Beatdown Producer and Wrestling Junkie The Phoenix Rocket weighs in on various topics.
Hey, Beatdown and Rocket fans, I have a new edition of the Rocket Report. Tonight I am going to talk about the new ECW, I mean WW-ECW. I will go over where they have been, where they are going and what I feel like they need to do to improve. This is a touchy subject with some fans of the origional ECW, but lets face it, it is what it is. So here is my critique.
Many fans of ECW awaited as the famous promotion made its return to wrestling success in the WWE. What many fans failed to realize was: who was running things. It was not Paul Heyman, no no, but the big, bad vince man. But this isn't the purpose of the blog this week. We know what the product is, we just dont seem to know where it is going.
I see a couple of problems with the ECW product today. First and foremost is the name. This is not a bad product, but was doomed from the beginning just because of the name. Fans automatically expected it to be exactly what it was in the infant stage of the company. This is not the case. ECW is still wrestling and for the most part is good wrestling. If it were named anything else anything at all, call it Tuesday night wrestling, call it wrestling-R-us, it really doesn't matter it, would be more popular than it is today.
At first, I was not so big on the idea of Christian being on ECW but, after further review, I like the move. It was a very smart move simply because it makes me and many others tune into a program that before was pretty much dead. Yes, it is good wrestling and, yes, I watch it. but I do not make it a priority like I make Raw and Smackdown. But the past couple weeks I have simply because of Christian. He has made the show watchable for many people. Part of the reason being that many believed he would surface on Smackdown as the attacker of Jeff Hardy. I do not know if Christian to ECW was a prove you wrong move. If that was the reason, then I dont really agree with it, but it has turned out well for the company.
Second of all, I dont like the fact that ECW is just a one hour program. A one hour program does not give the fans a chance to connect with the wrestlers or the storylines. If ECW is Sci Fi's highest rated program then why not make it a 2 hour show. Most fans are used to a 2 hour show and it seems like it would be a good marriage for both. So give the peeps what they really want..... more wrestling.
If I were in charge I would also add another title in addition to moving to 2 hours. ECW seems to be a place to build up new talent so what a way to do it than to add another title like say I dont know the TV title, and with a 2 hour show it would bring some more validity to the show. If it is not going to be ECW, let it feel like ECW. I really dont think that it would hurt in fact it would let us follow a little more. In adding another title, you can make it what it is supposed to be, which seems to be a TV developmental program, instead of what we have made it. It is not wrestling hell it is just another chance to watch wrestling which is what we wrestling fans really want. That is my spiel for this report and, as always, check me out for your hard hitting wrestling news notes and opinion. Now its time,
5 4 3 2 1.....Blastoff!!!
Hey, Beatdown fans, it is time for your REAL and most consistent source of information, thoughts and ideas, The Rocket Report. Now, I would like to clear the waters here, as you may have read reports about another report that is the source for hard hitting information on a weekly basis. Well, lets think about this for a second. The last I checked, the Reg Report is not weekly because the first of two Reg Reports was posted over a month ago. If that is not enough, the blog is short and repetitive as it is usually a recount of what he says on the show. I give the people something new and insightful. And you are right Reggie, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so quit stealing my ideas or you might get a Rocket Drop.
Now to the good stuff: I sincerely appoligize to my fans for that waste of time, but hey, you have to take out the trash every now and then. So here goes....on the launch pad for tonight is my thoughts on two events that are prominent, or at least were at one time in the WWE. Those events: the Royal Rumble and the King of the Ring Tournament.
It pains me to say, but I hate the Royal Rumble and what it has become. You wonder why? Well, because it is way too predictable. You know that a new star isn't going to be pushed and get a chance at the biggest stage. There are always a handful of guys that you know will win. It is not like what it used to be and just a big fight. You don’t get that anymore. The first winner of the Royal Rumble was Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Would he ever main event the Mania now? I think not, not now, not ever. The Rumble should be used to push someone and not insult our intelligence. We know that Jimmy Wang Yang won’t win the Royal Rumble, even though we know he may be in it.
So how does the Rumble tie into this? As big as the Rumble has become, the King of the Ring is that much smaller. It was so small in fact that it really doesn't exist now. There was a tournament I hear and all 8 men had valiant efforts, but 8 men, really? I want to see the tournament get its own PPV again and have the semis and finals on the PPV. Make it worth something. Most of the time, the winner was the next “on the rise” star. Guys like Hart,
I know that tradition is tradition and I agree with that. With that being said, where did the King of the Ring go? It tanked out and for what reason I do not know. It strikes me as odd, because the KOTR always garnered good ratings and was fun to watch. Make KOTR less predictable and decrease the number of participants in the rumble to say, 20 of the best superstars that the WWE has to offer and make me think that anyone could win. Take those other 10 guys, and add 6 more, and have the King of the Ring tournament shortly after. Allow that wrestler to become a star and have something prominent at Wrestlemania. Yes, at Wrestlemania. I am saying move the tournament up. That isn’t tradition, but it really could work.
In conclusion, I say the Rumble is less fun to watch just because it is very predictable. I have my thoughts for who will win this year, but I am going to save that for the show, so if you wanna know and hear the next Reg Report, which will bore you when you read it again on the website, then tune into The Beatdown from 9-11 CST, you know where to find me. Also, if you have any comments, email any comments to the show from the contact link.
That does it for me.....5 4 3 2 1 BLASTOFF!
Hey Beatdown fans, its time for your Rocket Report. What is on the launch pad for today? ..tag team wrestling and the lack of it; more specifically in the WWE. The tag team divisions in both major wrestling companies are watered down at best. I suppose that TNA is a little better than what WWE is, but that doesnt take much.
There was once a time when the tag team titles and the teams that held them were as prestigious as the world title itself. Larger than life characters were seen each week battling for the most coveted prize that they (the tag team) can attain: the tag titles. No, the Road Warriors were never as big as Hulk Hogan, but what more could teams like the Roadwarriors, Blanchard/Anderson, Demolition, Harlem Heat, Smoking Guns accomplish than to have the titles? They were the best at what they did.
So when did the downfall begin? That is hard to say and many people will tell you different things. But heres my take on it... In my eyes, it started when you had a rise in the tag team division in the then WWF when you had great rivalrys between The Hardyz, Team 3D, and Edge/Christian. Now you may say: "Hey rocket, that was a great time to watch tag team wrestling and I would agree with you but, and that is a big but, what you dont seem to realize is that the wheels in Vinny Mac's head started turning and he saw stars in Edge, Christian and the Hardyz. This, in my mind, was the demise of tag team wrestling because you had guys that were so talented that Vince wanted to make more money than he was already making on them and ended up essentially breaking up those two teams to propel them into singles stardom. Was it a good move? Edge and the Hardyz would say so, but the Phoenix Rocket says no.
If this is a problem and Vince essentially breaks up every tag team that shows any amount of potential in favor of a singles push. You can not have a formidable tag team division when you have this happening. Is there a solution? Yes, there is, but unfortunately the Phoenix Rocket isn't in the UCONN to talk to Vince and express my concern for the divison. Here is what I think, I would bring in guys to be nothing more than a tag team. Guys who have been formed together and let them know they will be together. I could be tricked and led to believe that this is happening and that there are some gimmick tag teams such as Jesse/Festus, The Edgeheads, Cryme Tyme just to name a few. I love to see this. Now the next step is to give them all a little T.V. time in order to build them up, and for God sakes have a title match on a PPV every now and then.
At the present moment, I can not say much about TNA and their tag team product because it really isnt half bad. They defend the titles on the PPVs, they have several teams that are legitimate contenders, and they really give it play on TV. Thank you TNA for giving me something that I have known and loved since my youth: GOOD tag team wrestling.
Lets recap, WWE's tag team divison is horrible, if not non-existent, at the present moment. TNA is there and only getting better. WWE: give tag teams more TV time instead of pushing them all as singles. Bring back some gimmick tag teams if nothing more than to have filler. I hope that you have enjoyed what I have brought you and look forward to writing you again. If there is anything you would like me to touch on e-mail the show from the main page and I will do it just for you. This has been your Rocket Report. Peace out Beatdown fans.
This week Beatdown fans I am getting on my soapbox. It is the decline of titles in professional wrestling. In my opinion titles mean little to nothing with exception to maybe the world title. What happened to the Intercontinental Championship glory and the great rivalries that went along with it? Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect, Owen Hart and Stone Cold just to name a couple. Now the IC belt is used as an element to push a storyline.
20 years ago the IC belt was not only prestigious but was a stepping stone to the World Title. My solution, make storylines that evolve around the title. A great story line doesn’t always have to involve a world title belt. One of the greatest storyline and feuds was Mr.Perfect and Bret Hart and they were great matches.
Another solution would be to bring back titles from the past. Bring back the TV champ or Euro belt. Set it lower and build up talent with those belts but don’t deface something great like the IC and the US belt.
TNA is another good example of this. The X-Division title was a great idea and they ran with it for a while but have since gotten away from it. It was the closest thing to the cruiserweight belt. Bring back this division....WWE/TNA it doesn’t matter who...people want to see it.
Another issue I have is that besides the world title some titles will go dormant for months before you really see it defended. Case in point the tag team championship, I will get on that later. So here is a PR original....bring back titles and make them worth something. Let guys who help the US and IC belts like Hart, Henning, Rhodes and Windham live on and be great like they were when gold was gold and not a prop.
Until next week I am your voice The Phoenix Rocket.
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