TBF with athletes, at least in team sports there are dozens of teams/managers/owners you could in theory play for and most will end up on several teams over the course of their career so it is very different than wrestling for much of its recent history where WWE was really the only major league there was. This means the athletes get wined and dined more early on and likely continue on at the highest level of the sport after being dropped (unless they are out period) which I think lends them to better feelings towards themselves and feeling less indebted to one super figure.

https://wrestlepurists.com/2023-wrestling-observer-awards-winners/

Full results.

5 hours ago, The Natural said:

https://wrestlepurists.com/2023-wrestling-observer-awards-winners/

Full results.

Does bringing Vince back really count as a promotional tactic? I mean its not like running an angle. (and if it counts how did people vote for the James Mitchell bit over it) Also surprised that some people really like Kevin Kelly and hated Worlds End

Fuck. Just realised I posted the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards in this thread. Thought I was in the February Omnibus Thread. Genuine mistake I apologise for.

2 hours ago, zendragon said:

Does bringing Vince back really count as a promotional tactic? I mean its not like running an angle. (and if it counts how did people vote for the James Mitchell bit over it) Also surprised that some people really like Kevin Kelly and hated Worlds End

Yeah, it’s a bit of a stretch and “worst promotional tactic” should be different from something like this.  Maybe two different awards moving forward; one for something like “worst angle or gimmick” and one for “black eye on wrestling/MMA.”  I’d be all for naming that one in (dis)honor of Vince, too.

Edited February 24, 20242 yr by Technico Support

Look how the award evolved from doing a Frankenstein’s monster character to Fritz faking a heart attack in the early years. 

Everything a Promotion does is considered to be a Promotional Tactic.

56 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Look how the award evolved from doing a Frankenstein’s monster character to Fritz faking a heart attack in the early years. 

I was just thinking that this morning!  Frankenstein gimmick ———> rape and human trafficking is quite a ride.

Well, if we had known about how Moolah ran her organization, someone would have won for that in the 70s.

3 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I was just thinking that this morning!  Frankenstein gimmick ———> rape and human trafficking is quite a ride.

if you think TOO much about it, Dr. Frankenstein creating a monster out of dead bodies is also potentially/kinda/sorta human trafficking. and once you've reanimated dead flesh, is it even necrophilia anymore? Can a formerly deceased human give consent? If the reanimated body is a combination of multiple cadavers, can the brain/mouth give consent if the "other" part isn't originally theirs?  Our society does not have enough rights protections for the undead.

31 minutes ago, twiztor said:

if you think TOO much about it, Dr. Frankenstein creating a monster out of dead bodies is also potentially/kinda/sorta human trafficking. and once you've reanimated dead flesh, is it even necrophilia anymore? Can a formerly deceased human give consent? If the reanimated body is a combination of multiple cadavers, can the brain/mouth give consent if the "other" part isn't originally theirs?  Our society does not have enough rights protections for the undead.

These are all questions to ask PCO should any of us ever meet him. 

Alabama supreme court just ruled that all individual parts of any Frankenstein monster are each children with full constitutional rights.

In a related story, they also ruled that already living immigrant children are not children but are, in fact, Frankenstein monsters and can be shot on sight.

PCO (who I called "Pee-co" for way too long) probably only knows Zombie French. 

 

 

Via 411 via Fightful via Inside the Ropes

Becky Lynch on the allegations against Vince McMahon: “I’ve been fortunate in my career that I’ve always felt supported by the company. These allegations are horrible. It’s hard to reconcile, as a talent and as a woman, but my experience in WWE has only ever been amazing.”

On the allegations being hard to reconcile: Yes, in the beginning, there were some restrictions put on things. We couldn’t punch, we had to hair pull, there were weird things there. Being able to push us forward, push women forward, I’m very grateful for that and the opportunity to even have my family. This company…some of these things are hard to reconcile.”

I think that post qualifies me as a wrestling journalist

Assuming people can read it. (I can't in dark mode) 

2 hours ago, Godfrey said:

I think that post qualifies me as a wrestling journalist

Careful, the Voices of Wrestling guys may go on a twenty minute rant about your aggrigation.

Apparently it is very very easy to reconcile.

The process is simple.

1) do what we all knew you were going to do anyway

2) every so often say "You know, it's hard to reconcile"

3) cash another check

4) repeat

 

2 hours ago, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

Careful, the Voices of Wrestling guys may go on a twenty minute rant about your aggrigation.

I read that as irrigation and was finally glad to hear my 5th grade Social Studies class was about to pay off.

Kevin Owens:

"Everything that has come out is awful. Just terrible," Owens said. "There's really no words to describe how sad this makes me feel."

"If the people spoke out went through what they went through, that's terrible. It's shameful and it can't ever happen again. That's what it comes down to."

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/UAp9aDt38Lk

NSFW.

7 hours ago, The Natural said:

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/UAp9aDt38Lk

NSFW.

Thanks!  I meant to call out what a must-listen episode this was (It was this past Saturday's ep if anyone needs the date).    Lance really hit the nail on the head with the culture stuff and put words to something I've been thinking about for a while.  How can behavior change when so many people in wrestling are direct descendants of the carny bullshit days of wrestling? 

Hell, maybe we just fire anyone in the office or locker room who started before 1995.  I don't know.  I'm being facetious but really, what do we do?  Hayes and Prichard are old heads and there's no damn way their views on social issues are any better than Vince's.  You have HHH and MIchaels in power, and Cody is the top babyface, and all three sat under the learning tree of carny con men.  I feel like the mentality that used to thrive in pro wrestling is a cancer that should be cut out so wrestling can grow. 

Hearing Lance's talk about the wrestling culture in general really bothered me as well.  To summarize:

• You're told to always protect the business.  Never discuss the business with anyone outside it.
• Never stooge the boys to the office.  Always deal with problems among the boys with the boys.
• When you reach WWE, you're told nothing you did before WWE matters.  They push you a little to show you how great it can be, then kill your push for a while to show you how bad it can be.  That way you know who is in charge and that you better tow the line because they are in complete control of your career.

36 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

 

• When you reach WWE, you're told nothing you did before WWE matters.  They push you a little to show you how great it can be, then kill your push for a while to show you how bad it can be.  That way you know who is in charge and that you better tow the line because they are in complete control of your career.

This sounds like straight up abuse behavior, love bombing and devaluation. I read an article once about narcissistic organizations that turn the bosses behavior into company policy

That's essentially how all cults operate.