jester

I don't hate Orton because he botches moves. I hate him because i find him bland and uninteresting, but I keep seeing and hearing an awful lot about him. Eddie, while not my favorite, is a lot more interesting. Never mind the ring skills. If Orton botched every move he made, but was over like Austin, I'd say he would deserve all the TV time he got, and still find him bland and uninteresting.

Orton should not be feuding with Foley. How fucking sad is it that WWE has to go outside the company and find a big name who's RETIRED to put over Orton? I mean, I don't like the guy, but if WWE is serious about getting him over he has got to beat somebody other than "The Guy Who We Have Conclusively Established Can't Beat HHH #33." There are enough old folks working for the WWE who mean something who should be jobbing to Orton. Since Austin can't go anymore, he's a prime candidate. Taker is another. Even HHH.

If Benoit can't cut promos (debatable) the answer isn't to give him more promo time. Give him less. To say exactly what he's going to do, say it coldly and intensely, and then leave. It will be refreshing in an era where HHH and Austin take 30 minutes just to say "Let's have a match tonight." Or in Austin's case, "you're having a match" stunner, drink beer.

Comparing Orton to the Rock doesn't work. Rock was pushed as a FACE consistently. Here's this smiling prick they're insisting we cheer. Fans rejected that and booed him instead. WWE capitalized on that and turned him into a heel. They worked with fan momentum. Orton is a HEEL we're supposed to boo. But he still hasn't caught on. There's no rememdy for a heel nobody cares about except sit there quietly or go to the concession stand for more beer. They aren't working with fan momentum, they are trying to create it out of nothing. Oh, and as for HHH"s "Push" of Orton...that's bull. What has HHH done to make Orton look good? Generously allow him to hang out with him? Let him beat his leftovers, like Foley? Yeah, great push there. It's been said here before, but it's worth saying again....WWE *thinks* it's giving Orton the god push. But they aren't. You know what I'd like to see? Orton consistently kick the shit out of Austin. Then he'd be taken seriously. Won't happen though. Politics.

No, they should have Brock drop him on his head a few more times first. Then fire him. Of course, for some reason injuring people gets you pushed in WWE land....

I think we all agree there's only one gimmick match that will settle this feud for good. The next logical progression, the mother of all matches.... KENNEL IN A CELL

I want to get excited about this, but something is holding me back. And that would be the feeling that they are going to screw up the potentially good things they've got brewing in spectacular fashion. If they don't, I will be happy to eat those words. Yet, I still think of can't-miss-but-somehow-did angles like the Invasion. Screw that up, and they can screw anything up.

You know, I could see this happening. Benoit and Orton go over together, and both are awarded a title shot. Leads to an Orton/Benoit feud. Orton then goes on to face HHH (thereby triggering the rumored face turn), or HBK, as Hunter generously agrees to let him wear his previous belt at the Royal Rumble in order to put Orton over. I didn't say I wanted it to happen...but I could see them doing it. They won't care if the two winners thing is overused or not.

I heard the same things from my WWE insider source, Stephanie Mc.... Oops. Nevermind. Wouldn't want to get her fired.

I said this in another forum, but Benoit on Raw going for the Cliqueweight belt is a bad idea for bigger reasons than the dubious lineage of the belts. 1. HHH, even if he jobs (which is doubtful), will find a way to make Benoit look bad. 2. Benoit is running to Raw because he can't break Paul Heyman. PAUL FUCKING HEYMAN. Strong faces should never be booked so that they can't get over on a general manager. I said this in another thread--could you see Austin in his Heyday thinking "since I can't beat that GM I'll go over to other show and see if they take pity on poor little me and generously allow me to have a title shot?" Jeebus, they wouldn't book any of the Mutant McMahon Offspring that way, so they shouldn't book Benoit that way.

Here's a catchphrase that needs to die: "It take time to build new stars"

I'd like to see Hogan vs. Benoit, so when Hogan does the finger thing, Benoit rolls his eyes, grabs the finger, and puts him in the crossface. They'd never let that happen though.

On the plus side, I'm glad Victoria's finisher is up there. The first time she used it on Trish I winced. I personally would like to see it as the set-up for a leg-based submission move rather than a finisher-finisher, but it's nice to see one of the ladies with a move that looks like it could legit fuck you up. I bet if you take that move wrong, you could really screw up your knees. /mark mode off.

And I would agree that *a* belt is better than no belt, but like most cynical smarks here I just can't see HHH agreeing to lay down for Benoit. Not without making the win very tainted, or making Benoit job three times to every time HHH looks the slightest bit weak. I really don't see Benoit being elevated at all on Raw, even if he gets the strap.

You know, I bet for some reason none of the faces on Raw will be allowed to make jokes about this at HHH's expense, unlike how Hurricane was allowed to make jokes about the Rock in The Mummy Returns. I wonder why that is.

To me, the problem with switching Benoit to Raw to win the title--and never mind that him winning the title at all is a big assumption--is that it makes him look like he's compromising. Not on the belt, but on opponents. And on the challenge. Heyman says he's not getting his title shot. Benoit tucks his tail between his legs, mumbles "ok," and goes to Raw where they'll graciously allow poor widdle Chris a title shot. It makes Benoit look like a pussy. Benoit should be harassing Heyman and Brock at every turn, making it clear that he's going to make their lives hell until he gets that title. That's what heroic faces do. THEY DON'T GIVE UP. Look at it this way. Would they book Austin this way? Undertaker? No fucking way. Those guys, particularly Austin, have a history of hammering away at GMs until they get what they want. When Benoit can't do the same, he looks third rate.

It's an interesting theory Downhome, but I tend to agree with Vivisecti--it would be unusually imaginative of WWE to go about resurrecting a belt this way, especially one as low on the totem pole as the hardcore belt. Remember the detailed storyline that brought back previous belts? 1. "Here HHH, have a belt." 2. "Uh, I know we just merged the Intercontinental belt with HHH's Cliqueweight Belt, but we just figured out the midcarders have fuck all to do, so here's another Intercontinental belt." 3. "The midcarders on Smackdown who aren't cruisers don't have anything to do either, so let's give them the U.S. belt, and Big Show can take it home and we'll forget about it."

Remember the reports that Austin was really happy with his new gimmick before he came back? So, the writers told him he'd be sheriff and get to chase people around in a quad runner, and he thought "Finally, some good writing"?

Having Smackdown and Raw on two different networks at the same time just would not work. What if one of them starts winning? If Smackdown lost viewers to Raw (or vice versa), the ratings drop, and the network is forced charge less to advertisers when that's on the air. That makes the show less attractive, so the network is less likely to renew it. WWE has no choice but to get people to watch as much WWE programming as possible, whenever it's on.

Honestly though, the Raw commentary hasn't changed much. Lawler and Ross do their tired bullshit week after week. Mainly, Lawler won't talk wrestling if he gets distracted by a pair of tits, and Ross won't talk about wrestling if Austin so much as flashes a bit of thigh at him. The only difference is Coach being there ragging on them for being repetitive and racist...which uh, they often are. Coach is over the top, but he comes across less like a heel and more like someone telling it like it is.

I hate Hulk Hogan and even I have to give the nod to #7.

What young male fan couldn't relate to the touching "Vince pimped out Stephanie" angle? Like how Angle stole Steph away from HHH. Oh wait. Like a woman who weighs about 120 pounds with bricks in her pockets getting stunnered by the General Manager for not drinking beer. Like how Booker got payback for the racist remarks. Oh wait.

Regardless of who said it, I'm curious how management reacted...if this is true. If someone major jobs to Zach Gowen on the next Smackdown, I guess we can assume that they were the one who said it.

I don't believe this is true. I know that he said he'd get Batista and Orton over if it kills him, but I think he's just showing what a good company boy he is. I think HHH saw that the office picked Orton, and that Orton presents zero threat to his spot, so there's no harm in being around him. If Orton tanks, Vince can pat HHH on the back and tell him he did his best and it's not his fault.

Oh, and I hope this DVD is narrated by Vince McMahon, and concludes with: "So, like the AWA before it, WCW died because they held on to old stars long past their prime and drawing power, refused to capitalize on hot young talent, pleased the backstage politicians more than their fans, and came up with ridiculous angles and matches nobody wanted to see. Thank heavens those days are long behind us."