Dot Net Exclusive: Many WWE wrestlers are no longer as keen on wrestling for the Raw brand as they were in the past, lead writer the target of criticism

The tide appears to be turning with many wrestlers as far as their desire to be on Raw or Smackdown. There was a time when most wrestlers wanted to appear on Raw because of it's status WWE's flagship show. While that's still true of most main eventers, there are more mid- and undercard wrestlers who would prefer to be on Smackdown due to the perception that they'll have more opportunities to climb the ladder.

Many wrestlers feel that Raw lead writer Brian Gewirtz is only concerned with pushing the same main event wrestlers, and critics point out that he's struggled to create new stars during his time in the company. "How the hell does anyone get over in two minutes?" one critic asked regarding some of the short matches that have been taking place on Raw.

Powell's POV: There are plenty of fingers pointed at Gewirtz these days over Raw's lackluster ratings. The common feeling among the people I've spoken with is that he wastes too much time with backstage segments and not enough time focussed on in-ring action. Of course, Vince McMahon makes the final call on all booking matters, but a common theme in my recent phone conversations with WWE personnel is their lack of faith in Gewirtz's ability to get Raw back on track.

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