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If I Were a Kid Today


simonworden

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You make a great point about lying to yourself during your smark days Pity. The Smackdown Six era is an absolutely perfect example for me too (and you'll not believe this but it was literally yesterday that I watched Albert run in to bash Rey about, and got cross that V1 didn't get the nod - curse that Johnny Ace), as is for me, the post-WM20 push of Chris Benoit. I was convinced everything was awesome because our lord and king was holding the big belt, but I was fast forwarding more than I cared to admit unless he was titting about with Eugene or tagging with the infinitely more entertaining Edge.

 

It's why I love guys like Shawn, Bret and Flair. They might give you 30 minutes to an hour at a time, but it's light years apart from some of those that just punch the clock for the fucking sake of it. Even Angle, who I know is a polarising figure in debates like this, at least seems to insist that people be talking about his match on their way back to the car park. John Cena can do that too, when they let him.

 

I think it's hard for us to assess what makes kids love wrestling without relying on our own personal experiences, but above all else, I think it's a bit too easy to point to a weaker set of characters. I reckon it's why Vince has always tried to be so careful on protecting the value of his brand. He wants the kids to cheer and boo the people he means them too and buy into his choice of headliners, but above all else he wants to make them WWE fans first of all, fans of his guys second, and wrestling fans third. I am, and I always have been, because it was his show that lured me into it.

 

This will probably raise dissent from others, but I personally think the NWA/WCW were lightyears behind on that principle, due to relying on Flair for so many years and then Sting for so many more. Bischoff figured that out when he brought Hogan in. Okay, Hogan went a bit power-mad and hamstrung it a bit, but Bischoff understood the trick was to get the eyes on your show, and then make them be "WCW" fans, not "wrestling fans" who's favourite wrestler might be Flair, but would gladly channel hop over to watch Bret or Hogan on the other side too. Easy E went beyond that further, genuinely believing he could create WCW fans AND nWo fans, which was a bit of a pipe dream, but I see why he tried it. Heyman did the exact same thing with ECW, but targeted teens and blokes that couldn't touch tits. TNA still try it now but constantly contradict themselves by basically stopping work on every other fucking thing the second a new star comes in, which makes the star look bigger than the show.

 

As long as Vince still has a shitload of characters (some good, some not so good), his brand and his bright lights, the kids will still get hooked. It's whether or not he decides if trying to keep them hooked post-14 years old is worth risking his solid system for again. He had to in 97, he doesn't now.

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This is a fairly easy one. I just have to look at my user name, created when I was 13, an amalgamation of Shane McMahon and Matt Hardy during his V1 days. I liked Shane because he was a ballsy underdog, despite having little athletic credentials he'd still throw his body around against the likes of Kurt Angle and Kane. I liked V1-ahh because he was cocky, a bit anti-establishment, funny, and could back it all up in the ring-at the time.

 

I can't think of someone who directly parallels Shane now, but I've enjoyed different wrestlers in the underdog role, recently guys like Bryan and Ryder, I also liked the Miz around Wrestlemania time for the "Hate Me Now" thing, and I would say CM Punk is the closest parallel to V1, with less comedy. Thinking about it, I think I still pretty much like the same guys I would as a kid.

 

I actually got into WWF when I was about 8/9, it was all about Austin, Rock and DX. Always liked the cool badasses, which means even as a kid, I'd be booing the shit out of goody two shoes Cena- although I'd probably change my tune if he "embraced the hate". :devil:

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