Legends In The Intro

[Xemmy]

Over the last year or so WWE has changed the Intro of the show to weed out TNA stars, or in the case of J.R. punish him (supposedly). I along with many people I don't agree with who they've removed, but then I got to thinking- "Who deserves to Be in it?" There are some no brainers ofcourse, Like Andre, Hogan, Austin, Rock, Taker, and Shawn, but if you could choose who would be in the intro, who would it be and why?

Personally, I'd Like to See all the names I just mentioned, along with Bruno Sammartino, McMahon, Warrior, Jake The Snake, Debiasse, Foley, and Cena.
I'm sure I'm leaving out people which is kind of the point of making this thread.

Other lesser guys in the intro are a bit harder to pick, so I won't go into that. You should list them if you want to.

Another question- Do you think WWE is unfairly leaving out people who've earned the status of legend, and are rarely mentioned? Guys like Bob Backlund. (who is just under Hogan's combined days as champion)

Lol, Here's my favorite so far.
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[CuddleBuns84]

When it came down to the introduction of WWE before their television programs I would like to see tons of stars. But I also see the reasoning why not having those guys on the intro as well.

It's kind of nice seeing a change in the intro. It's nice not having Foley or Hogan on that introduction. We shouldn't have to showcase guys who haven't done anything in the last five plus years. It's good to move on with the new, instead of staying in the past.

Yes Legends deserve the respect, but maybe not have a legend filled intro before the show. Yes, I would love to see guys like HBK, Austin, Rock, Macho, Perfect, Hart, Andre, Taker, LOD, Jericho, and Sid in a video because they did a lot for the business, and their characters will live on forever.

Then again, maybe just something different, like a quick shot of ring, two unknown performers in the ring, and a quick edit shot, and just the logo afterwards. The reason why... I'll let ya know.

People are putting so much emphasis on this intro video. This guy got taken out, this guy got put in! Back and forth this argument goes. This guy is punished, that guy went to the competition. It's a 20 second intro tape. Nothing special. It's just a quick showcase of what the WWE has produced. When I watched the super-bowl this year, I didn't see any videos of Joe Montana or Troy Aikman. I just watched a highlights of Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Nothing wrong with it, and no one felt disrespected.

So a 20 second video, doesn't really get me upset.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I think what's strange is that for a while and even now to an extent, people say that the WWE didn't take any notice of TNA and what they were doing, so now they're taking measures to weed out wrestlers who have 'crossed the line' is a bit strange. Let's not forget, they were using footage of the wrestlers doing memorable things in WWE, so I never saw the reasoning that people seeing Jeff Hardy, for example, jump off a huge ladder would make them change channels to see what he's doing now. More likely, they would just reminisce about the good old days.

Overall, changing the intro video the first time to include Di Biase to coincide with his HoF induction made sense, but then the little changes that kept happening just seemed a bit over the top. Replacing JR with Michael Cole was a horrible, horrible idea as he has just gotten worse and worse lately with his pro-Miz material on NXT. He sounds more like an infatuated stalker than a wrestling commentator for christsake! (Plus everytime he mentions how Miz has been the best coach in NXT, I really want Josh to bring up who his rookie was in the first season) Wow, where did that mini-rant come from.

To sum up, a little change is fine, but WWE constantly adding/omitting performers from the intro every couple weeks seems petty.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

I personally liked the orginial intro as it showed a small timeline of the company from Vince Sr. to the WWWF, WWF & WWE. The WWE changes too many things that the average fan wouldn't even pick up on unless it was otherwise said (on places like this as example). The WWE sometimes doesn't believe their fans just don't care about certain things and thus they choose things for us as if we're little children. That being said, the WWE needs to get over itself. Is this "entertainment" or "sports"? Here's why I asked. If this were, say, Major League Baseball, do you honestly think that the Yankees would get rid of everything Babe Ruth even though he didn't end his career in New York? Absoultely not. The man MADE the Yankees, and thus it's only natural to pay respect to the man, even when he left for another team. His ending his career somewhere else didn't take away from the organization nor did it really dilute his career.

Here's my point. The WWE always treats their ex wrestlers like they never existed the moment they leave to go somewhere else. They blank out these stars who MADE their company. Hogan had as much to do with the WWF's success as Mick Foley did with the WWE's success. JUST because they're "now playing for another team" doesn't mean they should have their legacies smeared, tarnished or otherwise disallowed. The WWE treats the wrestlers like their contributions were worthless and otherwise are trying to tell the fans to pretend they never existed. I believe the changing of the intro to tailor the image that the WWE wants to have is childish and shows the classless behavior and thought process of a company who should by now realize that their company is fake anyway. Why try to hide something that's fake unless what you had was real? Meaning: Although the business is "fake", the contributions of these former stars were all too real and deserve better than to be blocked out of the memory of the company they worked for.

The WWE needs to stop acting so afraid of their past. They also need to stop being so afraid of TNA. Anyone with half a brain or cable TV will know TNA exists, again, even to the most casual of fan. To eliminate their former stars basically solidfies the fact that there's a need for TNA. If Vince and/or whomever is running the decisions such as this really had a brain, they'd keep all of those legends on their intro in an effort to show what they had long ago, as well as showing what TNA HAS NOW, which is for all due respect, broken down, a shell of their former selves performers who refuse to allow time to pass them. By showing Babe Ruth even when he played for another team in the twilight of his career allowed new fans at that time appreciate the man for his achievements as well appreciate the Yankees for it. Thus, they created new fans instead of never getting the ones who wouldn't have otherwise been fans if the Yanks had done what the WWE is doing now with their former stars. I hope someone agrees. But more so, I hope the WWE gets it someday. The company didn't start in 2000...

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

You have to have guys like...

Andre, Hogan, Taker, The Rock, Austin, VKM, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair...those guys are compulsary!!

Flair though is on TNA, so I know why they would leave him and maybe Hogan...

Other guys I feel are HHH (why not?), Ted DiBiase, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, Warrior and Cena...

Some am suprised such as Booker T's '*****' segment backstage, and I saw JoMo aswell....

I think it matters who is there..I mean they have Jeff Hardy jumping of the ladder but the landing is HBK splash on Razor Ramon...

Also, weres Taker gone??? and didn't they used to show when he threw Foley off!! but there might be an obvious reason for that!!

 

[T Dub EPT]

All i have to say about this thread is.... Really? Is the intro really THAT important? There was a point when the intro just said "The World Wrestling Federation... What the world is watching..." who cares. I understand that the "IWC" feels there are always back alley motives behind everything in wrestling but c'mon. To remove/replace stars past and present is nothing more than a business decision to serve whatever need. As far as J.R. being "punished" by having his voice taken out of the intro... that is absurd... what kinda punishment would that be? It makes no sense at all. Feel free to delete this if i'm outta line for saying this, i apologize. However this is a ridiculous topic... c'mon "IWC"... you're better than this...

but thats just one mans opinion -TDub

 

[billm75]

I have to agree with T Dub on this one. Removing JR's voice was nothing more than a business decision. Why have a voice introduce your show who no longer appears on camera or on audio for ANY part of your show?

But going further...You don't put Hogan, Hardy, RVD in your intro if they're no longer working for you but are still working for your competition. You don't see Coca Cola passively promoting Pepsi. If you do seem them in the same commercial it's to demonstrate a difference, not to simply push COLA sales overall. Same goes for wrestling, why give Hogan TV time or JR TV time if they're not making money for you? at least directly...

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

I have to agree with T Dub on this one. Removing JR's voice was nothing more than a business decision. Why have a voice introduce your show who no longer appears on camera or on audio for ANY part of your show?

But going further...You don't put Hogan, Hardy, RVD in your intro if they're no longer working for you but are still working for your competition. You don't see Coca Cola passively promoting Pepsi. If you do seem them in the same commercial it's to demonstrate a difference, not to simply push COLA sales overall. Same goes for wrestling, why give Hogan TV time or JR TV time if they're not making money for you? at least directly...

But they show Jeff Hardy?? also I understand that you say why out a voice of someone who no longer appears on the show?? so then the question here is why put Ric Flair, Hogan and Hardy in the video..when they are no longer working fot the company??

 

[Ming]

I think The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Bruno Sammartino, Stone Cold, Triple H, HBK, Ric Flair, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho should all be in it. Maybe not all of them but some of them. For me they are the main wrestlers of the WWE. So what if Hogan and Flair is in TNA they will both be remembered for their time in the WWE espeically Hogan.

 

[Layne1976]

I say do away with the 20 second video intro entirely. Promote the here and the now of the company and not the past and the gone. Who really cares about this intro anyway? A few people do but I would have to omit myself from caring about the intro. For all I care they could use that intro time to promote The Goon, Doink the Clown, Duke "The Dumpster" Droese, The Headbangers, Papa Shango, T.L. Hopper, Salvatore Sincere, Koko B. Ware, Max Moon and The Repo Man.