The name of this blog? "Do you know what honks me off?" Well, this blog is about something that honks me off so much, I might need to write another blog. In this economy, people are struggling. We all know that. All people want to do is relax when they get home and watch tv. Now people, including yours truly, have wanted and pleaded to the networks to bring back classic tv. Obviously, we will never have another "I Love Lucy" or a "Dick Van Dyke Show" but theres nothing to say we cant relieve some of those classics, among others. Now, your saying, "Jack, they do have classic shows on. Look at ME-TV, Antenna TV, The Hub, RTV." Yes, they do. They have a plethra of classic shows. The problem I have with The Hub, MTV2, Hallmark Channel etc. is that they do a bad job of showing those shows. Look at what they do. MTV2 has Saved by The Bell and Boy Meets World on. Both shows air the episodes out of order. They cut out scenes and have about 3 commerical breaks, 2 more than there needs to be. 3 commerical breaks in a 30 minute show? I dont think so.
I was watching I Love Lucy on The Hallmark Channel and as soon as the episode came on the air, an ad for one of there movies came on and took 1/3 of the screen!! What the hell is that??!! Thats all they do, same goes for The Hub, ABC, NBC, FOX and all the other channels. If there not plugging there shows all over the screens, the crunch the end credits to the shows. That bothers me to no end. Im trying to see the end credits or see who was the show and they cut it up and end crunch it. And for what?? For some shows that I have heard about and advertised during the show I was watching!! I mean its getting absurd. I watch The Simpsons locally on the CW affilate here in Connecticut. Now, The Simpsons are on for an hour and I hear and see the same commericals, once every 15 to 30 minutes in one hour. So you figure, I watch The Simpsons 5 days a week for one hour a week, so thats 10 episodes a week, 5 hrs. a week. If I see the same commericals once every 30 mins., we'll say, that means in one week I see the same commericals 10 times. I mean thats just overkill.
I know, cut the cable and buy DVDs. True and valid point but DVDs are expensive and they do edit jobs too. They dub over music on almost all shows and lets face it DVDs don't come on the cheap. Some of the best parts of shows is the music. How about The Wonder Years theme? What about Married with Children's theme? Hell, even Dawson's Creek theme is iconic in a way. You delete that or over dub the music, its not the same. If any of you are wrestling fans, they do that with DVDs as well as they over dub entrance music etc. and its just not the same. But if you bite the bullet and buy DVDs, that's an expense and in this economy, who has that kind of money?
Finally, I think Television networks and the television shows screwed themselves. I mean they show endless marathons of shows all the time. I mean how many times can you watch Seinfeld, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Mash, etc.? There on all the time. Syndication and tv networks. And we are not talking one or two episodes. We are talking marathon blocks of these shows. I think when they do that they burn out the shows and people won't watch them and who can blame them? I mean I shudder to think about the shows that air on the broadcast networks now that are already in syndication. By the time the series ends on the broadcast network, you become pretty sick of it in syndication. I think I would. Look at a show like "Two and a Half Men" or "How I Met Your Mother"? The series have not even ended on CBS, yet its in syndication. So by the time the series ends on CBS, I think you'll be sick of it in syndication.
I don't know if there will ever be an end point to this. What is going to happen in a year? What about 5 years? What is the TV landscape going to look like? Will we even recognize it? Would you WANT to recognize it?
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
WWE Class of 2013
Believe it or not, WrestleMania is almost here. We are near SummerSlam but the next thing you know Survivor Series will be here, then the Royal Rumble, then the big one, WrestleMania. I've been thinking for the past couple of weeks about the class of 2013 for the WWE Hall of Fame. Let's go through who I think should be in the WWE Hall of Fame.
1) Mick Foley. This really is a no brainer. I mean WrestleMaina is in Foley's home state and Metlife Stadium is near Foley's home on Long Island, right? I mean Foley deserves to be in. Look at all he's done in his career. I mean all the bumps and bruises hes taken over the years. All the injuries and the blood he's spilled. I mean he's been around forever. Go all the way back to when he was "Jack Foley" and he was a jobber against The British Bulldogs. I think the match is on youtube but even back then in the mid 80s Foley was around and he never quit. This guy was doing hardcore matches and doing ECW matches before ECW. King of the Death matches, Barbed Wire Matches etc. Nobody took as much punishment as Mick Foley. How about his WCW matches with Sting, The Nasty Boys and of course, Vader? Those matches still hold up today and they are and were brutal. What about the brutality in his matches against Tommy Dreamer, Terry Funk, The Sandman and Sabu in ECW? Some, if not most of those matches were some of the best ever. Is there anybody close to Mick Foley in today's business? And what about going to WWE and really making it. How about one of the best feuds ever with The UnderTaker? Buried Alive match. Boiler Room Brawl. Dont forget the epic Hell in a Cell match. For all the blood he's spilled, the pain he went through (including having his ear ripped off in Germany), the bumps, the bruises, who doesn't think he deserves it?
2)Paul Heyman. I think the WWE Hall of Fame needs to be taken to the Extreme. I think Heyman gets in for changing the landscape of the business with ECW. Remember in 1993 with the WWE and WCW? Buyrates were sagging, attendance was down, tv ratings were down etc. until ECW came along. With Heyman being the brains behind ECW and with Tod Gordon providing the money, ECW became the place to watch wrestling in the mid 90s. It was relevant, it was hip and it was cool. Very MTV style with MTV style videos (when MTV used to have music videos). Look at the ECW Alumni. Its a who's, who in the wrestling business.
2 Cold Scorpio, Cactus Jack, Raven, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Misterio, Juventud Guerrera, Psicosis, Konnan, Rhino, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Terry Funk, Taz, Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Shane Douglas etc. I mean do you think WWE or WCW would've picked up these guys without an ECW? To be fair, Scorpio, Foley, Raven, Funk etc. already were in those companies but do you think if they hadn't gone to ECW, that WCW or WWE wouldn't sign them again? Even though, some people may not like it but he changed the business. Thanks to him, WCW got tons of crusierweights creating the crusierweight division which was a strength in WCW. Thanks to him, WWE had the Attitude Era with the lewd and violent and sexual nature that was ECW. Because of the crusierweights and the NWO and the Attitude Era, WCW and WWE became huge in the late 90s, and to this day hasnt been replicated. And oh yeah, he was great manager as well. The Original Midnight Express, The Dangerous Alliance, The Samoan Swat Team. How about his feud with Jim Cornette? How about when he busted Cornette on national tv in 1988? What else is there to say? I'd like to hear an argument why he shouldnt be in the Hall of Fame.
3)Randy Savage. We don't know the circumstances why he's not in the Hall of Fame already but it's time to put him in. I mean he's passed away now so whatever animosity there is gone. Not only was Randy Savage a great talker but he could wrestle. His classic against Steamboat at WrestleMania 3 is and will always be a classic. What about his feuds with Tito Santana, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, DDP? They were all good feuds and made money and tell me that if any of those matches came on today, that you wouldn't sit and watch. I know I would. I mean he was intense in the ring and on the stick and you know even if you hear but dont see him, who the "Macho Man" is. His flashy robes, flashy sunglasses, the matches he had, the interviews, he was a complete package. Do I think he goes to the Hall of Fame? Oh yeah!!
4)Vader. This guy I think is another no brainer. He, along with Yokozuna(RIP), were really the last two big men who could draw money and really suck the people in. I mean Vader was a monster. His interviews scared the hell out of you. He was intimating at 440 lbs. How many guys his size can do a moonsault? Vader could. How about his matches with Sting which are classics. The time he beat Sting for the World Title, The White Castle of Fear match, just to name 2 of them. How about Vader and Flair? The epic match they had at Starrcade 93? Mentioned above, Vader and Cactus Jack. Talk about brutality and Im not talking about Cactus Jack Lost in Cleveland, either. When Hulk Hogan and Vader were having dream matches and Hogan winning, of course, a year and a half earlier Vader and Cactus Jack were beating the hell out of each other. When he went to the WWE, he had a classic match with Shawn Micheals at Summerslam 96. Dont forget the fatal 4-Way with Vader/UnderTaker/Bret Hart and Steve Austin, where even though he didnt win, Vader lost a lot of blood. Also, what about the reaction he got against Heath Slater? People still remember Vader. They remember Vader time.
5) Regis Philbin. Obviously, I'm talking about the celebrity wing of the Hall. I can't think of a better wrestling fan than Regis. He was at Summerslam 1988 and WrestleMania 7 and he had wrestlers on his show for years. In fact, go all the way back to 1983, and there is a segment from his show with him, Fred Blassie and The Iron Sheik. Regis is a king in New York so why not put him in the Hall of Fame? I mean he more wrestlers on his show than anybody and if you listen to him interview the guys, he seems more of just a fan than anything else. I mean if you put William Perry and Drew Carey in, you have to put Regis in, right?
What do you guys think? Do you have any more people that should be in the Hall of Fame?
1) Mick Foley. This really is a no brainer. I mean WrestleMaina is in Foley's home state and Metlife Stadium is near Foley's home on Long Island, right? I mean Foley deserves to be in. Look at all he's done in his career. I mean all the bumps and bruises hes taken over the years. All the injuries and the blood he's spilled. I mean he's been around forever. Go all the way back to when he was "Jack Foley" and he was a jobber against The British Bulldogs. I think the match is on youtube but even back then in the mid 80s Foley was around and he never quit. This guy was doing hardcore matches and doing ECW matches before ECW. King of the Death matches, Barbed Wire Matches etc. Nobody took as much punishment as Mick Foley. How about his WCW matches with Sting, The Nasty Boys and of course, Vader? Those matches still hold up today and they are and were brutal. What about the brutality in his matches against Tommy Dreamer, Terry Funk, The Sandman and Sabu in ECW? Some, if not most of those matches were some of the best ever. Is there anybody close to Mick Foley in today's business? And what about going to WWE and really making it. How about one of the best feuds ever with The UnderTaker? Buried Alive match. Boiler Room Brawl. Dont forget the epic Hell in a Cell match. For all the blood he's spilled, the pain he went through (including having his ear ripped off in Germany), the bumps, the bruises, who doesn't think he deserves it?
2)Paul Heyman. I think the WWE Hall of Fame needs to be taken to the Extreme. I think Heyman gets in for changing the landscape of the business with ECW. Remember in 1993 with the WWE and WCW? Buyrates were sagging, attendance was down, tv ratings were down etc. until ECW came along. With Heyman being the brains behind ECW and with Tod Gordon providing the money, ECW became the place to watch wrestling in the mid 90s. It was relevant, it was hip and it was cool. Very MTV style with MTV style videos (when MTV used to have music videos). Look at the ECW Alumni. Its a who's, who in the wrestling business.
2 Cold Scorpio, Cactus Jack, Raven, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Misterio, Juventud Guerrera, Psicosis, Konnan, Rhino, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Terry Funk, Taz, Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Shane Douglas etc. I mean do you think WWE or WCW would've picked up these guys without an ECW? To be fair, Scorpio, Foley, Raven, Funk etc. already were in those companies but do you think if they hadn't gone to ECW, that WCW or WWE wouldn't sign them again? Even though, some people may not like it but he changed the business. Thanks to him, WCW got tons of crusierweights creating the crusierweight division which was a strength in WCW. Thanks to him, WWE had the Attitude Era with the lewd and violent and sexual nature that was ECW. Because of the crusierweights and the NWO and the Attitude Era, WCW and WWE became huge in the late 90s, and to this day hasnt been replicated. And oh yeah, he was great manager as well. The Original Midnight Express, The Dangerous Alliance, The Samoan Swat Team. How about his feud with Jim Cornette? How about when he busted Cornette on national tv in 1988? What else is there to say? I'd like to hear an argument why he shouldnt be in the Hall of Fame.
3)Randy Savage. We don't know the circumstances why he's not in the Hall of Fame already but it's time to put him in. I mean he's passed away now so whatever animosity there is gone. Not only was Randy Savage a great talker but he could wrestle. His classic against Steamboat at WrestleMania 3 is and will always be a classic. What about his feuds with Tito Santana, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, DDP? They were all good feuds and made money and tell me that if any of those matches came on today, that you wouldn't sit and watch. I know I would. I mean he was intense in the ring and on the stick and you know even if you hear but dont see him, who the "Macho Man" is. His flashy robes, flashy sunglasses, the matches he had, the interviews, he was a complete package. Do I think he goes to the Hall of Fame? Oh yeah!!
4)Vader. This guy I think is another no brainer. He, along with Yokozuna(RIP), were really the last two big men who could draw money and really suck the people in. I mean Vader was a monster. His interviews scared the hell out of you. He was intimating at 440 lbs. How many guys his size can do a moonsault? Vader could. How about his matches with Sting which are classics. The time he beat Sting for the World Title, The White Castle of Fear match, just to name 2 of them. How about Vader and Flair? The epic match they had at Starrcade 93? Mentioned above, Vader and Cactus Jack. Talk about brutality and Im not talking about Cactus Jack Lost in Cleveland, either. When Hulk Hogan and Vader were having dream matches and Hogan winning, of course, a year and a half earlier Vader and Cactus Jack were beating the hell out of each other. When he went to the WWE, he had a classic match with Shawn Micheals at Summerslam 96. Dont forget the fatal 4-Way with Vader/UnderTaker/Bret Hart and Steve Austin, where even though he didnt win, Vader lost a lot of blood. Also, what about the reaction he got against Heath Slater? People still remember Vader. They remember Vader time.
5) Regis Philbin. Obviously, I'm talking about the celebrity wing of the Hall. I can't think of a better wrestling fan than Regis. He was at Summerslam 1988 and WrestleMania 7 and he had wrestlers on his show for years. In fact, go all the way back to 1983, and there is a segment from his show with him, Fred Blassie and The Iron Sheik. Regis is a king in New York so why not put him in the Hall of Fame? I mean he more wrestlers on his show than anybody and if you listen to him interview the guys, he seems more of just a fan than anything else. I mean if you put William Perry and Drew Carey in, you have to put Regis in, right?
What do you guys think? Do you have any more people that should be in the Hall of Fame?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)