L. Anne Carrington  

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• Archived Blog Post

  Date / Time: 10/8/2009 4:52 PM UTC

  Growth and Change
  

  There are about three message boards I frequent on a regular basis, and reading them, I can’t help sometimes what the product would be like if we fans weren’t open to change. Now keep in mind, just like currently, not all of us are going to like the same things or agree on the same topics. But that is what makes it all even more intriguing.
  
  For example, who hasn’t heard at one time or another, “I’m tired of so and so on my TV, where is (insert name here)? He/she is being wasted!”  “What is the idea of bringing back old talent from years ago? They’re past their prime! Let’s see some of the younger, newer talent!” “Why is (insert name here) even thinking about returning? They didn’t do that well the first time around.”
  
  There’s also the ongoing debates as to whom should get title shots and who doesn’t deserve them. I don’t think I have to tell any of you how many years this has gone back and forth among fans.
  
  In the midst of all of this, we tend to forget the point that wrestling, like any sport (or sports entertainment, as it were) is constantly changing and headed into new directions. We have all had our idols over the years, and I’m sure we also wish those we admire could stay in the limelight forever. But the time comes when they have to step down and clear the way for newer, younger, stronger talent. It works that way in other sports; the same should apply to wrestling.
  
  Think of new fans who are tuning in for the first time, or kids who tune into wrestling and see these larger than life heroes and villains for the first time. They’re not going to remember or be as enthusiastic about the heroes we admired as much as twenty years ago or as little as five years ago. They tune in to see new people amaze them. And why not?
  
  There is also the issue of recent drug scandals and steroids in the news, along with WWE moving to a more PG-rated format that are also influencing many changes in what we are viewing these days. For example, some people may think Raw is still great, while I consider the show beyond in the gutter, with Smackdown rising nicely quality-wise.
  
  I may also not agree with further points, but there are others from longtime fans to the mainstream media who express that sometimes wrestling can be a show that's safe for you to watch with your kids—provided that those kids receive a proper explanation that what they see on television is scripted with predetermined outcomes. Though I cannot speak for other fans, I am certainly fine with the opinions of others. We all have them, both positive and negative.
  
  The magic in wrestling can happen again; we just need to be more open to change, whether it’s WWE or your local independent promotion.
  
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