Midnight already and no RAW thread ... guess I'll start it again.
Compared to last week's clusterfuck, it wasn't too bad of a show. Not terribly great either though. Lots of buildup for TLC, which will mostly feature one-on-one rematches from Survivor Series (Cena vs Rollins - Tables, Ryback vs Kane - Chairs, and likely Harper vs Ziggler in a Ladder match for the Intercontinental belt, Show vs Rowan ... Rusev being the odd one out will probably wrestle Swagger again, since that went SO well the first time ... Henry will probably eat a sandwich).
We also found out that if Cena loses at TLC he'll no longer be #1 contender, which I wouldn't mind at all. Now would be a great time to bring Orton back ... does anyone know what happened to him? Did he actually get injured, is he making movies, did he just want a vacation?
Apparently, Rowan's new nickname is supposed to be 'Big Red.' I remain unconvinced. JBL 'inventing' that nickname was no doubt Vince shouting it in his ear and telling him that they already printed the shirts, so he better get that nickname over, dammit.
They want to name Erick Rowan after a pack of gum?
In all seriousness, though, the idea of Rowan as an idiot savant that acts like a savage, but is secretly a super genius is actually really cool. I'll roll with this one, even if the eventual match with Big Show can only bring about pain and suffering.
I still can't believe we've got the damn laptop running the show again. Because they haven't recycled enough ideas, I guess.
"Playing guitars. It's hard to sing while playing...guitars."
Originally posted by It's FalseI still can't believe we've got the damn laptop running the show again. Because they haven't recycled enough ideas, I guess.
The weird thing is, they did so little with the laptop that it didn't justify doing it at all, especially since for all intents and purposes, Cena was running the show. I mean, go all-in or don't bother.
I liked it much more than usual, though it made me sad that Bryan was only a last week thing.
Also, the Swagger vs. Rusov stuff made me realise how much I hate pro-American "rah rah" jingoistic nonsense. How exactly is Rusov the bad guy and Swagger/Slaughter/etc. is the good guy when they're literally bullying some guy (and girl) into pledging allegiance to a country?
Originally posted by wannaberockstarI liked it much more than usual, though it made me sad that Bryan was only a last week thing.
Also, the Swagger vs. Rusov stuff made me realise how much I hate pro-American "rah rah" jingoistic nonsense. How exactly is Rusov the bad guy and Swagger/Slaughter/etc. is the good guy when they're literally bullying some guy (and girl) into pledging allegiance to a country?
Well beating up an old man in the back is usually thought of as "not good". But otherwise yeah.
Rowan's push last night was a nice, quick elevation of a guy with some potential. Good for him. Meanwhile, Cesaro, please stay on the line. Rowan reminds me of the Mike Knox character except he's working as a face.
Show's refusal to end matches quickly with the WMD makes much more sense now that he's a heel again. He bullies the opponent before hitting his move. Classic big heel behavior.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Put yourself in Stone Cold, suspend your disbelief and immersing yourself in the storyline world mode for a minute. Hornswoggle - sorry, the anonymous RAW general manager - had SEVEN DAYS to book this show, with the entire roster available, and THIS was the card we got:
Ziggler & Cena & Ryback v. Kane & Harper & Rollins Rowan v. Big Show Tag Team Turmoil (five teams) AJ Lee & WWE App v. Bellas Fernando v. Mizdow Jack Swagger v. Fandango
THAT'S how the GM decided to fill a three hour show. And to make it even more outlandish, I'm pretty sure those first two matches weren't thought up (again, in storyline terms) until our first 20 minute talkfest segment!
I guess I'd want to remain anonymous, too, if that was the best card I could come up with.
Originally posted by wannaberockstarI liked it much more than usual, though it made me sad that Bryan was only a last week thing.
Also, the Swagger vs. Rusov stuff made me realise how much I hate pro-American "rah rah" jingoistic nonsense. How exactly is Rusov the bad guy and Swagger/Slaughter/etc. is the good guy when they're literally bullying some guy (and girl) into pledging allegiance to a country?
Well beating up an old man in the back is usually thought of as "not good". But otherwise yeah.
Yeah, while Rusev has been pretty much the only new act that's gotten any degree of heat, it is pretty shitty that the good guys would force two people who (storyline-wise) aren't even Americans to pledge allegiance to another country. If Rusev put, say, Swagger in the Accolade until he agreed to sing a patriotic Russian song, the announcers would be spitting all over him. On the upside, I was kinda glad to hear that the 'Pledge or Battle Royal' ultimatum was eventually followed up on, even if they waited till Smackdown! Simply because ignoring it last week was a pretty glaring plot hole.
I really never liked the 'patriotic face, anti-America heel' gimmick, any of the times I've seen it. I didn't like it when they were French or when they were Arabic, and I still don't like it when he's Russian. Especially when I know Lana isn't even Russian at all; Rusev might be Bulgarian, but I know little about him outside the ring.
i thought it was a fun time, but then again, when you get free suite tix with a fridge stocked with beer, table tennis would have been just as entertaining.
Random post: I found some pictures from a 1994 house show and every one is dead. Paul Bearer. Owen Hart. Bam Bam Bigelow. Doink (if it was Matt Borne).
Originally posted by dwatersRandom post: I found some pictures from a 1994 house show and every one is dead. Paul Bearer. Owen Hart. Bam Bam Bigelow. Doink (if it was Matt Borne).
Off the top of my head, the only people to have any successful exposure after TE are the women. Maven had injuries and a family death, yes, but he wrestled right before Bad Blood. He's not been used well.