Hidden Highlights/MeeThinks Special 03.15.06: The Great Positivity Debate
Posted by JP Prag on 03.15.2006
What happens when Hidden Highlights and MeeThinks collide? Hosted by the Shimmy’s Andy Clark!
Hidden Highlights & MeeThinks Present…
THE GREAT POSITIVITY DEBATE!
"Though thou speak'st truth,
Methinks thou speak'st not well."
- Cominius, Coriolanus
Act I, scene vi
Intro
Hello great lovers of positivity, and welcome to the first ever Great Positivity Debate.
As you know, for some time the writers of Hidden Highlights and MeeThinks have all argued that each has the most positive article in the IWC.
And for months a cold war has raged between the two articles. Sure, there have been small invasions here and there, but never before have the two met face to face.
Until now.
It's time for everyone to put their money where their mouth is. It's time to prove once and for all who really does have "the most positive article in the IWC".
The players:
JP Prag — 411mania writer for almost a year, JP has challenged past misconceptions with his premier article "In Defense Of…". When "In Defense Of…" was promoted to a Wednesday slot, JP used the opportunity to launch his other vision: Hidden Highlights. Hidden Highlights was designed to point out all those small things that make a huge difference. There was only one man he wanted as his partner in this venture…
James "JT" Thomlison — 411mania writer for the same length of time as JP, JT took on the task that no one else was capable or willing to do: recap ByteThis!. But JT could not be contained, and spread into the Sports Zone with his "Thursday Morning Quarterback" report and into the Movies/TV zone with his "Smallville" recaps. Not to be outdone, he also became co-editor for Obsessed with Wrestling. Due to his tenure and spreading his wings, JT is very protective of his status against this man…
John Meehan —Meehan re-joined the 411 family in late 2005 after a trial run with the site as a video game columnist way back in the 411wrestling green & black days. Since his (re)debut, Meehan has sought to "eliminate 'Net-gativity one column at a time" by highlighting the positive aspects of professional wrestling in his weekly "MeeThinks." John is also the mind behind the ever-popular "Unofficial Glossary of Professional Wrestling," a weekly feature that logs the quirks and commonalities of this awesome pseudo sport of kings. An IWC babyface (and a proud and loyal Hulkamaniac) if there ever was one, Meehan's column regularly draws plenty of insightful (if heated) reader feedback and discussion of the hottest issues in the wrestling business.
And then there is tonight's moderator:
Andy Clark — After being screwed defeated in the second installment of the Rant Wars competition, Andy managed to annoy the people at 411mania with his horrible Matt Hardy impression so much that he received a column just to shut him up. He is currently the author of The Shimmy, the best column on Sunday that doesn't claim to be positive.
Jeff Small: HEY!!!
Now with the rules: Andy Clark.
Andy: Ladies and gentlemen, hello, welcome to Jimmy-Timmy 2: When Nerds Collide the Great Positivity Debate! I am your party host Andy Clark, here to keep these two teams in their corners. I want a good clean fight, gentlemen, so let's get started.
Here are the rules of the debate:
I will list ten topics
Each side may have only one response to each topic (IE, a team with two people on it can only have one answer)
The response to the topic can be no more then 500 words
The response to the topic must be the most positive thing that side can think up
The positive response must be something that side believes in (honor code in effect)
The first five topics will be answered first by one side, and then the two shall switch answering order
At the end, you the readers will vote who is the winner
Do you all agree to these rules?
JP: You bet your sweet Aunt Petunia.
JT: As long as I can re-use the Andy Clark has died joke, I'm in.
Meehan: I'd heard we were going for 300 words, but I'll manage. Two-on-one? Consider it "on" like Donkey Kong.
Andy: Ok. By the flip of the coin we had backstage, Team MeeThinks will have the chance to respond first. Let's get this underway!
Andy says… Let's roll!
Topic 1: Suspending Austin Aries and Roderick Strong
Andy: Austin Aries & Roderick Strong have supposedly been suspended by TNA Management for two months following their refusal to skip a Ring of Honor show in order to make it to Orlando in time for their PPV. While the two men were four hours later than TNA would have liked, they still performed on the show. What is your take on the suspension?
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): The Aries / Strong suspension is a tough one, especially because I believe that Roderick will be a major player for the wrestling business one day… we're talking like "Bret Hart" big (go back and watch the Hitman early in his career! The similarities between the two's in-ring style are eerie!). So yes, suspending a performer (especially a "hot prospect," no less) is never a good thing… especially when you're letting guys like Jeff Hardy get chance after chance to no-show and *still* collect a paycheck just because the kid moves merchandise. All that said, though – TNA is still an up-and coming company, and sometimes they simply need to make unpopular decisions in order to help put their brand over as the priority for their employees. If TNA ever hopes to establish true "brand" identity and promotion credibility, they simply can't afford to allow performers to treat the company on the same level as their commitment to "indy" shows. Letting the men perform (though four hours late) was the right call to deliver on an advertised contest, but a precedent must be set to help the company – AND it's entire roster – succeed in the long run. Tough break for Aries and Strong here, but somebody needed to be the fall guy. (And hey – worst case scenario, Aries and/or Strong get miffed at TNA management and consider their options elsewhere. Then – if he's smart – Vinny Mac signs either guy and WWE has its Frankie Kazarian that never was).
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Just a side note: Jeff Hardy does not just move merchandise, he is THE top seller of merchandise in TNA. While Jeff Hardy might be shown a little reprieve now and then because of merchandise, it's also because he is a veteran. We highly suspect youngsters like Aries and Strong would have a "it doesn't matter, we made the show" attitude, whereas when Hardy no shows, he's been around long enough to know that it's a serious, serious act in un-professionalism. Hardy does get a lot of chances, but everyone is acting like Aries and Strong are not getting another chance. They are! They are just being given a two month suspension (of which two weeks they are still on TV because of the taping schedule). Aries even said in his blog that he understands the decision and he using it as a learning experience to come back better than ever. That's the right attitude to have, and TNA was right in its decision. They need to establish rules over signed talent to make sure their product is priority over anything else. It seems everyone wants to forget that Aries admitted he was about ten minutes away from not being able to make the show at all, and thus this point would be moot and TNA would be right. But at the end of the day, remember this: Aries and Strong are young guys. Very young. No one is expecting them to be world champions tomorrow, they need time to develop and mature. This is just another learning experience in their career. In JP's company, they have a term they use for new employees called "controlled failure". Sometimes, the only way you learn is by making the mistakes and figuring it out yourself. The trick of being management is to make sure that they do not fail so much that they are not doing their jobs effectively. Suspending Aries and Strong is such an instance. This case gives them a "controlled failure" experience to learn from, but does not hinder the TNA product or the future careers of these young prospects.
Topic 2: The Spirit Squad
Andy: Plain and simple: The Spirit Squad.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): I have absolutely zero problem with the Spirit Squad, period. Some will tell you that this ridiculous gimmick will have totally killed each of these five men's careers before they even had the chance to shine, but I completely disagree. I think that "Oz," "The Dingo Warrior," "Papa Shango," "Max Moon," and "Terra Ryzin" have all gone on to show fans how a performer can be saddled with a laughable gimmick in the early-going and then go on to much bigger and better things down the road, so I see absolutely no reason to write the five-man cheer team off just yet. Point number two – have you seen their stuff from OVW? Backstage shenanigans aside (see Punk, C.M.), these five guys are hella-entertaining to watch in the ring, as they actually work to extend their acrobatic, high-flying cheerleader gimmick BEYOND their pre-match and backstage theatrics. The top rope maneuvers, the fast-paced tag-combos, the ringside mini-tramp attacks – one of the first gimmicks in a LONG time (‘cept maybe The Boogeyman!) to actually craft their in-ring style around their gimmick. Bravo. Point three? The five-man, one-gimmick stable allows room multiple performers to hone their craft on the main roster without forcing WWE creative to churn out cookie-cutter personae for five variations of the same "cocky heel #1562" gimmick. Stabling the five men together allows the ‘E to get five men on the roster with the same one gimmick – and since the group wrestles in tandem contests, it's not like they're taking up five individual timeslots on our television, ya know (think "Viscera & Mideon")… so if the gimmick really irks you that much, all you'll need is just ONE bathroom break (as opposed to five) to block your memory of the gimmick out entirely. No harm no foul.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Just like Aries and Strong above, the Spirit Squad is filled with young guys who have long careers ahead of them. Should they fail at being the Spirit Squad, there are many more possibilities for them. Remember Kane was a knight and a dentist before becoming what he is today. Gail Kim used to wrestle under a mask (WHY?!?!?!). Hulk Hogan used to be the Super Destroyer! The possibilities are still out there for these guys. That said, the Spirit Squad is not a failure. People say there is no crowd reaction for them. Well what do you expect after four weeks? No one used to chant along with Christian when he said "That's how I roll". Remember how the arena chirped when he was IC Champ the first time? It takes time for people to get used to and react to something. We can assure you of one thing, if they are allowed to continue perform at the level they have been in the ring, not only will they get booed for being heels, but they will get claps for their acrobatics. And slowly but surely the arenas are booing the Spirit Squad more, as the Squad is also working to clean up their gimmick and timing. Another thing to remember is that this is a Vince McMahon brain child, which means they will have more opportunities to get over than a character he did not personally think up. When they are out there cheering, the reaction has been mixed, but it's hard to find anyone who will say that their performance, THEIR performance (not HBK's) in the first match did not show tons of potential. At this point, they are doing the best with what they are given, and we say give them a chance. The Hardy Boyz took nearly three years to get over and most had said they had no chance to get off of Shotgun Saturday Night and Metal. Yet their careers are well known today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, so why not sit back and see what happens?
Topic 3: The Controversial Finish to No Way Out
Andy: Despite having a fantastic match at the No Way Out PPV, it seemed as if WWE would not let Undertaker job cleanly as they attempted to make a "controversial decision" with the finish. Explain.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): I can't believe some people are saying that extending the ‘Taker/Angle program as if it were a bad thing. Why? The No Way Out match was stellar, as was their Smackdown rematch (which I had the privilege of seeing live!) A clean finish (traditionally) marks the end of a feud, and a "Dusty finish" (or some variation thereof) allows a company to milk a bit more mileage out of the thing without either guy losing heat along the way. After the No Way out match, ‘Taker was yet to have a serious opponent lined up for the Big Dance – so what's the problem with using his continuing program with Angle as a feeder-program into the inevitable Henry showdown? This instantly gives a natural progression to ‘Taker's next feud (Henry was the man to cost ‘Taker a sure-fire title win, so their beef isn't out of nowhere) and it simultaneously lends instant credibility to old table-busta'-Mizzark along the way. As far as Angle goes – he's without a "real" challenger till WrestleMania – so what's the problem with pitting him against the Dead Man in the meantime to give the Champ (and the Title) a much-needed feud "rub" along the way? If Angle can emerge from "Death Valley" with his belt intact by the time WrestleMania rolls around, he automatically looks like all the more stronger of a champion for having done so. And if he's a credible champion walking into WrestleMania, then his challengers look all the more like they've got their work cut out for them (and all the more important if they're actually able to best the guy). This injects the Smackdown title picture with some much needed, non-Eddie-Guerrero-driven drama – which, in the long run, means that everybody wins.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Is this because people are saying the Undertaker is a backstage politician and refused to job cleanly? This is not what happened at all! WWE management just wanted to extend the feud, which led to another fantastic match on SmackDown! (where Michael Cole knew what a Dragon Sleeper was and Tazz didn't!). A lot of time when these types of matches end in "controversy" or a run-in, we do feel ripped off. But not in this case. Because of the angle, there is more intrigue. Will the Undertaker get another rematch? If he does, what happens if he wins? Will we end up with a fatal four-way for the title? Or is the Undertaker going on to face Mark Henry at Wrestlemania? Or will he take care of him first? Not only that, where is it written that he just REFUSES to EVER get beat cleanly? The Rock beat him. Brock Lesnar beat him. We find it very hard to believe that if Taker will give those guys the clean rub, he would have any issues giving it to a guy as respected as Kurt Angle. As a matter of fact, it was disproved in In Defense Of… the Undertaker. A controversial ending to the PPV match makes an immediate rematch so much more realistic, and makes perfect storyline sense that Mark Henry would want to interfere. If you recall, Angle beat Mark Henry at the last PPV, so where was his rematch? Why does Taker get one? While the placing of the interference might not have come when a lot of fans wanted it, this was in general overall good booking. It's still a month until Wrestlemania (when this was written) and the intrigue of the possibilities is making the SmackDown! side of card much more interesting and engaging.
Topic 4: Using Eddie Guerrero to push storylines
Andy: Randy Orton and Rey Mysteio have been using the name of Eddie Guerrero to further their own storylines. A few weeks back Edge referred to the fact that Terry Gordy was also dead. 411's own JD Dunn pointed out that Jerry Lawler used a similar story in Memphis. How do you feel about the use of deceased wrestlers in the context of current storylines?
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): There are some who'll call professional wrestling "classless," "tasteless," and "tactless" for name-dropping on dead performers to get cheap heat on their current superstars. But what these people fail to recognize is the cardinal rule of professional wrestling, namely that of "if you see it on television, then it's a work." In other words – any of these "below the belt," shoot-style comments that disparage the late great legends of the ring are always done with the approval of all parties involved, and while we as fans might find a certain level of distaste in watching the memory of our "larger than life" fallen heroes disparaged for "worked" for the sake of an angle, we've got to remember that the performers who are quote-unquote "sullying" their legacies are, for the most part, some of these deceased men's closest friends. In other words – if Rey Mysterio, Jerry Lawler and Michael Hayes were all comfortable name-dropping their fallen comrades memories in order to get some "cheap heat" or a "sympathy" rub – then odds are that they – even more than we fans – are well aware of just how such an "angle" would have been perceived by their departed pals. You've got to remember that in each of these cases we're talking about men who (quite literally) "gave their lives for the business" here… I think it stands to reason that we fans should definitely trust in the judgment of the men who knew them best to know "when to say when."
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Well, the thing to remember is that with the exception of Rey Mysterio, the most recent three to do this have been Randy Orton, Edge, and MNM (re: Hawk); all heels. Heels are supposed to do one thing - draw massive amounts of heel heat. We try to think of it not so much as "How dare they disrespect a man like Eddie Guerrero", and more like "Oh, those asshole dropped the name of a dead wrestler. I hate them." ...heel heat drawn. Mission accomplished. Listen to the crowd. They are chanting "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!" How is it disparaging Eddie's name if the fans are remembering him more fondly than they ever would. Dead wrestlers become a part of living wrestlers gimmicks and stories all the time. The entire Tommy Dreamer/Justin Credible feud started when Credible interrupted an in-ring ten count for Tommy Dreamer's grandfather. Curt Henning always pointed to the sky after Ric Rude passed away. Sabu used to always point to the sky, as well. After Crash Holly died in his house, Steven Richards came on the Titantron and dedicated his match on International Heat to his dead friend (JP was there live for that one). Chris Benoit and Bret Hart had a match in honor of the memory of Owen Hart at Kemper Arena. The point is, wrestlers long gone are always a part of the show. Yes, it is normally not so prominent as Eddie, but it in no way is being used to disgrace his memory.
Topic 5: Goldberg vs. Warrior in TNA
Andy: Goldberg and Ultimate Warrior have both expressed interest in working for TNA. Warrior has even stated that TNA should "do the right thing" and have a match between the two. Response?
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Hogan/Austin in WWE? Absolutely not – costs way too much and there's no long-term gains to be had (save a one-night buyrate pop). Goldberg / Warrior in TNA? Heck, why not. Sure – the company has absolutely no business burying new stars to feed either of these men's hella-inflated egos, but for the sake of a one-off program? I'd say go for it. Yes, there's the chance that the company will be throwing "good money after bad" that they could well be spending elsewhere (like in securing Samoa Joe to a long-term, big-money contract, for example) – but if there's anything that TNA lacks, it's NOT in their quality of in-ring product or in the depth of their roster… it's in their lack of national exposure. And if there's one thing that Goldie/Warrior will bring – it will most DEFINITELY be a boatload of national (perhaps accidentally "mainstream") media and fan attention. I'll be happy to admit that TNA has ZERO business signing either man to a long-term deal (or even promoting either man over their "homegrown" stars in the long-run), but as a one-and-done showdown – the workrate would be teh suck, but the "big time" feel of the bout would really help put the company on the map in the eyes of the casual fan. Trick fans into buying a PPV for Warrior/Goldie, then load up the undercard with an Ultimate X match, an Abyss/Rhyno brawl, a Canadian Destroyer (or three), and a six-man shmozz just for kicks – and you've hooked those casual fans for the long haul. Let the "established names" lure the casual fan to the brand to see what it's all about – then, when you've got their attention, just sit back and let the rest of your roster make them all into true TNA believers.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): As recently noted in In Defense Of…, Warrior and Goldberg were the two most voted on cases EVER, and both were found "Not Guilty". That mean that even among internet smarks, interest is extremely high in these two men. No matter what our perception of them now may be, it cannot be denied how big their names were / are in this sport. A lot of people – such as us – have no problems being in denial and remembering the good old days when Warrior was our favorite and Goldberg was running rampant through WCW. Warrior is not looking to do anything long term, he just wants to fight Goldberg because he believes it would be epic, would generate a lot of money, and would make the WWE scream in frustration that they could not get that dream match. Goldberg, likewise, want to help TNA grow, thinks there should be a wrestling alternative, would like to prove to the WWE that they mismanaged him, and is already involved in another program on Spike TV. Sounds like all the motivation either man needs! Warrior may be a one time deal, but there is the potential for more dates with Goldberg. Using them to garner interest in the product would be the first step. Later, either (most likely Goldberg) could be used to put over the top talent in TNA. And in a smarky TNA, Goldberg would be a great heel, coming in and just saying he owns everyone and does not need to do the athletic moves of the X-division. It would not be a character he would be uncomfortable with (like eating babies and hugging Vince Russo in WCW) and could make for intriguing television. If a match between Warrior and Goldberg is the first step in that relationship, then so be it. At the very least, the match would garner a lot of attention for TNA. At the most, it could lead to a long term storyline that in the end puts over the top talent in TNA and brings both TNA and these two men's legacies to a whole new level.
Andy says… Switch ‘em up!
Topic 6: Using Older Stars
Andy: In recent weeks we have seen the reappearance of old stars such as Tatanka, Golddust, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Marty Jannetty. Discuss WWE's use of former superstars.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): As the biggest game in town (and for a little while the only), the WWE had the power to do anything they wanted to their talent. They could hire and fire at will, bury someone on TV or push them to the moon on a whim. But just because they have the power, does not mean the WWE is always abusing it. One of the greatest things they have done is the Legends program, giving many guys without any careers (and in some cases money and/or health) a viable job as representatives in the company. This is still generosity by the WWE, and that should not be overlooked. At the same time, there are several older superstars in the same boat that still have a little tank left in the gas. All they want is to have one last shot to go out with honor and make a little money doing it. Men like Marty Jannetty and Tatanka fit this category. They also have the benefit of being able to teach younger superstars in the ring, something the agents like Arn Anderson cannot do. Golddust, although an old gimmick, is still a relatively young man with a lot of experience. He can help develop talent and be a viable contender to mid-card and tag team titles. Jim Duggan is a man beyond his prime but can still hold the crowd in the palm of his hand. Somehow he has come back from cancer to have a wrestling career when most would never return. On the whole, we think having guys like this around is definitely a positive thing. These guys are designed to help get younger talent over. With the exception of a few (SEE: Kennedy), the young generation aren't getting over on their own as quickly as the WWE would like, and thus, older guys have been brought in to give these kids the rub. Another thing to consider is the fact that the WWE (at least in our opinion) has been very smart about who exactly they've brought in for these instances. It isn't like the younger talent is going over old stars like the Rock and Bret Hart; they are merely going over guys who - in their day - were legitimate tough guys. So, based on that, one may argue that the young guys SHOULD be beating the older superstars, and we agree; with the added note that it further shows that the WWE was right in calling up the young superstars we see today. That is a testament to just how much older stars have to offer, and just the tip of the iceberg of those out there.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Some will argue that the ‘E is wasting it's time marketing "old stars" over "new stars" and hurting themselves in the long run. I'd argue that the company is seeing time run out on the value (and health) of many of these older stars, and they're just trying to "strike while the iron's hot" because they're more than aware of the fact that the iron won't be hot for long. Bringing Marty in during the "McMahon tries to make Shawn's life a living hell" storyline makes sense… bringing him in a year from now when Shawn is fighting Carlito or whoever else does not. There's money to be made and some of these performers (read: Tatanka) might not have that much time left in terms of their capable in-ring shape, so why not throw a few out of work old-timers a quick payday here or there (remember, Jim Duggan came back from a near-fatal liver cancer, tough guys), sign them to a legends contract, and make a few bucks for everyone involved along the way? It's not like the spending spree years of WCW when Ted Turner was populating the top of his cards with old-timers after throwing good money after bad at virtually anyone who'd ever seen a modicum of success in the WWF – what we're looking at with folks like Duggan, Jannetty, Animal and the like is a chance for the company to pay tribute to some of their former "stars," cut a few extra paychecks those guys' way (perhaps to save them the hassle of wrestling the indies till their 60's), and use them in the middle (or lower end) of the card to lend some much-needed credibility to up-and-comers. Edge punks out Spanky? Nobody bats an eye. Edge punks out Hacksaw? Instant heel on the rise.
Topic 7: Vince McMahon getting a spot at Wrestlemania
Andy: Vince McMahon will be getting back in the ring at WrestleMania 22. Should a near-60 year old man be taking a space from another wrestler at the biggest show of the year?
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Whether many in the IWC want to admit it or not, Vince McMahon is a big star and can generate serious heat. People generally want to see him get his ass kicked, and that is sure to be what happens. You have to realize, when it comes to a wrestling show, especially the biggest of the year, you have to give everyone a little bit of everything. What Vince will provide is a pure moment of release for the audience. Last year, Big Show/Akebono was the spectacle match, this year it is Michaels/McMahon. We will have all our matches: a high flier, a deeply emotional, a pure title, a spot fest, a garbage, a technical display, a cluster mess, and a spectacle. We may cringe a little at first whenever Vince announces he's going to be in a match at WrestleMania, but he has always delivered the goods. Most everyone wanted to see Hogan kick his ass, and he did. Most everyone wanted to see Stone Cold kick his ass, and he did. Most everyone wanted to see Shane kick his ass, and he did. Now, it's HBK who is the "victim" of McMahon's dictatorial style, and most everyone - while a little disappointed Michaels won't be in some technical masterpiece - wants to see Vince get his ass handed to him yet again. Maybe not now, maybe not next week; but when WrestleMania arrives, and they show the four minute vignette at the beginning showing the buildup of this feud, we think most will think "you know, he really does need his ass kicked". McMahon is not taking space away from anyone, but is adding to the show to hopefully get a few more buys and give everyone a bigger pay day. Will it be as successful as he hopes? Perhaps. But either way, he is in a match that at least a strong minority will enjoy seeing in the moment. And while it may seem like a moot point, it isn't like Vince has time restrictions per say. If there was someone on the roster he (or creative, or booking) truly felt should be on the card and wasn't, he could easily give them a match to happen sometime in the first two hours.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Vince McMahon versus Shawn Michaels will hardly be a technical classic the likes of "Steamboat/Savage" – but with Kurt Angle over on Smackdown and Triple H vs. Michaels tapped out for all it's worth, is there *really* anybody out there who's "on Shawn's level" that fans will pay to see HBK take on at the biggest dance of them all? Sure, Carlito would be fun and Shelton would be skillZ – but the long and short of it is that there just aren't enough guys on top of the RAW roster (or the Smackdown one, come to think of it) with a logical (and credible) program to be had against The Showstoppa' given less than three month's worth of build. The Michaels/McMahon program – while hardly the ****+ star masterpiece that was last year's HBK/Angle ‘Mania affair – still has all the makings of a quality top of the card performance. And with the "McMahon goes into Shawn's past to make his life a living hell" storyline being far more rife with awesome run-in possibilities than when Larry Z did the same thing to Raven a few months back (because Marty Janetty > Justin Credible), the cavalcade of "markout" match interruptions to be had (Marty, Shane, even talk of Sid or BRET?!) simply makes this program just as credible and exciting as any other top-level match to be had at this year's big event. Couple that with the fact that Vinny Mac is a great heel and a "special attraction" performer, and it's easy to see that Vince isn't taking the spot away from other performers – he's making a long-awaited "special" appearance and buoying the paydays of everyone on the card in the process.
Topic 8: The Boogeyman
Andy: The Boogeyman: The Next Big Thing?
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): As the In Defense of… the Ultimate Warrior case just proved, it is neither in-ring ability nor mic skills that make the greatest wrestlers. Wrestling is about entertainment, about making that connection with the crowd, about getting the audience to have an emotional investment in the wrestler. One thing that cannot be denied is that the Boogeyman, in just as short while, has been able to get the emotional investment of the audience with just his charisma and extremely well-produced gimmick. Have you read the live reports recently? People, who admittedly do not like the Boogeyman, have been commenting on the huge crowd responses the Boogeyman is getting. Getting over eventually turns to money. Big fat piles of cash. The Boogeyman is mainly for the younger viewing audience (aka kids, an audience sometimes forgotten), and you don't see ten year olds at shows unattended. His shirts will sell. Parents will buy their kids the Pay-Per-Views so they can watch their new favorite "comin' ta getcha". Now, to keep the audience spending their (parents') money, the Boogeyman will indeed have to be pushed, or at least on our television on a regular basis. Not sure he'll be the next BIG thing, but he will certainly be larger than a lot of guys. Not only that, he is harmless fun in what is sometimes an overly-dramatic production. And he is just at the beginning of his career. Sure, the man behind the paint is forty years old and has a limited shelf life, but that does not mean he cannot make an impact in a few short years. Kurt Angle was considered one of the greatest ever by the end of his fourth year wrestling, so does not that possibility exist for the Boogeyman?
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Here comes the double-speak from JT, who's clearly gone on record as saying "There's nothing positive about him, and there's nothing ‘Hidden' about the fact that he sucks." Needless to say, I'll take anything that guy says about the Man from the Bottomless Pit with a serious grain of "spin control" salt. But Hidden Hypocrisy aside – I for one have been an uber-BoogeyMark from day one, and I simply couldn't be happier to see the man succeeding a hundred times over with a gimmick that nay-sayers had pegged for dead-on-arrival. The man loves the business, lives his gimmick (he even eats those worms backstage), and busts his ass to deliver the goods with a character that has virtually no right to be as popular as it is. But his hard work is paying off in spades, and the guy is getting hella-over in the process. Do you hear those "B-O-O-G-E-Y-M-A-N" cheers? That's Hulkamaniesque, people – and the fans are clearly rewarding the guy for all of his dedication to the craft. Sure, the guy's limited in the ring – but that certainly hasn't stopped men like Cena, Warrior, or (late-career) Steiner from being successful now, has it? Fact of the matter is – Boogey's on a worm-covered roll right now, and given the proper opponents (charismatic tweener heels), I see absolutely no reason why the guy won't be involved with a solid run of thoroughly entertaining programs in the months to come, even if the quality of their in-ring products leaves something to be desired. (After all – Kane and ‘Taker weren't exactly ***** classics – but you've gotta admit that you marked like a champ when they went at it!). No need or reason for a title run (yet) – just sit back, grab a handful of worms, and enjoy as Boogeymania runs wild!
Topic 9: The State of Tag Team Wrestling in the WWE
Andy: In recent weeks both The Dicks and The Heart Throbs have been released by WWE. Snitsky & Tyson Tomko have supposedly broken up, William Regal & Paul Birchall have severed ties as well, and a few months ago Cade & Murdoch separated. Kane & Big Show have not defended their championships with any regularity on Raw, and MNM have not engaged in a long term feud with a real tag team in quite some time. Positively react to this "death" of tag team wrestling in WWE.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP & JT): Death? What is this death you speak of? It might be on life support, but it's not dead. In the last year, the E has shown that they are committed to having a decent Tag Team Division again. A lot of the pieces to the puzzle are lying on the table; and they can now begin to put them on the board. Yet here we are and MNM is dominating the tag team scene on SmackDown!, a classic team if there ever was one. They have done a great job of keeping themselves over. The Mexicools are slowly but surely getting more TV time. The Spirit Squad looked like they have loads of potential, either as a five man team or any combination of the five (smell the breakup feud!). Gymini is green and paying their Velocity dues right now. The combination of Show / Kane and Vis / Val is filling in a couple of gaps until they can call up a few guys. Finally, London and Kendrick are making quite the exciting tag team. Once they can call up a few more guys, get them properly developed, and actually get some interesting booking / storylines involved, we could be here a year from now laughing at this question. There is no arguing that tag team wrestling is in a state of flux right now, yet many are prematurely declaring its death. Is tag team wrestling suffering in the E right now? You bet. Is there a lack of the art of tag team wrestling? Most definitely. Does that mean there is no hope? Absolutely not! The WWE is just looking for the right types of tag teams. Just a couple of years ago, tag reams didn't even have names or shared gimmicks and people said that was lost for ever. Do not forget that right now the WWE is also looking to develop the top of their card for the new generation. You cannot build your house without a foundation, and the foundation of the WWE is the World/WWE champion. Once the upper card is more set, then the E can work to better develop tag team wrestling. Not to say they are forgetting it for now, they are still trying, but just have not found much to meet their needs. Slowly but surely, though, more teams like MNM will be developed and brought along. All we need is patience and time to make it all happen.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Prag & Thomlison seem to have hit all the high points here, but something that "Team Highlights" failed to mention here is that it's in no way "un-positive" for fans (and columnists) to be concerned for the fate of tag wrestling. Quite on the contrary – with the shortage of credible teams and the frequency of their break-ups and releases, our concern here is well-founded, and we have every right to worry about what will become of the tag team titles and how it will affect the future of the sport we all love so well. But here's the real "positive" outlook on this one: tag team wrestling in WWE since the brand split has, for the most part, been sub-par. While this might sound rather "negative" at first, let's look to what this means for the future – namely, that once the brand split ends, the tag titles can be unified once more and there's *instantly* a new pool of credible teams, challengers and feuds to be had, and the belts *instantly* look all the more credible once again. Till that time (whenever it may be), let us take comfort in the "positivity" that is the fact that the ‘E has opted to use the brand extension to create new singles superstars out of many former tag-teamers (Bradshaw, Christian, etc.), and while a number of them have failed (Cade, Conway, etc.) there have been plenty of success stories thanks to the ‘E's efforts of focusing primarily on new singles stars rather than sticking them as "placeholder champions" in meaningless (or nonsensical) tag teams. Tag wrestling will rebound, alright – but in the meantime, let's enjoy the singles breakout stars that wouldn't have otherwise been given the chance to shine were the focus still so strongly on the tag ranks, yes?
Topic 10: Lack of Coverage of Japanese Wrestling
Andy: It has been pointed out that there is a misrepresentation of Japanese wrestling when considering great matches, feuds, etc. Some argue that it is unfair that Japanese wrestling is not featured more prominently on websites such as 411mania and that the World Championships in Japan are worth nearly as much as those in America. There has also been a recent backlash against the so-called "They are Japanese, hence they are a better wrestler" phenomenon. Defend or positively explain the exclusion of Japanese wrestling from major coverage.
Team Hidden Highlights (JP): Japan is the tenth largest country in the world population wise, outranking places like Mexico, England, Canada, and other such wrestling meccas. It also has the second largest gross national product (GNP), second largest gross domestic product (GDP), and third largest purchasing power. The bottom line: Japan is big and has a lot of money. That said, what is the United States number one export? The answer: media. The US creates and distributes more media around the world than almost everyone else combined (including India). And what about Japan? Japan, although a creator of some media, is still one of the largest importers of American media (and liquor, in case you were wondering. Japan is the number one growth market for liquor, with China a quickly growing second). It is only in the past decade that Japan has made significant strides in exporting media. Sure, we got a show here and there with Speed Racer, Voltron, and Power Rangers, but in the past ten years Japanese and Japanese-style animation has come to dominate children's (and adult) animation. But it takes time to cultivate a market. In the world many of us grew up in, Japanese wrestling was unheard of. Now that we have heard of it, we are only beginning to understand. With a new generation of children reared on Japanese programming, we can expect a much better understanding and inclusion of Japanese wrestling and content in the future. It will take time, but it is possible. If a network like the Wrestling Network in the UK of the Fight Network in Canada were to launch in the US, you can bet there would be some Japanese content. Already we get some Mexican wrestling on the Spanish channels, so it is only a matter of time before we start to see, learn, and report more on the Japanese scene. But it will take time, patience, and a serious learning curve. Give us time to catch up, and we guarantee the quality will be just as high as everything we now provide.
Team MeeThinks (Meehan): Funny thing here is that JP spent the better part of 341 words (41 over our agreed limit, btw ;-) talking "around" Puro and Japanese wrestling, but said just about 10 words talking about the actual industry itself. Why's that? A) Because he doesn't know that much about Puro (likely), and B) because his lack of knowledge of the Japanese wrestling industry is likely because Puro simply doesn't get a lot of attention in North American wrestling media. Now I won't say that it's right for fans to be "elitist" about Puro always being superior to North American pro wrestling, but I will say that's it's not "un-positive" for many of these same fans to simply ask for more coverage of other variations of this pseudo sport. If anything, it's encouraging. Japan has spawned its fair share of revolutionary maneuvers (the power-bomb, for starters), legendary performers (Tiger Mask, Ultimo Dragon, Kobashi, etc.), and classic storylines (the beta-tested new World order) – and the fact that some are clamoring for more coverage of this industry can only serve to benefit wrestling fans on the whole in the long run. With domestic competition in short supply (as TNA still has a long way to go), what's the harm in fans checking out tapes, web-streams, and clips from international markets (like Kobashi vs. Kenta, for example) on sites like YouTube.com in order to get their fill of high quality wrestling matches? Once the ‘E (and TNA) catch on that fans are just as fond of solid in-ring action as they are of over-the-top storylines (the Jackie/Jarrett tape, the Kiss My Ass Club, etc.) and that we're willing to look elsewhere to find it - American companies will undoubtedly "clue in" and step up their game to compete with the quality of foreign markets.
Andy says… Shut up!
Andy: Well that was positively exciting! Am I allowed to vote? Nah, nevermind, I'll just leave it up to our brilliant readers.
Ok, now comes the hard part. You, the readers, need to make a decision. The polls will be open until Saturday March 18, 2006. The results will be announced in my article, The Shimmy, the next day. So without further ado…
Let's Vote
Conclusion
Thank you for participating in the first ever Great Positivity Debate. Remember, polls remain open until Saturday March 18, 2006 and the results will be posted in Andy Clark's The Shimmy the following day. ‘Till then!
