Y2J The King Of The World

After having endured the last several weeks of the $1,000,000 Tough Enough, I feel the need to express my thoughts on the contest.

Let me preface this by saying that I loved the first two TE's, and the third was decent. It was interesting because it let the fans see what goes on behind the scenes - bringing reality to a worked sport. But, like all reality shows, the concept wore thin by the third season, and it was time to take a break from it - which was a wise decision by WWE (well, moreso by MTV).

So, now that it's been a few years since TE3, we're "treated" the $1M TE. But, this isn't the reality show that shows the wrestling hopefuls busting their butts day-in, and day-out, learning how to bump, learning moves, and training on a daily basis. This is a skit-driven, kayfabe-protecting "contest" that shows off the characters more as marketable entities and not as much as wrestlers-in-training.

So far, we've seen:
- Trash-talk the Big Show contest
- A squat-thrust contest
- Capture the flag with the Basham Brothers
- Making out with Mae Young
- Cross-dressers seducing Hardcore Holly

Are you kidding me? This is taking up a good 30 minutes of Smackdown every week (which they're not making up for on Velocity by booking or promoting quality matches)!?! This is *almost* as bad as the Raw Diva contest. Daniel Puder is the Carmella of the group, except without the crowd heat. It seemed very worked when how all 3 of the other remaining contestants picked Puder to get eliminated this past Thursday. Just a little too familiar from it's counterpart contest just a few months back.

Worked or not, I think I know why WWE's doing the contest like this:

Firstly, there was the whole deal a while back where HHH felt like the integrity of the business was being compromised by shows like TE that show the inner workings of wrestling - so, they're taking out anything that remotely has to do with training to be a professional wrestler. Good idea/bad idea? Who knows, but it's a certainty that whoever wins will be a crappy worker until he gets some training. Secondly, I think that since no TE winner has really gotten over as a draw due to their character, they're focusing on who the crowd reacts to, with the hope that they can teach them to be a good worker after they win based on personality and charisma. Will it work? Doubtful, but the old method of picking the winner didn't work that well either. Hell, only Maven & Miss Jackie are on the active WWE roster now. Linda Miles & Nidia just got the axe, and John Hennigan (a/k/a Johnny Blaze) and Matt Cappotelli are still jerking the curtain in dark matches. So, if this is the new TE experiment, they might have more success in the aftermath than with past winners, but they're paying the price to get there with crappy TV every week.

Anyone agree/disagree with me?

AudioSavior

I disagree,Why youl ask? Because they want to put them out in the ring and in front of the crowd so they don't have to hire someone for a million dollars and not have a clue how they are going to look in the live ring or how well they can handle and deal with being in the spotlight. I think WWE is tired of hiring people who are a Test or Nathan Jones. They want people who are going to need as little work with the exception of experience to actaully get their money's worth.

How many wrestlers from TE are actually wrestling and worked out in the long run? That's right one, and look how long it took for that to happen. I think Vince is doing the smart thing here. The same goes for the talent search err Diva search. What a great way to interview then to put them out there and see how they deal.

Tommy 2 Slow

Formerly Narc

Except for this week crossdressing crap (I had turn it off, thats how stupid I thought it was), I think its been entertaining. The truth is, they are limited on what they can do. If I were them, I would have done TE on Velocity. That would have gave Velocity some good ratings, and plus they could have had more time to showcase it.

AudioSavior

Naaa, they would have still replayed the whole thing on SD! anyway.

K Jay

How many of you were hoping Puder and Holly would have a shoot fight? Would hve been cool to see Hardcore Bully ,.. i mean Holly tapping like a drunk to a tranny.

The Problem Solver

I have enjoyed some of the segments and some of the contestants I can see full time in a WWE ring.

Rodimer - Looks like he has the potential to get over as a ****y heel. He has the size and the charisma to go a long way in my opinion.

Puder - Is already over and his UFC connections gives some perfect story lines as well as the infamous Angle incident. I would love to see Puder and Angle cage fight at Wrestlemania!

Reeves - Definatley has the look and build.

Not sure about the rest .... Mike Mizanin really really annoys me I hate the guy!!!!

Justice is worse than RVD on the mic!

I can see Puder, Reeves and Rodimer at least getting development contracts out of this comp. Puder will win when he knocks that little chump Mizanin out at Armageddon!!

Although some of the segments have been garbage on the whole I can see more positives about the comp.

Ant887

The TE winner that should go the furthest in the WWE is Matt Cappotelli. He should have denuted in May and won the CW Title. Cappotelli is simply got all the tools to be very good and an asset to the WWE. The WWE could really use him asap.

Jackie Pies

Justice is worse than RVD on the mic!
hahahahah, very good.

I liked that tall blond guy w/ the mullet that they booted off, i guess it doesn't matter since they're almost all being signed anyways...
i really like the guy in the tux that got injured right at the very begininng that they gave an ovw contract to. he's coo.


"nobody gets higher than r-v-d."