The Counterpoint (#2) The Lost Art of Tag Team Wrestling?
On Saturday, February 26, 2005 at 2:59 PM EST Welcome to the second installment of Wrestleview's hottest sensation, The Counterpoint. The level of feedback after the first column was profound-most of it quite positive and analytical. It appears that one of two things is happening; 1) more of you get the counterpoint than I would have imagined, or 2) those of you who don't are too afraid to say so. Either way, you know how the system will work in the months to come.
I do want to give a special thanks to Steven who sent in a thoughtful response in favor of the first article. He asked, "There are a lot of things wrong with this country and if I don't like it should I leave? Is a child not allowed to love a father and show disgust in his alcoholism and womanizing?" I couldn't have said it better myself Steven.and WWE should take note that the Hassan character is garnering this type of response. Let's hope they don't blow it Monday and have Benoit tear him limb-from-limb!
THE POINT
The poll question on Wrestleview's main page asks readers to choose the wrestler who has had the most success after leaving his respective tag-team. This is sort of a tricky question considering, as the wording points out, their partners went on to MUCH greater accolades after splitting from their group.
This gets one to think that each of these teams prove that tag team wrestling is a thing of the past. Think about it; no one wants to see boring matches where very little individual skill is showcased. Fans want to see the superstars battling it out, one-on-one, to see who is supreme. Occasionally, when feuds intersect, there is ample reason to have a tag match. But, pairing two people over a long period of time does nothing for either of their careers.
Think of Booker T. or Shawn Michaels-each had a decent level of praise in their respective teams, but not until they branched out on their own did they actually become the mega-draws that they are today. Imagine what would have happened if they would have been pushed as a singles wrestler from the beginning!
"The art of the tag team is dead," so says Joe Average wrestling fan.
THE COUNTERPOINT
Well, Joe Average can say that all he wants, but Joe C. is here to clear up some misconceptions. Buckle your seatbelts kiddies.
I found it funny that Jon Minners wrote Thursday that the WWE should begin to feature more tag action due to the overabundance of stars. This statement was only funny because I had been evaluating the same concept for the past several days. Welcome back Jon, it is good to have you stir the pot.
As I suggested in the first column, I was raised a fan of MidSouth/NWA action. This was a region that (at least during the middle to late 1980s) had some of the best and brightest stars in wrestling. No offense to WWF/E fans, but the NWA under Flair's reign had it in spades over McMahon's product. But, that is a debate for another day.
One of the hallmarks of this era was the great tag action. There were legitimately four GREAT teams of that time-The Midnight Express (with either Condrey or Lane), The Rock and Roll Express, The Road Warriors (known to most WWE fans of the Legion of Doom) and any combination of Arn Anderson and Ole Anderson/Tully Blanchard. If you are too young or never got to see these teams, please go back and find some tapes. Their work translates well to this day.
The similarity between these teams is that they always functioned as a unit. While some went on to future success, their image was inherently attached to that of the team. Fans were able to back them as pairs, and consequently their personalities and in-ring ability was able to feed off of one another. The formula worked!
The problem with the WWE today is that they are enamored with finding the next big star. Little attention now is given to developing a person's character or presenting them in a way in which they can be most successful. Rarely are teams brought into the WWE, and when they are their lifespan is generally quite short. (See Haas and Benjamin)
One may question why wrestlers that are clearly good combinations would be kept separate? Look at Heidenreich and Snitsky as a prime example-each has wallowed in being the punching bags for the "Brothers of Destructions" for several months. Why not pair them (as has been teased) in order to maximize their potential? Couldn't each benefit from having their strengths accentuated in the ring and their (quite visible) weaknesses diminished?
If you need a bit more proof as to how seriously the WWE takes tag wrestling just look at the two sets of champions. Tajiri and Regal were together (in this stint) all of two weeks before they were given the straps. On Smackdown, Rey and Eddie seemingly teamed up overnight (for storyline purposes) in order to dethrone the apparently strong Bashams. How much credibility should these teams have when fans know them as singles wrestlers who are thrown together as opposed to "a fine-oiled machine?" La Resistance is supposed to be looked at as a force when in the matter of weeks Batista and Regal/Tajiri make them look foolish? Me thinks not.
Give me the Steiner Brothers any day-keep the paint-by-numbers tag groupings of today. Leave me to see a classic Express vs. Express match-you can save the Undertaker single-handedly murdering the young tag combination of the month storyline. It is not only old, but it just goes to show how little he is prepared to usher in the new generation of stars.
Maybe I am too old-school for the new generation, but I appreciate good tag team psychology; the blind tag, the ref distraction, and/or the corner choke. You just can't get these things in today's product, can you?
You may disagree, but you have to admit.
It is The Counterpoint.
Joe C.