Mike Johnson Comes Around

PWInsider has been ultra-negative on the new ECW for weeks now, which is why I found the below opinion piece by Mike Johnson so refreshing:

EXTREMELY OVERLOOKED

While many fans still have their arms up in air about the new ECW product (and count me as among those who were disappointed by the brand's direction), I do feel there are fans who are overlooking that some of the same work ethic that was loved by fans of the original company is there...even if it's not on Sci Fi in every match of every broadcast.

Take a moment to read over any of the recent ECW house show reports. While fans are unison in rejecting the likes of Test and The Big Show (and let's face it, those same fans would reject them on a WWE house show), for the most part, all of the ECW reports seem to be that the shows are entertaining and fans are getting their money's worth out of the new ECW.

There are good things coming out of the new ECW so far. Sabu has been awesome in his WWE run, minus Saturday Night's Main Event. There are talents who were languishing on the indy scene with regular paychecks that are no longer worried that their payodds will be there upon arrival at the show. There are the WWE's misfit toys, such as the Bashams and Shannon Moore, who have a place to go and work now. There's even an aura of appreciation for someone like Tommy Dreamer, who gets to be the bridge between the old and the new, sort of a Terry Funk like grizzled veteran who wants to stand up for ECW.

There are more positives on the horizon as well. Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam will be returning soon, providing a chance to see them working in intimate atmospheres that you would never, ever see otherwise from a WWE produced event. If they can remain healthy and free of problems outside the ring, it will be even more of a chance for house shows to feature something special and unique.

ECW as a company has moved forward from the past, good and bad. Some fans are disgusted by that (and I do believe WWE owes the city of Philadelphia one hell of a make good show after the two events Philly has been presented thus far), but for the most part, the new fans ECW has attracted as well as older fans who understand the reality of the situation, have walked out of ECW shows happy.

That's a positive that's been extremely overlooked thus far in this brand's short run. The old ECW is long gone and will never be back. That's a shame, but it would also be a shame to dismiss the quality of the live events, thus far, just based on bitterness of failing to let the past go.

I'm hoping to get to a live ECW show during this run -- and I'm sure the more intimate venues are better for the brand -- but the key point Johnson makes is this: the NEW ECW is giving more pro wrestlers paychecks. Not only are guys like Balls, Sandman, etc., now employed, but they also have a relatively strict "wellness program" to follow, including heart monitoring. It's WWE's game, and you take the good with the bad, but I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons (and really, last week's show, particularly the main event, was pretty good).