When looking for a way to sum up WWEs 2014, one has to look no further than A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times, it was the worst of time. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. In many ways, its nearly a tragedy how 2014 unfolded for WWE not because this was the worst year for pro wrestling in history, but because of the potential that went unrealized. The year began with two red-hot trios of newcomers lighting up Raw and Smackdown, a bearded superstar gaining near-unprecedented momentum and a supporting cast of stalwarts who could always rise to the occasion. Fans also saw (and still see) enormous untapped potential in a developmental system that could be the strongest in more than a decade. Despite that embarrassment of riches, WWE ended the year not on the cusp of a new boom of exciting programming that could expand the fanbase, but struggling to stop hemorrhaging television viewers and subscribers to the WWE Network. Even with a talented roster of wrestlers capable of putting on an entertaining show every week, WWE booking/writing continues to frustrate many longtime fans. Still, there is plenty to cheer and jeer for WWE in 2014. Lets take a look at the good, the bad and the downright awful.
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.
