High Road/Low Road 01.02.09: Number One Contender For John Cena’s WWE Title
Posted by Sat & Chad Nevett on 01.02.2009
This week on Raw, we saw a Number One Contender Elimination Match. Was this a good idea, or did it end 2008 on a downer? Come on in and tell us what you think.
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).
Sat: Uncletrunx is back this week after being MIA. It is good to have you back because I struggled with the low roads.
Uncletrunx: It's good to be back, and my apologies for missing last weeks column. I hope you've all had a great Christmas, New Year, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Bairns Day, Birthday of Ra, Festivus or anything else I missed. General good wishes to all.
The Results for the HBK/JBL Alliance:
High Road: 30%
Low Road: 60%
Both Roads: 10%
Number One Contender For John Cena's WWE Title
BEFORE RAW
High Road:
The one thing that I like about this match is that it is all heels competing for the number one contender ship. It was pretty much a given that John Cena was going to be facing a heel at the Royal Rumble, so if a face had been in there, it would have been a given that person was not going to win. Plus, when was the last time, we saw multiple heels fighting against each other. This should create for an interesting show.
Low Road: The problem with multiple heels fighting is that the crowd reaction will suffer. Face vs face matches are hard enough for the crowd to react to, but heel vs heel is even worse. It's true that heel vs heel is a rarity and there's a good reason for it.
High Road:
When you look at all of the competitors in this match, all of them have some history with John Cena and this should help to create an interesting feud at the Royal Rumble. When you look at this match, any one of these guys could win and it would lead to an interesting road to the Royal Rumble. That is all you can ask for when the main priority at this time is the Royal Rumble match.
Low Road:
Going in, it looks inevitable that JBL and HBK will be there at the end as this match is a setup for their storyline to move on. Having the other guys in there seems to be a bit superfluous and a waste of such high caliber wrestlers. Jericho and Orton as accessories to the JBL and HBK situation is a shame.
High Road:
This should be a very interesting match because there are tons of different dynamics to this match. For example, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton worked together a few weeks ago to take care of John Cena. And in last week's column, we had a look at the alliance between HBK and JBL. So, I think that in this match, we will see some working together for awhile and then we will start to see guys turning on each other. It should make for an interesting match.
Low Road:
I think that while the wrestling will undoubtedly be good especially with Jericho and Michaels in there, the storyline is the dominant factor (as it is throughout WWE) and the dynamic will therefore be much more simplistic. As mentioned above, this is a clear setup for the JBL / HBK situation and any other alliance or partnership will take a back seat to that.
AFTER RAW
High Road:
The first thing that I want to comment on is that this match allowed for the continuation of the HBK and JBL angle. While it was nice to see this angle getting furthered, I thought that the execution failed miserably. Having JBL and HBK talk to each other in the ring, while we had to watch their hand motions and read their lips, was a bad idea. And if this had happened last week, then I can guarantee that you guys would not have seen the HBK/JBL high road/low road from last week. Still, I think that this is a high road because while I did not like the way that the angle was progressed, I still like the fact that they are moving forward with this angle and trying to end it as soon as possible.
Low Road:
The execution was dire, it looked like pantomime acting. If the high road is that the angle is moving fast and will hopefully be over soon, I don't think I need to add anything as a low road!
High Road:
I think that JBL is a perfect option for John Cena at the Royal Rumble. First, I think it is smart to save Randy Orton and John Cena for a later time. John Cena and Chris Jericho has already happened twice in a row and probably would not have worked a third time. John Cena and Shawn Michaels would not have worked given the current angle going on. And plus, JBL did get a few victories over Cena in the summer and they have good chemistry together. So, JBL has the challenger for John Cena at the Royal Rumble is a good idea.
Low Road:
What it means is that the JBL / HBK storyline will undoubtedly overshadow the title match itself. I guess this also means that Cena is done with Jericho, meaning that Jericho's credibility is gone following his butchering at the hands of Cena. I'd much rather see another competitive match between Cena and Jericho and watch Cena vs JBL with the title playing second fiddle to the soap opera.
High Road:
One of the things that I missed about the matchup and I figured out during RAW was the fact that it was an elimination match. This was an excellent move by the WWE because I have always felt that an elimination match offers the wrestler who won the match a lot more credibility. The reason that I believe this is that they won a match that is harder to win than the standard triple threat match or fourway match. So, kudos to the WWE for having an elimination match.
Low Road:
An elimination match meant that Jericho and Orton each had to be pinned and eliminated. In Jericho's case particularly, this moves him further from Main Event status and closer to "Jobber to the Stars", a criminal waste. In all, we get to see the main event players reduced to bit parts to further a soap opera storyline which would be better finished sooner rather than later. That, to me, says "Low Road."
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.
Sat: No emails this week except for the people that voted.
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 Monday Noon Pacific Time.
The Gold Standard Writes:
Low Road. Typical stuff. HBK will turn on JBL and Superkick him through something setting up a match where he beats JBL blah. I'd be interested if they were some sort of a title hunt or feuding over one. I'm a title mark:)
Sat: It is a given that Shawn will turn on JBL, but the question is will the WWE do what I said with HBK/Taker.
Uncletrunx: given that I missed last week it's harder for me to respond, but I have to say that this is a remarkably predictable story. It's DiBiase vs Virgil all over again except without the years of build thrown into Virgil and DiBiase. It's a short term, thrown together version of that with 1/100 of the intrigue.
The Great Captain Smooth Writes:
High Road. It could be an interesting study in fan behavior. Will they cheer for a guy doing the wrong things, but for the right reasons or will they throw him under the bus? HBK represents many people in this storyline. Most of us have been there, so it will connect emotionally with the fans. The fact that they are in the title hunt helps too. That doesn't even include the fact that HBK can carry JBL to a good match, if that's where it ends up. Finally, both rock in the promo department.
Sat: Good point. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to Michaels.
Uncletrunx: Michaels is like Undertaker in that they could do virtually anything and still hear cheers. It's why this story is going to be less involving than the DiBiase / Virgil version (Which I remember, because I'm old!)
JLAJRC Writes:
I gotta go Both Roads. I gotta admit that Shawn Michaels has done some of the best acting/promos this year (whether it was with Jericho, Flair, and now JBL). When he does an emotional promo, you believe it.
But couldn't they have come up with a better storyline than the unbelievable "Shawn is broke." The fact the WWE still employs him as a main eventer and you know he's making at least a million a year hurts the story tremendously. The reason the Nicolai Volkoff in the Million Dollar Corporation worked is that it had been years since fans saw him wrestle and a lot can happen in that time. But Shawn is still employed, so automatically it doesn't work.
A better storyline would be that JBL starts spending his money frivously and acting like how Michaels used to act before his transformation into the family man we see today. This ticks off Michaels and brings up bad memories for him. Boom, instant feud.
Sat: As I wrote on one of the low roads, how is possible that Shawn is broke and none of the other wrestlers are. He did give a reason, but it does not explain everything
Uncletrunx: It does lack credibility, especially given that it has come out of nowhere. Shawn suddenly broke? Don't buy it.
HBK = Greatness Writes:
HIGH ROAD .
Why ?
Simple , HBK is involved in it .
No Shawn Michaels storyline has been bad in the near past .
This will be great too.
Sat: True. Shawn Michaels can make an storyline interesting.
Uncletrunx: There's always a first time.
Karp Writes:
High Road. Clearly, this is inspired by The Wrestler, which is great, since it's a mature take of a very buzzworthy movie, and Michaels is believable in the role thanks to his real-life injuries and promo skills.
Besides, c'mon people. It's no secret that life absolutely sucks for 95% of current and former wrestlers. It's refreshingly honest to allow a character to specifically say that he's afraid he'll end up like Randy The Ram, not to mention Bam Bam Bigelow, Perry Saturn, Jake Roberts, etc. etc. etc.
I like this angle especially because it has such a clear heel (JBL gets to be a true villain, which is great; hopefully he'll get a stable out of this), but the real bad guy is the damn wrestling industry.
Sat: I have not seen the Wrestler, so I can not comment on that, but I agree with where you said that he does not want to end up like the 95% of wrestler who do not save their money.
Uncletrunx: I can't believe that Vince would agree to a storyline where the wrestling industry ended up being the bad guy, and given his apparent dislike of "The Wrestler", I predict it changes away from that pretty rapidly.
17 Writes:
Low Road. This is one of these angles which is so stupid it makes me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. Even if Michaels lost everything, which is a laughable concept, it wouldn't take him long to get enough of it back. If this was with a lower card rivalry it might be a little more forgivable except it wouldn't explain why everyone else is fine. The WWE should drop this intelligence insulting angle immediately because it's making anything involving Michaels, one of the best ever, unwatchable TV.
Sat: It isn't a bad angle, but I will say that the WWE could have come up with something better for Michaels.
Uncletrunx: As I said, it does stretch credulity that Michaels could suddenly lose everything and have to be employed by JBL.
KanyonKreist Writes:
Low road.
I'd wanted to see these two work together for a couple years, actually, and I'm really disappointed with the result. Who looks at HBK's "sad panda" face and DOESN'T roll their eyes? Where's the ANGER?
This angle would be monumentally great if Michaels hadn't been working for the company full-time for the last six years, but as it is, I can't even see intelligent eight-year-olds believing that Michaels' WWE paycheck isn't enough to put his kids through college.
You know what would make this the angle of the year- no, the DECADE? Replace Shawn Michaels with Jake Roberts.
Sat: Jake Roberts would definitely work for this angle, but does anybody want to see it?
Uncletrunx: Jake would work brilliantly for this angle. As would any veteran. D'Lo, for example, or they could even use it to bring Val Venis back to prominence, Any of them would be believable, but Shawn suddenly losing all his cash is just plain unconvincing.
Your reasons for taking the High Road, Low Road, or Both Roads and suggestions for future High Road/Low Road are welcome at satuncletrunx@gmail.com or in the comment section. Your reply will be included in next week's column.
I like that the ending furthered the HBK/JBL storyline, but I thought the whole match was boring. I was disappointed that it wasn't a better match.
Also, while I agree with Sat that JBL challenging Cena at the Rumble saves Orton/Cena for most likely WM25(which is a match I definetly want to see)...
This feels like just a throw away Rumble title match. Which I HATE. I want the title matches at the RR to mean something and give us the feel that either guy can win and go on to defend the title at WM. This year you won't have that as we ALL know that Cena is retaining here. Uncletrax is right, the title match will be secondary to the JBL/Shawn storyline.
Posted By: Brian (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Low Road.The match was super boring and the people who I rather have wanted to see win were the first two eliminated(Y2J,Orton) and to top it off JBL vs. Cena now if JBL wins the title somehow and involves with his angle with HBK, it will make me care about their angle.
Posted By: The Gold Standard (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 01:11 PM
I think low road, no hating on jbl, he is a good wrestler, but whenever they wrestle, they can't click that good, because john cenas on a different level than jbl. i'm just sayin'
Posted By: Z-Mc08 (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 03:20 PM
A qualified High Road:
It's a High Road if they make the match some sort of no DQ and Michaels helps JBL win. That way the belt's off Cena, yet he loses none of his Hogan-esqueness. It'll also allow Shawn to become remorseful for costing a good man his title. That will give Shawn a real reason to turn on JBL.
Posted By: Iron Knee (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 03:31 PM
I gotta say high road because I can actually see a few possibilities coming from this angle.
1.) HBK reluctantly helps JBL win the title at the Royal Rumble, ticking Cena off. Then HBK wins the Rumble. This ticks off a a triple threat match at the February PPV between them where Shawn "accidently" wins the title by pinning Cena. This leads to JBL firing HBK and a match for the title, which HBK wins.
2.) Or how about after Shawn wins the Rumble, they do the old "Will Shawn stay on RAW or leave for Smackdown (because he ain't going to ECW)" story. Shawn elects to go to SD to challenge their champion (who could very well be Taker). But before he goes he has a blowoff match with JBL and maybe Cena.
Posted By: JLAJRC (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 06:25 PM
High Road. Considering the talent involved, you have to hold out some hope. Each person involved brings something different to the table. We have potential turns from all people involved. Everybody is involved in another storyline, except for Y2J, so there are other people who can get involved and perhaps get a rub. Also, Uncletrunx, you are not old, because I remember the DiBiase/Virgil angle too and I'm still in my twenties.
Posted By: The Great Capt. Smooth (Guest) on January 02, 2009 at 07:55 PM
High Road.
While the obvious route is to tease this along for awhile until HBK finally has enough, turns on him, and they have their blow off they could EASILY make this something different.
HBK continues to help JBL. JBL eventually starts to show empathy for Shawn and tries to become his friend. They can run a whole "JBL is lonely and has no friends" type of thing. HBK feels sorry for him and becomes friends with him and tries to get him to be more face-like. Maybe they even take the Title Titles. This leads to a 3 Hour Special, where it's a DX reunion(like they won't do it anyway). JBL is jealous of Triple H's friendship with Michaels and attacks. Michaels stops him and ends up getting hurt in the brawl. This leads to whatever. This strays from the norm, gives JBL's character more depth/less cartoony, and evolves it into a different feud all together. I know it's a crazy and lame way to go with it, but it's at least different.
Or how about HBK win the Rumble after Taker eliminates JBL. JBL is pissed at Taker so in Feb they face off and Taker wins. JBL then forces Michaels to give him his title shot and instead end Taker's streak at Mania. We all get the HBK/Taker match we want and JBL goes on to face Jeff and put him over clean. The last part is what's iffy on that idea.
I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt to Michael and JBL. Just because the storyline has a perceived "paint-by-numbers" result doesn't mean it will.
Posted By: Mikey MiGo (Registered) on January 02, 2009 at 08:08 PM
High road .
The right man [ JBL ] won , leaving Randy Orton free to win the rumble.
Also , they continued the storyline perfectly .
HBK wants to steal the show at WM , an easy way to do that is go in as champion .
He could have been champ had he gotten a title match at RR , but he had to give it up to JBL.
Now , how ELSE can he steal the show at WM ?
Either he wins the rumble match or he challenges taker.
Whichever way it goes , it is intriguing.
HBK at WM Silver
will either be in a title match.,
vs JBL .
Vs taker .
I would pay to see any of those 3 .[ yes , even JBL , because i would love to see shawn annihilate him like he did to vince.]
It's an interesting idea as it has brought a lot of freshness to both HBK and JBL .
And it has made people talk .
Seriously , in the past few months , before this angle started , i forgot that JBL was even wrestling.It has made him significant again.
And if you don't agree , when was the last time you did an entire column about JBL [ or one in which he was majorly involved ?]
Posted By: JD (Guest) on January 03, 2009 at 03:17 AM
HIgh road.
It's HBK , come on.
If anyone in the world knows how to sell an angle and make it convincing , it is him.
If this does not turn out well , it won't be due to lack of trying on either one's part.
And this is the best way to get him into a major WM match.
People are discussing the possibility of him winning the rumble , imagine that .
personally , i hope it leads to a title win at mania for shawn.
HHH has held it 12 times , why can't HBK have one more reign .
He might not need it , but all his fans do.
Posted By: ASRM (Guest) on January 03, 2009 at 03:24 AM
Low Road
Posted By: Dave M (Guest) on January 03, 2009 at 06:41 AM
Jericho got eliminated first so he's now bordering on Jobber to the stars? A jobber to the stars is someone like val venis.
I haven't seen you around this site, and i guess there is a good reason why.
This Column = Low Road.
Posted By: ME (Guest) on January 04, 2009 at 12:17 AM
low road
Posted By: efuveal (Guest) on January 04, 2009 at 08:23 PM
Actually, the match was for the number one contendership for John Cena's WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.
It's not John Cena's WWE Title. The WWE title currently belongs to Jeff Hardy.
Posted By: Mr Quimby's Dram (Guest) on January 05, 2009 at 04:47 AM
High road.
The heart break kid will never go down the low road , brother !
HBK should be placed for life in the
high road.
HBK = Good story lines + 5 star matches.
What ELSE DO YOU WANT , UNCLE NEGATIVE ???
HBK will never let you down.Enjoy the ride.
End of story.
Posted By: Why so Negative? (Guest) on January 05, 2009 at 10:40 AM
This is a Low Road in every possible way. For one thing we get another awful Cena vs JBL while Shawn Michaels watches or something. If the WWE absolutely had to involve the JBL/Michaels bullshit in the title picture I'd much rather see a triple threat. It would lead to even more bullshit but then at least I would get to see somebody I actually like wrestle. I would have much rather seen a third Jericho vs Cena match this time with a stipulation like a cage match or a last man standing match (and not waste it on smackdown), preferably with Jericho winning to get back some of his credibility or better yet if the WWE felt like they absolutely had to give cena the belt this could have been the place to do it with out harming Jericho. Finally the number one contender match itself did not in any way make me want to see the PPV match, and since that was more or less the point I would consider the match a failure.
Posted By: 17 (Guest) on January 05, 2009 at 11:01 AM
