Vince Russo NOT HAPPY With Sasha Banks

[BaconBits]

I don't know why anybody actually cares what Vince Russo says. Dude hasn't been relevant in well over a decade.

 

[nwocongo]

Then fuck me then.

Now, there are a lot of stupid things Vince Russo has done, but when someone is as universally hated as Vince Russo, he not only gets blamed for things that are his fault, but things that aren't as well.

Firstly, he was the head writer during the Attitude Era. Fact. Now, you can say that anyone could write good television if they had Austin, Rock, DX, etc. But do you think that the Hollywood soap and TV writers Vince McMahon had hired since have done a good job?

From what I recall on this board, the Attitude Era rocked, and the Austin-McMahon storyline rocked. Now, has the period since Vince Russo left as head writer been as good, or drawn as much ratings?

Also, while I don't agree with what he said about Bra-&-Panties, the question is, did those segments with Bras-&-Panties BEAT whatever WCW Nitro was doing in the same quarter-hour? If it did, then it was effective in beating WCW in the ratings, which is what Russo was hired to do.

He then went to WCW, and while he showed he recycled storylines (Made Booker T like a Rock ripoff, made Hogan a SCSA rip-off, recycled angles from WWE etc) I do not hold him responsible for the demise of WCW. WCW was dying before Russo set foot there. It was more Bischoff looking after his friends-Hogan, Nash and Hall, and using old guys in main events all the time.

There were two periods of Vince Russo's reign in WCW I really liked. The first was "The Powers That Be", where the "PTB" just put people in matches for his own amusement. I thought it created some interesting matches, and feuds.

Secondly, was the "Millionaires' Club versus the New Bloods". He pushed Billy Kidman (until Hogan buried him), he freshened up the main event scene (Jeff Jarrett, Booker T, Scott Steiner, guys who were underutilised in the past, now got main event spots, rather than fossils like Hogan, Flair, Sting, Nash, Luger and co).

Also, Russo was the only person to ever stand up to Hulk Hogan onscreen. Many might not like Russo, but I bet they secretly shared his sentiments when he paid out on Hogan on PPV. No-one had the balls to do that to Hogan before, and most of what he said about Hogan is probably true and what a lot in the industry think of the man.

Also, putting the belt on David Arquette. Now, it was dumb, but it served two purposes, (1) it got promotion for a movie that WCW made, and (2) as Russo predicted, it got mainstream coverage, by having Arquette and belt on the cover of "TV Guide". WCW needed publicity, and got it with this, so it was a marketing ploy, and got WCW out there, even if it pissed off wrestling fans (and I get why).

I also think Russo is hated in the industry because he is outspoken, and stands up to certain people. He only got this hate after he stood up to Hogan (I don't remember anyone bagging Russo during the Attitude Era). I bet Hogan, Nash and co used their stroke, and bad-mouthed Russo to all and sundry. He made powerful enemies. Now, I think Russo isn't the world's friendliest guy either, and that causes few to stand up in your defense. Rattling cages makes few friends in wrestling. So Russo contributed to his bad reputation, as well as crossing the wrong people.

Look, Russo is no genius or superstar writer. But he gets a lot put on him which is more the fault of others (e.g. Hogan and others being given too much creative control ended WCW, in my opinion, rather than anything Russo did, where he tried to change up the main event, and de-push the veterans).

You bring up some good points, perhaps I wasn't clear, I think Russbro has had some good ideas and does deserve some credit for his contributions, just not as much credit as he always wants to give himself. I don't blame the demise of WCW on him either, I do however blame him for sucking in WCW though. If he was the revolutionary visionary he and some of his diehard disciples (not you, you seem rational) thought he was, he would have continued to have success outside the WWE umbrella. IMO the bad outweighs the good and as you said, his outspokenness and overall douchey quality is why I can't stand the guy and why most people try to forget he exists.

As for Hollywood writers, I think they are completely unecessary and part of the problem with wrestling now (at least for me). I believe all you need is a booker and agents to go over the content of the matches, preferably people who understand the history of pro wrestling not depraved writers like Russo trying to write out their sexual fantasies and make it into Springer with Mark Henry banging Transvestites and going to sex addiction therapy, Val Venis getting his dong chopped off, Viagra on a pole matches...etc

 

[ABMorales787]

Why does anyone pay attention to what the dumbfuck says? He clearly does nothing but call for attention, bro.

 

[d_henderson1810]

You bring up some good points, perhaps I wasn't clear, I think Russbro has had some good ideas and does deserve some credit for his contributions, just not as much credit as he always wants to give himself. I don't blame the demise of WCW on him either, I do however blame him for sucking in WCW though. If he was the revolutionary visionary he and some of his diehard disciples (not you, you seem rational) thought he was, he would have continued to have success outside the WWE umbrella. IMO the bad outweighs the good and as you said, his outspokenness and overall douchey quality is why I can't stand the guy and why most people try to forget he exists.

As for Hollywood writers, I think they are completely unecessary and part of the problem with wrestling now (at least for me). I believe all you need is a booker and agents to go over the content of the matches, preferably people who understand the history of pro wrestling not depraved writers like Russo trying to write out their sexual fantasies and make it into Springer with Mark Henry banging Transvestites and going to sex addiction therapy, Val Venis getting his dong chopped off, Viagra on a pole matches...etc

Vince Russo doesn't deserve the amount of credit he gives himself.

Vince Russo does deserve more credit than the wrestling industry give him.