The WWE Network as a teaching tool?

[CCIV]

Don't you think the WWE should be using their own and acquired libraries as teaching tools for the next generation writers?? Regardless of whether you like them or not Russo, Ferrara, and McMahon for whatever reason we're gold! I lived through the Russo/Ferrara WCW so no need to educate me on that and yes they sucked. I don't know why and don't care but Russo/Ferrara with Vince the editor they gave us the greatest era of professional wrestling. If you were too young or too old and cynical like I've become with the business with age go back and watch 96,97,98,99,00 Raw and eventually Smackdown and the blueprint for character and storyline development is right there. When Russo/Ferrara left the WWE was in such an awesome position that an 8yr old could have kept it going for years to come and those who took over did but didn't sustain it. Why oh why don't they use what's already been done and documented so to speak to learn how to structure the show they way it use to be and in opinion the way it should be?? It's not the characters or the wrestlers in my opinion it's the structure of the stories. The stories from top to bottom use to be intertwined while always pushing both the story and characters forward. Today we have characters by they don't do anything!

 

[enviousdominous]

Don't you think the WWE should be using their own and acquired libraries as teaching tools for the next generation writers??

I think a lot of things, I have to admit that the WWE making use of their extensive video library to teach burgeoning prowrestling writers how to perfect the craft wasn't one of them. If I thought that, I would then wonder why a new crop of writers wouldn't have already studied writing from a prowrestling standpoint while making use of past examples. The WWE has already made most of their library accessible, problem solved.

Regardless of whether you like them or not Russo, Ferrara, and McMahon for whatever reason we're gold! I lived through the Russo/Ferrara WCW so no need to educate me on that and yes they sucked.

You bring up a very good example! Would you like to explain the intricate details of why the Russo, Ferrara and McMahon writing team were so golden?

I don't know why and don't care but Russo/Ferrara with Vince the editor they gave us the greatest era of professional wrestling.

Oh, moving on I guess.

If you were too young or too old and cynical like I've become with the business with age go back and watch 96,97,98,99,00 Raw and eventually Smackdown and the blueprint for character and storyline development is right there.

Right where!? So I should just park my butt in front of the tv and watch every episode of Raw for five years and the answers will just magically fill my brain?

When Russo/Ferrara left the WWE was in such an awesome position that an 8yr old could have kept it going for years to come and those who took over did but didn't sustain it. Why oh why don't they use what's already been done and documented so to speak to learn how to structure the show they way it use to be and in opinion the way it should be??

Because they can't possibly comprehend your brilliance! My good man; the burden is on you to find a way to dumb down your amazing ideas until they could possibly be comprehended by us little people. I would love to discuss your opinions, but they're stuck in that beautiful head of yours. Without having to crack your head open and scoop the ideas out, I'm depending on you to plug your nose and exhale so hard your ears bleed those ideas out!

It's not the characters or the wrestlers in my opinion it's the structure of the stories. The stories from top to bottom use to be intertwined while always pushing both the story and characters forward. Today we have characters by they don't do anything!

By God, THAT'S IT! Everyone will now be required to do many things at every moment they're on tv. No more slow Undertaker slogs to the ring, he will now be required to bounce on a pogo-stick while singing Ave Maria and juggling hamsters.

 

[CCIV]

Why were Russo, Ferrara and McMahon gold?? Because every character on the roster had a story, every story meant something, every character dealt at some point with every other character so there was rarely ever a match that didn't make sense or that moved both characters stories forward. As I stated at one point around 99' an 8yr old could have picked two names out of a hat and put them in a match and because of past writing from Russo, Ferrara and McMahon it would have made sense. There are movie scripts that are studied and I believe if you want another wrestling boom there is a period where the characters and storylines can be studied and learned from.

The WWE has been known to hire writers with comic book, tv or movie backgrounds but know jack about wrestling. So yes those individuals should study the past.

It's not my brilliance it's my opinion that 96-00 was the best structured and written WWE tv in their history and I enjoyed it and want it back.

 

[enviousdominous]

Why were Russo, Ferrara and McMahon gold?? Because every character on the roster had a story, every story meant something, every character dealt at some point with every other character so there was rarely ever a match that didn't make sense or that moved both characters stories forward.

I really want to agree with you on this, but an example of what meaningful character driven story inspired you the most would be a good way to get the conversation going.

As I stated at one point around 99' an 8yr old could have picked two names out of a hat and put them in a match and because of past writing from Russo, Ferrara and McMahon it would have made sense. There are movie scripts that are studied and I believe if you want another wrestling boom there is a period where the characters and storylines can be studied and learned from.

I get what you're saying, that most performers could hang with most other performers because their characters had been fleshed out so vividly that a loss would just mean another chapter of their story. I think that nostalgia is the reason why you imagine that any encounter back then making sense is in direct conflict with the vibe of today, if you put anybody against anybody today I'd probably accept it.

The WWE has been known to hire writers with comic book, tv or movie backgrounds but know jack about wrestling. So yes those individuals should study the past.

I think you're drawing a false assumption here on a potential WWE writer's repertoire of experience. If you had an example, we could argue that.

It's not my brilliance it's my opinion that 96-00 was the best structured and written WWE tv in their history and I enjoyed it and want it back.

I stand corrected.

 

[FromTheSouth]

Don't you think the WWE should be using their own and acquired libraries as teaching tools for the next generation writers?? Regardless of whether you like them or not Russo, Ferrara, and McMahon for whatever reason we're gold! I lived through the Russo/Ferrara WCW so no need to educate me on that and yes they sucked. I don't know why and don't care but Russo/Ferrara with Vince the editor they gave us the greatest era of professional wrestling. If you were too young or too old and cynical like I've become with the business with age go back and watch 96,97,98,99,00 Raw and eventually Smackdown and the blueprint for character and storyline development is right there. When Russo/Ferrara left the WWE was in such an awesome position that an 8yr old could have kept it going for years to come and those who took over did but didn't sustain it. Why oh why don't they use what's already been done and documented so to speak to learn how to structure the show they way it use to be and in opinion the way it should be?? It's not the characters or the wrestlers in my opinion it's the structure of the stories. The stories from top to bottom use to be intertwined while always pushing both the story and characters forward. Today we have characters by they don't do anything!

No.

Do you think the writing was what made the Golden Age and Attitude Era what they were? Mark Henry and Mae Young, The InVasion, (since you mentioned Russo) The New Blood, Jarrett and Hogan, interviewing Pillman's wife, David Arquette, Shockmaster....these are writer's contributions. Austin and McMahon was successful because of the natural charisma and chemistry between Austin and McMahon. If it were writing, Roman Reigns would be over right now. DX worked because....they wrote their own schtick. The most memorable parts of the Attitude Era were the improvised bits.

Hogan made the Golden Era. I will admit that the Mega Powers was well done, but does that work without Hogan and Savage? Of course not.

Writer's serve a purpose in wrestling, but they could write Shakespeare, and it would not matter if the "actors" can't make it work.

 

[Navi]

Don't you think the WWE should be using their own and acquired libraries as teaching tools for the next generation writers?? Regardless of whether you like them or not Russo, Ferrara, and McMahon for whatever reason we're gold! I lived through the Russo/Ferrara WCW so no need to educate me on that and yes they sucked. I don't know why and don't care but Russo/Ferrara with Vince the editor they gave us the greatest era of professional wrestling. If you were too young or too old and cynical like I've become with the business with age go back and watch 96,97,98,99,00 Raw and eventually Smackdown and the blueprint for character and storyline development is right there. When Russo/Ferrara left the WWE was in such an awesome position that an 8yr old could have kept it going for years to come and those who took over did but didn't sustain it. Why oh why don't they use what's already been done and documented so to speak to learn how to structure the show they way it use to be and in opinion the way it should be?? It's not the characters or the wrestlers in my opinion it's the structure of the stories. The stories from top to bottom use to be intertwined while always pushing both the story and characters forward. Today we have characters by they don't do anything!

The reason is twofold. First time marches on and things change, we now have the internet leaking every story in advance, and even if you don't want to know what happens you will invariably find out somehow. Also people change, what passed for okay 20 years ago would be laughed out of the building now.

Secondly wrestling has changed. Kayfabe is dead and has been for quite some time. It used to be the only time we saw wrestlers was when they were actually in the ring. Now you can follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Total Diva's, etc, etc. Because of the internet wrestlers who used to be seen as for want of a better word, behemoths, are now seen as ordinary guys with the same problems as we all have.

The biggest issue is fans have changed, but the WWE hasn't. They still subscribe to the notion that fans want to see big muscle bound guys leading the charge. For me that's not the case. I turn in to be entertained as I'm sure most others do. Vince went on Austin's podcast and said very few are reaching for the brass ring. Well fans have let Vince and Co. know who they like and who they don't, thing is Vince isn't listening to them. The so called brass ring is only reserved for some and instead of them having to reach for it, it's handed to them on a silver platter.

Still it doesn't matter. Crummy writing will continue, the IWC will bitch and complain, but one of these days the planet will align and everything will be okay. I just hope I'm still around to see it.

Sorry went on a bit of a rant there. I'm all over the place.

 

[CCIV]

What I want that the Russo/Ferrara/McMahon era gave us was a show where stories carried throughout the whole show. We had beginning or opening teases, a main storyline would have a backstage promo or outside of the ring brawl right in the middle of a match that normally we'd take our bathroom break. Today's structure seems to be writing the show as individual segments. Tease us, make me never reach for that remote during a Swagger/Ryback match because I'm so use to anything happening at anytime. That's the "gold" I'm taking about.

 

[CCIV]

No.

Do you think the writing was what made the Golden Age and Attitude Era what they were? Mark Henry and Mae Young, The InVasion, (since you mentioned Russo) The New Blood, Jarrett and Hogan, interviewing Pillman's wife, David Arquette, Shockmaster....these are writer's contributions. Austin and McMahon was successful because of the natural charisma and chemistry between Austin and McMahon. If it were writing, Roman Reigns would be over right now. DX worked because....they wrote their own schtick. The most memorable parts of the Attitude Era were the improvised bits.

Hogan made the Golden Era. I will admit that the Mega Powers was well done, but does that work without Hogan and Savage? Of course not.

Writer's serve a purpose in wrestling, but they could write Shakespeare, and it would not matter if the "actors" can't make it work.

The Attitude Era worked because the way the stories were told. We saw DX, Austin/McMahon, Rock, Foley and so on 6 times during a Raw. Teases, backstage brawls, in the crowd fights right in the middle of an in ring match and so on. If those stories were written today and each was given one segment it would probably suck. That's were we differ.

 

[nwocongo]

The Attitude Era worked because the way the stories were told. We saw DX, Austin/McMahon, Rock, Foley and so on 6 times during a Raw. Teases, backstage brawls, in the crowd fights right in the middle of an in ring match and so on. If those stories were written today and each was given one segment it would probably suck. That's were we differ.

But all these storylines you're talking about might cut into valuable McMahon/Helmsley talking time and the Network plugs. What would a wrestling show be without 45 minutes of talking during every hour?

 

[nwocongo]

You're idea of using it as a teaching tool did make me think about the commentary, make these guys take notes on how the commentators used to sell the show. That IMO is a huge difference between that era and now. I don't know about the rest of you, but Smackdown has become more watchable with the addition of Mauro while the Raw team is arguably the worst it's ever been. Yes, we all know wrestling is not a real sporting contest, the cats out of the bag...But would it be so bad if Cole, Saxton and JBL at least pretended what was happening was the least bit interesting and important?