Hunter's Torn Quad

Raw had consistently been in the 3.7 range for almost three months and that was considered the 'core level'. I think the Benoit situation has definitely played a part in the slip in the ratings, because the rating started to slide as soon as the speculation and news really started to come out. What's strange is that Smackdown has stayed near to the same level this whole time and hasn't seemed to be affected by the Benoit deal at all. For whatever reason, Raw has taken a big hit while Smackdown is just fine. Where it goes from here depends on if viewer turnout is temporary, and people are just not into Raw right now, or if it's permanent, and people have been turned off of Raw completely and aren't coming back. The three things to look for now are any rise that comes as the Summerslam hype builds, a ratings bump in the Raw the day after Summerslam, and if the ratings spike for Triple H's return.

Observer.

Network complaints about beer getting too close to kids. F4W

I knew that was coming the moment he showed up. Well, it's not like the CW title isn't a joke already.

If Orton loses here, then it makes Cena/Lashley II at Summerslam a virtual lock to happen, because Orton will, or should be, facing Dusty or Cody at Summerslam to conclude or keep the feud going. Possible spoiler:

WWE, and TNA for that matter, will crash hard unless you alter their overness in the Editor. Adam Ryland tweaked the game a few versions back to make it harder for promotions to rise to the top. I'm not complaining though; I got William Regal versus Low Ki out of it.

TEW is as much fun as EWR was, but it does take some getting used to because you've got so much more to take care of and it can seem like a lot. In my current game, I'm running my own promotion that's strictly based on wrestling; it's an Americanized version of NOAH, basically. With WWE releasing loads of wrestling in the first few weeks, I was able to have William Regal take on Low Ki on my very first show, which is a match I'd like to see in real life. I'm about two months in, and things are going well, apart from having to deal with various Japanese companies wanting to sign my top stars to touring deals that would take them away for a month at a time. Of the news items no related to my company, the bigger ones have been Triple H going to jail for six months, Kurt Angle leaving WWE, Hulk Hogan signing with CMLL and WWE falling to Cult status and having nearly the lowest level of prestige a promotion can have in the game.

John Cena vs. Bobby Lashley for WWE title This will need to be laid out move for move beforehand, and will probably be better than it has any right to be. I expect a non-finish or a title change, with a rematch coming at Summerslam Great Khali vs. Batista vs. Kane for World title Any longer than ten minutes and they'll be asking for trouble. I think this one will either be better than anyone expects or a flat out stinker. Khali to retain by pinning Kane seems the obvious finish. Where they go from here is probably Khali defending against Batista at Summerslam, where they'll have a fuck finish to keep the feud going. John Morrison vs. C.M. Punk for ECW title I don't see the Morrison gimmick catching on or doing anything for the former Johnny Nitro. Nitro to retain in some fashion with Punk getting a rematch at Summerslam for the likely title win. Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy for IC title It'll be good, but nobody will care if it's not. Jeff is there to sell his ass off and get Umaga over as a monster. Umaga to retain. Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Orton in a bullrope match I'll be stunned if Dusty doesn't bleed. If Orton is indeed going to beat Cena for the title at Summerslam, then he's got to win. Candice Michelle vs. Melina for the women's title Piss break. MVP vs. Matt Hardy for the U.S. title If the idea for Summerslam and beyond is a Khali/Batista feud, then MVP will probably retain. MVP is likely to retain anyway, though. Carlito vs. Sandman in a cane on a pole match It'll be short enough to get people going but hopefully not long enough to stink. I can see Sandman winning here and Carlito going over in a rematch at Summerslam. If not, maybe Regal helps Carlito win to set up Duggan making the save and we'll see the Sandman/Duggan versus Carlito/Regal tag match at Summerslam Chavo Guerrero vs. Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble vs. Shannon Moore for the cruiserweight title Chavo to pin Funaki or Moore in a match that will be good but that the crowd won't care about.

I thought the announcers had the best match of the night. I think this was under direction from Vince who wanted the announcers to play their natural dislike for each other into the storyline of the main event. It was obviously part of the storyline, but I'd say that most, if not all, of the insults thrown were the real feelings of the person throwing them.

UFC news, but with possible TNA implications: F4W

Big Show vs. Undertaker from Raw in 1999 This is where Show chokeslams Undertaker through the ring. And then Undertaker is casually walking to the back less then a minute later.

Might you not be taking the reverse position? That because you think some people are on this major anti-WWE kick, that you're going a little overboard in defending WWE and downplaying certain things because you think other people are overplaying them.

SK is, in his own words, cashing in: http://www.rspwfaq.com/?p=499

Add Sandman versus Carlito in a Singapore Cane on a Pole match for this Sunday.

Latest Observer has the Judgment Day buys at 245,000 with 157,000 being domestic buys.

I didn't call you stupid. I called your idea stupid. And it is a stupid idea. The world title is meant to be something that the whole brand wants and fights to win so that when it is put on the line in a match, the fans consider the world title such a big deal that they will pay to see that match. Your idea for the world title ranks right up there with making David Arquette world champion.

Found this interesting, from today's WO.com update:

Well, JR was an uninvited guest. He went because WWE asked him to go to represent the company. He wasn't asked to attend by Nancy's family, or Daniel's.

No, the word you're looking for is stupid. It would be a really stupid idea to have a storyline of the whole roster not wanting their brand's world title.

Just because Ross was asked questions about steroids and such, he didn't have to answer them and put the WWE spin in effect. He could have easily just said that this was a time to think about Nancy and Daniel and talking about anything else was inappropriate.

I think I should be able to go to WWE.com looking for an ECW preview to copy and past and not have a major spoiler be on the front page. It didn't occur to you that WWE.com might break the news of the title change, like they've done before on a number of occasions?

I don't think anyone who goes to any kind of wrestling website should complain about having a wrestling program spoiled.

WWE should send Sid. He's used to hitting softballs.

And Khali won the battle royal and is the new champion.

True. He just gives the biggest pushes and the most chances to people with ripped physiques that are very rarely obtainable without chemical aid. No advocating there at all. But at the same time, like the other guy pointed out. All the guys who've made the WWE top bank as big draw maineventers have been big guys. The small guys were low draws, failed maineventers.....it goes both ways, the small guys they tried basically didn't work. It's a catch 22 you tell him don't push these guys it encourages use but at the same time company history says pushing a little guy is a bad move as a businessman. While there is some merit in that, it's also true to say that Vince has rarely gotten behind the non-big guy when pushed at the top. Imagine if Jericho or Rey or someone else 'smaller' had got the kind of superpush that Lashley and Cena have received or are receiving where Vince pushes them strong for months on end. That's not say it would definitely have gotten them over, but I do think it's a little unfair to say it never worked when they've rarely got the same strong backing as the roided up guys have.