The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[RingRider]

What did people think of the Austin podcast on the Network? I thought he brought it in both a respectful and entertaining way. I really enjoyed it and would like to see more specials like this on the network going forward.

 

It was kind of a revelation to hear how many frickin' podcasts there are. How do people find the time to listen to all of them, watch all wrestling programming, and make thoughtful posts on fora. You honestly can't have any other hobbies if you do.

 

To be honest, over the last year I have found myself investing more of my time into podcast world of wrestling than to actually watching shows. Steve Austin, Jim Ross, MLW, etc. have been 10x's more entertaining than Raw. Podcasts takes less time to consume, can be done on the go, and provide a high quality of entertainment.

[FINisher]

I found the Austin/Vince podcast really enjoyable, it's always great and fresh to hear stuff straight from Vince.

[Teh_Showtime]

I thought it was ok. A lot of it was spent on taking about stuff the network talks about in enough but the stuff he opened up about was fairly interesting like Taker, talent, even he said more about Punk than I thought.

 

Though I did have to question a few things that we see on Tv all the time that directly contradict some of what he said.

[RKOwnage]

I thought it was ok. A lot of it was spent on taking about stuff the network talks about in enough but the stuff he opened up about was fairly interesting like Taker, talent, even he said more about Punk than I thought.

 

Though I did have to question a few things that we see on Tv all the time that directly contradict some of what he said.

 

I tend to respectfully disagree with some things that you say in this thread, but you hit the nail on the head completely here.

 

Like the part where he talked about Cesaro not having the 'it' factor or connecting with the audience. Maybe he doesn't have the 'it' factor on the microphone, but you can't tell me he wasn't connecting right before they put him with Heyman and he won the Andre the Giant battle royal. He was on fire. He was definitely connecting, and then they forced him heel (for no apparent reason) and took his swing away from him. That doesn't quite jive with what Vince was saying.

 

I thought it was a good podcast because Austin asked some tough questions and for the most part didn't let Vince wriggle out of them. Like FINisher said, I like hearing from Vince too.

[crownsy]

I tend to respectfully disagree with some things that you say in this thread, but you hit the nail on the head completely here.

 

Like the part where he talked about Cesaro not having the 'it' factor or connecting with the audience. Maybe he doesn't have the 'it' factor on the microphone, but you can't tell me he wasn't connecting right before they put him with Heyman and he won the Andre the Giant battle royal. He was on fire. He was definitely connecting, and then they forced him heel (for no apparent reason) and took his swing away from him. That doesn't quite jive with what Vince was saying.

 

I thought it was a good podcast because Austin asked some tough questions and for the most part didn't let Vince wriggle out of them. Like FINisher said, I like hearing from Vince too.

 

I liked it too, but did anyone else find the complete lack of any mention of Daniel Bryan disturbing?

 

Vince didn't even mention him when he was running down the "few guys in this new generation who are willing to risk it all (i.e kill themselves for the business) when he listed like Wyatt, Ziggler, Ambrose, Rollins and some others in NXT.

 

Just found the complete lack of any mention of arguably the second hottest face in the company kinda glaring.

[The Swanton825]

I liked it too, but did anyone else find the complete lack of any mention of Daniel Bryan disturbing?

 

Vince didn't even mention him when he was running down the "few guys in this new generation who are willing to risk it all (i.e kill themselves for the business) when he listed like Wyatt, Ziggler, Ambrose, Rollins and some others in NXT.

 

Just found the complete lack of any mention of arguably the second hottest face in the company kinda glaring.

 

He might see DBD as too laid back to be a major level player. Or Danielson could be planning to retire soon and Vince is one of the only guys who knows. Personally, I hope he is, I'm getting too many Benoit flashbacks with him for comfort.

[The Final Countdown]

He might see DBD as too laid back to be a major level player. Or Danielson could be planning to retire soon and Vince is one of the only guys who knows. Personally, I hope he is, I'm getting too many Benoit flashbacks with him for comfort.

I'm pretty sure that would kill my interest in wrestling forever.

[The Swanton825]

I'm pretty sure that would kill my interest in wrestling forever.

 

I idolized Benoit when I was a kid, I had already decided less than a year into watching wrestling that I was going to move to Atlanta when I was 18 and beg him to train me. So that whole business gutted my love of wrestling for years, only guys like Danielson and Nigel McGuinness kept me watching any wrestling. And after Benoit, seeing guys like Danielson throwing caution to wind and doing that damned headbutt, the move Harley Race has gone on record as saying that he wished that he'd never invented it, just make me terrified that it's going to happen again. His neck problems and his match at WM 30, a three-way between a smark favorite technician and two infamous politickers, certainly don't help my worries.

[Blackman]

Ryback was being offly careful with the kicks to the stomach on RAW.

[TakerNGN74]

It was kind of a revelation to hear how many frickin' podcasts there are. How do people find the time to listen to all of them, watch all wrestling programming, and make thoughtful posts on fora. You honestly can't have any other hobbies if you do.

 

This, I co host a podcast (that's currently on hiatus) and listen to a few others but most of them aren't the mainstream ones that everyone seems to listen to. Yes I'll listen to Steve Austin's show here and there considering he's my favorite wrestler of all time but others I just don't bother with.

 

As far as watching all wrestling programming, there was recently a NJPW Network that was launched that I would love to purchase but I can't realistically do it. I already have the WWE Network and that's enough as it is. If I were to get the NJPW network I would have to have no life what so ever which I can't do.

 

It's great that we live in a world where wrestling is easily accessible but realistically there are only 24 hours in a day and not enough can be accomplished when people have school (possibly college) and work to worry about as well as social lives and the like. Just adding a bit to the conversation but I completely agree with Blackman on this issue.

[Basmat01]

I would love to see 1 done with stone cold and HHH. i would like to hear what HHH thinks about the business and such. Plus Austin wouldnt be intimidated by HHH and would ask him the tough questions.

[djthefunkchris]

Not to take anything away from Austin, but I think people are perhaps giving him the wrong type of credit, not he doesn't deserve any..

 

Meaning, I don't think it's a matter of him not being afraid to ask the tough questions. I think it's a matter of him having the respect to be able to throw anything up for discussion. An example: To me it was obvious if Vince said "No, I don't want to talk about him (CM Punk)." Austin would have let it be. Also, he didn't get into any detail of the podcast at all, because Vince let him know he wasn't going to get into that by saying he hadn't heard it (and he probably hasn't).

 

I do think Austin deserves props for the interview, but I don't think he's willing to make anyone in WWE talk about something they don't want to. Vince obviously wanted to apologize for the timing issue. He did want to make it clear he liked Punk for some reason, but we already knew this to be true.

 

I too would love to hear what HHH has to say, without Stephanie being there to help give generic answers.

 

EDIT: Just wanted to throw in the obvious, the person that basically has Jim Ross' job is HHH, which should have been the guy to smooth things over. Since HHH seemed to be Punk's biggest influence on his decision to leave, I seriously doubt he could ever "smooth things out" for Vince and Punk.

[milamber]

Punk Podcast #2

 

More entertaining than the first one.

[Basmat01]

I hate that he keeps bring up the "they fired me on my wedding day" Seriously punk you QUIT like 5 months before they released him from his contract but they didnt fire him because you cant be fired if you have already quit.

[The Swanton825]

I hate that he keeps bring up the "they fired me on my wedding day" Seriously punk you QUIT like 5 months before they released him from his contract but they didnt fire him because you cant be fired if you have already quit.

 

Not defending him, because I think it's petty too. But I think what makes Punk mad is that he feels like they wanted to give him one last "go screw yourself!" so they bided their time until they could make his "official" release more than a formality.

[Killagy]

I hate that he keeps bring up the "they fired me on my wedding day" Seriously punk you QUIT like 5 months before they released him from his contract but they didnt fire him because you cant be fired if you have already quit.

 

Don't see how he could have quit when he obviously received termination papers in the mail while recovering from his own injuries. Serious injuries that the company and the poor excuse of a company's official doctor negligently ignored and forced him to work through. How in the blue hell could they ignore a damn staph infection???

 

Totally agree with Swanton's comment though about the wedding day termination being the WWE's final attempt to tell him to go f*** himself.

[Teh_Showtime]

I personally thought it was hilarious Vince doesn't think forcing PPV providers to not show Starrcade 87 was hurting the competition

[Kitarzu]

Sometimes images express better than words...

 

http://i.imgur.com/8gH7S9g.jpg

[Moe Hunter]

Yep - WWE dodged Punk's calls for months. Then when Triple H wants to talk, Punk asks for a few days TO ENJOY HIS WEDDING AND HONEYMOON, but that's unacceptable, he must be fired immediately.

 

Even if the exact timing wasn't intentional, it's still a complete "**** you".

[lazorbeak]

I hate that he keeps bring up the "they fired me on my wedding day" Seriously punk you QUIT like 5 months before they released him from his contract but they didnt fire him because you cant be fired if you have already quit.

 

If you're an independent contractor who has already met the minimum requirements of your current contract, then no, you haven't "quit" when you stop showing up to work, and yes, you're still entitled to get paid for work you've already done.

 

Yes, it's playing lawyer-ball, but WWE has been doing the same thing ever since they made their "independent contractors" agree to be completely exclusive via written contract.

[DaMegaFish]

 

So Noelle Foley is like Jenna Marbles for wrestling? Not entirely sure how I feel about that. The main reason I posted this was because she takes a nice dig at Al Snow towards the end that actually made me laugh. While talking about what she got for Cyber week she says, "and a signed Al Snow figure....that I paid them NOT to send me. But I got it anyway."

 

Ahh, Foley's vs Snow will never get old. Also, I guess she is now training to be a wrestler which means I wouldn't be shocked if she wound up training down at NXT before long.

[Blackman]

I didnt like the second podcast that much. They talked about ... what...Morris Jay and the Time for 3 minutes ffs. That shit is gay, man. Like f'n 80s style.

[Basmat01]

If you're an independent contractor who has already met the minimum requirements of your current contract, then no, you haven't "quit" when you stop showing up to work, and yes, you're still entitled to get paid for work you've already done.

 

Yes, it's playing lawyer-ball, but WWE has been doing the same thing ever since they made their "independent contractors" agree to be completely exclusive via written contract.

 

Well when your boss wants you to do something and you turn around and tell him your not doing that and you've had enough and then pack your stuff and you go home is quitting. I'm not disputing the reasons why he left.

[The Swanton825]

Another Slammy season, another lost chance for Big E to win Best Rack in WWE.

[Rickymex]

Well when your boss wants you to do something and you turn around and tell him your not doing that and you've had enough and then pack your stuff and you go home is quitting. I'm not disputing the reasons why he left.

 

CM Punk didn't need to do that so he didn't do it. Simple as that. He met his contract requirements and was done. If your boss wants you to work more than what you are required you have every right to refuse or agree as you see fit.