OK, my good friend David Marquez is just over the moon about WWE NXT. Other folks whose opinions I respect like the show. I remain firmly unconvinced. Let me elaborate a little as to why.

First, what I most assuredly DO like is the opportunity for Bryan Danielson to show a wider audience what he can do. All who know Bryan know how hard he works and what a truly good guy he is. I can’t think of anyone who is more universally respected and who deserves a shot more. Second thing I like is the overall concept of trying to make new stars. Both WWE and TNA are generally miserable at this, and even the attempt by WWE is welcome.

Other than that, though, the rest was mediocre, at best. The concept is derivative. Tough Enough, The Ultimate Fighter, have been down this road with varying degrees of success. The other “new talent”, on first blush, doesn’t look like much. Admittedly, there has been just the first episode, but the other newbies featured were singularly unimpressive. I can give you twenty guys off the top of my head working regularly on NWA shows who would be better. Yes, I need to be patient. But this was the first episode. You would think they would lead with their best. They did with Bryan, but the drop off after that was mighty steep.

Finally, I have little faith in WWE having the patience or commitment to really make new stars. They have shown little to no ability to do so in the recent past. Even what looks to be a promising early push for Danielson will bear watching. Matt Sydal, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, these are just three names that come immediately to mind of talented guys who WWE looked like they were going to push into main event status, only to fail to follow up and let them sink to mid-carders, or lower.

The WWE is trying something “new”: building a show around new talent actually wrestling. Pardon me for being unimpressed. We’ve been doing that in the NWA for over 60 years.