2002.03.11

It seems fashionable as of late to jump on the "reasons the WWF sucks" bandwagon. I have written some negative things about the WWF. I don't hate the WWF. I like the WWF. I grew up watching the WWF. Millions of people tune in every week and are entertained by the antics of WWF performers. I wish I were one of them.

I miss the olden days. I miss 10-minute TV matches that ended cleanly. I miss matches that featured more moves than punches and more holds than kicks. I miss 'wrestling'.

In the olden days, I could become emotionally attached to a match. The match started out slow. The wrestlers went through a 'feeling out' phase. They tested one another. The match progressed and told a unique story. The conclusion of the match generally made sense.

In today's Sports Entertainment environment, the ability to tell a story in the ring is overlooked. Instead, matches are a virtual blur. Both competitors punch and kick for 3-minutes while getting in their 3 or 4 signature spots. Signal the run-in and take it home. It is not uncommon for there to be less than 30-minutes of wrestling on a 2-hour broadcast of Raw or Smackdown. It seems as though today's matches are booked for fans with Attention Deficit Disorder.

When was the last time a WWF pay per view main event (singles match) ended without a run-in or ref bump? I honestly can't remember. If someone knows the answer, please email (mark@merth.com) me.

Now, for a completely insane question: When was the last time the WWF (or WCW for that matter) held an event that featured no run-ins, ref bumps, or interference of any kind?

The WWF runs 4 or 5 events every week. They run more than 200 live events per year. You would think, just once per year, even if by accident, every match on a single card would have a clean finish.

Maybe, I am wrong. Maybe, I am too 'old school'. Maybe, it is impossible to draw a (U.S.) crowd with clean finishes and matches that tell a story. I don't know.