World Wrestling Federation
I am beginning to wonder if the World Wrestling Federation hires chimpanzees to write their shows for them. Actually, let me take that back - it would be insulting the poor chimps and they do not deserve that kind of treatment.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with the WWE. On one hand, the WWE is just entertainment, similar in concept to the circus. Shows are put on by various characters for the entertainment of the audience. Between each show, the clowns come out and entertain us for a while until the stage is set for the next show. And, just like the circus, people get hurt occasionally and sometimes the backstage shows are more entertaining than the stuff seen by the audience.
The WWE is violent, that goes without saying. Yes, it does portray women and minorities (and everyone else for that matter) in a bad way. Actually, there is virtually no socially redeeming value to the WWE.
But would you expect there to be socially redeeming value to the circus? Or would you just want to be entertained?
What I like about the WWE is when two perfectly matched opponents go against each other after a good build up. The Rock against Triple H, the Undertaker against Kane, Chris Jericho against just about anyone. The suspense, the drama and the nail biting ... this is what makes wrestling fun to watch - just like the circus.
On the other hand, the WWE is at it's worst when it's writing stinks (as it has throughout 2001), it's rehearsals are obviously missing (as has been obvious with Stone Cold recently), or when it becomes downright degrading (as with the matches between Jeff Jarrett and Chyna just before he retired). There were some matches, especially those with Triple H and his sledgehammer, that were so violent that I turned off the television.
The most recent storyline involves the merger of the WWE, WCW and ECW organizations. Well, not merger, precisely, but more of an invasion. This is something that all WWE fans the world over have wanted for a long time and it's nice to actually see it happening. Unfortunately, the writing has been so lame that the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is being wasted. On one hand, you've got a sniveling coward whiny Stone Cold Steve Austin, and on the other you've got lame matches and stupid storylines. About the only things keeping the WWE on the air, in my opinion, are Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, Kane and, of course, The Rock.
I used to watch every single WWE show, including the pay-per-views. Now I watch perhaps once a week, just to see if Vince finally got smart and fired the writers (and hired those chimps). Not yet, but I keep hoping.
The Heart Break Kid - The all time best of the best. No one has ever topped the matches and shows of HBK. Not only could he wrestle, but he understood, as did Mankind, that the show is what's important.
After HBK seriously injured himself and retired from wrestling, he returned as the Commissioner, and created an impish, impulsive character which served as a counterweight to the total power of Vince. The character of the Commissioner was a stroke of genius, since otherwise Vince could do whatever he wanted without restraint - and there would be no real conflict. Even though Mankind made a pretty good Commissioner after HBK retired for good, he could not fill the shoes. And the current Commissioner, well, just doesn't do the trick.
Mankind - I know that he was never one of the better wrestlers, but good old Mick Foley has always been one of my favorites. His cage match with The Undertaker has never been beat for shear mayhem - it showed Mick at his best against one of the true greats of wrestling (the Undertaker). Mick was always good at what wrestling is all about (today at least): entertaining the audience. It was the show that was important to Mick. He has always understood that the matches are actually almost secondary to the show which occurs during and afterwards. Wrestling lost something special forever when Mick retired - and I'm happy to see him occasionally elsewhere on television (recently I saw him on Battlebots).
The Undertaker - This is one of the hugest guys I have ever seen. The Undertaker is big, he's strong and he can do anything. He was at his best as the supreme bad guy in the "Higher Power" series, although his matches are always good. Of course one of the best matches ever was the famous cage match with Mankind (nothing since has surpassed it). These days something seems to be missing from the Undertaker. He was severely injured some time ago, then returned as a totally different, motorcycle riding character. He's still one of the WWE's best ... but his performances just are not what they were a few years ago.
Kane - The "big red machine" is, along with the Undertaker, one of the steady best of the best. My wife and I love to watch Kane in action, although his talents do not seem to be used much lately. Mostly Kane has been on the sidelines in short matches without much too them. A few years ago, however, me and the wife used to stand up screaming and yelling when Kane was about to lose, and we'd always watch any show which featured this outstanding wrestler.
Chris Jericho - This blond guy started out as Y2J, and at first the wife and I hated him. However, as the years have gone by Chris has become one of the best and most entertaining wrestlers in the federation. These days Chris is one of the few wrestlers in the WWE who can actually hold his own.
Chyna - Easily the best female wrestler that ever has been in professional wrestling. Before her injury, her shows were fantastic. After she returned, her shows were so lame she might as well have stayed retired. When she finally did leave, after reportedly asking for too much money, I was bot glaad and sad. Glad because she was not really doing anything anymore anyway, and sad because of what she might have been had she tried. I think Chyna will regret leaving the WWE, because that's what made her great. Without the WWE she's just another muscular woman.
The Rock - What can I say about the Rock? Next to HBK, he is probably the best wrestler on television. He's always smooth, his shows are always good, and his wrestling is great. I like the Rock and I like to watch him fight in his matches. He knows how to pace a match to make it more exciting to the audience - which means he knows what counts. It's just too bad that the writing has gotten so poor lately that even the "great one" cannot bail out the shows.
Ivory - This woman is fiery and she's very good. So far the WWE has not really known what to do with her, and has vastly under utilized her talents. She was especially poorly used in the "right to censor" group, and I'm glad to see that she has left it, hopefully for good.
Triple H - This man is probably the best bad guy that ever was. No one, including Stone Cold, plays the bad guy better than Triple H. There have been shows where he was so evil and so bad that my wife and I turned the channel. I'll be glad when his injury clears up, because the WWE hasn't had a real bad guy since he went on the injured list.
The Hardy Boys - Every time I see these guys in a match I have to close my eyes and pray that they do not get hurt. They are extremely acrobatic and their shows are wonderful. However, it looks like they get seriously hurt every time. Either their bodies are made of rubber or they are wrestling with broken bones. In either case, they do put on excellent shows.
Kurt Angle - Other than the Rock, the other thing that the WWE has going for it right now is Kurt Angle. They still don't really know what to do with this fine athlete, but lately his character has been improving. Kurt is very good, and I jut hope the writers don't ruin him before he can make it big.
Chris Benoit - Chris was one of the best bad guys, next to Triple H, that was in the WWE. He has a snaggle-tooth smile which just makes him look vicious and downright evil. I hope he returns from his injuries soon, and I really hope the writers are smart enough to use his bad-guy persona to the max.
The Big Show - I loved the Big Show from the moment that he appeared on the WWE. He had the potential to be one of the great wrestlers, and I believe he still can be among the best. However, it's obvious the writers don't have a clue what to do with him. Come on guys - you've got a huge guy similar to one of the greatest (Andre the Giant) - use him! I would like to see The Big Show become great - and I am rooting for him on the sidelines.
Diamond Dallas Page - DDP recently came over from the sack of WCW. The WWE writers have not done this very talented wrestler justice, and I hope they take better advantage of his obvious talents soon. DDP will unquestionably be one of the great WWE wrestlers in years to come.
Booker T - Booker has the talent to be one of the super-greats, up there with The Undertaker, if only he would fire his writers. Come on, Booker, I know you've got it in you, go for it.
Molly Holly - I wish this woman would do something. She can obviously wrestle (otherwise why is she here) but she just gets in these silly soap-opera acts all of the time. Come on Molly, fire the writers and do something. I know you've got the talent.
Steve Austin - Ah, Stone Cold Steve Austin. What have those chimpanzees, excuse me, writers done to your character? Man oh man, did you get raped or what? I hope you at least put up a token protest to just about every script you've been a part of since you returned from retirement, because to be perfectly frank about it - your new persona stinks.
Years ago, especially during the higher power series, my wife and I used to tune into every single show, mostly to see your character. You were one of the greatest that ever was, and now your character is just plain pathetic.
Turning on the Rock and siding with Vince just to win the title? Come on, that was never your style. Pouting over not getting enough hugs? Kissing up to Vince? And worst of all, beating up JR on stage. The Steve Austin character is pathetic now, and the greatness of the days of old is a distant memory.
You want to impress someone Steve? Drag all of your writers up to the ring and do what you do best. Then fire all of them. Immediately. They deserve no less for what they've done to your character.
Jeff Jarrett - This loser was so violent and so degrading that whenever one of his matches came on television my wife and I turned the channel. Jeff was known for his trademark (which he carried with him to WCW when he left WWE a while ago) of smashing a guitar into someone's head when they were not looking. I was glad to see Jeff leave the WWE and now that WWE owns WCW I hope they do not rehire him.