatively.
But I think Jakks gets a pass because of nostalgia. They were fun toys. They are fondly looked back on. But I think that's also reflective of being the only game in town and the WWE product being more popular. In a less biased way, the figures were terrible. They all looked the same and overly muscular.
If they stuck with R3 tech, introduce bicep swivels, better torsos, and maybe hip articulation, that would have been an A++ line.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Mar 2, 2021 18:17:17 GMT -5
I haven't been paying attention.
Any air dates for the upcoming episodes at all?
Would love to know more about the RVD one.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 22, 2021 16:27:26 GMT -5
Everyone remembers Jericho winning the WWF title briefly after Earl Hebner fast counted Triple H's shoulders to the mat. But no-one talks about RVD doing the same to Undertaker on Raw in 2002. Also an epic moment. Never happened! It was stricken from the record books. It was the mandela effect I tell ya!
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 22, 2021 8:52:26 GMT -5
Everyone remembers Jericho winning the WWF title briefly after Earl Hebner fast counted Triple H's shoulders to the mat. But no-one talks about RVD doing the same to Undertaker on Raw in 2002.
Also an epic moment.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 18, 2021 4:37:01 GMT -5
To be honest, most of the Attitude Era pay per views were lacklustre in 1998-1999 apart from 1-2 matches/the main event. They were more focused on television rather than building ppv quality matches for the mid to lower card. Yeah not the craziest thing from that era, but with Vince being in his mid 50s at the time, if he did not hit that table right, he could have been really messed up. But he didn't hit the table right, he hit his hip/back/leg onto the edge of the table and ended up with severe bruising that turned purple all down his left side/leg..... Knowing Vince, he would never have sold it for the days that followed. He toughed it out for sure.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 10, 2021 4:13:07 GMT -5
I would include Dean Malenko in that because other than his "Iceman" nickname, he did nothing gimmick-wise nor did he do anything to embody the nickname other than to just be stoic and hardnose. Charlie Haas 2004-2005, 2006-2007 didn't really have anything. Even if he portrayed a white you-know-what for a short period. You could count loads of guys who's gimmicks just fizzled out into basically just nostalgia. Like Val Venis after 2003. Val was pretty much banished to Sunday Night Heat for 5 years. I can only remember 2 things involving him on RAW after 2003, one angle with Shelton Benjamin's big momma and the other when he teamed with the RAW roster vs Triple H and Cena I think, because he was very animated on the apron I recall. But yeah, it was almost comical how underpushed and then stripped back he became. Didn't he interact with Viscera (love machine version)? If not, that was a missed opportunity. I remember Charlie Haas teamed with Viscera for a bit because they both liked Lilian Garcia.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 4, 2021 6:58:09 GMT -5
Can't wait for the RVD one. Hope it leads to an early WWE-career figure of him from Mattel.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Feb 1, 2021 5:58:27 GMT -5
I would include Dean Malenko in that because other than his "Iceman" nickname, he did nothing gimmick-wise nor did he do anything to embody the nickname other than to just be stoic and hardnose.
Charlie Haas 2004-2005, 2006-2007 didn't really have anything. Even if he portrayed a white you-know-what for a short period.
You could count loads of guys who's gimmicks just fizzled out into basically just nostalgia. Like Val Venis after 2003.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Jan 24, 2021 5:48:48 GMT -5
There still were plenty of people watching wrestling without much knowledge of Tyson's demeanour back then, such as myself.
I had only heard of him and what he did. I'd never seen him.
It's very easy to say things like "very few people didn't know him" when you yourselves did know him.
But I'll say again - he looked like a goof and didn't embody the "baddest man on the planet" moniker that he had earned. Regardless of whether the angle played out fine as it did (which is what I said in my OP), it could have highlighted his mean and unpredictable nature and would have made for more compelling watching.
He could have been more of an antagonist rather than just slightly more than a bystander.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Jan 23, 2021 9:37:21 GMT -5
Tyson had the reputation as the baddest man on the planet, to me, he didn’t need to act up to it. It worked perfectly in my opinion. To launch the “Cold Stone” juggernaut, Austin had to be the antagonist in the situation. Tyson was happy to be there and was getting a lot of attention showered on him. Austin took umbrage with it and comes out to confront him and it all kicks off. Austin’s character was anti authority and a loner and really couldn’t care less who he mixes it up with. If Tyson came out with an attitude, it would make Austin more of a hero than an antihero to come out and challenge him and that wouldn’t fit the mould. One of the greatest angles in the history of wrestling. When it came to the celebrity rub, the WWF were untouchable. And at $3.5 million, Tyson’s contract was an absolute steal. That may have been the case in his first in-ring appearance, but from then on, it would have made sense for him to be confrontational to Austin and be cocky, mean and not look goofy liek he did. Whether or not you knew he was "the baddest man on the planet", there were millions who did not know what he was like nor watch boxing, so seeing him act the fool just took from his moniker.
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