Post by Steveweiser on Sept 10, 2013 14:22:25 GMT -5
Dave Meltzer made some comments on today's Wrestling Observer Radio concerning AJ Lee and the tattoo on the back of her neck that she got to commemorate winning the Divas Title, that pretty much mocked her for marking out over winning a fake belt, one that "Debra McMichael and Sable won" (though Bryan Alvarez corrected him, and they agreed on "that Kelly Kelly won"). Posters on the F4W board then came to AJ's defence, saying it's her right to do something to mark a goal she wanted to achieve since she was a kid, even if it was a bit odd. Meltzer then posted this, and it's an interesting insight...
I'm not damning Meltzer here, he's only stating what appears to be backstage fact, but that's a heck of an attitude to take in the industry at large, particularly when the Divas Title is the ceiling of what women can achieve in the company.
On the A.J. thing, this is going to break some hearts, but people who run wrestling companies laugh at wrestlers who are "belt marks" for undercard belts, especially when it comes to a pass-around belt vs. a main event belt that is given with the idea the person with it is anchoring business.
Promoters throughout time feel that there are the guys who want to be paid and the guys who want a belt and they can pay whatever they want to them as long as they give them a make-believe pass-around belt.
In both TNA and WWE there is that designation, given a few times a year from both sides in conversations that reference, which goes back longer than I've been following wrestling, has been around. One group is considered pros and the other group is considered fans who are on the roster and the belief is you can treat them very differently. There is an old saying about the latter group that you throw them a fish and watch them jump.
For ones own career, even if they consider it an accomplishment, if you want respect, you don't sell it publicly behind the scenes, only in fake media interviews and on TV.
Again, the world title (or the main event belt in any territory) is viewed entirely differently (although people who don't like Bret Hart would knock him over the same subject, but those people probably were going to find something to do that about either way, given I never heard anyone except Bockwinkel in fun, knock Harley Race over the same thing). I know of stories where someone in the industry will bring up to Lawler about all the belts he's won over his career and he immediately gives then a glare like they have no understanding of the business.
Promoters throughout time feel that there are the guys who want to be paid and the guys who want a belt and they can pay whatever they want to them as long as they give them a make-believe pass-around belt.
In both TNA and WWE there is that designation, given a few times a year from both sides in conversations that reference, which goes back longer than I've been following wrestling, has been around. One group is considered pros and the other group is considered fans who are on the roster and the belief is you can treat them very differently. There is an old saying about the latter group that you throw them a fish and watch them jump.
For ones own career, even if they consider it an accomplishment, if you want respect, you don't sell it publicly behind the scenes, only in fake media interviews and on TV.
Again, the world title (or the main event belt in any territory) is viewed entirely differently (although people who don't like Bret Hart would knock him over the same subject, but those people probably were going to find something to do that about either way, given I never heard anyone except Bockwinkel in fun, knock Harley Race over the same thing). I know of stories where someone in the industry will bring up to Lawler about all the belts he's won over his career and he immediately gives then a glare like they have no understanding of the business.
I'm not damning Meltzer here, he's only stating what appears to be backstage fact, but that's a heck of an attitude to take in the industry at large, particularly when the Divas Title is the ceiling of what women can achieve in the company.