The thing with this Rock/Reigns deal is that the story writes itself; “The Head of the Table”, “The Tribal Chief”, the man that puts the food on the table for the whole family, confronted by his own cousin who’s the actual trailblazer, the biggest star on the planet. Cousin vs Cousin.

And when a story writes itself so easily and you don’t plan to deliver it you should be doing everything to go in the opposite direction - if you don’t want to disappoint your fan base that is.

At Survivor Series they clearly leaned into it. They might not have expressly advertised it but they hinted at it. They laid the table, pardon the pun. Which makes me think the plan is for it to happen at some point. Not in 2022 though.

You can’t blame the fans for anticipating on the night.

I have zero doubt that they are pushing really hard to have the Rock put over Reigns, as they should.

I agree that the story writes itself, but I don’t think avoiding your public relationship with The Rock just because people want to see a match that can’t happen is the answer. And I’m not sure how many casual fans have actually expected these two to have a match, or The Rock to even come back. It may just be this pocket of hardcore fans who want to fantasy book because their interest in this goes just far enough without realizing The Rock is too big a star to work matches now.

I don’t think “Hey, 25 years ago the biggest star on the planet made his debut with us, we’re going to talk about that” necessarily sends the promotional message the IWC is claiming it does.

But it wasn’t just the promotional packages. The scene with Vince and Reigns that referenced The Rock didn’t really add anything other than calling out the relationship between Reigns and Rock. That planted a seed. Whether they intended it to - and whether or not that was intentional - is debatable.

Let’s not forget that Roman also hit the Rock Bottom during the match.

I don’t think the Rock Bottom means anything. They’re related. It’s like if a Hart uses a Sharpshooter. I can’t comment on the Vince/Reigns stuff.

By the way, if Rock is coming back in some capacity for WrestleMania — host, enforcer, etc. — it was doubtful he was going to establish that at Survivor Series anyway. That’s Raw after Royal Rumble type stuff.

Yeah it could be just a little “shout out” to The Rock on the 25th anniversary of his debut.

For the record, I don’t think they do Rock/Reigns at next year’s Mania, if anything they do something to set it up for WrestleMania Hollywood II in the same vein as they set up Rock vs. Cena “Once” in a lifetime.

I can see there being some sort of interaction at some point, but I just can’t see Rock working a match at this point. Being in ring shape and finding the time to do that as opposed to doing movies and otherwise being an entrepreneur just doesn’t seem to fit. I can see him involved in WrestleMania — possibly even the next two — but I just can’t see him working that match with Reigns. The role for him seems to be something like raising the hand of the guy who beats Reigns. Maybe slapping Heyman out, motivating The Usos to stand up for themselves. That sort of thing.

I agree with you

Rock will acknowledge Reigns and be in his corner. Heyman will get the boot from "the family" and go back to Brock's corner.


Pay me.

Since #fan has been going absolutely insane about this in the Ratings Thread, I’m going to come back in here and explain myself because he’s latched onto this so hard:

I checked out TPWW on my lunch break and saw a bunch of people, can’t remember who, acting like The Rock was back. When I’ve signed in, I think I’ve got a lot of them on ignore (so probably Guru Dave and/or Damien Rey), which is further proof of why ignoring them was a great idea. I had a little laugh at how fickle a large contingent of the online wresting audience can be, with their simple WWE = bad narrative, and my perception that they were complaining that they somehow got The Rock back. I then got attacked because it turns out The Rock didn’t come back (which would have been my guess, considering the dude is SO fucking busy and can’t afford to take bumps), and for not actually watching a show they were complaining about.

So take it as a hypothetical. I’m sure if The Rock did come back and raise Roman’s arm or something, they would complain. Yes, that’s a hasty generalization, but I think it’s a correct one. But I in no way feel embarrassed about scanning TPWW, taking in some bullshit posts and making a flippant comment. Nor am I embarrassed because I did not watch Survivor Series, lol. I also stand by everything I said about it making total sense for the WWE to promote The Rock’s debut at the event 25 years ago, and it being pretty unreasonable to expect the guy to come roaring back into wrestling when it could jeopardize his film schedule.

I hope that clears things up. I did not know if Rock actually came back or not — I would have said no. In fact, I said in Vastardikai’s thread that it may be possible for him to send in a video or something, which would have been cool, but that’s about the most you could hope for. I just read that he had from some shitty posters, and made a flippant remark about how fickle some people are. It works whether he actually came back or not, because I’m pretty sure those people are going to remain as fickle.

Cheers! Your friendly neighborhood Noid.

Ah, so Noid does have me on ignore but logs in without his account so he can still view my posts. I wish he’d stop creepily obsessing over me. Like get over me pal. Plans change.

Oh. Since it bumped...

:wave:

Oh, that Spider-Man analogy? Yeah, I stand by it. Sorry, dude. People tried to dogpile me because they finally thought they had me in a “gotcha.” I didn’t see the show and made a remark about people complaining about what would obviously be a good thing. You’re trying really hard to squint and see something in it that isn’t there.

By the way, I call you out because you’ve become a shallow apologist who can’t even answer direct questions, seemingly focused on trying to catch me in some sort of moment where I get something wrong, like it matters. Because it does to you. So much for some reason. It became really apparent after I called you out on the frivolity of your “they should hire talented people regardless of where they come from.” That cut you real deep. Since then you’ve been projecting the same embarrassment onto me.

I’ll say it again: Only in the IWC would you find people complaining about the return of The Rock. I stand by that completely.

Throwing a “can’t even answer direct questions” in a post where you clearly dodge the direct problems being stated isn’t helping your case...

Neither is going back to the awkwardly desperate reach of that “hiring talented people“ argument you tried to start to save face after I started calling you on your bullshit. You REALLY felt good about that one in your fantasy world. You can go ahead and bump that thread and try again too after you duck and dodge here for a while.

In the Ratings Thread you have been avoiding the same question for quite a while now. And I have responded directly to what you’ve posted. I stand by it. I’ve restated my opinion on the matter several times now. I don’t agree with your assessment at all. I could say the exact same thing right back at you. Always trying to diagnose people and shit.

When was the last time you actually made a point instead of trying to smear people? The last actual point you’ve made. Not the last time you said someone is delusional or whatever to dismiss them outright? You act like you’re Mr. Logic, but you’ve been nothing but ad hominem and insecurity lately.

I could have just said “Wait, The Rock didn’t come back? Why the fuck are there muppets on here acting like he did?” By then I was already being called names because I didn’t watch the show and “fell for it” or whatever. I’ll admit that I made no effort to diffuse it, but I don’t see my doubling down on it the way you do.

Wrestling fans are fickle and they absolutely would whinge if The Rock returned. It was a little jab. It doesn’t actually matter if he did or not. But people are acting like me acting on the assumption that something posted here was actually true is bonkers. Lol, what? I saw something, quipped about it, got mocked (I’m not the one who watched Survivor Series) and stand by what I said. And my perception of it. There’s such a willingness to dogpile someone when they go against the grain here. Whether it’s me, xrod, CyNick or someone else. I’m not “playing a victim.” It’s been the way this place has been for some time. I don’t like it, per se, but it doesn’t worry me, because I honestly get a kick out of how much heat I get for what I believe is honesty that stings people because they recognize the truth in it.

I don’t tread lightly on people. Maybe I should be kinder? I dunno, but I don’t expect them to tread lightly on me either. But I don’t agree with the assessment you’re making of the situation at all. I don’t think you’re right. I do believe it’s you doing the gymnastics to try and get me into a position where I’m “wrong” because you are pretty darn desperate to try and get one over me.

What a little cunt. Disgusting.

For the sake of trying to get you to see the problem in just ONE small issue...

You get dog piled on with the same energy you give.

Your analogy showed you as a poor innocent victim giving a nice, polite response and then getting shit on for it by a bunch of assholes.

Reality showed an asshole making a smug insult based on something that it turns out didn’t happen and he got shit on for it with the same “asshole energy”.

Go ahead and be a smug asshole. But don’t pretend you’re just a poor boy being ganged up on when it backfires and that same energy is returned.

What fan said. I didn’t have a problem with Noid until he started being an asshole to the regular contributors. He deserves a slice of humble pie.

One time Noid complained that a segment "did well on TV but it didn't look good on paper," so he couldn't say it was a good segment. I asked him to clarify what that meant. He wrote five essays about how Jimmy Jacobs (who either wrote or took credit for the segment) was working me or some shit. I never mentioned Jimmy Jacobs at all and Noid never got close to answering the question.

I don’t think I’ve seen so many words written by someone because they made a bit of a tit of themselves.

Lmao a simple “oops should’ve read the results instead of only looking here” and a chuckle at himself would’ve squashed this immediately. Instead he’s just digging deeper and deeper holes.

I didn’t pretend I was a “poor boy.” I don’t know how you can so confidently accuse people of “living in a different reality” when you go ahead and project massively onto others. I just didn’t say it with the certainty I was accused of and piled on for. And I’m not complaining about that, because I give as good as I get (although I do generally try to make actual points instead of leaning on insults, etc.). I’m just stating that’s what happened.

Do yanks really struggle with hypotheticals and conditional statements? I’ve noticed you in particular do this a lot. It doesn’t matter whether or not the thing I was responding to was actually true or not. I’m just befuddled at how many people latched onto me not being sure it didn’t happen as a “gotcha.”

This would have been the Festival of Friendship. I thought it was shit, but it seemed to work for some people. If you look at the actual material, as it was written — absolutely shit. People were suckered in by it because they’re attracted to the personalities involved — Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Jimmy Jacobs. Jericho was hamming it up in the segment, and people have always been lenient when it comes to Jericho’s shit.

I would have said this all at the time. I can do it by memory. I think you’re either misremembering or flat-out lying.

Lol I fucking love this shit, man.

As usual only read the results and judging solely by them, this event sucked ass.

How it started...

How Noid thinks it started...

This is gonna continue as a “No, YOU!” back and forth now from the looks of it. I’m just gonna let the actual, real quotes speak for themselves.

There you go. Weird you dragged it up, but thanks. So I did actually address the question. I said I purposefully didnt engage with it, but I really did.

TL;DR : Basically what I said before. An idea isn’t necessarily good in conception even if it is salvaged by performance, etc. These can also be detrimental to your end product. But even if something works, you can still criticize its writing. That’s a direct answer to the question. I just thought it was the wrong question to ask, which I could have explained better at the time.

I don’t deny that’s what I posted first. And I still stand by it. Why are you making up a reality that doesn’t exist, huh?

By the way, I gave Jericho way too much grace as a performer. He’s kind of the shits and has been for a long, long time now.

I just did a quick search and posted what was being discussed. Nothing weird at all at bringing posts in question in plain sight is there?

lol it took me randomly remembering that interaction after months/years(?) and someone else posting the quotes to finally answer a direct question. Congratulations.

(and you still claim you addressed it despite evidence staring you in the face that you did not)

Dude just accused me of “making up a reality that doesn’t exist” in response to me simply quoting his ACTUAL initial post followed by his ACTUAL warped interpretation. Lol Unbelievable.

This thread is a Noid-logic, hole-digging gift from God.

I didn't watch Survivor Series, but I'm glad I stumbled into this thread anyway. What a treat.

How did I not answer it? I literally responded to it.

Where is this evidence I did not?

I never denied that was my initial post. In fact, that’s the post I have been most preoccupied with and have explained and stood by. I don’t see anything warped about my interpretation of it, nor do I even see how your quotes connect to it.

I’ve noticed you do this a lot, but there is a lot of dishonesty is how you attempt to argue. I don’t even remember that Spider-Man analogy, but do stand by it. Where did I ever claim that was how I think this “started?” Can you find that, or did you just pull it out of your ass because it is convenient?

Again, where did I claim I was a “poor boy?” You just flat-out lie at this point.

I’ve stood back and watched it without commenting in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a string of quotes from you that a) actually connect to each other, and b) actually say what you think they say. They’re at best cherry-picked and disconnected, at worst blatantly dishonest and misleading.

It’s all the more annoying because you seem to place pride in logic. But I genuinely don’t think you understand it anywhere near the level you think you do. Your reasoning is constantly fallacious. You’re responding emotionally to things and letting that influence your reading. And everyone is capable of that, but you really seem to think you’re above it. And you seem to suffer from the conviction that you’re right, and if you’re right, then if you said it, it’s right.

Can you actually back up either of your accusations that:

a) I believe that this didn’t start with my comment about The Rock?

b) I actually labeled myself any sort of victim?

These are untruths, man. They’re just false, lol.