PG: Stop bitchin'

Today's society is laden with a myriad of technological means through which an individual may voice his or her opinion. However, it has been the advent of the internet which has played a paramount role in the development of this technology-centred communication revolution. The internet has changed not only the way that individuals communicate with each other but has also impacted significantly upon the professional wrestling business, to a previously unfathomed depth. Nowadays, any 12 year old wrestling fan can find out what 'insider terms' like 'heel' or 'shoot' mean by running a simple Wikipedia search. Certainly, I am no exception to this. I don't claim to be a 'wrestling expert', if there can be such a thing, but I too have been made aware of previously secret, insider aspects of the business at least somewhat as a result of the internet. The internet has allowed for fans to convey their displeasure with the current state of the wrestling business, and the WWE in particular, through means such as YouTube, Facebook and blogs such as this, and as of late the majority of displeasure seems to be centered upon what is being called the 'PG era'.

First and foremost, it is ridiculous to me that the term 'PG era' has caught on, and only further highlights how little the majority of the most vocal 'internet fans' really know. Wrestling has always been a child/family oriented business, and has always been 'PG', even if that particular television rating has not officially been applied. Anybody who thinks that a 'sport' in which men who parade around a ring in trunks, after first making a grand, spectacular entrance, isn't oriented towards kids may be intellectually challenged. Don't get me wrong, I love wrestling, but lets not beat around the bush, so to speak. I love wrestling because I grew up watching it, and I'm willing to assume that anyone who is reading this right now and who is over the age of 20 did also. Traditionally, wrestling has always been PG. Yet people point to PG as the reason as to why wrestling is not as successful today as it was 12 years ago.

People look at the success of the 'Attitude Era' and assume, for some insane reason, that it was due primarily to the TV-14 rating, which is ridiculous. Smackdown has always been a PG show, yet it was successful during the attitude era also. How can this be? Simply put, the attitude era was such a successful period in wrestling because it blurred the lines between reality and storyline, and provided entertaining characters that people could invest in. It had nothing to do with Sable showing her expensive breasts, or DX pointing to their genitalia, or Austin using middle fingers. The character of Stone Cold Steve Austin was one who was rebellious and who did things that the audience wished they could do in their actual lives. The concept of flipping your boss off and assaulting him while thousands of people cheer you on is one which is fairly relatable. The success of Stone Cold has less to do, in my opinion, with beer, middle fingers and swear words as it does with the essence of the character itself. Furthermore, the character of 'Mr. McMahon' is one which is easy to hate, and which blurred the lines between reality and storyline. It's safe to say that the majority of wrestling fans already viewed Vince as a cocky, vindictive bastard, so it was easy to invest in the character of 'Mr. McMahon'.

In addition, the success of the attitude era can also be attributed to the level of depth in the talent roster at the time. There existed a plethora of top name stars at the time, which allowed for an entertaining show each and every week. While the edgier segments did provide for some of this entertainment, the influence of some of the edgier stuff the WWE was doing at the time is overplayed, in my opinion. Rather than the antics of Mae Young and Mark Henry, or Val Venis's sexual exploits, it was the depth in the talent roster that allowed for a multitude of realistic fueds to ensue and ensured that the same familiar faces and matches weren't just being cycled on a weekly basis.

The attitude era was successful, but not (in my opinion) due to its ridiculously edgy content so much as the caliber of the performers themselves. Despite this, people often wonder why the WWE stopped using the same edgy, adult content in their storylines, and suggest that if they were to return to this style of programming, that ratings and the overall performance of the company would ultimately improve. This is the wrong attitude (pun intended) to have. When addressing the first part of that statement (why the WWE moved away from the Attitude Era), there is a simple explanation. Simply put, there is a limit to the extent to which the WWE, or any wrestling company, can "push the envelope". When you have a man have sex with a corpse on television, there's not much else you can do to try to shock the audience. Thus, the only place to go once one has reached the pinnacle is downwards. The WWE has deliberately toned down the nature of their programming in recent years, knowing it would spark controversy, knowing it would not be a popular decision, so that eventually when they did return to "pushing the envelope", it would deliver the degree of "shock value" that is intended. A prime example has been the CM Punk storyline. The very first time CM Punk said "ass" in his promo, it mean't something, whereas a few years ago that would be tame. If CM Punk had delivered the same promo at the height of the attitude era, I doubt it would have been as impactful. Another example is that of TNA, who try each and every week to shock the audience. TNA has excessive blood, sexual references and profanity, yet it doesn't deliver the shock value that I'm sure TNA executives would prefer. By deliberately toning down the nature of their product, the WWE has ensured that when the time comes, the WWE can begin its ascension again.

The second part of that statement refers to the general belief that if the WWE would return to the same types of storylines they did during the Attitude Era, that business would immediately pick up. While I have just pointed out the success that individuals such as CM Punk have had when pushing the envelope, the envelope (as of yet) has not been pushed anywhere as much as it was during the Attitude Era, nor should it be. Society is different in 2011 than it was in 1999, on a number of different levels. Shows like South Park were extremely popular, music was different, scandals ran rampant (*cough Monica Lewinsky *cough*), pop culture was different overall. Just because x worked before, doesn't necessarily mean it will work today. In 1996, when the WWE was in a slump, I'm sure Vince McMahon wasn't looking back at 1985 and thinking to himself that the WWE should be more like it was back then. To even assert such an idea, today, is laughable. Pro wrestling is constantly moving in new directions, and to think that implementing the same strategies that were used 12 years ago will deliver success for the WWE in 2011 is absurd.

Despite this, I'm sure younger fans and those who are easily persuaded by the incessant ramblings of mis-informed marks will still subscribe to the theory that the attitude era is the key to all the WWE's problems. The Attitude Era, while the most successful period in wrestling history, was successful in the late 90's, and that success can be attributed to much more than simply the explicit nature of the storylines. I'm not advocating that the WWE should be sparkly clean and polished with absolutely no attitude whatsoever; I think the success of CM Punk has proven that slightly more attitudinal programming can be effective. However, by no means should the WWE ever revert to the same style of programming that was produced in 1999.

Matt and Jeff: Hardly the Best

Matt Hardy's mugshot after his arrest two days ago.

Unless you have taken up residence under an inordinately sized rock for the last 10 or so years, provided you are a wrestling fan, you will be no stranger to the Hardy's. They are, or were, arguably one of the most successful and influential tag teams in the history of the business, responsible for 'raising the bar' for tag team competition (a bar which has since gone by the wayside, at least in the WWE). However, while their tag team accomplishments cannot be denied, it is their personal lives which often find their way into public scrutiny. The personal lives of the Hardy's is almost like watching the ultimate episode of Jerry Springer unfold before your very eyes. All that would be fine if only their personal lives remained just that; personal. More often than not though, their personal lives carry heavy consequences which spill over into their professional careers, tainting their legacies forever.

This is just one analysts opinion though; there are a number of others. One simply has to click onto any Hardy related video on youtube to see that for some reason the Hardy's still have their fans. In the eyes of the many fans of the Hardy's, they can seemingly do no wrong. Of course, Matt didn't mean to crash his car into a tree while driving under the influence, it's not Matt's fault that his physical condition as of late has led to many on the internet referring to him as 'Fatt' Hardy. In the same vein, its not Jeff's fault that he's addicted to virtually every substance known to man, I'm sure it's probably society's, or CM Punk's. Personally, this blind faith in the Hardy's, even when they blatantly engage in erratic behaviour, is almost as bad as that behavious itself. The Hardy's could do whatever they want, and still there would be people who would support them. I, if you haven't figured it out by now, am not one of them.

If you haven't heard by now, and didn't pick up that reference from earlier, Matt Hardy was recently charged with a DUI after crashing his car into a tree. He was subsequently fired from Impact Wrestling (which is REALLY saying something). It wasn't long after the news hit that Matt came under fire, and deservedly so. How could anyone defend Hardy in this situation? But of course, it didn't take long for Matt to distort the situation, and turn it into some perverted story that implied that Matt actually walked away from the accident better than he had gone into it. In response to a fan comment on his YouTube account page, Matt "...went from being afraid to die to feeling like I was almost being reborn with some sort of an ABSOLUTE PURE LIFE-FORCE". This isn't the first time Matt has twisted the situation. Following his release from the WWE, it wasn't long before Matt started hyping his return, hyping his debut in Impact Wrestling. Of course, when Matt arrived in Impact Wrestling, any slight improvement in the ratings were due to him and Jeff. Matt Hardy, like so many other wrestlers, is his own biggest fan. But unlike other wrestlers, Matt finds it necessary to devote as much attention to himself as is humanly possible, through whatever medium is available. Matt Hardy is not the greatest wrestler of all time, but don't tell Matt Hardy that.

Matt Hardy, however, is only the tip of the iceberg. The bigger problems lie in his brother Jeff, and they're well documented. What kind of a man has the nerve to show up to a pay per view event, in which he was the main event against one of the biggest icons in the history of the wrestling business, Sting, while intoxicated. This is the same man who is beloved by children across the world, the same children who buy his ridiculous arm bands, who paint their faces in that ridiculous fashion. Jeff Hardy is a role model to many, when he shouldn't be.

Wrestling's so called 'Role Model'.

Jeff Hardy is a role model, because he was featured prominently on WWE television, and why exactly was that? Drug problems aside, Jeff Hardy is not exactly the greatest "worker" of all time. Arguably his best matches were in his final year with the company, and could be attributed to the efforts of CM Punk, a man who Hardy has bashed in a series of (not surprisingly) drunken YouTube videos. Jeff Hardy didn't get noticed because of his hard effort and determination, but rather because he was willing to throw himself off of ladders at the company's request. He damn sure didn't make it to the main event from his own merits either, but rather because of the tremendous fan reactions he would receive. For some insane reason, people identify with Jeff Hardy, and the 'live for the moment' lifestyle he advocates. Jeff's been living in the moment for quite some time now, and look where that has gotten him. Following his shameful display at the aforementioned pay per view, Hardy was immediately removed from television. This hasn't stopped Impact Wrestling from promoting him though. The Jeff Hardy action figure is still (reportedly) the best selling action figure the company has put out. His t-shirts are still available for purchase on their website. Signed Jeff Hardy 8 x 10's are still being hocked by Don West on a weekly basis (how Jeff mustered the strength and coordination to sign an autograph, I'll never know). It speaks to the idiocy of Impact Wrestling as to why this man is even still under contract, let alone why he's being promoted (minimal as it is) at all.

This post, thus far, has been full of hate filled rhetoric, and I understand that. I know this would likely offend any Hardy fan who happens to stumble across it. For those Hardy fans out there though....what is the appeal? What is the appeal in two hicks who are doped up, fat, completely self absorbed and totally unaware of the pathetic nature of their own lives? Why support two men who are barely on television, not because of injury, but because of their own stupidity. Why support a person who screws you, as the consumer, over, by being too intoxicated to perform at a show in which he was the featured performer. I just dont understand it, and likely never will. It may seem as though I hate the Hardy's, but I dont. I hate the idea that the Hardy's can do no wrong, that the Hardy's mean well, and the idea that the Hardy's are two of the biggest wrestling stars today, because quite frankly, they're not. The Hardy's, through their tag team efforts, made considerable contributions to the wrestling business. Now, I just want them to go away.

The Tag Team Division Slump

  

  If you haven't realized, the tag team division isn't what it used to be. Instead of great tag teams like the Hart Foundation, the Rockers, and Paul London and Brian Kendrick (yes London and Kendrick were amazing); but as of recent, we've had tag teams like David Otunga and Michael Mcgillicutty and Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov. In my book, a tag team is a pair that hold a similar gimmick and dress similarly. Teams like the Headbangers (who though weren't the greatest) and the Hart Dynasty.

     The Tag Team Championships just aren't as highly acclaimed as they once were. When I was a little kid watching WWE, when I saw guys like the Legion of Doom with the belts, I thought to myself, "Wow! That belt is something to be proud of!". However, with the current tag team picture, the belts just seem to be nothing more than just a time filler. I really can't get into the tag team matches the WWE try to book. There is only one legit tag team at this given moment, which would be the Uso's. Yes, Triple H is going to be giving a HUGE facelift to the tag team division, which the WWE really does need. Triple H has brought in some new talent to try out. Generation Me from TNA-now known as the New Bucks- had a dark match just last week. Rumors of Beer Money from TNA jumping ship to WWE as well as the Kings of Wrestling from ROH have ran rampant.
      I mean, I haven't actually been excited for a tag team match sice DX held the belts and that was well over a year ago. And even then the tag team division was very stale because the Big Show and the Miz weren't the best tag team idea or the best tag team. I want to go back to a time where a tag team match will leave me wanting more and begging for more. Matches like the ladder match at Wrestlemania 2000 between The Dudley's, The Hardy's and Edge and Christian. Matches like those were priceless, they were golden. They not only showed off their own in ring abilites, but they also showed that the tag team division can be every bit as interesting as singles competition.

     To be honest, I blame terrible booking and talent acquisition. They could have packaged new tag teams. They could have scouted out more tag teams. But the thing is, they didn't. They focused way too much on singles competition and the prestige of the tag team division suffered. The good news is though, that soon we should have a new and improved tag team division. I just hope that Triple H does follow through with this much needed facelift of the division and brings the Tag Team belts back to a high and noble place.

The Three Stooges of Wrestling

With SummerSlam weekend almost upon us the majority of wrestling fans are more than likely anticipating the Undisputed WWE Championship match between CM Punk and John Cena, and rightfully so. The WWE has taken a new creative direction as of late and CM Punk is well and truly the poster-boy of that new direction, arguably responsible for some of the best television that the WWE has put out in years. With that being said, with the WWE and CM Punk making creative strides it would be easy to ignore the 'competition'. Yes, I'm talking about Impact Wrestling.

Where does one even begin to talk about Impact Wrestling...or TNA, I'm still not sure what they call themselves, and by the looks of it neither do they (the TNA logo is still proudly featured at the top of the 'impact wrestling' website homepage). It is mind boggling to me, as a wrestling fan, as to how Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Dixie Carter could have taken this once beloved and promising company and reduced it to the mess that is shown on Spike TV every Thursday night.

I by no means consider myself an 'expert'. Yes, I've watched professional wrestling for the majority of my life, but I have never (unfortunately) been given the chance to run a wrestling company. However, if it's one thing wrestling thrives off of it is new stars and new ideas. Several years ago, it could be said that TNA had an ample amount of both. With great wrestlers like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Matt Morgan (ok, maybe he's not great yet), Beer Money, MCMG and innovative match types and creative offerrings, TNA was a viable alternative to the WWE's product.

Fast forward to 2011 where the Hogan/Bischoff regime is in full swing. Guy's who were supposed to be the faces of tomorrow, are still just that. The main event picture consists of Kurt Angle, Sting, Rob Van Dam, Bully Ray, Mr Anderson, and, when they're not addicted to one thing or another, the Hardy's. While all of those names are undoubtedly big time names, they have been big time names for years. The AJ Styles', the Samoa Joe's of TNA are buried in the midcard. In the Bound for Glory series, Samoa Joe has yet to earn ANY points. In a business which thrives off of new stars, TNA is flooded with the stars of yesteryear. The face of the company is in dire need of a facelift, through the acquisition and promotion of compelling talent that people will want to care about.

It is almost as if Hogan and Bischoff are merely trolling the IWC. Unlike in WCW, where none of the younger talent were pushed, Impact Wrestling is pushing younger talent. It just so happens that theyre pushing guys that nobody cares about and who don't (in my humble opinion) deserve to be pushed. I am, of course, referring to Crimson. I think Goldberg said it best on twitter when he said "Who are you again???". Crimson is being pushed seemingly towards a World Title shot and AJ Styles is mid card, Samoa Joe has jobbed every week for the last few months, Amazing Red and the Bucks were just let go. Like I said, it is mind boggling.

You only have to follow Hulk Hogan on twitter to understand why the company is in the shape it is. He recently asked fans to tweet him what matches they would love to see. Apparently, all the fans who tweeted are really dying to see Hogan vs Sting, or Hogan vs Warrior, or Hogan vs Austin. What a surprise. That is precisely the problem. Nobody cares about Hulk Hogan, nobody cares about Ric Flair, and nobody cares about Sting, in 2011. The sooner that TNA management realises this, if they ever do, the better.

I could talk forever about TNA, as there certainly is a lot to talk about, but I think I'll leave it there...for now. It may be too little too late for TNA though. It is no doubt the proverbial laughing stock of the IWC, appealing only to horny 12 year olds who are dying for gore and boobs, or middle aged marks who (like Hogan and Flair) can't understand where the last 20 years went, and desperately want their WCW back. A miracle might be the only thing that is able to save this once promising company from the likes of Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Dixie Carter; the Three Stooges of Wrestling.