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The Crossface

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Guest TSMAdmin

Here we are again, discussing a plethora of topics. I'm the moderator, The Dames, and we have our Raw recapper Jared "JHawk" Hawkins with us tonight. I'd also like to welcome Dave Dymond, a great new addition to our staff who will educate our readers with news updates, wrestling columns, and MMA reviews. Also, don't be surprised if some familiar faces pop up for Crossface.

 

Dames: Alright guys...This past week, WWE brought back Shawn Michaels as a member of the NWO. What kind of an impact will he have...and why was he brought back?

Dave: The WWE is desperate to pop a rating and he will have NO impact...unless he fights, which he may not do, due to his injury.

JHawk: As I said in my Raw recap, I think he'll be good as the mouthpiece of the nWo. That being said, if he isn't going to wrestle and be the old HBK from 1995-98 while doing it, then this ends up looking like a cheap way to pop a rating or PPV buyrate.

Dave: The return of Shawn Michaels is typical of what is WRONG with the WWE booking...you need to bring in NEW blood...not bring back old tired injured blood, with backstage baggage to boot. Every minute Michaels is on screen is one LESS minute of RVD or Eddie. It's a DUMB move.

Dames:: Do you think it’s worth it if he brings back some older fans?

Dave: No. Shawn Michael's fans were all 12 year old girls...they've all moved on and started puberty by now.

JHawk: It's not going to bring back older fans because they're watching or not watching based on the product in the ring. Nostalgia doesn't work. We saw that with Hogan and the nWo already.

Dave: If they DID have to bring him back...they should have put him where he belongs...with Billy and Chuck!

JHawk: Nah, Shawn would steal their heat…what's left of it, anyway.

 

Dames: Vince was on Byte This this week, did you guys all read what was said?

JHawk: No, actually.

Dave: I did. It was the same old...everything is fine crap.

Dames: Basically, he said that radical change was on the way, and something was wrong, but they don’t know what they're going to do fix it.

Dave: He actually said: "We're not sick...we just have a cold."

JHawk: *cough*depush HHH*cough*

Dames: Based on Vince’s own admission there is a problem, what do you feel WWE needs to do to get its ratings back up?

Dave: I highly doubt that radical change is on the way...unless he was talking about reforming the Radicalz. Firstly, WWE needs to know that it took them a long time to LOSE their fans...it will take a while to get them (or new ones) back.

JHawk: It's simple. Forget trying to bring them back up. Focus on the long term. Make some new stars based on crowd reactions (except Hogan's) and put the focus in the ring. No stupid backstage skits that go nowhere, no asinine love triangles, no stealing of ideas from the last three years of WCW. If you must steal older angles, steal the ones that worked.

Dave: Secondly...they must realise that you CANNOT let your LOCKERROOM dictate who is over. That's the fans job. I don't care WHO "Paid their dues"...if they are OVER, you PUSH them...if they AREN'T...you DON'T.

 

Dames: Ok...this week, there were some King Of The Ring qualifying matches with Booker and X-Pac winning on the Raw side. Jericho & Val Venis advanced from Smackdown. What do you foresee for the KOTR tourney with who's in it now?

Dave: X Pac continues to be pushed...despite any and all logic to the contrary

Dames: Hmm...i wonder why that is?

Dave: You mean "The Big Valboski"?

Dames: God, I hate that name!

JHawk: I think it's a lock that Booker vs. X-Pac happens and it sets up Booker's face turn. Aside from that, I can't predict jack shit. BUT... I think they could have a potentially hot angle to get Jericho over as a heel if they choose to. Have one of the other qualifiers end in a draw. Make that Jericho's match. Have Jericho get to the finals without wrestling once! Then if he wins, he's got easy ammo by bragging even though he wrestled once at the most. Instant heel heat!

Dave: I disagree. Stupid angles that KEEP guys like Jericho from WORKING are the LAST thing WWE needs right now.

JHawk: True Dave, BUT it's also never been done before.

Dames: Wait...is a 4-man or 8-man tournament this year?

JHawk: It's four on PPV, but they're giving the impression there will be a TV "quarterfinal" round.

Dave: To me, the whole draw of a tourney was watching the workers work a few matches in one night...like a J-Cup. Having them not compete in all of the important matches in one night dilutes the importance of the tournament. Only the qualifiers should be on free TV.

Dames: I agree Dave, I think the tourney works a lot better as an 8-man for the PPV.

JHawk: And normally I would agree with that, but without doing three rounds on PPV anyway, why not use it to do something different, especially if Jericho can regain his heat because of it.

Dave: I don't think not working is the kind of heat Jericho needs now.

JHawk: The promos would make or break that scenario and Jericho's a great promo guy!

 

Dames: Raw was filled with piss & vomit....what in the world are they thinking?

Dave: Yeah. Urine, vomit and Shawn Michaels!

JHawk: "This worked when Russo was here."

Dave: The last was the worst.

JHawk: If I wanted the Fear Factor bullshit, I'd...silly thought...WATCH FEAR FACTOR! I don't like seeing this shit on my TV.

Dave: Vince will ALWAYS try and imitate what is hot...remember the Piper-Goldust White Bronco chase? Now it's WWE FEAR FACTOR.

Dames: What about Austin, who supposedly wanted better writing, pissing on Arn Anderson and pretty much pissing on the Horsemen's legacy?

Dave: I blame Arn and Flair for LETTING them do that. If X Pac can refuse to job twice on RAW, they can refuse something as demeaning as that.

JHawk: I blame Gewertz for thinking Austin should get face heat for that.

Dames: What’s with his orange piss???

JHawk: Cranberry ale?

Dames: More like pineapple soda.

Dave: It was TANG...he thinks he's an astronaut.

 

Dames: Ok fellas, this week's past Smackdown scored a 3.3 rating, even with the main event of HHH-Hogan. What can they do on Smackdown to stop the ratings from freefalling, much less improving?

Dave: Don’t put Triple H and Hogan in the main event for starters.

JHawk: Easy answer: As Dave mentioned, do not have Hogan-HHH main event. But realistically, the best answer is to give us what we expected when they first released the Smackdown roster… great wrestling with great wrestlers. I'm tired of watching the talented guys get two minutes on Smackdown and watching eight minutes of Hogan TWICE in one night.

Dave: After the cage match last week...the fans deserved more.

JHawk: And stop "Vince's bitches on parade" while you're at it. I like seeing Dawn Marie and Stacy Keibler, but this shit is ridiculous!

Dave: I agree with Hawk on this one. Who aside from Vince wants to see his creepy old ass drooling all over them?

 

Dames: This has just come to my attention. We have been invaded by movie guru and DVD reviewer O.R. Polk, Jr.!

Polk: Ah, shit.

Dames: Well....Edge is out....who should get to take his spot while he's gone? Who deserves the push to the next level

Dave: RVD.

Polk: Booker T. He's virtually a face as it is. Go ahead and go all the way. He's already a proven commodity in my eyes.

Dames: Those are great choices guys but this is Smackdown we're talking about.

Polk: Oh, that's right. The split still has me confused.

JHawk: If we stick with Smackdown guys, Lance Storm deserves that push. He can work a better match than just about anybody, and if anybody would bother listening to his rare promos, he's actually quite underrated. He's got the look; all he needs is a chance to get over.

Dames: what do you think would be better for his career....reforming the impact players or just keeping him solo?

Dave: I don't think Justin Credible can make it at the WWE level.

Polk: Keep Storm away from Credible. If anything, I know it's been said a million times but put him in a stable with Jericho, Christian and someone else.

Dave: Send him down to Ohio.

JHawk: Let me put it this way. I'm all in favor of giving the old ECW guys a shot. But I didn't like Aldo's push in ECW either. Lance is better off on his own.

Dames: What would you do with the rotting tag division?

JHawk: For starters, creating some tag teams could help.

Dave: Make the champs float...and put together more teams from the unused talent

Polk: To hell with the tag teams, I say push the entire cruiser division. Give them real angles the fans can sink their teeth into and let them work a few long matches. That would payoff more in the long run than pushing a single wrestler.

Dave: Christian could use more of a push as well...

Polk: I'm all for pushing Christian as he is one of my favorites. He should be the premier heel in the cruiser division. It's failing miserably with Tajiri in that role because he can't cut promos.

 

Dames: NWA: TNA.....will you give it the benefit of the doubt for at least one week?

Polk: Do they have a TV deal or do you have to pay for it?

Dames: You pay for weekly ppv's for $9.95.

JHawk: I'll watch it the first week. If I see solid wrestling, I'll keep ordering. If I get Russo/Ferrara soft porn shit, they can keep it.

Dave: It's not available in Canada...and it's run by a Jarrett...so NO

Polk: Can't say I'm willing to pay for an unproven commodity.

Dames: JHawk, there's going to be a 10-girl lingerie battle royal in the first event.

JHawk: Well, I can allow one Russo/Ferrara softcore porn shit thing...

Polk: And looking at their roster of has-beens and never-was's, I don't think I'm inclined to give them a try.

Dave: I'd give it a shot...but they go around blabbing about how they plan to be an ALTERNATIVE to WWE, and then put on a lingerie battle royal?

Polk: Well, they're not pissing on folks yet...

Dave: True, but if Ferrera is involved, give them time.

(At this time, Dave’s computer declared war on him. It wasn’t even a close fight as Dave was unceremoniously booted off!)

 

Dames: It looks like WWE is building to Brock v RVD...how would you book it?

Polk: I'd book it with plenty of build up focusing on the past relationship between Heyman and RVD.

JHawk: I wouldn't have them feud yet. You can't risk either of those guys losing their heat.

Polk: I'd let the feud go on for quite a bit, with neither man really looking better than the other. RVD would just be the aerial specialist, Brock the Brute Strength man and they would keep wrestling to standoffs.

Dames: What would you do to stop Brock from getting the Goldberg chants?

Polk: I think they're already working towards that by having him sell more than Goldberg ever did.

JHawk: I think they're going to chant "Goldberg" unless Brock starts wrestling like Flair in his prime, so you just have to hope he has the talent and stamina to endure the public backlash.

Polk: You can't stop fans from being stupid, but Brock looks more vulnerable than Goldberg ever did during his initial run.

 

Dames: With Brock and RVD as over as they are, they need to be put in some main event angles soon. Speaking of which, Eddie & Benoit are feuding with Austin. Will they be elevated?

Polk: That depends on how the feud plays out. There are ways for Austin to win the feud and still have Eddy come out looking good but the WWE has been slacking in that department lately.

JHawk: They will if Austin allows it, but they have to be given the opportunity. I'd see Benoit elevated before Eddy, if only because most people who were watching a year ago already felt Benoit beat Austin twice!

Dames: I agree

Polk: I don't think Benoit or Eddy will win this feud. Austin won't have that. So the creative team better pull up their bootstraps and figure out something to elevate Eddy while still having him lose.

Dames: When was the last time Austin lost a feud?

JHawk: To Duggan in WCW .

Polk: I'd say he lost to Triple H at No Way Out last year. That 2 out of 3 falls mess.

Dames: You didn’t like that match CJ?

Polk: I liked the match but I didn't agree with The Smartest Man in Wrestling going over.

Dames: Why not? I thought it was great business at the time. I figured that after Austin won the title & turned heel, he'd face HHH for it, because HHH beat him at No Way Out.

Polk: Maybe. Maybe I'm just sick of Triple H getting big wins over everyone on the roster and not really putting over anyone else even when he does lose.

Dames: That makes sense.

Polk: That does make sense, but it didn't happen did it?

Dames: No, because some idiot decided to make them a tag team with little reason or logic.

PR0NFAQ: Yeah, you wind up partners with the man who tried to put you out of wrestling. That’s what we need to discuss.... the creative team. Vince needs to find a better one. One with knowledge of the business and past storylines.

 

Dames: I think we’ll save that topic for next week. To close things out, on a note unrelated to wrestling, did you see the Tyson-Lewis fight?

Polk: I'm sad to see Mike lose, but it's always funny to see a mofo get knocked out.

Dames I'm also sad to see Mike in that state. I wanted to see a competitive fight. I never thought I'd see Mike get bitched out like that

JHawk: I didn't see it. The damn PPV was $55!

Polk: Mike's been fighting nobodies and he showed up unprepared for the World friggin' champion! Had he fought better, quality opponents beforehand, maybe he'd have stood a chance. But we didn't even see SHADES of Iron Mike.

JHawk: Tyson's career was essentially over once he went to jail, unfortunately.

Dames: On that depressing thought, reminding me of Nailz, thanks for your opinions fellas!

JHawk: Anytime.

Polk: That's a wrap, like Real Sex on HBO. Sorry I got onboard so late.

Dames: Just don’t let it happen again! This has been this week’s Crossface....

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