Question For Longtime WWE Fans.... About the Current Product.

[go_patriots11]

Ok, I just want to start off by saying i've been watching the WWF/E for the better part of 20 years. (I'm 25). And have found a way to enjoy the majority of it up to the attitude era and a little bit beyond, say 2004. Now from 04 on there have been some bright spots but I as a WWE fan have not been particularly thrilled with what WWE had been serving. I even stopped watching all together from 05-09 only reading WZ to see what I was missing on RAW & SD. In 2011 I had gained interest again namely from CM Punk and I was even able to watch a full RAW for the first time in years. I checked out Mania in Miami to see The Rock, and a return by Lesnar on Raw had me back to watching Raws on a weekly basis, or close to.
Fast forward to the present. I feel CM Punk has fizzled out since his promo of 2011. I still think he is the most entertaining on the roster but the edginess is gone. As far as Lesnar goes, his appearances are so sparse that it's hard to really sit through a whole sub-par RAW just to see if he will be there or not.
My question now is this, directed at mainly long time WWE fans in general. How do you stay a fan when you are unimpressed by the current product? I mean you could go the route I have and stop watching all together but I think a part of me will always be a Wrestling fan and I feel alot of people are the same way. I don't think it's so much the stars now as it was when I was younger, but more so the actual business itself. Maybe that is my problem? Just forget about the business aspect and become a fan again.. if thats even possible. To answer my own question though I get my wrestling fix by watching the old PPV's. I've even decided to purchase the wcw ppv compilation as that is uncharted territory for me. I'll probably do the ECW library afterwards. It's fun to see where some of the WWF/E guys got their start.
Enough about me though. You, as a fan, what do YOU do to keep your interest?

 

[Indeed]

Well, a lot of it is the hope that it'll improve someday, my friend. Other people are just on-board for life. WWE, no matter what anyone says, isn't all there is in wrestling. I stopped watching from 08-11 as well, but during that time I still watched ROH and went to indy promotions in the area. I just love wrestling. It is really sad to see the WWE virtually killing the best thing it had going in the tweener CM Punk mouthpiece character of last year and underutilizing talents that could be absolute stars, but it is what it is. I drink the coffee because I like the sugar, even if the coffee itself isn't always the best.

 

[obamartins]

I bought every WCW Nitro, Thunder & PPV.
I bought all ECW footage.
Old WWF.
I watch TNA.
I sampled ROH.
I watch shoot interviews.
I watch the CLASSIC NJPW & AJPW stuff especially featuring gaijins from 70's, 80's & 90's on Youtube.
I watch anything old & new from XPW to FMW to AAA to CWA in Germany on youtube searching for cool stuff - & i have found so much & downlaoded it.

I was learning about Karl Gotch yesterday...he basically invented Japanese strong style.

How many of you have seen John Tenta's worked match that turned into shoot in Japan?

I was watching Regal in UK carnivals wrestling marks (or plants) just yesterday.

The AJPW & NJPW stuff with likes of Bigelow, Vader, Steiners, Brody, Funks, Andre, Hansen, Malenko Brothers, Rick Rude....etc is just so awesome. The wrestling just blows anything WWE does away.

I could go on & on about stuff i have found over years.

Watching stuff above makes me appreciate how good wrestling is & used to be. Im not just saying this but the product WWE has put on since 2008 is worst i have seen in my lifetime in my personal opinion.

If WWE was my only option today i wouldn't watch.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

Anyone who started watching again after "CM PUNK's SO GOOD SCRIPTED SHOOT PROMO" should stop watching wrestling overall.

What did CM Punk do ? Did he brought back "THE ATTITUDE ERA" with that promo ?

Some people on this forum think its cool to say that they started watching after the "CM PUNK's PROMO".

I watch because I am a Pro Wrestling Fan. WWE isn't the only Wrestling Promotion. There is TNA, ROH etc

 

[George Steele's Barber]

The DVR and the internet have made wrestling far easier for me to stay a fan. I don't enjoy a lot of it but I can watch at a faster speed the stuff that doesn't interest me. The stuff that does interest me is fun to talk about on this site.

In the end we really are not supposed to still be watching wrestling after our teen years but I am glad I still find some enjoyment in it. Technology has helped me with that. There are not many things I still enjoy from my childhood, professional wrestling has helped keep me somewhat of a kid.

go_bills12

 

[ShowOffHEEL]

I'm 20 and I started watching wrestling when I was 5. I didn't get to start watching it full time till 2002 when we got cable (I'm australian), but I have seen pretty much everything from beforehand. I just love wrestling. I love WWE and wrestling is my major passion alongside american sports. What attracted me in the first place was the larger than life stars, the pyro, the loud music and just the overall addictiveness it has. I haven't missed a WWE show since 2002 and I doubt I ever will. I'm not the kind of person that will quit on something once I've started it. For example, I passionately support the Boston sports teams and even thought the Red Sox aren't doing all that well this year, I still support them and watch as many games as I can. Same goes with WWE, I agree it's not the same as it once was but I still watch every show, every week and will continue to do so. Do I agree with everything they do? Absolutely not, but I love it so much I can't help but just smile and turn my brain off from the business standpoint. I like wrestling, comic books, video games but I'm the farthest from a nerd you'll get. I'm more the jock, but damn, I love wrestling. Why don't I take a stand and not watch? I couldn't see my life running smoothly without it.

 

[byrnside]

It's an interesting topic that gets brought up time and time again. Do we watch wrestling, namely the WWE, because we feel obligated as fans? I almost always watch RAW every week and sometimes I sit through some of the segments on RAW or Smackdown and wonder why I still watch it. I've been watching WWE since around 1990 and yet nearly every week I find myself in front of the TV on Monday nights watching the WWE. From 2005-2009 I didn't really watch much, but like the OP, I read most of the results and caught the shows that I could. Personally, I like professional wrestling for several different reasons. I like the wrestling most of all, but I also like the stories and drama that go with it. So when someone like a C.M. Punk comes along it makes things more exciting it rewards our dedication. Just yesterday I was watching the "shoot" promo from last Summer and I couldn't help but laugh as I thought back to that time and every one was speculating on whether or not it was a work, but the fact that we weren't sure is what made it so awesome. Then C.M. Punk and John Cena went out and had the match of the year right after. This is why I am still a fan and why I still enjoy the product. For a several years there were no territories and now I believe they are beginning to make a slow comeback, especially with the evolutions of FCW and OVW. It's why many of us are clamoring for Daniel Bryan to continue to grow as a star. A lot of us saw him come up in the indys and ROH, etc. and love to watch him wrestle. Turns out he's a pretty good speaker on the mic, too. I've been tuning in for the last few weeks hoping that Dean Ambrose would debut.

 

[Raiden46]

Ok, I just want to start off by saying i've been watching the WWF/E for the better part of 20 years. (I'm 25). And have found a way to enjoy the majority of it up to the attitude era and a little bit beyond, say 2004. Now from 04 on there have been some bright spots but I as a WWE fan have not been particularly thrilled with what WWE had been serving. I even stopped watching all together from 05-09 only reading WZ to see what I was missing on RAW & SD. In 2011 I had gained interest again namely from CM Punk and I was even able to watch a full RAW for the first time in years. I checked out Mania in Miami to see The Rock, and a return by Lesnar on Raw had me back to watching Raws on a weekly basis, or close to.
Fast forward to the present. I feel CM Punk has fizzled out since his promo of 2011. I still think he is the most entertaining on the roster but the edginess is gone. As far as Lesnar goes, his appearances are so sparse that it's hard to really sit through a whole sub-par RAW just to see if he will be there or not.
My question now is this, directed at mainly long time WWE fans in general. How do you stay a fan when you are unimpressed by the current product? I mean you could go the route I have and stop watching all together but I think a part of me will always be a Wrestling fan and I feel alot of people are the same way. I don't think it's so much the stars now as it was when I was younger, but more so the actual business itself. Maybe that is my problem? Just forget about the business aspect and become a fan again.. if thats even possible. To answer my own question though I get my wrestling fix by watching the old PPV's. I've even decided to purchase the wcw ppv compilation as that is uncharted territory for me. I'll probably do the ECW library afterwards. It's fun to see where some of the WWF/E guys got their start.
Enough about me though. You, as a fan, what do YOU do to keep your interest?

It's becoming very difficult for me. I've been a fan since 1993 and never had much of an issue being addicted to the shows, even through the lackluster years of 95-96. Like you, I stopped watching full-time slightly after VKM acquired WCW. My reasoning was that I did not want to see WCW stars on WWE television. Fast forward 10 years later and I don't think I've missed too much. CM Punk was the reason I started watching again as well. Brock Lesnar's return kept me hooked, but since he's left....

Getting back to your point, what do I do to stay interested? I'm not sure there is an honest answer to that question anymore. It's become painfully obvious that WWE is going to keep Cena on top in his current gimmick, the two world titles are not going to be merged anytime soon, tag team wrestling is virtually dead, and quite frankly... there are very few "total package" wrestlers today (ring skills, promo work, and "the look").

My line in the sand will be Summerslam. If Brock Lesnar does not defeat Triple H then I will stop watching WWE once again; this time probably permanently.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Anyone who started watching again after "CM PUNK's SO GOOD SCRIPTED SHOOT PROMO" should stop watching wrestling overall.

What did CM Punk do ? Did he brought back "THE ATTITUDE ERA" with that promo ?

Some people on this forum think its cool to say that they started watching after the "CM PUNK's PROMO".

It didn't bring back the Attitude Era but it did bring back something that was missing since then. It was the raw passion and authentic delivery when the stars deliver their promos. And for at a time you thought it was coming back, just like Shawn Michaels DX promos in 97, or Triple H's promo in 99, Punk's promo, for a while, felt real (they kind of are). In that two month span after Punk delivered his pipe bomb he had heated promos with Cena, Nash, McMahon, and Triple H. Felt real, felt natural, and felt unscripted.

 

[Radical]

I've been a longtime on and off wrestling fan. When I was growing up my grandparents watched it so I watched it, that's probably where I first got hooked. Then in middle school watching wrestling was pretty popular and at that time you had WWE vs WCW so everything was just at a peak of competition.

After those years I still watched WWE on and off, watched it a bit more during the Evolution era as I really really wanted to see those guys get destroyed. One of my favourite Raw moments is Evolution getting pummled by the rest of the Raw roster.

Anyway... I often get dissapointed with the matches, storyline, progression of WWE but I guess I keep watching on and off because, overall, I love the concept of professional wrestling (minus the speedo shorts a lot of the wrestlers wear), the characters, the entrances, the athletic wrestling moves, the championships. That has led me to buying many of the wrestling games over the years and I think the reason I keep somewhat aware of WWE is because when I don't agree with it on TV is re-create it how I LIKE IT in my WWE game.

I do find myself just reading up on the results of the shows on WZ first and then that lets me know if I want to go back and watch the show. I think the WWE is losing sight in a lot of things like building fueds based mostly on titles; mid card titles like US title and tag division seem meaningless sometimes. I always loved cruiserweights but they got rid of the belt a while ago and I wish they'd bring it back. I always loved hardcore matches and I know they don't do official hardcore matches anymore but they still do "Falls Count Anywhere" matches and think of those matches between Barrett and Orton a few months back... those were great because they threw each other around the entire building!

So, I guess I keep 'aware' (I wouldn't say watching because I don't watch if I read results I don't like) of WWE because I keep hoping it gets better.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

I watch the WWE because unlike most writers for shows and most fans of other shows, its not ashamed of what it is, mindless entertainment. For just about everything else you watch, the fanbase spends half the time psychoanalyzing and justifying decisions made by the writers. Whereas with wrestling online community, it's mainly just a bunch of geeky people who like to bitch about minutia that probably will be forgotten by the writers a month later.

WWE lends itself to that geeky side of me that likes to watch superhero movies and senseless sci-fi without all the annoying hidden gems that the "snooty fanboys" rush to point out that they (unlike the casual fan) understood. Plus, aside from good vs. evil concepts, the WWE storylines don't sped a lot of time philosophizing things. And even when they do, the writers have such a grand case of ADD that they often forget to conclude the story and you end up with the bad guy not really learning his lesson (see Mark Henry). I like the lack of care behind much of the writing because as a fan, I usually am more concerned with characters than stories. Stories come and go but characters are forever....or at least they can be. The WWE, in all its flaws, at least understands this.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

I have been a wrestling fan since the late 80's/early 90's watching WWE almost exclusively except during the peak of NWO when WCW took over and I was also able to sprinkle in some ECW when I discovered it on some obscure channel late one night. I still watched WWE some during this time and by the summer of 98 I had once again become a full time WWE fan.

Now I would be lying if I said it has been tough over the past 5 or so years with the shift in direction from the company but I still watch. Part of me thinks I do because I want to see another cycle complete itself like it did when I first started watching at it went from golden era to new generation to attitude era. But I think I still watch because I have been doing so for so long that I have too much invested to give up now.

 

[scott212]

ive watched since i was 4 im now 30 n i honestly will not stop watching it either til wwe goes out of business or im in my casket whichever comes first

 

[Dr. Awesome]

I've been a fan for 12-13 Years (Although the first 2-3 years were like just odd little bits) and what keeps me watching is:
1. There's really nothing else. Thats better I'd rather watch WWE than BB, X-factor, BGT, 16 and pregnant and all that other shit on TV nowadays.

2. Occasionally Raw and SD can be entertaining so its a surprise xD.

3. In my house the main channels watched are Sky sports, Comedy Central and Sky one. (Obviously others are watched but these 3 are the main ones) and I enjoy watching sports and with the main ones advertised are Football, Cricket, and Rugby so I watch WWE because I enjoy it and enjoy different sports.

4. It's someting My Dad enjoyed but he doesn't really enjoy today's product so he tells me of the days of Hogan and the attitude era (The parts I wasn't around for) and I tell him of todays product that he doesn't watch. We can talk for hours about it.

 

[IT Factor]

Anyone who started watching again after "CM PUNK's SO GOOD SCRIPTED SHOOT PROMO" should stop watching wrestling overall.

What did CM Punk do ? Did he brought back "THE ATTITUDE ERA" with that promo ?

Some people on this forum think its cool to say that they started watching after the "CM PUNK's PROMO".

I watch because I am a Pro Wrestling Fan. WWE isn't the only Wrestling Promotion. There is TNA, ROH etc

First off, let me say this; I'm not quoting you to single you in specific out. However, I have noticed a trend on these forums. People LOVED CM Punk and his shoot promo when it happened and went nuts for his stuff going into the Money In the Bank PPV when he won the title and people were wondering what was next. Do you ever wonder why people LOVED that promo in particular? It's because for the most part, wrestling nowadays has been toned down and heavily scripted to the point where most longtime fans of the show can spot phonies and fakes. What CM Punk did was unexpected at a time in WWE history where they needed something different the most. Here we are a year later and now, all of a sudden, people are hating on CM Punk. My question is; WHY? Why are people that used to love Punk when he was getting hot last year hating him now? I think I have the answer. It's the net norm. There's a pattern for those who watch wrestling and get onto these forums; You get behind a certain star, whomever is hot at the moment, and think it's the cool thing to do because it's popular at the said time.

However, there's the flip side to that. Almost every single hot star at one time or another is turned on by net fans. Whether it be John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, or now even CM Punk. What's the common denominator? They all were wildly popular in the rising to the top and fans loved them when they first started ascending the ranks. But, then, something interesting happens; the fans turn. Once a fan gets acquainted with a character and it becomes routine, its no longer the "in" trend or person and they hate the idea of the routine. It's not that these particular guys have changed that much, but, that the internet concensus shifts and people change their minds. It's hypocrocy that I'm sure others notice too, and it's pretty much business as usual on the 'net.


As for this topic; Yeah, the current WWE product is somewhat unbearable in its current form. Are there good things about it? Occasionally. Are there things I wish they would change? Hell yes! I'm 28 and I have been watching on a weekly basis since 1995. I'm a longtime wrestling fan and I always will be. I believe WWE has went through alot of unneeded changes since the end of the "Attitude Era" all in an effort to try and change outside perception of pro wrestling/entertainment and clean up its image with going PG. While there are some things I can certainly respect about that, it did nothing to appease those fans who were already happy with the edgy and realistic product WWF/WWE had during that time period. Add that formula in with how WWE doesn't really "create" stars anymore and that's the reason that current form WWE product sucks. Plus, WWE is more internet aware these days and don't pay attention to what fans REALLY want. They pretty much come up with crap television and expect people will watch no matter what. Which is true to a certain extent for anyone who has been watching for any amount of time. However, the big boom back during the "Monday Night Wars" was largely because both WWF & WCW were edgy and more realistic with a tendency for anything to happen unexpectedly. Fans can relate to that because it mirrors reality and people can get behind it. Nowadays, we are getting WWE that is watered down and cleaned up for corporate purposes with no real reguard to what fans want.

The reason I watch is because wrestling has always been something I love to watch. That doesn't mean I don't see the obvious and I hope WWE will eventually figure out their flaws and attempt to change it. Which is why I was behind CM Punk last year and continue to be behind him. He stands for what could happen, what should happen; CHANGE. WWE desperately needs to change their product to get more in touch with what real fans want and not what some 'net people want or pandering to the kiddie audience. I'd venture to say that the biggest portion of the current WWE audience are well over 18 and aren't happy with the PG thing. It's cartoony, outdated, and not something most long-term fans wanna see. WWE needs to update their product to gain alot of older fans back. If not, the trend continues and wrestling is just a shadow of it's former self. An insignificant ritual that is only watched because of what it used to mean and be to a long forgotten era. Sad that pro wrestling/entertainment has fallen that far......

 

[WWEIsLife2]

I have been a Longtime Wrestling Fan since the early 90's,WWF/E mostly but have watched others like WCW,ECW,SMW,and even TNA. I have never once thought about backing out or quitting watching it. I too have loved the loud Music,the Pyro,the Lights,the Drama,the Matches,and whatever else. Is WWE perfect right now? No but I can still sit in front of the old TV on Mondays & Fridays along with PPV Sundays and be entertained by the guys & girls who bust their ass to put on the Best Show that they can possible.

 

[Coming4UNi66a]

I've been a WWF/E fan since '98, and the product has definitely gone stale. They put matches where they don't belong, they don't have legitimacy for titles anymore, i mean its a mess. I will always be a wrestling fan, and even though i've tried to not watch i just can't seem to shake it. WWE will always have a place in my heart. I'm an attitude era guy, so i often watch dvd's with those matches on it, or i hop on youtube and watch matches there. I like to compare what WWE did back then and what they're doing now, and try to figure out what they can improve on that had people glues to their tv screens back in that era. To tell you the truth, their product has gone stale because of competition. Back in the 90's they can wcw to compete with and they had to try to figure out ways to differentiate themselves from wcw. Now, they could care less cuz they have no competition, they could care less about TNA trying to compete cuz they've tried competing and there is no competition. Thats why their product is stale and thats what i do to keep me interested.

 

[shitsngiggles]

I'm on the verge of dropping out again myself. I'm generally getting fed up with the good guy "face"/bad guy "heel" crap and the wrestling business thinking cheap heat is a good way to build storylines and feuds.

This idea that you have to have 50% faces and 50% heels in every aspect from commentary, to the wrestlers to the GMs and the Board of directors is getting pathetic.

The power struggle idea is now pants.

I love the good storylines built by realistic angles like CM Punks shoot, it was gold! It was realistic, shocking and left people asking questions. The HHH Vs Orton revenge feud, it was realistic, HHH injured Orton and Orton came back to attack HHH and make him pay. The NWO taking over WCW. Angles that could be realistic or atleast have some edge behind them.

I also like the sci-fi style angles that get you guessing, like Jericho's return (before it fell flat) Sting the dark mysterious figure in the rafters of the stadium. Undertaker Vs Kane etc.

Characters need to be serious or atleast come accross serious, I can't take Jack Swagger seriously, he looks like he should be wearing an 80s sparkling waist coat or something, he looks like something out of the Village people. Dolph Ziggler looks like a German porn star. Vickie Guerrero is just annoying, it doesn't make me want to see her and whoever she is managing/dating lose, it makes me turn the channel over. Cheap heat is pathetic she could easily play a darker character and be watchable.

Shouting moaning Miz could probably be a good character as a pisstaking comedian or Alberto Del Rio as an eccentric millionare rather than the better than anybody aristocrat.

Cena needs to finally turn Stone Cold-esque and turn into a good guy who pushes boarders but doesn't play a good guy when people get the better of him, unlike things similar to the nexus, whoever else who just keep attacking him or whatever and then he rises above it (boring).

Orton needs something, the "Viper" is pretty much just a guy who gets beaten up then starts pulling faces and looking stupidly mental, puts a string of shit moves together to win.

Cole and Lawler should be themselves, fuck this heel/face commentator crap. Actually get rid of them and put 2 people behind that soon to be broken again commentary table who are believable in their commentary don't act like 5 year old girls and can throw in some good storyline while talking about the damn wrestling not what is trending.

The GM Becomes the match maker and he has 2 advisors one for Raw and one for Smackdown, who report to him what trouble is brewing, who wants to challenge for what belt, etc. And add the following element into the GM role, some actual management duty storyines. Perhaps Daniel Bryan, your merchandise is selling well and the fans clearly want to see you in a title match, I'm going to make that happen!

Or, Orton comes into the office, boss I'm not happy on Smackdown, I want to get onto Raw and challenge the best guys and be in the main event, ok Randy you need to beat 3 people who I am planning on moving to Raw in order to work on Raw if you win all 3 matches you will move to Raw.

Realistic storylines (some sci-fi style/mysterious ones aswell) + Good characters + Good wrestling = winning formula in my eyes.

They also need to stop marketing to kids! How many kids are up late at night? How much money does a kid spend on anything let alone WWE merchandise? How long is a kids attention span? How many parents probably avoid letting kids watching anything violent?

I don't know all the answers to them questions, but I doubt these are things that should make WWE market their product to kids or keep it PG.

The company needs to grow up in my oppinion. Or maybe It's time I did and quit watching it altogether.

 

[RockVenom]

I've been a fan following the WWE for a very long time, since Wrestlemania 5. I was into it for the most part of it. But since they changed the product to PG, it lost some of its edge...

I understand the "why" of all of it, in order to attract more viewers. But since the product changed, the storylines have become stale... In the exception of one or two storylines (CM Punk's pipe bomb in 2011, The Rock vs John Cena), which were good. The product lacks aggression. The storylines lack intensity and suspense.

Above all that, it's kinda of a shame that some of the talent don't have a little more freedom of speech. I'm sure that some of them would give better promos. And when I see characters like Santino Marella, ruining the prestige of holding the US title (not defending it seriously) and taking time away of some better talent that can actually wrestle in the ring... It's ridiculous amd a waste of time and talent.

They lack star power as well. In the Attitude Era, several superstars were seen as the ones carrying the company. A lot of them had the charisma and the catchy personality. Now... I find they lack the charisma, except for a few. And they're making the company turn around the same guy (Cena) over and over again. Which is boring! Only recently, do you get to see a couple of superstars getting the spot light they deserve. Besides that, to add punch to the product again, they bring back guys from previous eras to make it worth watching again.

To actually make the product worth watching again, they need to bring some elements back from the Attitude Era. It was shocking, surprising, had suspense and was entertaining for the adult audience as it was for the younger audience who'd watch it at the time as well.

 

[AnthonyM4]

The DVR and the internet have made wrestling far easier for me to stay a fan. I don't enjoy a lot of it but I can watch at a faster speed the stuff that doesn't interest me. The stuff that does interest me is fun to talk about on this site.

In the end we really are not supposed to still be watching wrestling after our teen years but I am glad I still find some enjoyment in it. Technology has helped me with that. There are not many things I still enjoy from my childhood, professional wrestling has helped keep me somewhat of a kid.

go_bills12

Just out of curiousity why do you think we are not really supposed to watch past out teen years? I hate that thinking. I cringe when people say "I don't watch wrestling because I'm not a kid anymore". I heard this a lot during the friggin Attitude era! Is there really an age limit to watch wrestling? I don't think so...

To answer the OP's question, like you a part of me will also be a wrestling fan and that's why I haven't completely stopped watching. I've been meaning to give it a rest for awhile with the current product, but I love watching old school footage. Even though the wwe product imo has sucked for the most part since the bought wcw, there is always something I enjoy like the nostalgia shows.

 

[BLoafX]

What keeps me interested is that I know every week, not just for a few months but EVERY WEEK, there will be a new show with some potentially amazing action, laughs, or some straight up awesomeness. Football takes a break, sit-coms take a break, even late night talk shows take a break. WWE has no off season, and you don't have to pay extra to watch RAW/Smackdown every week.

I totally understand your resentment, though. I don't like some things they do, but hey, you can't expect a hit every swing you take. They put a LOT (I'd font size that like 72 if I could) of work into making a 2/3 hour production and touring.

And as lame as it sounds, Twitter has been a huge help in keeping me interested. I also started doing my own youtube show and that is definitely keeping me interested as well. You just never know how a bad could spin into a good, but I believe also it is the fans who make the show. A bad show can be turned into a great show if the crowd is into it!

 

[AndThat'sTheBottomLine]

Ah the question of the ages, why do I watch? Well I've watched since 1999 so that's 13 years. I haven't enjoyed everything I've seen. I even stopped watching not long after I graduated in 2010 and joined the army. While I was in AIT the Rock came back. Then Wrestlemania passed and I became interested again. I started keeping up with the dirtsheets and after I got out of the Army I watched full time again. I didn't even know about Punk's shoot promo until I got back. I've kept up with everything that's happened since then. I enjoy the current main story involving Punk, AJ, Bryan, and Kane. I enjoyed watching both Cole and big Johnny get humiliated. I became more of a fan and less of a critic and while not everything makes me happy I still watch because I still get entertained. I enjoy trying to guess what will happen next. I watch TNA and WWE and enjoy both. I look forward to seeing them compete with each other. For that reason, I keep watching.

 

[CrissSpades]

I'm a wrestling fan. I guess a WWE loyalist, because as a kid I always chose WWF over WCW. I own over 200 hours WWF/E videos and 1 TNA dvd (Slammaversy 2007). I did however get bored with wrestling in 2009. There was some cool points to it, but overall, I didn't care for it. VERY forgettable. I watch some stuff on YouTube, and I sit there like, "When did this happen, I don't remember this." From '09-10 the only things I remember is HBK-Taker I and II, Bret Hart's return, The Nexus, and CM Punk on commentary. I do try and watch TNA, but I don't like it. I sampled ROH, and they have great talent, but I didn't like it. Ever since I started watching wrestling since 1998, I've only missed two Monday Night RAW telecasts. Draft of 2007, and the 'Old School' RAW in 2010. I guess that says quite a bit about me. I keep watching because I have HOPE that it will get better. People would rather complain about a storyline one week into it, instead of letting it play out. I'm too young to remember the Attitude Era from when I started watching in July of '98 to when I think it ended, after Austin turned heel in 2001. But watching tapes of it, I wish I could remember more of it. Yes, its better than what we get now. But we can blame Linda McMahon and her senate run. And we can also blame Vince for wanting to not be associated with the 'W-Word'. Oh, and while we're at it, lets the creative staff members who have little knowledge of wrestling, and are only here because they're from Hollywood. So Vince fired a die-hard wrestling fan writer, to hire this stuck up, wrestling is fake, nimrod. I always believe that if Paul Heyman, Jim Ross, and Triple H ran the WWE, we'd be seeing the greatest thing ever created. But, Paul and Jim know more about wrestling than Vince so they're not welcome..... but then again, Trips does as well, and if it weren't for him being the son-in-law, Triple H would still be wrestling full time probably, or fired and working for TNA. Crazy how scenarios like that work, huh?

Anyway, in conclusion, yes the product we get now has its flaws and logic lapses, BUT its better than the full on G, PG stuff we received in 2009 and 2010. Now its PG with a little bit of edge, not much edge, yes, but a little bit of it. I foresee it getting better as time progresses. People's problem is that they want to compare it to something from the Attitude Era, or they just hate on it before giving it a change.

I'll give a quick little example. Last summer, when CM Punk won the title, and split and was back after 2 weeks I read, and this is not word-for-word quote, the following:

"If this was the Attitude Era, Punk would have been gone until at least Survivor Series and then came back"

What a lot of you FAIL to realize was that SummerSlam needed a reason to buy. And Punk-Cena II was a perfect way to boost buys and garner interest. A Rey Mysterio vs John Cena rematch wouldn't have been a good main event at all.

But, I digress. I keep watching because I'm a wrestling fan, not an entertainment fan. I go to the movies for that. HOPEFULLY one day it gets awesome again.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Anyone who started watching again after "CM PUNK's SO GOOD SCRIPTED SHOOT PROMO" should stop watching wrestling overall.

What did CM Punk do ? Did he brought back "THE ATTITUDE ERA" with that promo ?

Some people on this forum think its cool to say they started watching again because of the "CM PUNK's PROMO".

Because CM Punk's promo created a buzz around professional wrestling again. Maybe you don't realize this, but professional wrestling isn't a commonly liked thing for people past their early teens. Very few stick with it into their twenties and thirties. Sometimes because they don't want to be ridiculed, because wrestling is "gay" and "it's all fake", sometimes because they simply lose interest.

To those that lost interest, CM Punk did two things. He made it interesting again. For three to four weeks last summer, wrestling was cool again, it was being discussed and promoted in mainstream media, something Vince McMahon salivates for because mainstream media see professional wrestling as lower class garbage due to the stigma that surrounds it with steroids, scandals and stories. That is what CM Punk's promo did.

You have no power or stance that allows you to critic any fan that started watching again because they caught whiff of CM Punk's promo. They lost interest and no matter how they regain it, they decided to watch it again. That is what the Punk promo did.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Just out of curiousity why do you think we are not really supposed to watch past out teen years? I hate that thinking. I cringe when people say "I don't watch wrestling because I'm not a kid anymore". I heard this a lot during the friggin Attitude era! Is there really an age limit to watch wrestling? I don't think so...

It's not like eating your boogers and wearing diapers but in general wrestling is something most people grow out of. I've been watching on and off for almost 30 years (started watching shortly after Hogan beat Sheik for the belt). I developed other interests in that time like other males (girls, dating, masterbating, college, drinking, masterbating some more, gambling, marriage and kids) but somehow wrestling has stuck with me. That tends to be kind of rare, not wrong, but still kind of rare. I don't know why I've stuck with it, maybe because my dad took me to a show shortly after WM 3 but I have and that is ok. Again, it is just rare.

To answer the OP's question, like you a part of me will also be a wrestling fan and that's why I haven't completely stopped watching. I've been meaning to give it a rest for awhile with the current product, but I love watching old school footage. Even though the wwe product imo has sucked for the most part since the bought wcw, there is always something I enjoy like the nostalgia show.

Maybe it doesn't suck, maybe you started growing out of it. Which is what is "supposed" to happen.