Final thoughts of the XFL's first game from a wrestling fan..

[GoldenBear]

If this seems selfish and conceded to start a new thread when there's a perfectly good one going on, so be it. But that thread was started before the game, so we'll call this the post-game thoughts..

- The string cam was cool for running plays, but sucked on passes. But they got better during the second half with the frequency of it's use.

- Was that the dude from American Gladiators down on the field? He's awesome.

- Jesse was all right. I thought Matt Vasgordiogan was acceptable enough (although bland), until JR blew him clean out of the water. The first major change should be having JR do the main NBC game. Matt was all "OH MY!" for a wimpy hit and I was like "give us a break, Scott Hudson".

- The "is it fake?" stuff oughta be dead, seeing as how they picked the wrong game to show for the debut. Not just the game itself was better in Orlando... it was like two different schools of thought were behind the production. Better shots of the action, more looks at the cheerleaders, better announcing, plus the players were dancing and diving into the endzone and we got NONE of that in Vegas. Plus, it was more WWF-ized with JR, Lawler, and Coach there. Earl Hebner should have been officiating.

- It would seem that the NY/NJ Hitmen aren't very good. Their quarterback sure is a big weiner. Instead of a taped promo, Austin should have run out, given him the Stunner, and then said "I damn near broke my neck... BUT I STILL GOT UP!"

- It was funny how the sideline interviewers kept getting ignored. Then JR even dissed the Coach, saying the ladies in Orlando were ignoring him too. Somebody needs to call that Fred guy "Hermie".

- How do we know that on times where the NY coach said "I'm thinking of a fake field goal", the other team doesn't have someone watching the broadcast and going "okay, they're gonna do a fake field goal" to the coach?

- I can't decide but I think if I were an XFL player, I'd go with either "HUNG WAE LOH" or "TURD FERGUSON" on the back of my jersey.

 

[shiner]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...the XFL is suck!

Nobody has ever said the games were predetermined or fake but there are elements to the game that are scripted. If you don't think so then either you are an idiot or you didn't watch the same two games I did.

This "football" league will make it through 1 season and then vanish. Sorry but that's a fact. The quality of play just isn't there. No, I'm not a doubter of all leagues except for the NFL. I loved the USFL when it was around, of course you were probably in diapers then, the World League isn't too bad, and the Canadian and Arean ball are entertaining as well. The XFL just reeks of style over substance and I can't stomach that.

 

[blurredvision]

Good thoughts. Did the Hitmen ever score any points?? I had to go to work during half time of that game, and never heard much else. I agree that the Orlando game seemed to be a bit better, but only from what I've heard.

 

[Rudee]

XFL = Trailerpark Trash Football

 

[GoldenBear]

<< but there are elements to the game that are scripted. >>

You mean the plays they ran or the rules that were abided by? Then of course, NFL games are scripted too.

<< This &quot;football&quot; league will make it through 1 season and then vanish >>

At least we have a date here, not just &quot;soon&quot;.

I'm so totally saving this post when next year's season starts. Of course it probably won't matter to you, which upsets me.

<< Did the Hitmen ever score any points?? >>

No they didn't. And the second game was a million times better as Jim Ross totally captured the experience oh so well.

 

[nd]

<< This &quot;football&quot; league will make it through 1 season and then vanish. Sorry but that's a fact. >>

You seem sure of yourself. I think you're gonna feel quite silly when you're proved wrong.

 

[GoldenBear]

<< XFL = Trailerpark Trash Football >>

Trailerpark and Trash start with T &amp; T, not X &amp; F.

 

[shiner]

<< You mean the plays they ran or the rules that were abided by? Then of course, NFL games are scripted too. >>



No, that's not what I mean and if you had bothered to read my post in the other thread that you were gushing about the greatness of the XFL(Xcrment Football League) then you would know so. What I meant was that some of the &quot;penalites&quot; appear to be scripted. There were some other supposedly random things that didn't seem too random to me. I'm fully aware that teams script plays and that rules must be followed seeing as how I played football for 15 years.

The fact that you apparently love the WWF shouldn't blind you to the fact that the XFL is garbage. Also I'm sure you have years of experience playing John Madden football on your Playstation but that isn't real football either.

 

[GoldenBear]

<< What I meant was that some of the &quot;penalites&quot; appear to be scripted. There were some other supposedly random things that didn't seem too random to me. >>

Aren't you the cynical one?

Are you going to tell me the '69 Mets season was scripted, because it was oh so magical. Or Michael Jordan's life was scripted as well, as the essence of that could only be captured through Hollywood writers, among many other things.

Do you really think these players would play the game if it were indeed scripted? I mean, these are professionals in many ways, and would totally not go out on the losing side without actually putting up a fight.

If the next game ends in a Cal/Stanford type of manner with the score being 63-62, you may be on to something.

And if the game were &quot;scripted&quot;, you'd think they could've made the first game a whole lot more damn entertaining. A shutout is typically boring especially when it's the fault of the offense, and not the strength of a great defense. So if it were, then McMahon sure sucked badly at it, because the supposed scripted stuff added ZERO to the game. I'd imagine you'd script stuff to make it more interesting, but that's just me.

<< The fact that you apparently love the WWF shouldn't blind you to the fact that the XFL is garbage. >>

If you did read my post you might conclude that I'm quite objective on it, which is more than I can about some others.

<< Also I'm sure you have years of experience playing John Madden football on your Playstation but that isn't real football either. >>

I never owned a Playstation.

 

[Champo41]

nd, read the reviews (the ones up so far), the XFL is getting trashed by the media. You know ESPN won't cover any of it, CNN/SI maybe a little, but definitely not ESPN.

The XFL is full of rejects. Rejects from the NFL. Rejects from college. Yay! Let's watch a bunch of athletes that could barely make it past high school football on the field.

My opinions are coming from tonight's games, where I didn't see any difference from the XFL to the NFL, after the XFL had been built up to be a great sport. After the Superbowl, America is basically tired of football. Launching the XFL right now was a horrible idea, why not wait a few months and give people a rest from the sport. I love football, and look forward to the opening season at the first of September each year, but XFL is just running it into the ground.

I don't know why I'm classifying the XFL as a sport. It's a more of a show. And don't tell me some of those acts weren't scripted.

It won't last, everyone doesn't want to see no-name football players running around and degrading the sport even more by focusing more on sex than the game.

EDIT: I just realized that the XFL won't get any coverage (play by play wise) from any other station other than NBC because of their share of the creation of the game. Do you see FOXsports covering the ESPN/ABC created &quot;X-Games&quot;?

 

[nd]

<< nd, read the reviews (the ones up so far), the XFL is getting trashed by the media. You know ESPN won't cover any of it, CNN/SI maybe a little, but definitely not ESPN. >>

None of that matters. I think you're vastly underestimating the fanbase here -- just look at the WWF. Do you think it gets &quot;good reviews&quot;? Hell no. Look how popular and successful it is, though.

 

[shiner]

<< Do you really think these players would play the game if it were indeed scripted? I mean, these are professionals in many ways, and would totally not go out on the losing side without actually putting up a fight. >>



Uh huh...and the matches in the WWF aren't scripted either are they? Those wrestlers know they are going to lose before they step in the ring.

I do not think the entire games in the XFL are scripted to the point where it is predetermined which team will win but I do think that certain penalties, fights, smack talking, etc... are planned beforehand.



<< I never owned a Playstation. >>



Sorry...I meant your N64 or Dreamcast

 

[nd]

<< Uh huh...and the matches in the WWF aren't scripted either are they? Those wrestlers know they are going to lose before they step in the ring. >>

Huh? I think you're confusing scripted with predetermined. WWF matches have predetermined outcomes, but are certainly not scripted. XFL is neither scripted or with predetermined outcomes.

 

[shiner]

<< None of that matters. I think you're vastly underestimating the fanbase here -- just look at the WWF. Do you think it gets &quot;good reviews&quot;? Hell no. Look how popular and successful it is, though. >>



Good point...most people are stupid. I mean hell...Hitler was popular in Germany right up until the very end.

 

[nd]

BTW, our local news station in Madison interviewed some viewers at some bar and all of them seemed to like it a lot. They seemed to be typical football fans, and particularly liked how they got to see more of the &quot;inside&quot; action like the play calls and the coach audio

 

[shiner]

<< Huh? I think you're confusing scripted with predetermined. WWF matches have predetermined outcomes, but are certainly not scripted. >>



WRONG!!! I have a cousin that went through the lower ranks in the WWF after he got out of the Navy and he still talks about all the script sessions they had to go through before the matches. He also said they sent all the wrestlers to dance classes and they worked out the exact moves of the match anywhere from 3-4 days before each match. He had a great time doing it, never made it big time though since he wasn't willing to do some of the more extreme stuff, but said there isn't a thing about the matches that isn't scripted out or left to chance.

Sorry to burst your bubble...by the way...there's no Santa either.

 

[kami]

How old are you guys (XFL fans)? My 10 and 12 year old cousins were all pumped up about it but from what I saw, I just didn't like it...I dunno, I just couldn't get into it. I found it horribly stupid...but that's just me. BTW, I enjoyed some of the actual game (nice hits) but the other crap aimed at 12 year olds turned me off :disgust:

Then again, this just started and maybe in a few months they will have polished it up a bit.

 

[GoldenBear]

Okay, wrestling arguments here first:

-Matches are predetermined, but they are based on hard work and ethics, guys only go &quot;over&quot; because they deserve to
-Guys obviously do NOT want to lose most of the time. There's a HIGH level of respect and credibility these guys have that the average person simply does not realize.
-When wrestling was in its early days, guys would break away from the determined finish, as they did not want to lose
-Different wrestlers like different types of matches, some are compeltely improvised as they go along (mostly the veterans are able and do do this), while some other important matches can take days or weeks to prepare for

 

[shiner]

I grow weary of you Golden Bear....please get back on the box and go back to selling Super Golden Crisps or whatever the hell they call that cereal now.

 

[GoldenBear]

<< but I do think that certain penalties, fights, smack talking, etc... are planned beforehand. >>

Why would they script penalties?

And I can see the rest of the stuff happening, and I really don't care one way or another. I thought you meant everything was scripted.

<< Sorry...I meant your N64 or Dreamcast >>

I've actually never owned a console except for an Atari. Those football games were awesome.

<< Hitler was popular in Germany right up until the very end. >>

Please, I really hope you're not trying to make any comparison between the XFL and Hitler.

<< He had a great time doing it, never made it big time though since he wasn't willing to do some of the more extreme stuff, but said there isn't a thing about the matches that isn't scripted out or left to chance. >>

You're wrong. Maybe in the independent leagues things have a more scripted match flow since the guys aren't completely used to working with each other.

 

[GoldenBear]

<< How old are you guys (XFL fans)? >>

Did you see the audience? PEople of all ages were in the stands.

 

[shiner]

<< You're wrong. Maybe in the independent leagues things have a more scripted match flow since the guys aren't completely used to working with each other. >>



I'm wrong? Remember this is one of my relatives I'm talking about. He was part of the WWF training league(whatever they call it) and what I posted earlier is true. I know it breaks your heart to find out that the WWF isn't a real sport but accept it.

I was not comparing the XFL to Hitler, what I was doing was stating the fact that most people are stupid. If you were to do some sort of survey I think you would find that by far the majority of people who watch the WWF are uneducated, lower class, &quot;she's my sister AND my wife&quot;, buffons who wouldn't know culture if it bit them in their a$$. Well, except of course for the cutlure in their ears and on their teeth...err...tooth.

 

[kami]

LOL

 

[js1973]

Who cares if the XFL isn't as good as the NFL? What else are you gonna watch during the winter? I like football. I don't find any of the other professional sports entertaining, so I'm kind of glad that I have something to make that long stretch between the NFL/College football seasons shorter. I have no illusions about the quality of the game. I'm just gonna accept it for what it is.

And I doubt if the games are fixed in any way. I would bet that alot of the players are viewing this as a combine workout to get into the NFL ala Kurt Warner.

 

[JACKHAMMER]

I watched it, thought it was OK. Too much interviewing. Overhyped for sure.