Review: Random Thoughts from 1-13-08.
Starting things off, was ECW from 1/8/07. Seeing as I took good notes, this'll be an exact copy of them.
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The first match on this show was a 15 Minutes of Fame match for the WWE Tag Team Titles, between the team of Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore and the team of John Morrison and the Miz. The 15 Minutes of Fame thing is basically an ironman rules match. Simple, right?
- I already said how gay I thought Morrison's entrance is, so this'll be the last mention forever. Get rid of the slowmotion stuff, for fuck's sake.
- Yang collides with Miz on the ring apron, and Morrison rolls Yang up while holding his tights for the first fall, with 11:14 remaining. These times are not exact, because it's hard to write and take the exact time of the fall from the timer on the screen at a precise moment. Well, for me, anyway.
- Yang gives the Miz a moonsault press, which gets his team a fall at 6:08. So, it's 1-1.
- The Miz has very little in-ring presence. Not only that, but he doesn't do anything of note. He just punches and kicks, with a resthold or two in-between.
- Ok, now the ending. Moore nearly fucks up multiple aerial attacks, in the leadup to what's obviously going to be a draw. Yang gives someone (unimportant) a moonsault press, which nearly misses...and that gets a 2 count, as the time expires. Didn't care for it at all, as it was clear from the 2nd fall that this was going to be a draw. **.
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I guess Chavo Guerrero gets a 2nd Chance at CM Punk tonight. Uh, why?
The white kid from last week is there again. He gets squashed by Mark Henry, in a bout that ends with the World's Strongest Slam at 1:07. Who cares. *, for the bit of laughter I had when Henry gave him a flapjack.
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A Kofi Kingston vignette followed this, where Kingston knocked out some white guy on the beaches of Jamaica. I didn't laugh, I just thought it was weird. Who knows where this is going.
The Royal Rumble promo this year is great. Thought that should be mentioned too.
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The Diva Danceoff is next, between Kelly Kelly and Layla. Layla is much better looking than Kelly Kelly, which is saying a lot, because I generally like blondes far more than other women. Anyhow, they both do a few shitty dances, and the MC, some girl named Lena (no, not Leena, in case you get confused) decides to enter herself. So she does, and proclaims herself as the winner. This was a waste of time. Who writes this shit?
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Before the main event, Shelton Benjamin cut a pretty good promo. There ain't no stoppin' him now. I hope he puts it together this time and doesn't fuck up what looks to be a pretty good upcoming push.
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And now, the main event is Chavo's 2nd Chance, featuring, well, Chavo Guerrero vs. CM Punk (ECW Champion). If Chavo wins, he gets a title shot.
- Why should Chavo get another chance? Not only that, but it's kinda weird to see Chavo getting a "top level" push after all this time. I say top level, because nothing on ECW is a main event program. Not to take away from anyone, it just isn't. I can see why the crowd doesn't buy it, after watching the guy get jobbed out during his entire run in the company. I wouldn't either.
- Anyway, we're back from the commercial break, as Chavo has Punk locked in an abdominal stretch. Speaking of breaks, it's hard to rate a match that has a commercial break right in the middle of it. The crowd has emptied out, as you'd figure, and what's left of them are shitting on this match. I think it's ok...
- Punk's offense is good, but the crowd kills it. I had something else written down, but I won't say it, as I already said it over here...INSERT LINK
- Ending time. Chavo takes the turnbuckle pad off, and as the referee's putting it back on (what jackass would put the pad back on in such an important match.. Oh, now I'm using my brain again, something I shouldn't be doing right now. Brain off.), Chavo grabs the ECW Championship belt, and goes to hit Punk with it. The referee spots him, and takes the belt away from Chavo, after which, he disqualifies Chavo at 14:41. So, Chavo doesn't get a title shot. **1/2, based on the premise of the match, finish, and lack of heat. Otherwise I'd have no problem giving ***, which is basically my barometer for saying a +9 minute match was really good. The crowd doesn't care about Chavo, which kills any potential good match against Punk (or any World Title holder) dead. And if they do this match again at MSG during the Royal Rumble card, the crowd is going to shit all over it, even worse.
- After the match, Punk gives Chavo a GO 2 SLEEP. And that's the end of the show.
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I watched both parts of the Ladder Match DVD that are up on 24/7, and there's a few things I want to say about them.
- I've seen the first ladder match with Big Daddy Ritter (JYD) and Jake Roberts before, and didn't care for it. Mainly because I don't like the idea of the ringcrew holding the ladder up for guys to climb.
- I'm only going to review the RAW and Smackdown matches on here, when they get posted on the service. I'm not reviewing the Bret/Shawn Ladder Match because I think it justifies a full review, something which I'm loathe to try on a singular match. Since I have it on tape, I'll review that match, and that one only, when my hand is better. It was hurting yesterday, so I didn't even take notes.
- The Razor/HBK Ladder Match from Summerslam '95 is not nearly as good as the one from WM X.
- TLC I is the best one, not 2, 3, 4 or whatever.
- The WCW Ladder Match from Starrcade 2000 had the most predictable ending imaginable...not only that, but the commentary was as shitty as I remembered it being. Which is to say that it's even worse than the current TNA commentary team.
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I didn't watch Friday Night Smackdown at all, because I was so interested in the Laker game. Seeing as the Lakers don't play during Smackdown for about a month, this won't happen for a while.
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I watched the Territories Roundtable, but didn't take notes. I only have a few things to say.
- Tazz is of little use to this particular roundtable. He doesn't say a whole lot, mainly because he wasn't around in the days of the territories. But there's so much said by the other guys that it really doesn't matter.
- Pat Patterson's stories about San Francisco were great. Just talking about how he was able to be home every night, and all that.
- They talked about the Montreal Screwjob, and how that was common in the days of the territories. Through that conversation, Michael Hayes told a story about Tommy Rich beating Harley Race for the NWA Title. Supposedly that was a double-cross.
- JR's insight about the promoters getting together and talking about killing Vince McMahon after Black Saturday was something I most certainly believe...it doesn't surprise me in the least.
I enjoyed the roundtable, as it was better than the last.
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Ok, I didn't watch the MSG show yet, because I'm sick. I'll watch it tomorrow. So, that, RAW, ECW and probably one more thing will be on the next random thoughts piece, but I might review the PYBO next all by its lonesome, as it features that HHH/Shawn match from December '03 that I love. Basically, we'll see.
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