Heels berating towns/cities.... isn't it weird....?

[Skeletor]

Isn't it weird that wrestlers insult football baseball and other sports teams unrelated in ANY way to the WWE?   It just seems, weird.  Ya know?  Especially for live audiences watching at home.  That heat doesn't work anyway on us.  Calling everyone in attendance personal insults at least makes SOME sense.  But what do I care if Elias rips on the Spurs or the Vikings...for instance?

[sarkerpolseng]

It is called character development dude. Now all of us know that Elias does not care for the Spurs.

[Deleted]

I've always wanted a heel to visit a town that recently won a major championship and criticize a lower end sport they performed poorly in.

Like if the Patriots win the super bowl this year, a heel should visit Boston and make fun of the local college women's division 2 volleyball team for having a losing record.

[cjb01: Limited Edition Item!]

Nothing beats when Rock said "I'll be sure to come back when The Lakers beat the Kings in May!" in Sacramento

I've never heard such bloodthirsty heat over a Sports Team reference before or since.

[TGM]

I love how this works in the UK.

"Manchester United suck!"

*crowd cheers*

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Jan 17, 2018 0:42:12 GMT -5 cjb01: Limited Edition Item! said:

Nothing beats when Rock said "I'll be sure to come back when The Lakers beat the Kings in May!" in Sacramento

I've never heard such bloodthirsty heat over a Sports Team reference before or since.

"Cleveland doesn't rock no it totally sucks." "Lebron you should go to school so you don't get drafted here". Lol I miss heel Rock.

[Deleted]

Nope, if the town/city is a shithole, then it should be berated.

[The Heartbreak TWERK]

I'd really love it if someone just cut one of these promos literally saying "And your local sports team sucks!"

[Push R Truth]

I recall once or twice over the years when the heel gets a pop because they tear into a home team that deserves it... but my memory is hazy enough I can't exactly recall what cities it was.


It would be like if they were in Cleveland and Elias says "Yeah and the Browns suck too!"
He'd get an Austin Level Pop



R-Truth Style is the best way to get cheap heel heat for bagging on a city. Imagine if Truth was in Chicago and said "DETROIT, MICHIGAN... WHAT'S UP!?!"

[Deleted]

I'd explain it, but you'd never get it being from a dump like Eternia.

[Blindkarevik]

It does seem weird to me, but I'm not a sports fan so I just don't have the same type of loyalty or emotional attachment to a sports team. It's to the point where once it starts, I just kinda groan.

But, then... it does get a reaction so it serves its function.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Jan 17, 2018 16:07:05 GMT -5 TGM said:

I love how this works in the UK.

"Manchester United suck!"

*crowd cheers*

It pretty much worked the same way in Detroit if they were insulting the city generally.

Like "YEAH DETROIT SUCKS, WE'RE ALL FROM THE SUBURBS!"

[mrbananagrabber]

Not everything has to be for the TV audience, it’s easy, cheap heat that will always get a reaction. Why wouldn’t they do it?

[Powerline]

Jan 17, 2018 16:09:00 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

Jan 17, 2018 0:42:12 GMT -5 cjb01: Limited Edition Item! said:

Nothing beats when Rock said "I'll be sure to come back when The Lakers beat the Kings in May!" in Sacramento

I've never heard such bloodthirsty heat over a Sports Team reference before or since.

"Cleveland doesn't rock no it totally sucks." "Lebron you should go to school so you don't get drafted here". Lol I miss heel Rock.

Kinda hard to find a clip from the first promo (and maybe I'm being a homer for it a bit), but a couple years ago when Raw was in Kansas City the night before Game 1 of the 2014 World Series (which the Kansas City Royals were in), the crowd kept breaking out into "Let's Go Royals" chants and Orton/HHH kept shooting them down to a chorus of boos I hadn't heard regarding a sports team remark in WWE since those Rock segments.  They did it in the opening segment then gave Orton his own promo later and hit him with it again.  It doesn't help Orton's from St. Louis., who is not only the cross-state rival but at the time had been the team KC beat for their only World Series title.

But that crowd was white-hot for the Royals that night. During Cena's match that night, the crowd replied to "Let's Go Cena" with "Let's Go Royals", the only time I've heard that chant countered with something other than "Cena Sucks" or "Let's Go [opponent]".

[The Rick Jericho]

Didn't someone bash Philly sports teams and got cheered? Maybe it was McNabb?

[Feargus McReddit]

Heels berating an area, sure, I get that.

Authority figures berating an audience is something I’ve never understood. And is probably the reason why figures are nowhere near where they are 5 years ago, never mind 10.

[Old Jack Burton]

I may be dead wrong, but I don't think current wrestling fans are as knowledgeable about football teams as the WWE seems to think they are.

[Deleted]

Jan 17, 2018 19:34:26 GMT -5 Feargus McReddit said:

Heels berating an area, sure, I get that.

Authority figures berating an audience is something I’ve never understood. And is probably the reason why figures are nowhere near where they are 5 years ago, never mind 10.

It's because the audience isn't THAT DAMN GOOD.

[Derk!]

Jan 16, 2018 23:38:56 GMT -5 sarkerpolseng said:

It is called character development dude. Now all of us know that Elias does not care for the Spurs.

That's yet another reason to Walk With Elias.

[A Platypus Rave is Correct]

Jan 17, 2018 16:17:23 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

I recall once or twice over the years when the heel gets a pop because they tear into a home team that deserves it... but my memory is hazy enough I can't exactly recall what cities it was.

not a sports team but.

HHH to DX: "Guys. Think about it we get to spend Thanksgiving in Beautiful Downtown Rochester...
This place sucks."

*Crowd pop*