Five-Star Conversation 05.12.09: Raw’s Big Miz-take and Trying to Make Sense of TNA

Posted by Geoff Eubanks on 05.12.2009

We’re pulling double duty this week as we focus on how your favorite Chick Magnet and mine was left at a loose end, plus we roll up our sleeves and return to mend fences in Dixieland.

It's amazing and gratifying that two comments from last week fell completely in line with that which I had intended to discuss this week! So, this installment of 5SC will be something of an extended COMMENTPALOOZA, as some of us all appear to be on the same cosmic-rasslin wavelength! Let's get this donkey show on the road! Your referee…Bronco Lubich!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: I highly suspect the vocals for The Big Show's entrance music were provided by Randy Marsh.

RAW's BIG MIZ-TAKE
I generally don't comment in my own column, but last week, regular commenter KanyonKreist saw exactly the same thing I saw on last week's episode of Raw, in The Miz' respect:

Having just watched Raw, and just read your impressed reaction of Miz's work on the A(sshole)-Show thus far, I'm wondering how you feel, Eubanks, about the chick magnet's disappearing act the moment Cena and Show took center stage... That was a lotta commas in one sentence. Anyway kind of deflating for his well-crafted new heat, wasn't it?

It actually reminded me of CM Punk's visit to Raw Main Event Fantasy Camp last summer, when all of his promo time involved him standing in the ring with 2-5 larger men and sneaking looks at the World Title belt on his shoulder while they were doing the talking, as if his eyes were saying, "let's treasure these precious moments, Big Gold... I don't think we'll be together very long..."

But yeah, as I was saying, have they blown it with Miz yet, or are they going to wait and blow it in a couple weeks?
Posted By: KanyonKreist

It became apparent to me that the shelf life of one of my favorite tag teams in years, John Morrison & The Miz, was coming due when they lost the UTTT match in a WrestleMania dark match to LOS COLONS. With The 2009 Draft a week away, it was a foregone conclusion that they'd be split like an English muffin and scattered to the far reaches of the WWE Universe (the one and only time I have ever used that term). It was clear to me they'd achieved everything there was for a tag team to accomplish in today's WWE landscape and that it was time for the impressive Morrison (who had started to draw comparisons to a young HBK) to move on as a singles act, with The Miz left to commence a make-or-break period in his own career, the former being moved to Raw, the latter to SmackDown!.

Furthermore, I had anticipated The Miz to turn face following Morrison's interference in the match that ultimately sealed the fate of the team on Draft Monday, earning a pop when he sunk The Reality Check on his former partner for having foolishly cost him the match that, too, cost them their tandem.

Well I was wrong in that respect.

It was Morrison who found himself on SmackDown! (actually, a much better fit, considering the quality of athletic talent comprising Friday's roster) and turning face to round out a heel-dominated brand, while The Miz amped up the volume to 11 on Monday nights, determined to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity afforded him by The Draft.

We hear from Jim Ross ad nauseum (in a good way) how it is the obligation of the young up-&-coming talent who has been given an opportunity on one of the three televised programs to make the most of such opportunity, to find within them, both in the ring as well as on the mic, that which sets them apart and makes their mark in the minds of the fans, and, of course, he's right. Easier said than done in many respects, and we've been critical of the barriers seemingly set up by WWE where its newly-elevated talent is concerned here in 5SC, and rightfully so, if I can give myself and those of you readers who have chimed similarly in a Barry Horowitz. How can a herd of fresh faces with generic, cookie-cutter, WWE Developmental-approved appearances and move-sets with names like Gavin Spears and Ryan Braddock get over with no gimmick while jobbing cleanly to Kane in three minutes?

It appears as if The Miz is taking his move to The "A" Show deadly serious and is using his allotted mic time these past two Mondays to call out the weakened champion, John Cena, a move tried and true and, with a solidly antagonistic voice and mind behind the threats and insults, is a heat-seeking missile. It's just this sort of situation where, for example, Michael Hayes could instigate a near-riotous situation in WCCW by putting down The Von Erichs, whom he knew wouldn't be in the building that week for whatever reason, and earn heat for DAYS from the rabid crowd, for himself as well as his two FREEBIRD partners, as well, such that, once the eventual match finally happened, the crowd would be so nuclear to see THE FREEBIRDS get their come-uppance, a ten minute match would really only have to feature five minutes of actual action, the players just having to play to the crowd and threaten each other, for the fans to have to get their Prozac prescriptions refilled after the final bell sounded.

I've been focusing on the positives in The Miz' respect these first two weeks, because I really want him to succeed at the big dance. I started to believe in him just before he and Morrison were partnered up, back when he was a singles' performer, back when I still analyzed SmackDown! for The R's and most everyone else was shitting all over him. It had seemed to me he had a lot more going for him than the majority were willing to concede he had and his tenure with Morrison has only sharpened his skills to the end that he stands to really become a long-term investment for WWE. Has he been given a stand-out opportunity to shine since The Draft? Yes, absolutely! Has he stepped up and met this opportunity with fire and passion? In most admirable fashion, yes! So then, what's the problem?

I see two, possibly even three things already calling into question McMahonagement pulling its own weight thus far in The Miz' regard, and I'm going forward with this criticism plainly stating in my own regard that I have NO IDEA what lies in store for The Miz insofar as where this angle is being taken and something could very well go down on this week's installment of Raw that brings everything together and makes the following argument completely redundant, but, as it stands now, my qualms are as follows:

1) The very first week we saw The Miz boldly hit the ring in self-aggrandizing fashion, making clear his intention to make an indelible mark on Raw by calling out the biggest and best on the brand, John Cena. Aside from the #1 heel rule of believing what one says to be true and that for which one stands making perfect sense in the mind of a heel, The Miz feels in his own head that he was doing exactly the right thing by starting at the top. Of course, what makes this such a grand example of cowardice is the fact that it was a widely-held belief, as was reinforced by the announcers, that, following the brutal end to a likewise excruciating Last Man Standing match mere hours prior (where The Big Show chokeslammed Cena through a spotlight), Cena wasn't backstage and was home recuperating, and who could blame him? Still, The Miz continued to hurl insults and dares at the hero, all with no results, The Miz enraging the fans by claiming a forfeit victory over the absent Cena to a chorus of boos, even ring announcer Lillian Garcia, an expression of disbelief and disgust on her face, refused to announce the bogus "victory".

The general consensus in The Miz' case were pleased that he was allowed so much air time to establish himself as one of the top new talents on Raw and that he took to his new role as the proverbial duck to water. The only problem, though, when one stops to consider the grand scheme is that, at the end of the night, it turns out Cena was, indeed, backstage, as he made an appearance at the top of the stage close to the edge of the show. This leaves one to wonder…had he been there all night (in terms of kayfabe)? If so, was he aware of The Miz' in-ring diatribe, and, if so, was he simply blowing off the loudmouth looking to notch his gun at Cena's expense? Wouldn't that make The Miz look like an insignificant little punk, counterproductive to the seeming intentions of having allowed him the mic time in the first place?

It seems to me that Josh Mathews or some other such backstage correspondent could have been placed back in the garage area awaiting the arrival of Cena, having gotten word that, despite injuries suffered the night prior, he planned on making an appearance, although his intentions as well as his ETA were unclear. This way, for The Miz to publicly decry Cena when we know he's not yet arrived keeps The Miz' heat in tact by sealing his cowardice, instead of calling in to question Cena's willingness to face a challenge, his state of being notwithstanding. It would have been easy to accomplish and wouldn't have detracted from the end of the show when he did walk through the curtain at all.

2) This is the HUGE gripe. On his second week on Raw, The Miz again hit the ring to berate Cena and call him out to confront him, again hurling insults and, in my view (perhaps yours as well…?), establishing himself as the most edgy orator on Mondays, only to have his wish granted. However, before the two could lock horns, The Big Show stomped to the ring to administer an extended and complete beat-down on Cena that, alongside a similar such gang-jump by LEGACY on Shane McMahon elsewhere on the show, made me wonder how Raw managed to maintain a PG rating (but that's a different discussion!).

Once Show finally relented, leaving Cena broken and battered in the middle of the ring, I kept waiting for The Miz re-emerge, to demand a referee be dispatched from backstage and for him to cover Cena for one of the most cowardly three-counts in Raw's 15+ year history. But it didn't come. Being the ever-hopeful little bunny that I am, though, I waited through the following advertisements, envisioning a frenetic Michael Cole plaintively bleating something to the effect of, "Ladies and gentlemen, during the break, we experienced a sickening display of cowardice on the part of The Miz…!", the returning segment flashing back to chronicle the savagery suffered by Cena at the massive hands of Show, then broadcasting footage we at home missed during the commercials, of The Miz calling for the ref and "pinning" Cena, as we rejoin the live feed to a beaming Chick Magnet demanding the referee hold his hand high in "victory" to the maddened cries of disappointed eight year-olds throughout the arena.

But it never happened.

I'll return to this point momentarily, but I want to proceed to the third point, which is a qualm, but I hope you see my point.

3) Returning to the FREEBIRDS/VON ERICHS example from earlier, when Hayes would take advantage of the opportunity to talk smack about his foes, whom he knew weren't in attendance that evening, it allowed for another face lesser down on the roster to get the VE rub without them even being in the building by rushing the ring to defend his friends' honor, let's say, for the purpose of this argument, it was "Iceman" King Parsons. Of course, The Iceman would be completely outmanned and, despite his initial attack, the element of surprise allowing him to lay in some offense, THE BIRDS would rally their numbers and display their dominance, making an example of Parsons, leaving the threat wide open that perhaps Kerry, Kevin and David were next. Thing is, though, Parsons would then be viewed by the fans as godlike by association and thereby, his face stock had just skyrocketed.

McMahonagement missed the opportunity to make this happen, as well. Let's face it, especially if we can use last week's Mizappearing act as Exhibit A, there's little chance The Miz is coming out of this situation with his belt notched in Cena's regard (and, as much as I think The Miz is owed a significant spot on the Rawster, he's not ready for that quality a jump at this point), and I fear greatly he was used simply as a means to someone else's end, that being, he was simple angle fodder to lure Cena into the ring to further the next chapter in the story of John Cena: Giant Killer.

And, you know what, to a certain extent, that's fine, because, as I said, The Miz isn't ready to jump that high up the card. BUT, what could have occurred last week (in my prospective example) when we returned from the break and saw The Miz gloating from having "defeated" Cena, was for, say, Kofi Kingston bolt to the ring and defend the fallen Cena, laying in a few solid shots on the indignant coward. That way, we got the severity of the beat-down, we extended the Cena/Show program, The Miz gets his rub, but then so does Kingston from having come out to protect the brand's top face. PLUS, we now have someplace logical for The Miz to go in Kingston's regard, and vice-versa, I think since I don't recall Kingston's dance card being too terribly full at the moment, as well as the opportunity to put the two programs together in a tag match or two before we split them off so Cena can slay the giant.

(Incidentally, I selected Kingston because the other mid-card face on Raw, MVP, seems to have more invested in LEGACY, the other top-of-the-card program occurring, and, depending upon Matt Hardy's welfare, should be entering into a program where he defends The UST; that, and Kennedy, although finally having returned to the ring following having been sidelined by injury, has only just done so and this trigger needed to be pulled before he'd be reasonably well enough to safely do the deal.)

I think we need to make a big deal out of this situation. Late breaking news has announced that Cena & The Miz will be meeting in some fashion on the newest edition of Raw, so, again, all of this may be redressed tonight…but are you really holding your breath? McMahonagement has a recent history of saying one thing and behaving another way where a lot of young talent is concerned, but under suspect circumstances, granting opportunity to climb the ladder of success in WWE while sawing the rungs out from underneath its' newcomers before they even reach the glass ceiling, only to wish them the best in their future endeavors over issues we ‘net marks don't get because we're not in the business, and I can take all of that with a suspicious grain of salt, in good faith (although it still befuddles me as to why a company would elevate young talent in whom its writers have no interest).

This situation, though, it appears, is a clear case of McMahonagement using a hot, young prospect like The Miz to further a main event program in which he'll have no stake at the end of the day and wind up adrift in the midcard without a story (while a heatless lackey like Ted DiBiase flirts with the main event because of his last name). Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying The Miz is Kurt Angle in the ring, that he's a wrestling machine or anything, and his real upward mobility in a ring sense has yet to be tested in full, however, he was off to a damn good start when left to his own devices and if the situation I describe ends up being the case, McMahonagement has no one and nothing else to blame but itself when it's faced with a roster full of lukewarm mid-carders.

ATTEMPTING TO THROW A LINE TO TNA's MAIN-EVENT MAFIA/FRONTLINE PROGRAM
Back in October, when the MAIN-EVENT MAFIA angle was unveiled, I featured TNA quite prominently here in 5SC, my abject hope being that this would be the angle that would see TNA to really turn a corner and allow for the company to feature its classic talent while, in the end, providing its fledgling stars to break out in a meaningful manner, the veterans being in backstage accord to pass the torch to the youngsters in an exciting, multi-faceted program. For a couple months, it seemed to me this goal was completely within the sites and the reach of the TNA booking committee, as it was certainly so in the talent's regard.

At the beginning of May, such hopes have been dashed as far as I'm concerned. I want to blame TNA and be upset with them because they used the entire program and the last six months to do little more than to use the youth of the franchise to mobilize the veterans on both denominational sides and send them straight to the top of the card, making them all the focus of the entire promotion, all the while using the kids, many of whom have been with the company since the very or close to the inception of the franchise, as an example of what a young, vibrant locker room the company can boast.

But then it dawned on me that maybe I don't have the right to be upset with TNA Creative because maybe I got it wrong from the start. Maybe it was the intention to use the weak, divided front of THE FRONTLINE to push the ever-united family of MEM to the top? Just because I saw THE FRONTLINE as a means by which to allow Samoa Joe his heat back from Kevin Nash, stemming from the manner in which Joe's first TNA Title run was sabotaged by Nash (in terms of kayfabe), as a means by which Petey Williams could finally break away from the influence of Scott Steiner and forge ahead with his own identity but still all the better for the experience and the rub, as a means to finally allow Eric Young the RESPECK he's worked so hard and paid so many dues to earn by humiliating Booker T, swiping the Legends' Title, as a means by which to laud a returning Christopher Daniels (the firing of secret alter-ego Curry Man set this up perfectly) as a TNA hero by accepting the torch being passed to him by Kurt Angle and as a means by which to entrench AJ Styles as the unequivocal new face and champion of TNA when he defeated Sting for the TNA Title.

Even beyond that, and where TNA fubar'ed this angle was when, as I feared would happen from the very beginning, we were Russo'ed, swerved for the sake of swerving to avoid a logical conclusion where TEAM 3D were concerned. 3D should have joined MEM instead of becoming the voice and motivating factors for THE FRONTLINE and the only reason I can see for it was because it was such an obvious, foregone conclusion for 3D to turn on the kids. It was a painfully obvious outcome, but it was logical, it made sense and it should have happened, because when it didn't, we saw the beginning of the end of logic in this entire program and, with so much potentially riding on it, everything fell apart.

See, at this point, then, despite their heelish leanings, THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS were set, ready and poised to take their place as the franchise's #1 tag team, getting the rub from the legendary DUDLEYS. The conflict between the two teams would have written itself. MCMGs wouldn't even have to be written all that differently, either! They could still have an issue with Joe & AJ, however, above and beyond everything else, they could still be smart assed, talented punks who've put their asses on the line for the company innumerable times in the last six years and they knew deserved to be tag champions and that they could and, likewise deserved to be TNA TTCs. They didn't have to hang tight with the rest of THE FRONTLINE for that to work and they could always be turned heel once the story concludes.

Furthermore, there was no reason for Rhino to have joined THE FRONTLINE in favor of acknowledging his World Title heritage, as well. At that time, the X Division had devolved into a sad, run-down shell of its former glorious self. Rhino was then at odds with the then-XDC, Abdul Bashir. Why not have Rhino deceive XD mainstays and FRONTLINE members Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed into believing he had their back as they attempted in a united front to bring the XDT to THE FRONTLINE, to rescue the belt from the clutches of Bashir and his terrorist hold on that which is synonymous with the franchise they love and of which are proud to be apart? Rhino turns on them, prevents them, either or both, from reclaiming The XDT, announcing his membership in MEM, but, too, Goring the shot out of Bashir for the belt. Bashir then slinks away, only to return with his new ARMY to back him up while Creed and Lethal go to war with Rhino. This way, The XDT has meaning and is apart of the main story.

This way, we have THE FRONTLINE comprised of Daniels, Williams, Joe, Styles, Young, Creed, Lethal, Sabin & Shelley, while MEM has Angle, Booker, Nash, Steiner, Sting, Devon, Ray and Rhino, the sides a damn site more even at 9-8, which is yet another reason this program has ridiculously failed if the intention was to get over the youngsters. THE FRONTLINE ended up outnumbering MEM almost 2-1, and yet MEM always came out on top, which just boggles my mind. I mean, I can see the logic being, the veterans know how to marshal their forces to overcome the odds, but come on.

Believe me, I've this is my third attempt to bring sense to this situation, and to concisely elaborate my thoughts on the schmozz Dixieland has become, but the other two times, I've just thrown my hands in the air in frustration. Luckily, with WrestleMania and The Draft, I've not been wanting for topics as I try to suss this all out, but things have spun so wildly out of control in my view, I just didn't know what to do, how to grasp the situation.

Luckily, we have reader Angry Bear who offered us a solution to the muck:

Forgot to wish you a belated Stinko Malenko de Mayo, Geoff.

Geoff, a couple of weeks or months ago, I asked you what could be done to save the MEM-Frontline war. In the last year, I've gone from watching TNA every week to reading spoilers. Let me run my idea by you, at the end of the 4 way King of the Mountain, before anyone wins, Samoa Joe, Matt Morgan, Christopher Daniels, Jay Lethal, Beer Money, MCMG, Abyss, Homicide, Eric Young, maybe someone else (not AJ though) hit the ring and deliver a massive beatdown (all bleeding) to the 4 wrestlers. Samoa Joe grabs the belt as the others form a barrier. Steiner, Nash, and Booker have already left the arena for some reason or another. The last image of the PPV is the 10-12 wrestlers in the ring around the beaten 4 veterans. On Impact, halfway or towards the end of the show the attacking wrestlers (all of whom have not wrestled that night) appear. Joe grabs the mike, he talks about how Mick Foley, Jeff Jarrett, Team 3D used the Frontline for their own personal gain. How at least the MEM had the balls to come at them like men, not lie to them and use them like Foley, etc. What you have here in front of you is not the future of TNA, but the present. No longer will there be a glass ceiling holding us down. We broke that mother (beeper) the other night and used its shreds to leave the past bloodied. This is an Uprising, a united front, to see that these crimes, these injustices, never happen again. We will not let management use us for their own agenda. We will not be pawns anymore. We call the shots, we are the Nation of Violence.

Next PPV: Joe vs Foley - TNA Championship, Sting vs. Daniels, Morgan vs Nash, Styles vs. Angle - Legends (Angle wins after Joe lays out AJ) - Abyss destroys Steiner, Lethal vs Booker for the Token Title (just kidding about the title part), Team 3D vs MCMG vs Beer Money. Jarrett vs Young, who says Jarrett turned him into a joke by making him be Super Eric, etc.

AJ and Joe have been arguing for weeks about AJ being up management's ass because he was the only Frontliner to get a title when Foley/Jarrett ran things. Joe costs him the title to show him he's callin the shots, and we move on to an AJ/Joe feud. Angle gets the belt, starts bragging about being the real Legend and the other MEM guys get sick of it. We go Booker/Steiner/Nash/Angle/Sting to see who the real legend is. Styles ran out to help Foley during PPV match vs Joe, temporarily saves Foley, who is getting his ass beat by Joe. Abyss jumps AJ and Black Hole slams Foley (Foley/Abyss feud starts). Foley and Joe go at it for a little more then Joe chokes Foley out.

Little rough around the edges, but?

The Nation of Violence or the Uprising are heels by nature, part of the reason why AJ stays out. Let the fans decide who to cheer. Also, the faction makes it clear they are a temporary alliance until the wrongs have been righted and don't necessarily like each other. Then you can move on to other feuds. The older dudes can mostly fight over the Legends Title and their ambition can lead to the fazing out of the MEM. Foley/Abyss have to feud at some point. Beer Money should eventually become faces but keep their heel tactics and feud with MCMG who should be Y2J dick-heels.

Obviously, there are many different ways to go once the initial uprising runs it course and the younger talent has been established as being par with the vets.

I would've elaborated more before, but #1, I was typed out, and #2, my wife was hounding me about watching Grey's Anatomy with her. I know, I know, from a life of "UNBRIDLED HEDONISM (MAHGAWD!)" to being henpecked about watching Grey's Anatomy. My, how the mighty have fallen. You younger guys learn from this and don't get married until you are mature enough to fight the impulse to give your wife rock bottoms at these moments.

Take care, Geoff, and look forward to your thoughts.
Posted By: Angry Bear

Whew. Yes, a little rough around the edges, indeed, but the basic idea is pretty damn good in my book. Certainly eons better than anything we're getting these days.

I don't like Joe being involved. Yes, THE UPRISING is a loosely-knit rebellion comprised of like-minded, goal-oriented faces and heels, but I still don't see Joe being a member; he's too busy on his own Nation of Violence trip (which I think will eventually see him being mentored by a return-to-my-bad-ass-roots Taz) to be any kind of joiner and it would be a shame to mar this (much needed) rebranding to turn him into even the leader of a rebellion. Joe is an island unto himself, although if you want to much later write some kind of "NO man is an island" story once his bad-ass-iness has been staunchly re-established, by all means.

I also like Styles being reluctant to join, if focus remains on his dissatisfaction with the way THE FRONTLINE turned out, as long as the focus of that dissatisfaction on Styles part remains that even the oldsters who claimed to have been in THE FRONTLINE's corner used the stable as a means to propel themselves into the main event (Jarrett, Foley, 3D), while subjugating the kids and the whole point of the movement in the first place.

How about Sting remaining mysteriously absent throughout the formative weeks of THE UPRISING, eventually we see him lurking in the rafters observing but clearly not choosing sides, only to gradually start to dip his toe in the proverbial pool, yet in non-committal fashion, kinda reprising his role in the whole nWo thing years ago, finally swooping in at some pivotal moment to help THE UPRISING, to clear his name (or is it just his conscience…?) of having contributed to the evils, selfishness and avarice of MEM?

I also like the battle of the big men in Morgan/Nash, as well as the Triple-Threat for the TNA TTTs involving BEER MONEY, MCMGs & 3D. But I frigging LOOOOOOOVE the possibilities inherent between Jarrett and Eric Young. You can cite the manner in which we've seen Young practically begging for opportunity from Jarrett, the fearless leader blowing him off in favor of lamenting over his own troubles, which, had he been pushing the young guys in the first place, he might not have had! It also makes sense that the owner of the company should be the one to give a long-time franchise man like Young the rub and the pass to the next level. Great idea!!!

I also like the notion of Foley/Abyss, although I wonder if it wouldn't be kinda ugly in practice…? Foley would be a great mentor for Abyss, finally, I think, and could be just the person to help him out of this whole Dr. Stevie thing we see going on. Foley really needs to start looking to retire from the ring for rillrill, not for playplay. There comes a time when devotion to getting in shape for a big match just isn't enough anymore, even if it's possible. His mind is still brilliant and in tact, but there's only so much more, one has to think, it can take before something ugly happens.

I, too, like the members of MEM all fighting over The Legends Title, but I think, as much as I've derided them, we need to be careful about putting them out to pasture. Yes, they're getting on, but they can still be of value in a physical manner. Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

All in all, and it seems here is where we always begin and end with TNA, the talent under that roster is real and formidable, but it just seems to be a carousel that never really changes with each oscillation, and if it does, it's that we see another part-time/old-timer at the top of the card while, as I said in my last guest spot in FACT OR FICTION, the kids play hardcore pattycake in the undercard.

As a great man once said, and one would think Jarrett would remember, enough is enough and it's time for a change!

COMMENTPALOOZA!
I can't argue against anything you wrote this week. Awesome.

I just thought of another way to use your passes. I would also have the possibility of the general manager of each show be able to use the passes themselves to bring in wrestlers from other shows to their show. For example, suppose ECW's Tiffany gets tired of Jack Swagger interfering in title matches. She could then deliver a promo like "You have ticked me off for the last time Swagger. So I called my good friend from SD Teddy Long and I am using the pass to bring in a SD wrestler for your match next week. BTW, Swagger, it's THE UNDERTAKER. Have fun next week." Cue to Swagger's facial expression of horror.
Posted By: JLAJRC

Okay, I see. The only thing that bothers me about that, which applies certainly to the whole deal, is that it seems like a short-cut to take away the passes from the lesser-seen undercarders who could really benefit from it, but that's no fault of yours; rather that's flaw by design (my fault) and what I fear McMahonagement would eventually end up doing with them.

I've been wondering too if Vince will stick with the way things are on Smackdown right now. With Taker being out for awhile and Jeff possibly leaving, if Punk's presumed push as the new top face fails and ratings slip in a big way, I wonder if Vince will be tempted to move a big face over to Smackdown.

i.e. Trips or Batista back to Smackdown or even Cena to the blue brand.

I hope things stay the way they are because I really like Smackdown right now, but it wouldn't shock me if things got messed up.
Posted By: SU_RKO

Is the ECW/Smackdown talent exchange still in place? Or the Raw/ECW exchange?

Given their current rosters, Smackdown and ECW don't need the exchange, but it may still have its place.

I fear for Smackdown's lack of name value faces. I think the quality of the show will grow substantially, and nobody on the brand could be a worse champion than JBL, but both of their active 'big names' (Jericho and Edge) are heels.
Posted By: Quimby

I, too, am quite happy with the current state of SmackDown!, SU_RKO, and hope Vince doesn't foul it all up. Quite frankly, I don't think he'll really care unless there are some serious, long-term injuries (like Taker's), or we harken back to the great Wellness sweep that sidelined ¼ of the roster a few years ago. That or a ratings panic should keep SD! safe in its current state. Of course there's the question, once Triple H returns, is Raw big enough for Tri, Batista and Cena? And if it's not, and Vince feels SD! is a little anemic, I predict a Friday return for Big Dave, loathe as I am to consider it.

Quimby, I've no idea whatsoever over the state of brand talent exchanges. That always seemed little more than a half-assed excuse to muddy the waters in the first place. I can see SmackDown!'s Teddy Long and ECW's Tiffany more than willing to work with one another, but both reticent to deal with Vickie Guerrero on Raw.

What you suggest with respect to the lack of marquee names (though certainly not talent) in SD!'s regard kinda ties into the theme of this week's column, in that, rather than slap a band-aid on what could be viewed as a roster hole, it seems to me that Vince should first recall his own stated intentions with respect to why he split the brands in the first place, that being, to increase the ability to create new stars, more and faster, than on a unified company front. If Vince is serious about this, and thinks he still CAN (a-ha…), then this should be the focus of the result of this year's Draft, before he starts borrowing from brand to brand.

I don't understand why they moved both Y2J and Edge to the same show, that left Raw without a top heel any good on the stick. At the moment, Miz is the loudest mouth on that side of the fence! Randy's monotone dickiness worked in a very personal feud, but will it work against all comers, we'll see. Big Show is an afterthought, i've given up on him in this PG environment, i can't take him as a serious threat. He's a jolly giant, who makes silly faces. Put a Vader mask on him, make him go apesh*t on opponents, destroy sets, make him MONSTER! Kids like scary, don't they, i know i did. Vader scared the SH*T out of me back when wrestling was last PG, but i kept watching.

Agreed, Smackdown has some face issues come summer, we will have to see Morrison step up real soon, but on the heel side, they have a bunch of guys who can work with anyone.

ECW has everything going for them for at least a year, just bring up guys for Kozlov to eat on a regular basis, then make some young FCW-call-up by having him destroy Koz in summerslam/survivor series.
Posted By: casual_monday_mayhem

to Casual Monday Mayhem:

Your Big Show masked idea made me realize just what the E is missing. Let's start an on-line poll to bring back THE MACHINES!

BIG MACHINE!

GOLDMACHINE!

TRIPLE MACHINE!

HORNYMACHINE!

MACHINE MACHINE!

MOOMOO MACHINE !

Yes, MACHINE-A-MANIA will be runnin' wild in the E in 2009!

And WHATCHA GONNA DO, brother Eubanks, when the big YELLOW AND RED MACHINE returns and RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!!!
Posted By: Angry Bear

CMM, I'll tell you why both Edge & Jericho were moved to SD! – to make way for Randy Orton to shine as Raw's (and, thus, in the eyes of McMahonagement, WWE's) undisputed top heel, plain and simple. I have a LOT of faith in Orton and I think this truly is his time and that, by virtue of being the top heel on Mondays, any feud in which he becomes involved will be personal, he'll see to that, it's his greatest strength as a heel. The way his mannerisms and ability in the ring have evolved (and continue to do so) speak for themselves.

Bear, you're cut off. And tell Mama Bear I said no more Grey's Anatomy for you. It's clearly damaging you. =oP

Geoff, Los Conquistadors would be great, but it's nothing compared to the return of The Yellow Dog!!! (not a one shot deal) As far as the Draft goes, how long do you think it will be before we start to see any brand jumping and who do you thing it will be? I think it will be at SummerSlam. Punk will cash in his MITB shot when Ted Jr. turns face so he can push his movie. On a final note, I want a comedy stable that has Goldust, Festus, Santino, and Hornswoggle in it. My only problem (besides the idea itself) is that I can't think of a name. Any ideas?
Posted By: The Great Capt. Smooth

We've discussed the brand-jumping business, but Punk is going to grow roots on Fridays. If Jeff hardy decides to do his own thing, Punk stands to find himself as the brand's #1 face, which is a hell of an auspicious role, indeed. DiBiase leaving Raw to promote his movie will be inconsequential at the most, IMO.

I actually really like the comedy stable idea as long as they don't bleed over into the serious side of the roster and foul things up there, which has always been my issue with the manner in which Vince views and thus books comedy. Those waters need to remain separate in my view. As for a name, I've no idea. That stuff is always where I'm at my least creative.

So much to say, so much to say. Not to press, but to clarify.

- The problem with Candice is, she was never very good in my opinion. I bought that she was improving, and had SOME upside. She was capable of a decent, if rough-looking, match before she got hurt. But I don't think she ever got to a point to where she was that much better than Kelly Kelly, because while she could do plenty more than her, she really didn't look very steady doing it.

- Admittedly my wrestling viewing ebbs and flows, so there are times where I could have missed Melina's tentativeness. But Candice's penchant for looking recklessly sloppy is very off-putting to me.

I've never seen more than 10-15 minutes Dancing with the Stars, btw.

- As far as Mickie James goes, I just think she is more sizzle than steak, though only by a small margin. I think she is good, just not as great as people seem to think. She's kinda hit-or-miss from one match to the next, imo.

- My feelings on Melina started to change leading up to her face turn and subsequent feud with Beth Phoenix, where she actually looked better in the ring than Beth and especially Mickie, who weren't exactly lighting it up against each other, to say the least. And from what I've seen, she has been one of the more consistently decent divas ever since.

I think this is why I find her face turn so much more acceptable than most, because it coincides when she started to really pick it up in the ring to my eyes.

- It was around that time I started thinking a little less highly of Mickie James as well.

- Jillian's vaunted skills are something of an urban legend to me. I've heard so many good things, but never seen any of it. Granted, I'm not sure she's ever actually wrestled a match that went over 4 minutes in the WWE. That said, her experience shows, in that she isn't remotely stiff or wooden and has a control that experience provides. I just haven't seen any her do anything good in the 'E. It is quite possible I'm selling her way short though.

- Michelle McCool... I dunno. She is decent, I'm just not sold yet I guess.

- Okay, to clarify, I was more comparing Melina to Kurt Angle as a force of nature-type character SIZE-wise. In reality, I was thinking somewhere between his wrestling machine-type, and a high energy hard-hitter like the Ultimate Warrior. THAT is what I'm saying I think she is good enough to be in the ring, somewhere in between.

And it hit me as I was writing this now, that her "hellcat" (thanks JR) intensity and ferocity and that aforementioned somewhere in between Warrior and Krazy Kurt would make her comparable to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. I dunno how I managed not to see that till now, but THAT is the force of nature character I was trying to grasp at.

Does that about cover things?
Posted By: Galaxy Express

"there's simply nothing we can say to one another to find common ground where Michelle McCool (look at some of those early bouts against Maryse and watch how she holds the Divas Champion's hand through surprisingly watchable matches"

I think McCool is being overrated here.

Recently, she had a terrible match with Maryse and then a terrible match with Gail Kim two weeks later. In both instances, Gail and Maryse fought each other on the next show in good matches.
Posted By: Guest#7109

Galaxy, I think you hit upon the whole crux of our ladies' wrestling conundrum. We see multi-person tags where the announcers bust a nut every time one of them displays some risky behavior, waffling on about how much they've improved and how deep runs their dedication to their craft, then, three moves later, they're tagging out and they repeat the process, with the woman Vince currently thinks needs to be pushed (because I think we can both agree that end of things is arbitrary at best) receiving the greatest praise.

I happen to appreciate the fact that Candice decided to try harder and be more than just the hot chick who flashes the fans and was swayed by the announcers' accolades, whereas I resent Melina's role as face because I love her so much as the spoiled Hollywood bitch. The fact that you brought up Kelly Kelly kind of made me realize this. Suddenly she started wrestling and was busting out some impressive moves, but, a year later, has she added to her repertoire or improved those first moves with which she first made us sit up and take note? I'm afraid not. Does that make sense?

With respect to Melina versus Mickie, these chicks positively HATE each other IRL and their mutual disdain for one another goes back to developmental, so maybe Mickie was a little less into putting over Melina as a result, which is why she didn't look so good? Unprofessional, I know, but it's just a theory, because I think Mickie is one of the best women's wrestlers working today.

In terms of Jillian, unless you saw some of her old school stuff on SmackDown!, sometime between the screeching gimmick and the removal of the corn muffin from the side of her head, then, no, she's not been allowed to really shine in the ring, because she's being used as a comic relief heel to make the pretty little faces look better in the ring.

I still maintain Michelle McCool is well better than average in the ring, as well, and nothing will sway me from that belief. Just me.

And, yes, I finally see where you were going with Melina, in terms of the whole hellcat thing. We might be able to find some common ground there.

"I want a comedy stable that has Goldust, Festus, Santino, and Hornswoggle in it. My only problem (besides the idea itself)is that I can't think of a name. Any ideas?"

Simple - The New Oddities

Santino taking the place of the ICP as a rapper / voicepiece

Goldust as the crossdressing freak (replacing Luna Vachon)

Festus in the Kurrgann / Giant Silva role

Hornswoggle as Hank The Angry Drunken Dwarf


Santino doing the Oddities rap = Ratings Gold
Posted By: CockKnocker

CockKnocker(I never thought I would ever type that.), I thought about that, but it seemed too easy. If Festus and Santino formed a tag team, they could be called Biscuits and Spaghetti. As far as the stable name goes, how about the Anti-Legacy? Each person in the stable is either a real family member or a kayfabe family member to somebody else in the company. That's my "best" bet.
Posted By: The Great Capt. Smooth

THE NEW ODDITIES is good enough for me…book it!

That's all for this week! Thanks for reading; RESPECK!