Breaking The Walls Down - Now It’s Starting To Get Painful Submitted by Chris Dailey on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 at 7:14 PM EST
Breaking The Walls Down
Hello and welcome back to another edition of Breaking The Walls Down. I have returned from my honeymoon and it was a great trip. I set a personal record for myself, sixteen mosquito bites on my right leg below the knee. Hey, at least there’s going to be a huge group of us at The Tiki Bar this Saturday night. That place is awesome. It’s outside (and inside) with BBQ pits and beer. It’s a great place, as long as the weather is good. Anyway, onto Bits and Pieces.
Bits and Pieces
Good news for Kurt Angle. I am glad to see that he has had a successful operation on his neck and will be returning shortly. I only hope that this surgery is not the temporary fix that many predict it is.
How much longer until we see The A.P.A. back again? They’re my favorite tag team going right now (that’s sad to say considering they haven’t tagged together in what seems like over a year).
Sable is old. There, I said it. Her face and her skin show the signs of what seem to be too much indoor tanning. Her skin does not look young anymore, so please stop flaunting it around.
How is Hayabusa doing? Has anyone heard?
Props to my friend Matt, who seemingly wrote the entire script to RAW last night. Everytime something was about to happen, he accurately predicted it well in advance. Also, props to Derek for the excellent beer from Selinsgrove Brewery and another brewery that I can’t remember the name of. Those growlers were huge.
Anyway, onto the column.
Now It’s Starting To Get Painful
Please bare with me. I’m a wrestling fan. I really, really, really love wrestling. Which, is why it bothers me to type this, but it’s the truth and the truth is always important. The state of wrestling is so bad now; it actually pains me to watch it. And, when I say state of wrestling, I am referring to the WWE, as that is the only major promotion around (say what you will about the NWA-TNA, they are not there. . . yet). What helped me decide to write for this column were the multiple reports that the WWE was handing out questionnaires at the Smackdown taping last week asking fans what they thought of the product and what could be improved. Well, since I wasn’t there, I’ve decided to let everything off my chest and say what needs to be worked on and what the WWE is doing right.
What needs to be worked on:
First and foremost, the split roster idea is not working. It’s boring and played out. Does Vince McMahon actually think that wrestling fans are going to be excited to pay for a RAW or Smackdown only PPV when they can see something equivalent for free on TV? I know, I know, it’s supposedly no different from when there used to be different promotions. I say that is complete bs. How can you compare the two? We only see a small select amount of wrestlers on each show and I doubt that is going to change. What does that mean for you and me? Boredom and a waste of money. Sorry Vince, as much as I want to support the wrestlers, I won’t pay (and neither will Tim, the guy who always buys the PPVs) for a shortened roster. If the PPV looks good, I can always go to my local Hooters or some place like that to watch it.
Have Triple H lose the title. I repeat, have Triple H lose the title. And, no matter what you do, that’s still the IC Title. But, don’t have Triple H lose the title to Kevin Nash. Have Triple H drop the title to Booker T or RVD. Triple H has killed both of these men’s respectability in eyes of the crowd. It’s time to build them back up.
If you insist on having a Women’s Division, then don’t give the title to Jazz. I don’t say that because I personally can’t stand her (which is true, she puts me to sleep), the crowd is why I say it. They could care less, but Vince keeps pushing her down our throats. She’s no Chyna, sorry Vince.
Give Goldberg his old music back. Why was his music changed to begin with? The other music was much more ominous and powerful, it made you anticipate Goldberg entrance and coming to the ring. This new music makes me want Goldberg to run to the ring so I won’t have to hear that music for too long.
There was a PPV this past Sunday, why on God’s green Earth wasn’t Chris Benoit, Rhyno, or Matt Hardy on the card? There is no excuse for that. Matt Hardy is The Light Heavyweight Champion.
Speaking of The Light Heavyweight Champion Matt Hardy, isn’t he over the limit in terms of weight? And, even if he isn’t, why wasn’t he on the PPV tantalizing us with a match, maybe against Tajiri? There were two tag team title defenses, but no Light Heavyweight title defense or even a spot for the champion. He wasn’t even on Sunday Night Heat.
Rumor has it that The Big Show is next in line to face Brock Lesnar. Why is this? That has been done already. What about Chris Benoit vs. Brock Lesnar for the title and actually letting Chris Benoit win the title cleanly? Chris Benoit is due for that title.
RVD and Kane should not be tag team champions. RVD should be competing for the WWE Title. Kane should be in the main-event fold in some fashion. If it is felt that Kane has been in the main-event fold for too long and he needs to be in the tag division for a while, at least give him a tag team partner that looks right with him. RVD is the complete opposite of Kane. And, in this case, opposites do not work.
Well, for the moment, that’s all I can think of that the WWE is doing bad. Now, on the positive side, what are they doing that is good?
What The WWE Is Doing Right:
Team Angle/Los Guerreros feud. This feud is being done in a nice, entertaining way. However, repetitiveness may be setting in with Eddie and Chavo stealing the tag team belts at the PPV. However, it fits their gimmick (cheat to win), so I can understand it.
Since Austin can’t wrestle, he’s a commissioner. I’m not sure how this one will pan out, but it does have possibilities. Austin working with Bischoff may be funny to watch, as long as it doesn’t quickly fall into the realm of constant bickering, leading to a Stunner, leading to reprisal from Bischoff, and so on.
I like the introduction of the new tag team on RAW. La Resistance (sp?) should add a much needed shot of life into the tag team scene.
Ric Flair. Plain and simple, Ric Flair. This man is always entertaining.
The TV program Confidential. I like it. The show does not reveal too much of the inside of professional wrestling, but it does show interesting takes on the wrestlers when they are not in the ring.
The Undertaker vs. Kane and The Undertaker teaming up with Kane. Thankfully the WWE learned not to put these guys anywhere near each other. Hey, at least they’re not throwing lightning bolts at each other again.
Brock Lesnar is the WWE Heavyweight Champion. After thinking about this, I think it is a good idea. He’s over and could have some interesting feuds with some of the younger talent on the Smackdown roster. Remember Chris Benoit?
The rumored possibility that the WWE may sign Sting. If Sting is still in as good as shape as they say he is, then this will absolutely be a great move. Hopefully Sting can add his charisma to the WWE product and give it a much needed boost.
The almost forgotten rumor that Vince McMahon has been considering bringing back ECW on a late night time slot. How, in the world, could this be bad? As long as Vince understands that ECW stands for Extreme Championship Wrestling. And, as long as Vince understands that Paul Heyman needs to be in charge and allowed to continue what he started in the mid to late 90s and into 2000 and 2001.
Well, there you have it. Those are just my thoughts. Do I think that the WWE will read them and think about what I typed? Personally I hope they do, but that’s not reality. I simply want Vince to recognize that all these problems can still be fixed, all he has to do is start listening to the people who pay his paycheck. And, maybe, he made that first step last week at the Smackdown tapings.
