High Road/Low Road 01.12.07: Rated RKO versus DX (Before and After the Injury)
Posted by Chad Nevett on 01.12.2007
Triple H's injury at New Year's Revolution had a profound impact on the Rated RKO versus DX feud. How was the feud before the injury? Does Triple H's injury hurt or help the feud. You decide in this week's High Road/Low Road.
Welcome back to the High Road/Low Road! A brief explanation of the column: Uncle Trunx takes the Low Road (negative view) on angles, gimmicks, and other wrestling related "stuff" while Sat takes the High Road (positive view).
The Results for the Paparazzi Championship Series:
High Road: 78%
Low Road: 12%
Both Roads: 10%
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.
Ian Colwell Writes:
I'm taking the High Road on this one. I understand the argument that the PCS isn't helping the competitors evolve as wrestlers, but it's helping them get over, and all of them have enough skill to translate that into (at least) X-Division success for years to come. In addition, it's allowed Alex Shelley, in particular, to showcase his comedic brilliance, and that should get him over with the fans. At the same time, however, while Shelley is displaying his comedic side, Senshi is still in character, which only reinforces his "warrior" mentality. As Sat mentioned, it also keeps Kevin Nash away from the ring, where I don't think anyone wants to see him at this stage. The pieces only take up a few minutes of precious TV time for TNA, and they're a hell of a lot funnier than VKM. In fact, as long as VKM is still doing their thing in TNA, you can't take the Low Road on anything else outside of the ring.
Sat: Alex Shelley has already benefited from Kevin Nash. The real people that have benefited are Lethal, Dutt, and Senshi. I think Kevin Nash is better in this role and hopefully he stays out of the ring. Good point about VKM. Everything is a High Road compared to VKM.
Uncle Trunx:
Funnier than VKM: Well, I'll give you that! However I can and will continue to take the low road on other aspects of TNA. After all, it's my job!
Frightened Inmate #2
Uncle Trunx: Frightened Inmate #2? That's a great name! Does it refer to a particularly traumatizing episode in your earlier life? I also hope Nitro will be elevated, although I think his in ring work with Jeff Hardy will be as much of a factor if it does happen.
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Not a traumatizing event, just homage to a great show called Arrested Development that sadly FOX decided they had to cancel despite it winning several Emmys, getting rave reviews and being generally brilliant.
Nitro's feud with Hardy has been good so far, but I hope Sunday night is still the blow off as its getting a bit stale. Have either men cut a promo on each other in weeks? There has been no interaction between the two recently which makes the whole steel cage stip a bit odd.
This past RAW should have seen Nitro and Federline administering a beat down on Cena, before Hardy comes out to even the score and wap out some high-risk attack that leaves Nitro and Jeff sprawled out on the floor outside while Umaga pops in, slips his silky extended Thumb into an already beaten-down Cena leaving K-Fed to grab the sneaky pin. Simple, elevation all around. Tag team match made later instead of continuing the main event Handicap match tradition that I thought was left in 2006.
Tough choice this week as I do not get to watch that much of TNA being here in the UK, but I have been watching most of these skits on good ol' Youtube and have found them pretty funny. Its the first time I have heard Sonjay Dutt speak so that's a bonus and the Senshi/Jim Hellwig stuff was genius. I agree that Nash needs to be in these skits instead of in the ring, at least until Shelley turns on him and beats him clean. Hearing that Bob Backlund has signed for a few appearances in TNA means they will stretch this out a few more weeks and as long as the comedy standard is maintained I see so problem. High Road for me.
Cheers
Sat: Hardy/Nitro will probably be the match of the night and there has been no interaction at all. It would have made sense to have a regular tag match with Cena and Hardy against Umaga and Nitro. I don't know why the WWE decided to go with the handicap match. Maybe to make Cena look strong after his loss to K-Fed.
The PCS has been great so far and it is only going to get better if the rumors about Backlund are true.
Uncle Trunx:
Backlund used in the right way could be brilliant; I watch with interest to see what they do with him, if he comes in. As for Nitro and Hardy, they might be trying to avoid their weaknesses by not giving them promos. However I agree that they need to do something to turn the heat up under the feud, otherwise it's just a series of matches which, while entertaining, lack the intensity that a well crafted feud could bring. Note: A well crafted feud does not involve ruining someone's painting.
Brian Blaze Writes:
Once again, a strong column as always with good arguments from you both. I already had my mind made up before reading the column and it more or less reinforced that notion. While the Paparazzi Championship Series is hilarious (Bob Backlund Limbo Rules anyone?), there are a few problems with it. The first is while Austin AriesStarr and Alex Shelley are both letting their personality shine even more from this, it is hurting Sonjay Dutt in my opinion. He's being made to look like a spastic little runt who freaks out non-stop. Kevin Nash ripping on him with the steroids is not helping him at all. In my opinion, Jay Lethal hasn't really been affected one way or the other personality-wise. Also, I think this could be structured much better. The PCS could have alternating weeks between Nash's skit competitions and matches. That way the X-guys are in the ring and in the back and the new viewers to TNA and even the people watching before it hit primetime can attach the person in the ring to the person backstage. However with this, we only see them backstage on a currently wrestling depleted show. They have managed to get Senshi to look like a badass though. I am all for the PCS, I just wish it would translate more into the in-ring area. Also, has a prize been announced?
Sat: It would have been nice to get some matches and the skits. I think two weeks of skits and a match would have been great. Hopefully, the prize is a shot at the X-Division title, but who knows.
Uncle Trunx:
I'd prefer to see more wrestling among the skits; 2 weeks of skits for one match is too much for me; I'd like a 1-1 ratio. However, I am old fashioned in that I like to watch wrestling on wrestling shows.
This week's High Road/Low Road featuring...
Rated RKO versus DX (Before and After the Injury)
Sat: The original plan was do the High Road/Low Road on the Rated RKO versus DX feud, but the injury to Triple H changed that. So, we decided to do High Road/Low Road on the feud before and after the injury.
Before the Injury to Triple H
High Road:
Teaming Randy Orton and Edge was a great move because the partnership makes sense. Edge is mad at DX for costing him the WWE Title in the cage match. Randy Orton is mad at Triple H because Triple H ruined his career. Both Randy Orton and Edge have a reason to go after DX.
Low Road:
In the short term, it does indeed make sense for the two to team up. However, as a long term tag team I see no sense in it; it takes two of the top contenders for the championship out of the title picture. Given that their replacement seems to be either Umaga or Khali, I hope that they pull the plug on the rated RKO vs. DX feud and send at least one of them after Cena.
High Road:
The DX/Rated RKO feud has helped because it has kept all of the competitors out of the title chase. Edge has had a long feud with John Cena and it was time for a change for him. Randy Orton will most likely be facing John Cena at WrestleMania, so you need to keep him out of the title chase until then. It is also good to keep Triple H and Shawn Michaels out of the title picture because it allows for others to get a chance. If Triple H and Shawn Michaels get another world title, it will be that much more special.
Low Road:
I disagree. There's nothing wrong with a slow build to the WrestleMania main event. If it is to be Orton vs. Cena, why not start it now, and build him up as a significant threat over time, even switching the belt back and forth a few times? The same could be said of Edge; he's produced some of the best main event matches of the past year with Cena, so why not let them continue with Orton as back up? Two heels chasing the title doubles the pressure, and a nice twist could be added by having them as an uneasy alliance.
High Road:
Rated RKO is the first legitimate threat to DX. So far, DX has feuded with the McMahons, the Spirit Squad, and Murdoch and Cade. Randy Orton and Edge are two of the top stars of the WWE and most people are not sure who is going to win this feud. There was no doubt with the McMahons, the Spirit Squad, and Murdoch and Cade. DX really hasn't been challenged and Rated RKO will be their first major challenge for them.
Low Road:
This is more of a low road on DX up to this point. I see the need to make DX look strong but I don't see why it had to continue until rated RKO came along. Both guys are already significant threats; HHH and HBK have so many titles to their name that they don't need to squash midcarders and McMahons to appear strong. That DX hadn't been challenged is because the tag team scene in WWE has been pitiful.
High Road:
Randy Orton and Edge versus DX feud will have some excellent matches. DX has had some bad opponents and the matches haven't been that good. Randy Orton and Edge are much better wrestlers than the Spirit Squad, the McMahons, and Murdoch and Cade. DX and Rated RKO had a good match at Cyber Sunday and the same should be true for New Year's Revolution.
Low Road:
The match has great potential, but the match at Cyber Sunday didn't live up to expectations for me. They could have a great match but it all gets too chaotic in DX matches and I just don't see that changing.
High Road:
Before this feud, Randy Orton was a wrestler that wasn't living up to the expectations. In the past few months, Randy Orton has looked a whole lot better. The reason is this feud that he has been having with DX. I think Orton has benefited with his association with the best heel in the WWE. Orton has also benefited from facing two popular wrestlers, in Triple H and Shawn Michaels. This feud has helped make Randy Orton a better heel and now he looks like a good option to be headlining WrestleMania.
Low Road:
Indeed, Randy Orton has looked great in this feud. I just don't think it should be a long term feud; rather, it would be better as a quick one off to move him up the card to face the champ. I can't help but feel that this is a waste of all the men involved, especially seeing Umaga and Khali against Cena.
After the Injury to Triple H
High Road:
Triple H's injury could not have come at a worst time because the feud was at the middle stages. This feud was finally picking up and the best stuff was still to come. However, when you think about it, Edge and Orton did accomplish what they said they were going to do. They said that they were going to get of DX and with Triple H's injury they have managed to get rid of ½ of DX.
Low Road:
Well, it would play perfectly into the storyline if this was a 1 month injury. However, it's not. It's a 6 month injury. In the modern era of pay per views every month, I can't see them maintaining the momentum of this storyline for that long. Had this happened in the late ‘80s, they could have woven it in perfectly; HHH could appear in HBK's corner at WrestleMania and could then have gradually got himself ready for SummerSlam while HBK gets to wrestle Edge or Orton on house shows, with the other interfering to cost him matches. However, that's not the era we're in, and with the demands of constant TV and pay per view, I can't see them keeping this going that long.
High Road:
We all saw that Triple H's quad gave out when he gave the spine buster to Randy Orton. But, before the injury, Edge and Randy Orton had been working on his right knee. That's very important because this is what Edge and Orton are going to point to. They are going to say that they have accomplished their goal of getting rid of DX. It was an unfortunate injury to the Game, but the WWE can turn the injury into an angle.
Low Road:
As I said above, that would be perfect for 1988. To make it into a storyline lasting that long now, WWE will have to completely recondition its viewers. It may be possible to keep the story going for 6 months without HHH there in person, but it'll take a lot of work for the writers and I just can't see them managing it myself.
High Road:
Rated RKO is really going to benefit from Triple H's injury. Triple H has been the staple of RAW for a long time. He had managed to avoid the injuries and now Rated RKO has supposedly injured the Game. Rated RKO can say that they have taken out the best superstar on RAW. They can say that they have killed ½ of DX. A positive did come out of this injury and that is that Rated RKO will be able to say that they got rid of the game.
Low Road:
That's great for a week or two but as a long term claim it'll need interesting storylines to back it up. WWE creative must now provide these without one of the most popular, consistent and reliable performers on the roster involved. As I said above, if it was an injury which would keep HHH out for a month, it would be perfect. As it is, I can't help but think creative will struggle to keep the story going for 6 months until HHH can return and get revenge.
High Road:
Triple H has had a long run on RAW, so he is going to benefit from the time off. First, when he comes back, the story writes itself where he gets revenge on the two people that injured him. If I am the WWE, I also decide to "injure" Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania, where he can face Edge or Orton. Edge and Randy Orton can brag for the next few months that they are the faces of RAW. Then have Triple H and Shawn Michaels make there triumphant return and take out Rated RKO. A win-win for both sides. Rated RKO took out DX and DX gets revenge when they return.
Low Road:
Absolutely, if WWE hadn't conditioned the fans to accept monthly pay per view events with storylines paying off quickly. They'll have to find things for Rated RKO to do until HHH is ready to return and in the modern climate, 6 months of spinning your wheels is far too much. Sadly, the recovery time for the injury derails a promising storyline just as it was reaching its peak and it'll be very hard to regain the lost momentum.
Are you taking the High Road or the Low Road?
High Road/Low Road Plugs
We are taking the high road on these articles so you should read them...
There are other articles that we didn't list, so check them out as well.
E-mail us your reasons for taking the High Road or the Low Road and suggestions for future High Road/Low Road at satuncletrunx@gmail.com. Your reply will be included in next week's column.
