I’m very conflicted as I sit here on a saturday morning after watching most of TNA, and all of Smackdown. Parts of both shows I enjoyed thoroughly. Parts, I think needed to be re-done, and parts were just God awful. I’d like to share these with you, if I could.
Before I get to the points I am trying to make from television this past week, I have to comment on one thing.
What the hell does loyalty mean to anyone anymore? Bob Holly worked in WWE for years, going from Thurman “Sparky” Plugg all the way to Hardcore Holly, and he never truly achieved any major exposure outside of a couple of world tag team championships, maybe a singles medium title, and the ever infamous gash on his back from his ECW match with Rob Van Dam. He has been plagued by injuries that would have sidelined and retired most anyone else, and what does WWE do to make things right? Release him from his contract. The same thing can be said for the Tough Enough 3 winner diagnosed with cancer, Matt Cappotelli. I didn’t think he was still under contract to WWE, but apparently, he was, and was just recently released. It makes me sick to my stomach that a company cannot stand behind its talents, even when they have sacrificed as much as the talents of any professional wrestler has sacrificed. I know the economy is awful, thank you George Dubya, but there has got to be something, some sort of value to loyalty and tenure in a company. Makes me kind of scared for myself, as I have been at my present place of employment for close to 20 years. I’ve also been here at Wrestleview coming on 3 years. Have I worn out my own welcome? It’s really depressing and sad to see how the experience of WWE has taken a major hit due to one thing, and one thing only, economics.
I know that sounds contradictory, but when it comes right down to it, I am a fan of each and every competitor that has stepped through the ropes, and competed in front of fans, whether it be 50 or 50,000. I don’t like to see anyone lose their positions, or their employment, and especially when there’s nothing they can do to control the scenario they are undergoing at the time of their release.
Now, on to the points from Impact and Smackdown…
One of the things I enjoyed immensely was the returns of the two front line members from Impact last week. Ray’s return, and Petey’s return were done expertly, I thought. Ray’s and Devon’s promos were second to none. I read a lot of reports that Ray is seriously banged up, and is considering retirement. I hope these reports are false, as he is still microphone gold in my opinion, and he didn’t seem to show much of any ‘restrictions’ from a health standpoint in the brief action he saw from the telecast. I think the brief time that Ray spent away has bolstered Devon’s self confidence on the stick, and also, as a competitor, and I would suspect that there can be some serious chaos and destruction in the future from Team 3D, either as the 21 time world tag team champions (did I get that right?), or as singles wrestlers.
I enjoyed immensely the end of Montel Vontavious Porter’s losing streak, and the subsequent rammifications from it. While I cannot stand Vickie Guerrero as a general manager, she is obviously doing her job, as the heat she is gathering is near record breaking and deafening. The degenerate Triple H did exactly what he needed to do, skirt the rules, get the job done, and give himself the chance to still compete in the rumble, while, mercifully, ending the storyline that would have defeated a common man in the 20 plus week losing streak that MVP had suffered from. If this results in a babyface turn for MVP, so be it. He is a consummate performer, a tremendous stick jockey, and I can’t wait to see how WWE goes forward with MVP now that, mercifully, the streak has ended.
I enjoyed the brief vignettes showing Kozlov training. It shows that he has the athletic ability to compete with almost anyone. While he may need a lot of work from a microphone perspective, the sheer athleticism of this bruising brooder makes him a little more compelling to me. I am curious as all hell to see what transpires when and if he eventually loses his first match.
The Undertaker’s edict just shows the mastery of the Dead Man in all aspects of sports entertainment. It could not have been done any better in my opinion, unless he was live, and in color in the ring.
My son Jonathan seems to have a passion to see the Samoan Bulldozer return to Smackdown and wreak havoc on the stars of the blue and white. I wonder what that means for me in the future. 🙂
I kind of enjoyed the cash in of the feast or fired world title match by Hernandez at the time he did it. I didn’t like the result, because more often than not, these types of chance matches usually result in a title change, but I highly doubted that the World title was going to go around Super Mex’s waist. What was also heir apparent from the word go from this segment is Super Mex is not a talker. He’s a brawler and a hell of a power man, but his work on the stick is sub par at best.
I think I am going to enjoy the eventual feud between Matt Morgan and Abyss. I need to see Abyss become what he was, and not this weakling from a mental institution. Morgan vs. Abyss in various matches will be bowling shoe ugly, but it will be absolutely chaotic and maniacal, and almost, if not, bloody. Abyss as ABYSS is amazing. Abyss as this incarnation is absolutely putrid. End of story.
Now, on to the bad. First off, the Beautiful People. I cannot stand the fact that there has been this many vignettes involving these two women and “Governor” Palin. I can’t stand that they took this much time to endure a joke. Kip James looks like he is ready to pull his hair out of his head, and it is just pathetic that this has gone on as long as it has. I have to say that I enjoyed the end result of the Beautiful People getting “mucked”, but I think it would’ve been more proper for Taylor and Roxxi to take out Love & Sky by beating the tar out of them, literally. By the way, both of them are hot as hell, and I am not talking about the Beautiful People.
The DQ finish in the World title match was expected when the mafia members remained at ringside . It doesn’t do a damn thing except make this title reign of Sting’s decrease in value because of the matches he’s had lately. Rhino wasn’t 100% at Genesis for reasons I don’t know, and the match sucked. Hernandez worked Sting well in a brief period of time before having the gangland style hit done by the MEM. It’s really pathetic that it took so long for the run ins to begin, and for so many to be overworked before 3D eventually got in to the match, and got the upper hand for good.
I hate this ???black cloud??? thing with regard to the WWE Champion, Jeff Hardy. I know that they are manipulating his past and turning it in to a storyline, but it??’s too damn real to be added to programming, in my opinion. Also, the ???accident??? that happened on Friday night really did freak out the little people who watched the show, as I watched this show with a 10 year old, and a 9 year old, my children, and they both were stunned, and worried, and upset about the finish from Smackdown. I know that WWE is looking for emotional responses from the fans for their storylines, but there is a line that should not be crossed, and unfortunately, with these shows, it gets too much emotion to flow freely, and it??’s got to have some sort of negative effects.
I know it??’s probably going to make more people watch the following week to see what happens, but you can???t tell me that there isn???t a line of decency that should or should not be crossed. I think there is, I bet you most of the world thinks there is, and in both companies cases, it has been crossed repeatedly. TNA on multiple occasions with the parody of the political process, and WWE the past few weeks with the manipulation of Jeff Hardy??’s real life in to a storyline.
I felt this way when they manipulated Eddie Guerrero??’s death in to a storyline, and I felt this way when Steve Austin??’s wife was being used, and I felt this way when Shawn Michaels??? wife was used, and I???ll feel this way until I???m dead and buried.
Real life does not belong in a fantasy world. And WWE is a soap opera. It shouldn???t have a place in wrestling. It??’s something I am going to stand by till the day I drop.
The attempts to turn the Main Event Mafia in to a 2009 version of the Four Horsemen has turned in to a disaster. There is only one faction that can have the potency and the power of the Four Horsemen, and the attempts of turning the MEM in to the Four Horsemen is a joke. From the outright discontent for authority to the reverse 4 finger symbol, it??’s something that I just think is absolutely putrid to try and imitate. You can???t imitate something that is legendary. You can only hope to be something close to it. The MEM Is not close to the Horsemen. Not by a long shot.
I thought the treatment Victoria got in her final match in WWE was atrocious. It was similar, in the lack of respect that Lita got. I know Lita??’s was a lot more degrading than what Victoria??’s was, but why, let??’s ask this, why can???t someone who has put in a significant amount of time to the company, and who has sacrificed the amount that these talents have sacrificed, if you???re going to retire, and leave the company, why can???t you get the send off that is justified for a talent that has given everything to their craft?
I know Michelle McCool is engulfed in a storyline of her turning heel, and going forward to probably feud with Maria, and Eve, and the other divas, especially when Victoria steps aside, but the facts are the facts, if a talent retires, they should be given the chance to say goodbye on their own terms, not the company??’s. I know that the company makes the final decision, but come on, there is such a thing as employee morale, and I have to believe that the events that have transpired recently, from the rash of firings to even something that can be considered as minute as the treatment Lisa Marie Varon got when she competed in her final match has got to be considered significant morale destroyers.
As for what I would have done differently, well, truth be told, I forgot my train of thought. This column has taken me three days to write. I had some thoughts in my head come Friday night and Saturday, but the facts are, a parent is my first job, and it??’s been quite a weekend, and I forgot my train of thought. I???ll take my beatings now.
I got an email from my friend across the world, Pinakin, suggesting that Shawn Michaels could win the Royal Rumble in two weeks, and use that in the conflicting storyline between he and John Bradshaw Layfield. I am curious to know what people think of this possibility. It??’s definitely got a possibility as to have HBK win the match, and be forced to choose between his ???money issues???, and his wrestlemania title shot. It may be the fuel that can lead to Hardy winning the elimination chamber next month at No Way Out, and then having the choice of taking the title shot, or going forward in what is the proposed storyline with Christian Cage. It fits the pieces of the puzzle. Whether or not it actually happens is something to wait for. But I thought it was worth the price of publishing it. I???d like to hear your thoughts.
For now, it??’s time to get this column in the can, as I inch closer to my third anniversary writing the column, and column #300. If anyone has any ideas for a ??’special theme??? for the #300th column, I???d definitely listen to your suggestions.
Thanks for reading.
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