I don't understand some WWE fans' frustration with the current product. But I really don't understand why the PG Era is the worst thing that has happened to wrestling since the Montreal Screwjob.
There are some things I'd like to point out that makes the PG Era very successful.
1. The wrestling product in WWE has improved significantly since the Attitude Era. The Attitude Era was NOT known for it's wrestling matches. Outside of that barbaric spectacle between the Undertaker and Mick Foley in Hell In A Cell, how many matches can anybody cite for it's merits AS a good wrestling match? The Attitude Era was full of over the top CHARACTERS talking and doing skits. They didn't wrestle much at all. Today, they do. Nobody is going to mistake the WWE as Ring of Honor or New Japan, but there are quite a few very talented workers in the WWE. The fans need to put their focus back on the wrestling matches, instead of waiting around, hoping for The Rock to come out, raise his eyebrow, and talk about monkey anuses.
2. The lack of blood, the somewhat of a decrease in the exploitation of the women and the sharp drop in profanity. Take a look at wrestling for women during the 90s. It completely destroyed what credibility they had in wrestling. They went from being respected workers and entertaining valets and managers, to little more than porn extras, fake boobs and big hair, cat fighting for our amusement. Blood in wrestling matches got so out of hand in the 90s that it lost all meaning and became nothing more than cartoon blood letting. The same for the ridiculous overuse of "weapons". Wrestling became nothing more than a live version of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Wrestlers don't bleed because they CAN, they bleed to add more drama to the story they're trying to tell. The fans lost sight of that, and came to a live event expecting it to be bloodbaths in every match. The wrestlers were killing themselves (sometimes literally) only to be booed if they didn't bleed enough. The lack of all this keeps the money flowing in and ensures the well being of promotion and has made parents more comfortable to bring their children to WWE live events and watch WWE programming. Sometimes the tastes of a few have to be sacrificed to protect the bottomline.
3. There are alternatives if you feel the need to bash. You want blood? Go watch Combat Zone Wrestling. You hate story lines? Go watch Ring of Honor. You want the Attitude Era all over again: "Cross the line" and go watch Impact Wrestling. This one always falls on deaf ears. The "WWE fans" have such a strong (misguided) loyalty to Vince and the WWE that they refuse to even consider watching anything but the WWE, no matter how often they complain about it. There is such a wide variety of wrestling promotions and wrestling shows out there, that those "WWE fans" are really short-changing themselves by whining about the WWE but continue to watch. You want Vince to change various things about the WWE? Hit him where it hurts: his wallet. Just stop watching the WWE, and better yet watch other promotions. As long as more fans watch the WWE, no matter what Vince puts on, he'll keep doing what he's doing. You have nothing to blame but yourselves. Either watch WWE and accept what Vince does put on TV, or watch other promotions.
4. WWE public relations have improved significantly since toning down of their act. Politicians aren't hounding them as before during the Attitude Era, when several representatives have attempted to have WWE taken off the air. The WWE has done a remarkable turnaround. The WWE seen (again) by the mainstream as family entertainment. Big-money advertisers are lining up, the Government isn't hounding anymore, the media has stopped digging around the WWE trash cans looking for scandals, WWE performers (especially John Cena) are in demand in other forms of entertainment and make frequent appearances on other TV shows.
5. Did I mention that the wrestling has improved significantly? There are programs that come on now that actually have WRESTLING on them and don't have 60% promos 40% of wrestling. Granted sometimes WWE overkills with some of the wrestlers promos, but otherwise they usually keep the show balanced. True Raw sometimes does too much promos and less wrestling, but it has reduced over the years and now we see a lot of wrestling out of Smackdown. The Attitude was memorable but I think it's time the fans move on and just enjoy the current quality, or like I said watch a different promotion.
WWE's "PG Era" has benefited far more than it hurts in my view. What are your opinions on it?
There are some things I'd like to point out that makes the PG Era very successful.
1. The wrestling product in WWE has improved significantly since the Attitude Era. The Attitude Era was NOT known for it's wrestling matches. Outside of that barbaric spectacle between the Undertaker and Mick Foley in Hell In A Cell, how many matches can anybody cite for it's merits AS a good wrestling match? The Attitude Era was full of over the top CHARACTERS talking and doing skits. They didn't wrestle much at all. Today, they do. Nobody is going to mistake the WWE as Ring of Honor or New Japan, but there are quite a few very talented workers in the WWE. The fans need to put their focus back on the wrestling matches, instead of waiting around, hoping for The Rock to come out, raise his eyebrow, and talk about monkey anuses.
2. The lack of blood, the somewhat of a decrease in the exploitation of the women and the sharp drop in profanity. Take a look at wrestling for women during the 90s. It completely destroyed what credibility they had in wrestling. They went from being respected workers and entertaining valets and managers, to little more than porn extras, fake boobs and big hair, cat fighting for our amusement. Blood in wrestling matches got so out of hand in the 90s that it lost all meaning and became nothing more than cartoon blood letting. The same for the ridiculous overuse of "weapons". Wrestling became nothing more than a live version of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Wrestlers don't bleed because they CAN, they bleed to add more drama to the story they're trying to tell. The fans lost sight of that, and came to a live event expecting it to be bloodbaths in every match. The wrestlers were killing themselves (sometimes literally) only to be booed if they didn't bleed enough. The lack of all this keeps the money flowing in and ensures the well being of promotion and has made parents more comfortable to bring their children to WWE live events and watch WWE programming. Sometimes the tastes of a few have to be sacrificed to protect the bottomline.
3. There are alternatives if you feel the need to bash. You want blood? Go watch Combat Zone Wrestling. You hate story lines? Go watch Ring of Honor. You want the Attitude Era all over again: "Cross the line" and go watch Impact Wrestling. This one always falls on deaf ears. The "WWE fans" have such a strong (misguided) loyalty to Vince and the WWE that they refuse to even consider watching anything but the WWE, no matter how often they complain about it. There is such a wide variety of wrestling promotions and wrestling shows out there, that those "WWE fans" are really short-changing themselves by whining about the WWE but continue to watch. You want Vince to change various things about the WWE? Hit him where it hurts: his wallet. Just stop watching the WWE, and better yet watch other promotions. As long as more fans watch the WWE, no matter what Vince puts on, he'll keep doing what he's doing. You have nothing to blame but yourselves. Either watch WWE and accept what Vince does put on TV, or watch other promotions.
4. WWE public relations have improved significantly since toning down of their act. Politicians aren't hounding them as before during the Attitude Era, when several representatives have attempted to have WWE taken off the air. The WWE has done a remarkable turnaround. The WWE seen (again) by the mainstream as family entertainment. Big-money advertisers are lining up, the Government isn't hounding anymore, the media has stopped digging around the WWE trash cans looking for scandals, WWE performers (especially John Cena) are in demand in other forms of entertainment and make frequent appearances on other TV shows.
5. Did I mention that the wrestling has improved significantly? There are programs that come on now that actually have WRESTLING on them and don't have 60% promos 40% of wrestling. Granted sometimes WWE overkills with some of the wrestlers promos, but otherwise they usually keep the show balanced. True Raw sometimes does too much promos and less wrestling, but it has reduced over the years and now we see a lot of wrestling out of Smackdown. The Attitude was memorable but I think it's time the fans move on and just enjoy the current quality, or like I said watch a different promotion.
WWE's "PG Era" has benefited far more than it hurts in my view. What are your opinions on it?
