Why do so many people hate ECW?

[ringthebell]

I was just browsing over some topics here on the forums and I have heard it outside these forums before also. Why do so many people hate the fact that ECW used to be around?

The first time I saw ECW, I was probably 11 years old, I was flipping through late night tv one night and landed on ECW. I asked myself, what is this? It looks like some cheap budget indy wrestling. I decided to take a chance and what I saw was purely amazing. I was still watching WCW at the time and started following ECW also. I loved it, these guys were taking it to the limit, it was honestly the most talented wrestling I had ever seen. The cruiserweights and how they would move around the ring, the technicality of the bigger men who could move and put on a show and of course the hardcore side of things, men taking punishment like no other.

I got my feel from ECW that I could not get from WCW or at the time, the occasional watched WWF. ECW amazed me and the fans were the most fucking loyal fan base I had ever heard and seen on the television. As a wrestler for ECW, you knew the fans always had your back and would defend you to the bone.

After reading all the comments about how ECW was "garbage wrestling" or "pathetic" or blah blah blah, I really wanted to puke. I guess people just can't see amazing when it is there.

In your opinion, what did you think?

 

[AwesomeRko]

ECW was awesome man pure entertainment, high octane matches, edgy promos it was basically most of the things people praise the attitude era for on steroids.

I think because its viewed as 'extreme', people who see themselves as wrestling purists, they type who watch ROH etc seem to look down upon it slightly. Apparently forgetting that some of the best technical wrestlers in the business like Malenko, Mysterio, Jericho, Guerrero, Benoit for example came from there and put on some of the best technical wrestling matches certainly i've ever seen Eddies last match against Malenko is a personal favourite. They were also the first to really exploit the South American and Japanese markets bringing over an array of talented international superstars who then mostly moved to WCW and made their cruiserweight division so great.

Thir programming was was so daring and creative enabling superstars to push boundaries which had never really been pushed before and probably even helping to inspire the attitude era in WWE. It wasn't just controvesy for the sake of it either some of the stuff Austin did in ECW was almost on the level of Stone Cold in his peak in WWE in quality for example, a lot of the promos segments and stuff were probably better than the WWEs today.

But yeah I get that everyone has their own opinions and I thought ECW was great, innovative and just generally entertaining television, I preferred WWF but that doesn't mean I couldn't still appreciate ECW at the time.

 

[rohfan76]

i loved ECW back in the day. great matches, great feuds, lots of BLOOD.. was a shame that Paul E couldnt pay the wrestlers.. oh well least we got ROH and PWG

 

[Headman]

I guess because some people have different opinions on what is and isn't entertaining. It's the same reason some people like the Rock comparing people to food and talking about shoving things up their butts and some people don't. Considering ECW is hardly a popular topic these days I don't see where you're seeing all of these examples of hate for ECW. Certainly not enough to warrant a thread.

 

[Slyfox696]

The only people who think ECW was good are idiots. Sorry, you've outed yourself.

ECW was a rinky dink 2-bit promotion, that has been blown WAY out of proportion, both in terms of how relevant it really was and how good it was. ECW was crap. It was poorly run, poorly booked and featured poor talent. Anyone with even a SHRED of ability got out of there as soon as they could. It didn't appeal to wrestling fans, it appealed to people whose mental stability I seriously question. Anyone who thinks wrestling is about falling off of high things and hitting each other in the head with trash cans is an idiot.

Of course all of the ECW apologists will starting whining, "what about Malenko and Mysterio and Guerrero and Jericho"? Yes, what about them? They were there for a cup of coffee, and got the hell out as soon as they found another promotion who could actually offer them a decent job.

ECW was garbage, and it amazes me that people can still think otherwise.

 

[dudedudedude]

The only people who think ECW was good are idiots. Sorry, you've outed yourself.

ECW was a rinky dink 2-bit promotion, that has been blown WAY out of proportion, both in terms of how relevant it really was and how good it was. ECW was crap. It was poorly run, poorly booked and featured poor talent. Anyone with even a SHRED of ability got out of there as soon as they could. It didn't appeal to wrestling fans, it appealed to people whose mental stability I seriously question. Anyone who thinks wrestling is about falling off of high things and hitting each other in the head with trash cans is an idiot.

Of course all of the ECW apologists will starting whining, "what about Malenko and Mysterio and Guerrero and Jericho"? Yes, what about them? They were there for a cup of coffee, and got the hell out as soon as they found another promotion who could actually offer them a decent job.

ECW was garbage, and it amazes me that people can still think otherwise.

Yeah, look, to each their own. Looking back now, at the tapes...it certainly hasn't aged well. But at the time, it was amazing, it felt like you were apart of this underground movement. I am glad it is gone now, and I am sick and tired of the reunion bullshit that shitcunts like Shane Douglas keep doing.

But, like I said, at the time, it felt special, amazing, and just that tiny bit cool. ECW is like an ex gf, you look at it with fondness and want it back, and then, realise you really should have left it is the past.

 

[Aquaman6686]

The only people who think ECW was good are idiots. Sorry, you've outed yourself.

ECW was a rinky dink 2-bit promotion, that has been blown WAY out of proportion, both in terms of how relevant it really was and how good it was. ECW was crap. It was poorly run, poorly booked and featured poor talent. Anyone with even a SHRED of ability got out of there as soon as they could. It didn't appeal to wrestling fans, it appealed to people whose mental stability I seriously question. Anyone who thinks wrestling is about falling off of high things and hitting each other in the head with trash cans is an idiot.

Of course all of the ECW apologists will starting whining, "what about Malenko and Mysterio and Guerrero and Jericho"? Yes, what about them? They were there for a cup of coffee, and got the hell out as soon as they found another promotion who could actually offer them a decent job.

ECW was garbage, and it amazes me that people can still think otherwise.

This guy speaks nothing but truth. ECW was an insanely overrated promotion. The wrestling was mediocre at best, and as this guy mentioned, anyone who had talent and half a brain got out as soon as they could. If Rob Van Dam had done the smart thing and left ECW before it closed, he could have had a much better career than he did.

 

[Slyfox696]

Yeah, look, to each their own. Looking back now, at the tapes...it certainly hasn't aged well.

Yes, that's because it was horrific wrestling.

But at the time, it was amazing, it felt like you were apart of this underground movement.

Really? You need foul language and nonsensical bloodshed to make you feel apart of something?

People who were fans of ECW were not fans of pro wrestling. They were fans of shock TV, of excessive sexuality, and using cuss words for no reason other than the people saying them weren't smart enough to think of something else. This also aptly describes most of the Attitude Era fans as well.

I am glad it is gone now, and I am sick and tired of the reunion bullshit that shitcunts like Shane Douglas keep doing.

Again, that's because it was terrible.

But, like I said, at the time, it felt special, amazing, and just that tiny bit cool. ECW is like an ex gf, you look at it with fondness and want it back, and then, realise you really should have left it is the past.

It wasn't amazing, it was ridiculous. It was the Married With Children/Jerry Springer mentality which made its rise on TV in the mid 90s. It wasn't pro wrestling, it was ridiculousness. That's why it hasn't stood the test of time.

Go back and watch Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard in the cage. Go watch Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at WM 3. Watch Hogan vs. Warrior at WM 7 or Warrior vs. Savage at WM 7. Watch Hart vs. Austin at WM 13. Even 20-25 years later, these matches are still phenomenal, because it's what pro wrestling should be about, not the garbage ECW was making its name on.

 

[dudedudedude]

Yes, that's because it was horrific wrestling.

Really? You need foul language and nonsensical bloodshed to make you feel apart of something?

People who were fans of ECW were not fans of pro wrestling. They were fans of shock TV, of excessive sexuality, and using cuss words for no reason other than the people saying them weren't smart enough to think of something else. This also aptly describes most of the Attitude Era fans as well.

Again, that's because it was terrible.


It wasn't amazing, it was ridiculous. It was the Married With Children/Jerry Springer mentality which made its rise on TV in the mid 90s. It wasn't pro wrestling, it was ridiculousness. That's why it hasn't stood the test of time.

Go back and watch Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard in the cage. Go watch Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at WM 3. Watch Hogan vs. Warrior at WM 7 or Warrior vs. Savage at WM 7. Watch Hart vs. Austin at WM 13. Even 20-25 years later, these matches are still phenomenal, because it's what pro wrestling should be about, not the garbage ECW was making its name on.

Lol, I am not disagreeing with you at all. I am just saying at the time, it was amazing how awesome it felt. When you look at it now, it's like 'oh...riiight...awful' It's why I am stunned at all these reunion shows, it's like, the fans have let go, and sorta, woken up to what it really was, why can't they?

 

[Richard Blonoff]

ECW was entertaining from the stand point of the bumps and the general Holy Shit moments but it was barely above garbage wrestling in terms of its product.

They had a decent number of guys who went on to have good careers in WCW and WWE, mostly guys who had cups of coffee before jumping to the big promotions, but most of the guys who worked there hid their lack of talent with overbooking. Even Paul Heyman himself said that most of the guys could barely wrestle. Thats why he usually had no issue when his talent was raided as they were easily replaceable. Paul E. was a great booker in that respect. With the exception of RVD and Taz, most of the famous alum were terrible wrestlers. Sandman and Tommy Dreamer were both fairly terrible without the hardcore environment that made them famous. Sabu was a spot monkey who had a piss poor attitude and walked out on the company more than once when he was booked to lose. Bubba Ray and Devon were a very good tag team but it wasn't until recently when Bubba lost weight and reinvented himself as Bully Ray did he become overly relevant as a singles wrestler.

Revisionist history and the rose colored glasses that most people look back on it with have distorted the view. When it changed from Eastern Championship Wrestling to Extreme Championship Wrestling it was shocking, it was edgy, it was new and that was appealing but when the shiny new paint wore off people saw it for what it was, a group of mostly little to no talent guys off the street who needed blood, weapons, and foul language to put on a decent show.

 

[Krossbreed]

is it just me or is tna completely being ignored by all wrestling blogs ever since wrestlemania / elimination chamber...and now some loof is bringing up ecw...any who...ecw was cool it was underground it felt illegal...whats there to hate other than bouncing checks.

 

[prush80]

When ECW came along, it was offering a different product then what was out there. ECW pushed the boundaries. People were tired of the same old thing, programming that WWF and WCW was putting out. They had Hogan and Hart being the ultimate good guy and people were sick of it. ECW came around with edgy content doing barbaric things. It was low budget and it was supposed to look low budget. Heyman took a nothing company and in about 5 years turned it into a success. You call it crappy wrestling but many wrestling fans watched and loved ECW. Big budget companies came in and took alot of the big names (Bam Bam, Taz, Dudleys, Sandman, Raven, Saturn--Not to mention Austin, Mysterio, Eddie, Beniot, Milenko etc...) Alot of these men were first seen in ECW and that is why we know them now. Some of these guys you may say, they are not that big of a deal, but in ECW they were a big deal. ECW was great at that time. It became the first national hardcore wrestling promotion and there would not have been an attitude era without it. Also, don't forget that Vince thought enough of ECW that he put them on his payroll

 

[H33LTurn]

I guess not everybody finds the same things interesting. ECW might have had some good wrestling, but it also had that trash TV, poorly booked, poorly funded, adult entertainment atmosphere which doesnt sit right with a lot of the people who watched WWF at the time or watch WWE now. And I know I sound like I'm contradicting myself when I say people who liked WWF during the attitude era didnt like Trash tv ECW but ECW was an a whole nother level. The sole basis of ECW was to be as extreme and as raunchy and it could be. WWF still focused on the storylines and the product quality as a whole. In the end its all a matter of preference, I dont think you should bt knocking people for not liking ECW but at the same time I dont think they should be trashing ECW so much if they werent avid watchers of the company in the first place.

 

[prush80]

Didn't stand the test of time? Are you serious? You don't hear WCW chants anywhere do you? No. You hear ECW, ECW, ECW! Were you there for any of the ECW events? You had to be there to feel the excitment in the crowd

 

[marklouis]

I lived in the Atlanta area at the time, & ECW wasn't broadcast where I lived. Of course, WCW was on a ton, so I became more of a fan of that company. I caught the WWF syndicated shows when I could, but I didn't become a regular viewer until the early-mid 90s.

As for ECW, I just don't think it's that good. Blood & extreme action is something that should be used sparingly. If it's overused, the impact of it is lessened. A cage match or street fight should be a special event that is used only when there are no other alternatives. ECW just did it too much for my taste. And I don't really get why Paul Heyman is seen as a wrestling genius. His company went out of business just like WCW. I know that he didn't have the resources Bischoff had, but he also never came close to the success WCW had either.

 

[badnewzxl]

Everyone who's saying ECW had terrible wrestling: have you ever heard of Chris Beniot, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, Rob Van Dam, Lance Storm, Super Crazy, Tajiri, Kid Kash, Rhino, and Steve Corino? All those guys were pretty good wrestlers if I remember correctly.

ECW was awesome bc it was an ALTERNATIVE to WCW and WWE; they had something they could do that no one else could do better. Ppl like Jim Cornette may not have liked it; it's an acquired taste. And the wrestling outside of the folks I mentioned about WAS pretty bad; but even THAT was entertaining. The storylines were Jerry Springer like, but that was okay; there was a HUGE subculture that created market for such things during the 90's.

The problem with ECW is that it's dated; it's success was built on it's era, that's why it couldn't continue....

 

[Slyfox696]

Lol, I am not disagreeing with you at all.

I know, wasn't trying to be antagonistic, just further clarify things.

When ECW came along, it was offering a different product then what was out there.

This IS true. While the WWF and WCW were offering entertaining pro wrestling, ECW was offering talentless hacks falling off of things and hitting each other with cookie sheets.

Good point. Because that's what we need in pro wrestling, more cookie sheets.

ECW pushed the boundaries.

Absolutely. Who else but ECW would allow a 17 year old kid to wrestle only on his word he was trained against a man who could be considered certifiably insane.

Another great point. Pro wrestling needs more underage kids getting bloodied by psychos.

People were tired of the same old thing, programming that WWF and WCW was putting out.

So much so both companies were profitable until the nWo angle took off.

Heyman took a nothing company and in about 5 years turned it into a success.

When you say "success", what you really mean is a company which was bleeding money, was paid for on bank loans and regularly bounced checks to its talent, right?

You call it crappy wrestling

I do and I'm right.

but many wrestling fans watched and loved ECW.

No, idiots did. Pretty certain I've already been through this.

Not to mention Austin, Mysterio, Eddie, Beniot, Milenko etc...)

Good, because you shouldn't mention them since most of them had already worked in WCW before they went to ECW.

Alot of these men were first seen in ECW

No they weren't. I saw Bam Bam in the WWF before ECW, tag teaming with Hogan at Survivor Series. Benoit worked in WCW. Mysterio worked the "When Worlds Collide" show. Almost nobody saw Guerrero since he only worked about 4 months.

Seriously, you have to get away from the WWE spin machine. They're polluting your mind.

and that is why we know them now.

Really? It isn't because they went on to have remarkable, Hall of Fame careers in WCW and WWF? It wasn't because they murdered their wife and child, or did so many steroids their heart burst? We remember them for their short stints in ECW more than any of that?

Idiot.

ECW was great at that time. It became the first national hardcore wrestling promotion and there would not have been an attitude era without it.

It amazes me people still believe this. The Attitude Era had nothing to do with ECW. The ONLY reason we had the Attitude Era is because the nWo was kicking the WWF's ass, and was doing it with strong responses from the 18-34 male demographic. Once the WWF saw how successful the WCW was at targeting this crowd, that's when they began targeting that demographic.

Anyone who thinks the WWF ran the Attitude Era because of ECW is a moron.

Also, don't forget that Vince thought enough of ECW that he put them on his payroll

Because Vince is just a nice guy, right? Because, as we all know, Vince LOVES any wrestling promotion that isn't his right? He certainly couldn't have had an ulterior motive, like buying rights to the video archive a few years later, correct?

This response is typical of an ECW fan. Idiotic.

 

[TheFighters]

Actually I thought people disliked WWE ECW? only because WWE kind of made it a joke. The worst thing to happen to ECW was the WWE burying it.....not surprising that they did.

ECW was just that great hardcore wrestling, it was extreme and then WWE just made it into a joke to use talent on the show who wasn't used on Smackdown and Raw.
Also I thought WWE ECW was just bad luck....

 

[Slyfox696]

Everyone who's saying ECW had terrible wrestling: have you ever heard of Chris Beniot, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, Rob Van Dam, Lance Storm, Super Crazy, Tajiri, Kid Kash, Rhino, and Steve Corino? All those guys were pretty good wrestlers if I remember correctly.

It's like you people are incapable of reading.

Of course all of the ECW apologists will starting whining, "what about Malenko and Mysterio and Guerrero and Jericho"? Yes, what about them? They were there for a cup of coffee, and got the hell out as soon as they found another promotion who could actually offer them a decent job.

ECW was awesome bc it was an ALTERNATIVE to WCW and WWE

And man on man gay porn is an ALTERNATIVE to lesbian porn, but I'm still not watching it.

Ppl like Jim Cornette may not have liked it; it's an acquired taste.

An "acquired taste"? Are you fucking kidding me? This isn't some bottle of wine or fancy food, this is piss bucket wrestling. It wasn't an "acquired taste", it was the equivalent of taking a large pile of dog shit and eating it.

Do you like eating dog shit? Me neither. And I don't watch gay porn.

The problem with ECW is that it's dated; it's success was built on it's era, that's why it couldn't continue....

What a bullshit argument. Savage vs. Steamboat was 10 years before ECW hit its peak...you don't see people saying it was dated. The same for Flair vs. Funk or Hart vs. Perfect.

It has nothing to do with being "dated", it has everything to do with being complete and utter dog shit. So feel free to keep eating your dog shit and watching alternative gay porn. The rest of us will enjoy good pro wrestling.

 

[badnewzxl]

hey shitfox, get the gay porn off your mind for a second:

saying something is dated implies that it didn't stand the test of time; obviously Savage v. Steamboat DOES stand the test of time, idiot. It's not dated; it's not a fad.

ECW and hardcore wrestling was a fad that boomed during the 90's; that's why ECW was so successful. I grew up during the 90's and I was apart of the fad; I admit that.

And yeah, Malenko, Guerrero, Beniot, and a few others were just there for a while; but RVD, Jerry Lynn, Super Crazy, Tajiri, Masato Tanaka, Lance Storm, etc were there for YEARS. Can THEY wrestle?

do you have anything intelligent to say? Or can you not open your mouth without something about gay dudes or doo doo coming out of it?

 

[Slyfox696]

hey shitfox

At least that's original. Terrible, but original. Actually, on second thought, it's not original either.

Congratulations, you're ECW. Unoriginal and terrible.

get the gay porn off your mind for a second:

It wasn't on my mind, you're the one who likes the alternatives.

saying something is dated implies that it didn't stand the test of time

Thank you Captain Obvious.

Now get to the part where something doesn't stand the test of time due to the fact it was ridiculously awful. Like ECW.

obviously Savage v. Steamboat DOES stand the test of time, idiot. It's not dated; it's not a fad.

And it doesn't suck. You keep forgetting the important part.

ECW and hardcore wrestling was a fad that boomed during the 90's; that's why ECW was so successful. I grew up during the 90's and I was apart of the fad; I admit that.

And as I said before:

The only people who think ECW was good are idiots. Sorry, you've outed yourself.

Seriously, do I need to quote Tommy Boy and teach you how to read?

And yeah, Malenko, Guerrero, Beniot, and a few others were just there for a while

No, you can't call it "a while". Call it "for a brief moment".

but RVD, Jerry Lynn, Super Crazy, Tajiri, Masato Tanaka, Lance Storm, etc were there for YEARS. Can THEY wrestle?

Uhh...no, they can't, at least not well. RVD is one of the worst professional wrestlers to ever become popular. Jerry Lynn never became popular because he's not very good. Super Crazy? Are you fucking kidding me, do I really have to dignify that with a response?

Congratulations, you just named a bunch of guys no one ever gave a damn about and RVD, who is a fuck up and an awful pro wrestler. What point were you trying to make again?

do you have anything intelligent to say?

I would LOVE to say something more intelligent, but I seriously doubt your mental capacity to understand it.

Or can you not open your mouth without something about gay dudes or doo doo coming out of it?

You're the one who wants the alternatives and is willing to accept shit wrestling as "an acquired taste". I suggest you fix your problems, and then we'll see about what I say.

 

[dudedudedude]

I watched gay porn once, it was nice.

Anyway. ECW certainly wasn't sucessful, no matter how anyone spins it. It bled money worse than dixie carter does on her period while paying Hogans contract.....

 

[AndThat'sTheBottomLine]

I don't hate ECW. I'm indifferent towards it. It's like Slyfoxx said I much rather watch lesbian porn than gay porn. ECW never clicked with me never got me interested.

But ECW isn't dated. People remember ECW even though it was shitty. But that's blind loyalty not because it's any good it's because they feel "special" about being the only ECW fans around. To each his own though you like what you like I for one didn't like ECW, never understood the love for it and never will. ECW is dead. Leave it that way. Damn gay porn lovers lmfao

 

[Rowdy Robby Piper]

Ouch, dude-to-the-third.

Anyways, my ECW story....

I was first exposed to ECW when they had their first pay-per-view "Barely Legal" back in 1997 (thanks to something called a cable descrambler) since I live on the West Coast and had ZERO exposure to their product/no knowledge of their existence. When I first started watching it, I looked at it like, "What the hell is this two-bit crap, and why are they on pay-per-view to begin with?" But by the end of the night I was impressed with what I had seen and was looking forward to their next pay-per-view (which at the time was quarterly, I believe?). Although it may have been seen as a novelty to some, garbage to others....to me, it was an alternative to what the then-WWF and WCW were spoon-feeding. But by the time ECW had gone made the move to national coverage (on TNN) I couldn't really give two shits about it and had pretty much stopped watching the TNN show (although I still continued to watch the pay-per-views via descrambler). Then 2001 happened and we all know the rest of the story (when the wrestling bubble popped)....




(WWECW doesn't count)

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

I'm from Pennsylvania, and spent many nights in South Philly at ECW shows. However, asking why people hate ECW is like asking someone why they hurt a certain food or type of music...it's just not for them.

ECW really broke ground in 'hardcore wrestling', especially televised hardcore wrestling. For a lot of people, seeing the level of violence of an ECW match simply wasn't the wrestling they knew and grew up with. As much as I like ECW, there is no denying that the hardcore nature of the product did help mask some of the underwhelming talent that they had on their roster. It's hard to say that someone like Sandman was really a marquee talent..he wasn't that great in ring, had a limited move set..but could dish out and take massive punishment, and knew how to play to that particular crowd.

A lot of people really do like to dump all over ECW, but I'd ask those that do to think about this. If it wasn't for ECW's willingness to push the envelope, the Attitude Era in WWE may never have happened. The Dudley's and Gangsters were lighting tables on fire before WWE was even having Tables Matches. Dreamer and Raven were destroying each other with chairs and scaffolds way before Edge, Christian and the Hardy's were in TLC Matches. ECW made it okay to make wrestling more violent.

Also, ECW helped bring talent to the forefront that may otherwise have all gone unnoticed by WCW and WWE. Benoit, Guerrero, Mysterio, Psychosis, Steve Austin, Rhino..the list goes on and on. ECW was, if nothing else, a great breeding ground for talent.