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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Feb 22, 2009 18:46:02 GMT -5
Like communism, the Brand extension only works in theory. Certain wrestlers have benefited as far as card placement goes, but all you have to do is look back to WWE's past to see a huge FULL roster of talent STILL being better utilized in some capacity. The biggest mystery to me as a fan, is the strange belief that a unified roster can't work. People forget that there was a much larger combined roster in 1987-1989, and even 2000, and that like today, they still did two (sometimes three) cards a day, featuring certain key talent on each show. As for the great phantom bogeyman that is "midcarders being released". There's no proof to that. In the 80's and even Attitude era, midcarders were actually better utilized; being made into tag teams (not just the same 2 teams fighting every week) or put into the Intercontinental title division. They had more of a role. And had a place where they could shine. Not everyone can be World Champion, people. Every leading man needs a set of supporting actors. I mean, all you have to do is pop in a video of Survivor series '88, and watch the opening tag match which had 20 men in one match, to see that their roster was stacked. And that was ONE match. Now take a look at the pathetic slew of shmoes that come out whenever a GM calls the full roster to the ring. There's like maybe 20 guys total. It's really sad. That said, I have yet to ever have anyone explain to me how or why the way they run things now is better. Not logically. There's a certain line of paranoid propaganda spewed, but its always just unproven lip-service. WWE's own history refutes it. What, it's better, because, a Rey Mysterio got a World Title reign? Well, it was a lousy reign that was sabotauged right from the beginning. Because Orton & Cena may have never gotten over? What, like the way midcarders Warrior & Savage & Austin, HHH, Foley & Rock never got a chance? How guys like Benoit, Punk & Eddie would have been relegated to the IC title? What, like Bret Hart & HBK? Come on, people. Take the WWE goggles off for a second. Today's brand extension Title reigns are like gold stars for retards. They'll give you one for just showing up and trying. When you were on top of a combined roster, you really were on top. So, you can love the Brand split all you want, but to say a combined roster could never work is just ignorant. Go watch WWE 24/7 and tell me I'm wrong.
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adamclark52
El Dandy
I'm one with the Force; the Force is with me
Posts: 8,139
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Post by adamclark52 on Feb 22, 2009 18:46:46 GMT -5
It's been debated since the Brand Extension came into effect when it will end. In 2003-2005 it worked. In mid-2006 it started showing cracks. Now there doesn't even seem to be a brand extension.
Example, Miz and Morrison are ECW guys, who have the RAW tag team belts, yet they've been featured on Smackdown for upwards of a month.
If there is anytime to end it, it would be now. Most of the low card guys are going to be released soon either way with the economy in the dumps.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2009 19:05:10 GMT -5
I don't mind the brand split, what I do mind is what they've done with the ppvs.
They've made them all tri brand ppvs, which means there's little to no attempt to build up much of a midcard since those matches aren't necessary to build a ppv anymore. They have their 3 world title matches, a women's title match, their one or two main event non title matches (usually Taker vs somebody, hbk vs somebody...), then they just round it off by having one random midcard title match and that's your PPV.
I liked it better when most of the ppvs were single brand and they'd have to come up with 3-4 midcard matches to build.
That being said, if they just dropped the whole brand extension I'd be fine with that too.
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Hanzo
Dennis Stamp
"You want Cena to go to ECW?!"
Posts: 4,666
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Post by Hanzo on Feb 22, 2009 19:09:51 GMT -5
I don't mind the brand split, what I do mind is what they've done with the ppvs. They've made them all tri brand ppvs, which means there's little to no attempt to build up much of a midcard since those matches aren't necessary to build a ppv anymore. They have their 3 world title matches, a women's title match, their one or two main event non title matches (usually Taker vs somebody, hbk vs somebody...), then they just round it off by having one random midcard title match and that's your PPV. I liked it better when most of the ppvs were single brand and they'd have to come up with 3-4 midcard matches to build. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always heard that the problem with single-branded PPVs was that their rosters on each show were getting so thin, they couldn't even fill one up.
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Post by eJm on Feb 22, 2009 19:10:18 GMT -5
Like communism, the Brand extension only works in theory. Certain wrestlers have benefited as far as card placement goes, but all you have to do is look back to WWE's past to see a huge FULL roster of talent STILL being better utilized in some capacity. The biggest mystery to me as a fan, is the strange belief that a unified roster can't work. People forget that there was a much larger combined roster in 1987-1989, and even 2000, and that like today, they still did two (sometimes three) cards a day, featuring certain key talent on each show. As for the great phantom bogeyman that is "midcarders being released". There's no proof to that. In the 80's and even Attitude era, midcarders were actually better utilized; being made into tag teams (not just the same 2 teams fighting every week) or put into the Intercontinental title division. They had more of a role. And had a place where they could shine. Not everyone can be World Champion, people. Every leading man needs a set of supporting actors. I mean, all you have to do is pop in a video of Survivor series '88, and watch the opening tag match which had 20 men in one match, to see that their roster was stacked. And that was ONE match. Now take a look at the pathetic slew of shmoes that come out whenever a GM calls the full roster to the ring. There's like maybe 20 guys total. It's really sad. That said, I have yet to ever have anyone explain to me how or why the way they run things now is better. Not logically. There's a certain line of paranoid propaganda spewed, but its always just unproven lip-service. WWE's own history refutes it. What, it's better, because, a Rey Mysterio got a World Title reign? Well, it was a lousy reign that was sabotauged right from the beginning. Because Orton & Cena may have never gotten over? What, like the way midcarders Warrior & Savage & Austin, HHH, Foley & Rock never got a chance? How guys like Benoit, Punk & Eddie would have been relegated to the IC title? What, like Bret Hart & HBK? Come on, people. Take the WWE goggles off for a second. Today's brand extension Title reigns are like gold stars for retards. They'll give you one for just showing up and trying. When you were on top of a combined roster, you really were on top. So, you can love the Brand split all you want, but to say a combined roster could never work is just ignorant. Go watch WWE 24/7 and tell me I'm wrong. I'll join the list of people agreeing with this. What I will add, though is that I do think they'll end the Brand Split at some point. Could be because of the lack of what they can do with it or the economy could really take a turn for the worst and they'll be forced to cut costs. Either way, it's going to end. On the other hand, it is working for them and making them money. They could afford to tighten the screws of people coming from different brands like they did in 2002-2004. Like making it a bigger deal then it is already when someone goes to another brand and attacks someone or something like that. It makes it a bit more special when it happens and in turn has more money potential.
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Post by Metalheadbanger Man on Feb 22, 2009 19:17:20 GMT -5
I reckon they should end it. This way they can go back to 1999-2000 or so when there were more midcard feuds, and the crowd actually responded to them.
Have 7 or 8 matches on a show instead of 4 like they seem to be doing lately, and build up feuds as each show goes by. They could perhaps form some tag teams out of guys they already have to give that divison a shot in the arm - Manu/Snuka, Funaki/Yang etc.
In all fairness, that's probably more wishful thinking on my part. But they could easily end the brand split and still feature more than just a core group of higher card-to-main eventers, its just a matter of them actually utilising some of the talent they have that isn't at the top of the card.
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Post by Red Impact on Feb 22, 2009 20:25:43 GMT -5
I don't mind the brand split, what I do mind is what they've done with the ppvs. They've made them all tri brand ppvs, which means there's little to no attempt to build up much of a midcard since those matches aren't necessary to build a ppv anymore. They have their 3 world title matches, a women's title match, their one or two main event non title matches (usually Taker vs somebody, hbk vs somebody...), then they just round it off by having one random midcard title match and that's your PPV. I liked it better when most of the ppvs were single brand and they'd have to come up with 3-4 midcard matches to build. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always heard that the problem with single-branded PPVs was that their rosters on each show were getting so thin, they couldn't even fill one up. I thought that was only the case with ECW's PPV's. For the others, they had plenty of people, it's just that no one cared about them.
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Lancers
El Dandy
Oh you
Posts: 7,951
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Post by Lancers on Feb 22, 2009 21:44:15 GMT -5
They need more brand splits. Three isn't enough. They need like eight....
RAW Smackdown ECW New WCW Olde WCW ECW Wolfpack Kidz WWE Kidz WWE Wolfpack
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