Stone Cold couldn't happen today

[bigmackdaddy]

Imagine that at Wrestlemania fourteen that instead of the finish that happened we got the finish from last night. It seems WWE is determined to maintain the status quo and recycle the same old stuff. They are determined to stay in their mediocre comfort zone and basically shoot themselves in the foot. It's quite clear that they're detached from reality. Instead of having a MOTY and the start of a new era with one of the most over guys today we got the same old same old. Why do people continue to buy what they sell?

[Deleted]

This would've never been a start of a new era if Bryan won.

[Deleted]

You're aware most people enjoyed the finish last night?

[Lancers]

There's a massive difference. In early 1998, the WWE was in a nasty battle with WCW trying to win the Monday night war. It was a necessity to do big things. What's their incentive now? They're not sweating bullets over TNA. UFC doesn't completely eclipse their fan base. The WWE seems perfectly content in the status quo. People will still go to live events. People will still buy merchandise. People will still watch RAW. Fans might be pissed, but nothing has ever happened that single-handedly caused the promotion to plummet in terms of storyline.

Everything this company does involve the key three pieces of Vince McMahon, John Cena and Triple H. Everything else is interchangeable. Daniel Bryan last night. CM Punk two years ago. As Punk himself stated, he is just a spoke on the wheel.

From my own personal perspective, I feel bad for Bryan. I wish he kept it for a little bit. From a storyline perspective, that's exactly how they want me to feel. It's actually good booking from that way of thinking. I've been calling it the WWE's version of the Red Wedding from 'Game of Thrones' because it was such a tragic outcome in what was supposed to be a joyous moment.

So the question now is what does the future hold in store? Will Bryan gets his vengeance? Ideally, he should. But as I mentioned earlier, there's three key pieces to everything that happens. Recent trends tell me everything will be done to culminate Cena and Orton with Vince and Triple H involved. Whether it be Wrestlemania or even sooner.

My gut tells me (and I hope I'm wrong) that Bryan was nothing more than a patsy the company used to get the crowd to turn against Triple H and Orton. Think about it, if Cena had won the crowd would be pissed. Then the turn happens, the crowd probably pops like they did with the Ryback turn. Bryan was necessary for the turn. An underdog hero who winds up being the biggest victim of all. Like I said, terrific idea conceptually, but I'm afraid Bryan won't be the one who settles the score.

[Next Level was WRONG]

Last night's angle was basically Austin's title win and Dude Love attacking him the next night combined into one segment. Bryan will be fine.

[molson5]

Can you imagine if Steve Austin cut that 3:16 promo, and then they put him into a feud with Marc Mero, then relegated him to the Summerslam pre-show, and then kept him off the next PPV altogether? Oh wait.

[salsashark]

Aug 19, 2013 8:46:41 GMT -5 Lancers said:

There's a massive difference. In early 1998, the WWE was in a nasty battle with WCW trying to win the Monday night war. It was a necessity to do big things. What's their incentive now? They're not sweating bullets over TNA. UFC doesn't completely eclipse their fan base. The WWE seems perfectly content in the status quo. People will still go to live events. People will still buy merchandise. People will still watch RAW. Fans might be pissed, but nothing has ever happened that single-handedly caused the promotion to plummet in terms of storyline.

Everything this company does involve the key three pieces of Vince McMahon, John Cena and Triple H. Everything else is interchangeable. Daniel Bryan last night. CM Punk two years ago. As Punk himself stated, he is just a spoke on the wheel.

From my own personal perspective, I feel bad for Bryan. I wish he kept it for a little bit. From a storyline perspective, that's exactly how they want me to feel. It's actually good booking from that way of thinking. I've been calling it the WWE's version of the Red Wedding from 'Game of Thrones' because it was such a tragic outcome in a setting of which a celebration was to occur.

So the question now is what does the future hold in store? Will Bryan gets his vengeance? Ideally, he should. But as I mentioned earlier, there's three key pieces to everything that happens. Recent trends tell me everything will be done to culminate Cena and Orton with Vince and Triple H involved. Whether it be Wrestlemania or even sooner.

My gut tells me (and I hope I'm wrong) that Bryan was nothing more than a patsy the company used to get the crowd to turn against Triple H and Orton. Think about it, if Cena had won the crowd would be pissed. Then the turn happens, the crowd probably pops like they did with the Ryback turn. Bryan was necessary for the turn. An underdog hero who winds up being the biggest victim of all. Like I said, terrific idea conceptually, but I'm afraid Bryan won't be the one who settles the score.

Never thought a Lancers post would depress so much.

I completely disagree with you on this being good booking -- this is just more status quo garbage that I'm doubtful will helpful Bryan in the long run (Oh, how I'd love to proven wrong) -- but you're so on-point with the rest of this.

Nothing will change. Things are the way they are. Triple H. John Cena. Vince. That's it. That's who will represent the company until the end of time.

I keep thinking about how current WWE booking would apply in the Attitude Era if things had gone slightly different.

There would be no Stone Cold.
No Rock.
No Foley.
Hell, no Triple H. (Ha.)

It would just be two or three people on top in perpetuity, never to abdicate their spots for others to come in.

[salsashark]

Aug 19, 2013 9:09:25 GMT -5 molson5 said:

Can you imagine if Steve Austin cut that 3:16 promo, and then they put him into a feud with Marc Mero, then relegated him to the Summerslam pre-show, and then kept him off the next PPV altogether? Oh wait.

Austin post-KOTR promo and Austin post-WM14 were in very, very different places, so this doesn't work at all.

One had a promo that just happened to catch fire and set the scene for something down the line. The other was Austin's crowning moment at a huge show--a starmaking moment in which the guy was pushed as the top dog, bar none, for the WWF.

[The Masked Heel WAS WRONG]

Austin would have never worked today cause people on the internet would complain about him being a heel when they treat him as a babyface.

[molson5]

Aug 19, 2013 9:12:36 GMT -5 salsashark said:

Aug 19, 2013 9:09:25 GMT -5 molson5 said:

Can you imagine if Steve Austin cut that 3:16 promo, and then they put him into a feud with Marc Mero, then relegated him to the Summerslam pre-show, and then kept him off the next PPV altogether? Oh wait.

Austin post-KOTR promo and Austin post-WM14 were in very, very different places, so this doesn't work at all.

One had a promo that just happened to catch fire and set the scene for something down the line. The other was Austin's crowning moment at a huge show--a starmaking moment in which the guy was pushed as the top dog, bar none, for the WWF.

I'm saying that if those this board was around when Austin was going through 1996, he would have been declared dead and buried, which might very well result in the WWF holding off his push.

And I always thought he won the title pretty late in the process, relative to his overness. He was still in intercontinental title feuds when he was already a big star. Fans today would not have accepted that. There'd be a backlash about the WWF sticking with the "status quo" and that cynicism may very well have infiltrated booking plans and impacted Austin's push.

And THEN, after they finally pulled the trigger on Austin, he loses the title two months later, gets it back, but then loses it again a few months later and the belt gets held up. This would have been an ugly place. I think today's fans would have hated much of the attitude era if it had unfolded the same way today.

[spagett]

I'd like to think last night was the start of them building up to Bryan getting revenge on Orton, HHH and the Mcmahons stone cold style. He should be wronged and screwed for the rest of the year, win the Rumble and beat Orton\HHH at Mania for the title to finish the story.

I just worry that we'll end up with Cena coming back s the primary hero and Bryan will be stuck jobbing to Triple H. No matter what you think of his ego, Vince always used to lose in the end, he'd always get his comeuppance. I'm finding it hard to see HHH doing that to be honest. I hope I'm wrong though.

[bigmackdaddy]

Aug 19, 2013 8:04:20 GMT -5 @rainbowrandy said:

You're aware most people enjoyed the finish last night?

Why? Are you sure it isn't just the denial stage of grief?

[SEAN CARLESS]

Aug 19, 2013 8:46:41 GMT -5 Lancers said:

There's a massive difference. In early 1998, the WWE was in a nasty battle with WCW trying to win the Monday night war. It was a necessity to do big things. What's their incentive now? They're not sweating bullets over TNA. UFC doesn't completely eclipse their fan base. The WWE seems perfectly content in the status quo. People will still go to live events. People will still buy merchandise. People will still watch RAW. Fans might be pissed, but nothing has ever happened that single-handedly caused the promotion to plummet in terms of storyline.

Everything this company does involve the key three pieces of Vince McMahon, John Cena and Triple H. Everything else is interchangeable. Daniel Bryan last night. CM Punk two years ago. As Punk himself stated, he is just a spoke on the wheel.

From my own personal perspective, I feel bad for Bryan. I wish he kept it for a little bit. From a storyline perspective, that's exactly how they want me to feel. It's actually good booking from that way of thinking. I've been calling it the WWE's version of the Red Wedding from 'Game of Thrones' because it was such a tragic outcome in a setting of which a celebration was to occur.

So the question now is what does the future hold in store? Will Bryan gets his vengeance? Ideally, he should. But as I mentioned earlier, there's three key pieces to everything that happens. Recent trends tell me everything will be done to culminate Cena and Orton with Vince and Triple H involved. Whether it be Wrestlemania or even sooner.

My gut tells me (and I hope I'm wrong) that Bryan was nothing more than a patsy the company used to get the crowd to turn against Triple H and Orton. Think about it, if Cena had won the crowd would be pissed. Then the turn happens, the crowd probably pops like they did with the Ryback turn. Bryan was necessary for the turn. An underdog hero who winds up being the biggest victim of all. Like I said, terrific idea conceptually, but I'm afraid Bryan won't be the one who settles the score.

This is likely true. And horribly depressing.

[Lancers]

Aug 19, 2013 9:10:10 GMT -5 salsashark said:

[I completely disagree with you on this being good booking -- this is just more status quo garbage that I'm doubtful will helpful Bryan in the long run (Oh, how I'd love to proven wrong) -- but you're so on-point with the rest of this.

I think it's good booking on the premise of turning two of their more popular faces into heels. They utilized the right guy to trigger the turns. Quite possibly, the only man that could make that happen. HOWEVER, the endgame is critical though. If Bryan is just the guy they used to draw this heat, then doesn't get his comeuppance, than it's a wasted opportunity which I would then say would be bad booking long-term. Which I believe, due to my pessimistic nature of WWE storylines, could wind up being the likely scenario.

It has all the trappings of the Punk-Johnny Ace storyline. Punk is the sole reason Johnny Ace became a television character. Yet, the main storyline while Punk was actually champion was Johnny Ace trying to ruin John Cena. Completely nonsensical to think that the guy with the main belt isn't being chased after by the main authority figure.

In other words, just judging by the way they're booking, my assumption is that John Cena is the guy they'll probably peg to destroy the Triple H regime, not the one who was their first victim.

Now that I'm done depressing everybody, here's a picture of Jerry Lawler to brighten the mood.

[N E O G E O B O Y S]

I see this more as a montreal screwjob (though intentional) that "could" kickstart something rather than a WM 14 moment like some people think.

The idea was to get pissed, and honestly, bryan still won a lot tonight, even if he doesn't end as the top guy, I honestly think that he is sets for life in the WWE