Roman Reigns is Superstar of the Year

[The Captain]

I legit really like Reigns, but I don't think he deserves the award simply because he was injured for a good chunk of the year. Dean Ambrose did a pretty admirable job filling in for him, though. Though ultimately the Slammys are pretty worthless.

All three former members of the Shield deserve to have much success in WWE.

[angryfan]

Dec 9, 2014 8:35:27 GMT -5 Just call me D.j.m. said:

And the thing is...

I like Roman. But the megapush is really going to make people upset. He's gonna get booed out of the building at Wrestlemania, and he doesn't deserve that.

I like him too, here's the thing. I was a big Gordy fan, and a big Gibson fan. Both guys were over as hell, both guys were powerhouse badasses who, when they got that hot tag, just wrecked shit. Both were also draws and main evented as part of their respective units.

I saw both work solo matches, and they were fine, but not nearly as visually and emotionally impactful as their tag work. That's WWE though, right? Bust up a tag team, even if doing so is a disservice to both team members, or all of the team members.

[gnr123]

The funny thing is, Lesnar was the one who not only ENDED THE UNDERTAKER'S UNDEFATED STREAK, but squashed John Cena as well. As is current WWE Champion. If this is in kayfake, than should the person who accomplished the most "in kayfabe" win the award?

[mcstoklasa]

Judging by the childish, furious comments on wrestlezone's forum about Reigns, I don't think I'm going to enjoy wrestling for a while as now there's another "top babyface" which all thee Internet fans hate.

Part of it is WWE's fault sure, they could be more organic about this, but also the fans automatically turning on anyone who gets a push over their favourite is pretty maddening.

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

Dec 9, 2014 8:35:27 GMT -5 Just call me D.j.m. said:

And the thing is...

I like Roman. But the megapush is really going to make people upset. He's gonna get booed out of the building at Wrestlemania, and he doesn't deserve that.

Every time I say this people roll their eyes about the WWE being this smart, but it's getting SO over the top. They HAVE to be setting him up for a backlash heel turn. I know NXT and WWE are different booking teams, but they were able to do it with Bo, so why not here?

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Dec 9, 2014 8:12:38 GMT -5 ________ has left the building said:

I, for one, welcome our new silky mane, handsome Samoan overlord. Besides why get so pissed off by a kayfabe award that has no value or meaning if you're not Owen Hart? The Slammys don't mean shit in the grand scheme of things and nothing is guaranteed that Reigns will be a certified main eventer in 2 years. I remember countless, hated wrestlers who get their big pushes stopped and the Net suddenly becoming fans of those folks because WWE is keeping them down.

It's not because of "WWE keeping them down". It's because those hated wrestlers find their groove during their down periods and fans thinking that those wrestlers deserve a second chance due to how they've improved as workers/characters.

Examples:
Ryback: Not quite there yet in the ring, loses his push and falls down the card, becomes "Da Big Guy", and then fans fall in love with him.
Jack Swagger: Randomly given MiTB and a World Title run. Considered a bust as a world champion. Hated because fans feel he's holding his tag partners Ziggler and Cesaro back from greater heights. Turns face and fans are hugely behind him.


If Reigns gets the fans wholly on his side, it won't be directly because of WWE holding him down. It will be because he gains massive improvement in the ring or finds a character that works for him and the fans will demand he get a second chance.

[Mid-Carder]

I'm sad that I resent Roman's push so much. He's one-third of my favourite stable ever and I do like him but I don't like this "decision" that he's the next Top Guy. He'd be about fifth of my list of people I'd want in this position. I want to root for him and feel as strongly about it as I did about Punk and DB's ascents but I don't. It's not even his fault.

[________ has left the building]

Dec 9, 2014 14:35:34 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

Dec 9, 2014 8:12:38 GMT -5 ________ has left the building said:

I, for one, welcome our new silky mane, handsome Samoan overlord. Besides why get so pissed off by a kayfabe award that has no value or meaning if you're not Owen Hart? The Slammys don't mean shit in the grand scheme of things and nothing is guaranteed that Reigns will be a certified main eventer in 2 years. I remember countless, hated wrestlers who get their big pushes stopped and the Net suddenly becoming fans of those folks because WWE is keeping them down.

It's not because of "WWE keeping them down". It's because those hated wrestlers find their groove during their down periods and fans thinking that those wrestlers deserve a second chance due to how they've improved as workers/characters.

Examples:
Ryback: Not quite there yet in the ring, loses his push and falls down the card, becomes "Da Big Guy", and then fans fall in love with him.
Jack Swagger: Randomly given MiTB and a World Title run. Considered a bust as a world champion. Hated because fans feel he's holding his tag partners Ziggler and Cesaro back from greater heights. Turns face and fans are hugely behind him.


If Reigns gets the fans wholly on his side, it won't be directly because of WWE holding him down. It will be because he gains massive improvement in the ring or finds a character that works for him and the fans will demand he get a second chance.

Reigns does have the fans on his side. Folks love acting like someone is so hated by the fans and/or treated with apathy when in reality, it is different. Before Ryback became Punk's and the Shield's bitch, the crowd loved him. But some here claimed he wasn't cheered when we saw evidence otherwise. The crowd didn't like when became the Bully Buster nor a Paul Heyman Guy. His team with Axel barely got a response. It wasn't until that Raw in Las Vegas did the crowd returned to his favor. The folks here though loved Da Big Guy stint. WWE heard the reaction from that Vegas crowd and decided to return him back to his old status. You forgot about the beloved Swagger run had in ECW before he became a jobber to the stars. That was what put him on the map. When he got the MITB push and eventual world title reign, folks here were down with it even though he won out of the blue. People only turned when he became SRS and feuded with Big Show. Swagger only started to get the crowd support when Zeb was added to his act. WWE wanted folks to boo them and support Del Rio but the fanbase reacted otherwise. Some nights, Zeb Colter was one of the more popular people on the card. Cesaro was held back because he's White Shelton Benjamin not because he was Swagger's partner. Notice how his career went post Real Americans and try to blame Swags for that.

Point being is that folks will turn against someone when they are on the way up and for them on the way down. Jinder Mahal was the same wrestler before 3MB but when the group was losing to everyone and their momma, people took to supporting him. People improve all the time but let's not act like that is the reason why people suddenly start to cheer for them. It happened to Sheamus. It happened to Brodus Clay. It happened to Dolph Ziggler. Folks want to cheer for the underdog even when a couple of months ago they hated them. Just like how folks ride with someone to the top but turn when they get to the top (Miz, Ryder). 

[Session Moth is over]

I have nothing against Reigns, but WWE are making it obvious who they want as top guy.

Part of me wonders if WWE didn't have WCW to worry about in the mid 90's would Austin have become the number one star in wrestling or would any chance of him getting there organically be cut short as WWE decide who THEY wanted to be the top man at the time.

[Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks]

I still love Reigns, but the award makes no sense in kayfabe or out.

The WWE creative braintrust needs to stop being so heavy-handed about ... well, everything. If they keep on with these "golden boy groomed for the top spot" style pushes, it's only going to breed resentment and backlash from the fans, and it's doubly unfortunate when it happens to guys (like Sheamus) who are good enough to be in that megaface role, if only they were allowed to get there with some degree of subtlety.

[Digital Witness]

If there was one thing that I took away from the first page of this thread, its that whenever Roman turns heel, he needs a couple of lackeys.

Give him The Miz and Roderick Strong, call them "Really Strong".

[The Captain]

Maybe I just don't pay attention to a lot of IWC talk lately anymore (I post a lot here, but mostly on the Off-Topic forums anymore), but I never really got the feeling that Roman Reigns' push is completely manufactured. Monday was really any hint of that. Rollins feels like he's the big WWE push if anything, and even then it works because of Rollins' talent.

Reigns isn't a technical guru like Daniel Bryan or Kurt Angle in his prime, but he has a hell of a presence. He's got a solid big man charisma and his moves have a real impact to them.

Same deal with why I like Ryback a lot.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Dec 9, 2014 13:30:28 GMT -5 gnr123 said:

The funny thing is, Lesnar was the one who not only ENDED THE UNDERTAKER'S UNDEFATED STREAK, but squashed John Cena as well. As is current WWE Champion. If this is in kayfake, than should the person who accomplished the most "in kayfabe" win the award?

I was wondering that. In terms of accomplishments, Roman may have won a few matches but he's got no titles to his name since they lost the tag belts.

[foolwriter]

I like Reigns...but I hate forced things. So...now I have to like Reigns even more? I have to be entertained, dammit?

[wcc2]

Maaaaaan this thread is everything that is wrong with this forum, and internet wrestling fans in general.

When people want to use the 'The term IWC is redundant because we aren't a hive mind!' argument line, just take a look at this thread. It may not be a 100% opinion all one way, but there is a clear vibe of 'Reigns is being forced down our throats' and 'he's going to get booed out of the building because fans will reject him.'

Ummm, no. There is absolutely sod all evidence for this, only the pre-conceived notion of a certain section of the fan base that seems to want to delude themselves into not listening what is happening in the arenas. The fans go ABSOLUTELY NUTS for Roman Reigns. He has presence and charisma that means he only has to shoot someone a look and it will make the fans go crazy. Suck it up IWC, because it's the truth.

If he gets booed in a few smark towns, it doesn't matter, because those towns will boo any WWE top guy that didn't make it on the indies first. Or maybe they didn't make it on the indies but they've had enough time in the mid-card being 'held down' so it became fashionable for smarks to cheer for them. This section of fans always want to feel like they are bucking the system.

WWE always create new stars, and yet always get chastised for not doing so. They are putting the machine behind Reigns. The live crowds love him. Don't let your pre-conceived prejudices get in the way of what is happening in reality. It looks very sad if you do.

[Adam Black]

Future top star or not I don't give a shit but he did not deserve that award in any way.

[Deleted]

I'm more upset that no one won the manager of the year award in 1987......



Also lol, Awards are meaningless as it is, let alone fake awards that are given out on a scripted tv show containing choreographed fights with predetermined outcomes.


It would be like getting mad about the B-sharps winning a grammy on The Simpsons

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Dec 9, 2014 16:21:39 GMT -5 Digital Witness said:

If there was one thing that I took away from the first page of this thread, its that whenever Roman turns heel, he needs a couple of lackeys.

Give him The Miz and Roderick Strong, call them "Really Strong".

Pairing Reigns with two of my man crushes won't make me dislike him less.

[Jeff Mangum PI]

Word is that the fan voting for last night's WWE Slammy Awards was 100% legitimate. The WWE App reportedly received a ton of traffic and it held up well throughout the voting.


-PWInsider

What was that about an inevitable Roman Reigns backlash again?

[kidglov3s]

Dec 9, 2014 17:25:03 GMT -5 wcc2 said:

Maaaaaan this thread is everything that is wrong with this forum, and internet wrestling fans in general.

When people want to use the 'The term IWC is redundant because we aren't a hive mind!' argument line, just take a look at this thread. It may not be a 100% opinion all one way, but there is a clear vibe of 'Reigns is being forced down our throats' and 'he's going to get booed out of the building because fans will reject him.'

Ummm, no. There is absolutely sod all evidence for this, only the pre-conceived notion of a certain section of the fan base that seems to want to delude themselves into not listening what is happening in the arenas. The fans go ABSOLUTELY NUTS for Roman Reigns. He has presence and charisma that means he only has to shoot someone a look and it will make the fans go crazy. Suck it up IWC, because it's the truth.

If he gets booed in a few smark towns, it doesn't matter, because those towns will boo any WWE top guy that didn't make it on the indies first. Or maybe they didn't make it on the indies but they've had enough time in the mid-card being 'held down' so it became fashionable for smarks to cheer for them. This section of fans always want to feel like they are bucking the system.

WWE always create new stars, and yet always get chastised for not doing so. They are putting the machine behind Reigns. The live crowds love him. Don't let your pre-conceived prejudices get in the way of what is happening in reality. It looks very sad if you do.

Funny you can see back and forth all through this thread, back and forth that you're taking part in, and then make the hivemind accusation.