Hard Times Abound For WWE In 2016

No, the title of this post does not refer to the seemingly-endless series of injuries plaguing WWE. These "hard times" are the kind that you might run into if you ever took a trip down to Cobb County, Georgia. Perhaps you didn't read the signs or respect the law and order? Regardless, I think that you'll hearken back to one of the greatest characters in WWE history, The Big Boss Man. At 6'7 and over 300 pounds, the Boss Man had the audience in the palm of his hand no matter which "side" he was currently on. It didn't hurt that he is also undoubtedly one of the most underrated stars in wrestling history. For a man his size, he could do it all.

I passed up on the first Big Boss Man figure to hit the Mattel WWE line several years ago. It was released at a time when I wasn't quite sold on the Mattel product and I was really only collecting "new" characters. The figure has since skyrocketed in demand (and secondary market value). Now many collectors, including myself, are getting a second chance thanks to a brand new series exclusive to Toys "R" Us. It's the "WWE Network Spotlight" series. Essentially, the line will likely be an all-"Flashback" series similar to the Target exclusive WWE Hall of Fame set. Thus far a 1990's Hunter Hearst Helmsley is also in the series, with a Shawn Michaels to follow.

The figure itself looks to be a direct re-release of the first Mattel Boss Man, sans the ball and chain. The figure still includes sunglasses, handcuffs, and the trademark nightstick. The back of the packaging says that the look of the Boss Man is supposed to represent his Saturday Night's Main Event appearance on May 27, 1989. This was, of course, the night where the prison guard famously suplexed Hulk Hogan from the corner of the steel cage. In actuality, the figure could represent the Boss Man throughout his initial WWF run. He appears a bit hefty (he was bigger in his first two years with the company), but the Boss Man was always "big."

Most figures of Ray "Big Boss Man" Traylor have captured a good likeness and this one is no different. Something about the stance of this figure really seems to scream "Hard Times." I hear his famous theme song just looking at it. The only issue I have is that in the lot that I encountered, all seemed to have paint issues on the uniform. The one that I ultimately chose only had a line on his strap that can easily be fixed, but others had issues with the yellow stripe down the leg. For collectors who keep every figure carded, this can be a killer.

Like all Elite figures, there are many points of articulation enabling top poseability. For someone like the Boss Man, this is essential. Part of his greatness was being one of the most agile "big man" wrestlers to ever grace the squared circle. Sure, he could pound you into submission with a Southern-style beating, but he could also move around with the best of them. His bumping was second-to-none as well. Check out his beatdown at WrestleMania VI from Ted DiBiase or his elimination from the 1992 Royal Rumble for great examples of this.

The Big Boss Man is one of the very few of my favorites from childhood that I didn't have the chance to meet. By all accounts, he was a heckuva guy. My friend David Isley often tells stories of Mr. Traylor from their days working the Jim Crockett Promotions shows at TBS Studios. Terri Runnels, an "Attitude-Era" travel companion of the Boss Man, has also publicly shared her memories. At the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, I hope to hear even more about the legendary gentle giant of the ring.

This is a fun figure. As much as I love the new packaging, it looks even better posed. It's the kind of figure that anyone would want on their shelf. I'd even go as far as to call it a conversation piece. Put this on your desk at work and watch the amazement come flowing in. "I LOVED the Big Boss Man!" After all, he is one of the best remembered and beloved stars of the era. Couple him with the Mattel Akeem figure from a few years ago and the tag team of the Twin Towers is back. All we need is The Slickster...

Since we've done WrestleMania stories just about every year since the inception of the blog, I decided to give it a break this year. Over the past several weeks we've looked at several new Hall of Fame inductees and, in what is becoming an annual deal, I have my thoughts on the big event itself at my other blog, Josh Culture. Whether you're in Dallas this weekend or following the fun on WWE Network, enjoy the spectacle that is WrestleMania!

WWE Network--The First Year

Let's go back to one year ago.  The Winter Olympics had just ended, winter weather here in the northeast was beginning to wane, and WWE Network was born. In the weeks leading up to the launch, all wrestling fans were discussing just exactly how WWE Network would impact their wrestling viewing.  Even here on the blog I brought up the ways that it could possibly impact collecting. The first day was rough, with servers crashing due to volume of sign-ups. I, myself, even lashed out at a friend when he accessed the page and I didn't! Even after one was finally able to become a subscriber, various problems kept the always complaining Internet wrestling fans well stocked with ammunition.  On my end it was the inability to watch any on demand programming without the shows coming to a crashing halt.

After the first few weeks the initial kinks were fixed and focus shifted to WrestleMania paranoia.  How would the biggest show of the year fare as the first such undertaking on the Network? Would the servers be able to handle the high number watching? What would WWE do in case of a mishap? Rumors even circulated that some fans would purchase the event via traditional pay-per-view "just in case."  Needless to say, WrestleMania XXX on WWE Network went down without any widely-reported problems.

One year later and WWE Network has proven to be well.worth the ever-pushed $9.99 per month.  No matter what you look for in wrestling, you'll find something worthwhile.  Even the most jaded fan, still holding onto their grainy, Clash of the Champions videos taped off of TBS should find solace in the Network.  They can see those specials, and tons of other shows, in unheard of quality.

Even with all of the pluses, there are still areas that could use some major improvement.  There is still an untapped, albeit small, market that wants nothing but old territorial shows and matches. We've seen a recent trend towards these shows, but if the Network started regularly airing some of these shows in order (some may be a tad incomplete due to condition), they may very well latch onto some new consumers.

Another area that needs addressed is the live feed.  With everything available at any time on demand, is there really a need for a 24/7 live feed?  Why not just "switch it on" when actual live content is being presented?  Is it an ego thing?  Was it such a dream of the company to have a nonstop network that they keep it up for vanity?  At the very least, I would put more thought into the programming than what goes into it now. Sure, WWE will throw past WrestleMania events up at WrestleMania season and that sort of thing, but that isn't enough. Triple H recently referenced the first Clash of the Champions event.  Why not air that?  If events in the current product can be accentuated by things out of the past, program them for the Network and have a programming note during Raw that you can "relive" this reference or that moment.  It's not that difficult.

Most everything that has been added has stayed (I hope that the treasures in the Black History Month section don't disappear in March) and some things have even been improved upon.  Many WCW shows were "fixed" once WWE fully had the rights to certain themes.  It would be nice if they would go back and do the same for some WWF shows with the same issue.

My last, but least worrisome gripe is with the search function.  As it stands it is incomplete, difficult to navigate, and generally worthless.  Most of the time I watch full shows anyway, but with the addition of more and more episodes of various shows, it would be nice to know who pops up.  Along the same lines, a "Newly Added" menu wouldn't be a bad idea either.  I can only see so many "Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan welcome the WWE Universe to more Prime Time Wrestling" descriptions before I forget if I've seen the episode or not.

So far, WWE Network has been doing a whole heckuva lot right.  It's great for throwing on as background noise or settling in and enjoying an entire event.  This is how we will know wrestling for the foreseeable future.  I wouldn't toss those DVDs just yet, but hopefully WWE Network keeps all of this content available to us for a long, long time. Originally, this entry was to end with a question as to why us early adopters have not been rewarded for our loyalty. After all, newbies have had a ton of "#FreeFreeFree" deals. Just before press time, WWE began to send out gifts via e-mail to us "lifers." Icing on the cake for those of us who have been pleased with the product.

On a note unrelated to the Network, this week also marked a sad anniversary in professional wrestling.  February 22, 2015 was forty years to the day of the tragic plane crash that killed Bobby Shane and injured Buddy Colt, Austin Idol, and Gary Hart.  By and large, Shane's contributions to the wrestling world are unknown to fans my age and younger.  Some of us have sought out to learn more about him, and I dedicated an entry of this blog to him late last year.  Hopefully, the original "King of Wrestling" will never be truly forgotten.

Bobby Shane * August 25, 1945-February 22, 1975

The 2014 J\/\/ Awards

How unimaginable is it that another year has passed?  Even more unreal is that this year is the fifth annual installment of The J\/\/ Awards, celebrating the best in wrestling memorabilia over the past twelve months. Each year the design of "The Joshie" changes, but it is always "based" upon a classic wrestling figure or collectible.  This year, the award could go flying through the air with a 747 splash or even magically transform into a dancing, yellow and blue clad, African Dream!  The design isn't the only change in 2014, with one award being retired and another one born.  The wrestling world as a whole has seen a lot of change this year, from the way that some of the product is presented to losing some of its most memorable names.  Without further ado, let the awards begin!

2014 Best Figure

Mattel's WWE Wyatt Family win "The Joshie" for 2014 Best Figure(s).  For the second year in a row, a trio of figures take this one home.  In contrast to last years winners, each figure here is very different in appearance.  Though the Elite versions of the boys were chosen due to their accessories, each release of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan have been great efforts by Mattel.  That being said, the accessories are almost as great as the figures themselves.  With all three members of the family embarking on their own paths, it will be interesting to see where they go, both in WWE and on store shelves, in 2015.

2014 Best Buy (Non-Figure)

WWE Network wins "The Joshie" for 2014 Best Buy.  For whatever reason that you may have subscribed, you automatically got the best deal of 2014.  If you haven't yet subscribed, we may have to bring back the "Turnbuckle Turkey" award for you.  Sure there are deserved criticisms, but that comes with the territory. You can pick just about any one thing from the Network and justify $9.99 per month.  The current pay-per-view live?  Yep, that's worth $9.99.  Four or five NXT episodes a month?  Yep, that's worth $9.99.  On-Demand access to the WWE, WCW, and ECW pay-per-view libraries?  Yep, that's worth...ok...enough of the commercial.  But it's true.  It's a Helluva deal and should only get bigger and better as time goes on.

2014 Best Product Line

Mattel wins "The Joshie" for 2014 Best Product Line.  Longtime readers know that when Mattel first started churning out WWE product, I was less than impressed.  Poor lineups, poor distribution, poor creativity, and that God-awful red packaging design. Things have changed for the better and for the third time, Mattel takes home the gold.  Although there's always room for improvement (could we get that Magnum TA?), 2015 already looks like a very good year.  Come on, we're getting Bayley!  What could be better than that?  A Bayley hug, perhaps, but the figure will be almost as cool.

2014 Future Holy Grail

NECA's The Simpsons Bret Hart Figure wins "The Joshie" for 2014 Future Holy Grail.  I've already said a lot about this figure, but I really can't say enough.  It combines The Simpsons and wrestling into one great collectible.  It captures a moment when a wrestler, who despite having a huge fanbase never truly crossed over into the mainstream, became a part of animated pop culture.  Thanks to that crossover appeal, the figure flew off of shelves as soon as it hit.  A New York Comic Con version has proven to be equally as popular.  Bret Hart.  The Simpsons.  Action figures.  It's a great recipe that should stand the test of time.

Normally our awards end with the "Future Holy Grail."  You may have noticed the absence of the "Best Publication" award which usually went to books or magazines.  As of 2015, Pro Wrestling Illustrated will be the only remaining U.S. wrestling magazine and although there are some great authors churning out amazing wrestling books, I just do not have the time and resources to be objective and read them all.  Thus, "Best Publication" has been retired.  However, in the spirit of PWI's year-end "Editors Award," this year we introduce our "Thanks For The Memories" honor.  Since this blog celebrates "The Best in Wrestling Memorabilia & Memories" on a weekly basis, this award will focus on the latter.  The winner can be a person (living or dead) or concept that somehow made all of us fondly recall wrestling's past in the last twelve months.

 2014 Thanks For The Memories Award

2014 Thanks For The Memories Honoree:  The Ultimate Warrior.  Electrifying.  Entertaining. Controversial.  Just three words that could be used to describe the man known as The Ultimate Warrior.  A generation of kids grew up mystified by him.  While Hulk Hogan was the clean cut hero, the Warrior brought a bit of an edge and a whole lot of mystery.  Just where did he run off to every night after beating Rick Rude, Andre the Giant, or Randy Savage?  Where was Parts Unknown?  Who were these skeletons and why did they make a sacrifice?  Sure, we could all envision the other WWF "good guys" going to hang out after the matches, but Warrior seemed different.  He was.  We had never seen anything like him before, nor will we ever again.  Thanks for the memories, Warrior.

And thanks to all of you for once again keeping with the blog throughout the year.  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Whether you come up and say hi at a show or simply shoot me an e-mail, those are my awards. Those people and moments remind me why I've loved wrestling for all of these years.  Thank you!

The Memorabilia Of WWE Legends House

It should come as no surprise to anyone that a show like WWE Legends House is right up my alley.  While no big devotee of the "reality" television boom of the last fifteen odd years, I've never made it much of a secret that I am a fan of the stars of wrestling's past.  Giving some of those stars the chance to shine once more in a setting that highlights the often quirky personalities of these past titans?  I'm there.

As soon as WWE Network was announced, Legends House promos started rolling.  After all, the show had been filmed two years earlier and was finally going to see the light of distribution.  I'll be the first to admit that the initial "teaser" look at the show appeared less than promising.  Sure, everyone expected normal reality show hijinks paired with wrestling legends, but for whatever reason the preview felt underwhelming.  The novelty of seeing these men as they appear today was nonexistent for someone like myself who sees them regularly on the convention circuit.  Would there be another hook to Legends House?

With Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy Hart, Pat Patterson, Mean Gene Okerlund, Tony Atlas, Hillbilly Jim, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Howard Finkel all under one roof, the answer could only be "yes."  Thus far, the show has been an entertaining mix of humor, drama, and cabbage rolls.  Viewers are already debating as to which of the legends will be standouts and which will cause the most trouble during the group's stay in the former Palm Springs estate of "Marx Brother" Harpo Marx.

While no memorabilia from the show itself has crept up (yet), any fan is bound to get nostalgic with these eight legends.  Only one (Patterson) never had an action figure, but others like Piper and Duggan more than make up for that.  Great portraits hang above each legends themed bed area, but what other items could've been placed in the house?

The first legend to arrive at the house was "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas.  The strongman immediately noted that he is known for press slamming Hulk Hogan.  This is indeed fact, and one of these moments was immortalized on the cover of Pro Wrestling Illustrated back in August of 1981.  Atlas loves seeing and discussing merchandise that included him, but he has always seemed especially proud of this PWI cover.  He often adds the story that this particular photo was the sculptors reference while designing the Slammy Award trophy.  Truth or fiction, it is still an impressive shot from wrestling's past.

Jimmy Hart has described himself as "the ultimate entertainer."  While many fans have certainly enjoyed his ringside antics, Hart was making audiences get off their feet long before entering pro wrestling.  As a member of "The Gentrys," Hart crooned out hits like "Keep On Dancin'" that helped define 1960s music.  In wrestling, Hart continued to parlay his musical skills by penning countless entrance themes and even cranking out a few albums.  His "Outrageous Conduct" album was released both during his Memphis and WWF runs.  With songs as clever as they are comedic, the albums are sought after due to being produced in relatively low quantities.

Hillbilly Jim is one wrestler who seems to have adapted nicely to life after the business.  He's also one of the better remembered characters of 1980s WWF.  This is, in part, due to the visibility of his LJN WWF figure.  If you didn't have one, you knew someone who did.  I can still remember pointing out the wrestling figure of "the farmer" (as my young mind dubbed him) on trips to the much-missed Hills toy department.  We may never know why the figure was designed with a red shirt underneath Jim's overalls, but no LJN collection is complete without the country boy.

It will be a shame if the show completes without Mean Gene or The Fink grabbing a microphone, and what better choice than the WWF Microphone by PlayTime Products.  This toy wasn't on shelves very long, but it was the closest that any company came to the real deal.  The 80s/90s WWF microphone was so iconic, it even "showed up" at a 1992 WCW/NWA press conference.  Wherever it appeared, you knew that something was about to go down in the wrestling world.  "Put that cigarette out..."

We can only wonder what predicaments the legends will find themselves in as the weeks go on (I'm personally anticipating their encounter with Adam West), and if indeed a Legends House Season 2 will go forward.  Hulk Hogan has been already been rumored for a second run.  Despite being a lifelong Hulkamaniac, I'd rather see some of the underexposed legends get time in the house.  Who would I book?  How about Arn Anderson, Nikolai Volkoff, Ron Simmons, Dusty Rhodes, Bob Backlund, Sgt. Slaughter, Terry Funk, and for the first time, a female legend.  One who has a place in history, but whose real-life personality has never really taken center stage.  Knowing her as I do, she considers herself one of the "boys" and would fit right in.  Of course I am speaking of the one and only, Leilani Kai.

Aloha, Legends!

Looking Back On Five Years...

Blogging about a blog?  Only on special occasions, but a five year anniversary definitely warrants it!  Five years of wrestling memorabilia, memories, fun, tears, and maybe even a bit of drama (I'm looking at you, A.J. Lee).  We've discussed it all here, and had you told me five years just how much ground would be covered, I'd have called you crazy.  To put it into perspective, WrestleMania 25 was on the horizon, TNA was still starring Sting, Jeff Jarrett, and Mick Foley, and the game changing WWE Network wouldn't even have been imagined in the form that it eventually took.

For those that don't know the story, this blog was born out of an online newsletter.  When I first hit cyberspace a whopping twenty years ago in 1994, it never hit me that people who were online would care about wrestling.  I can still remember a preconceived notion of mine that anyone online must only be obsessed with Star Wars or Star Trek.  To an extent, it was true, but eventually I began to discover clusters of wrestling fans in the then-new medium.  When America Online was a thriving entity, they hosted both the AOL Grandstand and the WWF's first venture into cyberspace.

Into the late '90s, I came up with the idea of a newsletter covering wrestling memorabilia.  Recruiting subscribers from the AOL boards and relying heavily on word-of-mouth, the newsletter was born.  Sadly, I can say that only one full issue remains in my collection.  With a HUGE subscriber base and a ton of product to cover (this was the "Attitude Era," after all), the newsletter thrived and garnered a very nice following.  Eventually, because of other interests and the life of a highschooler, I had no choice but to fold.

In the decade between the end of the newsletter and the birth of the blog, it became apparent to me that a lot of people enjoyed my first venture.  "Do you still produce it?"  "Why did it end?"  "Is it coming back?"  I would hear those questions and more from wrestling fans both on the Internet and in real life.  I didn't have much interest in doing a newsletter again, but surely something could be done to address the great readers that missed it and satisfy my yearning to write about wrestling kitsch again.  The answer?  The blog.

Originally I didn't intend to publish new content weekly.  If you look back at the earlier entries, a few win absolutely no awards for "quality" or "quantity," but as with any writer, reader response is what kept me going.  As much as I like going back and reading some of the entries, I don't publish it for myself, so I've appreciated every little comment I've ever gotten.  Any time that someone shoots me an e-mail, posts on the Facebook page, or pulls me aside at an event, I truly take it to heart.  I've had to opportunity to meet a ton of great people thanks to this weekly look at wrestling.  The blog matters, and exists, because you all take the time to read it.

Here we are in 2014 and it's actually a really great time to be a wrestling fan.  In fact, I will go on record as saying that we're closer than we've ever been to another "boom" period for the industry.  The WWE Network is setting out to not only change this industry but to also help further the evolution of home entertainment itself.  Mixing the glory days with the current product has always been my idea of a recipe for wrestling success.  That, coupled with the fact that WWE finally has stars that fans are emotionally invested in for the first time in a decade, is a sign to me that wrestling is back.  Is it the exact thing that many of us grew up loving?  No.  But some of it is pretty damn good, and I can assure you that I'll be here riding the wave for at least another five years.

The WWE Network's Impact On Collecting

$9.99 a month.  It's the deal that has every wrestling fan talking, and for very good reason.  Viewing every WWE pay-per-view event live, an action that once cost hundreds of dollars per year, will now cost just $120 per year.  It's the WWE Network.  It's the first "groundbreaking announcement" in professional wrestling history that actually lived up to the hype.  But while the press conference that announced it answered many questions about the long-delayed WWE outlet, it opened up many more.  Many of those will be answered upon launch in a few weeks, but today we'll be tackling one that may take sometime to get a firm answer to.

There's a large portion of wrestling fans that do not collect much memorabilia.  They aren't interested in action figures, trading cards, magazines, programs, or promotional photos.  They could care less about obtaining an autograph or even snagging a photo with their favorite star.  Their sole monetary investment into the world of wrestling is collecting footage.  From the mid-1970's until about fifteen years ago, tape trading was a huge deal.  Since the turn of the century, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs have crept into the wrestling collector conscious.  Some fans collect each and every pay-per-view release.  Others go for everything that WWE Home Video puts out.  Others enjoy their pretty blue encased lineup of Blu-Rays.

With the announcement of the WWE Network, a streaming service based upon not only new productions but thousands upon thousands of hours of archived footage, DVD and Blu-Ray collectors have been pondering one thing: just what happens to the world of tangible wrestling media?  Now owning the majority of historical wrestling film libraries, WWE is the proprietor of professional wrestling past and present.  In addition to each and every live pay-per-view being presented to subscribers, WWE claims that every WWE, WCW, and ECW past pay-per-view event will be available, on-demand, on the launch date.

There will obviously be exceptions to this statement, but it is a pretty amazing thought that all of this will be available at any subscribing fan's fingertips on a whim.  New content will be added regularly, and many fans are expecting this to be non-pay-per-view supercards, old wrestling television broadcasts, and so much more from a variety of areas, eras, and promotions.  So how exactly will this impact collectors?  I can only give my own take.

Many have already given the nickname of "WWEFlix" to the WWE Network.  It's fitting, as the business model is close to that of Netflix.  Did Netflix kill the DVD and Blu-Ray market?  Absolutely not.  It certainly cut into the business of tangible media, but it has nowhere near killed it.  Many of those that have kept the DVD and Blu-Ray business alive are collectors who are, with all respect given, anal about their collections.  Wrestling collectors certainly resemble that remark in the best possible meaning.  These collectors are perfectly able to enjoy a streaming and/or digital version of the content of their choice, but they want something more.

There's something about holding the packaging, seeing the cover art, and even unwrapping the shrink wrap that is part of the complete experience.  It's a feeling that vinyl record collectors have talked about for years.  You cannot physically hold streaming content, nor can you sit back and look at it on your shelf.  It's along the same lines of the reason that VHS videos remain collectible in the digital age.  Physical media has taken many hits over the years and will continue to do so, but it will never die.

There is also the unavoidable fact that when content is strictly streaming, it can be taken from you at anytime.  Perhaps WWE will feel that having every pay-per-view available is just TOO good of a deal after awhile.  Even Netflix is a revolving door and eliminates content at times.  What if you're in the mood to watch SummerSlam 2002 or Survivor Series 1987 and suddenly they're gone from the Network?  You pop in the DVD, of course.  There's also no guarantee that the price will not rise in a few years.  While I have my doubts that it will ever raise beyond being a sizable deal, there are many personal scenarios that could leave a fan without access for a period of time.

WWE has not released any info regarding future DVD and Blu-Ray releases being affected by the advent of the Network.  There's also absolutely no reason to believe that they cannot co-exist.  Though past WWE Home Video releases such as documentaries and compilations are going to be available on the Network, it is unknown at this time just how fast future additions in that area will show up there.  New pay-per-view events have already been announced as being available directly after.

I've already made my decision.  I, like thousands of others, absolutely cannot pass up the deal that will be offered by WWE with the upcoming Network.  That being said, I only see my tangible wrestling media content continue to grow at the same rate as it has in the past.  I cannot unwrap and hold streaming content, nor can I have it autographed.  Having so many past events available to stream at any time will be great, but if I want to hear original music and other licensed content, I can even go back to VHS on occasion.  The wrestling world is huge, and there is a place for Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, Laserdisc, 35mm, 8mm, and even the WWE Network.