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I realize we will never have another "attitude era." Why does stick with the old wrestling cliches? An anti American wrestler, usually Russian. A pro American wrestler, usually portrayed as "the average joe next door." A wrestler who is used for comedy, and a woman wrestler that's a bit psycho. Isn't that the way it's always been?
Vince McMahon sticks with what he knows and tells the stories that he is comfortable telling. He feels it’s his product and he will present it in the manner he wants to present it. So that means going back to things he has liked in the past, over and over. To be fair, some of them also work again and again.
Does a guy or guys reaching prominence in TNA actually hurt their standing with the WWE? I know that Vince & Co. don't think of TNA as a rival but they seem less inclined to sign guys who have had success there prior to having success in the WWE. For instance the Young Bucks. WWE's tag division could get a big shot in the arm from a Hardy Boyz style high flying duo and they are great fun to watch. I've never even heard of them getting a WWE tryout. Another example is Bully Ray. Yes he was a tag star in WWE but his solo act didn't really succeed until TNA. It seems like a no-brainer for WWE to sign him as he could be a great heel and add a fun brawler to the top of the card, yet I've heard nothing about them even talking to him either.Â
It definitely can hurt them. For one thing, it makes them think they more valuable than WWE thinks that they are. A perfect case in point is Matt Morgan. He left TNA thinking a big deal would be waiting in WWE and it was not. In other cases, WWE looks at the guys and doesn’t see a WWE style wrestler in them. And money is a factor as well. If a guy can make more working indies and Japan, and do the kinds of matches that they want, that is what some will do.
When a guy has a tryout at the WWE what does it entail? I'd imagine medical tests and ring work, do they ask them to cut promos as well? What makes them decide one guy is "it" over another. The reason I ask this is Ricochet. I heard he had a WWE tryout and wasn't offered a deal. On paper he seems to match up with Adrian Neville. Young guy, success in the indies and internationally, great high flyer. Two other companies have seen enough in him to make him a top guy, Dragon Gate and now AAA's El Rey show, so what makes WWE pass on him vs Neville or someone similar?
They bring them in and watch them work out. If they like them, they usually give them a dark match. If they want to sign them, the in-depth medical tests start. As for guys they don’t sign, as mentioned above the reason is usually that they don’t see a potential WWE worker in them or if they do, they think they need more seasoning outside of the company.
Considering the crazy questions you guys get like is Lesnar vs Hogan at Mania money, does it really surprise you with the way Vince books talent?
You know, you bring up a great point. It doesn’t let Vince off of the hook for his booking by any means but it certainly points out that there are some fans out there that set the bar so low that no matter what Vince does, they will buy it. I have always maintained that he already has those fans however. In order to increase his reach, he needs to engage the people that won’t just accept whatever they are given, the discerning types. I don’t see any reason not to do it either, since he will never lose the fans that will accept anything.
Why is it that when the MITB case is being cashed in, the wrestler has to drag the referee out (as if from a nap), and the referee is completely befuddled and has absolutely no idea what's going on? Then, the wrestler has to motion like he's explaining the whole MITB concept to him about 10 times before he finally rings the bell. It makes the referees look like morons. Does this drive you nuts?
It does not drive me nuts, or even bother me. They are selling the “any time, any place†aspect of the contract. If a ref was totally ready, it wouldn’t be spontaneous. And it makes sense for the ref to be unsure until the guy actually says he is cashing in the contract to me.
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