Lost Art Poll

[Money Inc.]

A lot of threads on here (focusing towards the WWE) tend to end up with the reply of "well they are sports entertainment now, not wrestling"

One of the biggest complaints in wrestling today is the lost art of the

Tag Team:

In wrestling today (once again, mostly pointing towards the E) it is rumored that Vince possibly wants to do without the tag division simply because marketing stars by themselves is more profitable towards the company.

I've been a guest on these forums for awhile now (Don't want to say been on the forums for awhile because my join date clearly disagrees) and I've seen numerous amounts of threads talking about changing the foundation of the tag division.

I'll be the first to admit I've been intrigued with the direction the tag division has been heading in the last few months. I'm sure a lot of hear will say the derailment of Cryme Tyme was unnecessary but I'm going to give it time to see how they choose to develop both JTG and Shad separately before I say it was a bust.

However with the loss of a tag team, so far this year we've seen the pilot of 3 new tag teams.

Jimmy and Jay Uso: Of course Rikishi Fatu's sons that are accompanied by Tamina. I've personally seen a lot of their work in FCW and I've seen them take match of the night honors on numerous occasions. These two are very athletic and have a number of spots that can get them over. I personally want to see this feud with the Hart's carry on through the summer!

Curt Hawkins and Vance Archer: They were teaming up in FCW for a good month before making their debut on Superstars a month ago. They were then given the "make an impact" gimmick and arguably have done so. Vince is said to be very high on Vance Archer and with Hawkins who has had previous tag experience, I see potential. The only thing I feel is missing is a common theme between the two. The WWE has been accused of throwing tag teams randomly together so we'll see where they go with this. In the previous paragraph I said I wanted to see the Harts/Usos feud go through the summer so do you guys think the Uso's will continue... or you think Hawkins and Archer will get a big push?

The Dudebusters: The wild cards of the tag division currently. I've seen 50% of the IWC love the gimmick, and I've seen 50% think this is going no where. I don't think they've been given the proper push enough to comment on them at this point.

The Lost art of

The Manager

You can argue the WWE has a lot of heels that don't come off believable simply because the need a mouthpiece! One of the biggest talked about topics on here in 2010 was the debate over whether Shelton Benjamins release. I personally though the release was justified.. but still the WWE's own fault. I felt they should of put a mouthpiece on him the minute him and Haas split up after Team Angle. (Also people bring up Matt Hardy, Ezekiel Jackson, Vlad Kozlov, and more when it comes to people they think could get more over with a mouthpiece)

You go back to the days of Bobby Heenan and Jim Cornette

You have Bobby Heenans family which involved a number of guys that weren't with a penny without Bobby Heenan's promos. You can say the same with the amount of heat Jim Cornette got on his heels..

We could talk about managers all day so i'll just name a handful

Heenan, Cornette, Jimmy Hart, JJ Dillon, Gary Hart, Paul E. Dangerously, Slick, Lou Albano, Classy Freddy Blassie.... and So many more that got their talent over!

The lost art of

The Submission Hold

Mainly pointing towards the finishers when mentioning this lost art. Through the 80's and 90's a number of talents (whether it be WWF or GCW/WCW) could finish a match via submission and make it believable! Today were lucky to see Chris Jericho attempt to go for the Walls (more than likely it'll be reversed) I hope when the Undertaker comes back he starts using the go-go more often! I do agree impact finishers do come off better to the casual fan, but it sometimes comes off to spot-happy. I'm not saying get rid of the impact finishers, but have a good mix of submission finishers/Impact Finishers/Surprise Finishers that way it brings more credibility to the finisher.

Other

I'll put other in the poll. Please do reply if your choosing other and let us know your opinion on the biggest lost art in sports entertainment.

Arguably all of these have been MIA in the "sports entertainment" era. Which would you like to see the WWE bring back.

 

[xcalypsox]

This is close between two for me one is sumbissions. I used to love watching matches and not knowing if the guy woulld tap out or not once a submission was looked in. Now whenever a submission is locked in (which is raely anyway) it either gets reversed somehow or they manage to get the ropebreak. And how many times has Jericho put somebody in the walls within the last year like twice?

My second choice would be cruserweight wrestling i know this is brought up alot but still I think if they still had this belt it would make both shows more entertaining. Then Rey can hold this belt and be believable holding it instead of having the WHC belt right now. I liked having 1 or 2 cruserweight highflying matches everynight it was a nice change from the bigger guys wrestling and it gave the smaller guys something to do instead of jobbing.

So I'll throw my vote on other but submissions were a close second

 

[The Doctor]

I think the Manager should be the one to be brought back. I remember back when Matt Striker was the manager of Big Daddy V, he made V sound like a million bucks. Striker was a great mouthpiece, and I think more people need them. Managers sell characters. They aren't just there for use as a crutch, they're there to enhance talent, and make them sound incredible.

Managers have a place in modern wrestling. Whether it be selling giants, or simply being a character for the heel to interact with in promos, they work. I'd love to see them return.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

I voted Managers...

Why...

When was the last time I saw a decent/good manager? James Mitchell...he was like the last one...Since the 00's, we haven't seen any good managers...all the managers were back in 80's and 90's...and they wern't always used as mouthpiece, not most of them...but they helped with feuds...now wrestlers think they can do it on their own..

I want to also say Submission hold..only because I really like how they make the ending more entertaining and nail biting...(watch WM XX main event..)...

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

I voted for Submission Holds just because I loved watching the tension and feeling the excitement when somebody was in a submission hold. The only time we ever see somebody in a submission now is when Cena actually applies the STF and when Jericho applies the Walls of Jericho.

I don't know about anybody else but when was the last time you saw somebody tap out to the STF or the Walls? Not recently I know that much.

It was a tough and close decision, but I picked Submissions. Sadly there are no submission specialists around anymore. Nobody as good as Kurt Angle or Chris Benoit anyway..

My second choice would have been Tag Team Wrestling, because there aren't many teams around anymore and I love the fact that WWE have started introuducing more such as Hart Dynasty and The Uso's.

 

[Ferbian]

The only thing that WWE is missing is actually the managers, it's the only thing that is truly gone from WWE.

We still see tag team wrestling, hell tag team wrestling is blossoming again with The Hart Dynasty and The Uso's who seem to have pretty good talent, we still see tag team wrestling, just not definite tag teams, and definite tag team action across the whole roster.

But nonetheless the division is blossoming slowly.

The submission holds are featured rather often, we have Chris Jericho who still performs the Walls of Jericho, we have Jack Swagger who debuted the Ankle Lock last night, John Cena with the STFU and probably many more that I have missed.

The only thing that are listed and is not "others" that is missing is the managers, and that's simply because they are not as needed anymore, I believe I heard Jim Ross talking about the managers not being there anymore because they were a creation of the territorial wrestling system, to keep heat or popularity in the territory the wrestler performed in, while being somewhere else.

A manager could still be used although, and I do feel that it could be brought back, but only as a part time manager, something like William Regal for Kozlov, Kozlov who struggles with the microphone skills in terms of English it seems (I do not know whether he is good at it backstage) and The Great Khali.

So even managers is not truly needed, but it is the one thing I would bring back if I had to bring anything back.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I would have to go with Managers too. The tag team division is lacking in WWE but at least there are tag teams. Managers on the other hand are few and far between in WWE. They really haven't been shown on WWE programming for years. The only managers I can think of would be Ranji Singh for Great Khali and maybe Vickie Guerrero with Dolph Ziggler. Sometimes the divas would wind up with wrestlers as valets, but then leave them soon after.

I hope Maryse actually stays with Dibiase because I think that she is in a good role with him. Not every wrestler needs a manager, but some seriously do. I really think Jack Swagger and Drew Mcintyre could really benefit with a manager. Sheamus isn't bad on the mic but he could benefit as well. Could you imagine someone like Bobby Heenan managing Swagger, Mcintyre, or even Sheamus?

 

[Cookie14]

I think there are good reasons to vote for any of the options.

Tag Team
While there has been a mini-resurgance in tag team wrestling over the last year or so, you are still currently left with four legitimate tag teams, that's two per show. Can't really do a lot with regards to fueds when you finish a fued with one team, look around for your next fued and realise that you have to gack to the team you've just faced.

Submission
Even as recently as five years ago, you had Jericho, Benoit, Angle, Steiner and Flair among the top level guys using submission finishers.
But it doesn't have to be used as a finisher. A lot of you on here go on about in-ring storytelling, and how important that is to having truely great matches. Look at some of the great matches over the years. One person would get the advantage, build up the tempo, the opponent would start to gain some momentum only to be stopped by a sleeper hold, bear hug etc before they would escape and make their comeback. This would often help matches last 20-30 minutes. How often do we see matches that long from WWE these days? The main events of Raw/SD usually don't even last 10 minutes.

Managers
There are a fair few people in WWE that could use a manager. Whether it's because they are not very good on the mic (Khozlov, Khali, Hardy, Henry), to help them get over as a face/heel, like Ziggler is doing ith Vickie, or to help them pick up wins in the ring, such as DiBiase with Virgil.

I voted for submission because I feel that this is more important to the entertainment factor of a match.
It always adds drama, whether it be in the middle of the match, or as a finisher. How many times did you used to see people escape from or reverse the Ankle Lock, Walls etc. This couls happen once or twice a match, at least. Now compare that with how many people you saw kick out of or resverse normal finishers, almost never.

 

[The Brain]

I think both tag team wrestling and managing are lost arts. Over the last ten plus years it’s been rare to have more than one manager at a time. Usually that one manager would manage one wrestler and the partnership wouldn’t last very long. When I started watching wrestling Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Slick, and Mr. Fuji each managed multiple people. Being associated with these managers gave each wrestler more heat. A lot of people seem to think the only people who need managers are the ones who struggle on the mic. While a manager would help those guys they could be used for more. Take Rick Rude and Mr. Perfect for example. I don’t think either of them needed a manager. I’m sure both could have gotten over on their own. For as hated as they were, their association with Bobby Heenan made them even more hated. I don’t think Andre the Giant’s heel turn would have been as big if he just stayed on his own instead of hooking up with Heenan. Honky Tonk Man was fine on the mic, but look how much Jimmy Hart helped his character. There were plenty of times where the manager was more over than the wrestlers, but the wrestlers benefited from it. Look at the feud between Big Bossman and Bobby Heenan from 1990/1991. Heenan was constantly getting under Bossman’s skin. The fans couldn’t wait to see Bossman get his hands on Heenan. During this time Bossman had a series of matches with Haku and the Barbarian. Typically no one would care about these matches, but the feud with Heenan made them interesting. This lead to Bossman getting an IC title shot at Mr. Perfect at WrestleMania VII. Bossman wasn’t feuding with Perfect, but he had gone through the rest of the Heenan family and now wanted to hurt Heenan most by going after his champion. So an IC title match (when the IC title was still very prestigious) at WrestleMania was booked because of a feud with a manager. And nothing was sweeter when we finally got to see the scheming manager get what he had coming to him.

Despite my feeling on the lost art of managing I voted for tag team wrestling in the poll. Younger fans may not believe it, but tag team wrestling used to be a very big part of the WWF. Nowadays a new team debuts and their first feud is with the champions simply because there is no one else to feud with. So many people got excited when The Uso’s debuted because they were going to revitalize the tag division. They’re just one team. I believe they brought the tag division up to a total of three teams. When I started watching wrestling there was a real tag division. There were several teams and there were actually feuds between teams that didn’t involve the champions. Teams would actually have to work their way up the ranks to get a title shot instead of getting one by default because of lack of teams. The Rockers, Rougeau Brothers, The Islanders, and Power and Glory are just a few of many teams back then that never held the tag titles. Any one of those teams could easily be champions today. The first two Survivor Series events had matches with five teams against five teams. All were legit teams who always competed as a team. No two month make shift teams. Tag team wresting used to be important and exciting. Not only were there many teams and important feuds, but the matches were really good too. Almost all the tag matches used a basic formula where the excitement built throughout the match. It was a simple formula, but it worked every time. I love watching tag team matches from the 80’s and early 90’s on classics on demand. For those who missed out on that era I strongly suggest you check out the old school section if classics on demand is available through your cable company.

Both managing and tag team wrestling are lost arts. I just look back to the 1987 Survivor Series. Five face teams vs. five heel teams and each heel team had a different manager. Those were the days.

 

[Bobby B]

I voted other. The big lost art in the WWE - stables

WWE misses stables so badly. Now I know they have one at the moment with The Nexus, but they are so few and far between. Since attitude ended we've had two other stables (to my knowledge) - Evolution, La Familia and The Cabinet.

For reference, I consider a stable to be quite big in size - Legacy and The SES I wouldn't consider true stables in my eyes

Big stables, multiple wrestlers, a manager etc... Dominate entire brands. La Famillia may have been a bit annoying, but it took Edge's career onto another level.

It appears we have one with the Nexus - so maybe I'm complaining a bit too much.

For the record, they are all valid points - that and the Cruiserweight Division.

 

[mister_b1LL]

Managers. No doubt. I absolutely miss them. I remember when they made that Greatest Wrestling Managers DVD a few years back it would signal the return of them but unfortunately I was wrong. Hell my dream is not to be a wrestler but a wrestling manager. I long for the day when the next Jimmy Hart or the next Bobby Heenan comes to the WWE.

 

[Mr_billy]

I had to go with others, because I believe the true lost art is the suplex on all it's Varieties, t used to seem like you would I though Angle, Dean Malenko, and Benoit were suplex machines, and I always go "Damn" when I see a Northern lights or Tiger suplexes, and now all you pretty much see are Vertical suplexes and the ocassional Geman.

 

[HBKevin]

I voted managers of the options given, just to make the poll more relevant, instead of voting other. Watching the antics of Jimmy Hart and Bobby the Brain was so entertaining. That megaphone of Hart's got the crowd so pissed. But, more than anything I probably miss the cruiserweight division. Some people remember that Chavo is actually an incredible wrestler. Maybe with a cruiser division, he'd get to perform. Same goes for Primo, and all the other cruisers they've released the last few years (I know Primo isn't released yet). It doubles as a division for small American style wrestlers, and for luchadores and Japanese. I enjoy seeing heavyweights go at it with power moves in the main event, but there is a huge gaping hole for the small high flyers. Mysterio transcended the division, but a bunch of guys haven't, and need one.

 

[WWE Manster03]

I think both tag team wrestling and managing are lost arts. Over the last ten plus years it’s been rare to have more than one manager at a time. Usually that one manager would manage one wrestler and the partnership wouldn’t last very long. When I started watching wrestling Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Slick, and Mr. Fuji each managed multiple people. Being associated with these managers gave each wrestler more heat. A lot of people seem to think the only people who need managers are the ones who struggle on the mic. While a manager would help those guys they could be used for more. Take Rick Rude and Mr. Perfect for example. I don’t think either of them needed a manager. I’m sure both could have gotten over on their own. For as hated as they were, their association with Bobby Heenan made them even more hated. I don’t think Andre the Giant’s heel turn would have been as big if he just stayed on his own instead of hooking up with Heenan. Honky Tonk Man was fine on the mic, but look how much Jimmy Hart helped his character. There were plenty of times where the manager was more over than the wrestlers, but the wrestlers benefited from it. Look at the feud between Big Bossman and Bobby Heenan from 1990/1991. Heenan was constantly getting under Bossman’s skin. The fans couldn’t wait to see Bossman get his hands on Heenan. During this time Bossman had a series of matches with Haku and the Barbarian. Typically no one would care about these matches, but the feud with Heenan made them interesting. This lead to Bossman getting an IC title shot at Mr. Perfect at WrestleMania VII. Bossman wasn’t feuding with Perfect, but he had gone through the rest of the Heenan family and now wanted to hurt Heenan most by going after his champion. So an IC title match (when the IC title was still very prestigious) at WrestleMania was booked because of a feud with a manager. And nothing was sweeter when we finally got to see the scheming manager get what he had coming to him.

Despite my feeling on the lost art of managing I voted for tag team wrestling in the poll. Younger fans may not believe it, but tag team wrestling used to be a very big part of the WWF. Nowadays a new team debuts and their first feud is with the champions simply because there is no one else to feud with. So many people got excited when The Uso’s debuted because they were going to revitalize the tag division. They’re just one team. I believe they brought the tag division up to a total of three teams. When I started watching wrestling there was a real tag division. There were several teams and there were actually feuds between teams that didn’t involve the champions. Teams would actually have to work their way up the ranks to get a title shot instead of getting one by default because of lack of teams. The Rockers, Rougeau Brothers, The Islanders, and Power and Glory are just a few of many teams back then that never held the tag titles. Any one of those teams could easily be champions today. The first two Survivor Series events had matches with five teams against five teams. All were legit teams who always competed as a team. No two month make shift teams. Tag team wresting used to be important and exciting. Not only were there many teams and important feuds, but the matches were really good too. Almost all the tag matches used a basic formula where the excitement built throughout the match. It was a simple formula, but it worked every time. I love watching tag team matches from the 80’s and early 90’s on classics on demand. For those who missed out on that era I strongly suggest you check out the old school section if classics on demand is available through your cable company.

Both managing and tag team wrestling are lost arts. I just look back to the 1987 Survivor Series. Five face teams vs. five heel teams and each heel team had a different manager. Those were the days.

this is 2 threads in a row where we agree 100%..I started watching when I was 2 with my dad, and can vividly remember events as far back as 1987(I was 3) because I would watch them on tv. I used to watch the Survivor Series where they had the 10 person tags with teams like the Killer Bees/Demolition/Bushwackers/Hart Foundation/British Bulldogs/Rockers/Fabulous Rogeaus/The Conquistadors(who always amused me btw) and I could even include the Natural Disasters/Money Inc/Haku and Barbarian and other teams like that. Tag Team wrestling was a great way to build a solid program, and look at how many stars from the end of the 80s/early 90s came from tag teams..You don't see that now.
While I voted for tag teams, I want to mention how much I want to see managers back in the WWE. They are the best way to enhance talent. Look at how good Abyss was when James Mitchell was his mouthpiece. Or what about Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman? I swear to god Bobby Heenan/Mr Fuji/Jim Cornette need medals for how many people they put over with their mouths(and that freaking tennis racket)..Look at the Undertaker for example..If Paul Bearer wouldn't of been around at the beginning I don't think that the Undertaker would be as big of a deal as he was. Bearer pulled the strings to get him over by using the urn and such. Also, he brought Kane in and even helped get Mankind over against the Undertaker. Brother Love is another one that did alot of enhancement. As we speak I might go back and watch one of my old WWF Main Event VHS tapes from the late 80s/early 90s for some classic confrontations. I believe I have a Hogan/Hercules match that features some great Heenan shenanigans.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Submission holds are starting to come back into fruition as a major staple in wrestling matches. You've got wrestlers, both young and old, using submissions as integral parts of the match to get the crowd going that's not defined as a "rest hold." There is a long list of guys that utilize submissions and get victories over said submissions. Here, take a read of this list:

Undertaker - Hell's Gate
Dolph Ziggler - Sleeper
The Hart Family - Sharpshooter
John Cena - STF
Chris Jericho - Walls of Jericho
Triple H - Figure Four, Crossface

Yes, there should be more submission holds in professional wrestling as certain wrestlers fit the bill of containing a high profile submission (i.e. CM Punk and the Anaconda Vise), it's not necessarily a dying art form. People still lose to submissions, submission matches still occur and there was an entire PPV dedicated to submitting. Hell, submission holds still garner good reactions from the crowd and always get them going.

Tag team wrestling has gone down the tubes quite a lot but at least it's still in existence for the most part. There are still tag teams out there that are permanent fixtures in the division that do put on some decent feuds, but it is a shadow of it's former self. Nowadays, tag team matches are primarily used for bookers to have multiple feuds to be in the one match without having the wrestlers in these feuds do too much and not spoil their upcoming "big" match against each other. They have been used to throw some people who aren't being featured as much or who booker can't fit on the card a run in the ring. It's more of a tactical approach to professional wrestling and using their card/roster wisely than a division. While I can't say that I'm happy about the solo-orientated thinking that a company like the WWE may have, its still a solid foundation that's utilized every week.

Which leaves me with managers from the list without resorting to other options. As stated above, the wresting business seems to be focusing on having the one guy do everything (solo-orientated). Not only do they want them to look good, have a passable gimmick and wrestle... but they need them to have the charisma to get there. I'll agree that wrestlers need to have the entire package, but that's only necessary if they want those wrestlers to be their biggest stars and faces that represent them. Take John Cena for the WWE. He's got pretty much everything down-pact in this area, although his work ethic overshadows his wrestling abilities... that's another discussion for another thread.

Not everyone is perfect, though. That seems to slip the minds of those that hire these wrestlers. Sure, you might be working for the biggest company within the industry and you have to prove yourself as to why your there, but there are going to be guys out there that have everything but the charismatic skills who will benefit the company. Umaga is a prime example. Not sure how he would have done if he was allowed to speak, but that's besides the point. Him having a manager in Estrada did wonders for him and really got him over that bit extra as a heel. Because of Estrada's work, the WWE decided that Umaga was the right man for the push to the top and get championship shots as well as belts. Go back to the older days and you'll find managers like Lou Albano and Heenan taking things to the next level because of what they could offer charismatically, as a mouthpiece and adding more credibility/heat to them.

Today, you see hardly any of this. Managers are basically non-existent and have been replaced by tag team partners, valets, rookie/pro couples, etc. Not one of them is a specific manager, and if there is, they're usually only assigned to the one person and gone pretty quickly. The only people that I can consider as "managers" are Vickie Guerrero and Hornswoggle, but adding Horny is stretching the boundaries. However, what these guys can do to the crowd is AMAZING. Guerrero is a machine and Horny makes the crowd go nuts. Anyone teaming with them gives said people the same reaction, eventually raising their credibility and more accepted by the crowd as a prominent feature. There are guys on the roster that are doing okay right now, but really need to the guidance of a manager to step-up there game. Shelton Benjamin could have really used a mouthpiece. Imagine what could have happened with him if he were paired with Vickie Guerrero? My money would be on him still working for the WWE to this day.


I'm voting for managers in the end. Submission holds are alive and well with tag team wrestling needs some work but still plays an integral part of the show. There aren't any "managers" left in the WWE and are seemingly replaced with valets that act only as eye candy, thus being a "lost art."

 

[vanderhevel]

If you look at a lot of old championship wrestlers, like hogan, andre the giant, the undertaker, they all had great managers with them and they were believable champions.

If you look at wrestlers now, managers are reserved for tag teams or non contenders mostly, and when i see a wrestler with a manager, for some reason i see him as a non threat and not a serious contender for the championship. where as before i saw them as credible. does anyone else feel this way? to me managers have become like an anchor that the wrestler has to cast off to become championship material

 

[Megatron]

Guys like Regal, Benoit, Finlay, and others tickle me pink, and the one thing that they all had that not many wrestlers now a days feature was a true submission hold. Yeah, some of the more recent WM ME's (20, 22, 23) ended in a submission, but one was by Benoit and the other two were by Cena who seems to be the only guy that can end a match by submission now. And for those who say that Jericho has the Walls of Jericho - How many times has that actually ended the match since his return? Honestly, it probably hasn't been more then 5, because now he finishes guys off with the Codebreaker and it's seen as more of a resthold if anything. If you give a rookie a devastating submission hold and were to build it up well, I believe that he could get over like hell. It may not be the sexy way to end the match, but it's the best way, imo, to make a guy look dominant. I would like to see more matches end in submission, even only if it were made to be a secondary finisher by that wrestler.

 

[TheAnimal]

I voted other, being technical wrestling. We dont see this much anymore. I loved seeing the chain wrestling, the collection of suplexes unleashed on an opponent. There doesnt seem to be many of the technicians left in WWE, if any.

 

[Dave]

I will have to go for submissions for this one, I am afraid. However, it is not because that I don’t feel that the other issues do not need addressing at some point. Really, it is more due to the fact that submissions have seemed to disappear from the face of the WWE right now and I would definitely love to see them coming back at some point.

Right now, there is literally one person who comes to mind when I think of submissions and that one person is Chris Jericho. Jericho, however, is a remnant of the Attitude Era when submissions actually would put people away and he seems like a lost little boy when he does use his submission finisher. I cannot remember the last time I saw someone tap out to the Walls Of Jericho but I would imagine it was a little while ago. In fact, I am almost sure that the rejection of submission finishes is the reason why he introduced the Codebreaker to his repertoire of moves. It is a shame because 10 years ago, people were submitting to that move every week and it looked really strong. Moreover, it made Chris Jericho look even stronger but that is gone now. An age lost in time as the WWE transitions out of submission wrestling, which is sad really.

What is more sad is how much talent they have lost, when it comes to submission specialists. You think about people like Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Kurt Angle and you cannot feel that they have lost something that is integral to the core of wrestling. Kurt Angle’s ankle lock used to finish guys in their primes and was fucking brilliant to see him lock in. Malenko’s Texas Cloverleaf was pretty good and the Cripple Crossface was exceptional. Now that is all gone and I miss it. Chris Jericho is the only remaining memory of that time and even that is being phased out. Shameful.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Submission Moves: I'm a big fan of mat wrestling, and the art of submission maneuvers is an age old tradition that I do miss dearly, but I don't think today's product or wrestlers could handle it. A few of the guys could pull it off, but I don't think slow and methodical is what they're trained for these days. Also, for the sake of the poll, it isn't my favorite art form.

Managers: Managers have always been hit or miss for me. A few of them have been legendary and unforgettable, but for the most part they've been random divas thrown into the mix because creative couldn't come up with something better for them to do. Take Maryse's current job with Ted DiBiase. They could do something interesting with it, and she is a decent diva, but it could also go nowhere.

Tag Team Wrestling: I loved the glory days of tag team wrestling. They've been spread out, and they're usually mixed with years of terrible teams, but every once in awhile the WWE takes interest in the tag team division for awhile. I miss the days that put guys like The Dudley Boys, Team Extreme, E&C, and more on the map. Even the days that factions were used as tag teams like Batista and Flair from Evolution. Even the days where the titles were dwindling, but we got great action with teams like La Resistance, Booker T and RVD, and the Bashams. Great teams don't usually come out of the tag team dark ages, and those that are great usually get split up and pushed as singles stars. For instance, if Miz and Morrision had broke into the business during the attitude era, they would be tag team legends today, and both of them would probably have achieved a World title or two by now. Today is annoys me that tag teams are booked but never used. We have guys like "The Dudebusters" or the "Gate Crashers" that are used but have nothing to do with the actual tag team division. On Raw we finally have two tag teams battling it out for the titles in the Hart Foundation and the Usos. Two teams with history, but little push. And what's next after they get old? There's a team on Smackdown not getting used, but nobody's going to care because the division means absolutely nothing.

 

[Thriller Ant]

The tag teams are what they are. They aren't great, but aren't in as bad a place as they were toward the end of the 2 sets of titles. Managers could really help get heels over, but they really aren't integral to the sport.

I have to go with submissions. Vince can call it "sports entertainment" as much as he wants, but it is still wrestling. And wrestling has always been about holds, even from the shoot and amateur days. I know it has changed, but when I think of wrestling I think of submissions, and no, a chinlock doesn't count Randy. Look at ROH or even MMA. It's interesting, can still be fast-paced and exciting, and is something the WWE really misses.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

I voted managers. The reason being, there are so many great stars in the WWE today that have the look and the ability, they just arent good on the mic. This includes John Morrison, Jack Swagger, and Evan Bourne. When you look at the 70's, 80's, and 90's, you see many managers that pushed their superstars to the next level. There was Heenan with Andre, Martel with HBK, and Heyman and Lesnar just to name a few. Not only did they make their superstars true talent, they also made their matches fun to watch. You didnt know if and how the manager would get involved if their client was losing the match. It added a sense of drama to the match. Managers were also a great way for superstars to get over as heels.

I really dont see why Tag Team wrestling has so many votes. The Tag Team division is way better today then it was 2-3 years ago. Today, the titles are featured very well on each show. Used in great rivalries and storylines, and help push young talent.

 

[I Suck Ass]

Managers I think that managers are quite the lost art. I don't remember his name, but Brock Lesnar had a manager. Managers are perfect for heels. They can interfere and make you hate them and the wrestler.

 

[Dan E. Inferno]

I voted for managers. Simply because there are many superstars now that could use a manager, either to make up for their lack of mic skills or to add something to their character. Jack Swagger coud use a manager and I think his title reign could have been more of a success if he had had a manager by his side. Evan Bourne could use a manager, as I don't think I've once heard a peep out of him sice he debuted in WWE. I think MVP could use a manager. Although he's all well and good on the mic, it could really add something to his extremely stale character.

Armando Estrada is possibly my favourite manager from the past few years and I loved his charisma, his accent and he made me care about Umaga to the point where he became one of my favourite wrestlers. No one needs to be told about how Bobby Heenan helped the wrestlers that he managed. So, WWE should definitely bring back the managers.

 

[1_2_3 Kid]

I had to go ahead and cast my vote for managers as well..

I have always love the way managers could make an average wrestler a main eventer. The undertaker had paul bearer, and a whole hell of a lot of guys came from under the wings of the one and only "mouth of the south" jimmy hart. (Shouts to the sig aswell money inc.) Another great tag team that he managed.

I would classify those female valets as managers, hell who wouldn't. One of my favorite of all time was marlena. Man, was she a fuckin fox or what. She had the golden one on quite the roll that would end up with him gaining the intercontential champioship. Smokin that cigar, sittin in her chair cheering her man on. Always getting involved.... that's what I love the most about any type of manager. They always got your back.

Now I'm also gunna go head and classify big daddy cool deisel and sid as 2 of my favorite valets. Yes, they were wrestlers in their own right, but they were really big reasons why HBK held the title (kayfabe wise of course).

But the presence of a manager has so many good qualities that work storyline wise. There were always superstars getting worked by a valet and lost a title in the process. This creates new feuds, and new feuds are always a good thing.