Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Tuesday, May 8, 2007 at 3:05 AM EST

NOTE: I wrote this with a burst of energy and too much caffeine. Please take this with the appropriate, ah, the hell wiff it. Just check out the insanity....

When you sit back and think about it, there could be a significant comparison between what's currently going on in WWE, and what's been going on in my, well, nevermind. Anyway, I had said that I had lost some focus and drive to come up with a column, well, after reading the recaps from Raw tonight, I think I got it back. So, let's get down to business.

What is Vince McMahon going to need to have happen before he realizes his schedule is killing his talent? Let's see.

1. Undertaker has a bicep injury that is re-aggravated at Backlash and will force the Dead Man off of Smackdown for the better part of six to eight months, right in the middle of the biggest title reign of the illustrious legend's career.

2. Mr. Kennedy, at a house show in Poughkeepsie, New York, tears his tricep muscle which will cause him to be out for 5 to 7 months, hence, putting Smackdown on notice as being significantly short handed when it comes to main event talent, and also, forcing WWE to shoot an angle where the Money in the Bank contract is lost by the fastest rising star in blue and white to the first ever MitB holder, Edge.

3. Shawn Michaels, with all the GUTS in the world, takes a NO DQ match with the Great Khali for another shot at John Cena, and in the process, suffers back spasms and a concussion after being thrown, not slammed, thrown through the announce table.

4. Bobby Lashley's shoulder is re-aggravated after an impossible to win, no matter how you slice it, 3 on 1 handicap match at Backlash against Umaga and the McMahons.

5. Randy Orton's immaturity costs WWE some major goodwill in Europe when Orton basically makes an ass out of himself, gets sent home as punishment, and then causes $50,000 worth of damage to a hotel room.

6. WWE creative is hinting at a VERY short program between the returning Mark Henry and Batista for sheer fear of one, if not both of these men being reinjured because of the amount of time both men have had their pushes interrupted by various ailments.

7. King Booker, an EXTREMELY valuable main event competitor from the word go, is in the midst of recovering from a serious knee condition.

8. Rey Mysterio is still at least a month away from recovering from his knee problems he suffered through a match with Chavo Guerrero that was re-aggravated by Umaga.

9. WWE creative doesn't realize how dangerous 3 on 1 matches can be, so they set up another one tomorrow night with Rob Van Dam against the McMahons and Umaga, primarily, more than likely, as a vehicle to write Van Dam off of television due to contract difficulties, and hence, in the process, more than likely spell the death knell of ECW. (I know it's not tremendously injury related, but the fact is, it's talent depletion, and that can be summarized in a nut shell for all of the points I am trying to make.)

10. JBL is still retired, when its quite obvious he still has the passion for the business, and could compete, if his body would let him. And right now, WWE could use him, in a big, big way.

I mean, let's think about this for a second. Smackdown is without Booker, Mysterio, and now Undertaker and Kennedy, effective virtually immediately for the better part of the next 8 months. Yes, Booker and Mysterio will return sooner rather than later, but those four men off of your nationally televised brand, and let's be honest, Smackdown is NATIONALLY TELEVISED, not like Raw and ECW on CABLE, and you have to be a fool to think that your talent pool is in trouble.

Then, tonight comes around, and Shawn Michaels, who, whether we like it or not, has some major chinks in his armor, (his back, his knees), takes a major hit on the announce table, suffers a concussion and back spasms thanks to the new #1 contender for the WWE title.

By the way, did I even forget to mention that the boss's son in law is still hurt, and isn't due back till July, at the EARLIEST?

Who here doesn't think Shawn Michaels deserves a medal for even taking this match? Who else thinks John Cena, AND to a lesser extent, since it's already happened, Michaels, may be in some serious danger from the match that HBK took, and the match that the champ has forthcoming on PPV versus the Great Khali? Who else thinks that WWE is desperate for a contender for Cena by giving Khali the shot?

I'm all over the place, so let's get back to one sentence. Vincent Kennedy McMahon is killing his talent, one step at a time.

I was one of the few probably who was saying RVD was being selfish and greedy for demanding a lighter work schedule in his current contract negotiations. I was also the one who was questioning, going back a ways, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage's jumps to TNA for the obvious reasons of wanting to work less, and still get the pay days, and the rushes from the crowd as need be. But, with the rash of injuries that WWE has gone through lately, ESPECIALLY with the watered down product that they produce day in day out, it's obvious to me that I have been mistaken in my opinions in the past, and I can certainly understand and respect anyone's opinions or desires to work a lesser schedule in pro wrestling, because the marathon put out by WWE is just that, a marathon, and it's dangerous to the human body. You'd be crazy, I think, to believe otherwise.

OK, I know WWE is a global phenomenon. I know WWE has a ton, a ton of obligations that all of its talents need to fulfill, and to do so requires a lot of effort, dermination, and sacrifice. But, is it necessary to sacrifice people's bodies like cord wood?

Do me a favor, and don't come at me, and say I've preached this sermon before, because I know I have. And, I'm sure so has a lot of my colleagues and friends in the internet wrestling community. The fact remains is, the pieces are all there, broken, battered, and beaten. To think that this pattern is not inherently dangerous, is well, not right. Sorry to sound so blunt, but it's the best I can come up with.

Now, to talk about what happens next, briefly. A couple of things need to be addressed. First, hopefully, Shawn Michaels is taken off television to get the knee surgery he's needed since DX's reunion, and is allowed to fully heal. He's not in the WWE title picture, obviously, he's got the way out, and it allows WWE to repackage him as needed for Triple H's return, either together as DX Re-Reformed, or as adversaries. Anything further than that, and you're playing with a ticking time bomb, and that's just insane, in my humblest of opinions.

Speaking of time bombs, Cena vs. Khali, if the powers that be at WWE aren't holding their collective breaths for this program, they're just plain idiotic. Khali is still so freakin' green in the ring that he's becoming the new version of Mark Henry. Anyone that Khali touches, breaks down in to pieces. HOPEFULLY, & I'm not saying this because I'm a fan of Cena, but hopefully, Cena survives this program with Khali. And I mean that sincerely, survives.

It's obvious that the plans for holding on to the money in the bank contract till Wrestlemania 24 is gone. What I expect to see is obvious, I would think to any WWE fan. Edge will take the contract and go to Smackdown. Why? Simple. New opponents. New competition. A new title to add to his resume. Don't be surprised to see Edge come out of the tunnel after the cage match between Taker and Batista, and figure out a way to sneak the World Heavyweight title away from the victor. I don't think WWE is prepared to give the title back to Batista, and Taker obviously has to drop it due to the scenario with his injury, so I would see a MitB cash in similar to the one where Edge cashed it in following the Cena win in the 2005 New Year's Revolution Elimination chamber match. (Did I get the year right?)

I hope that, once Lashley's shoulder is healed up enough, that there is some way for him to regain the ECW world title from McMahon because having the chairman of the board holding a championship in your company is just plain ridiculous. It's even more ridiculous than the David Arquette thing back from WCW. Yes, I would think most of the fans of ECW want to see CM Punk with the title, but the time is not there yet for the Chicago native, and with the demise of the Originals on tap, Lashley is the most likeliest candidate to take the helm from McMahon, I only hope, again, that the Colorado Springs native can survive the onslaught.

Hopefully, Mark Henry will not cause any more injuries like he did during the last run he had on Smackdown before injuring himself.

Who has the brains within WWE to keep guys like Khali and Mark Henry on the roster? Whomever it may be needs an EEG exam, quick, to make sure his or her brain is still functioning normally.

I need to comment on some other stuff before closing this out, so let's move away from the cluster f-bomb that has become WWE's brand trio, and move on to other aspects within the wrestling world since my last column.

ROH and TNA have severed ties due to Ring of Honor's forthcoming Pay Per View deal. I had intended on writing a whole big piece on this thing, but the deal is this. Do I know that this is a business decision made by TNA? Sure. But, tell me something, as a fan of independent wrestling, how much damage can Ring of Honor honestly do on Pay Per View for the talents of TNA, yet the talents of TNA such as Samoa Joe, Senshi, Jerry Lynn and Miss Brooks, can still be booked for federations like Jersey All Pro Wrestling, the New York Wrestling Connection, and National Wrestling Superstars.

I could MAYBE understand JAPW, because they have been around for 10 plus years, and have the reputation of being a top rate organization. NYWC has some name power behind it with Mikey Whipwreck, but where have they been promoted outside of Deer Park, Long Island? And trust me, being promoted in Deer Park, Long Island isn't the best thing in the world. I can't comment one thing on NWS, because outside of reading about them within the I.W.C., I have zero knowledge on the fed whatsoever.

Bottom line is, notoreity and exposure to your talent increases their values, does it not? So, what's the problem with allowing your talent the opportunity to at least remain somewhat active competitors within ROH, if for no other reason than to give the nearly national audience that ROH has built a chance to see your talents perform. You can't tell me that a provision cannot be worked out between the powers that be within TNA and ROH to keep TNA talents off the ROH PPV tapings. I understand that TNA needs to keep a close eye on their talent, and I think that can be arranged, while still keeping the thrust of the goal for all parties involved to provide the best show possible.

In the meantime, what do you have? You have a tag team blossoming in to stars in the Motor City Machine Guns basically back out in limbo due to Sabin being X division Champion, and Shelley being Kevin Nash's butt boy. You have Austin "Starr" Aries considering asking for a release from TNA because TNA is forbidding him to enjoy a meal because he can't work for the promotion that's made him what he is today, Ring of Honor. You have the former World Champion Homicide, forced to say goodbye to Ring of Honor through myspace.com. Talk about a disgrace for someone like Homicide to have to suffer through, and you have the crowd turning on Chris Daniels for, what I heard, a tremendous heel promo to end his run in ROH so he can focus on TNA, well before the sever of ties was even discussed.

I'm not going to sit here and go in to specifics and provide addresses and everything else to allow people to show their discontent. I am simply going to say this. I think the powers that be within TNA and ROH are not being practical for the fans in pro wrestling and coming to a mutual agreement that would benefit both companies. If ROH can agree to work with NOAH to such an extent that their world champion is currently defending the belt in Tokyo more than in the United States, than this deal could have been worked out to allow the TNA talents to remain a partial factor within the Ring of Honor landscape. In the meantime, due to the pig headedness of some suits in Nashville and Philadelphia, what do we have?

We have TNA and their ridiculously stupid gimmick matches while taking nobody from ROH and placing them in any feud of notoreity at this present time. We also have ROH getting set to debut on Pay Per View with nearly more Japanese wrestling talent than American. While this may interest a hardcore psycho like me, to properly bring in the casual fan to Ring of Honor, I do not think this formula is going to work. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't like ROH's chances on PPV.

Some quick notes from around the horn before I go.

I am happy to see WWE is not going forward with a Four Horsemen reunion. As much as I would like to see the Horsemen reunite for some serious hijinks, Arn can't hack it physically, and for once, it appears WWE will listen to the doctors. I don't think they need to worry about promoting the Horsemen DVD. It's very good, and I would not be surprised if it sells very well.

I have an opinion on the forecasted replacement for Teddy Long as GM of Smackdown. I don't want to publicize it because I am concerned it would offend people who are fond of this person's late husband. While I respect the need to collect a pay check, no questions asked, it scares me to death to see this possibility unfold. Hopefully, another option will be determined.

One other thing, who ever said Long needed to be replaced?

I thought Umaga was supposed to be this uncontrollable bulldozer. How can the McMahons have such a control over the so called bulldozer like they do? Or am I reading too much in to this one? (Insert evil smirk here.)

Whatever happened to the so called blazing path to the World title that Samoa Joe was supposedly on?

Who else thinks Senshi wishes he stayed in Japan, after being put in X Division limbo hell from the booking geniuses of TNA?

How many more WWE retreads are going to surface in TNA before the home grown talents like Styles, Daniels, Lynn, Jarrett, and others start to think that this is not the rising stud company that it was forecasted to be.?

Team 3D is contemplating retirement since winning the NWA World Tag Team titles. My opinion, I wouldn't be surprised if they did. What's left to prove? If you want to be healthy, which I can, I believe, assure you, 3D does, retirement isn't such a bad option. Especially when there are so many other options in the business outside of the ring.

Are we finally going to see the full potential of the monster Abyss when he returns from the absence of selling the recent beating he took? And is someone like the former WSX Champion Ricky Banderas going to be able to bring out the potential that TNA and personally, I see in the Kane lookalike. I hope so.

Whether TNA wants to believe it or not, Jeff Jarrett has an awfully long road to hold to secure a babyface position in the company. I think he's smart enough on his own to realize this. I hope the rest of TNA is.

Weird booking from an ROH standpoint. Nigel McGuinness and ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima have a drag out clothesline laden war for the ROH belt last month in Edison, New Jersey. Now, at the forthcoming shows in Hartford and Boston, I believe, McGuinness and Morishima team up to take on the Briscoes for the ROH Tag titles. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE THE MATCHUP, I think it's gold in the making, but it's just a little bit weird, and maybe a touch too soon. Is that a sign of ROH being a little bit worried about its recent spring cleaning it's had to endure?

I really hope Colt Cabana made the right decision going to WWE. I really do.

If Aries does indeed ask for and is granted a release from TNA because of all that's occurred since ROH signed the PPV deal, I hope ROH is smart enough to build the company around him. Maybe not as the world champion, but damn close to the centerpiece. I don't think its going to happen that way, but damn, what a show of loyalty that would be to Ring of Honor.

Bryan Danielson wants the 10 pounds of gold (The NWA World Heavyweight Championship) when it's wrestled from the grimy claws of Total Non Stop Action. Who the hell in the NWA is going to be able to stop him? And how long will it take before we start getting teasers of a possible Angle vs. Danielson matchup? Sweet jesus, I'd pay good money to see that. You can't tell me TNA can't figure out some way to market that type of a marquis matchup?

Speaking of titles, what the hell is Scott Steiner and Tomko doing in a World tag team title match at Sacrifice? Someone want to explain that to me? I missed it.

When is TNA going to put the X title on Sonjay Dutt? Talk about loyalty with no payoff.

Whether or not you like Black Machismo's gimmick, it's again a parody of a former WWE star who had only a cup of coffee with TNA. Don't you think it would be a benefit to TNA to come up with something a touch more original?

How many times is CM Punk going to turn face and heel in the span of a month? Four, five? New breed one week, loner the next. How about we just get down to business, and have a best of seven series for the leadership of the imploded faction between Burke and Punk. The storyline may be ridiculous, but I bet the matches would be fun.

Speaking of Punk, I got his ECW Series One Action figure from JAKKS Pacific. Obviously, I know they couldn't do all of Punk's ink for copyright issues. His trunks are dead on perfectly painted. But, damn, that head scan is AWFUL.

I also got Sandman's figure. Damn, does that rock. Great work by JAKKS on that one, complete with the singapore cane.

Have I gone in too many different directions yet? Sorry. It's been a while since I did one of these.

I was planning on going to see "The Condemned." Figured it'd be something like my experience seeing the Marine in the movies. Nobody there, a matinee, and a good time for a shnook who likes bad action laden B movies. I doubt I'll get the chance at the rate its earning cash in the theatres. Sad, too. Whoever decided to release this flick so close to Spider Man III's release needs to have their head examined.

Ok. I'm done, I think.

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Forgot how much fun this was to do. Thanks a lot for taking the time. Should I apologize this was too long?

I should?

Well I'm not. :)

NOTE: This column does not represent the viewpoints of the administration of this website or this website in general. It represents the views of one person, the author. Truthfully, nobody else would be crazy enough to have these points of view, anyway.