Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.
Did that match really just happen? My head hurts. It made sense, but what a weird way to start Raw.
Cool segment with Cena. I wonder how many sicko IWC members wanted to see The Shield or Ryback take out the Make A Wish kids to get nuclear heat. Though, of course, the IWC would cheer that.
Orton vs. Rhodes was pretty solid. I continue to see good things in Rhodes' future.
Nice segment to show Orton as a badass. It's just a shame that Rhodes had to take another RKO. It kind of says that no matter how good of a showing Rhodes has, he's still below Orton.
Fine Bellas promo.
And WWE wonders why people go to the bathroom during Divas' matches. Fans have been trained to not care about the matches because they're so brief and meaningless.
WWE's being kind of inconsistent with the Bellas cheating. Surely people have argued with the refs about that before to no avail? Either way, the post-match was fine to get heat on the Bellas.
I really liked The Shield's promo. It kind of silly after that, but I see what they're doing. I'm hoping The Shield take the tag team gold (bronze) at Extreme Rules.
I didn't like the Cena/Ryback segment. Cena kind of subtly threw Ryback under a bus by saying that he's more effective on one foot than Ryback is on two. I HATE that he rarely takes his opposition seriously. Almost everyone is portrayed as beneath him.
Ziggler vs. Kofi was really good. They always work well together. I hope Kofi gets some momentum in the future.
It made sense for Kofi to get FIVED. Logically, they should do Big E vs. Kofi for the title at some point. I doubt they will, but it would make the U.S. Title more important.
A Divas' Title match getting some build? I'm shocked. Looks like Kaitlyn got my delivery. Nice.
It'll be interesting to see how the main event plays out after that segment.
I wonder how some members of the roster feel about pizza getting more airtime than them?
Yep, Ryder loses again. What else is new? Swagger looked really impressive for what that's worth.
Nice post-match. Swagger and Colter make a good act.
Not my favorite segment, but it continued the build to Sheamus vs. Henry.
Nice Hell No segment. Good to see them be serious for once.
Fine Cena/Maddox segment. I got a chuckle out of the Braden Walker mention. I need to find that 3-disc DVD.
That's the Antonio Cesaro I like to see. Great match.
Not really sure why Del Rio picked a ladder match, since Ziggler and Swagger have also won ladder matches in their careers. But every match has to have a stipulation, so that's that.
Not my favorite Fandango segment. Though, really, how good can a segment involving Khali and dancing really be? At least it ended well.
Did... Did The Shield just pin John Cena!? This calls for a party. But yeah, nice storyline continuation. He actually looks vulnerable for Ryback now, and I think that means good things for Extreme Rules. Things are more intriguing when it looks like Ryback might take the title.
More wrestling coming up.
Weird but quite funny heheh, fun to see Ricardo pick up a win!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I was on Twitter last night and yes I saw some tweets like that, Cena doing his thing of course, hate him or love him.
Good match indeed, "Cross Rhodes his ass!" I couldn't help saying, I thought Cody might pick up the win but a strong showing is always fab. I see what you mean there but yes it was cool, RKO mid-sentence heheheh.
Bellas doin' their thing.
You said it, give the Diva's more time and people are bound to be cynical at first but eventually it'll grow on them.
True that, perhaps the ref is more competent than the others? Heel heat is always good heat.
Totally unstoppable, that's what The Shield have been. If they *do* win the Tag Titles, who'll hold them?
Cena as well as anyone else can talk as much smack a they want but when it comes to the match itself he knows he has to give it his all. His arrogance/goofiness/lax is simply a ruse, he knows to get serious during a match, Ryback will be no pushover, regardless of what Cena says.
Took the words straight from my mouth, I've been waiting long to see these two battle again!
Fived? Oh Big E.'s 5-count hahaha, ah I'm salivating at the thought of everyone in Dolph's stable being a champion!
Yes! I was hoping AJ and Kaitlyn would get some backstage build, no brawl yet but the week is young! Hahaha lovin' it!
Hmmm..
Yep, it'd be good to see Long Island Iced Z get some wins and Jack has plenty of momentum already.
Not much more to add.
Heheheh name-dropin'
Slowly but surely Cesaro is gettin' build back up, you said it - that's the Cesaro I like to see. If Kofi is challenged by Big E. I hope Cesaro gets a fine rematch first.
Hmmm I thought a Ladder match would bring back bad memories for Del Rio and poor 'ol Ricardo
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Geez what a moment...but a Ladder match happens to be one of my favourites, Triple Threat for the World Title? This is *my* WrestleMania!
True, that was some serious distance with that Leg Drop and I just love that STO.
Yes they did! I'll bring the cake! There you go, actions speak louder than promos, no doubt about it.
Ricardo's actually got a wrestling background. He's made a few appearances here and there as "El Local" in WWE.
ReplyDeleteSome people will have heels do ANYTHING to get heat. Then there are some people who get offended with just about everything a heel does. WWE can't win.
Rhodes has come a long way since Day 1 (as has Orton for that matter). Both have gone from "wrestler with family in the business" to distinct, talented personalities.
Freebird Rule! All of them can be champions at the same time and any two can defend. Fun stuff.
It doesn't come across like Cena's just doing it to play tricks on his opponents. I don't think he's ever said anything to suggest that.
Cesaro and Big E would both be good challengers. A 3-way feud would be interesting, but I don't know if they should go that direction. Maybe Cesaro could join up with Dolph, Big E, and AJ? It'd be interesting at least.
I don't have any idea why Del Rio would pick a ladder match. Hopefully it's explained in future weeks.
Oh yea that's right. Didn't he basically have Del Rio's character in FCW?
ReplyDeleteMy goodness - you're right, some will say "distasteful, uncomfortable" whilst others will say "stale, not evil enough" Orton's actions against The McMahon family in early 2009 is peak heel for me.
Absolutely agreed, there's always the "I'm not my father" phase they have to grow out of and dang, just look at them now. Let's hope Ted DiBiase can follow in those footsteps, he wrestled at a live event during the European tour, a good sign of his return!
Oh yes of course, hehe like LayCool did with the Diva's Championship, or the Spirit Squad with the Tag Titles...does that mean Ziggler is a Triple Crown Winner?
The best example can think of is The Rock at WrestleMania 28, for over a year he and Cena trashed each other but the Raw after they praised each other.
Ah that *would* be interesting, just some more storyline to these midcard/division feuds, that's all I ask for. But Cesaro added to Dolph's stable certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.
Indeed, either way I'm happy.
I think it was something about how he was actually the one pulling Del Rio's strings or something. I didn't/don't watch FCW/NXT.
ReplyDeleteThe most dastardly heel stuff I can think of is Big Boss Man against Big Show. People still look back at that and say they really crossed a line. I mean, yeah, some people cut some really vile promos, but as far as actions go, that was pretty brutal. Of course, Sgt. Slaughter being an Iraqi sympathizer in the Gulf War's got to go up there as well.
They could just be trying DiBiase out with no definite plans in mind for a comeback. His career has REALLY stalled from the Legacy days. I like him alright, but I don't think they're missing much by not using him right now.
U.S., IC, and World Champ is a nice resume for a former caddy and male cheerleader.
I think that was more like earning each other's respect rather than "I was just trying to get in your head". I hated some of their interactions. It was like two kids on Xbox Live, albeit more creative.
It's weird: a lot of fans are just like "we need more wrestling on TV! There's too much talking!". I think if they're doing the talking segments right, it really adds to the wrestling. That's one reason I don't like Superstars sometimes: it's just people going out there wrestling with no story attached. They're like pre-season games or something. Surely they could have some writers focus on that show and make it interesting?
Though maybe their theory is that that's when people get good match experience, which is a good point because you do need to be able to wrestle longer matches as you get further in your career. That said, if no one's watching the show, it gets canceled. I don't know. I'm a storyline fan.
A-ha, yea gotta do some more research into that.
ReplyDelete*Does research* Oh my goodness, that's just detestable. Show's father had been long since past away but the story, the fact that Boss Man's character would do that...true, an old and true saying, actions speak louder than promos.
Oh goodness tell me about it; similar to Swagger & Colter just more extreme.
True and again. I understand your point, however can you ever have too much talent?
More than nice; fantastic! I'm just really obsessed with the Triple Crown these days.
...You're right, absolutely right. Hahaha more creative I like it.
Y'see, that's why you're the joint-smartest wrestling fan I know; I agree completely. What's a story without, well, story!? CM Punk is the best modern example, he created a revolution before he even laid a finger on Cena.
Learning experience from lost matches, yes definitely sounds valid. Of course, why would no one watch? As am I, my friend.
Yeah, the Attitude Era crossed a lot of lines that wouldn't generally get crossed today. Vince likes his product nice and kid-friendly. He only got edgy because he felt that he had to to survive.
ReplyDeleteI don't guess you can have too much talent, though WWE's only going to let you show so much of it generally.
It's only because I learned from people smarter than me. Listening to interviews/DVDs with Al Snow, Dutch Mantel (Zeb Colter), Paul Heyman, and Gabe Sapolsky all got me to think in new ways (which were actually in some ways "old ways" that I wasn't familiar with). Hearing about things other than modern WWE, TNA, and ROH is really important to get different perspectives.
To sound smart (I learned this in my Media Law and Ethics class): Cass Sunstein's two imperatives for a functioning democracy are that we be exposed to information we wouldn't otherwise be exposed to and that we have shared experiences. If I'm just watching/studying the current stuff and reading stuff from/talking to people who 100% agree with me, I'm not learning anything!
It feels like some fans these days (and I used to be one of them) have an established set of rules that a lot of people agree with on what makes a good match, what promotions should do, etc. that appeals to them but not necessarily the audience as a whole. I try to take the mindset of the mainstream wrestling fan to some degree because there are a billion blogs out there with "smark" opinions.
I heard it said recently that long wrestling matches in of themselves don't necessarily get people to tune in (unless there's a good story attached). The Super Bowl might not be the best football game of the season, but most of the people watching aren't watching it just to see a well-played game. It's as much about the aura of the event as anything else.
I think wrestling's similar. If it was just up to the IWC, Rock's return could have been a flop because his matches didn't fit the mold of what they want to see. But the shows with him on them were bigger draws than the shows without him. It's not just about "good" wrestling by a long shot.
Absolutely right, WCW was ruling the Monday Night Wars until the WWE/WWF won in the end. That being said, the company didn't go PG until several years after ECW and WCW kicked the bucket.
ReplyDeleteTrue, I just wish it'll be distributed more effectively over 6 hours a week.
Makes total sense to me, who better to learn from about pro wrestling than pro wrestlers? And like you said, from different perspectives, gets you closer to how things work.
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No wait I understand, sounds like Communism done right. Absolutely right, it's why I like to debate; I want to know what drives someone to disagree with me, what do they know what I don't?
Yes I see that a lot, the kind of fans who want to see Cena and Orton lose single match, who want every match to be hardcore, want to see blood etc. True but *you* can appreciate a match for what it is - you see Kofi vs. Cesaro and appreciate that it was a good contest whereas some would complain that Cesaro lost.
Oh yes I understand now, you're a storyline fan, it doesn't matter how long the match is, it's what the match means. You're right, Rock may not be a Daniel Bryan in the ring now but he works the mic and tells a story like only he can. I gotta do some some research into the IWC, I want to know exactly what they're about.
WWF winning was at least partially because of problems WCW and ECW had. But yeah, the show was even more cartoony than it is now in the '80s.
ReplyDeleteEven better than that, Snow, Colter, and Sapolsky all have experience booking promotions. Each had his own style in putting things together and came from different eras. I'm sure there's even more to learn just from those three that I would have never thought of.
Though generally Communist governments control the press and you wouldn't get info that they don't want you to get. I'm getting "1984" flashbacks.
Wins and losses aren't everything, as Chris Jericho has said a number of times. I know that Tommy Dreamer had the philosophy that helping others look good is a really important piece in the puzzle. That's missing for some people today: everyone wants to be the focal point.
And weapons, blood, etc. are just tools to tell the story. They can help get across a story, but they're in some way "crutches". If you're really good, you don't need either to tell a meaningful story. Some people go way overboard with weapons, blood, crazy spots, etc. and can't tell a meaningful story at all. It's just a human demolition derby. Those kinds of things are fine every once in a while, but some guys pretty much JUST do that kind of thing. They have little to no interest in learning the basics; they just want to show off their cool stunts and bleed. It's terrible.
I think maybe they're jaded and just want to see "cool spots" and edgy stuff. Now that they've figured out how wrestling "works", the illusion isn't there for them any more. Just a theory.
Oh yea, the "Poke of Doom" and ECW had money problems. No doubt about that guys like Ultimate Warrior and Macho Man (R.I.P), there's more room for a mix these days of course.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I like that wrestlers making storylines...I guess Triple H is making his way into that boat ins't he?
Yep, that's why I said "done right" if the ideal actually and fully lived up to what it promised.
No doubt about that and I'm not surprised Jericho would say that, he's been putting others over for as long as I can remember. That's why I think Ambrose losing to Undertaker is fine, he gave the Deadman a fight. The attitude of everyone wanting to be top dog works in storyline , I'm not too sure if it's that way backstage though.
It makes even less sense for wrestlers (over fans wanting to see it) to put themselves through that kind of physical trauma, knowing they're shortening their careers and risking their health. It's not wrestling if all they're doing is launching themselves from high places and constantly getting their heads smashed in.
That's odd, if they want the illusion back shouldn't they stay away from the internet so everything is a surprise once again? I need to talk to one of them and ask simply "What do you want to see from [wrestler]" they can't want everyone putting their bodies on the line.
Oh, there were a LOT of problems in addition to those two things. The Fingerpoke of Doom was one show. It wasn't just that that doomed WCW. That was more like one symptom of the overall sickness.
ReplyDeleteECW definitely did have money problems. They also lost a lot of their talent to the other 2 major promotions (some wouldn't even call ECW a major promotion), who copied their style to some degree. They tried to expand beyond their rabid fanbase and found that hard as well. Heck, maybe ECW was doomed from the start.
I'm not 100% sure. I know he's gaining power, but he might not be doing much in that area yet. He's kind of "in charge" of NXT, new talent development, and talent relations.
It's all in where they go with Ambrose from here. I definitely think it hurt his momentum, but he's recovering some now.
Some would say that if you don't want to be the top guy, you should pack your bags and leave! I always hear that some people are "just happy to be on TV" making a decent living now that I think about it.
I guess it's still wrestling in a way. I just see it as "garbage" wrestling in some ways. That kind of style certainly influenced things and got us away from the slow-paced, plodding big guys who used to dominate wrestling, but sometimes it's just "Jackass" disguised as a match.
They're still going to know that things are predetermined, etc.. They seem to prefer the crazier stunts and stuff to more story-based wrestling. Al Snow compared special stunts to fireworks (there's a big fireworks show here every 4th of July. They don't do it but once a year so it's special). I'd compare stunts/weapons, etc. to salt: some here and there can add flavor, but too much can ruin a meal and your health!