Today's (or should I say Tuesday's) Smackdown was pretty good. They put RVD over Jindrak, and had a cool 6 man Cruiserweight bout (showcasing Spike Dudley can actually compete in the Cruiserweight division) and a very entertaining Eddie Spot; all these things made for a show better than usual (hence the question; Can it be a change for the better, or a fluke?)
This week the show only left me with a few questions:
1. The Mexican Championship- Does it have any lineage?(Could it be the descendant of the ECW Championship?!) Sadly enough, It kind of looks like the Women's championship; perhaps they're using the belt that was originally intended to be the Smackdown Women's Belt?
2. Somebody said that Mysterio's victory over Mordecai was a "killing of that character" a way to send him back to the drawing board. Since Cena just completely wiped the mat with Suzuki; is that a killing of that character?
Your Opinions?
(edited by WhoTookMyHonor? on 8.7.04 1844)
Eric: "Now to unveil my finishing move; the Bischoff lock!" Vince: "Let go of me you idiot!"
1. I'm hoping I'm just missing the sarcasm as opposed to you missing the joke. Just in case, "El Gran Luchadore, Champion of Mexico" is a running JBL gag that means nothing aside from letting JBL beat up a faceless Mexican.
2. If they were going to kill off Suzuki tonight they wouldn't have given him promo time to remind everyone of last week. He woulda just run out randomly and been thumped, with no explanation. I'm not a fan of killing characters off before they've been given a fair chance to fail; to me, that's how you wind up with a stale roster and no fresh angles to work with.
I liked how they gave EIGHT cruisers a legit spot on the show, and maybe that is a sign of a change of direction (with the Kidman/London win making this look a little more likely)...then again, maybe it's just a one week thing because Undertaker wasn't there. Who knows. I'm already feeling like I'm repeating what I've written in other threads on that subject, so I guess that's all I've got to say about that.
Originally posted by BigVitoMarkI'm not a fan of killing characters off before they've been given a fair chance to fail; to me, that's how you wind up with a stale roster and no fresh angles to work with.
How much more time are you willing to give Suzuki? He's atrocious.
The only reason I can come up with for all the cruisers on the show is that Bruce Pritchard fell asleep and missed the taping.
Originally posted by WhoTookMyHonor?Today's (or should I say Tuesday's) Smackdown was pretty good. They put RVD over Jindrak, and had a cool 6 man Cruiserweight bout (showcasing Spike Dudley can actually compete in the Cruiserweight division) and a very entertaining Eddie Spot; all these things made for a show better than usual (hence the question; Can it be a change for the better, or a fluke?)
I'm on the record in the DEAN thread as pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable this show was. Kenzo's geisha, JBL and Dupree were funny as hell, and we got two title changes. I'm not complaining about this installment.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffHow much more time are you willing to give Suzuki? He's atrocious.
I have to agree. Sazuki has shown NO signs of improving whatsoever. In that little brawl he had with Cena tonight, the guy looked like he had NO clue what to do in the ring.
I have a feeling that tonight's show was a fluke. However, they could prove me wrong. I'll wait a week or two before I judge. However, tonight's show was extremely enjoyable, and that's a rarity with this brand. Bradshaw continues to get on my good side (seriously, the hand-sanitizer thing is GOLD~!), and they seem to be doing more up-and-down the card booking instead of "Let's give the top 6 guys feuds, and the rest will just wander around until we slap them on the PPV".
The answer to WWE's financial problems...
Never 'Wiener of the Day', and is actually quite bitter about it.
I'll admit freely that the Suzuki/Gunn match at GAB sucked hard, but I see things this way...Suzuki's had a couple of two minute squashes and a Billy Gunn match. That's it. Last week was the first time he got to talk, and it wasn't even in English. No character development, no reason for anyone to care, no nothing. What I'm saying is give the guy a proper match against a guy who isn't garbage, or a feud, or even something to his character other than "he's Japanese and he gets carried to the ring on a throne".
I've they actually try something with this guy and he bombs then fine, get rid of him. I'm not entirely impressed right now, but if you're going to put the time into doing vignettes and building a debut for a guy, do something with it. Don't let that all be a waste. If he's going to fail, let him fail. Don't just assume that it's not going to work because he didn't whip the crowd into a frenzy squashing Scotty 2 Hotty.
The man's been on TV for four or five weeks. Last summer WWE gave up on Ultimo Dragon about that quickly and everyone was up in arms. I think a lot of people on this board decided before Suzuki had even been on TV that he was going to suck, and they've been waiting for him to be dropped ever since. To ask the guy to make himself a star with the time and opportunity he's had is ridiculous.
Yes, but a lot of us have seen Sazuki wrestle before. He sucked in Japan. He sucked in TNA. So far, he's sucked in WWE. Yes, he's been given bad opponents and two minute squashed. But if a guy has talent, you can usually see a little bit of that in those matches. Sazuki looks like he has no clue what he's doing in the ring.
The answer to WWE's financial problems...
Never 'Wiener of the Day', and is actually quite bitter about it.
Well, it's pretty obvious that they didn't really hire Suzuki. They hired his wife, and he came as a package deal. She's got character and charisma, way more than most of the women on that show, and the company apparently thought that she was valuable enough to waste time with Suzuki to get her.
Kenzo's obviously been hanging around DDP a little bit too long. But hey, that's not a bad thing... that's a good thing.
It's not that bad... well, I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely. --Westley, in the dreaded Fire Swamp, The Princess Bride
Two-Time Wiener of the Day (5/27/02; 7/3/02)
Certified RFMC Member-- Ask To See My Credentials!
I'm telling you, if they bring Akio, Sakoda, and the rumored bodyguard into the Suzuki fold (like I suggested a while back), they could keep the character going while sending him to OVW for more seasoning. I was legitimately entertained by Suzuki's promo and "God Bless All America" catchphrase, and it could be comedy gold, if he were paired with the right opponent.
And I keep waiting for him to show SOME moveset. Tajiri's not on the roster, so if he wants to throw 1500 kicks a match, I guess I'm cool with that. (Although that is Booker's gimmick.) Even his finisher is more of an impactful transitional move than a real finisher.
Originally posted by Tenken347Well, it's pretty obvious that they didn't really hire Suzuki. They hired his wife, and he came as a package deal. She's got character and charisma, way more than most of the women on that show, and the company apparently thought that she was valuable enough to waste time with Suzuki to get her.
Well, from what little I've seen of her, she's really good looking. It just sucks that she's in the ol' Japanese geisha stereotype. I think they're just trying to suppress her beauty, for if she went out in street clothes she'd SMOKE the other Smackdown divas, or lack thereof.
Putting him with Akio may help if they would let Akio open up his arsenal. The moves they allow him to do does not do his talent justice. So they are afraid of him getting hurt. I can understand that. But, if he wants to do it...
Originally posted by GeeWPutting him with Akio may help if they would let Akio open up his arsenal. The moves they allow him to do does not do his talent justice. So they are afraid of him getting hurt. I can understand that. But, if he wants to do it...
Afraid of him getting hurt, or afraid of exposing any number of other guys on Smackdown who can't do half the things Akio can? Sounds more like when Shawn Michaels came back and everyone on Raw was told "no more superkicks" than when Angle and Benoit were asked to tone down the German suplexes.
Originally posted by RingmistressWell, from what little I've seen of her, she's really good looking. It just sucks that she's in the ol' Japanese geisha stereotype. I think they're just trying to suppress her beauty, for if she went out in street clothes she'd SMOKE the other Smackdown divas, or lack thereof.
Eh, I don't think that all those southern state crowds on the WWE tour schedule will ever find a visible minority more attractive than a regular white bread bimbo. That's not to say I don't wanna do white chicks, but if Jackie Gayda is "hot" I guess I just don't know what hot is anymore.
It's weird, I'd still do Sable even though she's "apparently" hideous, but Jackie Gayda has a face I can't look at while eating.
Hot Virgins-The World's Most Steadily Shrinking Commodity
Originally posted by BigVitoMark1. I'm hoping I'm just missing the sarcasm as opposed to you missing the joke. Just in case, "El Gran Luchadore, Champion of Mexico" is a running JBL gag that means nothing aside from letting JBL beat up a faceless Mexican
Aye, that it was sarcasm- but ok; my second question about whether they had attempted to kill off Suzuki was an actual question, thank you for the answer.
ON TO OTHER MATTERS:
AKIO: So he's as good as I thought eh? But why is he being buried then? Is it like the past senseless burying of RVD or London? Any insight into this question?
HOROKO or HIROKI (Whatever her name is, my TV Captions say "Horoko"): Without that blasted ever-unimproving Kenzo, what type of gimmick could she fill? Being the same type of manager for any other heel?
(I think Kenzo should be used for comedy purposes, as in the "God Bress Ahll Amerrica" spot- that was funny; could've been funnier,but then; its all in the execution!)
Eric: "Now to unveil my finishing move; the Bischoff lock!" Vince: "Let go of me you idiot!"
Originally posted by WhoTookMyHonor?AKIO: So he's as good as I thought eh? But why is he being buried then? Is it like the past senseless burying of RVD or London? Any insight into this question
Makes no sense to me either, but if you factor in that a.) he's a cruiserweight and b.) a Japanese character, and thus of course can't speak English (and can't cut promos), I think you come up with a pretty frustrating answer...the same reason all the other cruisers or guys who can't talk get buried...they're not money machines like A-Train.