MeeThinks 11.08.05: Christian! Christian!
Posted by John Meehan on 11.08.2005
At LAST he’s on his own…
“An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest.”
– Michael Cassio, Othello
Act II, scene iii
Hi, I’m the new guy, and this is “MeeThinks” – your weekly breakdown of wrestling's biggest news and happenings, without the jaded IWC-fanboy swagger
The way I see it goes like this –
There’s more than enough negativity on the ‘net (since I’m new, I’ll refrain from naming names), and there’s a nasty trend amongst some of the “IWC Elite” towards falling into “being down on the product means that I’m cool and edgy,” or “knee-jerk reactionary” territory so as to not allow angles, characters, performers, news bites, and storylines either the benefit of the doubt or the proper time to develop before writing them off completely.
But as a fan, reading column after column on how badly “the current product sucks” a) gets old fast and b) kind of… well… sucks. There’s got to be a better way to analyze and appreciate the professional wrestling business without just pointing out the obvious or nitpicking the negative.
And thus this column was born.
We’ll get to the topic at hand in just a sec, but first (since this IS my “big debut,” and all), perhaps a brief introduction would be in order (or, if you’re the “screw off-topic stuff, stick to wrestling” type of guy – then just scroll down until you see the column title to get right into the meat and potatoes of the thing).
So…
“What’s Your Name and Where You From?”
Good question, Eugene.
For those of you who don’t know me from the 411 Forums (they callz me “RockyIV,” and you should seriously consider registering, by the way), my name is John Meehan and I’m a longtime fan of and visitor to the hallowed pages of 411. Actually, those die-hard longtime 411 readers might even remember my name way back from the days of (gasp) 411wrestling, when I used to write an old-school NES review column and a “he said/he said” videogame point-counterpoint piece with a guy by the name of Ryan Goldberg (if you’re reading, Goldberg, hope all’s well, and sorry that our columns were some of the casualties of the site’s move to the “Mania”).
Anyhow –
I’m fresh out of college and employed as a professional writer (no seriously, I actually get paid to write professionally). In my free time (or when the boss isn’t looking), I’m a die-hard wrestling aficionado, and have been for the last two decades. (Cheap plug – I even wrote my 50-page college thesis on pro wrestling last May, and I wound up earning “University Scholar” status because of it).
Needless to say, when 411 issued an open call for aspiring writers, I was more than happy to throw my name in the hat for consideration. Then, after something absurd like seven unsuccessful attempts, here I am rocking a columnist spot alongside some of the very best in internet wrestling journalists today.
See, kids? Dreams really DO come true!
Shaking Hands and Kissing Babies, Then On With the Show…
One more thing –
Before I get into this week’s column I’d just like to extend a HUGE thank you to Main Page Larry (…Larry!), Ashish, and the rest of the 411 staff who decided to take the chance by giving me a shot at 411. Here’s hoping I don’t disappoint…
Also a big shout out to the rest of the new guys who’ve joined the 411 team right along with me. Tollah, especially, makes this columnist’s even-tempered heart smile with joy. He is so money, baby.
Now then, Gentlemen and Ladies (both of you) – sit back and relax as the new guy proudly presents you the first installment of “MeeThinks” (It’s a pun, get it!?)
MeeThinks: Christian! Christian! At LAST he’s on his own!
Our Story So Far…
This past week, WWE superstar Jay “Christian” Reso shocked his employer and the wrestling world at large when he allowed his contract with World Wrestling Entertainment to expire and simply refused to sign a new contract – effectively “quitting” the company in the process. Casual fans were left in the dark as to these off-screen goings on, though, as Reso – a company man to the end – appeared at RAW on October 31 and at the Taboo Tuesday pay-per-view despite the fact that he was working without a contract and had made it clear that he had no intention of signing a new one.
Meanwhile – ‘net fans were hesitant to accept the story’s veracity, as they were wary that reports of Christian’s impending departure might very well have been yet another attempt on behalf of WWE to “work” their ‘net audience (not a bad conspiracy theory, actually – especially when you consider the fact that Christian’s “release” was only mentioned on WWE.com, and that the Taboo Tuesday pay-per-view hype was specifically designed to cater to the company’s ‘net fanbase). But after several days of rumors, murmurings and scuttlebutt ultimately subsided, the dust settled and the “truth” (or, at least the “truth” as it stands for now…) became clear:
Christian was gone from WWE.
So why’d he split?
Long story short –the guy had been reduced to “jobber to the stars” status despite remaining massively over with mark and smart fans alike. All reports indicate that Vinny Mac hoped to re-sign the guy for another couple of years at the same type of money he was making with his old contract, but Reso just simply got fed up with the fact that he’d be accepting less money that he believed he was worth (and, incidentally, he might be right) just so that he could continue to spin his wheels as a glorified jobber in the lower-midcard of the WWE.
For Reso, he knew that re-signing a contract extension at the offered salary with WWE would mean:
No clear-cut “direction” for his character.
No prospective World Title programs in the near future.
No intent on the part of the company to actually push the guy.
Continued expectations in behalf of WWE that he’d kindly keep quiet and continue to go the “pin me, pay me” route.
So what happened? Reso said “thanks, but no thanks,” turned down the WWE contract, packed his bags, and “quit” the company.
Thus, the battle lines were drawn and two clearly divided camps emerged:
On one hand, you have the pro-WWE crowd, which includes both McManagement folks and the “WWE Only” fans, as well as a handful of so-called “smart” fans. A fair number of these folks are “newer” fans, too, who got into wrestling just as WCW was on its last legs or just soon thereafter. Anyhow, this crowd is miffed and disappointed to see the guy leave, and a bulk of them would likely argue that Reso should have simply sucked it up and taken his losses with his mouth shut knowing that he had the job security and a healthy WWE paycheck to keep him financially secure and gainfully employed for years to come.
On the other hand, you have the (understandably) reactionary, pro-Reso crowd. This group includes a fair number of “non-WWE wrestling” fans, as well as a sizeable dose of those WWE fans who’ve found themselves jaded by much of the product (read: the ‘net fans), as of late. And yes, there’s a vocal majority of TNA fanboys in this camp, eagerly chomping at the bit to see the man formerly known as “Captain Charisma” signed to their promotion-of-choice. This camp looks at the issue from a “good riddance, stick it to the man!” sort of viewpoint, and they tend to applaud Reso for putting his pride before a paycheck. Many of these fans are dying to see the guy get work elsewhere.
MeeThinks?
First and foremost, make no mistake about it – this is most certainly not a money issue.
All accounts indicate that Reso has saved his pennies and that he could retire comfortably in a minute, were he to desire to go that route. No, what we’re looking at here is a classic case of a performer recognizing that he simply was worth more than what his employer was willing to pay him, and (though money certainly comes into play in the issue), it’s more of a clear instance of a performer believing that he was underappreciated by his current employer. Long story short – Reso saw the proverbial “handwriting on the wall” when it came down to the (lack of) long-term prospects in re-signing with what he believed was an unappreciative employer.
At it’s core, then, it’s pretty easy to see that what we’re looking at here is a matter of respect. Reso didn’t feel that the company’s offer indicated that they valued his character to a level that met his liking. And, in turn, he simply felt that the company didn’t respect his role in the company enough to compensate him accordingly. Rather than get indignant about things, though, he remained a company man to the last (even going as far as to appear at RAW and Taboo Tuesday without a contract) before quietly shuffling off into the sunset.
So what does this all mean for the industry at large?
Well, the “pro-WWE” camp have every right to mourn the guy’s departure, but the pro-Reso crowd is probably hitting the nail right on the head with this one. Though the IWC-fanboys would be well served to get over themselves (but, admittedly, wouldn’t we all?), they definitely have a great point that this situation is just overflowing with the potential to serious shockwaves through the wrestling industry at large… and not just because this is just another classic example of “little guy stands up to evil corporation,” either.
Here’s why –
With a jump to TNA, Jay Reso might just kick-start a shakeup of the entire landscape of the North American professional wrestling business.
Now, before I get the hate mail about how “Ah shit, this new guy is just another pro-TNA zombie,” please… shut up, get over yourself, and allow me to explain.
Make no mistake about it – TNA might be an alternative to WWE, but financial limitations (and lack of national exposure up until recently) mean that the company has a long way to go before it can legitimately be considered actual “competition” to the WWE (in the truest sense of the word). That said, it follows that a full-fledged WWE vs. TNA “war” is still quite a ways off.
(Imagine ECW challenging WWF back in 1997. Yeah, it’s kinda like that.)
But –
The fact remains that TNA is gradually proving to be a viable alternative to the WWE product. Though they’re nowhere near financially stable enough to pull off a full-blown “war” just yet, just look at what powerful influence a little-known (and poorly funded) ECW was able to exert on the then-struggling, then-WWF at the genesis of the “Attitude Era.”
Still –
If TNA can continue to provide a fresh and exciting “alternative” to the WWE product, then they have the power to light a fire under WWE’s ass, and thus step up the overall quality of the business as a whole. But since TNA can’t compete with WWE’s deep pockets, they’re fighting an uphill battle to convince the fans that they are, in fact an alternative and not just some bush-league “halfway house” for the WWE castaways (‘E-jects?) and old timers that are way past their prime.
So –
In order to prove that they are, in fact, an “alternative” and not just a second-rate promotion, TNA needs to do its very best to build its own stars while at the same time being on the lookout to hire away a few WWE employees who have NOT been axed by Vinny Mac and company. Looking at the birth of the “Monday Night Wars,” you’ll note that the biggest immediate impacts were made not by those employees who had been tossed aside by their former employer (their time to shine came later), but rather by those who’d chosen to sign with one promotion despite the fact that they had every opportunity to stay with their competitor.
It worked for Scott Hall.
It worked for Kevin Nash.
It worked for Lex Luger.
And it worked for Sean Waltman… twice.
Whenever a performer opts out of a longstanding contract in favor of jumping to a rival promotion on his own accord, it instantly establishes the rival company’s credibility – and credibility is most certainly something that TNA could afford. Signing those rival company’s employees that have left on their own accord also would help TNA to solidify the fact that they are, in fact, "an alternative" rather than a "last resort" or "halfway house" for guys who’d been let go by WWE simply because they couldn't hack it in the quote-unquote “big leagues.”
[Now, true – plenty of fire-ees have made huge names for themselves in other company’s after being let go (Austin, Foley, etc.), but in order for a performer’s impact to be immediate (because, let’s face it – even Austin spent the better part of 2 years of midcard hell before he truly “arrived”), a company is far better served (in the short-term) to sign performers that actively chose to work for them rather than those guys who come with the stigma of “reject” from their competition.]
So where am I going with this, you ask?
If TNA wants to kick WWE’s ass into gear, then hiring a guy like Jay Reso is the perfect first step. We all know that he’s quality in the ring, GOLD on the mic, over with the fans, and (to steal an old phrase) “totally reeking of awesomeness.” But what really separates Reso from the TNA-turned WWE alums that preceded him is the fact that he would be the first of them to have voluntarily turned down a WWE offer, whereas guys like Hardy, Rhyno and the Dudleys were “let go” by the company– meaning that (at least in the short-term) they will always be haunted by the (perhaps unfair) criticism that they are “nothing more than WWE-jects.”
If (and when) TNA does sign Reso, all they need to do is give the guy a mic and have him go off about how he chose TNA when he could have easily stayed with their competition, because he believes that the TNA company isn't about politicking, goofy-ass-gimmicks, or roided-up pet projects – it's about wrestling, and that he voluntarily picked it over WWE because of that (think early-ECW Shane Douglas, if you will).
This kind of approach is money, as it is both revolutionary and exciting. It puts over the newly-arrived talent, it opens the door for any other WWE-defectors that might follow (and oh yes, given time, rest assured that some will follow!), and it totally helps to establish the legitimacy of the promotion as a “viable alternative” to the WWE product on the whole.
In turn (and in time), the “alternative” promotion can continue to make a name for themselves with homegrown stars and WWE-defectors (as well as the WWE “rejects,” if they’re careful), which means that increased national exposure, fan attention (and hopefully) ensured financial stability should follow.
And once TNA builds enough momentum, you can bet that Vince & Company will step up their game in response. Then everybody works to improve the quality of their product, and we – the fans – get to reap the benefits.
Agree? Disagree?
“MeeThinks it sounds a parley to provocation!”
- Iago, Othello
Act II, scene iii
Since reader feedback is vital to any successful column, I figured it’d be a blasty-blast if we added a little “reader submission” section to this thing. So I’ve decided to build a “Wrestling Glossary” – a collection of the unofficial “laws” and “rules” that govern this Sport of Kings – and I need your help.
Here’s how it works:
Hop on over to the Chicago Sun Times and check out their click the link, and submit your entries today!
I’m Linking if You’re Buying
And finally, this will be the part of the column where I’ll link to all of the other good wrestling (and/or other) stuff that this hallowed world wide interweb has to offer. Since this is my first week in town, though, I’ll stick to shilling the basics.
Head on over to TNA’s website and give a look over the “Best of the X Division: Vol. 1” DVD. Some killer footage on there, and it’ll help bring you up to speed on what you’ve missed in the past two (or so) years.
And That’s a Wrap…
Well, that does it for Mee this week. Thanks again for reading, and I look forward to churning out some quality material for y’all in the days, weeks, months and years to come. Will I succeed? Well, that’s up to you, really – so keep that feedbackcoming and send in those Glossary entries today!
