C'mon guys, no Raw thread? The show airs an hour late up here, there's no way I should be starting the thread!
No full-bore recap here or anything. It looks like they're going ahead with making Punk a full-bore heel, though he is at least justified in his anger, which is usually the best type of heel. Beating down Lawler, proclaiming himself the best in the world and leaving the ring right as Cena charged in was pretty good timing in my books.
The Bryan/Kane segments were there, but I always like whenever Kane gets to talk about just how ridiculous his backstory is. Shout-outs to Pete Rose! And I was wondering when Bryan's shouting matches with fans would lead to a count-out loss. How dare that R-Truth take advantage of someone's mental instability to win a match! He should be sympathetic towards a fellow sufferer!
The three hour show curse struck again, as far too much time was taken up by the "Triple H is going to retire, lets show off lots of Triple H clips, and here he is to talk and not actually say whether he's retiring or not but he makes it look like he is so that's what we'll take it as" stuff. They still found a way to get Zack Ryder and Heath Slater and Jack Swagger and others onto the show this week at least, but that was a whole lot of time to spend on Triple H's ego. But then, I'm hardly unbiased there. Maybe it worked for others! I cringed when the camera cut to Cole and Mathews standing up respectfully during his entrance, but I have to assume I'm in a minority on that.
The Ryback nearly killed Jack Swagger with a botched back body drop. Poor Jack.
Good on Layla and Natalya for putting on a decent clinic for the time they had to work with. Are they still playing ribs on the divas, though? Having Vickie stand on the apron and look bored during the match? That coupled with the "At least Layla's still awake" comment last week during the battle royale makes me wonder if there's some kind of plan to all of this, or if they're just trying to bury the diva's division until whoever their next big star for it comes along. They need a diva who can carry the division on her back like Trish and Lita and Mickie did, but I'm not sure who on the current roster can do that.
And yeah, colour me a bit annoyed that Miz can go out there and dominate Cena, give him so many shots to the head with kicks and DDTs that Cena actually starts selling a potential concussion and staggering around the ring, but then after his superman comeback he's up and smiling and posing like he never took a hit. We get it, Cena, you're going to win the match and we knew that since it was announced. But Miz will look that much better if you look a little worse for wear afterwards.
Okay, that's what I took away from the show. What did everyone else think? And is anyone going to bother to try to recap it?
Kane telling his life story in therapy was funnier than Dr. Evil telling his life story in therapy. It is too bad he never mentioned going to dental school, but the rest was great and easily the highligh of the show. Scorpio Sky(Harold) is getting some love from the big two as TNA used him to the lead up to and at Destination X and the WWE used him last night. Santino not being able to control the cobra is pretty fucking ridiculous. AJ playing mini Stepanie McMahon totally has fubar'd what was a very interesting and fun character. I tapped out on Raw during tha neverending HHH video package.
It's harder to comment on these threads because I can't watch a show this long too closely, I'm dividing my attention much more until someone I care about comes on. I noticed Clay out there tagging with Sin Cara (pretty sure) - didn't care a whit for that.
Yeah, Punk going full heel is a bit disappointing, because you know it's only because JOHN CENA MUST REMAIN FACE (hat tip to THIS FEUD MUST CONTINUE). At least the Kaufman callbacks were fun. Not even Punk can get a decent match out of King though, 'Boring' chants were heard. Deservedly.
Speaking of things people didn't care about, HHH's dinner theater-quality play for sympathy mostly failed again, he did a little better with the Raw crowd vs a PPV hardcore audience. This amuses me the more they double-down on thinking anyone gives a crap about H pretending to retire until the next time they want to pop a PPV buyrate.
"Anger Management" sessions could turn into a sleeper hit if the rest of the "group" turns out to be backstage folks who can string this out for awhile. I think the way to go is focus on the 'civilians' reacting to the outrageousness of two characters from the WWE Universe.
Just me, or is anyone else starting to get the feeling that the reason Cena 'failed to win the title' with MitB was just setting the stage for Ziggler to get his face kicked off when he tries his sneak attack cash-in on Sheamus?
Next week in Chicago should be an interesting crowd, but I'm sure Punk can mostly turn the cheers he'll start with.
I'd have started the thread, but I had some catching up to do after watching The Mindy Project, which I recommend to you all, because Mindy Kaling is awesome!
I take back everything good thing I said last week. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, foolishly thinking that they'd let the fans decide who they want to back, but FUCK THAT NOISE! Superman John Cena is YOUR hero, whether you like it or not! And if you don't start booing CM Punk, we'll make him start tearing up signs at ringside or something and MAKE you boo him! Like Justin pointed out last week, the only positive to this is that at least Punk's an awesome heel, serving Lawler up something good in that opening promo.
What a hero that John Cena is, by the way! Look at the way he heroically yells at everyone to raise the cage, even though he can CLIMB UP THE SIDE AT ANY TIME!!! And he's so LIVID at that dastardly Punk's actions that he's going to slide in...and DO NOTHING while Punk simply saunters away very slowly. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen!
In two short segments, Daniel Bryan and Kane gave me more laughs in a therapy segment than Matthew Perry did in an entire half-hour. I will definitely grant them this -- that whole bit was funny and I'll happily eat my words over it. It's like Bryan and Kane are determined to make those bits work in spite of themselves.
Kane and Zack Ryder really should have just hugged it out. Come on, Kane! Do it for your friends in anger management!
And wowwwwwww, was the rest of the show a colossal bore. Is it me or was about half that show dedicated to Triple H and showing how great he was?
The Kane and My Boy D-Bry Anger Management sessions were golden. I miss those old skits and segments WWE would do during the Attitude Era when the Superstars would interact with the outside world, like Mick Foley and Al Snow touring Vegas or Crash Holly's 24-7 Hardcore matches. Kane's back story is so absurd it's legendary now. He also summed up a great deal of his story within one or two minutes. More time for Trips amirite?
I think the three hour show is starting to make me weary of tuning in as I feel asleep at 7:54 and woke up exactly at 11:00. Then I just found a full show upload on Youtube withing minutes. For those without a DVR this is a timesaver.
Kane is the highlight of the show. Fucking KANE. And Bryan, but that's par for the course. What happened to you, Raw? Shit, your ass used to be beautiful.
Punk was struggling to draw heat from even that relatively pro Cena, easily manipulated crowd. It's been a similar story with the house shows, with the kiddie crowd still cheering Punk. Hell, even after that beat down on Lawler, Punk just wasn't getting that much of a reaction from the crowd, pro or anti.
I'm getting worried now, I don't see this ending well for him.
The only I can think of is that they've got the one-two of Rock and Austin penciled in for Punk at Rumble and Mania next year, and they want a head start on him getting some serious heel heat. But turning him against Cena does nothing but highlight how much people want Cena in that role. But part two, there's no other faces for Punk to turn on! Man is this product fucked.
The only way they could redeem Punk's ridiculous heel turn would be to just have him say, "Well, Cena, the office wants everyone to love you and everyone to hate me, so I just gave them what they wanted," then follow it up by doing increasingly over-the-top heelish things (which Punk is fantastic at, ask Rey Mysterio's children). Then it could be fun. But if he's just turned into a big whiny coward meanie because he's got a big ego (even though Cena just cut a promo last week about how you have to have a big ego to get ahead in the WWE)...well, then, it's just as crappy as it's seemed so far.
I do love Kane and D-bry, at least, and if they want to become the tag team "Anger Management", I'm fine with that. Both guys have enough subtlety of performance to mingle in with their over-the-top personas that it could totally work. Plus, Kofi/Truth are SO BORING.
Speaking of SO BORING...the rest of the show. I can't bring myself to turn on A.J., though. She's just too darned cute.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
I got to the 9:15 mark and with other shit going on, I just gave up. I refuse to DVR this shit, because that is what Raw usually is after Summerslam, shit. They do this every year lately where they do some giant angle and it falls apart at SummerSlam and we have to deal with it til Survivor Series or til the Rumble. Part of me thinks the WWE does this on purpose. They know the fall line-up is around the corner with MNF and they just give up. They may do one or two shocking things, but its all same old same old.
The Punk I saw last night was Pipe Bomb Punk. Taking shots at Lawler that fans have been saying for years and even one at Vince with the "Train Seal" comment. It was nice to see him back for at least one night even though its Vince trying to shove him to be a heel when most of the older fans agree with him. As others pointed out, Lawler is not that sympathetic of a face. Why it worked two years ago with Miz could be everyone wanted to choke the life out of Cole. Now after two years of Lawler sitting there and taking it, no one cares about him.
I do wish we got to see more of the divas match than Vickie looking bored. Her expression is the same one I have when I see her. Ziggler doesn't need you anymore and I could care less about AJ. Ryback almost paralyzing Swagger was nuts. Someone needs to put this guy into check. HHH trying to get the sympathy vote is just pathetic at this point and I hope the rumors about him in Brock in Hell of the Cell are just rumors. Brock deserves a better opponent.
(edited by lotjx on 28.8.12 0730)
(edited by lotjx on 28.8.12 0731) The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
Anyone else think Punk gets laid out in his hometown next week?
When Punk decked Lawler last week, Miz tweeted this:
I don't blame @CMPunk I would of done the same thing to King....oh wait I did it 2 years ago. #BooHooJerry
And Punk really is stuck in Mizland now, between Cena and Lawler. The man can talk. He can work the mic for ten minutes if you need him too. But why not give him someone to work against besides SuperCena? Is there no midcarer who could use the boost of the "scrappy underdog who almost wins it" angle? Feed him Kofi.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
They are using planted fans. The guy that was yelling at Bryan during his match is the same guy that was shown marking out when Brock debuted after Mania. And I've seen glimpses of him in the crowd a couple times.
Originally posted by ScottyflamingoThey are using planted fans. The guy that was yelling at Bryan during his match is the same guy that was shown marking out when Brock debuted after Mania. And I've seen glimpses of him in the crowd a couple times.
Yeah and he wears the same shirt EVERY TIME. Just like the old bald neon-pink shirt wearing guy that was front row at WWE events years ago.
Originally posted by ScottyflamingoThey are using planted fans. The guy that was yelling at Bryan during his match is the same guy that was shown marking out when Brock debuted after Mania. And I've seen glimpses of him in the crowd a couple times.
Yeah and he wears the same shirt EVERY TIME. Just like the old bald neon-pink shirt wearing guy that was front row at WWE events years ago.
I'd like to have that job. Front row seats. More camera time than the WWE champ some weeks. Interaction with your favorite WWE superstars. It would rank right up there with Loosie giving the Rock the double bird on camera at WM.
RE: The live stream. I don't keep up with what WWE schedules every day for their stream, but I would assume that for the week, Legends house episode 2 was shown more times on the live stream than Legends House episode 1?