Do You Notice When The Stars Are Gone?

[The Brain]

While reading through the forums I noticed a picture of CM Punk in Crock’s sig. I thought to myself ‘oh yeah, besides from quickly walking out of the ring one time I haven’t seen Punk since mania.’ Then I thought that was kind of a weird thought. It was a very nonchalant reaction to Punk being gone. We’re talking about a guy coming off a 14 month title reign. A guy that has regularly put on great matches with John Cena. A guy that just worked a program with The Rock. A guy that just wrestled the Undertaker at WrestleMania. We’re talking about a guy that is the poster boy of the IWC and considered the best in the world on this very forum which I read on a daily basis. Why is it that someone who has been such an integral part of WWE for the past couple years has quickly become an afterthought to me? There are a couple reasons.

First of all I knew Punk would be taking time off and I know he’ll be back. I might be more aware of his absence if I didn’t know there would be an eventual return. If Punk was gone for good I might feel more of a void. Since I expect to see him again within a month or so it’s no big deal that he’s gone.

Even if Punk was gone for good I’m not sure I’d notice much. That’s no disrespect to Punk. I like him as much as anybody (well not anybody) but I’ve seen a lot of guys come and go over the years. When I was a kid I used to wonder if I’d still watch wresting after Hulk Hogan left the WWF. Of course I noticed when Hulk was gone but I kept watching every week just as I had for years before. I didn’t lose interest and it wasn’t long before I was used to wrestling without Hogan. Over the years I’ve seen Hogan, Savage, Hart, Michaels, Austin, Rock, and plenty others come and go. When you see stars of that caliber come and go and you see the show go on it’s easy to quickly move on from anyone’s departure.

Steve Austin said it best in 2003

“Entertainment is a machine. This is wresting. You’re a gear in a machine. I’m a gear that got used up. You put me in a pile of old gears, you put a new gear in and the machine keeps rolling.”

CM Punk is a gear in the machine. He’s not used up yet but when he is the machine will keep rolling. This does not apply to just Punk. You can say the same for anyone, even John Cena.

Obviously the casual fans take notice when a big star leaves. Although I stuck around all these years we’ve seen a lot of fans give up on wrestling when guys like Hogan, Austin, and Rock left. If you’re reading this you are more than a casual fan. As someone that is more a fan of the promotion than any individual do you notice when a big star is absent or do you just see the machine keep on rolling with new gears?

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Well for Punk,I dunno if I miss him, I'd probably miss D Bry more if he were gone. But coming back to your point, yes I do notice. But I am eagerly excited for the next guy. In 2002 when Brock was starting, I was excited. Even when Cena was starting with his rap gimmick in 03, I was excited. We always find someone who we like. A 'young', fresh face who we can get behind. Perhaps that makes moving on easier.

I can also unequivocally say, I miss the Attitude Era. Yes people trash it and call it poorly booked and what not, but it was my childhood. It brought me closer to my buds as we'd discuss the shit outta it at school. Now one of my buds from then got married 2 days ago. What I mean is, Rocky, Austin, Kane, Taker all have a special place, and seeing them go one by one feels kinda weird, old.

I dunno if I answered your question, but I think we do notice, and we move on.


They did.

 

[Tech N9ne]

I totally get what you are saying...

I think with the way we all get our wrestling, or how the majority of us get our wresting, absences don't feel like they used to. These stars someone might miss while they are gone, are still tweeting, appearing on radio and TV, and many other things. Including reports on Wrestling Sites about their every move.

It isn't like it was 15 years ago. When someone was off of TV, they were basically GONE until they eventually returned. With people off of TV these days, WWE (or any other company), or the people themselves, have numerous outlets to still remain in the public eye. Especially THIS public.

Sure, WWE is a better product with Punk on TV, but at the same time, it almost doesn't even feel like he is gone...

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

I have often thought this. Punk I did notice only because Cole (I believe) stated that he was not there and would be back next week. Since he did his walkout I have not noticed his absence. I love Punk as much as the next guy, but his loss does not stop me from watching.

The example that recently got me thinking about this was when I read on the main page just a few days ago that the Miz was set to return after filming a movie. I was shocked as I hadn't even noticed that he hadn't been on TV in a few weeks. Yes, I know, The Miz isn't a huge star in most of our eyes but it further establishes the Brain's point.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I'm like Brain in that I'm a fan of the promotion and not so mauch a fan of any one or two guys. That being said we sit through up to three hours on Monday, two on Friday, one on Wed a half hour on Sat, then may another three or four on an occasional Sun and then there's the internet and other promotions. My point is that a guy like Punk or even Cena is not on screen for most of that time so we are used to not seeing someone constantly while we watch the shows. If I go two hours forty five minutes without seeing Punk every Monday, another fifteen minutes without him doesn't make much difference.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I miss Lesnar when he disappears, but that's about it. Watching him return to F5 Vince McMahon was a COMPLETE shock, because I didn't see it coming. Punk? I sorta miss him, but I know he'll be back soon enough. And when he does return, he'll kick ass and reclaim his spot as the top heel in WWE.

Although, I don't miss Rock anymore, when he takes his random hiatus every now and then. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy seeing him, and I still mark out when his theme music hits. But I know Rock's #1 priority is acting and Hollywood. Wrestling is part-time or "whenever I have somewhat of an open schedule" for him now, because he moved on to a new career. It's one of the reasons why I look forward to Lesnar returning more now a days. He's part-time, but Brock's sole responsibility career wise is wrestling. I look forward to seeing his upcoming feuds, and unless Cena/Undertaker happens next year, I wouldn't be surprised to see Lesnar main event Wrestlemania 30.

 

[Pedigree1]

I love the promotion and a fan of many guys. Hell yah in this case i can have my cake and eat it too why not? I do notice when stars are gone most certainly i do. I like Punk and respect the hell out of him. Following him on twitter (Gotta be careful what you say though punk is rather sensitive and will block you for nothing). Anyway back to topic at hand,yes i do notice when stars are gone.

I really dont understand how people on these forums to me it seems like they dont care if punk is there. I wonder why is that? I do care and miss him. He is ultra talented,speaks his mind truthfully and is the best mic talker in the business. His Promos are fantastic his matches are well done to me he is one of the best mat technicians in the business today.

People like A-Ri JTG etc yah i notice there gone but they have been gone for so long i dont miss them!

 

[The Fig Lebowski]

I notice. Not when an individual star is off the show because I want to see all the talent on the roster from time to time. I enjoy seeing more talent with story lines and seeing the workhorses get some time off to rest up and relax.

However, I notice when Raw has a lack of overall star power with prominent angles paced throughout the show. I noticed this recently when I find myself thinking, "Raw is really, really long."

Consider this. In March, 2 months ago, you had Wrestlemania angles in full swing, most times providing the hottest television of the year. Fast forward to now where most of the main eventers are gone from weekly television, sans the franchise John Cena. We are watching a somewhat different show now. I didn't notice CM Punk was gone, but I did notice the overall lack of buzz and electricity and shock factor in Raw. I have to say that has a lot to do with lack of stars because your established stars know how to have the compelling segments that keep you coming back, quarter hour after quarter hour, week after week, etc.

You can lose some stars and keep the machine rolling. Take out too many moving parts and you will notice when you're running a little slow.

Please Vince, spread out your part time roster's contract end times so that everyone doesn't leave in April or May. I know they all want that Mania payday but come on now. Invest in your summers.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

I believe there is one factor that you have completely missed: the fan alignment of the superstar in question (i.e. whether they are face or heel). The greatest send-off that a heel star can receive is by being humiliated or something small that doesn't impact the entire show, allowing everybody to almost forget that the heel star ever existed. Why? They are the bad guys and you don't honour a bad guy at the end of his run - Hollywood has taught us this when movies are made - and the only time a bad guy should be privileged with an ovation is if the end result of having a send-off makes the bad guy good.

Specifically to your example (CM Punk), he was the ultimate bad guy. This was a guy who came out week after week cutting promos upon promos and doing everything he can to annoy everybody. He was the champion (for a very long time) and he faced off against the biggest good guys the company had to offer; The Rock; John Cena; Ryback (at the peak of his popularity); & the Undertaker. In these matches, you were rooting for the good guy and you remember the reasons why the good has to fight the evil. The evil is bad and you wanted him to be taken out by the good, right? Well, what happened? Shortly after mania, he walked out and was never heard of again. Did you care? No. Should you care? Not really because as a true wrestling fan, another big evil force had been vanquished. You move about your daily life, watching the good guys combat the other evil forces. That's how wrestling works.

Now, whether I notice when stars are gone: yes, I do personally keep tabs on who and isn't around but honestly, I do tend to find myself missing the good guys who take time away from the shows then the bad guys. When Triple H & The Rock, and to a lesser extent Jericho, re-appear, I'm excited and I'm hyped because I missed these guys. However, when it comes to guys like Brock Lesnar, it doesn't really bother me and when they show up, I shrug and watch to see who will kick his butt.

 

[The Butcher]

Perhaps my colleague Dr. Dre said it best: "I've seen 'em come; I've watched 'em go,
Watched 'em rise, witnessed it and watched 'em blow. Watched 'em all blossom and watched 'em grow. Watched the lawsuits when they lost the dough."

You grow a callous over time. Just like The Brain I remember Hogan, Savage, Warrior, Bret, all on down the line to CM Punk. I notice that he's not there, but mainly because I'm reminded of his absence. If he were finished, I'd miss him, but I'd keep watching. I wasn't much fazed at all by Edge's abrupt retirement, and I liked Edge. My response would be similar for Punk.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Obviously the casual fans take notice when a big star leaves.

Naturally, we don't know the inner workings of WWE's management, yet my feeling is that C.M. Punk's ascendancy had a lot to do with corporate maneuvering on his part to attain his present exalted position in the company. When he told us he had "one foot out the door" during what became The Summer of Punk, we couldn't tell if it was real or just part of the storyline. In the past, performers on the same level as Punk couldn't dictate to WWE that way; there were plenty of good people dying to take their place if they got too frisky in their contract/creative moves.

I believe Punk came along at an opportune time for himself. For whatever reasons, the company didn't feel they could afford to lose him, and therefore acceded to his demands......yes, from a monetary standpoint, but even more from a creative view. I think these points included a lengthy title reign, excessive mic time.....and the stipulation that as many times as he fought John Cena, Punk would emerge with his title. Yes, this arrangement had a shelf life, but it was a very long one and shortly after it ran it's lengthy course......Punk goes on an extended vacation.

So yes, on one hand it's easy to notice that Punk is gone because he was so much in our faces the past two years. But for the same reason, I had grown so tired of the "Punk as king" routine that it's almost a pleasure to get a break from him for awhile.

We may notice when stars are gone, but whether it's a good thing or bad depends on what they did while they were here.....plus, what's going on in their absence. Right now, there's a lot happening, making it easier to put Punk out of mind for awhile.

 

[byrnside]

At first, I thought this was going to be a thread primarily based around guys like The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Undertaker, and Triple H. I have seen so much stuff on the internet lately about "The big stars coming and going."

Normally, I have almost always agreed with Brain in the past. When I started reading the comment about Punk, I was prepared to start blasting. But then he took a different route that I actually agree with. I, like most of you, have been a wrestling fan for a long time... over two decades. And I, too, have seen them come and go. I can remember 2005-2008/9. In my opinion, the product was bad then. It seemed like the only hope we had was in Edge and Randy Orton. Of course HBK, Triple H, and The Undertaker were still wrestling then too, but I compare the mid-card now and then, and they are worlds different. I really think the WWE and Triple H, specifically are doing a great job working with the developmental guys. Hopefully they can keep it up. I also hope that they can somehow re-establish the mid-card titles to continue the effort to build the future stars.

Which is probably why I tend to focus on younger guys or guys that have not been around as much. I like to watch them much like many of my friends watch college basketball or football or minor league baseball in anticipation of what's to come. That's why, especially since Punk's time off, I've really been interested in what The Shield can do and how they are presented. It's why I have been solidly behind Dolph Ziggler's title run, and it's why I can't wait to see how Bryan evolves after he's finished tagging with Kane. Because if you ask me, they're the next big stars. Yes, of course I miss the stars when they're gone, but I get the whole "cog in the machine" theory. Then again, I'm also a mark for those random, nostalgia appearances.

 

[Johnny Scumm]

Yes, I miss Punk, but that's because he's one of my favourite wrestlers. However, he's not really been gone long enough for me to "forget" that he's even part of the business.

You know who I've not paid attention to being gone? Rey Mysterio. To be honest, until I saw this thread, I had completely forgotten who Mysterio was. The fact that he was getting injured/in trouble before he stopped appearing on TV meant that I just completely forgot about him. And until I saw a vignette on NXT (I think, might have been Smackdown), I'd completely forgotten about The Miz.

Just goes to show, if you're not around, people don't think about you.

 

[#IndyRules]

I have certainly missed Punk. I know it's only been 3 weeks or so since we last saw him but you can tell the product is suffering because he isn't there. Maybe i miss him because he was a TV mainstay for 2 years.

But the general OP, i don't think we generally miss 'stars'.

Just look at Mysterio and Christain. Both main eventers only just a few years ago. Both have disappeared off the face of the earth. I think Mysterio shouldn't bother coming back until he has a chance to win tag team gold with Sin Cara after the Shield have had there fair go. Christian has to come back and win a title to add a little prestige to that title.

But to finish generally unless there like Punk, constant mainstay we don't miss them.

 

[Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!]

I'm a huge fan of CM Punk, I miss Punk every Monday Night. But, I will still watch and see what the product is doing and what the other wrestlers storylines, even though three hours seems so long to me.

 

[nWo2]

Yes, where the hell is CM Punk at? John Cena was always more sizzle than steak.

If you like someone and they make the show better like Mark Henry, Fandango, Jericho, Undertaker, etc... duh!

 

[tom9422]

I do notice he's gone, because at the moment Raw doesn't feel must watch anymore.

Not that it's gotten bad, but now it just feels like i don't HAVE to watch, its good but missable. His promos were always good and provocative and you wanted to see how he'd take it and if he was in a big match, you always wanted to see it for fear of missing a classic. There was the Taker match but otherwise, i wouldn't feel as though i missed that much if i skipped a week of Raw.

 

[mrfantastic111]

Everyone watches for that particular favourite wrestler. Growing up my favourite was always Edge. I loved him in E&C, I loved his battles with Kurt Angle, I loved the hell that he caused Hardy and Cena, I just really liked Edge a lot. Everyone has their favourite wrestler. When Edge retired early I was really bummed out. Sounds strange that someone can become so attached to a character on a tv show but I admit that I was. There was a void in the WWE that needed to be filled in-order to keep me watching.

Strangely enough for awhile that void was filled by R-Truth. At the time Truth turned heel and his new gimmick was hilarious - it kept me interested. We all knew what came next though, Truth's push died off due to a wellness issue.

So then came CM Punk. I was a Punk fan since he arrived in the 're-newed' ECW back in 06', but his new persona in 11' really got my attention. So now I'm an even bigger CM Punk fan.

Now that Punk is out for awhile I haven't really found that one favourite to keep me watching, but I must say I have enjoyed the Shield now that they're having regular matches on weekly tv, as well as the occasional appearance by Antonio.

Punk, much like Austin; once said that he was 'just a spoke on the wheel' and that the wheel will keep on spinning. Voids can be filled, wrestlers come and go. After awhile you don't really think about it.

 

[El Rev sXe]

Sometimes I do, other times, I don't. For example with Punk, yeah I notice his absence heavily, I used to wait a big promo for him every Raw, but now... Other examples for me were when both Edge and HBK retired,also at first with both, Taker and Trips who started to take some serious breaks after Mania and Extreme rules respectively.

However, when Cena missed after his almost 1 year reign due to an injury, I didn't miss him one bit. Maybe because at the time the hate on Cena grew on me, but I didn't notice, I thought it was good for Orton to pick the number 1 "superstar spot".

I'm not sure but I'm suposing that all has relation with the fact of how much of a fan you are of X wrestler, so you're going to notice him when he's missing.

 

[Alexrovers]

I certainly do but I feel that it let's everybody else breath, it also let's us as a viewer see different things rather than the repetitveness of big stars