WWE Program Spitballing

The WWE Network is happening. It's now a thing. For real. It gives us access to an amazingly extensive library of wrestling programming, but what else are they going to feature? What kind of shows will the WWE pick up? Word is they are looking for more ideas for original programming so I thought it would be fun to sit down and spitball some ideas on the Internet. So let's start off with the easy ones.

-MIZ TV- Make Miz TV a talk show for wrestling. This seems like the most obvious choice to me. I mean TV is right in the name. Think what you will about the Miz in the ring (personally I've come around) but the guy is a good host and a goods talker. Give Miz TV about a half hour and let him run things for a while and see how it goes. Could be fun. Question is does to go kayfabe or not? Personally I think with this it would be kind of boring if it was just a bunch of guys talking about who they are going to beat up. I guess with this it could really go either way but personally I would rather them break kayfabe.

-The Steve Austin Show- Stone Cold now has two reality shows, Redneck Island and the Broken Skull Ranch. However he also has a very successful podcast that I think she just be recorded with video and made into its own show. Its Howard Stern but with your buddy Stone Cold. That sounds fun to me. Let him do his interviews the way he does (masterful) and give him a nice studio with cameras to do it in. Minimum work and you have gold! Now Chris Jericho could also dip into this a little because he does a podcast on the same website but let's let him build up his chops a bit more. I'm sure there's something else he could do in the meantime.

-The Road Show- Now this idea is borrowed from Kevin Steen's Weekend Escapades and Colt Cabana's Wrestling Road Diaries but the idea is simple. Just follow a couple wrestlers on the road. If you've ever listened to any stories from wrestlers on the road, they ways have crazy or funny stuff to talk about. The problem with this idea though is its the WWE and that means it's PG. So a show like this might get old pretty quickly but there's potential to see people like Daniel Bryan and Bri who like to check out hotspots, or maybe follow CM Punk to a comic book shop. There's enough different personal interests in the roster, and enough combinations of different people driving together that there could really be a mixed palette of content.

-Documentaries- All of those DVD compilations that the WWE has put out through the years, put em' all in one place. This also gives them the opportunities to creat new documentaries and interviews. I could get lost for days in this stuff alone.

-Tough Enough- Remember that show? Where wannabe wrestlers would compete for a contract? And then remember how they canceled it and then brought it back (with success) and then canceled it again? Well, now is the time to bring it back! But here's the thing. There's no reason for a show like Tough Enough anymore as far as getting a WWE contract goes. That's what NXT is for. Maybe just rework the show into something a little different. Maybe take normal people instead of independent wrestlers and treat it like. Wipe out sort of thing. Or maybe Biggest Loser is a better comparison because then they can tell you you're the worst kind of human for not being Tough Enough! See what I did there? Pure gold. (Nailed it!)

-Any Reality Show- Does Steve Austin want a show? Done. Does Daniel Bryan want a show about beard grooming? Sure. Does Cm Punk want to cruise comic books stores across the country? Let him. Just give a reality show to any one of their superstars that wants to try something and let the good ones weed themselves out. Not all at once of course. Let's not get crazy. I love watching any behind the scenes action I can find. It's the only reason I watch Total Divas really. Let's face it, reality shows are in. So let's use that.

Well the wheels keep turning but this is what I have off the top of my head. The WWE is looking for content and I just hope they find some interesting ideas. Maybe they will even hire me for my ideas! Yeah and then I'll be the next WWE World Heavyweight Champion while we are still in fantasy land! So what does everyone else think about my program ideas? What kind of shows would you want to see? As always sound off in the comments with ideas, or if you just want to talk (I get lonely) and you can follow me or berate me on Twitter @advent_crash. (Seriously guys. Really lonely!)

Wrestling in the Past, Present, and Past?

The Attitude Era. The NWO era. Both one in the same and we and we can just call it the Monday Night Wars. It was when wrestling was golden. Every Monday night you could tune into Raw or Nitro and see amazing wrestling with some of the biggest stars to ever enter the sport. These men and women are now all part of a group that we would classify as legends. The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Sting, Kane, The Hardy Boys, Edge and Christian. These are all major players of the Monday Night Wars. However it all changed when WCW went out of business and was purchased by Vince McMahon. Wrestling changed very quickly. Fast forward to the present and the WWE is unrecognizable compared to it's past self. Lets just call it what it is, its PG. You won't see a Stone Cold come out and throw around middle fingers like we used to. It's toned down and that's not neccarily a bad thing because if there's one thing I'm sick of its the pining for the return of The Attitude Era.

Now don't get me wrong. I LOVED the Attitude Era. Some of my favorite matches to revisit are from that period of the 90s. A good amount of my wrestling DVD collection covers this time period, but that's just what it is at this point. It's a period in time and a period that's over. We are in a new era and whether you call it the Universe Era or the Modern Era, WWE is whole new beast from what it once was. One thing, however, has never changed. We seem to be doomed to forever suffer through the return and push of old superstars. A one night return or a few month stretch its consistent year by year. Sometimes it works for the best and feels fresh, like Goldust's current return, and other times it just feels forced, like The Rock for the last few years. I will admit it can be nice to see some old faces again, or for the first time when it comes to the younger generations, but its hardy ever worth it and just doesn't have the same spark. I love ECW, but I don't need to see an ECW reunion show every year. Tommy Dreamer has the right idea with House of Hardcore. Keep it fresh and don't exist solely to give these older guys a job.

Wrestling is full of nostalgia and that's not a bad thing. It becomes a problem when the younger worthy stars lose a push over an older star. WWE and TNA both have a lot of young great talent that gets pushed aside for the sake of focusing on the older talent that has already had their day. As much as I love Sting and The Rock I'd much rather watch Austin Aries or Wade Barrett get a bigger push. Things have gotten better in the last year. Aries was a successful heavyweight champion, Daniel Bryan had a great feud that was eventually squandered, CM Punk had his amazing title run, but he lost to the Rock, Bryan lost to Orton, Aries lost to Hardy, all people who have had extensive runs and multiple chances. Not that they don't deserve a good story either but it starts to feel tired. TNA is being forced into a position where they have to bring in more unknowns for monetary reasons and maybe that will be best for them. Its time someone took a risk as brought in some fresh talent. Bring back Christian York and Crimson, give Sam Shaw more TV time, hire Brian Cage over Jay Bradley (still bitter about that), and just maybe let Sabin hold the title longer than a week. The only thing worse than not looking at great talent is already having it in your roster and not utilizing it. Maybe Zack Ryder could be the most entertaining wrestler in the world and he just needs TV time! We may never know.

The WWE has been notorious for not listening to the people. I understand that they are a billion dollar company and try obviously know what they are doing, but I just feel like they may be a little old fashioned. Triple H taking the reigns may be the best thing for the company because he seems more likely to look at some deserving talent, and William Regal has sure picked some great superstars in his scouting, maybe just a younger mind is all that's needed. Too often the WWE is giving a newer star a great run and letting them shine, only to hit the stop button and start over. Not every star is going to blow up over night and you need to let things play out for a bit. Maybe one match in a feud is a dud but what if their next match is amazing and you don't let it happen because Pay Per View buys were down? So instead of letting someone like Bryan keep feuding with Orton instead he gets attacked by Shawn Michaels and he's no longer in the title picture. What?! Still don't understand that one. You just need to let things play out sometimes and see where it goes. When an entire crowd is cheering YES, in a way I haven't seen since *clears throat* the Attitude Era, maybe what you're doing is working! Instead we get another Cena and Orton feud. Oh yippee! Like we haven't seen this a million times.

The Attitude Era was magical. Older superstars always have a place in our hearts. A lot of them are still amazing too! Do I want to see Ryback face Goldburg? Sure, about right years ago. Do I war to see that at Wrestlemania 30? God no. I want something new. Give me something fresh! Even Ryback vs Lesnar would be better because at least Lesnar is still wrestling and proved he can still put on a five star match. Seriously, Summerslam was awesome guys! The bottom line (because Stone Cold says so!) is that if the WWE wants to honor the Attitude Era then give us a good documentary and keep pumping out those compilation DVDs. Personally love The Most Electrifying Man Rock DVD myself. Otherwise it's time to push some of these younger guys! Wrestling needs to be innovative and not keep dipping back into the same well. So what do you think? Where do you stand? Do you want to keep seeing the stars of old dragged back every year or would you rather see a flood of new talent? Be sure to sound off in the comments. Also you can follow me on Twitter @advent_crash.