With the current WWE struggling, it’s had fans talking about and wishing for a return to the Attitude Era. While possibly the greatest period in professional wrestling history, it was a culmination of different factors that created a perfect storm and elevated professional wrestling into the stratosphere.
Recently, there was an interview with Jim Ross and Jim Cornette about that era, what led up to it, and why can’t it happen again.
They make some excellent points as well as verifying what others have been saying for years about Vince McMahon’s tastes for child friendly programming.
Cartoon characters
The Golden Era was known more for its larger than life personas that more often than not felt more cartoonish than not. It was a great selling point to draw kids in, and we loved it. But we grew up and the programming didn’t.
For the longest time, WCW wasn’t a threat to the WWE, but then they started signing former WWE talent that just happened to be their top tier wrestlers and when combined with more mature and realistic themes, pushed WCW ahead.
And Vince McMahon was still trying to push joke gimmicks like clowns, plumbers, and goons like we were children.
By the mid 90s, those of us that had grown up during the WWE’s Golden Era were in our 20s and weren’t interested in watching cartoonish characters outside of a movie or cartoon. And even then it had to be something fresh.
WCW gave us a product that spoke to us as we entered our early adult years. We saw wrestlers we grew up watching taking on more adult themes and it was rejuvenating.
Talent lost isn’t a bad thing
As Cornette said, and JR agreed with him, the talent that left the WWE should’ve gone. Their leaving allowed the younger talent like Steve Austin and the Rock to get their chance to shine and kickstarted the Attitude Era.
It’s actually how it works in sports with the next man up practice. Whether injured, older, or too expensive, veterans are usually allowed to leave so younger talent and step up and inject their youth and energy into a new era.
Those that hold onto their older talent for too long tend to start failing as their skills erode or, in the case of professional wrestling, the fans begin to tune them out.
It’s natural that we grow tired of the same type of storylines and characters and want changes. Sometimes, it’s not the talent’s fault but how they’re presented. A perfect example is Steve Austin. He went through several gimmicks (including in the WWE so it wasn’t just WCW) before finding what he worked for him.
Why not have another Attitude Era
This is something we’ve all been asking, and JR took this topic head on.
In short, he said it’s stupid because there’s no one to fill Steve Austin’s and the Rock’s shoes. He also pointed out a good booker bases their storylines around the talent they have to get the most out of them.
He made a great point about the talent deciding how they’re used, but he’s looking at the Attitude ER being those two. While they were the largest catalysts and stars of the time, many of us, myself included, look at it more as a state of mind and using edgier themes than mimicking previous superstars.
Other promotions like AEW use more mature themes and that’s why so many flock to them. Sure, there’s plenty of work to do to straighten various matches and gimmicks out, but they’re working on it. They’ve found their footing with storylines and the rest will settle into place. JR has even taken more of a vocal role as commentator to point out those things.
Don’t get me wrong, JR is absolutely right about there not being another Austin or Rock on the WWE roster, and there shouldn’t be. I’m sure he hears from tons of fans wanting those characters and others back instead of pushing the mature themes, and that is stupid. There can never be another Austin or Rock, and there shouldn’t be. But let the current crop run with some more adult themes.
We’ve been seeing the WWE trying to merge the two, with the last hour of Raw usually where the edgier content like cursing is. It was a line they tried to walk in the mind 90s before giving in completely to going mature.
Not a lack of talent
JR’s comment on doing what the talent dictates is spot on. It’s the same in sports and entertainment. Some people just are not as good as their fellows in whatever they’re doing. It’s reality.
But that was said about Steve Austin until he was allowed to be himself. But the current crop of wrestlers are either lacking in much needed skills or they’re being used wrong.
It’s not a lack of talent since the WWE has spent years signing everyone they could to keep other promotions from becoming a threat. The Robert Roodes and EC3s are perfect examples of great talents fans were looking forward to seeing in the WWE but were buried.
In their place we’ve had the MIz for 11 years, Rollins and Reigns for closing in on 10 years, and so on. We see the same faces every week with the occasional fresh face mixed in to spice it up. But more times than not, the fresh face (like Cedric Alexander whom Paul Heyman reportedly likes but McMahon doesn’t) then disappears and spins their wheels waiting for the opportunity that may never come.
All of this leads to an interesting conclusion.
The Attitude Era was a product of Vince McMahon’s stubbornness
History has shown once he’s on top, McMahon prefers the safe approach rather than continuing to create entertaining matches and storylines. By refusing to listen to the fans and he waiting until he has no choice, McMahon creates his own professional nightmare.
Currently, there are far fewer people watching wrestling than 10 years ago, and that can largely be put at the feet of Vince McMahon as well. Sure, other promotions had their own problems, but many of those were WWE caused. Like certain facilities not allowing promotions because the WWE threatens not to do business with them anymore.
Many fans don’t bother with the WWE anymore, and that’s part of the reason their shows seem to have life. Only the true diehards remain as others have fallen off, choosing to watch other promotions.
We see it reflected in the weekly ratings as Raw and Smackdown go back and forth each week. The only consistency is consistent lack of quality with each show. It’s what happens when one chooses to ignore the fans.
With any luck, WWE will start losing ground and other promotions will continue to grow. We’ve already seen hints of it as several have chosen to return to the Indie scene. Not everyone can be bought. Another Attitude Era may be closer than we expect. Especially if AEW manages to smooth out their issues and continue to grow. Here’s to hoping.
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