‘RAW’ thoughts
Am I the only one who …
… thought the “under siege” angle was such an illogical, short-sighted booking that I’d have sworn Vince Russo was back writing for WWE?
With babyfaces and heels from “SmackDown Live” banding together in a surprise attack on various members of the “Raw” roster, I think WWE was going for a memorable “Oh my god, they don’t even work here!” moment ala The Nexus in 2010. But the hotshot angle made such little sense that it came off more like Goldberg randomly turning heel and joining Russo and Eric Bischoff in the New Blood in 2000.
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As I wrote in my column for PressBoxOnline.com this week, whenever WWE tries to promote that there’s a brand rivalry between “Raw and “SmackDown Live,” it always comes across as forced and artificial. We’re really supposed to believe that bitter rivals are willing to join forces and fight together simply because they happen to be on the same show?
And don’t even get me started about babyfaces such as New Day and Becky Lynch being willing participants in the gang-style beatdown, and heels such as Baron Corbin and Rusev falling in line because they have pride in their brand. Then again, a wise man did once say that everybody likes their own brand.
… thinks Kurt Angle deserves an Emmy — or, at the very least, a Mizzy — for his performance during the attack?
The angle sucked, but Angle didn’t suck (regardless of what fans chant at him during his entrance). He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t need to. Angle’s facial expressions as he was manhandled, forced to watch the assault and taunted by Shane McMahon were fantastic. He came off shocked, concerned, sad and angry all at once.
… thinks Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Angle should’ve lost at “TLC?”
Before it was announced that Roman Reigns would be unable to participate in the “TLC” main event, the storyline was that the odds were so heavily stacked against the reunited Shield that not even they might be able to overcome them. As it turned out, two-thirds of The Shield and one nearly 50-year-old wrestler with a history of neck issues were able to do it. Seems to me like that takes away from The Shield’s badass aura and takes some of the teeth out of “The Big Dog’s" bite. By booking a feel-good finish, Vince McMahon unwittingly gave credence to the anti-Reigns contingent’s belief that Reigns is overrated.
… thinks the fans whining about Finn Balor losing to Kane are being ridiculous?
Right after the referee’s hand slapped the mat for the third time as Kane covered Balor, social media was buzzing with angry fans complaining about the booking. They were outraged that Balor had to do the honors for the long-in-the-tooth “Big Red Machine,” especially since Balor had scored a big victory over AJ Styles the night before at “TLC.”
Well, the smart marks are predictable if nothing else.
Balor putting over Kane was absolutely the right decision. Kane is headed into a program with Braun Strowman — as long as Strowman is still alive after being compacted in a garbage truck at “TLC,” that is — so the audience needs to be reminded just how much of a threat Kane is. I’ve seen some people say that instead of Balor being fed to Kane, someone of lesser consequence should’ve been sacrificed. That’s missing the point entirely.
Kane needed to beat a somebody, not a nobody. Rest assured, the powers that be in WWE know how good Balor is. That’s why they protected him to some degree by having it take three chokeslams for Kane to beat him. Balor will be just fine.
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… thought it was silly that the women had a match to determine the team captain for their “Survivor Series” squad?
What does being captain even mean? Do they get a “C” patch on their ring attire? Do they get to give the team a cool nickname like “The Rude Brood” or “Roddy’s Rowdies?” Will they put rubber bands in their face and rant about being often imitated but never duplicated?
Even though it’s unclear why there is a need for a team captain, I do fully endorse the decision to give the designation to the wonderful Alicia Fox. Surely, WWE creative will provide us with some entertaining skits of the crazy captain interacting with her subordinates.
On a side note, I heard a rumor that Fox may be forming a tag team with Emma, who will start performing under her real name. Here’s a leaked publicity photo of the two together. (See what I did there?)
… thought it was a real shame that Enzo Amore lost his voice?
And that it was even more of a shame that Booker T didn’t lose his?
… thought Kalisto’s team looked like a bunch of dorks doing the “lucha! lucha!” chant with him during a backstage interview with Charly Caruso?
Even Caruso was doing it, which was extremely disappointing. I expect more professionalism from such a fine, respected broadcast journalist as Ms. Caruso.
‘SmackDown Live’ thoughts
Am I the only one who …
… finds it peculiar that Bray Wyatt has the supernatural abilities to conjure up the spirit of Sister Abigail and disappear into thin air but doesn’t have the power to ward off a viral infection?
That said, here’s to wishing “The Eater of Worlds” a speedy recovery.
… is loving heel Sami Zayn?
Zayn’s exaggerated dancing on his way to the ring and in Shane McMahon’s face literally made me LOL. Zayn’s delivery on the mic was great, as well. Within just a few weeks, Zayn has gone from an afterthought to one of the best characters on the show.
… thought Shane McMahon was trying a little too hard to look cool with that leather jacket?
With his gray, thinning hair, Shane O’Mac looked more like he was Arthur Fonzarelli's dad than Vince McMahon’s son.
… can’t believe that WWE thinks having Sin Cara score a fluke countout victory over Baron Corbin and then a DQ win in a match in which Corbin pummelled him is an effective way to get Sin Cara over as a challenger for Corbin’s United States Title?
How is anyone supposed to take Sin Cara seriously as a threat to Corbin based on those showings? On the other hand, it’s certainly better than having the masked lower mid-carder pin Corbin in a non-title match.
By the way, it spoke volumes as to how the WWE audience feels about Sin Cara when it chanted, “One more time” after Corbin hit his “End of Days” finisher on Sin Cara on the floor. Ouch.