WWE TLC 2012 Discussion Thread - December 16, 2012 from Brooklyn, NY (#4)

[DC]

but with the PG restraints I don't see It happening

The age-rating of the show will have nothing to do with how successful someone will / can be.

Hogan was the biggest thing in wrestling history in a PG environment and Cena is the biggest thing in the current PG environment (while CM Punk - an anti-establishment character - is also thriving).

Talent will get over in whatever environment they find themselves in.

[dsrchris]

The age-rating of the show will have nothing to do with how successful someone will / can be.

Hogan was the biggest thing in wrestling history in a PG environment and Cena is the biggest thing in the current PG environment (while CM Punk - an anti-establishment character - is also thriving).

Talent will get over in whatever environment they find themselves in.

But there's also the fact that some talent will feel repressed and held back by the content rules they have to stick to? Sure there's an argument to say that cream rises to the top regardless, but there's also an argument to say that allowing this talent to perform unrestricted would make them even more successful?

[Jimmy Redman]

Yeah, but that is true of the opposite to a certain extent. Look at all the dogsh*t done for "shock value" back then, that led to overkill and ultimately ended up hurting the company in regards to advertisers and things. Look at guys who go to TNA, suddenly have creative freedom and end up doing self-indulgent rubbish.

[Jamster26]

Jeez, is AJ still butting into matches? She should have been removed months ago but I'm glad Dolph won.

[Jayfunk]

The surprise of AJ costing people matches and turning on her partners should be over by now

[Jayfunk]

TNA, suddenly have creative freedom and end up doing self-indulgent rubbish.

Untrue, people like to blake that freedom worked, Christian was great in TNA, much more of a character than he is now, anyways it was a swiping statement

[Jamster26]

I preferred him in TNA. I don't think WWE know how to use him properly.

[dsrchris]

Yeah, but that is true of the opposite to a certain extent. Look at all the dogsh*t done for "shock value" back then, that led to overkill and ultimately ended up hurting the company in regards to advertisers and things. Look at guys who go to TNA, suddenly have creative freedom and end up doing self-indulgent rubbish.

Fair point. Maybe "unrestricted" was too much of a sweeping statement.

It's almost as if there needs to be a balance between where WWE are at (overscripted, no freedom) and where TNA are at (some folks being allowed to do self indulgent stuff unchecked). I still think having too many restrictions on the workers is suffocating. If you ask me it's the main reason why everyone just seems to be cut from the same template in WWE these days. Loosening the reins slightly means we might actually get some diverse characters instead of most folks working on variations of the same theme.

[Jimmy Redman]

Oh no I agree with you. Over scripting and over production are stifling. I assumed that the point was more along the lines of 'if only he was around during the Attitude Era with blood and swearing and unprotected chair shots', so I may have just misinterpreted.

And Christian is so much better in WWE it's ridiculous. He was fine in TNA, and tried to rise above, but nothing he did there compares to the vast majority of his WWE career, frankly. Edge and Christian, Captain Charisma, his ECW ace run. Not a chance.

[DC]

Fair point. Maybe "unrestricted" was too much of a sweeping statement.

It's almost as if there needs to be a balance between where WWE are at (overscripted, no freedom) and where TNA are at (some folks being allowed to do self indulgent stuff unchecked). I still think having too many restrictions on the workers is suffocating. If you ask me it's the main reason why everyone just seems to be cut from the same template in WWE these days. Loosening the reins slightly means we might actually get some diverse characters instead of most folks working on variations of the same theme.

I think you may have got me wrong; I wasn't talking about scripted-compared-to-freedom, I was talking about the working within the system a wrestler finds himself in.

I mean, to use Hogan as an example; he excelled in the "safe" 80s environment and then excelled in the edgy mid-90s environment too. Sting was another one, as was / is Undertaker.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are wrestlers who could only be successful if the environment they find themselves in also caters to what they know how to do and there are wrestlers who could be successful in any environment because they don't need it to cater to what they know how to do... they simply adjust and adapt to fit the times or indeed the country they are currently in.