Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will be running the WWE when Vince steps down. I said it before and I'll say it again. The duo have a big part in the day to day running of the company right now so it only seems natural that it will soon become official. Yet people complain and I'm not really sure why.
They start spewing stuff about "Hunter holding guys back" and nobody will get a fair shot, but what will really change? Think about it, every wrestling company is headed by somebody who's opinion makes or breaks the company. Technically you could make an argument that in every federation someone is being held back by that account. After all, not every booker or promoter will want the same things out of their talents nor see the same things.
The same can be said about personal vendettas. While we may like to pretend that such things don't exist they do in every type of business out there. It goes back to the old saying "you don't cross the boss." If the boss doesn't like you, chances are you will not make it in the company. It may not be the fairest thing in the world but that's just how life is.
So while it may be easy to automatically throw out the cliche "Hunter is holding so and so back" argument, it really doesn't have any legs to stand upon. Couldn't we say the same about guys who Vince holds back? What about Dixie Carter or even guys like Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, and Kevin Sullivan in their days?
My point being, why put down something based on an act that everyone before them committed as well? I'm not saying that it's right, but nothing is going to change the fact. It's just another case of people wanting to lash out against Hunter just due to who he is married to. Trust me, it could be worse. What if Stephanie had hooked up with Russo?
Day 79
Sting you had a great run man but it's time to call it a day. I can respect your desire to compete and the fact that you don't really want to leave the business you've made your life for so many years. What is there left for you to accomplish though? At this point the only possible goal you could have to accomplish would be to show up in a WWE ring but you've been more than vocal about not wanting that to happen in the past. Besides, if that interested you that would have been a stop on the tour years ago.
You finally lost a World title match for the first time in four tries at Bound for Glory, and in your home town nonetheless. You put over the current TNA champion AJ Styles in what was finally a case of what was best for the company. Now you simply have to ask yourself what is it that you have left to offer the company in a wrestling capacity?
While I hate to admit it I have to say that the answer is nothing. I'm a huge Stinger fan, been so for years and years on end but every story has to have an ending and it just so happens that Sting's book is closing right now. That's not an insult to the man or his career as he's accomplished a ton. The problem is, at this point he is only slowly starting to tarnish his legacy by remaining in the ring.
I don't want him to turn into the next Ric Flair and I'm left wincing every time he takes a simple bump. I don't want Sting's career to turn into a case of sitting and waiting for him to leave I want to see him leave now while he can still do so with dignity.
Perhaps a back stage role could work for Sting if he really can't see himself leaving but I'd have to even second guess that decision. Sting gave his all to this business and luckily invested his money wisely so he doesn't have to struggle to make ends meet in his post wrestling life. So I say walk away while you still literally can. Hang up the boots and walk out with your head high. It's best to leave while there is still no shame in it, rather than leave because you are ashamed.
Day 80
I don't know what it is about it, but today was the one of the few days a year where I still feel like a kid. Ever since the existence of wrestling games I've made it a habit of scooping every game I can up and when I'm able to I do so on the day the game comes out. Yes, that's right I'm not only a wrestling fan but a video game fan as well. That's a double whammy in terms of my inner nerd but I embrace it.
Today thanks to it being a slow day at work I was able to leave early and pick up the new Smackdown vs Raw game right as stores were opening. I still find myself just as excited as ever about these games and it's become quite a yearly tradition of mine to go out and pick up these games.
It's one of the things I've maintained from my childhood and it honestly makes me feel like a kid again. From the moment I have the game in my hands the excitement just pours through me. The anticipation of finally playing the game after all the build is something that never fails to excite me.
Why though? Most people will argue that from year to year the games only slightly vary but I still can't help but buy into the hype. Without fail every year I leave satisfied and am reminded of just how much a fan boy of wrestling I am.
That's the thing, I might try and convince myself that I'm just a typical wrestling fan but it's painfully obvious that I am not. Of all things it takes a video game to remind me of how much I truly love wrestling. As I sit there booking "cards" with a notebook full of past events I've held on past games I'm taken back to my days of spending hours playing with wrestling toys.
I suppose this isn't much different. While I consider myself to be a gamer of all types and variety no games manages to capture my attention and hold it like these games. Is it because the games are simply that breathtakingly good? No, it's simply because I'm a fan; and it's my fandom that keeps me coming back. As much as I think I've lost some of the passion, every year two things remind me just how big a fan I am. Wrestlemania and the release of Smackdown vs Raw.
In a way it's a curse. Rushing out of work, rushing through the doors and the power walking over to the video game section. Shelling out hard earned money year in and year out, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Day 81
So I got this email that I wanted to address and following the Christian/Jericho match (which I missed unfortunately due to my SvR fandom)I figured the timing was perfect:
I am a faithful reader as well as watcher of WWE. I have a question that I hope that you can address to all of the other Smarks out there who, are probably wondering when is Christian going to be leaving ECW? it is time. He should drop the belt to Regal and then move to RAW. he could go into a feud with one of three people. Either Dibiase, Rhodes or hopefully Orton. I know that WWE has touted Dibiase as the future, but didn't Christian leave once before for being passed over? He has served his penance, and proved that he can run with a Title. With the Cena feud coming to an end, and neither Dibiase nor Rhodes are yet ready to headline a Wrestle mania, why doesn't the WWE move Christian. There are a hundred different storylines they could use for their feud. For instance if at the Royal Rumble match itself, they are the last two competitors, and there is some sort of controversy surrounding the ending. Christian moves to raw and they begin feuding until Wrestlemania. Or any other idea that creative could come up with.
This would solve many problems that the WWE is facing. 1. A shortage of Main eventers on RAW. 2. New Feuds. and 3. Finally letting Christian run with the Ball.
What are your thoughts?
I do agree that Christian has paid his dues and it may just be time for him to move to one of the bigger brands. Though I do think he needs to lose the belt I think he needs to do so in a way that won't kill his momentum. It might have worked for Matt Hardy last year when he dropped the belt to Swagger before moving into a feud with his brother but I always thought the logic was a bit off. Taking a guy who lost the title on the C-show and moving him into one of the top feuds on a bigger brand.
Needless to say I don't agree with going the same route with Christian. Instead I'd suggest a triple threat that allows Christian to lose to Regal without "losing" or full fledged screwjob. Either way this will take the belt off Christian and put Regal over without slowing Christian's momentum.
Now I would love to see a Orton/Christian feud or a Legacy/Christian feud in general but you have to look at the bigger picture. Will Christian be able to flourish in the main event scene of Raw? With guys like Cena (maybe), Orton, Big Show, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels there as well you have to wonder if there is enough room at the top for them all.
I'd have to say that Smackdown would be the more logical choice for Christian. He'd have some fresh feuds waiting for him but would be involved in an overall roster that is booked in a way that almost everyone is a legit contender at any time. Therefore the odds of Christian succeeding would be much greater.
Not to mention the built in story that we could have when Edge returns. Imagine a face Edge teaming with a face Christian challenging Jericho and Big Show. The story practically writes itself on that one. Jericho and Edge have history due to Jericho calling Edge "weak" and needing to get a new partner following the injury; and everyone knows the back story between Edge and Christian.
So in short, is Christian ready to move up? Yes, I'm just not 100% sold that Raw is the place for him. Look how fast M.V.P.'s stock fell. He went from being a guy that people thought was going to be a newly emerging main eventer, to being a midcarder who can't buy a win lately. Plain and simple, Christian "shouldn't" go to Smackdown" he NEEDS to.
Day 82
So I didn't catch Bound for Glory do to me getting my weeks mixed up and actually thinking it was this weekend; thus I made no plans in advance and was unable to get it when I found out it was indeed last weekend. From what I've read I've seen mixed reviews. While some praise the direction they criticize the execution. Which leads me into my next point.
I read a spoiler (sue me) that gave away the alleged Turning Point main event. Impact hasn't aired at this point so I don't know the validity of it just yet but I'm willing to bet it's accurate (seeing as Impact is a taped show and all) so I have to say "WTF?"
DO NOT READ BELOW THIS LINE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE EVENT SPOILED
Am I angry that AJ, Joe, and Daniels are trying to capture the magic of their past feud? No, far from it. Sure Joe isn't on the same level anymore (so sad to say) and the match may not live up to it's counterparts from year prior but I still expect something solid. No, my frustration doesn't lie within the match itself but rather the reasoning behind it. Or rather the lack of reasoning behind it.
Obviously I can't say for a fact that such an idea belonged to our good friend Vince Russo, but it reeks of something he'd do. When WCW started to tank they featured tons of these rushed "no hype" matches that came together seemingly via drawing names from a hat. Even go back to the night Booker T won the world title for WCW at the infamous Bash at the Beach. He had just lost earlier that night in a random midcard match to Chris Kanyon. While I didn't have a problem with Booker getting the nod, exactly how did it make sense? Sure we know wrestling is fake but you still have to play into the suspension of belief. You can break character here and there but to overdue it cheapens the effect.
Point being sure it was shocking to see Booker T come out and not only challenge for the World title but also win it; but what about Kanyon? To the audience you basically are saying here is a guy who just lost earlier tonight but now he's your new # 1 contender. The same can be said about the Diesel/HBK match at In Your House years ago. Nash loses to Undertaker at WM, yet is named # 1 contender directly after for no rhyme or reason. I can even understand that in the wrestling business I'm supposed to have a selective memory but asking me to forget something that just happened is asinine.
Which brings us back to the Turning Point main event. At Bound for Glory Samoa Joe lost to Bobby Lashley and Daniels failed to win the X Division title in an Ultimate X match. Now we are supposed to forget about that and instead focus on their past matches. So forget something that happened less than a week ago but remember something that happened four years ago. There's no reasoning with logic like that.
Day 83
I wonder if Carlito regrets resigning with the WWE at this point? I know most view the guy as nothing more as a midcarder but is there really anything wrong with that? I look at it as a business and most business have your upper management, middle management, and then the laborers who bring it all together. All aspects of the chain are needed for the machine to keep going, so what does it matter where someone falls?
Obviously most strive to move forward but what if you are already good at your craft but comfortable? Should a guy like Carlito be frowned upon if he's comfortable in the midcard (not saying he is but you get the point)? I say if you are good at something even if that something is nothing more than being a role player than you are doing your job.
For every Triple H there needs to be a Kofi Kingston, meaning that each division needs to be treated equally as important as the others. There in lies one of my problems with WWE, they tend to treat most of their non-world titles as inferior belts. I say rather than treating the midcard belts as lower tier titles treat them as true divisions.
Think of it in terms of how MMA works. None of the belts are built below any other, they are are all on the same page yet represent different weight classes. Treat your titles like that. It's not so much that the IC title is under the World title it simply caters to a different audience.
The World Heavyweight and WWE titles could be combined into one big division where your bigger guys wrestle. Not neccessarily just big guys but I suppose guys you are more used to seeing fight for that title throughout the years. HHH, HBK, Batista, Undertaker, etc. You could even have potential for cross over with guys from the IC division moving up if they so desired.
The IC division would feature mainly your guys like Morrison, Ziggler, Kingston, Miz, MVP, Swagger, etc. Like I said before though the potential for crossover would always exist and there is nothing that says something in this division couldn't move up if they made weight requirements. I'd primarily use this division for your guys who are great wrestlers but not necessarily considered heavyweights.
The ECW title would become an up and comers belt meant to showcase your newer talent. Kind of like a future stars division. Maybe have a requirement of 5 years and under on the main roster as a requirement to keep it fresh.
The tag division would be as it is now though I'd stick more teams in there when available. Same could be said with the Women's belt and lastly bring back the cruiserweight title and you are good. Of course I don't know if the MMA approach would necessarily work in terms of PPVs (not sure anybody would buy a PPV headlined by a Tag Title match) but I think the divisions could strengthen the roster and help give importance to every member. While I did add one title, I was also able to eliminate three (U.S., Diva's, and one of the world belts)putting two below the current count.
So I look at a guy like Carlito who currently has no direction yet why not use him to beef up either the IC/US division or tag? Call me crazy but I just find it ridiculous at the notion that creative has nothing for somebody. While I defended and understand the entertainment portion why not just let the guy go out there and wrestle? If he's just going to be sitting on the sidelines let him move on elsewhere so he can at least continue to do what he loves.
I know this one has been a bit scatterbrained but the main points I wish to drive home is that one champion shouldn't be considered above another, and how hard is it to simply come up with a segment to book somebody in? I mean Hornswoggle manages to get into segments every week but Carlito can't? Just seems silly to me. Made even worse by the fact that it seemed that Carlito was ready to leave at one point only to get talked into staying. Though at this moment you really have to wonder what it is he stayed for?
Last point of the day before I wrap this rant up into a pretty package. Think about it in terms of a big sporting team. Sure it may sound nice to get paid to sit on the sidelines and collect a check but it's not. In reality sure you are getting paid but eventually that contract will run out and you've done nothing to showcase your abilities due to sitting on the sidelines. Due to not showing your skills, your stock has in turn plummeted which makes you less valuable to others when you go to sign a new contract.
You may think it's a good deal but it's hard to have leverage when negotiating with another company when you haven't worked in quite some time. Hopefully Carlito's luck turns around but I fear he'll be future endeavored before we know it.
Day 84
Brock Lesnar ruined it for everyone. Pretty bold and vague statement I know but let me explain. I don't mean my statement in a negative light against Lesnar as I was a big Lesnar fan both in the WWE and now in his ventures outside of the WWE. His immediate push and run as "the Next Big Thing" was some intriguing television. As a fan you couldn't help but wonder who it would be that stopped him and even in losses he looked strong.
He was involved in a pretty underrated HIAC match with the Undertaker and his dominance of Hulk Hogan was unlike anything I've ever seen. You might be able to argue Goldberg but that happened so quick it didn't really come off as dominating as much as it seemed like he caught Hogan off guard. Brock simply decimated Hogan though even busting him open and wiping Hogan's blood on his chest like some sort of war paint.
Of course before that you had his quick rise to the top as the youngest WWE champion and his disposal of the Rock. Simply put the guy was booked in a way to seem next to unstoppable and one of the most overbearing forces of his time. The WWE in general invested a lot into Lesnar's future and truly had plans for him to live out his tagline of being the next big thing.
Plans change though and one day Lesnar decided that he no longer wanted to be a part of the WWE family and just like that he was gone. Since then the WWE has erased parts of his legacy even going as far as to hot shot Randy Orton to the World title in order to take the record away from Lesnar. Why? Simply because Vince and company felt that their investment had betrayed them.
Since then I can't really think of anyone who has had that kind of run. Kozlov seemed like he was heading in that direction but it simply seemed forced and didn't pan out in the end. Now it seems that perhaps WWE is so fearful of investing so much time in a guy just to have them fly the coup that they don't push anybody as unstoppable monsters for more than short term programs. Even a guy like Big Show who by all accounts should just dominate everyone rarely does.
When Lesnar left he may have taken the role of the last truly dominant big man with him.
Quick note, next week the dailies are fixing to get a little strange as I'll be paying tribute to my CF comrade Uncle Joe and full filling a request he asked of me not long ago. Next week will see a full week of Skip Rogers' blogs so if random, self-indulgence without a hint of a point isn't your thing then I suggest you take a break next week.
As always I am the MONKEY and you've just seen the world through my eyes.
Feel free to send all feedback to monkeyweasel9821@yahoo.com
