Is the WWE Live Crowd Ruining WWE?

[JoeyJoeJoe]

You're serious? The lantern is an amazing accessory to their debut. It adds to the backwoods, deep south, creepy element they're supposed to carry with them. What'd you want them to do? Run to the ring with all the lights in the building on? Get the crappy Sin Cara lightining? Their debut was absolutely perfect. Couldn't have gone any better.

It's not the lantern itself...I dig the lantern...but, just light the damn lantern. Don't stick an LED in it because that just looks stupid. Notice the filmed promos all have an actual flickering lantern. Imagine Kane coming out and having flashlights go off instead of fireworks. That was the effect for me.

 

[Greggulator]

Hey everyone. First post here.

I've been a huge fan of Bray since his FCW debut. I thought he had a lot of potential as Husky in his original NXT run but have been completely blown away by his new persona. It's such an incredible character with so many layers -- there's the Jesus cult leader references, the "liberator of the working class" subtext (I love Rowan wearing the lamb's mask and Bray's butcher suit -- subtly referencing "lambs being led to the slaughter") and the horror movie style of filming.

I hate that the crowd shat on that just to do so. And that's entirely what they did. I watched a really big HD version of the promo to scan the crowd reactions. The people doing the "Husky" chant were laughing. There's no political point to the chant other than to just recognize that you knew the previous name of a guy who was on Raw for three weeks three years ago. It wasn't a protest to anything the WWE has done. It was a bunch of jerks waiting to chant that who finally got their chance and a bunch of knuckle-draggers joined in.

This wasn't the Meadowlands crowd. The Meadowlands crowd made Fandango's career. The Meadowlands crowd popped gigantic for Dolph's title win and when Ryback turned on Cena. They dumped on a match between Sheamus and Orton -- they're good workers but stale characters. It wasn't like that was a five star classic that won the crowd over. It was a decent match in a really bland feud. Those guys were going through the motions with it and it showed -- remember when Orton forgot his lines and Sheamus had to feed it to him? Guarantee that wouldn't happen for a main event spot.

Big Show got a huge pop for knocking those two out -- he busted his butt to get that angle over (as he does all the time).

The Mark Henry "WHAT" chants are annoying as well. But Henry lets it happen. He says a statement and then takes a huge pause. The crowd's responding to his pause. Other characters don't have that pause when they do live promo work -- Cena, Bryan, Punk, Miz, Jericho, Heyman, etc. Any character who has a pause break is going to get that response. But Henry's stuff has been consistently great so I can live with the WHAT stuff.

I don't mind the "Sexual Chocolate" thing ever since it was still Mark Henry. He's doing a "I'm a monster who isn't kissing babies anymore" deal and the crowd's reminding him of when he was a babyface. That's not so bad.

I also love the "Cena Sucks" stuff. I really like Cena a ton but his character's been steered as a tweener. He's a guy who loves being marketed and sold to the kids as the perennial babyface. The older crowd sees through the marketing and hates on it. Cena does the "right" thing most of the time for the kids but the adults see him being a hypocrite. Cena embraces all of the reactions and just does his thing. It's a great, polarizing character.

 

[The Butcher]

I figured you'd show up here... and really, you don't need to withhold my name. Have some more balls than that. I can stand by whatever I say.

The thing is, you're arguing two different things, and passing them off as the same.

It's one thing for fans to be vocal about not liking something they see in the ring. Why should they sit there and blindly cheer for whatever they're spoon fed by the WWE? They're not doing themselves, the performers, or the WWE any service when they do that.

Is that what happened last night?

No. The Wyatt's had a great debut. You even said it yourself. You heard the crowd give them a huge pop when they first came out. Everything about it had a perfectly creepy, intense feel. The crowd at large enjoyed it.

It happened to be what was probably just a handful of smarks who unfortunately were sitting within microphone range that had to hijack the segment with their "Husky Harris" chant. Do you think those smarks didn't like what they just saw, and were simply letting Windham Rotunda know he shit the bed on his debut? No. They just thought they were clever and funny and cared more about making the segment about them instead of the story in the ring.

I don't know about you... but I don't go to shows to watch the crowd. I don't buy PPV's to watch the crowd. I don't watch on TV to watch the crowd. I watch wrestling for the stories that the wrestlers are telling me, and I don't appreciate those stories getting hijacked by some idiot 'smart' fans who want everything to be about them instead.

Like I said before. Everyone has an old gimmick they've used at some point. What does it matter? Are the fans really being that smart when they let everyone know that they know a guys old ring name? Like my previous analogy... how do you think the Undertaker's debut would have gone if he had to deal with what guys have to deal with today when they debut a new gimmick? I'd put money on the fact that if that shit happened back in 1990... you'd be asking me "Undertaker who?" today.

You mentioned that this is all everyone is talking about instead of the debut? Don't you realize then how that group of fans affected the Wyatt's debut, and how fans in general are getting tired of these smark fans hijacking the shows they're at? It sucks, because that was a great debut. One of the better ones I've seen in quite a while, but unfortunately those guys in the crowd hit on what's obviously a sore spot for a lot of people, and that overshadowed everything.

So far I've read comments on this and another board. Seen many people give their opinions... and you've basically been the only one condoning what those fans did. What's that tell you? And please don't say that everyone else must be wrong but you... because that's just lame.

One other thing. You keep talking about the fans being able to have a good time because they spent their money. Why is it then, that they can't have a good time watching the stories that they are being told... and if it's because they're not being told good ones, then why are these people still spending their money to go to these shows? I know myself... when I pay money to go to a show, I'm not doing it to listen to some guy two rows in front of me with some inferiority complex tell everyone how smart he is. I don't need to spend money to hear that. I'm paying to watch the actual show.

This is just a bunch of baseless assumptions and you answering your own questions. I've already proven that you're a hypocrite, and I knew you'd come to try to justify it. I just wrote the other day about people's Freudian defense mechanisms and here you come along to act as exhibit A. I bring hard evidence to expose you, and this is what you counter with? "I've read some comments on this and another board." Frankly, you're not worth my time if that's the best you can do.

I'm clearly not the only one in this thread or on this board who realizes that one has to take the good with the bad, so for you to say that I'm alone is just a lie. Even if I were alone though, I'd be fine with that because I'd rather stand alone than be a whiny little bitch about something so frivolous. Just admit that when the crowd does what you want them to do, you're fine with it, and when they don't you cry like a baby. Or don't admit it, I've already proven that to be the case.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

This is just a bunch of baseless assumptions and you answering your own questions. I've already proven that you're a hypocrite, and I knew you'd come to try to justify it. I just wrote the other day about people's Freudian defense mechanisms and here you come along to act as exhibit A. I bring hard evidence to expose you, and this is what you counter with? "I've read some comments on this and another board." Frankly, you're not worth my time if that's the best you can do.

I'm clearly not the only one in this thread or on this board who realizes that one has to take the good with the bad, so for you to say that I'm alone is just a lie. Even if I were alone though, I'd be fine with that because I'd rather stand alone than be a whiny little bitch about something so frivolous. Just admit that when the crowd does what you want them to do, you're fine with it, and when they don't you cry like a baby. Or don't admit it, I've already proven that to be the case.

You've proven I'm a hypocrite because you completely misunderstand the difference between an arena full of fans chanting boring at a match they don't like... and a group of smark fans trying to hijack a fantastic debut on a highly anticipated gimmick by chanting a name he used briefly a few years ago?

That's not me being hypocritical. That's simply you not understanding the difference.

I'm not worth your time either... yet you dig up old posts of mine to attempt to discredit me... post them knowing full well (as you said) that I'd respond... then even somewhat respond to the post that's apparently not worth your time? If that's the type of effort you go through for someone who isn't worth your time... I'd hate to see what you do when you find someone that is worth your time.

No, you're not the only one on this board that thinks like you. You are in a clear minority though, and if that's fine with you, so be it. Something tells me though, that a lot (if not all) the guys who do think like you here... are the same type of guys that chanted Husky Harris last night.

Like I said before though. If this all manages to end up derailing this gimmick, I really hope no one sees you complaining later about how the WWE never does anything interesting. Because THAT would be hypocritical.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Some people just are jackasses, who will do anything to draw attention to themselves. It's as simple as that.

At Wrestlemania 28, I was sitting in a section full of people, who were wearing the "Cena Sucks" t-shirts. Cena comes out, they boo and heckle him. Rock comes out, they cheer like crazy. BUT during the match, the same people wearing the Cena Sucks t-shirts were also cheering for Cena. I've seen similar situations going to Raws, pay per views, and house shows, where you'll have people booing Cena (usually adult males), but at the same time, they're wearing Cena shirts and hats.

The handful of jerks will always be there with "What?" chants, and others who feel the need to chant Goldberg at Ryback. And while the smarks are obnoxious most of the time, you can't argue against them making some shows more entertaining. Like it or not, the dueling "Let's go Cena!" VS "CENA SUCKS!" chants enhance that big match feel for Cena's main events or other matches by giving the match a more rabid and electric crowd atmosphere.

 

[justavictim82]

First post here in a long while. Here is my take: the debut was excellent until the chant. Crowd popped huge when the Family hit the ramp and were into them destroying Kane. The chant bothers me for a multitude of reasons. 1) Smarks always complain about Cena always getting put over and the lack of new talent getting pushed but craps on anyone the Fed tries to build unless you are Punk/Bryan/Shield. 2) There is a very big difference between Wyatt and Tensai/Albert. Albert was brought in at the tme to fill a main event jobber heel spot that they were lacking and did so well because of his size. Wyatt could be the next big thing in the company (hence the two freaking month build via promos) and is not just responsible for getting himself over, like Tensai and Ryback were, but the whole GD family. Now I hope that his mic work will shut smarks up and this Husky Harris junk dies off quickly but if it doesn't, smarks and the IWC in general are just as much to blame for it as he is.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I absolutely loved the "Husky Harris" chants, and I wish they could call Kassius Ohno other past ridiculous name, just because IWC is a bunch of idiots, hypocrites and selfish pricks. I'm a fan of Ryback and I was actually a fan of Tensai (former Giant Bernard) and the "smart" fans ruined them for me with those stupid chants of "Goldberg" and "Albert" - now it's awesome that they are treating a guy that the internet absolute loves with the same treatment. Bray Wyatt is actually a very nice gimmick, but it will run out with time - a redneck, with redneck friends. He's good now, because he's new - in a years time, when they did everything they could do with those guys and they all go on their separate ways, I really want to see what you all will start to think. At least Ryback has long-term potential to draw money.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

The WWE Live Crowd I would say they are definitely ruining the current product because for example when superstars debut under new gimmicks the crowd always with their snarky chants chanting the superstar's old gimmick which in turn means the superstar won't last in their new gimmick because they did that to Tensai when he was Lord Tensai he kept getting Albert chants over and over again just like how Bray Wyatt was receiving Husky Harris chants last night

 

[TheMaskedNewton]

It's just getting unbearable. All these chants make me very cynic. I hated the 'Albert' chants, I hated the 'Goldberg' chants and I hate these 'Husky Harris' chants. It ruins the environment and the enjoyment of the product. This particular chant couldn't have come at a worse time.

 

[yur_momma]

this is my response to the OP and the bob bamber article on the wz page about the husky harris chants:

its OUR fault? no its wwe's fault. everyone from nexus has been a complete flop (just served up on a platter for cena and some not even that far) and its because the story they were involved in was so distorted and unbelievable that its has permanently stained the careers of those in it. they fed us husky harris and now they repackage him and we are supposed to welcome him with open arms? no. treat fans like they are stupid, and we react the same. a bunch of fcw nobodies come into wwe and terrorize the LEGENDS; this is wwe, home of wrestlemania, the biggest stars the business has ever seen...and they were eclipsed and frozen with fear...from a bunch of fcw guys??? hell, screw wm, we all should have been watching fcw! apparently thats where the real fear inducing wrestlers are!! lol....so yeah, thats why husky...i mean, wyatt will fail. not because we are smart marks, just smart enough to remember the bullshit fed to us before. put a pile of crap in a blue bag from now on doesnt make it new, its still the same crap.

now on to their debut. a pov reporter looking for the wyatts in their hometown for......well they never said. so we have to ask ourselves why. and we dont know. everyone knows they debut that night so the pov reporter vids were like a week late. it made no sense to hunt for them IF YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE THAT VERY NIGHT. and that reporter thing didnt even have a goddamn ending...we are just supposed to forget about him....again, treated like we are stupid.

lastly, there comes a time when people stop caring for bland creepiness. this team so far has zero depth. all we know is apparently they live somewhere backwoods-y, one has a goat mask and they can make creepy vids with quick editing and nonsensical one liners and quick cut-a-ways. fine. transfer that to live televison. you cant. the debut explained nothing, the attack was sloppy to be honest, i hope they wrestle better. next week we probably still wont get any more deep into their character....because i think theyve gone as deep as they planned. cool vids. get them out there. beat on someone. eventually make them a stepping stone for cena. make them dance with a dinosaur dude. release.

i hope the husky harris chants continue. i hope wwe takes note and realizes you cant put rookies with no territory experience and lines written for them on tv for us to suffer watching them go through their "growing pains" in the business. thats what territories were for and by the time anyone go to wwe they had a name, a fan base to bring with them and some knowledge. wwe was for the elites. now its for kids who need their hand held every step of the way only to be repackaged later like its a video game. repackage didnt change their "stats", if they had shitty charisma before it will still be there.

ugh im done. rant over.

 

[H33LTurn]

Oh god really, is this what we're going to bitch about now? Look, it was improper for the fans to chant "Husky Harris", especially after such an amazing debut. Its wrong to chant someone else's name when Ryback is trying to make a name for himself in the business, but so what? The fans are allowed to point out similarities between superstars and if you think a Hawaiian shirt is going to make Husky Harris any less noticeable then you're just wrong. The Husky chants didnt take away anything from the show. Quite the contrary, they wouldn't be as big of a deal if no one pointed it out. Hell, JR is whining about it, even though I'm sure he's seen worse crowds during his illustrious career. I hate to burst your bubble but when people notice something bothers you, they keep pushing your buttons. The chants will continue to happen until people grow up and understand that if I pay for my ticket I can say whatever the hell I want to.

 

[martymcfly]

Greetings,

I did not read through 6 pages so perhaps what I'm going to say has already been mentioned, but I really really do not see why this is such a big deal.

Honestly, so what if some fans chanted husky harris? A meaningless chant is not going to make a story or a character grind to a halt.

And also to add, and based on what I have read on these sites and forums, I know I am in the minority, but I did not think that the Bray family vignettes were anything special. Yes, it was unusual, but we've seen weird cult factions in WWE before and they never really have long term staying power anyway.

Finally, I will acknowledge that hearing those chants could legitimately upset those who were really into this storyline. But on the other hand, those who are bemoaning the chanting should also realize that perhaps the casual wrestling fan is not interested in the wyatt family storyline or faction, so they were letting the WWE folks know that, through these chants, and they have a right to let their voices be heard too.

So to summarize, I can see why some folks are upset, but I think that in general too big of a deal is being made out of it.

 

[chibet]

The Wrestlemania crowd sucked.

Wrong. With huge open air stadiums its harder to hear chanting, and good chants break out in certain sections, but every mania i've been to (24-29) the crowd involvement is great, especially in my home town of NYC. The wwe knows the hardcore fans will chant crazy things or certain things will catch on. like at wrestlemania 28- the beginning of the YES! chant. This is where it REALLY took off. wm29- fandango - vince knew this was the best place to debut a his new "internet pet project" , a cheesy character that smart fans will push through chants. I believe this is half the reason VKM now wants to do the raw after mania in the SAME stadiums as the WM event the night before.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

It's just getting unbearable. All these chants make me very cynic. I hated the 'Albert' chants, I hated the 'Goldberg' chants and I hate these 'Husky Harris' chants. It ruins the environment and the enjoyment of the product. This particular chant couldn't have come at a worse time.

So we are not allowed to chant for similarities between gimmicks or repackaged wrestlers now?

I find all this comments against the smark crowd hypocritical. So these people complain that the fans chant "Goldberg" or "Boring" on live events? So people who criticize the live fans who criticize the product in turn criticize the fans, who are also part of the product since WWE events are held in the live crowd. So in turn these people are also criticizing the WWE product as much as the smarks or "IWC".

I mean as a fan if I see comments like this. It's like someone telling me that as a fan I can't chant or react the way I want to. I would feel insulted.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

Yes, the WWE live crowd is "ruining" the WWE. They should do their shows in empty arenas. GET OVER YOURSELVES and stop trying to be the Ethics police of wrestling fan etiquette.

 

[yur_momma]

So we are not allowed to chant for similarities between gimmicks or repackaged wrestlers now?

I find all this comments against the smark crowd hypocritical. So these people complain that the fans chant "Goldberg" or "Boring" on live events? So people who criticize the live fans who criticize the product in turn criticize the fans, who are also part of the product since WWE events are held in the live crowd. So in turn these people are also criticizing the WWE product as much as the smarks or "IWC".

I mean as a fan if I see comments like this. It's like someone telling me that as a fan I can't chant or react the way I want to. I would feel insulted.

agreed but the absolute best part that no one mentioned is that the op, bob bamber in his article and all the other wrestling morality police are complaining that the HEELS ARE BEING TAUNTED. all i can do is shake my head and think "people will just complain about anything."
some watch the show JUST to bitch later about the fans.