The Curious Case of Vince McMahon

Vincent Kennedy Mcmahon is a curious and polarizing figure in the world of professional wrestling today. He is the man responsible for WWE having the global prescene that it does today, and being the organization every pro wrestler aspires to join one day. He's a smart businessman, reports abound he is quite aloof and has a quirky personality, he is also quite petty and cuthroat. At the same time he doesn't take much personal, and if feels there's money to be made he's willing to put aside differences. 

However there are increasing calls that at 75 (his birthday is today) it's time for him to step aside. Much of the WWE's woe's have been that they have trouble creating new stars, rely too much on older stars (Which was a WCW problem that WWF often criticized during the Monday Night Wars), and their storylines are often incoherent or just outright silly (recent Jeff Hardy alcholic storyline).

Here's my take on Vince Mcmahon, he comes from the generation that just doesnt know when to step aside (look at the politicans in office 70 or older). So I doubt he ever really retires or relinquish his post as the head of WWE unless forced to. While even being a married father of two, there's no doubt WWE is his baby and first love, he's performed just about every job possible in efforts to help the company grow, from commentator to one air villain. Even resorting to cheesy performances to put his company over. 

At this point maybe it's best he run's the operations on the business side but it's definitely time to relinquish creative control to someone else. It's rumored the writing team for RAW and Smackdown consists of twenty writers reporting to Bruce Prichard, who reports to Vince Mcmahon. However having Bruce Prichard at the helm is having Vince Mcmahon at the helm, Bruce has worked with Vince so long he knows what he does and doesnt like instantly. Possibly filtering out potentially good storys because he knows it wont appease Vince.  It's time both realize there is a new generation who tastes are different than theirs, not to mention long time fans who just want to see something different. 

There's also been rumors that Bruce would relinquish control of RAW and Shane Mcmahon would takeover as creative director.  At the same time wrestling fans are clamoring for Triple H to take the rein with the work he has done with NXT. Triple H has surrounded himself with smart people in NXT which I think helps, although I'm not sure he would succeed on RAW and Smackdown with Vince still putting his two cents in. It's his company so he can do what he wants, but from a creative standpoint Vince needs to realize things have changed and if he can't get out of his way to change with it. Put someone in charge who is more in tune with what todays audiences want and work to bring compelling storylines, and new stars that brings them back.

Wrestling fans always speak of the mount rushmore of wrestling. While we also talk about it in the context of in-ring performers, if we're talking about a mount rushmore in the context or folks involved in wrestling period. Vince Mcmahon should be on every fan's list, this is the man who became a billionaire from pro wrestling. Who broke up territoral wrestling in favor of national televisied promotions. He coined the term "Sports Entertainment". Created the "super bowl" of professional wrestling Wrestlemania, led two wrestling boom periods that made it mainstream, and allowed WWE to become a publicly traded company. His vision of where he wanted to take his company, has allowed competitiors such as WCW, smaller promotions ECW, ROH, and Impact, and his main competitor now AEW opportunites to flourish. He may piss alot of people off and his views and way of doing things may be outdated, but what Vince Mcmahon has done for professional wrestling cannot be denied. When we look at his accomplishments and the perception of him today, is he a genius or a senile old man?

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