Greggulator Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 The theme of Austin/Punk/Bryan feuds are the same -- it's how a unique individual has to deal with the agendas of corporate America. But all three have completely different appeals. Austin was a heel everyone liked because he drank beer, cursed, cagey and would never quit. But he was like The Terminator in his obsessive will. He was essentially a bad guy from the comics who went after an even worse bad guy and was beloved for it. I rooted for Austin but didn't always have the most sympathy for him -- if you're Stunning everyone in sight, people are going to want to get theirs. Punk was the dude at work who felt like he had absolutely nothing to lose because he had enough in savings to quit. But he's a natural sh-t stirrer and couldn't resist poking a stick in a hornet's nest just because there was an abusive power structure. He's like the token punk in a high school populated by cool kid jocks who doesn't give one crap. But the only thing, those people have a martyr complex that can get old. That's Punk's fatal flaw -- he has a total martyr complex. It's actually great he has that in both his tell-it-like-it-is face persona as well as his Straightedge Savior persona. Bryan's the most everyman of the three. He's one of us. He looks like us. He's an admitted nerd. I wrote in the August Discussion about my travails in the workplace and how much I see and feel that in Bryan -- I've gotten passed over for not going to a pedigree college or having a messy desk as opposed to being judged on my merits, talent and personality. I had to sell out (bye bye Weezer T-shirt, hello Jos. A. Bank sportscoat) a little bit because the real world doesn't doesn't work like that and I've got a family, debt and various wants and needs that a raise can provide for. But in the exaggerated world of professional wrestling -- the ultimate form of storytelling for the American Common Man -- I get to root for a dude who was given a chance to sell out, held his ground, attempted to become a star on his own merits without any patron pulling strings for him, and now has an entire corporate board scheming against him despite his division turning in the best quarterly profits the company has seen in years. It's how it is for dudes who discovered Pavement in high school or became vegans in college who are faced with the adult fact that you have to work for the man.As Matt D. put it -- Bryan's the Steve Austin for the post-2008 world of young, middle-class (and below) people sold on a failed American Dream, kids who were told their whole lives they can be anything they wanted, did the right things and worked hard and went to college, but now find themselves mired in a mountain of student debt and are forced to take a job working for the man. And when they're there, they quickly see that the system in place treats them like a number essentially there to help a stock price when making layoff announcements during an earnings call with Wall Street advisers, whereas the anointed few (the old guard who hire their children like the McMahon's, the people who look and talk the part and like Randy Orton) have all of the managerial power. Those of us who fit into the first category who have a lot of talent to shine face a huge amount of hurdles (executive vice-presidents scheming to protect their spots with the help of people they know from top 15 MBA programs, allegedly independent corporate boards stocked with the CEOs buddies from the country club) trying to make it to that spot. Bryan dealing with all of the odds stacked against him is the most I've ever related to a wrestling character. When he wins, we all do. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 So basically, Daniel Bryan is the 99%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalysis Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I just found out who Los Matadores are. Fuck WWE. Seriously. Maybe they did this so when Generico comes up, they can tell him not to promote his Ole chants to the crowds. Nah, the 'E couldn't be that petty... They are a great tag team who I have missed so I don't give a fuck, though a part of me wishes Generico was a member of the group just because I guarantee it would have triggered fanboy rage. They can have him show up as the third member and pretend he looks just like them. Make him the Tokyo Magnum to their Dancing Fools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Mann Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Pavement is exceedingly hit or miss and always will be. Other than that, no disagreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 So basically, Daniel Bryan is the 99%. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I think he meant the 23rd since that is listed as a Raw taping in ChicagoMaybe I should have looked at my September calendar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 So basically, Daniel Bryan is the 99%. Exactly. Politically-themed angles having been so successful in WWE as of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzalez Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I think we should talk more about how we wish Daniel Bryan was Steve Austin and not Daniel Bryan. Would you rather he be like Cena? Because that's who he was acting like in the first segment with Steph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 He didn't walk up to the Shield, they Pearl Harbored him after HHH called him out of hiding. If Bryan had jumped out of the crowd and tried to storm the ring leading to the Shield attack, I would have no complaints. That is part of the story, though. It's not some mistake or gap in logic. Bryan has never had to deal with anything like this new group before. He will have to adapt to overcome the odds and get what he wants. Basic stuff, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaedmc Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 It's one thing to say "He's like our Steve Austin" which I am totally behind, but it's another to be upset that he isn't booked like Steve Austin. I think better than saying "He's our Steve Austin" is saying "He's my hero and I want my hero to win." People complain because they're afraid the WWE will suddenly not like him anymore. They pushed CM Punk when his segments were losing viewers. Summer of Punk didn't go the way we wanted but they followed it up by booking him the longest fucking reign in ever. Look over their roster of faces right now. They NEED Daniel Bryan. He beat the biggest wrestling star in the world two days ago. Clean. They're all in now. The old wrestling fan of the 80's would see Daniel Bryan get beat down and get upset and rally around him. The modern smark fan sees him get beat down and it's "Oh god it's all over! Casual fans won't like it." My son watches Daniel Bryan with the biggest fucking smile, and every time DB gets beat up, he says "He'll get them next time. He just needs to focus." And he'll fucking tell you not to give up on Daniel Bryan. I know you've all been hurt before. I'm still smarting over Ziggler. But maybe we need to take a step back and act like five year olds and rally around our fucking hero. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 No one in the WWE watches Lucha. Why in the world are you bringing in Puerto Ricans to run a Mexican Matador gimmick? Don't you know that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are supposed to be mortal enemies? Commandante Pierroth, mother fuckers! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 The Wyatt family got pretty cold pretty quick. Glad the Shield is getting a better push. Los Matadores will probably be the gimmick of the year. Did they mention anything about Darren Young coming out? It makes sense that Dolph was back to doing the job since he had his quarterly win on Sunday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Mann Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 To put it in simpler terms, Austin= Id, Bryan= ego, Punk/Rocky= superego. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 No one in the WWE watches Lucha. Why in the world are you bringing in Puerto Ricans to run a Mexican Matador gimmick? Don't you know that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are supposed to be mortal enemies? Commandante Pierroth, mother fuckers! Well, you can't really run a Los Peleadores de Gallos gimmick these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzalez Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 No one in the WWE watches Lucha. Why in the world are you bringing in Puerto Ricans to run a Mexican Matador gimmick? Don't you know that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are supposed to be mortal enemies? Commandante Pierroth, mother fuckers! You know I was going to complain about this angle being a little racist. But they never said in the preview that they were playing Mexican Matadors. They could instead be playing Spanish Matadors. And if they are Spanish then I'm sure most Latino's are cool with that since most see Spain as their Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Mann Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I think we're all making that jump because the last guy they did this with was of Mexican descent. Dammit, now I want some pace with extra picante Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 It's one thing to say "He's like our Steve Austin" which I am totally behind, but it's another to be upset that he isn't booked like Steve Austin. I think better than saying "He's our Steve Austin" is saying "He's my hero and I want my hero to win." People complain because they're afraid the WWE will suddenly not like him anymore. They pushed CM Punk when his segments were losing viewers. Summer of Punk didn't go the way we wanted but they followed it up by booking him the longest fucking reign in ever. Look over their roster of faces right now. They NEED Daniel Bryan. He beat the biggest wrestling star in the world two days ago. Clean. They're all in now. The old wrestling fan of the 80's would see Daniel Bryan get beat down and get upset and rally around him. The modern smark fan sees him get beat down and it's "Oh god it's all over! Casual fans won't like it." My son watches Daniel Bryan with the biggest fucking smile, and every time DB gets beat up, he says "He'll get them next time. He just needs to focus." And he'll fucking tell you not to give up on Daniel Bryan. I know you've all been hurt before. I'm still smarting over Ziggler. But maybe we need to take a step back and act like five year olds and rally around our fucking hero. Best post. The bold section is really the main issue I have with the reaction to this show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisco Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Jae hit the nail on the head. Quit freaking out and enjoy the ride. The WWE may have stumbled with the Summer of Punk but two years later Punk is in a much better place inside the company as well as being more popular. Until Vince McMahon pins Bryan with the fingerpoke of doom, Daniel Bryan fans probably have nothing to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Mann Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I can't even imagine what the internet would look like if storylines went at the pace they did 30 years ago. And this place is one of REASONABLE boards. Actually I can. I just don't want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Those of us who fit into the first category who have a lot of talent to shine face a huge amount of hurdles (executive vice-presidents scheming to protect their spots with the help of people they know from top 15 MBA programs, allegedly independent corporate boards stocked with the CEOs buddies from the country club) trying to make it to that spot. Bryan dealing with all of the odds stacked against him is the most I've ever related to a wrestling character. When he wins, we all do. One thing I'd like to ask is if we've had a demographic shift since 1998. When there are less casual fans does that mean that the ones who remain are less working class? More working class? Are more middle class? Are less middle class? Is it that we have some of the kids who got into things in the late 90s, early 00s (and there were tons of kids wearing Austin shirts and what not and even the early Cena kids are probably in their late teenage years now) who stayed fans and grew up with the internet and became smarky? Have some of the older fans who are the ones we more stereotypically associate with pro wrestling fandom died off? Can you be a fan and avoid the internet mentality now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I can't even imagine what the internet would look like if storylines went at the pace they did 30 years ago. And this place is one of REASONABLE boards. Reddit is still half "Cena is the worst!!!", but even they seem to be along for the ride with this angle. I wish more people here would give that a shot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I think we can all agree that somebody needs to get their fucking head kicked in next week. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 No one in the WWE watches Lucha. Why in the world are you bringing in Puerto Ricans to run a Mexican Matador gimmick? Don't you know that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are supposed to be mortal enemies? Commandante Pierroth, mother fuckers! You know I was going to complain about this angle being a little racist. But they never said in the preview that they were playing Mexican Matadors. They could instead be playing Spanish Matadors. I made that jump in illogic that the average WWE fan will probably make since the last guy in the WWE to run with a matador gimmick was Tito Santana, billed from Mexico even though he's from Texas. Racism in pro wrestling doesn't bother me since pro wrestling is a morality play anyway and it is supposed to be patently offensive. Only wrestling rings and slasher movies showcase the arena where societal ills meet grisly fates and beatdowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaedmc Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I think we can all agree that somebody needs to get their fucking head kicked in next week. For sure. My vote for first head bashing goes to Seth Rollins. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Also if they do the El Paso de la Muerte! (that has to be close to right) then I'll probably be cool with them regardless. I'm terrible that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts