An interesting view
I was looking for something that would really interest me and keep me reading. To be honest, the book did keep my attention and made me think. I liked its analysis of McMahon, Triple H, and the company in terms of feuds, storylines, and backstage activities. He made some important points that really stuck with me and resonated with feelings I had about the company in recent years:
1- the company is in a slump; the McMahons and their family (Triple H) have been overpromoted and increased their importance in storylines and show time, degrading the product. Guttman, like a real nerd, goes overboard with the storylines as to why he feels this is so, explaining the feuds Triple H messed up, how he ruined Kane's storyline, how the McMahon family taking on wrestlers really took the company downhill, making their presence excessive, etc.
2- how much the company is all about money. He is a self-realized person. He realizes that he is probably a real nerd, a wrestling fanatic, and he was not ashamed to tell people that he was a man in his 30s or 40s watching wrestling. It didn't matter to the author, and he came to terms with his place: he is obsessed with the product, the McMahons with his money.
And so, he gives an explanation as to how their business practice works, explaining how much they run their programming, excessive payperviews, and overextend themselves into reality TV, football, and other venues for extra cash. The problem, he explains, is how stale and uncreative it becomes to write five hours of television and make for fresh TV. He also talks about how they, as a monopoly, use wrestlers like Hardcore Holly to bully and haze wrestlers, making it tough to become accepted among each other in the locker room, raising strife and reducing unionized labor.
3- Finally, he writes some really ridiculous ideas about storylines and supposed vaudeville shows between Snitsky and Heidenreich. I couldn't bear to read this part, and I understand why he def belongs as a critic, not a creative writer for WWE. However, he was on target about everything, and seemed, at least in my opinion, the quintessential wrestling fan.
The book wasn't a waste, and it provided some info on the industry, if only limited to the last few years. Not much of a history, or a praising book; it is the book for ex-wrestling fans and those who see themselves displeased with the current product, searching for a reason why they aren't happy.Read full review
