As the title says. Back in the day I was there at the start of the attitude ear (1996-1998) but I missed most of it or only saw the WCW Nitro part of it p to early 1999.
Over the years I have heard about it or seen some of it on youtube and I am watching some of the classic matches on the WWE network.
So if it was good why can't WWE replicate it now? Long answer short they can't. What worked in the 90's would not work now. At a most basic level the 90's started with grunge music, mid 90's industrial metal and Marilyn Manson turned up. There is a reason why a lot of entrance music from back then is rock music and some wrestlers had a passing resemblance to Kurt Cobain.
Another large part was WCW and wrestlers such as HHH, Austin, HBK (early), The Rock, Kane, Undertaker, and Mick Foley who were in the right place and at the right time. Hell even the WCW and NWO played a large part. another large part was the sex and violence. One wouild think you could at least replicate that but you can't.
Consider in the 90's I was at high school. If you came out as gay for example you go the bash. Now gays can get married in many parts of the world and that is only over 20-25 years. Times have changed. Bikini matches are not going to fly in 2016.
The main point of this post however will look at the violence. Mick Foley is kid of the case in point here. They pushed things to far in the attitude era but it came at a cost. Yes it made great wrestling but it did lead to a can you top this type of environment. This came at a price of course.
1999 Owen Hart died while trying to perform basically a stunt. Droz was also paralyzed this year. Ok two wrestlers getitng hurt is unfortunate but shit happens right? The move that paralyzed Droz is the same move that injured Finn Balor.
1997 Stone Cold suffers a neck injury due to a botched piledriver from Owen Hart. This resulted in an early retirement in 2003, Austin has not wrestled a match since.
1998. HBK is injured and does not wrestle for 4 years.
2000. Bret Hart retires due to a botched move by Goldberg.
The wellness policy also exists now due to things like drugs and booze which were de jure back them. McMahon almost went to jail in 1993 for it, google WWE steroids scandal. This is why juiced up superstars that worked in the 80's and early 90's did not work in the AE era so Lex Lugar, Hogan, and Ultimate Warriror and similar wrestlers were eclipsed by smaller wrestlers such as HBK, Bret and Austin. A sign in the crowd at the 1999 Royal Rumble made me laugh referencing McMahon being juiced up AKA on steroids.
High profile entertainers outside of wrestling often have problems with recreational drugs and booze as well. A lot of wrestlers have died outside the ring and it is one of the most dangerous professions in the world for long term health. There is a long list of wrestlers who have died in their 30's-50's mostly caused by various substances. This also includes big names such as Eddie. Blaming roid rage for Chris Benoit might be a bit simplistic but it is another thing to consider.
Fame, the pressure to perform, the roadie lifestyle and addiction to things like painkillers via injury are common in the wrestling world.Compare wrestling with boxing and MMA. There is a reaosn by boxers only do a few fights per year.
If you have Netflix go and watch The Resurrection of Jake the Snake and see what happened with him and Scott Hall AKA Razor Ramon. WCW gave up trying to keep Scott Hall sober and worked it into the storylines. If you feel the need you can also go and watch 1999's Heroes of Wrestling Event which is regarded as one of the worst PPV of all time. Short version Jake the Snake is so drunk he can barely walk let alone wrestle. TNA has another one, Sting vs Jeff Hardy.
Jake cutting a promo drunk.
2 minute Wrestling Match, last minute changes due to Jeff being a mess.
OK I can understand the desire to get rich and famous and the shock value of the AE stars. You can actually top that and 1998s Hell in A Cell and other smaller promotions do this. Personally I do not find it entertaining though and I have a strong stomach.
Lightbulb wrestling in Japan.
More lightbulb wrestling in the USA. Look at this guys back.
I don't really want to see that crap.
Over the years I have heard about it or seen some of it on youtube and I am watching some of the classic matches on the WWE network.
So if it was good why can't WWE replicate it now? Long answer short they can't. What worked in the 90's would not work now. At a most basic level the 90's started with grunge music, mid 90's industrial metal and Marilyn Manson turned up. There is a reason why a lot of entrance music from back then is rock music and some wrestlers had a passing resemblance to Kurt Cobain.
Another large part was WCW and wrestlers such as HHH, Austin, HBK (early), The Rock, Kane, Undertaker, and Mick Foley who were in the right place and at the right time. Hell even the WCW and NWO played a large part. another large part was the sex and violence. One wouild think you could at least replicate that but you can't.
Consider in the 90's I was at high school. If you came out as gay for example you go the bash. Now gays can get married in many parts of the world and that is only over 20-25 years. Times have changed. Bikini matches are not going to fly in 2016.
The main point of this post however will look at the violence. Mick Foley is kid of the case in point here. They pushed things to far in the attitude era but it came at a cost. Yes it made great wrestling but it did lead to a can you top this type of environment. This came at a price of course.
1999 Owen Hart died while trying to perform basically a stunt. Droz was also paralyzed this year. Ok two wrestlers getitng hurt is unfortunate but shit happens right? The move that paralyzed Droz is the same move that injured Finn Balor.
1997 Stone Cold suffers a neck injury due to a botched piledriver from Owen Hart. This resulted in an early retirement in 2003, Austin has not wrestled a match since.
1998. HBK is injured and does not wrestle for 4 years.
2000. Bret Hart retires due to a botched move by Goldberg.
The wellness policy also exists now due to things like drugs and booze which were de jure back them. McMahon almost went to jail in 1993 for it, google WWE steroids scandal. This is why juiced up superstars that worked in the 80's and early 90's did not work in the AE era so Lex Lugar, Hogan, and Ultimate Warriror and similar wrestlers were eclipsed by smaller wrestlers such as HBK, Bret and Austin. A sign in the crowd at the 1999 Royal Rumble made me laugh referencing McMahon being juiced up AKA on steroids.
High profile entertainers outside of wrestling often have problems with recreational drugs and booze as well. A lot of wrestlers have died outside the ring and it is one of the most dangerous professions in the world for long term health. There is a long list of wrestlers who have died in their 30's-50's mostly caused by various substances. This also includes big names such as Eddie. Blaming roid rage for Chris Benoit might be a bit simplistic but it is another thing to consider.
Fame, the pressure to perform, the roadie lifestyle and addiction to things like painkillers via injury are common in the wrestling world.Compare wrestling with boxing and MMA. There is a reaosn by boxers only do a few fights per year.
If you have Netflix go and watch The Resurrection of Jake the Snake and see what happened with him and Scott Hall AKA Razor Ramon. WCW gave up trying to keep Scott Hall sober and worked it into the storylines. If you feel the need you can also go and watch 1999's Heroes of Wrestling Event which is regarded as one of the worst PPV of all time. Short version Jake the Snake is so drunk he can barely walk let alone wrestle. TNA has another one, Sting vs Jeff Hardy.
Jake cutting a promo drunk.
2 minute Wrestling Match, last minute changes due to Jeff being a mess.
OK I can understand the desire to get rich and famous and the shock value of the AE stars. You can actually top that and 1998s Hell in A Cell and other smaller promotions do this. Personally I do not find it entertaining though and I have a strong stomach.
Lightbulb wrestling in Japan.
More lightbulb wrestling in the USA. Look at this guys back.
I don't really want to see that crap.
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