Okay, my (usually reliable!) sources say the following:

Vince McMahon has released probably the greatest Tag Team since the LOD... The Dudleys!

The reasons seem to be the following: The new USA TV deal is forcing Vince to tighten deals (Brock will NOT get a huge $$$ deal if he returns); a lack of exciting ideas for the Dudleys from creative (they already tried them as singles with little effect) and the influx of cheap, young talent coming.

Look for the Dudleys to maybe get re-signed at a later date at a lower price point, or to be signed to a short-term deal as needed.

As we all know, Vince has a monopoly going!

On a more positive note... I'm told 2 of the figures in Wave 9 of Jakks WWE Classics are:

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Paul Bearer "Manager" Figure

These are not confirmed by Jakks yet... But again, what da sources are telling me!

Cubanzod

I'm really looking forward to Brock coming back. I also really enjoy this board and hope that it grows with the current type of individuals who post(no offense wfigs) I will be extreamly excited to see Steamboat in Classics 9 , let me get Rude and Savage in this series as well and I will be content.

That's a real shame about the Dudleys!

The problem is that the WWE seems to think they need a "new" gimmick or angle to get over!

Almost all the new angles they've tried have been weak, with the exception of JBL.

And stuff like Kerwin White? PLEASE!

The Dudleys should just be what they are! One of the greatest tag teams ever. They're mean, nasty and cut good promos!

It's really sad how the WWE doesn't know how to use strong reliable talent without trying silly new ideas or gimmicks! Benoit is underused shamefully. Chavo just goes from bad character to bad character.

They should just look at what worked with Stone Cold. Like him or not, he went through a ton of crappy gimmicks until they basically let him sort of be an exaggerated version of himself.

Same thing worked with Cena. Again, like him or not, his current persona is more effective than that Prototype thing!

But then that would mean easing up creatively and letting the talent have more input into storylines and booking...

Ironically, though the TV and PPV product is struggling, the toys are better than ever!

So funny if you look back and see how during the height of the "Attitude" era, WWF was huge but the toys were pretty crappy! (I do still like the Maximum Sweat figures though. Great caricatures and over the top sculpting!)

Now when WWE is at a low point popularity wise, Jakks makes the best product they've done to date! (at least with the CS and most the normal lines. Those wierd rubber shirted things are as bad as the squishy flexible stuff they did a few years ago!)

SpyMagician

The only positives I can take from the Dudleys release are the following:

1) We won't be subjected to one of them teaming with a new partner and becoming "Dudleys 2000" or "The NEW Dudleys"
2) We won't have another "suicide" storyline like we had with Road Warrior Hawk
3) They won't (at least at present) be forced to job out...

I sincerely think the Dudley Boys and the tables will be back in 12 months time...

What saddens me also is that the TLC era is TRULY over... No more Hardy Boyz, the swanton bomb and the Ladder Matches, no more Edge and Christian "Con-Chair-tos," and no more "DEVON! GET THE TABLES!!!"

Hell, the Dudley's even slammed octogenarian Mae Young through a table!

We're going through a really thin time in Tag-Team wrestling, folks!

Cubanzod

Maybe in WWE, but almost every tag team title match in TNA is an epic siege. Both WWE tag titles are a joke, though Smackdown's less so.

-JJJ

As much as I hate to see th Dudleys go I'm hoping they end up in TNA. I love tag team wrestling and Dudleys would certainly have some fresh opponents in TNA.

The best thing I read here was possible Ricky Steamboat and Paul Bearer in CS9!! That's awesome. I assumed that both guys would be coming sooner or later but hearing it here means we're that much closer.

I don't want the Dudleys anywhere near TNA, but that's me. Maybe if they were their old ECW selves I could take them, but the watered-down WWE Dudleys are as stale as melba toast.

-JJJ