After getting a chance to be a member of the WWE Network on launch day, I have put countless hours into the app. I would like to give my thoughts on some of the new shows and features that the network offers.
My main reason I ordered the network was that every single WWE, WCW, and ECW Pay-Per-View is available and able to view. This is a great addition for the ten dollars a month and there are over a thousand of hours of content just by watching the pay-per-views alone. Before the network was available I started a quest to watch every single WWE pay-per-view in order. It was hard because I didn't want to buy dvds so I was looking through videos and videos on the internet to try and find a good quality video of the pay-per-view I want to watch. Now, with the network I have them all at my disposal for a small price. I also like that they are, for the most part, in their original glory. They even included Over the Edge 1999 where Owen Hart fell to his untimely death. I have not made it this far in my chronological viewing, but I am interested how they edit the show. I know that during In Your House: Bad Blood 1997, which was the night that Brian Pillman dies, they still keep all references to Pillman's death. The difference between these two is that Owen died during the show and Pillman died before the show in his hotel room.
Another reason that I like the Network is that all of their original shows are very well done and I enjoy each and every one of them. Here is a rundown of each of the shows:
Raw and Smackdown Pre-show and Backstage Pass: To make the WWE seem more like a sport there is now a pre-show and a post show. These shows include interviews and segments that can only be found on the WWE Network. I enjoy watching these just to see which legend will be joining Josh Matthews, Alex Ryley, and Booker T as a special guest.
Wrestlemania Rewind: This show looks at a famous match from Wrestlemania's history and what lead up to it and what was the fallout. It includes interviews from superstars and legends about the impact of the match and even the backstage news that was going on at the time. Each episode even includes the full length math. Matches that have been looked at so far are Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff from Wrestlemania 1, Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant from Wrestlemania 3, Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels from Wrestlemania 14, Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart and Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna from Wrestlemania 10, John Cena vs. Big Show from Wrestlemania 20, John Cena vs. JBL from Wrestlemania 21, Triple H vs. Chris Jericho from Wrestlemania 18, and Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho from Wrestlemania 19.
WWE Countdown: This is probably my favorite show on the WWE Network. It is a top ten list show that counts down WWE's history. It is interesting seeing the current and past superstars give their point of view on a certain subject. I like that they, for the most part, stay out of character and give their honest opinion. So far episodes have been Coolest Catchphrases, Awesome Entrances, Fantastic Finishing Moves, Backstabbers, Blunders, RAW's Most Memorable Moments, Infamous Gimmicks, and Greatest Tag Teams.
This Week in WWE: I also enjoy this show. This is just a recap show about what happened the previous week during WWE. Since I am busy on Mondays and Fridays I do not have time to watch RAW or Smackdown. This is a nice recap show to show me the important points that happened during the episode in a 30 minute episode.
Beyond the Ring: This is a documentary of a past or current wrestler. They are taken straight from the DVD's.
I hope that I have swayed some people to consider the WWE Network. You really can't beat that price with all of the programming and every single Pay-Per-View for free.
Showing posts with label Professional Wrestling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Professional Wrestling. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
WWE Network
On Wednesday, January 8 the WWE announced their new network will be released on February 24, 2014. This is way off their original target date of April 1, 2012. Even though I have been waiting for this since the beginning I am glad they decided to wait. Originally the plan was to have it be a typical channel on a cable provider. Since it kept being pushed back over and over they have eventually decided to release it as a streaming device such as Netflix or Hulu. On its release they will have every single WWE, WCW, and ECW pay-per-view. This is over 300 events already being announced for the network. They are advertising that they will have 1500 hours worth of content on launch date. They will also have their own lineup of TV shows available to watch and stream on the channel. Not only do you get all the previous pay-per-views, but every single pay-per-view will air live, including Wrestlemania. You get all of this for a monthly commitment of $9.99 with a six month commitment.
I think that the WWE network is a great idea. Not only does it appeal to the current fans of the WWE, but I think it will start drawing in older fans. They can go back and watch all of the older content from WWE television. They can relive their fandom of favorite wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and Rowdy Roddy Piper. It will also be great to watch other organizations to like WCW and ECW. Another thing I really enjoy about it is the price. $9.99 is a great deal for all of the content you receive. For example, if you order every single pay-per-view you would pay around $720 for the year. Now, you can watch them all for $120. I don't give the WWE my money very often. I usually stream the pay-per-views online or don't watch them at all. I only own a few DVDs and the only consistent money they get from me is when I buy their video game every year. I will be buying the WWE network on launch date and would urge any past or present professional wrestling fan to try it out.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Professional Wrestling is My Favorite Thing
I have been asked countless times why I am a professional wrestling fan. The short answer is, "because I like it." There is a much longer answer to this question.
First of all, one of my least favorite comments when someone finds out that I like professional wrestling is, "You know it is fake, right?" Do I have to like something just because it is real? Do you watch Spiderman because you really believe that this guy named Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and turned into a superhero? Do you believe that Ash Ketchum goes around capturing small animals in a small ball the size of an apple? The answer to that question is, "Yes, I know it is fake." They will usually respond with, "but they make you believe that it is real."
That is what most people think about professional wrestling, but that is not the case. Vince McMahon has tried his hardest to make sure that people understand that it is not real. He makes the men and women on screen be called superstars and divas instead of wrestlers. He makes sure that people do not refer his business to a sport, but as sports entertainment. During the intro video on all WWE home videos they say that all of the superstars and divas are trained professionals so that you should not try what they are doing at home.
This leads into why I like professional wrestling. Most people are surprised when they find out that I love WWE, but hate UFC. The reason for this is because UFC proves why WWE is fake. If it was real, it would be boring. Wrestling can be described as a "soap opera for men." You have your love stories, your hated rival stories, and the just filler stories.
Another reason that I love professional wrestling is that there are so many characters that you can find at least one to relate to. There are the stories of the person who has been in the business for 10 years to finally achieve his boyhood dream of holding that World Championships, there are the girls that are dating the man everyone hates, but does not realize they are hurting them, and then there are the stories that revolve around best friends working together and doing what they love. You can always find a character that you can see a little bit of yourself in them.
Even though the action in the ring may not be real, the emotions are. In 2000 after Kurt Angle won his first WWE Championship he was crying in the middle of the ring, those were his real emotions showing. Another instance of real emotion is when Matt Hardy and Lita (a real life couple) broke up after six years and Adam Copeland (Edge) started dating Lita. The rumor was that Matt Hardy was released from the WWE because he was becoming harder to work with do to always being in a bad mood after Lita broke up with him. During one of Edge's matches, Matt Hardy returned and just beat him up. The story may have been part real and part fake, but you could tell that Matt was taking out all of his frustrations on Edge. During an interview with Matt Hardy during the RAW 100 video, Matt said that it tore him apart knowing what Edge, one of his best friends, did to him.
Another reason that I enjoy professional wrestling is that I understand the hardships it takes to excel in the business. I have read both Eddie Guerrero's autobiography and both of Chris Jericho's autobiographies. These superstars that you see on TV have been in the business for years. They started out wrestling in bars in front of twenty people to where they are now and wrestling in front of millions of people every week.
Another annoying comment that people make is, "They know how to fall so it doesn't hurt." You try telling me that there is a way to fall off of a twenty foot ladder through a wooden table and not be even a little bit in pain. Injuries do happen in the business, but they take as many precautions to keep their employees as safe as possible. They are constantly putting their bodies on the line so that they can keep their fans happy.
These are all the reasons that I enjoy the entertainment that is professional wrestling. If you agree or disagree with me you can comment on my post. I do not care if you disagree with me, but please be respectful with your comments.
First of all, one of my least favorite comments when someone finds out that I like professional wrestling is, "You know it is fake, right?" Do I have to like something just because it is real? Do you watch Spiderman because you really believe that this guy named Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and turned into a superhero? Do you believe that Ash Ketchum goes around capturing small animals in a small ball the size of an apple? The answer to that question is, "Yes, I know it is fake." They will usually respond with, "but they make you believe that it is real."
That is what most people think about professional wrestling, but that is not the case. Vince McMahon has tried his hardest to make sure that people understand that it is not real. He makes the men and women on screen be called superstars and divas instead of wrestlers. He makes sure that people do not refer his business to a sport, but as sports entertainment. During the intro video on all WWE home videos they say that all of the superstars and divas are trained professionals so that you should not try what they are doing at home.
This leads into why I like professional wrestling. Most people are surprised when they find out that I love WWE, but hate UFC. The reason for this is because UFC proves why WWE is fake. If it was real, it would be boring. Wrestling can be described as a "soap opera for men." You have your love stories, your hated rival stories, and the just filler stories.
Another reason that I love professional wrestling is that there are so many characters that you can find at least one to relate to. There are the stories of the person who has been in the business for 10 years to finally achieve his boyhood dream of holding that World Championships, there are the girls that are dating the man everyone hates, but does not realize they are hurting them, and then there are the stories that revolve around best friends working together and doing what they love. You can always find a character that you can see a little bit of yourself in them.
Even though the action in the ring may not be real, the emotions are. In 2000 after Kurt Angle won his first WWE Championship he was crying in the middle of the ring, those were his real emotions showing. Another instance of real emotion is when Matt Hardy and Lita (a real life couple) broke up after six years and Adam Copeland (Edge) started dating Lita. The rumor was that Matt Hardy was released from the WWE because he was becoming harder to work with do to always being in a bad mood after Lita broke up with him. During one of Edge's matches, Matt Hardy returned and just beat him up. The story may have been part real and part fake, but you could tell that Matt was taking out all of his frustrations on Edge. During an interview with Matt Hardy during the RAW 100 video, Matt said that it tore him apart knowing what Edge, one of his best friends, did to him.
Another reason that I enjoy professional wrestling is that I understand the hardships it takes to excel in the business. I have read both Eddie Guerrero's autobiography and both of Chris Jericho's autobiographies. These superstars that you see on TV have been in the business for years. They started out wrestling in bars in front of twenty people to where they are now and wrestling in front of millions of people every week.
Another annoying comment that people make is, "They know how to fall so it doesn't hurt." You try telling me that there is a way to fall off of a twenty foot ladder through a wooden table and not be even a little bit in pain. Injuries do happen in the business, but they take as many precautions to keep their employees as safe as possible. They are constantly putting their bodies on the line so that they can keep their fans happy.
These are all the reasons that I enjoy the entertainment that is professional wrestling. If you agree or disagree with me you can comment on my post. I do not care if you disagree with me, but please be respectful with your comments.
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