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GUEST EDITORIAL
By Chris Evans, PWTorch.com reader

Was it just me - or was Santino Marella more over on Monday Night than "Stone Cold" Steve Austin? I certainly thought so.

Out with the old and in with the new - or so they say. WWE has had a hard time doing that lately. With Monday Night Raw's pathetic attempt at nostalgia, I found myself feeling like I was being taken advantage of by the writers. Raw was mostly plug n' play with tired formulas and old stale acts.

Not that nostaligia is a bad thing. But, let's face it - it has its moments. Take for example, the Chicago Bulls. Once a basketball dynasty, they housed players like Dennis Rodman, Scotty Pippen, and of course Michael Jordan. Fast-forward fifteen years. The Chicago Bulls are practically a new team with younger talent, including UConn graduate Ben Gordon. Still with me?

Now imagine Michael Jordan shows up at a game. He gives a speech. The crowd cheers. Everyone goes home happy. But, then at the next game, he's there again. All right, two in a row is cool, too. At the next game, he suits up. He's gonna play. Um... okay. At the next game, not only is he playing, but he is hogging the ball. And by mid-season, he has brought back Rodman and some players from the early-'90s and late-'80s to play with him. A lot of the younger, more willing talent are forced to take the bench. Pretty soon, Jordan isn't getting cheered as much as when he was a once in a blue moon appearance.

Such is the WWE. DX, squash matches, beer trucks, dick jokes, handicap babyface triumphs, unstoppable giants, and the list goes on and on. We all hold a special place in our hearts for Steve Austin, DX, the Attitude Era, Hulk Hogan, and the like. But hey, just because we once liked them doesn't mean they need to fill our television.

Of course, most importantly, they are forcing the younger talent to take the bench. It's becoming dangerous. When is the last time the WWE Champion, Randy Orton (who is in his mid-20s) has had an in-ring promo since he captured his title? Would Triple H go that long? Would Hulk Hogan? Would Shawn Michaels? Would the Undertaker?

Lastly, the trends have changed. Fans do not want to see squash matches all the time. They do not want cheesy dialogue. They do not want dick, sex, and fart jokes. They do not want short, two-minute tag matches. Fans are attracted to Ring of Honor for a reason. They want substance. The '80s brought on the Spectacle, the '90s brought on the Attitude, and this decade is a return to ring psychologically and well-paced, exciting match-ups. WWE needs to recognize this.

Let the nostalgia be just that - nostalgia. A once in a while treat, not the star of the show. That is not entertainment, it's a fast-track to viewer apathy.

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