Corner To Corner - Request For CHANGES
Submitted by Stan Grubb on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 8:25 PM EST
Some would say that this life is littered with challenge and conflict. Others would say that this life is what you make of it. I say that this life is made be our choices and the consequences of each choice. It’s with those, that we are all truly human.
Corner to corner - Request for CHANGES
Davey Boy Smith - The British Bulldog- Rest in Peace Davey! My condolences to the Smith-Hart family.
Ladies and gentlemen, most Mondays I am able to sit at this very computer and enjoy remembering the most recent edition of Monday Night Raw on TNN. This week, it stops. Maybe it was the fact that there was more dialogue than matches. Perhaps it was the fact that ever since the WCW buyout, the writers have fallen apart. Then again, maybe its because I am sick of hearing how the WWE is the best when their product is second rate AT best. Sure, they are the only game in town. Why not watch it?
“Why watch” would be a better question. Right now, even I do not know that answer. Infuriated by the ineptness of the current direction, I am suggesting that we all start a WORLD WIDE petition for the changes we long to see. Our only other option at this time is to change the channel! So, petition it is. Ladies and gentlemen, fans, friends, and even family, I IMPLORE YOU to go to WWE’s corporate website. Go there and email them at FANSERVICES@wwecorp.com and let them know what you think is wrong with their shows. Don’t voice out at me alone, VOICE OUT PERIOD.
I salute the optimistic fans and writers by I feel that it is now time for greater actions to take place. You may be wondering, why, Stan, are you lashing out tonight? What was it that made you suddenly decide to up and become so angry with the WWE?
Well folks, if you’ve been keeping track, I have been a very unhappy camper about the WWE’s direction for quite some time now. Their programming has become confusing and difficult to understand, even as smarts. There has been no rhyme or reason to it since Wrestlemania 18 and now we’re being forced to suffer the consequences of THEIR mistakes.
The WWE has taken to a much more closed minded approach to its fans by closing its doors to Internet newsies and other publications. Obviously, by being such a known name, they are open to attacks from those uneducated morons who desire their own names in lights. False rumors and fake reports of signing and firing nail them. The truth is that there are a lot of marks out there that would rather try to become smarks and get famous on the net rather than do the honorable thing. I understand that and I respect the WWE for not wanting to be forced to answer those people. I do not, however, condone them closing their doors totally to the Internet sites. By doing so, they have become BIGGER targets than ever before. Angered fans are spreading more lies now than ever before.
Case and point: One week ago I went to a website and there was a link titled “Goldberg confirmed to Debut at RAW!” So, I clicked it and the only thing I saw about RAW was a couple of backstage photos. You know what? That is just plain irresponsible reporting and precisely the reason the WWE has become such a closed minded company. Before the WWE closed to Internet sites, these FALSE LINKS existed but nobody bought into them because the WWE directly responded to such rumors and made these sites look EVEN DUMBER than they already did.
Granted, these things are ANNOYING AND SAD, but they are just another part of this business. The WWE had been handling it just fine, why suddenly stop? Oh I get it, you want to put the mystery back into the business right?
The mystery has been gone ever since the “Get it?” campaign. You told us that we didn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of. You told us we wouldn’t get taken for granted. You told us our opinions mattered. Well, you must have been working us then too WWE, because now we are dying to know what you’re doing this to us for.
I want to thank Floyd for emailing me about my columns and asking me why I never emailed the WWE directly. Floyd, as you know, I try to keep every week or every other week’s column based towards you, the reader. Tonight, when I read your email I realized that I was only upholding half of my responsibility. So tonight, I emailed WWE’s fan services. Would you folks like to see what I said? GOOD!
To whom it may concern:
Greetings and Salutations. My name is Stan Grubb and I am a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment. I am twenty-three years old, and a proud father of one. I have been watching your programming since I was nine. In the entire time I have been a fan, I have always given the WWE or WWFE or WWF or WWWF, whatever the case may have been, the benefit of the doubt. Quite frankly, I have defended the industry itself to my friends and family for that entire time as well. The reason for me telling you all o f this is quite simple. I want to know who the appropriate person would be to voice my complaints about your recent programming. I am looking to make my opinion known but to also share the opinions of other fans that are in agreement with me. As the consumer, it is my responsibility to demand a higher quality from the company that has been paid in one way or another by my fellow fans and I. The programming as of late has not lived up to the standards in which you have asked us, the fans, to expect from WWE. It actually has been pretty bad for a while now, but I wonder if anyone has had the gumption to make the changes. Now, this is not a demand to make someone champion or to "push" someone else. I don't really worry about that aspect as it is your job to determine those factors. The demand, request, wish, hope, whatever you want to call it, that I have is that you please put more time and effort into making your programming the quality that I have come to expect from you.
I believe it was Vince McMahon Jr, himself, that asked us if we "got it" not so long ago. Well, please explain to him that we "get it" and now we are ready to get the "F" out. World Wrestling Entertainment has become a shell of its former dominant self. The desire to see better things is evident on the faces and in the wallets of every fan. Now, you may be saying that you do not have to answer to me, the fan, but I implore you to fight the urge to make that thought known. Why? That's simple. The fans are what make this business. The fans are what have given you so much money to spend and time to kill. We, the fans of sports entertainment are finding it much more difficult to enjoy the programming we once spent countless hours discussing with other fans.
Please do not send me an email thanking me for my time and concerns unless you intend to make these concerns known to as many as necessary to correct this problem. I do not feel that I need to be patronize or taken for granted. If you want to email me, email me with sincerity and legitimacy. I ask only that if you do wish to make the fans happier, that you please take the steps necessary to make it right. This is a business of fun, entertainment, and athleticism. I wonder if you forgot that the marquee on your letterhead still reads WRESTLING. I understand that what you do requires a lot of work and time. I recognize the fact that your jobs are not always easy. All I am looking for is changes, positive changes. I thank you for your time in reading this email.
--Stan Grubb--
Fan and Consumer
Now, in response just FIVE seconds later I received this!
From: FanServices@wwecorp.com>
To: Stan Grubb - ImpactXtreme@msn.com
Subject: Out of Office AutoReply: A brief request for answers
Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 23:45:36 -0400
Thank you for your interest in World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. Your inquiry is important to us. Please note that we do not accept outside ideas for storylines, character development, etc., as is company policy. If submitted, these types of messages are forwarded to our legal department. The Fan Services Department gladly accepts feedback concerning all of our programs. Please tell us what you did or didn't like about our broadcasts, as it is a very important factor in determining the direction of our programming. Please check http://www.wwf.com for the most up-to-date information concerning the World Wrestling Federation including the most recent scehedule of Live Events. Again, we appreciate your interest and support of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. Sincerely, The Fan Services Department.
Hmm… Thanks for the response, but it will take something more to satisfy my requests. You’ll notice dear readers, that I did not ask them to make any title changes or anything. Why? Because lets face it, what the WWE needs right now is change on a much more GRANDIOSE scale.
I think we all know what that means and I think we could all benefit from it.
Bring BACK WCW. Bring BACK ECW. By god, bring back competition.
I hope that you readers see this tonight and take your own time to write to fan services. We are not just fans, we are consumers. And with that we have a right to demand higher quality. We pay our hard earned dollar for this product. We pay these peoples’ salaries.
Thanks again for reading.
--Stan Grubb-
ImpactXtreme@msn.com
UPDATED! - 5-21-02 @ 9:06 EST.
CORNER TO CORNER - ADDENDUM TO THE REQUEST
Dear fans,
Perhaps I spoke a little soon in my hunch that WWE would ignore my request
for change. Today, in my email inbox I recievedan email from WWE's Fan
Services Department. To respect their privacy and prevent them from being
flooded I have deleted the contact information that they included as well.
Dear Stan:
Thank you for your email to World Wrestling Entertainment regarding our
television programs. We can assure you that your comments will not go
unheard. We value you as a fan, and we prefer that every experience with
World Wrestling Entertainment is a positive one. If you'd like to discuss
your feelings about our programs, please feel free to contact me at
___________, or email me your number and I will contact you. Once again we
thank you for your email and your interest in World Wrestling Entertainment.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Now granted, its not like I expected Vincent McMahon to call my home or
email me, I realize the man has billions of things to do in one day, but to
me, this is a good sign. At least somebody out there read my note and said
"I think this guy deserves a chance to explain." I salute the WWE for
contacting me and I can promise each and every one of you that I will not
cease my effort to push for change. I fully intend on contacting them and
talking to them as long as they will allow me. I am also inviting you, the
fans, to send me your thoughts as to what the WWE needs to know about their
programming. Send me your suggestions, send me your ideas, BETTER YET, send
me your complaints! I want the truth from you, as I have never tried to lead
you astray and will not ever do so. Send it all to StanGrubb@hotmail.com
I cannot guarantee that the WWE will make all of these changes but I can
guarantee that I will pass them along and at least get them into the hands
of at least ONE who cares about our experiences as fans of the WWE.
Thank you fans, as I hope this is the beginning of much needed change.
--Stan Grubb--
ImpactXtreme@msn.com for Column feedback
StanGrubb@hotmail.com for WWE Suggestions until May 25 only!
Mickie James Looking the HOTTEST EVER!
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