The King of Keith
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| #1 Posted on 7.6.06 1440.42 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1440.43 | As we approach tonight's show and the ECW PPV on Sunday, I wonder if this is all going to work. So much time has passed since ECW’s heyday. All of the former wrestlers for the federation are really showing their age. Can ECW survive in these modern times? I want to say yes. I loved watching Heyman’s boys (and girls) duke it out week after week. I want to believe again. However, for this to work, I think three things are going to have to happen:
1) ECW must evolve. They cannot rely on name value alone. What they will have to do is be something so completely different that watching the show feels like an event. Do you remember the old days when you would watch just to see something you wouldn’t see in the WWF or WCW? Do you remember the first time you saw Public Enemy put someone through a table? Do you remember watching Sabu bust out the an Arabian Facebuster? I do. I remember gasping and then thinking “Holy crap, I have to see more of this!” ECW will have to provide an alternative to the wrestling that is already out there to build and keep a fan base. I’m not saying that they need to kill themselves to entertain us, but find new and creative ways to wrestle, as they have done in the past.
2) ECW must build new superstars. How is the new viewer going to relate to someone like Tommy Dreamer? His legacy will mean nothing to them. They weren’t there through his epic battles with Raven. They didn’t see Beulah get 3D’d. They don’t know his history. They are going to see someone who looks like he’s been through the war and looks one misstep from permanent retirement. Poor Terry Funk looks absolutely ancient. The Sandman. Balls. Sabu. All of these guys are pushing it and can’t last much longer. I’m thinking that with Heyman’s involvement in OVW we should be seeing some of their stars soon. CM Punk, for one, would be a great fit. I’ve also heard rumors of Homicide arriving. These are steps in the right direction.
3) ECW needs to remain true to its roots. It cannot be another Smackdown/Raw. It needs to be extreme. There needs to be swearing (beep it out on the network, let it fly on the pay-per-views). They need to have provocative stories. They need to balance the hardcore matches out with classic wrestling matches. Remember, for every Sabu/Sandman you had Malenko/Guerrero. I want to go from a 20 minute classic to a barbed wire match. That’s why I loved ECW. They had what I wanted.
If the WWE can give us all of these with ECW, then I predict that the brand will be a success. If not, it could have the same attached stigma of the Invasion or the nWo: hot, hot angles with plenty of potential failing miserably. But, if it works, and I hope it does, we’ll all be a little luckier as wrestling fans. Come on guys, make us proud!
(edited by The King of Keith on 7.6.06 1641) Promote this thread! | | Matt Tracker
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| #2 Posted on 7.6.06 1533.09 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1535.06 | Angle's inclusion is obviously a step in the right direction. He's a master showman and one of the best ring workers in the history of ever, and he draws WWE fans to the new experiment. It's a great move and makes such sense that I can't believe they're going ahead with it.
While I don't have mu interest in the ECW stalwarts like Sabu, Ballz, Axl, or Sandman, I do want to see CW Anderson and the rumored return of Tanaka. I also hope they bring up new guys lingering on the WWE periphery like Punk. I also think guys like Matt Hardy can find a new momentum in this fed. It solves some problems for WWE to have this outlet for a variety of workers, including cruiserweights.
I'm all kinds of curious about this new ECW. | Mayhem
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| #3 Posted on 7.6.06 1610.56 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1613.09 | I've read some reports that Gangrel has been signed to be in the new ECW ... to help please the Sci-Fi network folks who want a little bit on "sci-fi" to go with the product. | Freeway
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| #4 Posted on 7.6.06 1611.58 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1613.10 | Originally posted by Mayhem
I've read some reports that Gangrel has been signed to be in the new ECW ... to help please the Sci-Fi network folks who want a little bit on "sci-fi" to go with the product.
He can work and he has a kickass gimmick. What's not to love? | StaggerLee
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| #5 Posted on 7.6.06 1635.45 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1639.51 | Originally posted by Freeway420
Originally posted by Mayhem
I've read some reports that Gangrel has been signed to be in the new ECW ... to help please the Sci-Fi network folks who want a little bit on "sci-fi" to go with the product.
He can work and he has a kickass gimmick. What's not to love?
Is there a second Gangrel walking the planet? Or have I just missed something? | OMEGA
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| #6 Posted on 7.6.06 1732.04 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1732.05 | Originally posted by Freeway420 He can work and he has a kickass gimmick. What's not to love?
I agree with only half of that statement. I loved the gimmick, but I don't recall ever thinking too much of Gangrel in the ring. | Greymarch
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| #7 Posted on 7.6.06 1838.01 Reposted on: 7.6.13 1838.29 | Originally posted by Mayhem
I've read some reports that Gangrel has been signed to be in the new ECW ... to help please the Sci-Fi network folks who want a little bit on "sci-fi" to go with the product.
Yes! My sig is relevant again! | The Vile1
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| #8 Posted on 8.6.06 0103.58 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0104.31 | What is Smackdown left with now that Angle is in this WWECW?
They've lost Benoit, JBL, Angle, and now Orton. The last time something similar happened was 2 years ago after the first draft lottery and Smackdown went down the toilet.
The champion, who is the lamest duck world champion of all time, needs to leave soon for knee surgery. Batista still isn't back yet. And I'm sorry but you can't build a strong main event scene out of The Giant Khali and Mark Henry.
Why does WWE hate Smackdown so much and constantly want it to look like crap? | edoug
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| #9 Posted on 8.6.06 0239.27 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0239.43 | Originally posted by The Vile1 What is Smackdown left with now that Angle is in this WWECW?
They've lost Benoit, JBL, Angle, and now Orton. The last time something similar happened was 2 years ago after the first draft lottery and Smackdown went down the toilet.
The champion, who is the lamest duck world champion of all time, needs to leave soon for knee surgery. Batista still isn't back yet. And I'm sorry but you can't build a strong main event scene out of The Giant Khali and Mark Henry.
Why does WWE hate Smackdown so much and constantly want it to look like crap?
ECW is doing their tv tapings at the same locations as Smackdown, so there'll probably be some interaction there. | Excalibur05
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| #10 Posted on 8.6.06 0243.29 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0243.53 | The conspiracy theorist in me says that WWE is doing this as a way of tanking the show until the swap over to CW as a way of goosing UPN for dicking around with the show last year. The realist in me thinks that WWE probably doesn't think anything is wrong.
Smackdown has always been (since the split) a kind of "proving ground" show. You always have a mix of bonafide top stars in there (which now would be Booker, Rey, Batista and, if you want to go there, Mark Henry) along with a large chunk of talent who is particularily green or whose live promos (if they get any) could benefit from being edited after the fact on the tape delay. So in that respect, getting rid of Orton and Angle really just means there's a spot to give Lashley more time, or Kennedy, or (yes) Khali. Then when those guys are sufficiantly prepared, you toss them over to the "Flagship" and send in the next batch of young, green talent (your Gunner Scotts and Paul Burchils).
Of course, that's not particularily good planning if you want to really make the Smackdown brand seem as strong as RAW, or to get higher ratings for your Friday Night network block, but in the long run, it's kind of what has made guys like Finlay, Lashley, Kennedy even Batista to a certain extent, and certainly now Booker T into bigger stars in the long run than they ever would have fighting for TV time with an upper card like RAW has. It's dumb logic, sure, but it's not my company. | Destrucity
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| #11 Posted on 8.6.06 0630.08 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0630.33 | Originally posted by The King of Keith There needs to be swearing (beep it out on the network, let it fly on the pay-per-views).
I thought they suggested there would be swearing last night when Kurt Angle said "shit." Of course, considering "shit" didn't quite get bleeped, they might think twice before letting anyone out there for a Shane Douglas-style fuck-laden promo. | britishiles
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| #12 Posted on 8.6.06 0914.26 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0914.44 | I agree that they need to build more "Oh My God" moments otherwise it will just be another WWE show.
My first OMG moment for ECW was when Shane Douglas grabbed Pitbull #1 by the neck halo and started shaking it. I was watching the show in my bedroom and sat striaght up in bed and gasped. Woke my wife out of a sound sleep. It was the first time I had ever witnessed an ECW TV show. Wasn't the last one, but it was the last one I tried to watch while the wife was asleep in the same room. | CANADIAN BULLDOG
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| #13 Posted on 8.6.06 0939.46 Reposted on: 8.6.13 0940.14 | I think we just need to give it a chance and see what happens.
So far, everything they've indicated is that this won't be another "reunion" type show beyond the PPV. And with Heyman writing, it IS going to be different than the Raw and SmackDown stuff.
I am baffled by the SmackDown stuff, though. Besides JBL, Benoit, etc. and now Orton, don't forget that their one marquee tag team is gone too. And how long will it be, realistically, before Mysterio has to go in for surgery?
I don't know... I just keep thinking that maybe Friday nights will become ECW nights on CW, while Raw would get some of the SmackDown guys. Maybe not, but it just seems that way.... | KJames199
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| #14 Posted on 8.6.06 1118.19 Reposted on: 8.6.13 1118.50 | Originally posted by Destrucity I thought they suggested there would be swearing last night when Kurt Angle said "shit." Of course, considering "shit" didn't quite get bleeped, they might think twice before letting anyone out there for a Shane Douglas-style fuck-laden promo.
Tazz's "motherfucker" at Lawler didn't quite get bleeped either. | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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