Author Archive
WWE NXT 1.0: New Show, Old Ratings, Three Questions
On March - 12 - 2010
With the last two weeks dropping in ratings on NXT, I wanted to take a bit of time to examine three areas of WWE NXT that have not been readily discussed and leave them for debate in the Bleacher Report community. 1. Why did it require a new show?
Putting over new talent of course is key for the business, but why not have mentors on Raw and Smackdown? Think about it, the faces would mentor because they're good guys and that's what good guys do and the heels would be punished by having to mentor a rookie.
It would make ...
Monday Night Wars II: 1995 Never Changes
On March - 10 - 2010
In 15 years, a lot of things can and should change.
Fifteen years ago, I wore my favorite Doors shirt underneath my trusty black and white flannel shirt to Chicago Ridge Mall in the vague hope of talking to girls by looking vaguely broody.
Of course I no longer do this. I would look ridiculous in my late 20s creeping around a mall in outdated clothes. If I can learn this lesson, why can't TNA?
See, back in 1995, this whole Monday Night Wars thing started in a mall as well. Let me situate the wrestling scene in 1995.
It was an era where ...
WWE As TV PG and the Tweedle Dee (Raw) and Tweedle Dum (ECW /SD) Brands
On February - 15 - 2010
With the final episode of ECW looming this Tuesday it made me stop and think, how did we get to this point?
Of course we can debate the relative flaws and merits of this soon to be deceased "brand," but it may be better to use ECW as the case study for how in 10 years, wrestling has done from swilling beer, crimson masks, and chants of "holy shit" at high spots to the mollified TV PG product that we consume weekly with as much joy as a heroin addict gets from a methadone shot.
We'd really rather have heroin, but the ...