The show begins with the entire last segment of RAW: Vince hits the ring, says "thank you," strolls past his minions, walks outside, goes ka-blooey. Tazz and Styles are using their Solemn Voices, and the show is dedicated to Mr. McMahon. He gets the ten bells. The audience is surly.
-Tommy Dreamer vs. Ballz Mahoney (Extreme Rules)- By the numbers. In a sad happenstance of a commentary on this match, the sight of a table gets big cheers, but its leg breaks. Mahoney plays hoist to his own petard while trying to legdrop Dreamer through it (Dreamer has to slouch on the upright table end for the spot). Dreamer wins with a DDT on a chair. Dreamer was game, but Ballz is deadweight out there.
-Boogeyman vs. Matt Striker- Utter, total, complete squash of Striker. Boogeyman drops worms into Matt's mouth after. Striker begins the match by quietly praying to Mr. McMahon and saying the match is all for him.
-CM Punk/Chris Benoit vs. Elijah Burke/Marcus Cor Von_ The match ends in bizarre fashion as the ref DQs the New Breed when they double-team past the ref's five count. Punk plays the face-in-peril. After the sudden bell, Benoit calmly walks in and destroys Burke with the Germans and the headbutt. Cor Von seems out of synch with everyone else here.
The special post-explosion footage entails firemen tackling the blaze for what feels like eight hours. It almost becomes pornographic, like a car-stunt fetish clip. We see no ambulance, no wrestlers watching from the perimeter, no sense of concern that people may have been in the car. I think we're watching intern firemen earning worktime.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
I decided to watch the show live last night, as opposed to watching it from the DVR ... boy, I'll never do that again. Totally craptacular.
Even in "death", Vince still dominates the show. There was barely even a mention of the vacated heavyweight title.
I've never been one of those "oh my God he is the greatest wrestler in the history of the galaxy-I wanna have his babies" fans of CM Punk, but dammit, I'm really starting to enjoy him.
I liked Matt Striker before the Boogeyman match. He inspired me. Every morning from now on when I wake up, I'm gonna point to the sky with a tear in my eye and say, "It's all for you, Mr. McMahon."
I also liked the matches dedicated to McMahon. Dreamer vs. Balls extreme rules. McMahon would have loved it! I'm sure Mr. McMahon enjoyed every second of fat Tommy and fat Balls hitting each other with garbage cans.
I think my favorite part was Tazz's comment about how disrespectful the Philadelphia fans were during the ten bell salute.
So that's why Vince decided to write himself off TV in that way- so he could listen to the announcers spending the whole show verbally fellating him about how much he's done for the busines. He must've had a huge grin on his face listening to the headsets (or feeding them the lines, one or the other).
My intense Stanley Cup final thoughts and more!: Experience It
Doing the ten bell salute for Vince is ridiculous, that totally diminishes when they do it for someone who actually died.
The matches weren't bad after you got past the Vince stuff. At least they seem to know that the show should be focused around Benoit, Punk, Burke and Corvon.
Originally posted by QuezzyDoing the ten bell salute for Vince is ridiculous, that totally diminishes when they do it for someone who actually died.
The matches weren't bad after you got past the Vince stuff. At least they seem to know that the show should be focused around Benoit, Punk, Burke and Corvon.
Agreed, regarding the 10 count salute. That is a big disrespectful FU to guys like Eddie, Owen, and Pillman. Awful.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
Originally posted by kentishAgreed, regarding the 10 count salute. That is a big disrespectful FU to guys like Eddie, Owen, and Pillman. Awful.
I'm OK with it. It's clearly part of the angle and in a context that's obviously separate from sincere shows of memorial respect.
I laughed when they did it because they went to that length to play it off as real. "Presumed dead?" No remains were found? It's camp. It's goofy.
Now, if they brought out Mark Henry to recite a poem as he did when Owen died, that degree of mourning imitation would bother me. Maybe if they ran all the appreciation videos after the car fire, I'd be unhappy with that.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
When your audience is booing the shit out of something in the "we don't like having our intelligence insulted" way, you should listen.
(deleted by chill on 15.6.07 0114)
(resurrected by CRZ on 15.6.07 0214)
Items of mine currently up for bids on ebay: -several 1-cent wrestling DVDS -WWE Best of RAW Vol. 1 & 2 DVD -Hardy Boyz "Leap of Faith" DVD -Wrestlemania 2000 DVD -Wrestlemania X7 DVD
While watching, I was hoping for an "Eddie" chant during the 10-bell, just to show how stupid this is. There's just no way to play a serious death angle in wrestling without it coming off tasteless. Big Show's daddy, and Al Wilson - those are the kind of death angles I can watch without feeling guilty for watching it.
Cor Von gets an F for the night, I think ref Armstrong was pissed that first he had to hold off on a three count on Punk - because Cor Von was taking too long to launch the catapult into the top turnbuckle spot.. so then when tagged-out Marcus was taking his sweet time clearing the ring after a 4 count that could be heard throughout the arena, he said "(F***-it) Ring the bell!"
Props to Benoit for then getting his crowd-pleasing spots in anyway, that crowd no doubt deserves it for having to sit through a crapfastic night of McMahon-a-mania.
Joey, Tazz, and the boys have to play what they're given by creative.. but this is one night I'd really like to have been a fly on the wall in the locker room, y'know?
Originally posted by TheOldManWhile watching, I was hoping for an "Eddie" chant during the 10-bell, just to show how stupid this is. There's just no way to play a serious death angle in wrestling without it coming off tasteless. Big Show's daddy, and Al Wilson - those are the kind of death angles I can watch without feeling guilty for watching it.
Vince's limo exploded on live TV. How is this not in the same category as Big Show's daddy and Al Wilson?
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
Originally posted by oldschoolheroVince's limo exploded on live TV. How is this not in the same category as Big Show's daddy and Al Wilson?
(IMO) The way it was played by the announcers, and wrestlers on the show. For example: A hearse dragging a coffin through a graveyard while a bereaved son hold on for dear life vs. something looking more like a terrorist attack, or mob hit. Or Tazz barely able to keep off the floor laughing during Al's 'funeral' vs. somber Tazz being obliged to keep a straight face and stand for a 10-bell salute (a ceremony that I feel has too many sad memories to be used to further this angle). Your mileage may vary.
And I forgot to mention, it took them nearly until the main event for them to mention that.. oh yeah, ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley was drafted to Raw, and the title has been vacated. That's an F for creative.
Originally posted by CRZ, who I didn't even say Happy Birthday to so I will hide my belated birthday greetings hereEveryone rises for a moment of silence and ten bells - whoops, it's interrupted by the BIG BOSSMAN. "Hold one just one minute! How DARE you start the grieving process without me! I've got feelings too! It pains me deeply to hear that the Big Show's dad has passed on. In fact, it pains me so deeply, I went out and bought a sympathy card, and I'd like to read it to you, if I could. Shut up and listen to me! 'With the deepest regrets, and tears that are soaked / I'm sorry to hear that your dad finally croaked / He lived a full life on his own terms / Soon he'll be buried and eaten by worms / But if I could have a son as stupid as you / I'd have wished for cancer so I would die too / So be brave, and be strong, get your life on track / 'Cause the old bastard's DEAD and he ain't never comin' back!' That's EXACTLY how I feel about the Big Show's daddy bein' dead!"
Originally posted by chillWhen your audience is booing the shit out of something in the "we don't like having our intelligence insulted" way, you should listen.
You know, your posts this week have sucked even more than usual. For you, I mean. It's just one post after another of suck ever since the ending of "The Sopranos" Sunday night and continuing straight on through into the wrestling that you barely even watch anymore. It's really quite extraordinary and I finally had to comment on it. SUCK.
McMahon stuff aside, I think ECW has a quite nice upper tier for a 1 hour show now. Benoit, Punk, Cor Von, Burke. They can put on ok matches. If RVD was still around i'd even say it was good. Thorn is ok too. Nothing's too bad.
Watching Grunge leg drop New Jack through a press table
True, but I what I meant was that Katie Vick was worse that the Vince thing . The Bossman/Big show feud was for the belt, but it was booked as a over the top comedy angle on the undercard behind the HHH and Vince feud. I also doubt anyone had high hopes for that title feud, as Bossman was 10 years removed from deserving a main event shot. But you're still right, it was for the title.
Kane, on the other hand, finally seemed poised to break through in 2002, but that angle (and to an extent, HHH) killed him as a legit contender from that point on. Which to me, is why that angle was was so historically bad. Most people seemed to forget the Bossman/Show feud because it had little potential to begin with, unlike Kane/HHH.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
I think the crowd also might have been muted during the big Vince/Flair NWO promo during RAW. I noticed a lot of "WHAT?"s during the first few seconds, then they seemed to go away.