Post by sportznutt on Aug 21, 2006 17:54:16 GMT -5
Summerslam is arguably the WWE's 2nd biggest PPV of the year. This is where they seem to bring their best from all 3 brands into one PPV. It is usually their hope that fans who may not be the week by week watchers will tune in for a well known event with well known wrestlers. Is this, though, the smart thing to do? Last night we saw:
Vince McMahon: 61 years old
Ric Flair: 57 years old
Hulk Hogan: 53 years old
Sabu: 42 years old
Mick Foley: 41 years old
Shawn Michaels: 41 years old
Triple H: 37 years old
Shane McMahon: 36 years old
We were also scheduled to see The Undertaker, who is 44 years old himself, but his match was pulled from the card.
Within that group of eight, four of the seven matches on the card had at least one wrestler over the age of 35. I also could have included King Booker and Batista, who are 41 and 37 respectively. Finally, Chavo Guerrero and Rey Mysterio were also wrestling, and they are 35 and 32 each themselves. I didn't include any of the four previous names because they are seemingly a somewhat refreshing spin on the ordinary that we see in the WWE.
But maybe that's my point as well. It seems that it takes a very long time with some decent writing to get some new talent over in the WWE. It took years in the WWE for Mysterio and King Booker to get themselves over enough to be worthy of a main event spot, and even then, they were an afterthought on this card. Too often, the WWE goes back to their old tricks, digs up names from the past, and uses that past for a cheap nostalgic thrill in the present. De-Generation X, though begged for by the audiences it would seem, looks to be a bit out of place with two old men acting the way they are. Not only are HBK and HHH running around immaturely (which is totally and inexplicably out of character ifone has been watching the WWE for the past 5 years), but they're burying young, athletic new talent in the process.....ie The Spirit Squad. Furthermore, it's the senior citizened owner and his son who are fighting in matches and taking TV time, while the younger talent waits in the back. Speaking of senior citizens, Hulk Hogan has wrestled in 2 matches in the past 365 days, and has won them both, main eventing one PPV and beating a Legend Killing man half his age and simultaneously going against his entire gimmick. Nice work Hulk. See you sometime in 2007.
My point is this. Why are budding stars like Lashley, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Johnny Nitro (your I-C Champ), The Spirit Squad (your RAW Tag Champs), Mr. Kennedy, RVD, Finlay (though older, still relatovely new to the WWE, entertaining nonetheless and your US Champ), and Kane (who has never been given a legitimate chance) sitting on the sidelines, while the older, already established, and diminshed in wrestling quality men in the spotlight? Shouldn't the WWE try and build their future? One would think it couldn't be that hard with a little focus and an upgrade in the writing.
Vince McMahon: 61 years old
Ric Flair: 57 years old
Hulk Hogan: 53 years old
Sabu: 42 years old
Mick Foley: 41 years old
Shawn Michaels: 41 years old
Triple H: 37 years old
Shane McMahon: 36 years old
We were also scheduled to see The Undertaker, who is 44 years old himself, but his match was pulled from the card.
Within that group of eight, four of the seven matches on the card had at least one wrestler over the age of 35. I also could have included King Booker and Batista, who are 41 and 37 respectively. Finally, Chavo Guerrero and Rey Mysterio were also wrestling, and they are 35 and 32 each themselves. I didn't include any of the four previous names because they are seemingly a somewhat refreshing spin on the ordinary that we see in the WWE.
But maybe that's my point as well. It seems that it takes a very long time with some decent writing to get some new talent over in the WWE. It took years in the WWE for Mysterio and King Booker to get themselves over enough to be worthy of a main event spot, and even then, they were an afterthought on this card. Too often, the WWE goes back to their old tricks, digs up names from the past, and uses that past for a cheap nostalgic thrill in the present. De-Generation X, though begged for by the audiences it would seem, looks to be a bit out of place with two old men acting the way they are. Not only are HBK and HHH running around immaturely (which is totally and inexplicably out of character ifone has been watching the WWE for the past 5 years), but they're burying young, athletic new talent in the process.....ie The Spirit Squad. Furthermore, it's the senior citizened owner and his son who are fighting in matches and taking TV time, while the younger talent waits in the back. Speaking of senior citizens, Hulk Hogan has wrestled in 2 matches in the past 365 days, and has won them both, main eventing one PPV and beating a Legend Killing man half his age and simultaneously going against his entire gimmick. Nice work Hulk. See you sometime in 2007.
My point is this. Why are budding stars like Lashley, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Johnny Nitro (your I-C Champ), The Spirit Squad (your RAW Tag Champs), Mr. Kennedy, RVD, Finlay (though older, still relatovely new to the WWE, entertaining nonetheless and your US Champ), and Kane (who has never been given a legitimate chance) sitting on the sidelines, while the older, already established, and diminshed in wrestling quality men in the spotlight? Shouldn't the WWE try and build their future? One would think it couldn't be that hard with a little focus and an upgrade in the writing.
