Daily Discussion Thread – 7/24/17


Today at Place to Be Nation we’ll be chatting about the fallout from Battleground, the G1, and really whatever you’d like.

Some fresh audio to enjoy today:

243 thoughts on “Daily Discussion Thread – 7/24/17

  1. Read at great point at PWO by friend of the site, Mad Dog, about the KO/Styles finish. Bad enough the ref couldn’t see anything to count, they played Owens’ music RIGHT after the three count, even though there was supposed to be “confusion”. Just awful embarrassing production work.

    1. What about the fact that they played Jinder’s music for Khali instead of going back to Khali’s old theme?
      Almost as idiotic as making Drew McIntyre a babyface NXT Title contender and replacing his old theme, one of the best they ever did IMHO.

    1. Off night is a good way to put it. The Corbin/Nak match just didn’t work, neither guy came out looking good. AJ/KO was middle of the road, considering the talent involved. The ending didn’t bother me all that much, but it felt uninspired. I’m a big Jinder supporter and all, but this feud and this match is dragging the whole thing down. Move on…new feud for the title already. Hopefully Jinder has learned what he can working with Randy, but no one needs a Punjabi Prison Match up in here.

  2. Lots of people who were at the show last night saying that they couldn’t see anything during the Punjabi Prison match. So, did they not show the match on the screens in the building?!?!

    1. It looked to me like the countdown clock for the doors took up the whole titantron during that phase of the match. Even aside from that, you don’t go to the show to watch it on the screen, y’know?

  3. Busy weekend with work so didn’t catch Battleground last night.

    And apparently judging by the reactions to the show, I shouldn’t bother.

  4. Playing around on the Amazon Fire Stick, came across this app Pluto TV, it features a Pro Wrestling channel (most of the content being old TNA). British Boot camp is on right now, seeing a clean shaven, non Villain Marty Scurll is mind blowing

          1. The episode I saw, it was down to Marty, Spud, and 2 women named the Blossom twins

  5. I would rank Battleground near the bottom of the PPV list this year along with Fast Lane. Some good stuff on it but not enough to leave a memorable impression overall.

  6. So what are we looking at for Summerslam? I can say the 4 Way for the Universal Title will be announced tonight by Kurt Angle most likely. Cena vs Jindar for the WWE Title, the two Womens Titles on the line. Seth & Miz for the IC, not sure about the US at the moment though maybe a gimmick with AJ & Kevin Owens or throw in Nakamura for a 3 way. Also not sure about the RAW Tag Titles at the moment.

      1. Alexa and Nia will have a fallout. There’s your title match. Then how about the Four Horsewomen exploding. Sasha and Bayley vs Charlotte and Becky.

      1. I get David Price’s point, but at the same time Eck is an analyst and it’s his job to criticize and call out poor performance .

        David Price is better off in a market where nobody cares. Like Kenny Rogers.

          1. Price is quickly becoming one of my least favorite players in Sox history. What a putz.

          1. Yeah just read it. A mess indeed but the Sox have been a mess internally for a couple of a years now it seems. Yeah i know they won the World Series again recently but overall a mess still.

  7. Just finished Battleground. Pretty much a snoozer. Nothing outwardly bad, but just a nothing happening show. Tag Title match was good though.

          1. I wouldn’t split New Day up, I think this would be a cool way of having them do something different, Big E/ KO could be fun

  8. I’m interested in how an Orton-Khali match would work. That seems like a fun spectacle. Orton is the only 2007 main eventer who didn’t get a shot at the “How good a match can you drag Khali to on PPV” game.

  9. Here’s a discussion question:

    -What would it take to get you as a wrestling fan to actively watch and follow a non-WWE company?

    -Similarly, if you are currently not a WWE viewer, what would it take to get you back to active watching status?

    1. I only watch ppvs now. (Missed last night’s) and have probably reached the height of my disinterest in the product.

      Here’s what I would need:
      ANYTHING other than the standard fight for 3 ppvs formula that has been around since about 05.

      Storylines that have some coherant sense. Like if the number one face in the company tried to murder someone live on ppv for example I’d like there to be a sterner punishment than being placed in a number one contender’s match.For example.

      I can live with a 3

      1. Also a very giod to great show every PPV. There is no excuse for a company with that much talent and that many resources to produce anything less.

      2. I think you hit the nail on the head in that incredible rant-something, anything new.

        EVERYTHING comes off as scripted, forced or old. Saw a great stat when reading recap of Battleground-Tye Dillinger has had like 6 TV matches and 4 of them were against Aiden English. So if you saw his first Smackdown appearance, you have essentially seen everything he has done.

        1. I remember when Gallows and Anderson started they fought the Usos something like 10 times over 8 weeks. Why have a team of writers if that’s the result?

          1. And to reply to my own comment the most important thing missing is the WHY. You can have guys wrestle repeatedly IF you justify it somehow. They’re WHY is always BECAUSE.

      3. In defense of the announcers taking with their hands, that seems to be a sports announcer trope… if you watch a baseball or football game or whatever the announcers all act the same way. Has to be a standard convention in that business now I guess.

        1. Then do it in a less contrived way. Get people on camera who are comfortoble with their gestures. I run a Shakespeare company with nowhere near their exposure or funds and I wouldn’t allow anyone that awkward on my stage.

          I also pay my cast’s travel but that’s a different story…

      4. Your last point is really good. At some point in the last 15 years they stopped remembering how to book wrestling and just became a week to week TV drama universe that caters to the dumbest possible audience and just finds ways to fill their contracted hours.

        1. But even a week to week drama has things characters want. Listen to any promo from the 80’s. You’ll hear every guy talking about wanting to be champion. That was ONE guy producing those promos. When everyone has a goal everything seems more important.

          I get they need to fill 12 to 45 PPVs per year but even from 95-2002 if there was a PPV rematch there was a reason. It was always something more thought out than “rematch clause” or “HHH and Batista did 3 so we have to.”

          1. Well the comparison to the 80s is clear because like I said 12 years ago they shifted for whatever reason.

            I guess should clarify that they went to their version of a TV drama.

          2. Haha! Right. Like they think they’re Breaking Bad but don’t get why Walter is talking about cancer and feeling human emotions.

          3. Right they just want the payoff with none of the leg work. No attention span or commitment. The success of NXT should be the proof for them… simple old school style writing.

          4. That’s what’s always baffling to me. You’re dead on with NXT but also how can they fuck up building up babyfaces when they literally have HOURS of instructional evidence on their network.

      5. What would you recommend for Money In The Bank? Im not sure what you can really change with that other it’s a contract to cash in for a Title shot anytime they want it.

        1. Someone calling their shot for Mania and sticking to it.
          Someone selling the briefcase to someone else.
          Someone being made to defend the briefcase.
          Someone giving the shot to someone else.

          That’s 4 things with 2 seconds of thought. Imagine if I were paid to come up with ideas for a wrestling company.

          EVERY year do we need tbe champion beat up and someone running down with a ref? You’re happy with the exact same story every year?

          1. I think the MITB holders not defending the briefcase as if it were another title is a huge missed opportunity.

          2. That would require them to book creatively. Which is something they have a hard time doing. They usually go from point a to point b in the simplest way possible.

          3. The MITB Cash in at Mania is not a bad idea. Not sure i’d like the Briefcase being defended and passed around until someone cashes it in.

          4. Dude I’m spitballing. Tgese were with two seconds of thought. You’d think the room full of writers who are paid to do this could come up with something better than “Just do what we did last year”

    2. -Question 1: Easy access to their content and one or two familiar faces that can help invest me in talent that I’ve never seen before.
      -Question 2: Maybe listen to a podcast (more a fan-based one, not a talent-based one) and find honest opinions. That could lead me to watch Raw or SD and then take the effort to get the thirty free days of the WWE Network. 30 days is a good stretch to decide if I actually would keep watching.

      1. Ease of access is definitely a big one, especially today. WWE’s greatest strength is they are super easy to watch. Many other companies are getting there, but with so much at our disposal (including non-wrestling entertainment too), having to really look for something IS a turn off.

    3. Most of the wrestling I watch at this point is determined by what the people I live with will get together to watch. Out of the four of us, we have a full crew to hang out for Raw/SD (the only reason I started watching them every week again), 3 for Lucha Underground, and 2 to 3 for Chikara/NXT/205. So I suppose it’d mainly take a drive from one of them to get into something new, and/or a more enthusiastic response when I occasionally put on a recommended match or show.

    4. I just don’t have the time to commit right now… or the effort. Like anything you weren’t into growing up or during developmental commitment years it’s hard to become a dedicated fan of something net new.

      Like I didn’t grow up a hardcore golf or college football fan and whenever I try to get into those things I find it hard to fully engage and commit the time. Same for having a fave NBA team… once the real Hornets died and I was in my late 20s, it’s hard to suddenly find that attachment.

      I just don’t have the attachment to other wresting and without the time time to fully engage it won’t take.

      That doesn’t mean I won’t watch it but it won’t become a must see thing in my life at this point. I rotate in and out of ROH, TNA, NJPW and LU time to time but can easily slip out.

      For WWE I only watch PPVs and 205 regularly now. Raw is background noise while recording PTBP and SD I usually just side eye on my iPad while we watch tv at night.

      I just prefer old stuff (both stuff I’ve seen and brand new stuff I’m discovering) overall and just catching things here and there for new footage (WWE and non) when I have time. Part of that is because of site projects but also I just enjoy spending my time that way more.

      1. Time is the biggest factor for me as well, which is why I don’t watch much WWE. All of it is soooo long. I usually don’t come out of it thinking it was bad, just that it lasted forever.

        1. I’ll make time if I’m enjoying something though. I’m loving watching 70s/80s MSG shows for research for the GWWE 100.

      2. I kinda stopped watching Smackdown this month as I think its a poor show at the moment. RAW is better.

        I prefer the current Indy & Int’l scene and older stuff.

    5. Give me a reason to care other than throwing out Matches with dives and multiple kick outs to get fully invested. I tried watching Lucha Underground in the first two seasons and haven’t paid much attention to it in Season 3. I guess some of the hocus pocus in their non Wrestling segments is what turned me off to it. To me i think some of the shine is now off of LU.

      The only non WWE stuff i watch on a weekly basis is ROH. I just don’t care for the New Japan style though i did watch the G1 USA special but it was more to hear Jim Ross and see some familiar faces i know. At the same time it’s not enough to keep watching New Japan every week.

      The other stuff i just read up on if there’s something interesting and don’t have much access to. Im ok with watching RAW/Smackdown/NXT/ROH every week, that’s usually enough for me.

      1. Honest question: what reason does WWE give you to care outside of matches with dives and kick outs?

        Like, why would a random fan care about the AJ Styles character, or Roman Reigns? What are their motivations?

        Also, what is the New Japan “style” you don’t care for?

          1. I guess that’s what I am wondering. What do you mean by the style they do?

          2. Well in fairness he was completely different in Japan. Motivated and in there with guys his caliber.

  10. This first segment is exactly Aaron’s point. Now after this Roman Reigns will come out and Kurt books the Four-Way. In Aaron’s world, Joe got his one match and he should be out of the picture. So he shouldn’t even should be in this segment or the discussion.

    But WWE just decides to fast track to what everyone probably wants.

          1. Or if you are going to keep Joe there find a creative reason. Work something into the previous match tbat Joe can cite, or have him goad him into another match. Or have…. the possibilities are literally endless.

          2. Exactly. Just to go out there and bluster with no logic whatsoever is somewhat insulting. Then again, if the whole point of this is to lead to Roman/Brock at Wrestlemania, then why are we to give two shits about the steps leading to it?

            Also, Michael Cole couldn’t even bother to specify which shoulder Finn Balor had the surgery on and Corey Graves had to correct him AGAIN.

          3. The announcer’s job is to sell you on the NEXT show, not to talk about the current show you’re watching.

      1. Because WWE thinks it visually looks cool to have 500000 guys in the ring at the same time. Whether there’s a reason to be out there or not isn’t supposed to mean anything. It just looks cool

  11. Now the back and forth Booker & Corey had about Finn Balor’s shoulder tape could have been a fun debate, but they just let it go. Corey said Finn is a competitor, but Booker should have said “I didn’t say he wasn’t, I said he’s stupid for wearing tape and showing he has a bad shoulder.” But they just let the conversation fade away.

    1. I hate to correct you but Booker said ” I didn’t say he wasn’t, I said he’s stupid for wearing tape and showing he has a bad shoulder TONIGHT.”

      Also I’m not watching the show but I’m SURE that’s what he said.

  12. My kids are watching The WWE Flintstones. The term SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT doesn’t fit into any conceivable sentence but is shoehorned in every three minutes.

      1. I dunno, John Cena and the Undertaker are lecturing Fred about the benefits of friendship. What’s Fiona doing? Taking off her top and endangering minors?

          1. Shit you’re ahead of me. Don’t spoil or I’ll spew the results of the CM PunkRock Rey Mysterio match from Bedrock.

          2. According to this it took Vince McMagma 65 million years to build the WWE after stealing the idea from Fred.

          1. NOW THEY”RE FEEDING THE WALRUSES AND THEIR CHILD PUP COOKIES!!!

          2. Second story. The Captain and a mime are digging dinosaur bones.

          3. No wonder Ryder runs this town all the adults are stupid as shit.

          4. “When I’m extinct… Ryder gives me a bath!” HAHAHAHAHA! Get this guywriting lines for Reigns!

          5. Rocky’s totally being buried in this episode. Guy has all the tools but doesn’t get the push.

          6. “What this road needs is a little TLR. tender Loving Rubble.” Jesus Christ guys. Replace Rubble with Reigns and that line is a winner.

          7. They’re bringing in the third pup for this one. Skye. Roman should date her. Get over big with the kids.

          8. Rubble: (Talking about a big bone) “Boy I’d like to chew on that!” (Stomach rumbles, they laugh.)

            That feels like a Big Dog line. Believe THAT!

          9. bark bark
            bark bark
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            bark bark bark bark
            bark bark
            bark bark
            bark bark bark bark bark bark.

    1. I’m way out of the loop on PP… Alex checked out a few months ago and is slowly starting to get back into it now.

      I kind of think he listened to the podcast and realized what he was doing to me.

      1. Haha! My guys love it so much. My oldest is moving away but the little one keeps pulling him back. I don’t mind. It’s better than the Modern Ninja Turtles stuff he likes.

          1. Felt tame for a No DQ match. Wouldnt call it bad per se but it was underwhelming.

    1. I agree, rarely a bad match and you can tell in the between match segments they’re trying very hard to get what little tv time they have over.

  13. Does anyone have any info on this guy in the front row with the neon green shirt?
    He’s a bigger superfan than Vlad and sits in the same seat at every show with the same shirt, hat, and douchy goatee.
    I’ve noticed him on camera pretty much every single RAW, SD, and PPV since WM.
    Got to be hardcore dedicated (and rich) to get the hard camera front row seat at arenas all over the country.

    1. I met him years ago at an MSG show – when I was 15. He’s a cool guy. Got my pic with him. Saw him again about a year later at a show in Poughkeepsie. He remembered me from the Garden. Over the years I’ve heard that he has a hook up through Ticketmaster that secures his tix.

    1. Good match, great finish,. Pure luck, so it keeps both strong. Now we need BAYLEY to turn heel, instead of the predictable Sasha turning heel.

  14. I like these Special Olympics segments, particularly with Dana Warrior doing the pieces. I’m glad that they use her to be a real ambassador.

        1. And turning babyface means that Balor can pseudo hang with them, and perhaps with the three of them and AJ as faces…perhaps…a Survivor Series team?

          1. I would enjoy that a lot haha. If they are all faces now I want at the very least a backstage segment at summerslam.

    1. He is, and they are a tremendous heel team, They should never turn babyface. They are just too damn good at being assholes. It’s like a babyface Arn, Eh. Makes that 1994 heel turn on Dustin so awesome.

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