August 21, 20196 yr Author comment_5897233 True, but family man Kevin Owens (which is the reason he caved in - "he was thinking of his kids!") can be something popular. Again, it's not the worst of ideas to have a playboy son of a billionaire exploit one of the most relatable people in terms of social media content, but the execution is lackluster at best.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897235 It's fucking garbage booking. Let's just call it what it is. They did the same thing with Becky having to apologise to Stephanie in the lead-up to Mania. They make the whole roster look like a bunch of pussies working paycheck to paycheck, just grateful to be there.
August 21, 20196 yr Author comment_5897236 I mean, you are not wrong. In theory it would be the easiest storyline to book because they've already had the ball rolling with KO.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897237 9 minutes ago, Yo-Yo's Roomie said: It's fucking garbage booking. Let's just call it what it is. They did the same thing with Becky having to apologise to Stephanie in the lead-up to Mania. They make the whole roster look like a bunch of pussies working paycheck to paycheck, just grateful to be there. Yes. There's many reasons why no one's seen as a star in WWE, but everyone being portrayed as beholden to the company and unable to survive without the benevolence of the company continuing employment is a major one.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897238 Remember when Kevin Owens put his job on the line against Shane like three weeks ago? So he could afford to risk losing his job but can't afford to be fined £100k? And I know this is probably relatively insider but enough fans know about AEW and the sorts of deals WWE are throwing at people to know that KO would be getting a hefty wage if he's signing a new contract in the next few months. Ridiculous angle on multiple levels.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897239 He was also trying to get Shane to do the same. So logically you assume that was KO's goal in the first place when he put his career up on the line. Of course, they screwed that up too.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897240 Add me to the team that says that Kevin "doing this for his family" is shitty no matter how you slice it. "Family Man" is not a good gimmick. I mean, aside from Ricky Steamboat, are there that many guys that have gotten this sort of thing over? And even then, we're talking about Ricky Steamboat in the 80s. Its 2019 and Kevin Owens is not Ricky Steamboat. What worked with Stone Cold was that there was always the veneer (if I'm using the term correctly) of his chief rival Vince McMahon trying to fire him with one hand, but also bring him under his control in the other. Whether or not it was explicitly said, Steve Austin was this guy making Vince McMahon a ton of money - and Vince only became hellbent on destroying him when each attempt he made to turn him "corporate" or force him into submission was thwarted. It was a delicate (well, maybe that's too strong a word) balance they struck. Austin wouldn't kowtow to Vince so Vince forces him into impossible title match scenarios where he will embarrass him and show him that he can't beat the odds. Then Austin would beat the odds. So Vince was forced to stack the odds higher. Vince threatened firing him damn near every week - but secretly we (the audience) knew that Austin would be back the next week, raising hell, because Austin would play Vince's ego like a fiddle. "Oh, you've fired me? Well, I'm gonna still gonna kick your ass!" To which Vince's response is basically, "Oh yeah?!? Well, you're not fired after all - you're reinstated...but now you have to face the Brothers of Destruction in a handicap match!" I'm as sick of Authority angles as anyone else here but there are still right notes and wrong notes to hit. Kowtowing to the Authority, regardless of reason, is a wrong note.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897241 The brilliance of the Austin-Vince storyline was Vince didn't want to fire Austin because he made money for the company. Imagine portraying folks as valuable parts of the company and not faceless cogs that can be easily replaced at the boss's whim.
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897242 Have to think this is leading to another KO/Shane match in the cell. Just like 2017 except with roles reversed. and yeah the apology angle from last night is a replicate of Becky/Stephanie from February
August 21, 20196 yr comment_5897243 The problem is, KO, as defined by his WWE career, is not Stone Cold. He would and should not act like Stone Cold. Austin never made a deal out of providing for someone at home or having motivations for wrestling be tied to something else. Austin just liked to drink beer and kick ass. That is why it made sense he would always be a thorn in McMahon's side (well until the heel turn, that is). KO has nothing like that. It is easy to act like a tough guy when you don't think your job is at risk. He was a heel working for heel bosses. This is the first real babyface run for KO in the WWE. I don't like the storyline to begin with. I am tired of authority vs wrestler angles, tired of McMahon in general, and they are executing it badly but I think KO apologizing fit his character. Just a shame that they had to go there.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897254 There's always been an inherent tension with the heel authority figure. If he comes out on top, he get his hand-picked corporate champion. If he doesn't, the rebellious babyface he's opposing makes him a lot of money. When you get right down to it, he wins either way. The concept should have been retired a long time ago before the weight of those tensions caused it to collapse upon itself.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897258 7 hours ago, NintendoLogic said: A pretty big step down from the New York/New Jersey Hitmen and the Memphis Maniax, IMO. The team name reveal hype videos are unintentionally HILARIOUS
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897269 13 hours ago, NintendoLogic said: There's always been an inherent tension with the heel authority figure. If he comes out on top, he get his hand-picked corporate champion. If he doesn't, the rebellious babyface he's opposing makes him a lot of money. When you get right down to it, he wins either way. The concept should have been retired a long time ago before the weight of those tensions caused it to collapse upon itself. This! I would be so happy if I never had to see a damn evil authority figure in pro wrestling again. It's so played out and tired. Hell, it was tired 10+ years ago. That's one thing NXT does well. Regal is more the tough but fair authority figure. They need to go back to a more neutral leader.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897273 Agreed. Or no onscreen authority at all. Put a little more effort in booking shows without relying on that crutch.
August 22, 20196 yr Author comment_5897274 Problem is that when they try to feature a neutral authority figure, they just cannot resist the urge to have that figure wrestle. Angle was a dumbass, sure, but he still made for entertaining segments without needing to feud with Baron Corbin and effectively get retired by him. I actually got a kick out of him being Jason Jordan's (I miss him so much) father, because it gave us something different. Paige was actually a fair general manager, not favoring her former Absolution partners, but alas, that didn't last long. Drake Maverick is actually pretty darn good at the authority figure role, but again they have him featured in feuds and matches, and while the match itself was great, it's nothing really new. They have some decent ideas at first but they always go back to the same old notes. Even if Heyman and Bischoff were to be on-screen general managers, for instance, 100% sure they would be heels with dumb muscle backing them.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897279 Well yeah, both Heyman and Bischoff are slimy by nature. Who would want them to be babyface authority figures? If it has to be them, yes, they have to be heels.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897282 1 hour ago, Slasher said: Well yeah, both Heyman and Bischoff are slimy by nature. Who would want them to be babyface authority figures? If it has to be them, yes, they have to be heels. Heyman can pull it off I think. He would just have to turn his vocal skills on the right people. Everybody loves a good trash talker.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897283 28 minutes ago, Flyin' Brian said: Heyman can pull it off I think. He would just have to turn his vocal skills on the right people. Everybody loves a good trash talker. Heyman's mic work jumped the shark years ago though.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897285 The issue with a heel authority figure is that you have to have a reason he/she can't do whatever they want. A benevolent boss from above holding the sword of Damocles over their head if they stray too far out of line. Edit: I said boss, but it could be something like the Undertaker at Over the Edge '98. Something that provides boundaries to the character.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897286 25 minutes ago, Flyin' Brian said: Heyman can pull it off I think. He would just have to turn his vocal skills on the right people. Everybody loves a good trash talker. Heyman can absolutely be a babyface, people love him now and he's the mouthpiece of the moody champ who kills people. Bischoff is just so naturally heelish even trying to babyface him would be weird. His sleazy demeanor and his punchable face would not translate well.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897287 An anodyne Jack Tunney figure occasionally emerging from his office would be wonderful As would an hour long programme of squashes hosted by Sean mooney from wwe editing suite come to think of it.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897288 Regal on NXT is basically Britsh Jack Tunney at this point anyway.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897290 2 hours ago, sek69 said: Heyman can absolutely be a babyface, people love him now and he's the mouthpiece of the moody champ who kills people. Bischoff is just so naturally heelish even trying to babyface him would be weird. His sleazy demeanor and his punchable face would not translate well. People like him because he is good on the mic and he has that enormous wealth of goodwill from the fans for his contributions on the creative side of wrestling. He COULD work as a babyface authority but only for the short term. There is a reason why he has never really been a babyface for too long at any time in his career, assuming he was a babyface at all (can't recall a good babyface run from him). That said, again, how about they just stop doing authority related angles? Stop creating stories that requires a boss getting involved.
August 22, 20196 yr comment_5897291 Yeah, just eliminate the roll altogether for as long as possible and when you inevitably run an angle that requires a mediating figure, it should be someone recognisable, trusted but ultimately a bit dull. The wrestlers should be the stars. Too much of WWE storytelling is more like a soap opera/drama about people who work for a wrestling company as opposed to an actual wrestling show.
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