Paid Members tiger_rick Posted September 15, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted September 15, 2014 It's an interesting topic, I think. Firstly I don't think there is generally a mass audience for "adult" wrestling. I definitely think wrestling being more grown up from the cartoony 93-95 era helped as I believe, as always, that the audience for the late 90's boom was the majority of the audience of little kids in the Hulkamania boom. I think the matches being hard hitting and the stories being realistic was an important part of that. But it was a small part. That boom, started by WCW and eclipsed by the WWF came out of exciting characters, great angles and brilliant interviews. Rarely, if at all, did the "adult" nature of it enhance it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the T&A stuff of the attitude era was the shit that's not stood the test of time. Â It's been pointed out many a time that WCW was PG and the nWo were not only super cool but did amazing business and were over with people of all ages. What should also be pointed out is that as WWE business declined, we saw a whole host of car crash TV based around sex and profanity that did nothing but drive viewers away. Suggests to me that even they fundamentally misunderstood what actually made the attitude era. Â Blood is a different matter. I'm not a bloodthirsty person and I can't say I especially miss it. There's no doubt though that there are moments of the boom that were enhanced by it giving things a very real looking edge. The famous shot of Steve Austin in the sharpshooter at WM13 being one. The original HIAC match and Triple H and Foley at Rumble 2000. Not really enough to suggest it makes a massive difference, I don't think. Â One thing I'd question in Pitcos's reply is "WWE has a brand that has to be protected." Not the statement itself, I'm sure that's how they feel. I thought the same when I first read the post. However, it doesn't seem like a deal breaker when you consider the vast array of stuff that should end up on the network from different eras and territories. There's going to have to be different levels of rating anyway isn't there? Not that I disagree with your other reasons not to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 There's a difference between stuff they and other companies used to do in the less-enlightened times, and what they put out now. They have their cake and eat it with the Monday Night Wars show bragging about the attitude era happenings, but they couldn't do that tawdry stuff again on the current shows without sponsor shitstorms.  This PG era is here to stay whether we like it or not. My only gripe with this family friendly direction of WWE is that i don't think HIAC and Elimination Chamber matches work well under a PG format. It kinda defeats the purpose of how "dangerous" these matches are supposed to be. Every now and then i think Vince should just let these guys blade in these type of matches. Or maybe they could give the HIAC or Extreme Rules PPV's a TV14 rating. Can't see it happen though. Giving shows a TV14 rating wouldn't mean he starts letting wrestlers cut their heads open with razor blades again anyway. That's about as likely as letting them smash chairs over each other's heads again. Nothing to do with the TV rating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Juice Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 They stopped the blading when they switched to PG. Yes i know they bladed a couple of times while it was PG in 1997 but it seemed to have been banned full stop since the PG switch in September 2008. They stopped the chair shots to the head to reduce the number of concussions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Undefeated Steak Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 They stopped the blading when they switched to PG. Yes i know they bladed a couple of times while it was PG in 1997 but it seemed to have been banned full stop since the PG switch in September 2008. They stopped the chair shots to the head to reduce the number of concussions. Â I almost started blading when I switched to PG. Yorkshire Tea's much better. Â Shite jokes aside, it's a damn good job they've stopped chair shots to the head. I'm not sure I'd ever feel comfortable watching that Rock vs Foley street fight again. PG or Attitude Sux or whatever era they're in, no wrestler should take a hit to the head like that in this day and age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Juice Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Â They stopped the blading when they switched to PG. Yes i know they bladed a couple of times while it was PG in 1997 but it seemed to have been banned full stop since the PG switch in September 2008. They stopped the chair shots to the head to reduce the number of concussions. Â I almost started blading when I switched to PG. Yorkshire Tea's much better. Â Shite jokes aside, it's a damn good job they've stopped chair shots to the head. I'm not sure I'd ever feel comfortable watching that Rock vs Foley street fight again. PG or Attitude Sux or whatever era they're in, no wrestler should take a hit to the head like that in this day and age. Â Â Those chair shots were brutal. When they showed you the aftermath of that match on Beyond The Mat i couldn't believe the size of that gash in Foley's head. It looked nasty. Although i did find it funny when Vince said "That's show business Mick" as he was getting stiched up himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 They stopped the blading when they switched to PG. Yes i know they bladed a couple of times while it was PG in 1997 but it seemed to have been banned full stop since the PG switch in September 2008. They stopped the chair shots to the head to reduce the number of concussions. Â It's banned because it's fucking stupid and the company's concerned with cleaning up its image, not because PG television doesn't allow blood. About a quarter of Raw episodes have someone bleeding at some point because accidents happen, and it hasn't been pulled off the air for it or had the rating changed back to TV14. WWE isn't going to start letting wrestlers cut their head open with razorblades again just for the Facebook likes of bloodthirsty cretins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Juice Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Â They stopped the blading when they switched to PG. Yes i know they bladed a couple of times while it was PG in 1997 but it seemed to have been banned full stop since the PG switch in September 2008. They stopped the chair shots to the head to reduce the number of concussions. Â It's banned because it's fucking stupid and the company's concerned with cleaning up its image, not because PG television doesn't allow blood. About a quarter of Raw episodes have someone bleeding at some point because accidents happen, and it hasn't been pulled off the air for it or had the rating changed back to TV14. WWE isn't going to start letting wrestlers cut their head open with razorblades again just for the Facebook likes of bloodthirsty cretins. Â Â Nobody is asking for fucking bloodbaths every week. It just would be good to see those cell and chamber matches spiced up a liitle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted September 15, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted September 15, 2014 Rick's post is pretty much spot on. There are far more fundamental problems to be addressed before they can even start to think about adding blood and swear words back in. Good stories and strong characters don't need those things to get over with mature viewers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgarTheSlouch Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) never mind Edited September 15, 2014 by EdgarTheSlouch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted September 17, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted September 17, 2014 Watched the 2000 Rumble match last night. How utterly shit did the Big Show look in those shorts and T-Shirt? He'd have been fine in a singlet like now but they obviously had a complex about his weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Juice Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) I thought the Royal Rumble matches from 1993, 1995 and 2000 were the worst ones ever. But that 1995 Rumble was just awful. Infact the whole PPV was horrible. Edited September 17, 2014 by Lemon Juice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Scott Malbranque Posted September 17, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted September 17, 2014 I loved the reaction to and from Backlund upon his entrance to that Rumble! Just lovely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Scott Malbranque Posted September 17, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) EDIT - Sorry. DP. Motherfuck. Edited September 17, 2014 by Scott Malbranque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted September 17, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted September 17, 2014 I thought the Royal Rumble matches from 1993, 1995 and 2000 were the worst ones ever. But that 1995 Rumble was just awful. Infact the whole PPV was horrible. The '95 one still got a lot of play (well pausing, rewinding, then pausing again) in my house. Admittedly it was just for the Pamela Anderson bits. Â It's like Vince even knew that Rumble was going to be shit, so he had a new guy entering every minute in a 'let's just fucking get this over with' way. Shite like Mantaur, Ron and Don Harris and Duke Droese cluttering up the ring. It was the 'fastest Rumble match ever' but it still seemed to drag somehow. Shawn and Davey Boy were great throughout though. And Pamela (I could swear I could make out nipple outline through that dress). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted September 17, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted September 17, 2014 2000 Rumble is really good. It's got several of the best Rumble spots ever, I reckon. Â The Rikishi/Too Cool dance & double cross is great. You forget just how over those yellow glasses were. The constant run-ins from Kaientai and the Mean Street Pussies are loads of fun - especially the two ace botches. Backlund's surprise gets a great reaction, even from a crowd that was hopped up for everything anyway. Road Dogg's antics are funny. X-Pac's (non-)elimination is epic. Â It only suffers from the winner being blindingly obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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