High Road/Low Road 09.26.08: Kofi Kingston

Welcome back to the High Road/Low Road!

A brief explanation of the column: Uncletrunx 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 Lance Cade as a Main Event Heel:

High Road: 18%
Low Road: 59%
Both Roads: 23%

Uncletrunx: Before we get into the meat and potatoes of the column, I should apologise for there being no column last week; I was sent to London by my employers and had no internet access. Sorry about that!

Kofi Kingston

High Road:
Kofi Kingston is a valuable asset to the WWE because he has a different style then most of the other wrestlers. Most of the other wrestlers in the WWE wrestle the WWE style, but Kofi Kingston kind of wrestles like a cruiserweight and a little bit like Rob Van Dam. I think that this combination is going to keep him around for while.

Low Road:
I hope it does. However, WWE have a bad track record with those who don’t wrestle “WWE style”, either forcing them to change (and thus lose what made them good in the first place) or failing to back them to their full potential. I hope this doesn’t happen with Kofi but previous experience suggests that his unique style may not work to his favour in WWE.

High Road:
I seem to remember reading something a few months ago where it said that the WWE is interested in pushing the African American wrestlers. This has to bode well for Kofi Kingston, so I definitely expect him to be appearing on RAW regularly for the next few months.

Low Road:
Indeed, but I hope he’s pushed on more than just his ethnicity. Otherwise, as soon as the next Bobby Lashley comes along, Kofi will be back in the lower midcard. Also, it should be noted that Shelton Benjamin has not benefited from this decision, so there’s no guarantee that Kofi will.

High Road:
Kofi should benefit from a move to RAW because he will now be showcased to a larger fan base on RAW. He was basically a weekly fixture on ECW, but he probably was not being seen by the entire WWE fan base because of ECW’s low rating. On RAW, he is going to be a seen a lot more and this should have a definite impact on Kofi’s career.

Low Road:
The flipside to this is that he will be a comparatively small fish in a larger pool. On ECW, guys who might not get the chance to shine among the big names on Raw can carve out their own niche. On Raw, it will be that much harder to grab his share of the spotlight.

High Road:
Kofi Kingston’s Intercontinental title victory was huge for his career for two reasons. Even though, he had a short run as the champion, he lost the title to somebody who has been a consistent fixture on RAW for awhile. That is nothing to be ashamed of. His title victory also guarantees Kofi a decent spot on the card. Since the middle of 2003, the winners of the intercontinental title are either still around or have retired (Flair and RVD). I think that speaks volumes of what the intercontinental title can do for somebody’s careers. Now, I will say that this does not guarantee him a good storyline every single time out, but the fact is that he will be doing something decent. And with Kofi that should be enough.

Low Road:
I’m not sure that having the Intercontinental belt is that huge a guarantee of success. It used to be worth far more when WWE had three championships but now it’s almost a holding position, a place to put a wrestler that needs something to do. I don’t like the IC title being used that way but it seems to be the case. As for former IC champions remaining employed, this is true. However, one only has to look at how Santino Marella has been treated over the past 18 months to see that holding the Intercontinental belt is no guarantee of success. The loss of the belt to Santino is also a negative which I’ll cover below.

High Road:
A minor High Road here, probably nothing that is going to effect the way you vote, but he some really cool music. It is definitely one of my favorites.

Low Road:
When I was younger, I used to want the wrestler with the coolest music to win, whether he was face or heel, just so I could hear it again! However, this didn’t always happen and frequently the guys whose music I liked were let go. Cool music is not a great indicator of success.

High Road:
Kofi has slowly but surely been getting the fans’ support. When he came out at Night of Champions for his match with Chris Jericho, the crowd reaction was lukewarm, but when he won the title the crowd exploded. Now, it could be said that they popped for the title change, but I have noticed that the fans have slowly been starting to cheer more and more for Kofi. The fans’ support is only going to help Kofi.

Low Road:
Sadly, he then lost the title to Santino, who has spent 18 months losing to retired wrestlers and celebrities and is nothing more than a jobber; an entertaining jobber perhaps, but a jobber. The support of the fans is a good thing to have but WWE is notoriously slow to act on it and somehow reluctant to push fan favourites all the way; Jeff Hardy is a good example of this. Kofi could be the next big star in WWE and has many things going for him; however, each has a downside and none is a guarantee. I hope he makes it, but it is certainly not a certainty and I can see him having to navigate past quite a few roadblocks before he gets to the top.

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.

Tim Schmidt Writes:

I’ll go high road on Cade. while he hasn’t been treated much like a threat lately his presence in the main event could add some excitement to a semi-stale Raw. if Cade gets treated seriously then we could have some great feuds on our hands and while Cade is no Bret Hart he is far from the worst guy pushed in to the main event.

Sat: Yeah, Cade is a decent wrestler and I agree that he is no Bret Hart in the ring

Uncletrunx: It’s a big “if”. So far he seems like a sidekick and little more. He needs some respectability on his own for him to be a true main event level wrestler.

Freddy Neuwendyke Writes:

For right now low road. It just doesn’t seem like Cade has really done anything to get to the main event level. Outside of serving as a goon for Chris Jericho he hasn’t really beaten anyone important.

Sat: Yeah, he hasn’t beaten a top star yet, but has been in one of the more prolific feuds that the WWE has done.

Uncletrunx: So was Virgil. It didn’t make him a main event star.

Comments:

Below are the comments for last week’s columns and our responses. The comments that will be included will be the ones that pertain to this week’s column. Also, your comment will not be included if you are commenting on another reader’s comment. The comments are as of Sunday Afternoon Pacific Time (from last week obviously).

Chris Writes:

Low Road. If the WWE is trying to push Cade to a main event level, then he needs to breakout instead of being Jericho’s sidekick. Just because you’re guaranteed a spot on TV, that doesn’t mean that your career isn’t going anywhere. Right now, Cade needs to be practicing on his promos and wrestling one-on-one matches. I don’t think Cade has even wrestled ever since he aligned with Jericho. All he’s been doing is attacking Shawn Michaels. Sure that will give you heat, but it will be the only thing he’s known for.

Having Cade becoming a single star is like a debut, you don’t know what to expect from him. You either go nowhere even by winning matches, or you can rise to the occasion. With the ECW talent initiative, most of them have been disappointments, except for Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston. But that was because they had a unique high-flying style that the WWE was lacking. Cade is just another power wrestler that the WWE doesn’t need right now. Smackdown has an abundance of heels, why can’t you just take a guy like MVP or The Big Show and put him on RAW?

Sat: I think that right now he is doing a good job. Granted, he hasn’t broken out yet, but he has done a decent job

Uncletrunx: As Chris said, he hasn’t done enough to break out. He needs some achievements on his own otherwise he’s a sidekick and nothing more.

Frank Writes:

Cade as a main event heel would be awesome but hes not being treated like a threat right now. I’ll go High Road.

Sat: Seems to be that people want Cade to be an instant threat. I think that he has done a decent job so far.

Uncletrunx: I agree that he’s not going to be an instant threat. He’s not yet at main event level, he’s a main event wrestler’s backup. He can do a great job at that but it doesn’t make him a headliner.

Dr Domino Writes:

If the road is allowed to be long enough, I’ll go high.

If the road suffers from ADD, like a lot of WWE pushes and IWC adoptions, then I think it’ll be going through a tunnel soon enough.

Sat: I agree with this.

Uncletrunx: As will I! I’m willing to bet that this will not result in a long term Michaels vs Cade storyline.

BobbyC Writes:

Low Road. You know the heat that John Cena gets? Well – I think they want Cade to get that heat and continue to push Cena as the face. Problem is – I think that Cade’s heat will be more XPac heat than heel heat. Until he can prove that he can put in a main event in-ring performance – he can never truly be a main event heel.

Who are the main heels right now – Jericho and Edge – both of who are excellent in the ring. So far, I haven’t seen enough of Cade in the ring to say that he can carry a wrestling match.

Sat: I think that this is a good point. He hasn’t had a chance to show what he can do in the ring. Still, I think that his involvement in the feud of the year has to mean something.

Uncletrunx: Cade will have a very hard job climbing past either Edge or Jericho. He reminds me in many ways of Test; talented enough for a midcarder but not a convincing main event wrestler.

Abrupt Writes:

Low road, I guess…

I mean – when was the last time he was actually a part of a match? He just runs in as a punching bag occasionally when Jericho needs to bail. Or stands around at ringside for the sake of nothing. Like Bam Neely *GASP*.

If they actually treated him anywhere like a main event level’d personathingjamagic, Lance would’ve been tagging with Jericho in the handicap match last RAW instead of JBL. But that was not to be.

I kinda see Cade just fading slowly over the following months.

Sat: I don’t see him fading away, but I do agree with some of the things that you said.

Uncletrunx: I think the point about the handicap match neatly sums up my thoughts on why Cade is not a main eventer.

The Ratings Killer Writes:

Low Road a hundred times over.

Cade just lacks the presence that makes you think he’ll be a credible main-eventer. He’s been floating around on the main roster for three years now and he hasn’t really done anything that makes him stand out in that time.

His tag team with Murdoch broke up at least three times, only to reform when they realized they had nothing for the guy as a singles competitor (had they tried to push Murdoch on the other hand, that could’ve been interesting). If you compare that to how guys like MVP and Kendrick (or even Rhodes and DiBiase) have run with the ball it’s apparent that he’s not anywhere near pushing for main event status.

Sat: You make a good point, some guys have taken advantage of it and run with it. Cade hasn’t yet, but that could be because of the booking

Uncletrunx: I would’ve loved to see what Murdoch could’ve done as a singles wrestler. As I said above, Cade reminds me of Test and I can se him having a similar type of career.

Guest#6992 Writes:

“I’m not convinced that Lance Cade is being presented as a main event heel.”

I gotta go with Uncle Trunx on this one. It’s not that I disagree with Lance Cade being in a main event level role. But as of right now he is no better than Zeke is to THE Brian Kendrick. That being said, THE Brian Kendrick has had more air time and comes off as a better and higher level heel than Lance Cade. Have we even really heard Lance Cade speak in the last few weeks? And why should he when he has Chris Jericho as a mouth piece. But still, I think Zeke is getting a better rub from his role as bodyguard than Lance Cade.

That being said, one thing that was not mentioned is the fact that people that have come out of Shawn Michael’s Academy are starting to get a decent push. Yes, Lance Cade is no better than a bodyguard heel but it is a push. THE Brian Kendrick is getting a pretty decent push right now. If Paul London is still around and not pissing people off, then who knows. But it just seems to be an interesting coincidence that in a short amount of time, two former graduates of the TWA are now getting the spotlight.

Sat: Good point about the HBK’s Academy wrestlers getting a push. And right now, I will agree with you that Kendrick is being pushed better than Cade. But, if you ask me in a few months, I expect Cade to be the one getting pushed just because of his look. Let’s also remember that Zeke is helping Kendrick win most of matches, while Y2J does not necessarily need help winning matches.

Uncletrunx: The TWA guys are getting a push which is one of the things which will work in Cade’s favour longer term. I do think he needs to get away from Jericho and form his own identity though.

Michael Writes:

Low road, ever since he started hanging with Jericho, Cade has become the Bam Neely of Raw. Heck I wonder at times who’s more useful of the two. both of them just stands there, does nothing, and gets beat up. Aside from interfering in the HBK-Jericho feud what has he done? Nothing, sorry I don’t see it. If he wasn’t a student of HBK’s school he’d be joining his old buddy Murdoch in karaoke right about now.

Sat: Man, I don’t see Bam Neely and Lance Cade has the same thing. Lance Cade is miles ahead of Bam Neely. Still, Cade could have been handled better.

Uncletrunx: I see the comparison. Cade will derive more long term benefit from his association with Michaels school than he will from this feud.

Pkon Writes:

High Road all the way! You know its hard to think about questions like that and come up with an answer. Sometimes you dont know how you feel until it happens. I like Punk but i got pissed when he won MITB and thought id be even moreso when he cashed in but i LOVED it. I didnt know what i thought about Cade until he came to Jericho’s aid the first time and again, LOVED it. Dont know why. Just know thats how i feel. Here’s to hoping the E can carry out the push correctly, because anything could be good if booked properly.

Sat: I agree. When he first came out, I thought that this had a lot of potential. And if he had posted the column then, I think we would have had a lot more High Roads. But, the thing is that after that debut, Cade has not lived up to that initial reaction. Though, he has still done a good job.

Uncletrunx: I’m glad you’re enjoying it. They must be doing something right.

David Writes:

I love that they are trying to get someone new into the main event picture. Not a fan of Cade though. But again, it’s nice to see a new face.

Both roads.

High road on getting a new body in the picture, low road on how they are going about it.

Make him a threat, not a background character.

Sat: I agree with this assessment. It is nice that the WWE is pushing somebody new, but not doing a good job in execution.

Uncletrunx: While it’s great to push new guys up among the big names, I’m not sure that this is a push to that level, as I’ve said many times!

Reichou Writes:

This is the lowest road I have ever taken. Look at the numbers for Lance Cade here:

5 years of WWE employment, 2 names, 0 singles titles, 0 big singles feuds, 0 badass finishers. After half a decade of indifference, do you really think WWE is going to push this guy hard? This guy hasn’t been able to get over yet, and nothing will change the fact that the fans just don’t seem to give two shits about Cade one way or the other. He’s an average wrestler with an average look and average charisma, and that’s giving him the benefit of the doubt. Once the HBK-Y2J feud ends, Cade will be lost in the shuffle again. And once HBK’s employment ends, Cade will be looking for a job.

Sat: Lance Cade is still relatively young, so I don’t really worry about the years in the company. And for most of those five years, he has been a tag team wrestler, so of course, is singles titles is going to be zero.

Uncletrunx: As I say, he reminds me of Test and could well end up with a similar career. He may prove me wrong and coming from Michaels’ school won’t hurt but he is large and generic and needs something to make him stand out; being a sidekick for Jericho is not it.

Amazing read Writes:

LOW ROAD!!!! Couldn’t be more low road…

Lance Cade=Ralphus JPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh8gMsWKwTE

Sat: while I will say that Ralphus was cool, he is nothing compared to Lance Cade. Ralphus made Jericho a goofball, but at least Lance Cade gives Jericho some cred.

Uncletrunx: Ralphus was at least memorable. Will people be talking about Cade’s run as a bodyguard in about 10 years?

The Great Capt. Smooth Writes:

Both Roads. He has a good look, plenty of time left to make himself a main event level wrestler, involved in a great feud, and has shown the ability to put on some nice matches. On the other hand, many fans today make up their minds about wrestlers way too soon, so he may never be given a chance by them. It’s still a wait and see deal as far as I’m concerned.

Sat: Great point. Nowadays, fans decide if somebody is going to make it after one match.

Uncletrunx: Time is on his side but he’ll need to develop into a less generic wrestler if he’s to get to the very top.

technicalwrestlersrule writes:

Both Roads. I consider him a good wrestler but he still looks too green. I know he has been wrestling for several years, but whenever I see him he just looks lost and out of place. He looked way more natural when he was in a tag team. He looked way more confident. I don’t think he’s got any mic skills. He should stop imitating the AMW gimmick. This is a coin toss situatin here. This could either make him or break him. He needs to stop kissing Jericho’s butt. Jericho doesn’t need him right now, he’s doing more than fine (no sidekick needed). My advice is give him the Intercontinental title and let Santino do comedy without the belt. Santino is freaking hilarious don’t get me wrong, but nobody really takes him seriously as a wrestler. Let’s see how he does in the midcard, and how he grows from a midcard heel to a top player heel like EDGE. Edge is the top heel in wrestling period.

Sat: Good point about Santino not needing the title. Cade will have problems in singles competition because he has been only wrestling tag team matches. But, with time, that should go away.

Uncletrunx: As I said before, I can’t see him passing Edge and Jericho without a great deal of work. Wrestling singles matches will help him get out of the tag team mould but is he wrestling that many now? He seems to me to be a bodyguard and little more.

CADESUX Writes:

Low Road: Lance Cade is boring and has done NOTHING to earn this spot, I don’t know what WWE sees in him.

How someone who was trained by HBK, the greatest showmen of his generation can have hardly any charisma, personality or mic skills is beyond me.

They should have released him and given Trevor Murdoch a push instead.

Sat: I don’t see where all this love for Murdoch is coming from. Sure, he had a great character, but his in ring work was worse than Cade’s.

Uncletrunx: His look was at least somewhat more interesting.

Keee Writes:

what does uncletrunx actually mean?

Sat: I seem to remember asking this a long time ago, but I have completely forgotten what it meant. Or maybe, I never asked.

Uncletrunx: I could tell you but I’d have to kill you. J

Michelle Writes:

Low road, he’s not a main eventer. He’s at mid-card status IMO and is nothing but a sidekick.

Sat: I think we made a mistake in the wording of the title and should have done something like Lance Cade’s potential as a main event heel.

Uncletrunx: Absolutely. However, had we done so I would’ve had to write a different column!

JLAJRC Writes:

Low Road. Cade just hasn’t done anything for me personality or ring-wise to think he’s main event material. He’s simply the “guy who helps Jericho beat up Shawn Michaels” right now.

I think one of the problems is the “heel” part. He kinda looks like a face wrestler for me. Heck, the one time the Cade/Murdoch team was really over/interesting was when they were pseudo-faces in their feud with the Hardy’s. I can see something like Cade eventually turning on Jericho to become one, but he still needs to learn to back it up in the ring. Otherwise, he is strictly a midcard act at best.

Sat: I have always thought that Cade is more of a face too, but I have never known why I keep thinking that.

Uncletrunx: He might have potential as a tweener, and could be made interesting in that role. I’d like to see it.

Orlando Writes:

I take the High Road, and it really has nothing to do with Cade. The issue is the WWE booking. They had an opportunity to establish Cade as a strong heel once he and Murdoch split up. However all they had was a one shot match on RAW.

Now why the High Road view? Now that Jericho is World Champ he can use that push to finally get in the IC title scene and give that title some prestige again. This way they can see if he can be a title threat in the future.

Sat: Good point. Seems like people are not going to take Cade seriously until he wins the title.

Uncletrunx: I’d love to see the IC title mean something again ,but at the moment I think they’re planning to keep it on Santino for a while. That’s entertaining, but not exactly restoring the prestige of the belt.

KanyonKreist Writes:

Low road; he’s been a singles wrestler for, what, three months?

Sat: I can’t argue with your reasoning. Nobody has become a main eventer in three months. Again, I think we screwed up with the wording for the title.

Uncletrunx: Possibly. Although as I said, it made my approach easier!

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.