High Road/Low Road 12.25.09: The Hart Dynasty

Welcome back to the High Road/Low Road!

A brief explanation of the column: Sat takes the High Road (positive view) on angles, gimmicks, and other wrestling related “stuff” while Chad Nevett takes the Low Road (negative view).

Results for Luke Gallows And CM Punk:

High Road: 78%
Low Road: 13%
Both Roads: 09%

Sat: The voting was even with the emails, but by the time I got to the comments, this became an overwhelming high road.

Chad Nevett: There are actually three people who don’t like this angle? Wow. I wasn’t at all surprised by the flood of high roads in the comments.

The Hart Dynasty

High Road:

While this is not going to be enough to carry them to the top, this will help them get over initially. I am of course talking about the fact that they have all of the Hart history. We have seen some other superstars take advantage of their family name and make an impact and I see the Hart Dynasty doing the same.

Low Road:

Trading on a family name is a double-edged sword as it invites automatic comparisons to the veterans, which may raise expectations too much. In this case, the Hart Dynasty have larger-than-usual shoes to fill with the British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart, Owen Hart, and, of course, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Bret Hart. Living up to the Hart name is a tall order and could result in fans demanding more than this trio is capable of.

High Road:

I think that Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith have some potential as a team. They have the potential to be like the original Hart Foundation and I think that the WWE would be stupid not to give them a try as a team. Also, I think that when new wrestlers appear it is always nice to appear as a team because they have more of a chance to showcase their abilities.

Low Road:

Unlike the Hart Foundation, Kidd is no in-ring technician ala Hart and Smith isn’t as intimidating in the ring as Neidhart. Right now, they look like a watered down version of that group and may be in danger of not making enough of an impact as a team that they can never transition to singles competition like so many other tag teams in the WWE’s recent history.

High Road:

The Hart Dynasty will get a crack at the Unified Tag Teams title against DX and I think it has the potential to be beneficial for them. I think it would be a smart move to have the Hart Dynasty appear on all three brands if they win the WWE Unified Tag Team Titles. This could definitely be a good thing because this will allow them to be showcased on RAW and SmackDown. Plus, it does seem like the WWE can focus on one set of tag team titles, so if they are given the Unified Tag Team Titles, I see them having a lot of good matches and having more of an opportunity to show the WWE what they can do. Add the fact that there are rumors out there that Bret Hart could be coming back to the WWE and I think it definitely makes sense to get the Unified Tag Team titles on the Hart Dynasty.

Low Road:

DX just got the titles and taking them off the duo would make their reign nothing more than an obvious vanity reign. Now, that may be the case, but why make it so obvious by having them drop the titles less than two weeks after winning them from an obviously superior team? Not only that, DX recently beat the Hart Dynasty rather easily, so a loss here would seem out of place. The best the Hart Dynasty can hope for is putting in a good showing before one of them eats the pin.

High Road:

For the most part, I have not been that impressed with the Hart Dynasty’s promo cutting ability. But, I will say that I thought they did a fantastic job this past Friday on SmackDown. There was a point the Hart Dynasty made where they said that they are the better than the original group and that they will not back down. I thought that this was an interesting point because it makes you wonder the direction that the WWE is going to go with the Hart Dynasty and Bret Hart. The WWE made it seem like the Hart Dynasty has no interest in aligning with Bret Hart. I think it would be a mistake to go in this direction, but it is a possibility and I think it would give credibility to the Hart Dynasty if they are able to become Unified Tag Team Champions without aligning with Bret Hart. The direction I see the WWE going is having maybe Bret Hart’s music play during the match allowing the Hart Dynasty to get the win. And then they can align with Bret if he does show up.

Low Road:

While Natalya did a good job on Friday, both David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd buried Jim Neidhart, the British Bulldog, and, perhaps, Bret Hart by talking about how their fathers/the previous generation couldn’t get the job done or were cowardly. It doesn’t work to capitalize on the Hart name while burying those that made it great. Their delivery was adequate, but the content was just plain bad. I’m not sure Bret would want to align himself with entitled brats that trade on a family name they don’t seem to respect.

High Road:

I think sometimes you see some of the developmental wrestlers show up on the main shows and you see that they are not that good in the ring. But, you look at David Hart Smith, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya and you see three wrestlers that can wrestle in the ring. This is something that can help them get accepted by the fans.

Low Road:

They do have potential, but, while feuds with the British Bulldogs made the Hart Foundation improve week after week, the Hart Dynasty has shown little improvement during its feud with Cryme Tyme. It’s been the same match week after week with little innovation and few take notice moments. To prove themselves, the Hart Dynasty need to step it up and improve in the ring.

High Road:

The WWE waited a long time to call David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd to the main roster. Now, you can argue that this was a mistake and I would not argue with you. The thing that I want to point out is that since the WWE waited this long to call them, you would have to figure that the WWE made some plans for them. And they have had some success with their feud with Cryme Tyme and being involved in the Seven on Seven Bragging Rights match.

Low Road:

The feud with Cryme Tyme was boring and their inclusion in the Bragging Rights match was an afterthought after the powers that be realized the team they had built was weak. The Hart Dynasty hasn’t been put in a position to show off and the WWE doesn’t seem to have confidence in them.

High Road:

A minor high road here, but I like that the WWE changed the name of the group from the Hart Trilogy to the Hart Dynasty. It is a smart move just in case the WWE decides to add a member down the road.

Low Road:

The Trilogy name worked on two levels, referencing the number of members of the group, and the third big iteration of the group in the WWE. The Dynasty name is simply a variation on Legacy, which is unoriginal and less interesting.

High Road:

While this Hart Dynasty is going to get compared to the original Hart Foundation, I think that this group has something that group did not have. And I am of course talking about Natalya. You look at the original and new Hart Foundation and the female dynamic was not there in either group. I am really looking forward to seeing Natalya’s impact on this group.

Low Road:

Her impact has been very slim to date. The Hart Foundation had Jimmy Hart to cheer them on and distract opponents, while Natalya has really just played cheerleader, rarely getting involved with the match. She’s a capable wrestler, perhaps one of the best Divas in the ring, so why not use her physical abilities more? Waiting to pull the trigger on her being a physical force has been a mistake, one that has stunted the group’s growth.

Are you taking the High Road or the Low Road?

High Road
Low Road
Both Roads
OR

Simply write “High Road”, “Low Road”, or “Both Roads” in the comment section.

E-Mails:

These are all of the e-mails that we received this week. We do not respond to the actual e-mail, but the reply to your e-mail will be below.

Todd Vote Writes:

I’m taking high road on Gallows, but I do not agree with the one high road statement:
This storyline with Luke Gallows has only started, but I think it has a lot of potential for growth. In the future, we could see Gallows and Punk get into an argument and maybe see CM Punk start to drug Gallows to keep him under his control. Or we could see somebody else drug Gallows.

never happen. Punk is not going to preach straight edge and then drug someone, makes no sense, and would only serve to bring WWE under scrutiny.

I do, however, agree with most everything else you said. The Low Road talked about Gallows needing a more solid character or he is worthless without Punk. He acts as if the big man bodyguard gimmick has never worked as a stepping stone to bigger and better things in the ‘E’ before… Sid? Nash? Mr Hughes… Wait, maybe not that last one.

Sat: I’ll agree with you. It is a stretch to see CM Punk doing this, but I figured with the WWE nothing is out of the realm of possibility. The one thing I am disappointed with this angle is the fact that Punk has not admonished Slam Master J.

Chad Nevett: I’ve also been waiting for the eventually confrontation with Jesse Slam Master J. And good points regarding Nash and Sid making this gimmick work; hopefully, Gallows can too.

Phoenix Writes:

I’m going Low Road on this one for two reasons. One, I agree completely about the portrayal of Luke Gallows as just a hired thug. It does nothing to make CM Punk look like a savior, it doesn’t nothing to help Gallows’ image, and in the long run, CM Punk won’t need him.

Two, and I can’t believe no one has mentioned this, THIS WHOLE ANGLE IS A BAD IDEA!!! In a time when wrestlers are dropping like flies due to any number of health concerns (drugs, ‘roids, alcoholism, concussions, weight issues), the WWE absolutely should NOT have CM Punk identified as a heel! Look around you. Everywhere you go, every show you watch, every advertisement, they’re all talking about healthier living. Hell, there’s a multi-billion dollar campaign led by congress right now to promote healthier American lifestyles.

Isn’t WWE supposed to be PG right now? THE WRITERS are only seeing this evil preacher vilifying the fans for being who they are a la Chris Jericho, while disregarding whatever message they send with their writing as long it continues to draw heat. THE KIDS are actually paying attention to the message; a clean lifestyle makes you unpopular like CM Punk, and smoking and drinking makes you cool like R-Truth. I’m sure the poor kids (the target audience, btw) are confused as hell right now. Their teachers and parents tell them all the time that smoking, drinking, and drugs can kill you, then see their heroes beat up the guy who says the same thing!

It looks bad for WWE to be the ONE entity of entertainment to degrade a healthy lifestyle. The NFL has Play60, the NBA has NBA Cares, and MLB works closely with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. WWE does do Make-A-Wish, but that’s not really health so much as comfort for the terminally ill. I think it’s time for them to make an enormous turnaround in how they portray their wrestlers. Let’s not forget that the most famous man in wrestling once told us to “eat our vitamins, drink our milk, and say our prayers”.

Sat: I see your point about it being a mistake that Punk should not be a heel because the message it is sending to kids. But, I am hoping that any logical kid can figure out this is entertainment, while still getting the message.

Chad Nevett: The commentators are always clear to point out that Punk’s message is sound, but his delivery is what makes people hate him. I think that his opponents could play that up a bit more in their promos, but, otherwise, allowing people to separate the message from the messenger is fine with me. Though, seeing people boo Punk while he tells them not to abuse prescription medication does make me cringe sometimes and wonder if people do get what’s going on, I must admit.

Freddy Neuwendyke Writes:

I actually like this. The whoole Cornfed Colussus thing was a one note comedy act that had run it’s course. Yeah I know the whole he was on drugs thing is a flimsy explanation but let’s face it any explanation as to why he’s no longer changing his personality at the ring of a bell was gonna amount to little more than a handwave.

As for CM punk looking weak because he needs backup well why does Randy Orton need Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr.? Why did Ric Flair need The Four Horsemen? Why did Raven need The Flock? Hell Why did Hulk Hogan need the whole nWo to fight his battles? Heels having backup is perfectly normal heel behavior. It creates an obstacle for the face and delays giving the audience what they wanna see, The face finally getting his hands on that lousy rotten no good son of a so and so which is exactly what a heel is supposed to do.

Sat: I had forgotten that he was called the Cornfed Collussus. I think you make a good point that any explanation we got was going to be weird. And also good point about heels having backups. I think at the end of the day this will end up being a huge benefit for Luke Gallows.

Chad Nevett: I like to think there are different types of heels and CM Punk was not the cowardly one that needed someone to save his ass. Obviously, they’ve taken his character in that direction, but I’m a fan of having heels that can stand on their own and win cleanly. If only because those heels draw more heat as there’s nothing worse than someone you hate proving they’re right. CM Punk did that in his Jeff Hardy feud and I wish he’d kept it up as a way to prove being straight edge was the only advantage he needs in the ring.

Comments:

Below are the comments for last week’s columns and our responses. Every comment will not be included because it makes our lives a lot easier.

The Pants Writes:

High Road.

It seems most of the Low Road points are the result of microanalyzing too much. Gallows can come in as “saved by CM Punk” and just look intimidating because all eyes are on Punk anyways. All Gallows has to do is not talk much and ride on Punk’s coattails. I don’t suspect a “forced drugging” angle because it makes no sense at all. Whoever “saves” Gallows would get heat, not a boost. And why throw away Punk’s gimmick on a lackey like Gallows? I imagine either Punk will browbeat Gallows about his past problems until Gallows fights back and became face or Gallows will get sacrificed by Punk in some situation like a beatdown or something like that.

I know WWE has done some head-scratching moments, but I don’t think they’ll have any wrestler who’s gimmick is that he’s on drugs. After all, RVD was never pushed that hard and dropped after his pot bust.

Sat: Again, this is the WWE, so anything can happen. Though I will admit my suggestion is a bit of a stretch.

Chad Nevett: There was a lot of microanalyzing last week, mostly because there aren’t a lot of negatives to this angle yet and I’ve got to argue the negatives nonetheless.

Jbardo Writes:

High Road.

I like the look of Gallows new persona & Punks the perfect guy to get him over, plus Punk just comes across as such a good leader.

Sat: The only thing I don’t like about the angle is the military style pants.

Chad Nevett: I hate Gallows’s outfit as well. I don’t get it.

Mogamer Writes:

High Road with this. Since Punk is currently shut out of the WHC scene. Why not have him and Gallows pursue the Unified TTC? While they aren’t as over as Jerishow, they could really be hated because they beat DX for the belts. And Punk is every bit as preachy as Jericho.

It’s too bad that the WWE doesn’t expand the tag team division. A few guys who are currently lost might be able to get over in a good program that way.

Sat: I don’t know why but I get the impression the titles will be split pretty soon.

Chad Nevett: I like the idea of them going for the belts, but don’t see that happening for some reason. Just a feeling.

Kyle Writes:

High Road

There really is no doubt in my mind on this one. Festus was a good big man with some strong, athletic moves. I don’t think he’ll ever be main eventing PPVs in 1-on-1 matchups, but as an enforcer, it adds to CM Punk’s chicksh** heel character.

When Brian Kendrick first brought out Big Zeke, I was excited because it looked like it had the potential to be a classic big muscle/genius pairing that has worked time and again. This here, has even more potential as both Punk and Gallows are far better performers all around than Kendrick and Zeke respectively.

Think back to when Shawn Michaels first introduced Diesel to the WWF. Michaels was a cocky heel, shooting off his mouth and stepping behind Big Daddy Cool when somebody steps to him. I can see this being a very similar pairing.

Honestly, I would love to see these two take the tag straps off DX. HHH/HBK aren’t going to lose the belts to just anybody, and I’m hoping they aren’t held hostage when they inevitably feud against one another. The better call would before Punk and Gallows to go after the belts which would continue to elevate the championships, keep Punk relevant and bring Gallows to the forefront.

This could also set up for a GREAT Punk vs. Michaels feud where we all know that Punk’s character could tear down Michaels past transgressions and lead to some career-making matches for Punk.

Sat: It would be interesting to see Punk and HBK go at it.

Chad Nevett: Have those two had a match at all? If not, that’s a mistake that needs correcting as soon as possible.

The Gold Standard Writes:

High Road.Although the E has once again make me not care about Punk again thanks to booking at least he’s being seen as someone who can elevate others.This past summer he really made Jeff Hardy the most over face in the company with their compelling matches.Having him pair with Gallows will do wonders for Gallows in the long run.Hell with the eventual split Gallows could go to ECW and being a contender.Hes not a generic big man and has an interesting moveset.I think an awesome scenario for the rumble would be have Punk and Gallows work as unit where Gallows does all the work while Punk sits back and then eliminates Gallows.In any event Punks a good worker and I hope it pays off soon.

Sat: I think the WWE has done a great job with CM Punk this year and he should have been the Superstar of the Year.

Chad Nevett: Agreed. Or, at very least, not been utterly and completely buried by Cena. That was awful.

Tbone3771 Writes:

“Swagger would have been my pick, but the WWE seems cold on him now because they don’t think he’s getting over enough. Considering the way they’ve booked him, is that a surprise to anyone really?”

It’s really not about how they’re booking him. It’s his personality and that annoying lisp. He’s cocky…wow, that’s been done to death. He’s boring. I’ll give Swagger the fact that I love the gutwrench powerbomb as a finisher but that’s all. This guy is just boring. I’d rather watch the Miz, at least he’s entertaining and cuts a great promo.

Sat: Aren’t all of the heels generally cocky? I really like Swagger, but does not seem like the WWE does. I also think he has a fantastic entrance with the push ups and the fireworks in the background.

Chad Nevett: People always talk about Swagger’s lisp, but I’ve honestly never noticed it. I’m a big mark for Swagger as he seems to possess all of the rare material to be a future main eventer and is well on his way to realizing that potential if he could actually finish a feud. The ‘undefeated for the rest of 2009′ story was a great idea, but it just fizzled when they didn’t follow-up on it properly.

B.W.G. Writes:

Both Roads

Echo the points most High Roaders here have stated, but feel that properly elevating Gallows through this angle will take some careful manuvering on Creative’s part, and I have no faith in them to do it properly.(i.e.,Punk’s booking in the last couple of months).

Sat: Who knows what creative had planned for CM Punk? Most of it was probably scrapped when Punk was “punished” at Hell in a Cell.

Chad Nevett: Elevating anyone takes care and skill, but pairing Gallows up with Punk is a good sign in and of itself.

The Great Captain Smooth Writes:

High road. It gives Gallows a chance to alters his character even more from this point on and we may get to see what other skills the guy might have. Just imagine if Punk was around when Eugene, Warrior, Doink, etc. were in the WWE. Honestly, I can see them getting Punk to “save” other wrestlers who might need a gimmick makeover and form a stable. Jimmy Wang Yang? Hurricane? Slam Master J?

Sat: The WWE needs to resign Eugene and have CM Punk sponsor him as well.

Chad Nevett: Punk gathering followers could work, but only if they don’t do too much too quickly. And if they select each follower carefully, not just throwing anyone in need of a rub in.

Guest#4127 Writs:

High Road

Positives:
– Eliminates one-dimensional Festus character
– Accentuates Punk’s role as cowardly heel
– Could help Punk eventually get win over Taker and other mega-faces
– Sets precedent for Punk “straightening out” other wrestlers

Negatives:
– I would have preferred someone other than Festus/Gallows, but it made for a greater transformation. If Punk was to just get an enforcer (without saving), I’d pick Vance Archer.

Sat: So far, I have not been impressed with Vance Archer.

Chad Nevett: As much as the WWE and many fans seem to think squash matches get guys over, they do nothing for me most of the time, so Vance Archer hasn’t impressed me either. I want to see what guys can do in the ring and the only way to know that is to pair them up with a worthy opponent.

Y2Kev Writes:

“And how does addiction to prescription medication make one respond to the sound of a bell ringing exactly?”

The thing is he regularly mixed his meds with biscuits AND gravy. Dangerous combination, man.

That aside, HIGH ROAD. Mostly high road, it’s kinda early and depends on how he books it. If booked incorrectly, he could be out of the job in a few months like Cena’s bodyguards, B2 and Red Dogg.

They need to book him like a monster. I’m thinking of Hollywood Hogan’s bodyguard, The Giant. Or DX’s bodyguard, Chyna. Or Reverend D-Von’s bodyguard, Batista. You immediately knew these guys were trouble.

I don’t see Gallows as trouble yet, but I went high road because he could be. If you watch his debut match as Festus, you’ll see how dangerous he was. Without meds, they need to book him as dangerous x 10. Have him squash wrestlers and go on a long winning streak. Have him no sell everything like debut Undertaker. Let him destroy Slammaster J in a Sycho Sid/HBK sorta way. Have wrestlers look nervous when Punk’s about to tag him in. Do this for a few months, then have Punk lose control of him, start building his character/vulnerabilities and that should get him to the next level of the road.

Sat: That combination of prescription drugs and biscuits and gravy has me laughing right now.

Chad Nevett: Funniest comment by far. And, you’re right, Gallows doesn’t immediately intimidate the way other bodyguards of the past have, which is a crucial point.

Shio Writes:

High Road,

It adds something to the one dimensional festus character, while giving festus an actual chance to have a proper debut not under a shitty gimmick. if they brought back Nick ‘Eugene’ Dinsmore and went this route as well, Dinsmore would be able to actually showcase his wrestling ability. Sure the story is convoluted and doesn’t make that much logical sense, but WWE is aimed at kids, and really, kids aren’t concerned about the logical fallacies of a wrestling storyline.

Sat: Good to know I am not the only one that thinks this.

Chad Nevett: Kids have a fantastic ability to see through inconsistencies and logical fallacies to what’s really going on: CM Punk wants to control people and that’s what’s bad. Pretty simple.

S1Rude Writes:

Both Roads. The explanation for his behavior as Festus is embarrassing. But if they’re smart from here on out and ignore the past and focus on Gallows as a straight-edger converted/saved by Punk, they can add an interesting wrinkle to Punk’s character and salvage a decent wrestler from a comedy gimmick. The sooner the R-Truth (stupid name, btw) feud is behind them both the better. And the E needs to never, ever even consider a storyline that has wrestlers drugging themselves or each other.

Sat: The one thing that I am going to mention is that R-Truth is amazing at getting the fans involved in his ring entrance. That alone makes him very valuable to the WWE.

Chad Nevett: I’ve never been that high on R-Truth and the couple of times he’s gone on the mic against Punk did more to hurt him than his matches with Punk have helped him. For me, at least.

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Your reasons for taking the High Road, Low Road, or Both Roads and suggestions for future High Road/Low Road are welcome at [email protected] or in the comment section. Your reply will be included in next week’s column.