Originally posted by dwatersThis Fandango thing could totally catch on. It's the sort of goofy, campy, fun thing people watch wrestling for and has been lacking as of late.
I'm the only guy that totally hates this, right? Just checking.
As a thing that will go on and on in the future, with likely half-hearted attempts to recapture the magic and make it A Thing? I'll probably be with you sooner than later. But as it happened last night, with no warning and as a payoff to one of the strangest, most drawn-out character introductions for one of the weirdest character ideas to make it on WWE TV in years? I honestly don't know what there is to hate about it. Some dedicated people (and there must have been a single handful of people who were making every chant happen, right?) got an entire crowd to sing a wordless song in time and on cue with no previous occurrences to draw on.
On the general topic of crowds going into business for themselves, I usually don't like it. The Impact Zone crowd was almost as culpable as people like Hogan or Jarrett in making TNA a lousy product. There are plenty of indy crowd chestnuts I can't roll my eyes hard enough at. But I loved what happened on Raw. I don't necessarily want to see it again (and what I'll more likely object to, as above, are attempts to force it), but it had to happen.
To me, it goes back to that Chioda chant really kicking the insanity off. The show as planned was mostly terrible to that point, especially the stuff we've mostly glossed over like Booker being sent out to somehow make decisions for the WWE title even though they showed Vickie/Maddox backstage right after, and even worse, that they gave him that terrible "Mark Henry, you need to beat John Cena to prove you deserve a title shot against John Cena" nonsense to sell people on. The Sheamus/Orton booking was equally directionless. The crowd just deciding to dump both guys in the match and pick the only other person in the ring to cheer for instead was about as subversive as 19,000 people can simultaneously be. The biggest problem the company has had for the last five or six years is their refusal to change plans and adapt based on the reactions they get, and if it takes the smarkiest of all fans from around the world coming together to troll the company once a year every April until they finally get some reaction other than pretending the crowd is chanting something else or editing the crowd out, I'm willing to eat a few "We are awesome!" level groaners.
Wasn't the crowd after Miami terrible last year and wasn't part of the reason because Vince took a bit of a revenge dump on The Universe? I might be wrong on that, but Vince will have some revenge for last night's transgressions.
Originally posted by Matt TrackerThen ADR hit a GORGEOUS enziguri
I almost forgot about that enziguri! It was like he was floating in mid-air.
Further thoughts on the crowd: Whether or not the crowd going into business for itself was a good thing in the long run, I just really liked the idea that they were not going to let the show get away with being boring. No crowd should ever let the show get away with being boring. People are paying money, people are investing time. The WWE has the greatest talent in the world, both in and out of the ring. They have no excuse to put on a boring show. I appreciate that the crowd made a fairly by-the-numbers show unpredictable in a way.
Too bad Maxine from NXT didn't stay with the company, she could of played Fandango's dance partner. Staying quiet in the beginning and slowly letting the crazy out as Fandango got progressively "Durty Curty" weirder.
I'm in, let Fandangomania begin! I forgot how funny Curtis/Fandango was until last night. I just spent most of my day off watching old Johnny Curtis backstage NXT segments and replaying Dolph's cash in. Maybe I need to look into finding a new girlfriend soon.....
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you...
Originally posted by John OrquiolaWWE has really run with this thing. (wwe.com) Lots of the wrestlers, plus Triple H and Stephanie praised the crowd on Twitter.
If WWE was really sincere in their praise of the crowd, let's see them back it up with action next year and do both of the post-WM TV tapings in New Orleans, in order to get two Bizarro World crowds. (Seriously, I don't know why they haven't been doing it; it's an easy way to wring one more cash grab out of the portion of the fanbase that travels for WrestleMania.)
Originally posted by SchippeWreckBrothers of YEStruction.
I don't care what you call it as long as Bryan EMBRACES THE YES again, and soon.
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoWasn't the crowd after Miami terrible last year and wasn't part of the reason because Vince took a bit of a revenge dump on The Universe? I might be wrong on that, but Vince will have some revenge for last night's transgressions.
The crowd last year YES! YES! YES!'d all over the post-WM Raw, effectively making Daniel Bryan a star, so I don't know how that could be considered "terrible".
Originally posted by dwatersThis Fandango thing could totally catch on. It's the sort of goofy, campy, fun thing people watch wrestling for and has been lacking as of late.
I'm the only guy that totally hates this, right? Just checking.
Oh, it's the best thing ever right now. But it also has the dangerous potential to become the new "What?"...and could become far more disruptive than "What?" ever was.
I think the Fandango theme "singing" was fun. For a one time thing. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed themselves. If it happens again? It won't be fun. You can't ever recapture that spontaneity.
I'd be fine if people just do it along with Fandango's entrance, the way they once opportunistically chant "You Suck" to the rhythm of Kurt Angle's music. If it starts bleeding into whole other segments all the time or becoming a full "What?"...yeah, not so much.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Great moment with Ziggler, and Ryback. They can try all they want to turn Ryback heel, but he's the defacto face here.
I know Vince is probably stopped giving a shit what the anti-cena portion of the crowd thinks at this point, but my god, Cena was reaching new levels of insufferable last night, Rock came out last year and was humble in victory, he praised Cena and came across as humble. Cena came across as a obnoxious (want to punch in the face) douchebag last night.
I do feel sorry for Cena here, I think that he wants *badly* *desperately* to turn heel, and yet again, he's forced to come out and play Mr goof ball 'circa 2010' when what he really wants to do is tell this crowd where to stick it. But he can't because Vince won't let him, and we're more or less stuck in a catch 22, 2006 time warp, where the more the crowd boo him, the more stubborn VKM gets in his 'fuck you, not listening' attitude.
I tell you, the day VKM finally retires can't come soon enough in my book.
Originally posted by lotjxFandango has a limited moves.
He's ... been in one match.
Originally posted by CruelAngel777Too bad Maxine from NXT didn't stay with the company, she could of played Fandango's dance partner.
That girl Summer Rae from developmental was playing his dancer at the weekend press stuff, but I don't know if she can actually dance and knows the routine, or she was just there for pictures.
Originally posted by steven87gill Great moment with Ziggler, and Ryback. They can try all they want to turn Ryback heel, but he's the defacto face here.
I know Vince is probably stopped giving a shit what the anti-cena portion of the crowd thinks at this point, but my god, Cena was reaching new levels of insufferable last night, Rock came out last year and was humble in victory, he praised Cena and came across as humble. Cena came across as a obnoxious (want to punch in the face) douchebag last night.
I do feel sorry for Cena here, I think that he wants *badly* *desperately* to turn heel, and yet again, he's forced to come out and play Mr goof ball 'circa 2010' when what he really wants to do is tell this crowd where to stick it. But he can't because Vince won't let him, and we're more or less stuck in a catch 22, 2006 time warp, where the more the crowd boo him, the more stubborn VKM gets in his 'fuck you, not listening' attitude.
I tell you, the day VKM finally retires can't come soon enough in my book.
Well, given all the stuff that's been said by Cena, I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with your comment about him badly desperately wanting to turn heel.
I'm also going to disagree about him reaching new levels of insufferable. He played to the crowd great, he didn't ignore that there were many boos in there, and he got his message across.
I get the impression that you're a former Cena fan that really really wants him to do something you find exciting, but you don't want to blame him because you were a fan for so long. But really ... it's not VKM. It's Cena.
I really like the way Cena's last two promos have gone and I think it's actually gotten to the point where the boos, the trolling, and the smirks have become his character. I think he has evolved over the last two or so years.
Admittedly, I tuned out of wrestling between 2006 and 2011, so I missed a lot of Cena's time on top (and Edge's, and Orton's, and HHH's). Maybe if I'd been watching the whole time, I'd be as sick of his character as a lot of people are.
But, the feuds with CM Punk and The Rock have given him new life to me, and I think that, while he may never be a star on par with Austin, The Rock, and Hogan, he may have a longevity they never had.
I guess we'll wait to see when the buyrates for WM29 come in, but Cena still seems to be going strong.
Originally posted by HokienauticI'm also going to disagree about him reaching new levels of insufferable. He played to the crowd great, he didn't ignore that there were many boos in there, and he got his message across.
He's been doing the exact same thing for the past 7 years, it was novel in 2006 when it all started, but it all just feels a bit tired and worn out in 2013.
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDI really like the way Cena's last two promos have gone and I think it's actually gotten to the point where the boos, the trolling, and the smirks have become his character. I think he has evolved over the last two or so years.
He was trolling and smirking during the period of time you missed out on: 2006-2010. Trust me, he really hasn't evolved.
Again, as you say, it's down to how long you've been watching. If I'd tuned out from 05' onwards and only recently tuned in, he'd seem fresh and new to me, and I'd love watching the way he deals with the booing. But I've seen all this before.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you...
Originally posted by GodEatGodI'd be fine if people just do it along with Fandango's entrance, the way they once opportunistically chant "You Suck" to the rhythm of Kurt Angle's music. If it starts bleeding into whole other segments all the time or becoming a full "What?"...yeah, not so much.
That's pretty much what I see happening with this, especially if the reports out of Smackdown are any indication.
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Originally posted by Matt TrackerThey saw the Ryback turn early but didn't see Ziggler's challenge coming.
I could've sworn there were several "We Want Ziggler" chants during the Del Rio/Swagger match ... are you saying that they were just being antagonist towards the booking (shocking), assuming that Ziggler would NOT cash in during the show?
Originally posted by Dr Unlikely Can we talk about the crowd's true greatest accomplishment? I want to know the exact moment where HHH decided it was better to lower himself to making his BIG MOMENT on SmackDown rather than go face whatever that crowd was going to do to him. There's zero doubt in my mind he as planning on going out there before the show started - especially with no Rock, Punk or Lesnar to steal any spotlight - and had to call an audible halfway through because he was afraid to do it without a team of audio producers to make sure he came out of it OK. Searching for the moment where he must have changed his mind and told the truck to slap together that half-assed "HHH on SmackDown!" graphic deserves it's own Zapruder rewatch podcast alone.
The 3MB match MUST'VE been where the HHH segment was originally scheduled ... Throw out six jobbers on a post-WrestleMania show for no discernable storyline reason? Come on.
My new inappropriate catchphrase: Vinegar, please!