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


Adam Ryland

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But you weren't presenting anything to the contrary. I don't see why you think this situation is any different from what happened in the mid-1990's, when we saw aging stars phased out in conjunction with a decline in interest that simultaneously saw the business dry up all over the country.

Present evidence? It's plain for everyone to see. It's just that no one has seen it the way I have. The overall industry is dead. One hand, it's lost at the core of what it is (Jim Cornette's argument). On the other hand, it can't remake itself because there's nothing (Paul Heyman's argument). Though both of them are diametrical opposities, to some degree, both of them are right. Wrestling has at its core has moved off what it should be, while not adopting new things at the same time. That's the definition of "dying" to me. Wrestling isn't wrestling anymore, but at the same time, what it is is incredible stale.

 

It's in no-mans land. Wrestling needs to find out what it was before, and regonize it's limitations, yet attempt to rejuvenate itself. Otherwise, MMA would take the more pure-minded fans, new forms of entertainment would take away the the entertainment side of the fans, and then wrestling would be left with nothing.

 

Why does it occur to no one that somehow both Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette arrived to similar conclusions that MMA is the future, despite being diametrical opposites in style? Shouldn't that indicator to people that wrestling is going to die if it doesn't figure out what it is and what it stands for? Am I the only who sees a dying industry and wants to stop the bleeding? :(

 

The difference between the downtimes now, is there is no "other". There was always another promotion that can attract other fans in wrestling if they weren't into the dominant promotion. Now it's WWE. It holds almost all the market. It IS the industry for intents and purposes. Without other competition, there's nothing motivating them to grow, to be competitive. This also means fans that like wrestling but don't like WWE's style have little to no refuge. There's ROH and TNA, sure but they are bit players at best, with not enough exposure and coverage. A stagnant industry will eventually become a dead industry.

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DJ, that's really only an accurate measure of who is more popular now; just because Cena is more popular in a search engine doesn't mean anything except that right now he's the biggest name in wrestling. But that could end overnight (see: Jeff Hardy). One thing I do agree with ampulator about is that there's a definite change in what it means to be "over" in the traditional sense of the word. Because while Jeff Hardy could return to WWE tomorrow and still get a crowd reaction similar to what he was getting when he left, he's not going to find that anywhere else. Even as late as the 90's, when Hulk Hogan or Savage jumped ship, they brought fans with them. Hardy's fans are WWE fans first, and if he's not on their TV every week they'll cheer for someone else rather than follow Hardy.
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DJ, that's really only an accurate measure of who is more popular now; just because Cena is more popular in a search engine doesn't mean anything except that right now he's the biggest name in wrestling. But that could end overnight (see: Jeff Hardy). One thing I do agree with ampulator about is that there's a definite change in what it means to be "over" in the traditional sense of the word. Because while Jeff Hardy could return to WWE tomorrow and still get a crowd reaction similar to what he was getting when he left, he's not going to find that anywhere else. Even as late as the 90's, when Hulk Hogan or Savage jumped ship, they brought fans with them. Hardy's fans are WWE fans first, and if he's not on their TV every week they'll cheer for someone else rather than follow Hardy.

I do agree with that, and that is current fact that needs to be stated separately.

 

WWE Fans are WWE fans first. Fanbases to Wrestlers are secondary, for better or worse.

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DJ, that's really only an accurate measure of who is more popular now; just because Cena is more popular in a search engine doesn't mean anything except that right now he's the biggest name in wrestling. But that could end overnight (see: Jeff Hardy). One thing I do agree with ampulator about is that there's a definite change in what it means to be "over" in the traditional sense of the word. Because while Jeff Hardy could return to WWE tomorrow and still get a crowd reaction similar to what he was getting when he left, he's not going to find that anywhere else. Even as late as the 90's, when Hulk Hogan or Savage jumped ship, they brought fans with them. Hardy's fans are WWE fans first, and if he's not on their TV every week they'll cheer for someone else rather than follow Hardy.

 

/nod, but there is alot of reasons for that... WCW for example, wasn't seated with several dozen irritating crowd members, and it appeared to be a MUCH bigger promotion then TNA comes off as. TNA looks like it's done in a gymnasium with chair's put out for people to sit in, not like an actual arena. It's not totally ubelievable that a high school gymnasium could look better.

 

Outside of that, TNA would be more like one of the old Territories in popularity comparisons... Meaning, they draw about as well, and that's giving them a few thousand extra's. The WWE is as well known as the NBA or the NFL, etc. with each player representing teams.

 

They don't do things as they should be done... The closest I seen is when Angle first come there and said he wanted to work his way up the roster, not just come in and dominate the world champion... They should do that with anyone, no matter where they come from. With Hardy, I feel they have dropped the ball..> what a unique character he could have been if he sat out more, and used this new gimmick as a way to get over to start with. Then have him win against lower cards, and bring him up the card till he is relevant within' that company. Poeple coming in and automatically getting to the main event BEFORE they even establish a character (just using the previous pop from WWE instead), then establishing who/what they are trying to be totally loses their value. Give's us a "Wow... he's gone downhilll since he left the WWE" Perspective.

 

That engine wasn't meant to be something to go by in wrestling standards, only something to give an idea as to what people outside of wrestling might feel about them. I wasn't trying to say "Oh looky, Cena is more popular then The Rock!" because in my opinion someone like him or even Austin for that matter, coming back in a big way would push Cena out of the way for at least a few month's (and would probably top him on that list). Cena's just more popular now because he has his hands in alot more things then the other's do.... Wrestling, Movies (and that last one was pretty good IMO), interviews, talk shows, etc. Just a busy person is all...

 

Anyways, my point is that you don't have to be "good in the ring" to draw, and not everyone that draws is. Not everyone that draws is horrible in the ring either, and it seems that sometimes that IWC crowd (or perhaps it's another) do think that if someone draws, they must suck... always going for the people they don't think will ever be main eventing, and when they do turn on them within' a few months.

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I do agree with that, and that is current fact that needs to be stated separately.

 

WWE Fans are WWE fans first. Fanbases to Wrestlers are secondary, for better or worse.

 

I would debate this completely. WWE fans are wrestling fans just as anyone else is.... The problem isn't the fans, it's the product. Put out a product that catch's on mainstream, and you can have the same amount of success... Put out a lesser product, with more popular stars, and people aren't going to be as interested.

 

If I start a brand new hamburger type resturante/fast food place, and everyone likes it better then anyone else's (or at least the same), I will eventually become as busy as the other one's in town providing I can service people in the same way. If I have a burger that the majority likes better, and can service them properly, I can end up doing so good as to make another one, and eventually a franchise that becomes the most popular of all the burger place's...

 

If I can't provide the service properly, no matter how great my Burger's are, I'm not going to get the bussiness that faster/better providing service's are going to get... I can have the best burger in the world, but if my resturant is unclean, it takes 10 times longer to shoot out an order, etc... I'm never going to succeed with my burgers.

 

Burger's = Wrestler's in that little comparison.

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I would debate this completely. WWE fans are wrestling fans just as anyone else is.... The problem isn't the fans, it's the product. Put out a product that catch's on mainstream, and you can have the same amount of success... Put out a lesser product, with more popular stars, and people aren't going to be as interested.

 

If I start a brand new hamburger type resturante/fast food place, and everyone likes it better then anyone else's (or at least the same), I will eventually become as busy as the other one's in town providing I can service people in the same way. If I have a burger that the majority likes better, and can service them properly, I can end up doing so good as to make another one, and eventually a franchise that becomes the most popular of all the burger place's...

 

If I can't provide the service properly, no matter how great my Burger's are, I'm not going to get the bussiness that faster/better providing service's are going to get... I can have the best burger in the world, but if my resturant is unclean, it takes 10 times longer to shoot out an order, etc... I'm never going to succeed with my burgers.

 

Burger's = Wrestler's in that little comparison.

I don't meant this was ALWAYS the case. But it is the case now. But Jeff Hardy wasn't Hogan or Austin or even Bret at the height of his popularity. TNA is hardly a good example.

 

But the way the business is now, the way that WWE does business, it's brand first, wrestlers are secondary. It's defensive manuever I disagree with, but it is what it is.

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I don't meant this was ALWAYS the case. But it is the case now. But Jeff Hardy wasn't Hogan or Austin or even Bret at the height of his popularity. TNA is hardly a good example.

 

But the way the business is now, the way that WWE does business, it's brand first, wrestlers are secondary. It's defensive manuever I disagree with, but it is what it is.

 

I think I can come to some sort of agreement with you here..... The only thing I think we might differ from is if that's a good thing or not.

 

As I was saying, if you can't produce for the fans, then it doesn't matter how great your roster is...

 

For example.. TNA could aquire Cena, HHH, HBK, The Rock, Austin, etc... heck, give them Undertaker if it makes you happy... As long as they don't produce something interest in them, the popularity they would recieve from getting all these great icons at once, would be lost within' a matter of months, and they would be right back to where they are now.

 

They've proven that if they do something interesting, people do actually get involved, they do make new fans, and people will come and check them out.... but it's the old thing... don't advertise over what you can put out, if you expect people to come back. They talk as if they are the BEST, etc. They have the best talent, but they lack in all other area's. To me, even half the time their commentating is actually BETTER then WWE.. but they ruin it with their storylines and off the chart gimmicks (grabbing guys in the ring and such is NOT something I would want my kids to watch). To them it means your grown to throw up a middle finger and curse, or bleed... To me (and I'm far from the only person) it looks much more childish, and gives alot of the wrestler's an almost ignorant look ("boy has that guy gone downhill"). Everyone can't be Steve Austin, nor can they be ECW unless they have someone like Heyman giving you personalities that you can actually get into before they change their whole outlook on life.

 

Another example: I used to be a pretty popular DJ only a decade ago (last big gig I did was for the year 2000). IF I were to do something now, I would just advertise that "we" are doing something, what we are doing, and talk about just having a good time, come on out and have some fun. I wouldn't advertise myself as "The Best" or anything like that... I might not be able to fullfill that expectation if I did so, and so although THAT particular night would be a great win with me, as time goes by people would be put off that my show is sub-par to what I am advertising. So I downgrade it a little bit (come on out for a night of fun and dancing).. then I would try my best to give them alot more then what they expected, and believe me word of mouth makes the next night even better, and it only get's better from that point.

 

My point is, try to do better then expected. When you do that, you will always get more. It's better to have a 1.0, 1.1, 1.1, 1.2, and steadily climb to a steady 4.0, rather then have one night at 6.0, then next week drops to 4.0, then next week drops to 2.0, and from their on downhill. Don't expect people to come back if your going to advertise yourself OVER what you can deliver, because you WILL lose out on more then you could have gained in the long run by just being yourself.

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I'm more of a lurker than a poster, but since it's thanksgiving...

 

I'd say shes a keeper :p

 

That's what most of my buddies are saying. Did I mention she bought me a 12/mo subscription to XBOX LIVE a few weeks ago... just for the hell of it? This gal holds the key to my heart. :o

 

Listen, Logan. I think we can all agree that it would've been rude to say that to you, because it would've heavily implied that we didn't trust your taste in women.

 

Well put, Linsolv. You're excused. :p

 

I just noticed this, lucky man! In light of recent events....

 

 

Miss Rodzen has gained popularity from this segment

 

Miss Rodzen has gained respect from this segment

 

Miss Rodzen has seen a boost to her Babyface performance skill from this segment

 

Logan Rodzen is now Loyal to Miss Rodzen

 

I loved this, Genadi. I'll have to show her this later today (she always sees me lurking on GDS... or "my nerd site" as she likes to put it).

 

I was thinking about going but then I remembered how much I hate the Fleet Center or whatever it is called now. That arena just stinks. Especially if you have cheap seats (which I often have). The seats in the upper part of the arena are built so that you are slanted forward, which makes you feel like you are going to fall forward, at least for me anyway. Also, it cost an arm and a leg to park anywhere remotely close to the Fleet Center.

 

I went to the Royal Rumble at MSG a couple of years ago (another arena that I am not fond of) and it was a good show. My major gripe was about the arena and not the show. They pretty much opened the arena to the public like a half an hour before the show began so it ended up being a sea of people all entering the building at once which I was not happy about at all. And then MSG itself is horribly dated on the inside. One can tell that it was built in the late 1960's.

 

I also went to the 1994 Royal Rumble which was at the Providence Civc Center. However, I do not recall much about it.

 

It sucks that they are holding in Boston because the Royal Rumble is my favorite PPV (yes even over Wrestle Mania, which much like the Super Bowl, is way over-hyped). I just wish that if they were going to have it in New England they would have it in Providence or Hartford because those arenas are just better in my opinion. Plus in Providence you do not have to pay to park if you are willing to walk a little bit.

 

I actually don't mind the TD Garden (formerly Fleet Center) that much. Like I said, I went to quite a few shows there and haven't had many issues. I will agree that they don't let you in very early before a show. Your half hour is right on the money if I'm remebering correctly. I went to a Smackdown taping in March (the Tuesday after WM 20) and can you imagine the weather in Boston? Sure, you can stand inside below the arena with a mob crowd waiting to get in... but I wish they would let you in sooner as well.

 

If I told you how much the tickets were for this show (with my brother's TD Bank discount) you'd throw away all your problems with the arena and you'd want to go. Tickets started at $78, but with his discount we're getting them for $30 A PIECE. I've sat in the rafters of that place (top floor, where the media sits) for RAW and still enjoyed the show.

 

And your problem with travel is understandable. Parking garages and whatnot in Boston are ridiculous, but what if you live in good ol' Maine and can take the Amtrak train right into the Garden from Portland? We'll most likely head down during the day that Sunday and hang out around Boston (I know the area and subway's very well because my aunt and cousins live down there) until it's time for the show. But yeah, we most likely won't be driving down anyway.

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Cena? It's not that I dislike him. It's just that, no matter what anyone says to me, no one has shown me enough evidence that he is, in fact, a good worker. Can he get a reaction out of a certain kind of fan? Yes. Can he get a good reaction ouf of a certain kind of a fan? Yes. Does that means he's a good worker? No.

 

Have you ever seen John Cena's 2003-2004 matches? Because that was back before (at least IMO) he watered down his moveset. Especially see his match against The Big Show at WM20. You can't tell me that The Big Show carried him in that match. As much respect as I have for The Big Show (he is one of my favorite big/giant wrestlers ever), IMO there is no possible way that he carried Cena.

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Present evidence? It's plain for everyone to see. It's just that no one has seen it the way I have. The overall industry is dead. One hand, it's lost at the core of what it is (Jim Cornette's argument). On the other hand, it can't remake itself because there's nothing (Paul Heyman's argument). Though both of them are diametrical opposities, to some degree, both of them are right. Wrestling has at its core has moved off what it should be, while not adopting new things at the same time. That's the definition of "dying" to me. Wrestling isn't wrestling anymore, but at the same time, what it is is incredible stale.

 

It's in no-mans land. Wrestling needs to find out what it was before, and regonize it's limitations, yet attempt to rejuvenate itself. Otherwise, MMA would take the more pure-minded fans, new forms of entertainment would take away the the entertainment side of the fans, and then wrestling would be left with nothing.

 

Why does it occur to no one that somehow both Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette arrived to similar conclusions that MMA is the future, despite being diametrical opposites in style? Shouldn't that indicator to people that wrestling is going to die if it doesn't figure out what it is and what it stands for? Am I the only who sees a dying industry and wants to stop the bleeding? :(

 

The difference between the downtimes now, is there is no "other". There was always another promotion that can attract other fans in wrestling if they weren't into the dominant promotion. Now it's WWE. It holds almost all the market. It IS the industry for intents and purposes. Without other competition, there's nothing motivating them to grow, to be competitive. This also means fans that like wrestling but don't like WWE's style have little to no refuge. There's ROH and TNA, sure but they are bit players at best, with not enough exposure and coverage. A stagnant industry will eventually become a dead industry.

 

Amp, you make some good arguments, but i Can't help thinking if this message board had existed in 1992, we'd be hearing the exact same arguments from fans who grew up in the 80's about the product being trash.

 

I think the main thing is, Wrestling is a 10-18 entertainment form, for the most part. All my favorite segments/ workers come from that time period of my fandom. Do i still watch? yea, i catch smackdown and raw on DVR with my little brother but i'm not their target audience anymore, and I know it.

 

As every generation of wrestling fans age we feel alienated because the product isn't growing with us, and that leads to the "this is crap, the industry is dying" arguments.

 

But i'm quite sure that the WWE and competitors, be it TNA or otherwise, will be around forever as they grow new fans...mabey not at the same popularity level until they hit another "once every 10 years" talent, which i don't think the've done since rock and SC, but they will hook a new generation (already got my brothers, 10 and 12, respectively) and survive.

 

Then they'll change the product in 10 years to try to hook the next young group of fans and my brothers will replace me as the bitter old smark who misses the good ole days :D

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Amp, you make some good arguments, but i Can't help thinking if this message board had existed in 1992, we'd be hearing the exact same arguments from fans who grew up in the 80's about the product being trash.

 

I think the main thing is, Wrestling is a 10-18 entertainment form, for the most part. All my favorite segments/ workers come from that time period of my fandom. Do i still watch? yea, i catch smackdown and raw on DVR with my little brother but i'm not their target audience anymore, and I know it.

 

As every generation of wrestling fans age we feel alienated because the product isn't growing with us, and that leads to the "this is crap, the industry is dying" arguments.

 

But i'm quite sure that the WWE and competitors, be it TNA or otherwise, will be around forever as they grow new fans...mabey not at the same popularity level until they hit another "once every 10 years" talent, which i don't think the've done since rock and SC, but they will hook a new generation (already got my brothers, 10 and 12, respectively) and survive.

 

Then they'll change the product in 10 years to try to hook the next young group of fans and my brothers will replace me as the bitter old smark who misses the good ole days :D

 

Agree completely. And as many different factors contributed to wrestling's decline through the early to mid 1990's, including aging stars retiring or being phased out (Savage on commentary, Hogan making movies, etc.), a major force was that the product felt dated and out of touch. While pro-USA jingoism was at an all-time high in the 1980's, that formula stopped working after the Cold War ended, so Vince responded by turning Canadians into "evil foreigner" gimmicks. And it didn't get over.

 

What's missing from today is someone with the creativity of a Paul Heyman who can introduce something new to the business that gets over enough to influence WWE. As others and myself have said, WWE isn't going to be the positive change that moves the sport forward into the 21st century, because they don't see any economic reason to do so, even if it would be to their long term benefit.

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For example.. TNA could aquire Cena, HHH, HBK, The Rock, Austin, etc... heck, give them Undertaker if it makes you happy... As long as they don't produce something interest in them, the popularity they would recieve from getting all these great icons at once, would be lost within' a matter of months, and they would be right back to where they are now.

 

It's not that I approve of what the WWE does. I absolutely disapprove of it. It's just that, that's what they are now. They are no more Andre's, that can work somewhat independently of promotions on roam around areas making a lot of money for themselves... and different promoters and promotions.

 

But it's WWE's corporatization. It kills off a lot of chances of Austin's, Rock's, and Hogan's coming into existence. I know why why they are doing this. I just think it's especially pointless, considering, any talent they believe they are too "big" for the WWE have nowhere to go within wrestling, and their other option is move outside of the WWE. It's not that big of a risk.

 

Have you ever seen John Cena's 2003-2004 matches? Because that was back before (at least IMO) he watered down his moveset. Especially see his match against The Big Show at WM20. You can't tell me that The Big Show carried him in that match. As much respect as I have for The Big Show (he is one of my favorite big/giant wrestlers ever), IMO there is no possible way that he carried Cena.

 

I never been impressed with his work. And it's not that I disliked him, before. I've just never been impressed. That beind said, he didn't start irking me until became full-on Hogan-style face.

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What's missing from today is someone with the creativity of a Paul Heyman who can introduce something new to the business that gets over enough to influence WWE. As others and myself have said, WWE isn't going to be the positive change that moves the sport forward into the 21st century, because they don't see any economic reason to do so, even if it would be to their long term benefit.

 

I read somewhere recently (may have been here, I really can't recall) that WWE have fired 3 or 4 of their writing team in the last few weeks, so maybe with a bit of turnover, someone with fresh ideas and some creativity will get a look in within the 'E soon enough. Can always hope, anyway.

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To me, even half the time their commentating is actually BETTER then WWE..

 

I agree with most of the stuff you are saying but not with this statement, if you watch a TNA Match the commentators never shut up and let you take something in. If you watch WWE if there is something important that you need to hear then they will shut up and let you hear it. TNA's commentators never shut up, it was a lot worse when Don West was around but to say that TNA's commentary is better than WWE's I have to disagree with you. The only factor that I would consider to why TNA's commentary is better than the WWE's is because TNA doesn't have Michael Cole to kiss anyones ass.

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I agree with most of the stuff you are saying but not with this statement, if you watch a TNA Match the commentators never shut up and let you take something in. If you watch WWE if there is something important that you need to hear then they will shut up and let you hear it. TNA's commentators never shut up, it was a lot worse when Don West was around but to say that TNA's commentary is better than WWE's I have to disagree with you. The only factor that I would consider to why TNA's commentary is better than the WWE's is because TNA doesn't have Michael Cole to kiss anyones ass.

 

I should have added IMO onto that. Perhaps half the time might even have been a little too much, but at times I do think that team sounds better when calling a match... and I believe they are capable of commentating better then WWE (if they changed the things you mentioned). Kind of like the rest of their show, they have killer worker's, but they aren't ever used in a way to get people invested enough to make it matter.

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I should have added IMO onto that. Perhaps half the time might even have been a little too much, but at times I do think that team sounds better when calling a match... and I believe they are capable of commentating better then WWE (if they changed the things you mentioned). Kind of like the rest of their show, they have killer worker's, but they aren't ever used in a way to get people invested enough to make it matter.

 

I dunno, I think Tenay and Taz have excellent chemistry teaming together. They play off each other so well.

 

Taz and Cole sucked, Taz and Joey Styles was ok, but Taz and Tenay? I like them :p

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I dunno, I think Tenay and Taz have excellent chemistry teaming together. They play off each other so well.

 

Taz and Cole sucked, Taz and Joey Styles was ok, but Taz and Tenay? I like them :p

 

No way, Tazz and Cole were a good team, Taz and Styles were a great team and Taz with Tenay is just like West and Tenay always arguing with each other way to much. It I was behind the scenes in TNA I would have Mick Foley be the color man for TNA and use Taz as either a manager or and authority figure or just let him walk.

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No way, Tazz and Cole were a good team, Taz and Styles were a great team and Taz with Tenay is just like West and Tenay always arguing with each other way to much. It I was behind the scenes in TNA I would have Mick Foley be the color man for TNA and use Taz as either a manager or and authority figure or just let him walk.

 

Nothing with Cole has ever been good. I have hated him since day one. Don't compare Taz with West. Taz and Tenay have argued recently, but for the most part they're out there having fun which makes the program that much more fun for me to watch.

 

"Taz'isms" are also awesome. LET THE PIGEONS LOOSE!

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Nothing with Cole has ever been good. I have hated him since day one. Don't compare Taz with West. Taz and Tenay have argued recently, but for the most part they're out there having fun which makes the program that much more fun for me to watch.

 

"Taz'isms" are also awesome. LET THE PIGEONS LOOSE!

 

This is probably not the wisest question to ask, but is Taz basically saying "Get thy wods out"?

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Well the show is over. Santino and Koslov lost to nexus. Natalya beat Alicia Fox. Goldust lost to Jackson Andrews, Zack Ryder lost to R Truth. Morrison lost to Shaemus. Miz beat Wade Barrett, and Juan Cena. Afterward Cena Attitude Adjusted Miz and Riley. The show was very poor compared to others that I've been to.

 

Pics of the masked Juan Cena?

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