Wednesday's news begins with PWInsider.com's questions. Here's my take on them:
1. The only way I'd be ok with Ziggler vs. Foley is if it does turn out to be a good match and does give Ziggler the elevation that Edge and Orton got. As for the rest of the speculated card, I'm similarly concerned by the degree of stars from the past they're using. While Jericho will likely be a full-timer, you've got Foley, HHH, Undertaker (and possibly HBK), The Rock, and possibly Shaq on that card as well. Most if not all of those guys will go back to being background characters if not outright disappearing, so I really hope they're used wisely and in a way that sets up the stars of today and tomorrow. All due respect to those involved, it's not 1999 anymore. If WWE "tells us" with their booking that the people working most of the year aren't as important as the special cameos, why should we tune in anytime other than when those stars are around?
2. Yeah, they got the gist of it with their answer. He's a "smooth criminal" trying to make it look like he's not out to play favorites (until he admitted that he was to Foley). I am somewhat disappointed by the lack of spotlight on Ziggler as well; not to mention all the insider references that a lot of fans don't get or care about. It's entertaining in its own way, but I don't know if it's the best way to go with everyone involved.
3. I'd be pretty disappointed in Evan too if I was Kofi. While steering clear of that kind of thing isn't as easy as it might seem, his actions negatively affect his partner. He let Kofi down, and honestly I think he let the company and the fans down as well, so I wouldn't really blame someone for having heat with him.
After the break, I go further into the Bourne situation in the next question, plus the rest of the day's questions and news.
4. It's not looking good for a Bourne comeback. I do think the tag division was rebounding, and can still do so, but this was a big step back for all involved. A Kofi/Mason team isn't exactly ideal unless the matchmakers are seeing something I'm not.
5. NOW his answers are making more sense. Perspective is important. Think long-term. Brodus getting over so far in the gimmick is a good sign, so I wouldn't say he's dead by any stretch. Though I suppose I could have said the same thing about Paul Burchill's pirate gimmick? Though WWE seems pretty behind Clay given all the promotion the gimmick's getting.
Finlay was interviewed. Smart guy with a lot of good experience. Why isn't this guy back with WWE? As cool as the interactions between fans and wrestlers online are, I am kind of nostalgic for the days where they were larger than life and not as easy to get "access" to. I do think the Divas get a lot more criticism than males would in the same scenarios. Far be it from me to claim I could do better or that I'm a wrestling expert, but I do think my opinion isn't baseless just because I've never wrestled. That's a little much.
Hulk Hogan gave another interview in the UK, confirming that he won't be wrestling there. It should be noted that TNA airs on broadcast TV there, while WWE airs on a cable package. So the ratings aren't exactly apples to apples.
The Smackdown taping ran quite long, so some later segments were cut down. Hopefully that's not too detrimental to the show. Got to show all those recap packages and Did You Know facts you know.
There are plans for some surprise entrants in the Royal Rumble, further confirming WWE's uneasiness with their current crop of stars. Maybe some of them can stick around and interfere in big matches to grab that spotlight back for "I Love The '90s: Wrestling Edition". Let's get Rikishi feuding with Brodus Clay, Gangrel feuding with Christian, and whoever else wants one last pay day. Don't forget the wacky celebrity cameos!
One performer who claims he won't be in the Rumble (barring special conditions) is Kevin Nash. Hey, why not? They spent half of last year making him the most important wrestler in the company. Let's give him the title while we're at it. Are Scott Norton and Buff Bagwell still around? The nWo's due for another rehash. For that matter, where's Ralphus? He can accompany Jericho to the ring when he faces that C.M. Punk guy.
Ted DiBiase confirmed that he has a broken wrist with torn cartilage, but he will still be on the road for WWE and may still wrestle. I wish him the best in recovering and continuing to catch on with the WWE Universe.
Michelle McCool briefly talked wrestling in a birthday vlog. Long story short, no in-ring return is on the horizon.
Tommy Dreamer touched on a number of wrestling-related topics, including saving C.M. Punk's job twice. Now that's a story I'd love to hear more of. I know that he wasn't liked behind the scenes because of how differently he approached wrestling than the standard performer there. It makes me wonder how many other performers slipped through the cracks (and are currently slipping through the cracks) because WWE wants everyone to fit a certain mold. It's a business built on unique characters. When they forget that, they don't do as strongly.
Mick Foley talked about a number of parallels between comic books and wrestling with Marvel. Smart man who gets the storytelling aspect of wrestling. The Stan Lee-Vince McMahon comparison seems pretty apt.
That's all for Wednesday's news. More to come tomorrow. Thanks for reading!
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