Link: http://www.ericbischoff.com/categoryblog/102-facts-hurt
I saw this blog (link above) on Eric Bischoff’s official Website recently after reading an article about it on http://wrestlezone.com. In this little rant, Bischoff trashes Vince McMahon for claiming that WWE had a bad quarter financially due to the loss of older, established stars. The wrestlers in question being Undertaker, Triple H (both dealing with injuries), Batista and Shawn Michaels (both retired). He makes a point of mentioning that all of these guys are over 40 years old. He faults McMahon for pushing younger talent, stating that television audiences relate to established stars.
He then proceeds to go on a tirade about the Internet wrestling community, calling those within its ranks, “perpetually pre-pubescent, parasitic internet ‘experts’ who neither have any legitimate experience or success as executives in the television or wrestling industry…terminally irrelevant trying desperately to hold on to their last 200 fans.” He calls these tirades, “facts.”
He then goes on to praise Vince Russo, Dixie Carter and the rest of the TNA Wrestling staff for properly utilizing older, established talent to put over the younger guys. I refuse to go into any further detail on my thoughts about TNA Wrestling’s use of older talent. Anyone who comes to this site with any frequency knows my thoughts on that already. If you have not heard these thoughts, check out some of my previous videos on TNA or go to http://wrestlewrestle.com and hear The Spoony One’s take on it. His thoughts are fairly close to my own.
My problems with Mr. Bischoff’s rant come in the form of his rants on the Internet wrestling community and Vince McMahon. To make my position clear, I watch both WWE and TNA’s products. I believe myself to be pretty fair in pointing out what is good and bad about both shows. I am opinionated, but even-handed. This being said, Mr. Bischoff is being the prior, but not the latter here. He criticizes WWE and Vince McMahon for blaming a bad financial run and poor television ratings on the lack of older top stars. He says this when he himself states that this is what television audiences want. I am confused. Is it opposite day in land of Bischoff? You claim to use facts to criticize someone for using the same facts you used to make the same argument you made. How is this bad? Are you criticizing McMahon for the so called, “youth push?” You pointed out the loss of several top stars, the ranks have to be filled somehow. Basically, in summation, my point to you, Eric, is to ask what your point is. I ask because I seriously fail to see one. On a side note, I love how Bischoff trashes McMahon but still makes money from selling his book published under the WWE imprint right there on his sight. Classy.
In regards to the tirade against us “parasitic internet ‘experts,’” (By the way, Internet is supposed to be capitalized) if it were not for the same people you trash, TNA Wrestling would have failed seven years ago back when they ran weekly Pay-Per-Views out of the Asylum in Nashville. I would be careful who you direct that kind of venom toward, Mr. Bischoff. Continue to trash the Internet wrestling community and it could be you who ends up, “terminally irrelevant trying desperately to hold on to their last 200 fans.” You are not far off already.
Only in wrestling could behavior like this be permitted from an executive. In any other business, especially those involved in media, people get fired, demoted, or suspended for tirades like this. It is really quite funny, in a sad sort of way. Again, I watch TNA and honestly hope it succeeds. Many of my favorite wrestlers work there. People I actually used to work with from my days doing press releases for a local promotion work there. I want to see them be successful. In fact, I even greatly respect the creative contributions Mr. Bischoff has made to this business as I was one of those viewers that made the switch to WCW during that epic 84 week run atop the Monday night ratings back in the 90s. This is why stuff like this bothers me. People may take this griping. It is not. I honestly intend this to be seen as constructive criticism. Comments like those made by Mr. Bischoff tend to do little but anger people. It is counter-productive and simply comes across as bitter. I realize some may interpret my comments in the same way. I am a critic. This is what I do here http://dreadfulentertainment.com. Yes, Mr. Bischoff, controversy does create cash, on TV. Save it for the ring, and save comments like these private discussion. For when a public figure like yourself makes such a statement, there are always several critics whose responses are twice as inflammatory.


