Johnny Sorrow Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I was at a house show a few months ago and there was one row of morons chanting "CM PUNK" , and "BORING" at a fun opening comedy match . The entire arena was full of people / kids having a blast besides these five scatmunchers who shut up after it was obvious no one cared. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zakk_Sabbath Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I don't know nothing about ratings and shit, but anyone who thinks Punk is missing needs to go watch Fox News or some other shit in which a character on the show CONSTANTLY criticizes the viewers for watching the show. I will take a crowd full of people losing their shit because they are genuinely excited for what they are watching/get caught up in the moment over some guys who want to prove how cool and smart they are by cheering for a guy who clearly hates everything about everything. I completely understand, and don't entirely disagree with your points. I'm just saying that in 2011, Punk brought something very different than what was being presented to that point (in the preceding 5 or so years, anyway)-- that was the only point I wanted to make with that. I liked what he was doing at that time, but it had nothing to do with coolness/smartness-- it WAS genuine excitement for me, because it brought a sense of chaos that was missing for a few years, that I really enjoy. What he was doing felt much more in line with DX playing the curtain call video, or even early Austin or NWO stuff, for example. It wasn't necessarily that it was him doing it, or that he was doing what he does-- it was just the general element of danger in an otherwise incredibly sterile environment. And I don't even think it was something unique to him-- they have come pretty close to capturing that feeling with Bryan and even Ambrose in recent weeks-- the execution leaves a little to be desired, but it's not impossible. EDIT: I feel I should point out that I'm not directly comparing Punk to Austin, DX, or the NWO. They were just the best examples of that sort of anarchic feel I really enjoy as a viewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zakk_Sabbath Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Totally offffff topic, But watching Wrestlemania 20 on ye Network. Did Taker really have a fucking bowl cut on the show? Sort of a Dutch-Deadman vibe, IIRC. I remember the phrase "Walker, Texas 'Taker" getting thrown around a lot that night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Lord Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Are people really still freaking out over Punk? He made his bank and got out before he had the chance to suffer any injuries that hurt his quality of life. People need to get over it and move on. I have. I'm content that he'll never wrestle again. That horrible Macho Elbow of his was destroying his hip. I'd rather the guy not need a new hip at 40 than come back and keep doing it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebbie Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 And from my pre I don't know nothing about ratings and shit, but anyone who thinks Punk is missing needs to go watch Fox News or some other shit in which a character on the show CONSTANTLY criticizes the viewers for watching the show. I will take a crowd full of people losing their shit because they are genuinely excited for what they are watching/get caught up in the moment over some guys who want to prove how cool and smart they are by cheering for a guy who clearly hates everything about everything. I completely understand, and don't entirely disagree with your points. I'm just saying that in 2011, Punk brought something very different than what was being presented to that point (in the preceding 5 or so years, anyway)-- that was the only point I wanted to make with that. I liked what he was doing at that time, but it had nothing to do with coolness/smartness-- it WAS genuine excitement for me, because it brought a sense of chaos that was missing for a few years, that I really enjoy. What he was doing felt much more in line with DX playing the curtain call video, or even early Austin or NWO stuff, for example. It wasn't necessarily that it was him doing it, or that he was doing what he does-- it was just the general element of danger in an otherwise incredibly sterile environment. And I don't even think it was something unique to him-- they have come pretty close to capturing that feeling with Bryan and even Ambrose in recent weeks-- the execution leaves a little to be desired, but it's not impossible. EDIT: I feel I should point out that I'm not directly comparing Punk to Austin, DX, or the NWO. They were just the best examples of that sort of anarchic feel I really enjoy as a viewer. Well, from my perspective, I really don't give a shit about Punk. I am one of those people who stopped watching around late 2006. It was bored with things being done just to be done. All of the character being interchangeable sans the main event players who were the same 4 assholes. Nothing got me emotionally invested. I get a lot of people hate when the words "casual fans" get thrown around, but some of us really want to be entertain by the show for what it is. I am 27 years old and been watching on and off since I was 6. I don't need to know this shit is scripted because I know it is. But when you got a section of the live fans wanting to focus on what they "know" over the stories (or lack there of), it shouldn't be a surprised that wrestling will never get that mainstream attention that Vince sorely wants. Wrestling is a different monster simply because more people than not aren't willing to play along with the show. I hope none of you bastards get the chance to ruin Santa for a little kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Are people really still freaking out over Punk? He made his bank and got out before he had the chance to suffer any injuries that hurt his quality of life. People need to get over it and move on. I have. I'm content that he'll never wrestle again. That horrible Macho Elbow of his was destroying his hip. I'd rather the guy not need a new hip at 40 than come back and keep doing it. He's said he kept doing the elbow because smarky fans hated it. I kinda love that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Hoist by his own petard. Excellent. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Are people really still freaking out over Punk? He made his bank and got out before he had the chance to suffer any injuries that hurt his quality of life. People need to get over it and move on. I have. I'm content that he'll never wrestle again. That horrible Macho Elbow of his was destroying his hip. I'd rather the guy not need a new hip at 40 than come back and keep doing it. He's said he kept doing the elbow because smarky fans hated it. I kinda love that. I definitely love that. This moron destroyed his body to prove a non-existent point. Now he'll have to live with his hip pain, which was probably a factor in getting him to retire and thus not do anymore shitty Macho elbows. Out-spiting a spiteful dude? Today was a good day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Punk would be a nice addition to RAW, but it's not going to fail miserably without him. Well, I mean, it might, but the reasoning won't be that Punk wasn't around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 If Punk wanted to be there, the WWE would be better with him than without him. Since he doesn't, though, the WWE is better without him. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Hattrick Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I try to avoid the ratings discussion like the plague, since I know little or nothing about it, but I couldn't resist with this question. When did the ratings start dropping? Invasion? Benoit? Something that is not so obvious in my mind? I know there are factors in this like the network, lack of interest and so on. Since the network just started just before Wrestlemania this year, we cant put all the blame on it. At one point, they were pulling 5.0-6.0's with almost little effort. Now what, 2-5-3.0's? Hell if I know. Like I have brought up in the past elsewhere, I have memory issues. Help a brother out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHFP Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 They started getting 3.XXs again around May 2002, but they declined yearly starting from a peak of 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisco Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Would it seriously hurt them to make an exception just for one PPV a year, or just even one specific match every once in awhile? They've already let Lesnar go hardway on Cena, and he busted himself open live on Raw. That's twice as dangerous as someone using a little piece of razor during a PPV grudge match that they can go black and white on for replays, and it's not something they might have to hide during a live shoot on USA where PG is their biggest issue. No, blood makes Barbie dolls cry. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.J. Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 The only thing worse then the "Punk can save the business" crowd is the irrational Punk hatred around here. I never got it. Some of you guys talk about Punk like he's a convicted rapist or something. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 He desecrated the Macho Man elbow. Unforgivable. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 At this point Rock is the only guy that makes a difference as a draw imo. Punk has been gone almost a year, and they haven't made one main eventer that would be an intriguing match for him if he came back. Maybe Ambrose could get there by Mania. Bray should have steamrolled Cena, and should be WWE champ right now. Cena/Lesnar didn't need a belt on the line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick B. Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Punk, IMO: He had a good run. There's enough talent in WWE that it's not a HUGE deal that he's gone. If he's happier away from wrestling, then more power to him. There will always be a degree of fan selfishness when a person I enjoy watching leaves the business for whatever reason. However, if they're happier away from it or a break will truly do that person some good, then cool for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nofuture Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Punk departure wasn't that much of a big deal because it happened pretty much at the peak of Daniel Bryan's popularity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buy Me a Burrito Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I have no problem with Punk the guy. He can go be grumpy and run or read comics or cook dinner for his wife for as long as he wants. I do have a problem with Punk the in-ring performer. When he came to WWE I'd never really seen him anywhere else. I liked him. I liked it when he bitch slapped Shannon Moore and I liked it when he got bigger chants than DX at the Survivor Series. I loved the Straight Edge thing being brought back against Jeff Hardy. I loved the Straight Edge Society. I liked his commentary run and I even liked Nexus leader Punk. Then the big promo happened. I liked the promo. I loved it, actually. I still do. It seemed like the start of something, like one person was saying to the crowd "this has been crap and I'm tired of it." I loved the Cena match. I thought that they were onto something. Now say what you will about the post-Summerslam booking, but it happened. It bothered me, but I was still a Punk fan. The problem was right around the time that his "I Dig Crazy Chicks" t-shirt came out I sort of realized that the "change" that the guy hyped wasn't a rallying cry for the WWE to drop their crap, it was just that he wanted to be the guy making peepee pooh pooh jokes instead of Cena. Does he have a right to want that? Sure. His only responsibility is to make a name for himself and make enough money to survive once he can't take bumps anymore, but he just seemed shitty to me after that. I wish Private Citizen CM Punk well, I hope that he's happy. But I never need to see CM Punk the Big Deal Wrestler on my TV again. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I don't have any beef against Punk at all. I do kinda hate his more stereotypical fans, who seem to fall into the archetype of jaded twenty-somethings that have to be sardonic about every little thing to show how much they "get it," and probably the worst thing about Punk's long championship reign is that those types of fans became louder and more obnoxious at shows, on message boards, and in many other places. I'm at the point where if I don't like something that much, or if I have that much to be jaded about regarding wrestling, I don't bother watching. I don't watch TNA because all I'd do is complain about it if I did. I don't watch RAW anymore because I really don't enjoy it at all, so what would be the point? The Punk fans of that type, on the other hand, seemed to shit on every non-Punk thing on RAW constantly. Maybe my perception is wrong and it's just from reading iffy wrestling websites Cageside Seats around that time, where every other article was snark about John Cena or whatever. Anyway, twenty-something stereotypical male Punk fans are probably the only people that I actually feel were ruining the fun of talking about and watching wrestling in a small, but important way with how they approached it. Punk himself, I didn't enjoy - I thought in regards to his long title reign, the Bryan matches were the only ones that were any good - but I mostly just tuned it out. I am glad he's gone, but that's because when he left, it definitively opened up a spot for someone I enjoy watching in Bryan at the top of the card. If he were still on the shows trawling the mid- to upper mid-card, I could live with it like I did before. I don't think Punk gets completely hated on around here, so I disagree with that one post that acts like there's "irrational" Punk hatred. It's more like Punk does something to be spiteful and ends up in a possibly worse place than if he had just acted reasonably, so people mock him a bit, at least with that Macho elbow anecdote. But then again, I just spent three paragraphs talking about someone I don't particularly like or enjoy so AAAAARGH that son of a bitch wins again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I agree with most of what BMAB said, but I think "say what you want about post-SummerSlam booking" greatly understates the effect that period had on both Punk the character and Punk the wrestler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overly Critical Man Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Punk lost me when he shit up the wrestling ring against The Shield. Literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 He just couldn't believe how great Roman Reigns' hair was. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultimo Necro Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Gimme sleazy looking blonde haired Iwa:ms cm punk any day of the week. Has anyone watched one of the hour long matches with Hero recently? Do they hold up? I remember those being my favourite thing ever 10 years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 They've held up about aw well as Hero's waist line. I've never seen any of those matches, but there is no way I would let that stand in the way of s good ole Chris Hero fat joke. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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