Is is an unpopular opinion to think the Attitude Era was slightly overrated and has the biggest...?

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Aztecwarrior480

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bandwagon hopping fanbase?

As someone who first started watching wrestling(WWE in particular) during the Monday Night Wars/Attitude Era, that's kinda how I feel about this era. Most of the people I know, at first never cared for wrestling until the Attitude Era came along. Then once the Attitude Era ended, the trend ended and got all the casuals off the bandwagon and started hopping back onto the Anti-wrestling bandwagon. I remember back in elementary about 12 years ago, some kids would used to make fun of me because I still watch "fake and gay wrestling sh*t"(I've been always aware the pro wrestling is pre-determined/scripted, I just enjoy the technical wrestling skill aspect of it and the mic skills). I didn't care, lol. I just moved on with my school year. These same people who hopped on the Attitude Era bandwagon, have now hopped on the UFC/MMA bandwagon, lol.

Don't get me wrong. The Attitude Era was still a great era that gave us Stone Cold, Kane, The Rock, DX and the very first ever Hell In A Cell match(Undertaker vs HBK) but what people refuse to believe was that the AE was mainly known for producing more flashy wrestling characters and edgy and over-the-top yet fun storylines, not for 5-star wrestling matches. You guys can go ahead and rip me a new asshole for saying this but I'd say the Ruthless Aggression era gave us better wrestling matches(at least on Smackdown shows and a few Raw brand matches at a Wrestlemania) than the Attitude Era did. In fact, the Ruthless Aggression gave us the Cruiserweight talents(even giving some of them main-event push) that were greatly overlooked due to their physical size and lack of mic skills.

All the Attitude Era really gave us was a lot of legendary, mainstream main-eventers(that were given the freedom to improvise their wrestling character/gimmicks at the time) and over-the-top story angles that would have never flied in today's era of WWE. There's a reason why RA Wrestlemania events like Wrestlemania XIX had higher ratings than AE Wrestlemania events like Wrestlemania XV and 2000 according to many wrestling critics and a couple die-hard fans. Some have debated XIX even gives X-Seven(a AE Wrestlemania event, that is often referred to as the best Wrestlemania of all-time) a run for it's money, despite that X-Seven had a higher crowd attendance than XIX(though not a big difference).
 
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Roadster

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Not really. I've said many times that despite the entertaining characters, and their intense feuds amongst each other, everything else was total rubbish. An average show had 2 turns, 10 run-ins and almost no major storylines outside of the prominent stars.

I think the reason think of it so fondly is because of the level of violence and sexuality, along with the mixture of nostalgic storylines and, undoubtedly, great main event/top-tier characters like Steve Austin, Rock, Undertaker and such.
 

¡Tranquilo!

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Not unpopular infact that's kinda the general consensus among fans nowadays. Undoubtedly the attitude era had some of the best characters and very entertaining storylines in the company's history, so good infact that those same characters are the ones who Vince still calls upon to sell out WrestleManias and Summerslams.
 

Snowman1

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Feel like many people my age loved the Attitude Era, took a break, and came back later... I actually did watch some Attitude Era live, but was 9 years old...
 

Jacob Fox

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I skipped the majority of the Attitude Era. I wasn't a fan of the chaos that many others liked about it. So I quit watching for a few years and only really came back during the first brand extension. But right before that, I got back into wrestling by watching the Attitude Era pay per views. I have since watched the Attitude Era in its entirety, including all of the RAWs.

While the Attitude Era did have things that I liked, there was just a very general chaotic element that I didn't. I didn't like things such as the 24/7 Hardcore title rule. I didn't like over reliance on specialty matches. It had a very fast paced element that I enjoyed, but mostly, it definitely wasn't my favorite era.

I think a lot of people look back on the positive things about the AE that just stood out for them... and they let all of the really bad things (and there were MANY) just slip away.

But the trend seems to be that people are thinking it was worse than how it is regarded. But they might be hopping on the "it sucks" bandwagon too...
 

Rosie

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When people aren't looking through nostalgia goggles, it isn't as "perfect" as they thought it was.

But during the Attitude era I was just a little kit, so I didn't watch.
 

Majour

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Looking back at the attitude era, it really wasn't as great as people remember.
So no, not a controversial opinion in the slightest
 

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I watched most of it live and it was truly amazing! Yes, Ok Nostalgia Goggles but even passed that The Attitude Era had "STAR POWER", "BLOOD FEUDS", "LARGER
THEN LIFE CHARACTERS", "ACTUAL STORYLINES"
(Some more crazy then others I admit!) :psycho:(BLAME VINCE)

:henry2:Ok, Mae Young giving birth to a hand on live TV may have been a little over the top but Undertaker Killing his parents in a fire then coming to find out he also had a half-brother named Kane who was caught in the blaze and believed to be dead all these years ( I actually saw his debut in person October 5th 1997 Bad Blood Saint Louis, Mo at the Kiel Center..... Watching my 2 favorite wrestlers battle in the 1st ever HIAC Match IT WAS AMAZING!!!!):kane:

That storyline alone led to the return of Casket matches, the inception of Inferno Matches, The Brothers Of Destruction, and so much more!

Do I even Have to bring these guys up....................?:finger::rock4::bury::applause:

Truth is The Attitude Era was the best time ever to be a wrestling fan! I don't think it's no better way to describe it other then It was some of the best and worse ideas ever all thrown into 1 huge pot......Maybe that's what the Rock was cooking?;)
 

Solidus1

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I loved the attitude era and continue to watch matches from it. 97-02 were the greatest years in history.
 

The Phenom

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Not really. I've said many times that despite the entertaining characters, and their intense feuds amongst each other, everything else was total rubbish.

"Total Rubbish huh" Don't know if I would go that far ........We have some straight Garbage going on nowadays as well then if that's the case.
 

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Today is great tho Don't get me wrong but it's no comparison guys (To quote The Great Stone Cold Steve Austin) "Not by a long shot"
 

Stopspot

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The attitude era was about 50% garbage. 25% mediocre content and 25% greatness. The main events were regularly amazing, but the undercard of mid to late 90s WWF was fucking dire.
 

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The attitude era was about 50% garbage. 25% mediocre content and 25% greatness. The main events were regularly amazing, but the undercard of mid to late 90s WWF was fucking dire.
60% Greatness 20% Garbage and 20% better then any ERA after...................
 

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Well one could think that. But one would be wrong.
I didn't know One's opinion was more of a fact then someone else's opinion.....................:idk: