Switch!

Growing up in the 1980s as a wrestling fan, I watched the old NWA territories breathe their dying breath. Today's NWA is just not the same. Back then, fans cheered their favorites and booed the villains - and we knew which was which, without a doubt. Now, it's not so simple.

WWE has thrived on a belief that their programming immitates life. Nobody is entirely good or entirely evil. The proverbial "good guy" could go off and attack his boss without a thought. The evil demon can be cheered louder than anyone. Former WWE and WCW booker Vince Russo, now writing for TNA, feels the concept of good vs. bad, face vs. heel, is dead. This is evident in his writing by frequent turns, often without a solid action to explain it. Why did Team 3D suddenly side with Rhyno? Why did D'Angelo Dinero offer Matt Morgan and Hernandez his support after portraying a cocky street preacher for weeks? Russo's writing doesn't seem to make sense if viewed under those 1980s ways. Today, the line has been blurred.

Today's feuds are not always driven by who is face and who is heel. They are driven by who the writer wants to show, who draws the most money, and who the promotion can use as their "poster child." If Ric Flair were feuding with Blackjack Mulligan today, would their program fit into today's mold? The two had fantastic ring chemistry and their promos were classic material, but that old school feel is most often left for a nostalgia pop, and not a headlining feud.

Times have changed, and the fans will either flock to it and change as well, or they will reject these changes and walk away from the new ways. It's really up to the fans what happens. Will the writers win, or will the fans revolt and refuse what's written? Time will tell.