As we ponder the "Smarks Paradise" scenario of Eddie Guerrero AND Chris Benoit in main event matches at Wrestlemania, I can't help but feel that Eddie Guerrero has been *there* for a while, but this is his first main event push. Benoit, however, received half-hearted main event pushes in the past, but they fizzled when the Fed refused to pull the trigger. Given that Eddie entered the WWF on the same day as Chris Benoit, and has constantly been shunted to the midcard despite excelling in every role the WWF/E has cast him in, have we of the IWC miscast Benoit as the long-suffering-yet-deserving underdog, when in reality, that is the role that Guerrero should occupy?
#1. Eddy got injured his first match in #2. He had SERIOUS drug issues. #3. He was gone for quite awhile battling those issues. #4. He didn't start getting REALLY over until 2003. #5. They probably could have ran with Eddy a few months ago but I can see their point in waiting until now to really push him into the Main Event.
Originally posted by fuelinjected#1. Eddy got injured his first match in #2. He had SERIOUS drug issues. #3. He was gone for quite awhile battling those issues. #4. He didn't start getting REALLY over until 2003. #5. They probably could have ran with Eddy a few months ago but I can see their point in waiting until now to really push him into the Main Event.
And finally there is no such thing as the IWC.
All very good points, I'll add to it. I agree they could've ran with Eddie a few months ago and get just a good a reaction, if not better, than now. But they didn't, why? Not because of Benoit that's for sure, Benoit was busy with a meaningless feud with Rhyno that never went anywhere, and a feud with A-Train that went on waaay to long. Kurt/Brock have been the ones taking all the main event time atleast of late.
I think Benoit has been the higher profile guy most of their careers, and that's unfortunate because even though Benoit is the best technical wrestler, Eddie is the more complete all around wrestler. But I don't think it's because Benoit or anybody else has held Eddie down, it's just been unfortunate circumstances that have always held Eddie back. The interview he gave on Smackdown was very true, his own inner demons have held him back.
It would be an interesting storyline to bring up though if they feud again the future.
Originally posted by fuelinjected#2. He had SERIOUS drug issues
Can you elaborate? I know that he was an alky and got a DUI, and probly was popping pain killers. But I have never heard anything specific about his abuses. I'm just wondering, becuase people always reference it, but do we really know how bad he was.
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Originally posted by fuelinjected#2. He had SERIOUS drug issues
Can you elaborate? I know that he was an alky and got a DUI, and probly was popping pain killers. But I have never heard anything specific about his abuses. I'm just wondering, becuase people always reference it, but do we really know how bad he was.
Originally posted by fuelinjected#1. Eddy got injured his first match in #2. He had SERIOUS drug issues. #3. He was gone for quite awhile battling those issues. #4. He didn't start getting REALLY over until 2003. #5. They probably could have ran with Eddy a few months ago but I can see their point in waiting until now to really push him into the Main Event.
And finally there is no such thing as the IWC.
And don't forget that between 1 and 2 he was stuck with a valet whose sole purpose was to keep the spotlight on it and not on Eddy.
I was always wondering about that. Good article on that there website. The big problem with Eddie is that the night that the Radicalz came in, JR & the King went all "WOW! It's CHRIS BENOIT!...and some other people!" Then Guerrero busted his elbow, so the braintrust pushed Benoit instead. Well, not so much INSTEAD, but moreso. Benoit became the guy who pinned The Rock, made Triple H tap out, headbutted Stephanie and stood toe-to-toe with everyone in the promotion while Eddie became the goofy sidekick...first to Benoit, then to Chyna, until he left the promotion and then FINALLY came back as a goofy partner to Chavo.
I've always bought Eddie as an awesome in-ring competitor, along the lines of The Rock, Benoit, Kurt Angle & the like...but his characterization has always been so needlessly silly that it's hard to take him seriously sometimes.
FLAMES: 26-19-5-3 for 60 points LAST YEAR: 32-35-12-3 for 79 points PACE: 41-30-6-5 for 93 points
Originally posted by gugsBenoit's not holding Eddie down; he's too busy ruining the careers of Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko!
Whatever happened to Saturn, anyway? Did he get fired?
Well...This Thread (The W) says that Saturn got his ACL injured before the draft, and I'm assuming he was released afterwards due to...well, not being very good anymore.
In other news, Dean-O Machine-O is still with the WWE as a road agent.
FLAMES: 26-19-5-3 for 60 points LAST YEAR: 32-35-12-3 for 79 points PACE: 41-30-6-5 for 93 points
Don't forget, they TRIED running Eddie against the Rock (with that insane promo) and Steve Austin (with that insane encounter in some Tejas bar) sometime around 2002. (Was it 2002?)
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO TAMPA! AND INDY! AND NEW YORK! AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO ST. LOUIS! AND PHILLY! AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO HOUSTON AND TAKE BACK OUR HOUSE!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Originally posted by Super Shane SpearDon't forget, they TRIED running Eddie against the Rock (with that insane promo) and Steve Austin (with that insane encounter in some Tejas bar) sometime around 2002. (Was it 2002?)
Both of those brief feuds were awesome too, if it wasn't for Stone Cold leaving and I think THe Rock being on a different brand perhaps we could've gotten a ppv main evented by Eddie a lot earlier.
As for Perry Saturn he showed up at TNA at one point, I don't know how long he was there, but I don't think he's been there in quite some time now.
Originally posted by redsoxnationAnd don't forget that between 1 and 2 he was stuck with a valet whose sole purpose was to keep the spotlight on it and not on Eddy.
Ehh . . . that may have been her intention, but it sure didn't work. Eddie was already impressively over with Chyna - it's where the Latino Heat expression first came from, i think? The whole "Mamacita" thing with Eddie being "subservient" was gold. Got him over HUGE as a heel right form the start - he's been over ever since.
I still remember when Eddie completely chewed Chyna out in the lockerroom, sending Chyna into tears, turning Eddie back heel. Truly awesome performance by Eddie that I'll never forget.
Thinking of that promo and his promo against Lesner on Smackdown makes me think: damn, is Eddie Guerrero not one of the best EVER on the mic? His eyes are incredibly expressive, even when he's not talking. Good times are ahead, I think . . .
Originally posted by gugsBenoit's not holding Eddie down; he's too busy ruining the careers of Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko!
Whatever happened to Saturn, anyway? Did he get fired?
Well...This Thread (The W) says that Saturn got his ACL injured before the draft, and I'm assuming he was released afterwards due to...well, not being very good anymore.
In other news, Dean-O Machine-O is still with the WWE as a road agent.
Perry was actually traded (along with The Godfather)to the WWA for Nathan Jones. Obviously...uh...Nobody got the better of that deal.
Edit: What a THRILLING use of my 2000th post.
(edited by Excalibur05 on 8.2.04 0149) That's Mah Stank!
Back when the Radicalz first came to the WWE I thought Eddie and Saturn had the most potential to get over in the WWE (one out of two ain't bad?).
Even though Benoit is very respected and gets a nice reaction many times after a very great performances, I just don't think he's got the personality to make people connect with his in such a big World Title-main event setting. I still think he was a better fitting on SD and building towards a match with Brock... As for Eddie, I think he has the charisma and in ring talent to be a real legit top 3 all around superstar.
Strangely enough if they wanted to push both Benoit and Eddie to World titles at each brand I would have switched Eddie to Raw and kept Benoit in SD... Eddie is the type of guy who can get over easier and have instant interest even by switch brands totally and facing someone who he doesn't have much of a build with. Benoit on the other hand would need a long good build to get interest behind him like he had with Brock.
smark/net attack wienerville advisory is lowered to YELLOW alert - Elevated (Due to Lesner still being champ, Benoit winning the Rumble, but HHH as champ is still a threat) 1/27
Get your WWE CD copy autographed by Stone Cold Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Trish Stratus and Lilian Garcia after Raw... Oh MY! Christmas has come late. Can't get better then that.
I think H was smart enough to leave Eddie just where he was, probably fearing that his awesome promos and even awesomer crowd reactions would expose his weaknesses. Let's face it-if you had to choose one out of Benoit and Guerrero to look good against, who would you go for?
"You're A Big Hunk Of Hero Sandwich, And You Wanna Save The Girl!"
I noticed that since their arrival in the WWF/E they have crossed paths many times, been aligned or feuding, and yet despite the good matches that followed, haven't been better served for it. However, NOW THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED, each can succeed outside of the shadow of the other.
The other point I was trying to make was as part of the group that perennially ranks Eddie Guerrero #2 on our lists of "Best Wrestlers to Not be Pushed" list (behind Chris Benoit) have WE been wrong in our VERY VOCAL support of Benoit over Guerrero, when Eddie has ALWAYS had the total package? It's not about whether Benoit is "holding Guerrero back" in the classic sense, but rather whether the systematic preference for pushing Benoit has hurt Guerrero.
Put another way, if Eddie Guerrero had been given some of the half-hearted pushes that Chris Benoit has gotten, could he have done more with them?
And special bonus question: If VINCE MCMAHON HIMSELF said in an interview that the WWE has been seriously considering giving a megapush to an Internet Darling, including a Wrestlemania Main Event, and a year of being the focal point of the Smackdown brand (because let's face it; no one would believe him if he said RAW) but that WE had to choose whether it'd be Eddie Guerrero or Chris Benoit, with the other one to be midcard for life, and no prospect of winning the big one, who would YOU vote for?
I'd prefer to see Eddie & Chavo go on an ass-kicking spree ... take out Rey, London, Cena ... now that could garner some major heat. They're really setting up Hardcore Holly & Charlie Haas as a viable team.