October 8, 2001 Observer Newsletter: Tough Enough finale, more
“Tough Enough” started out as an unknown concept, taking people off the street and training them for nine weeks in a competition, leading to two of them getting a one year developmental contract with the WWF.
Although it was one of the real success stories of the year, many people, particularly within wrestling, felt, and still feel, the concept is ridiculous. Contracts are too hard to come by, especially now, and in nine weeks, how can it be fair they get a chance that people who have sacrificed for years and are even top quality and in some cases even proven performers will never get? Many in the WWF, both performers, office people, even those associated with the show, while praising the show itself and what the contestants stuck through, still, as a concept, at least the end result being the WWF contract, still have problems with that.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.