That N Word
Actively evolving
From Bleacher Report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ugh-enough-must-be-a-success-this-time-around
B/R WWE: Tough Enough' Must Be a Success This Time Around
- Thread starter That N Word
- Start date
SoulTrain4
Pre-Show Stalwart
Tough Enough is always a success. The success of the show is in generating more programming for networks.
Whether it creates a big star or not is irrelevant because it only offers the CHANCE of becoming a star, they can guarantee that the winner will make an impact but they have an opportunity to.
I like it this time around because it will likely be non-wrestlers seeing how hard it is to learn the business, that's what I want to see. They already have a system for guys that are someone seasoned.
Whether it creates a big star or not is irrelevant because it only offers the CHANCE of becoming a star, they can guarantee that the winner will make an impact but they have an opportunity to.
I like it this time around because it will likely be non-wrestlers seeing how hard it is to learn the business, that's what I want to see. They already have a system for guys that are someone seasoned.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
Puder deserved to be fired because he was a selfish kid trying to go into business for himself. His match with Angle, which was during an early November episode of SmackDown! back in 2004, was a worked shoot that was supposed to "look" like a real shoot. Puder had Angle in a genuine Kimura Lock, but Angle refused to tap out despite he move legitimately being applied because of a combination of pride and professionalism, as he wasn't supposed to tap out. The ref made a fast count on Pruder, even though his shoulders weren't on the mat, because Pruder essentially tried to pull a double cross on national television, he was also an arrogant kid who felt as though the idea of paying dues was ridiculous.
As for Andy Levine, I never really saw what officials saw in him, but what ultimately doomed him was because the dumbass failed his first drug test before ever wrestling a televised match.
The problem with Tough Enough is that, accidentally, it sends a message that anybody can do what the wrestlers in WWE do each week. Yes, you're hired to ultimately be an entertainer, but there's a whole helluva lot more to it than just showing up, doing a few flashy moves, wearing some sort of colorful gear and posing for the crowd. It's not just "fake fighting", it's fake fighting that has to have some sense of impact about it that you have to do several nights a week for probably 300 days out of the year. It's travel intensive, it takes a physical, emotional and mental toll on you and while it might bring you fame & fortune, you have to bust your ass for every single bit of it. I don't think a lot of people truly realize how difficult it is and, because of that, they don't have the discipline necessary. For instance, Jeremiah Briggs was a stand out during the last season of the show in terms of personality and athleticism, but the guy was sloppy, reckless and didn't seem to care if he hurt his opponent or not; he had a lot of desirable traits, but knowledge, discipline and regard for the personal safety of himself or his fellow wrestlers weren't among them.
When you go after people who have no real experience in wrestling and/or see it as some sort of way to make a lot of easy money, you're gonna come up with people like Maven, Levine, Briggs and Pruder. That's not to say that EVERY genuine rookie doesn't have the right stuff, but it's less likely. Personally, I like the fact that many of the contestants now aren't just a bunch of green kids with little to no experience who're unable to see past the visions of dollar signs shining in their eyes. The fact is that not everyone can do it; not everyone can handle the pressures that pile up physically, mentally and emotionally; not everyone has the necessary respect and discipline to come as close as possible to ensure that everyone walks out of the ring safely. Just because you watch WWE each week DOES NOT automatically mean you can do what Cena, Rollins, Cesaro, Bryan, Ambrose, Orton, Reigns, Kidd, Barrett, etc. do day in & day out almost year round; personally, I don't believe that WWE should give fans the notion they can even if it's just a tongue in cheek, wink wink, impression.
As for Andy Levine, I never really saw what officials saw in him, but what ultimately doomed him was because the dumbass failed his first drug test before ever wrestling a televised match.
The problem with Tough Enough is that, accidentally, it sends a message that anybody can do what the wrestlers in WWE do each week. Yes, you're hired to ultimately be an entertainer, but there's a whole helluva lot more to it than just showing up, doing a few flashy moves, wearing some sort of colorful gear and posing for the crowd. It's not just "fake fighting", it's fake fighting that has to have some sense of impact about it that you have to do several nights a week for probably 300 days out of the year. It's travel intensive, it takes a physical, emotional and mental toll on you and while it might bring you fame & fortune, you have to bust your ass for every single bit of it. I don't think a lot of people truly realize how difficult it is and, because of that, they don't have the discipline necessary. For instance, Jeremiah Briggs was a stand out during the last season of the show in terms of personality and athleticism, but the guy was sloppy, reckless and didn't seem to care if he hurt his opponent or not; he had a lot of desirable traits, but knowledge, discipline and regard for the personal safety of himself or his fellow wrestlers weren't among them.
When you go after people who have no real experience in wrestling and/or see it as some sort of way to make a lot of easy money, you're gonna come up with people like Maven, Levine, Briggs and Pruder. That's not to say that EVERY genuine rookie doesn't have the right stuff, but it's less likely. Personally, I like the fact that many of the contestants now aren't just a bunch of green kids with little to no experience who're unable to see past the visions of dollar signs shining in their eyes. The fact is that not everyone can do it; not everyone can handle the pressures that pile up physically, mentally and emotionally; not everyone has the necessary respect and discipline to come as close as possible to ensure that everyone walks out of the ring safely. Just because you watch WWE each week DOES NOT automatically mean you can do what Cena, Rollins, Cesaro, Bryan, Ambrose, Orton, Reigns, Kidd, Barrett, etc. do day in & day out almost year round; personally, I don't believe that WWE should give fans the notion they can even if it's just a tongue in cheek, wink wink, impression.
You bring up a couple of points that I think contradict each other. You say you want to see people with zero wrestling experience, but you also want the show to make a star. I think that's nearly impossible. Part of the reason I think the Tough Enough winners have not had much success is because they had no experience. You don't become a star overnight. It takes years of hard work and learning. On a very rare occasion will WWE take someone with no prior wrestling experience and make them a big star. Even John Cena wrestled somewhere before WWE.
You can't just take someone with no prior experience wrestling, teach them on tough Enough for two months, give them a contract, and expect them to become a big star. It'll take years for them to learn to be good, let alone great.
Another thing about that is being a fan. I agree with that. That's why I want people with Indy experience. Because if they're working on the indies to make a living, you know they love this business and would do anything to succeed. They're not in it for the fame or the money. They're in it to make it. They have passion. And while they don't necessarily need to come from the Indies to have passion, more often than not that's where the people with the passion for wrestling will be.
The whole thinking behind the show is counter productive. WWE will take a winner, and try to rush them to the main roster to capitalize on the publicity. It then backfires because they weren't ready. Take a look at Maven, Nidia, and Linda Miles. All of them had zero wrestling expirience. They all won tough enough, and were on the main roster barely a year later. And they all failed to have any significant impact. It'll take time to make a star. Just look at the disaster known as Eva Marie and Total Divas. She may be getting better, with Brian Kendrick, but there is no way she'll be main roster ready by years end, let alone in another couple years. Especially when compared to the NXT Girls.
Until WWE realizes the problems they have encountered with the Tough Enough formula, the show will be nothing more than another show. It may be a good show when it airs. But it won't produce a long term star, unless they change their formula.
You can't just take someone with no prior experience wrestling, teach them on tough Enough for two months, give them a contract, and expect them to become a big star. It'll take years for them to learn to be good, let alone great.
Another thing about that is being a fan. I agree with that. That's why I want people with Indy experience. Because if they're working on the indies to make a living, you know they love this business and would do anything to succeed. They're not in it for the fame or the money. They're in it to make it. They have passion. And while they don't necessarily need to come from the Indies to have passion, more often than not that's where the people with the passion for wrestling will be.
The whole thinking behind the show is counter productive. WWE will take a winner, and try to rush them to the main roster to capitalize on the publicity. It then backfires because they weren't ready. Take a look at Maven, Nidia, and Linda Miles. All of them had zero wrestling expirience. They all won tough enough, and were on the main roster barely a year later. And they all failed to have any significant impact. It'll take time to make a star. Just look at the disaster known as Eva Marie and Total Divas. She may be getting better, with Brian Kendrick, but there is no way she'll be main roster ready by years end, let alone in another couple years. Especially when compared to the NXT Girls.
Until WWE realizes the problems they have encountered with the Tough Enough formula, the show will be nothing more than another show. It may be a good show when it airs. But it won't produce a long term star, unless they change their formula.
TheChristmasCreature
Occasional Pre-Show
I am cautiously waiting to see how Tough Enough unfolds. Truth is, if it is the same format as previous years, it will be no different than previous years.
The NXT programming initially started as, in my opinion, a next gen TE that focused on growing experienced wrestlers. If WWE incorporates elements of this original formatting, I think it could work. Take a bunch of experienced wrestlers that are not currently under any type of WWE contract, that were perhaps even passed over in prior tryouts, and put them in front of a camera. Let them naturally develop their persona and see how far they can get in the competition. Make it fully interactive with the WWE Universe and see who gets the most over... There you'll have your winner who will be competent enough in a ring to make a short transition to the main roster.
Publicize their debut and let them organically grow on the main roster. Just my two cents.
The NXT programming initially started as, in my opinion, a next gen TE that focused on growing experienced wrestlers. If WWE incorporates elements of this original formatting, I think it could work. Take a bunch of experienced wrestlers that are not currently under any type of WWE contract, that were perhaps even passed over in prior tryouts, and put them in front of a camera. Let them naturally develop their persona and see how far they can get in the competition. Make it fully interactive with the WWE Universe and see who gets the most over... There you'll have your winner who will be competent enough in a ring to make a short transition to the main roster.
Publicize their debut and let them organically grow on the main roster. Just my two cents.
I voted, I won't even watch. But Honestly I might see 1 or 2 episodes throughout the season, maybe when I am sick or bored out of my mind.
WWE is simple jumping on the hot topic of Reality TV, Which is a pandemic in the world right now.
The idea of tough enough in itself is dumb. ( this is not the moment to quote and light up your flaming torches)
The idea is dumb ...because guys spend years and years working their asses off to get to the top of that wrestling mountain and many still don't make it.
(Look at Morrison as an example there is plenty of horrible talent that still have their spots like Prime time Players, New Day and even Curtis Axel)
To think you can take a bunch of nobodies without any real background in wrestling and give them a shot at WWE is nice, but pointless. We already know the future of any tough enough winner since the WWE is 0-4 so far. They are going to learn the basics and I am sure far less than any person currently part of the development program.
People are going to watch the show in hopes that their favorite wins and we have already seen how dumb fans are. (With their butt hurt demands for Daniel "No show" Bryan, which cause even more damage, which most fans don't think about...or care they just hop on the next wagon)
So what is instore for the winner of Tough Enough? A contract to be part of the WWE, Cool then go do John Cena's laundry. With NXT having excellent talent, why would anyone think for one second that the winner could bypass that department and move forward.
Tough Enough could work out to be a free development deal , I am sure money plays a huge role in why some people don't go. But to toss them into a NXT ring or even a WWE ring is pointless they can't handle the workload ( 0-4 shows me I am right) It isn't like the other winners loved wrestling so much they went elsewhere to stay active. The losers who really wanted it went out and stayed with it and people like the Miz finally make it. Showing just how much being a pro wrestler knows about finding talent.
Just make the dumb show like Idol or the voice, let the fans vote, let the fans pick the winner. I mean what could it hurt overall.....If the WWE talent goes 0-4 maybe it is time to allow the fans to go 0-1. But truly if the people who were out there submitting videos "REALLY" wanted to be a part of the WWE or Wrestling they would be out doing it, not sitting at home talking about it. ( yes, I am aware money plays apart)
WWE is simple jumping on the hot topic of Reality TV, Which is a pandemic in the world right now.
The idea of tough enough in itself is dumb. ( this is not the moment to quote and light up your flaming torches)
The idea is dumb ...because guys spend years and years working their asses off to get to the top of that wrestling mountain and many still don't make it.
(Look at Morrison as an example there is plenty of horrible talent that still have their spots like Prime time Players, New Day and even Curtis Axel)
To think you can take a bunch of nobodies without any real background in wrestling and give them a shot at WWE is nice, but pointless. We already know the future of any tough enough winner since the WWE is 0-4 so far. They are going to learn the basics and I am sure far less than any person currently part of the development program.
People are going to watch the show in hopes that their favorite wins and we have already seen how dumb fans are. (With their butt hurt demands for Daniel "No show" Bryan, which cause even more damage, which most fans don't think about...or care they just hop on the next wagon)
So what is instore for the winner of Tough Enough? A contract to be part of the WWE, Cool then go do John Cena's laundry. With NXT having excellent talent, why would anyone think for one second that the winner could bypass that department and move forward.
Tough Enough could work out to be a free development deal , I am sure money plays a huge role in why some people don't go. But to toss them into a NXT ring or even a WWE ring is pointless they can't handle the workload ( 0-4 shows me I am right) It isn't like the other winners loved wrestling so much they went elsewhere to stay active. The losers who really wanted it went out and stayed with it and people like the Miz finally make it. Showing just how much being a pro wrestler knows about finding talent.
Just make the dumb show like Idol or the voice, let the fans vote, let the fans pick the winner. I mean what could it hurt overall.....If the WWE talent goes 0-4 maybe it is time to allow the fans to go 0-1. But truly if the people who were out there submitting videos "REALLY" wanted to be a part of the WWE or Wrestling they would be out doing it, not sitting at home talking about it. ( yes, I am aware money plays apart)
I don't think it would be more fun if someone has no experience at all. It takes years to learn to be a wrestler, and sometimes even longer to be a good one. Very few people off the street have the combination needed and it would take a miracle for the WWE to find that person.
When you take into account the type of business this is, it's not for the faint of heart. Plus would someone off the street know exactly what they are getting themselves into? A shit load of travelling, never seeing your family (especially if you have kids), and just the daily wear and tear on your body.
This isn't American Idol, where you stand on a stage and sing and song or two, this is rough and tumble and injuries happen all the time. If you have an inexperienced person it in the ring, it's a recipe for disaster. The last you want is someone getting into a spot of trouble and panicking and causing an injury to themselves or others.
Besides the WWE has NXT going on. A developmental program that has wrestlers down there with tons of experience, that they don't feel are ready for the main roster yet. Are they now saying that someone off the street is more ready to take a spot on the main roster than a Finn Balor or Kevin Owens.
I would like to see the winner of Tough Enough have some experience in the ring. Charisma out the wazhoo, and put in NXT to learn the ropes. Not be given a spot on the main roster right away. Just because someone can wrestle a good match, doesn't mean that they can connect with an audience, and we all know that's huge in the WWE.
I've never watched this show before, but will try to catch some of it this year and make a further judgement call then.
MartialHorror
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Has any Tough Enough winner ever had a successful career in the WWE? I watched Season 1, where Maven won, and he pretty much faded to obscurity shortly afterwards. Being "a rookie" is never a good gimmick to have, but I don't remember him excelling in any way either. He looked small compared to everyone else, but wasn't a cruiserweight or technician.
I know that some contestants have had success, such as Ryback, the Miz and the Boogeyman (if he counts), but I can't think of any relevant winners. I also remember the guy who had that real match with Kurt Angle getting hazed in a Royal Rumble, but I don't remember him doing anything after that.
So this seems unnecessary, but I guess it's likely to turn a profit.
I know that some contestants have had success, such as Ryback, the Miz and the Boogeyman (if he counts), but I can't think of any relevant winners. I also remember the guy who had that real match with Kurt Angle getting hazed in a Royal Rumble, but I don't remember him doing anything after that.
So this seems unnecessary, but I guess it's likely to turn a profit.
Nate DaMac
Fuck erbody but me
People put too much emphasis on the results of the show. The reason the last season of Tough Enough was a success is because Steve Austin fucking killed it. No one was tuning in to see those shit wrestlers.
SoulTrain4
Pre-Show Stalwart
People tune in for the drama not because they are guaranteed a star out of it.
I wonder if these are the same people that are disappointed when someone wins on The Bachelor or some other shitshow and they find out the couple broke up before the show even aired.
WWE will poach some of the decent and dedicated contestants and keep them on tap for the future just like they do all the time but the winner will have the biggest opportunity.
I wonder if these are the same people that are disappointed when someone wins on The Bachelor or some other shitshow and they find out the couple broke up before the show even aired.
WWE will poach some of the decent and dedicated contestants and keep them on tap for the future just like they do all the time but the winner will have the biggest opportunity.
People put too much emphasis on the results of the show. The reason the last season of Tough Enough was a success is because Steve Austin fucking killed it. No one was tuning in to see those shit wrestlers.
This is the point. Everyone tunes in to watch the trainers shit on some unqualified rookies. I'm excited to watch this season, because I think Jericho's a pretty strong emcee. But if he decides to go with babyface Jericho, the show will be shit. He has to be quasi-heel Jericho and crap all over these buffoons who think a fucking Youtube video and the ability to bump on a powerbomb will make them WWE superstars.