RavishingRickRudo

Well this is funny... (Raw Preview) References: HHH = 4 Eugene = 2 Orton = 2 World Title = 5 Evolution = 3 Benoit = 0 ... and by "Funny", I mean "more proof showing how they make Benoit irrelevant".

But under this system, RAW would get No Way Out, which was a Smackdown PPV last year.

Tito needs a convincing win to begin his rebound and Mezger is a pretty safe-bet. I think their line of thinking is "Well, if Mezger/Ortiz started the Shamrock/Ortiz rivalry, and that made us some money, then this should do the same". A good gimmick would actually be "Ken Shamrock looks for guys to beat Tito." So you have Ken backing Mezger, then maybe Vern (if he loses to Liddell.. or beats, doesn't matter), and then maybe a hot prospect. When all those fights fail, Ken gets back in the ring. Granted, I don't think they could draw the same for Shamrock/Ortiz as they did at UFC 40, but if they're going to try again, this would be the best way IMO. I was actually talking to a buddy about this match the other day and he brought up the same response as BR4L - Mezger is a good fighter who just keeps losing to top competition... and he also has two of the greatest knockouts in MMA history. It just happens that he's the one getting KO'd (Silva and Liddell). And dammit, look at those sideburns!

This is from someones blog (http://th-inkwell.blogspot.com/2004/07/bugged.html) and it's probably the best endorsement and "sell" of Firefly I've read yet. Firefly (I guess it’s all been written before. I’m sure I’m not the first blogger to be struck with ‘I’ve just watched the entire series of Firefly, there aren’t any more left and I simply must immortalise the grief with a post’-itis. It’s probably been written more prosaically, it’s probably been written by someone with a unique angle, it’s probably been as done to death as anything popular with the smarter people on the web. However, in light of the fact that I can be as commandeering as Mal and as scary as Zoe, I’ll just go ahead, do it anyway and stare down anyone who so much as twitches at the plan.) A firefly is a creature given to metaphor. Short lived, dazzlingly and surprisingly bright – it conveniently mirrors larger occurrences in history and allows us to essentialise and encapsulate them in one convenient image. Part of the fun of being human, I suppose. I don’t think Joss Whedon gave his show the moniker with any foresight that it would so closely mirror the actual lifespan of nature’s firefly. I’d like to think, rather, that he knew - given the right creative freedom - he could make the show sparkle and delight like the little bug. Happily, he was right, I was utterly delighted. It wasn’t until I saw the extras on my DVD set that I came to a more complete understanding of why this series was so good. The sections went through the concept, set design, camera/FX/CG work and musical score - I saw how each element was controlled by someone with a deep understanding for their craft, a genuine love for the show and run in a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants experimentation mode. Many things weren’t done the way that they’re usually done. I heard the phrase ‘you simply don’t do that’ many times. I LOVE to hear that kind of thing – it’s usually the way fantastic new processes happen. To me, Firefly is an example of what happens when a talented group of people come together and give their best to a project which is itself led by someone talented giving their best. In the same way as like attracts like on a personal level (you can tell a man by the company he keeps as the old saying goes), like hires and retains like on a professional level (you can tell a company by the people it keeps). I think it explains why companies carefully and obsessively controlled by the original entrepreneur or by a strong CEO have such a different feel to those which are controlled by the ‘everyone and no-one’ of committees committed to the ‘everyone and no-one’ concept of stakeholders. I don’t buy into the new ideas about the way things should be run. Things that work are always, ultimately, controlled by an individual. One person holds a vision, controls it’s execution at the macro level – he hires people he can see ‘get it’ and they control it’s execution at the micro level. Joss Whedon wrote the theme song, for chrissakes. There’s no mistaking who was at the wheel here. I daresay that he fought every decision the besuited bumpkins at Fox handed down with the superior mein of those who forage daily at the trough of popular opinion. Someone who didn’t understand the concept of Firefly and who wasn’t completely and irrevocably committed wouldn’t have fought for its original inception tooth and nail. We wouldn’t have had the short, fresh, violent and utterly brilliant season of Firefly we do today – we would have had ‘Friends’ on a spaceship arguing over who would receive which quarters and wondering whether the Alliance General gave Rachael the eye. It would have lasted 10 years. It would have canned laughter every time Ross fell off his horse or fumbled with his gun. The horror is actually palpable, isn’t it? Whedon had his concept, though. He fought for it and today we have a piece of art that is incredible in it’s design and execution. So, besides the fact that someone stubborn got his way, why do I love it so much? Let’s start with the fact that I’m not a passive watcher/listener/reader of entertainment. Silly though it may seem, I talk back. Often, I will suggest what I see as obvious actions for characters to take in their situation. As the episode goes on and the characters (inexplicably) ignore me, I become more and more agitated. Occasionally, I yell. Often, I swear. Half an hour into the first Firefly, I remained in the same position on the couch. I had been completely silent. An hour in and not a muscle twitch. Two hours gone and all I could do was turn to M, slack-jawed, before quickly scurrying to the mouse and clicking on the next episode. ***Warning…spoiler…plot element discussed below.*** In the second episode, when Mal is confronted by a giant of a man who vows to spend his life hunting Mal down to kill him, I find myself thinking – “Aha! This is the clincher…this is the Bad Guy who will pop up every once in a while, try to kill Mal and be thwarted. All this because Mal is going to have one of those weak moments of hippy conscience at the very time when he could stop the Bad Guy. Gotcha – same old lazy scriptwriting.” It may not seem it, but damn do I love being proven wrong, especially when I think something’s not good. And so it was that I was proven wrong, so very, very wrong. Just when I was beginning to grumble something to the effect of “Just kill him, for chrissakes, why the hell would you let…” Mal simply shrugged and kicked the bastard into a turbine engine. It was the loveliest little bit of violence I think I have ever seen. I made a noise, something like “Oip!” and felt my eyebrows raise far beyond safety limits. ***End of plot spoiler, you can read below safe in the knowledge that you will be surprised by EVERYTHING in Firefly. I promise.*** What Firefly gets so right – what sets it apart from every other show I’ve seen - is the fact that the morality is so damn close to what I agree with. The characters don’t faff about – they know which action gives them the most benefit personally and they take it without qualms. There is no apology for what would be considered crude opportunism in other shows. You also won’t find your stock standard characters, your Tortured Soul 56b and Bimbette 29a on the show. You’ll find very complex characters making very difficult decisions and *gasp* actually THINKING those decisions through. You’ll also be entertained. Joss spins his usual verbal mastery and gives the characters strong, punchy, funny lines. So here’s an endorsement – nay, a directive. If you like what you read on my blog, if you’ve clicked through on a few of the links and enjoyed them, go and buy Firefly on DVD. There’s no prerequisite to have enjoyed Sci-Fi previously, this isn’t traditional Sci-Fi. When there’s so much entertainment around and so much of it is lukewarm, finding something that makes you think, laugh, gasp, worry, chew the couch cushions and admire the actors is a prize. Go discover it for yourself.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! Vids of the Comicon Firefly session are UP~! Check http://www.fireflyfans.net for more !!!

The only thing I really like about the Original is the fight scenes and how it's clearly another actor/stuntman doing them. They don't even shy away from it. I respect that.

Voyager had some really good episodes so it doesn't deserve the hate it gets. Sure, the first season generally sucked it hard (eugh Kazon eugh Seska eugh Vidians) and they had a habit of relying on "alternate realities" too much (though they were often their best episodes), but Season 4-on, IMO, they were able to hit their stride (The first half of Season 6 was bad, but the other half was good) with the episode of the timeship (with Red from T70'sS) was superb. Next Gen vs. DS9 is a nice fight. TNG had a lot worse growing pains, IMO, and their first 2 seasons were awful and the 3rd had very little redeeming value. With that said, 4-7 were freaking awesome. The two episodes that got me "hooked" were the one where they all experienced Deja Vu and the one where Worf kept moving into alternate realities (maybe that explains why I like voyager so much ). However, I think I may have to go with DS9 here. I think it had the most heart and didn't suffer as much in its initial seasons as the other 2 did (I don't watch Enterprise or The Original). I think it suffered some in the last season when it lost Dax and got silly w. Dukat, but like SP said, once the war started going it was ON (that's what hooked me - the big arch in season six and specifically in the eps. when Sisko says "fortune favours the bold" did it). The one with Jake grown up w. Tony Todd in the role was IMO the best of all of em. Man, I need to do some ~lists~..

This is a lil off topic, but anyone looking for a new show to obsess about should check out "LOST" this fall. Whedonesque storytelling, some neat twists, and lots of potential. You can DL it on Suprnova.org Oh, and GAVIN~!

I think Kanes boot was in one. Or was it his bootlace??

That's completely untrue. ...One time it was his mask.

FUCKLE YOU! It's the match everyone wants to see! Ok, maybe just me and perhaps Ken Shamrock and maybe Titos mom. But this blood feud is FAR from over. Sure, their last match was 31 UFC's ago, but that just means revenge is best served COLD. And there is no better shirt than "Gay Mezger is my Bitch".

Or maybe Buffy has been spelling it wrong all along.

Distain.

Anyways. I'll throw out some other stuff... Even if I were to agree that Benoit doesn't have charisma to carry the show (which I obviously don't); if Benoit - the champ - can't be the focus of the show, then _no one_ should, because it devalues the importance of being champ. At the very least, he should be HHH's equal in terms of value and presense on the show; he isn't close. You don't hear the announcers speculate and ponder Benoits next move or talk about him over other wrestlers matches like they do with HHH. He isn't on your mind unless he's on screen, and even then he'll probably be in the background or attention would be drawn away from him. Charisma is something that attracts ones attention and devotion - Benoit has proven in the past that he can elicit large reaction and support in several different promotions. The whole point of having charisma is to captivate the masses and Benoit can do that and has done that. However, since he isn't treated as a superstar and doesn't get the focus he needs, he has to rebuild that support in each and every match. They have not done a _single thing_ to give him a mystique. There are several high points that Benoit has that they could play and the fans would buy. - "Benoit the everyman/fan/journeyman" - not blessed with physical gifts (size, a "cover boy looks"), Benoit made up for it through hard-work and never giving up. They showed this with Austin @ WM 13 and capitalized on it. They had the same thing with Lesnar/Benoit (a _much_ superior program that got killed off because of Benoit-on-Raw) and they never went back to it. ... Benoit was a childhood fan who had a personal connection with the Dynamite Kid - I honestly can't believe they never used this to give depth to Benoits character. It is one of my favourite things about Benoit and helps me relate to him beyond the ring and shows why he does what he does. Dynamite being in a wheelchair because of the moves he did and Benoit doing the same ones gives some drama to Benoit in the ring and provides him with motivation - his body could go at any minute, but rather than play it safe, he burns twice as bright; even if it means lasting half as long. That provides some risk, it raises some eyebrows and puts more emphasis on what he does in the ring (and why). The journeyman aspect is in regards to respect from his peers. This is a guy who became successful on his own terms and did it in a way he could be proud of. He is proof you don't have to sleep your way to the top or stab friends in the back to become successful. How much "respect" has Benoit been given by other wrestlers outside Eddie Guerrero? I can think of one time - Albert betting on him vs. Lesnar (for anyone who says I can't enjoy anything; I brought this up in a positive light twice...) Bret Hart had the entire (Face) roster out for him at WM X and it can be as simple as wrestlers circling around the ring making sure no one interferes in a benoit match, or just wanting to watch someone of his calibre wrestle, or asking him to help train them. All of this doesn't need 20 minute promos to develop them nor does it put all the pressure on Benoits "charisma" to carry it - but it does make him appear important. - Benoits stiffness. This can be connected with above, but it should have its own section because it's a trademark of his. If they banned his chops/crossface, or had wrestlers protesting matches against him, it would give him a "danger" vibe. Bisch: What do you mean you don't want to face Benoit?! If you beat him, you could get a shot at his title. You'd be made! Wrestler X: I know, but I've heard things about him. I've seen what he can do. He's broken guys' necks and arms and backs. He's the crippler! Besides, you can't keep that guy down. He keeps coming back for more. *later* Bisch: I can't find anyone willing to face Benoit! This is horrible for business. I can't find a single challenger willing to fight him. I need to do something... And you can take this several different ways and stretch it out and the guys who _are_ willing to face Benoit can get a rub from it. This way, fans can really notice that "benoit hits hard" and it plays up his submissions and it shows his work ethic- which are his 3 in-ring strong points and seperates him from the rest of the roster. It's also another reason (s) why he's one of my favourite wrestlers. In terms of promo work, Benoit is more than able to carry the load. Promos -on a ME level- are meant to (i)get across character, (ii)get across motivation, (iii)sell a match. They are not meant for "entertainment", because that doesn't do (iii). It's a nice addition if one can provide an entertaining promo, but it is not necessary. Benoit can do all 3 and has. Could he sustain an audience for 20 minutes? No way. Could he for 10+? Probably not. 5-10? Damn right he could. I don't think he's been given a 5 minute promo yet, let alone anything over it. His words are clear, he doesn't jumble it up with any unnecessary points and is generally pretty smooth, and his timing is fine. His voice, in particular, is a strong point because it's just a notch below Hannibal Lector in its cold-and-preciseness.

Is she dressed up in a bunny costume and monk has to find out how she got in there when there is no zipper?

I was lost at "Miss me?"

You missed the point -and what I've been writing about for a few pages now- of HHH's "loss". HHH didn't "lose" anything because of that loss - he still maintains the focus of the show and his spot on the card. He is still the central figure of RAW. If Benoit loses and drops down the card (as if he was "up" it to begin with..) to put over more guys for HHH, then the loss has significance. If Benoit loses but the ending shot is of him being angry and JR going on about "Oh there will be hell to pay tomorrow night cause Benoit is mad!" and the next night is focused mainly on Benoit plotting revenge on Orton, _then_ you can make a comparison. More likely, though, is the next night on RAW you'll see HHH "dealing" with Orton-as-champ and Benoit'll be stuck in a tag match against HHH/Orton where he'll -once again and as always- be the sidestory.

Yeah, Flair is intentionally doing this. It's not that he's totally nuts.

--Guy Mezger said in an interview yesterday that he's agreed to return to UFC for the 10/22 show against Tito Ortiz. They've met twice in the past, with each having one win. I am *so* going to this event.

Edge was Ortons last opponent, so Orton lost his last feud. He isn't going into the Benoit feud as strong as he should be. After he wins, however, he'll be going into a HHH feud pretty darn strong.

But if there is no story or no skill involved, then there would be no form for that art. No meaning other than being. I think you do wrestling a disservice when you can qualify _anything_ as long as it is "worked". Two backyard wrestlers hitting each other over the head with chairs-on-fire isn't art. It doesn't take skill or have any meaning behind it. They do it for no reason other than just to do it. 6 and 9 makes 15. That's two points. Curry, did we play Cribbage as well? I tend to do that when I'm drunk. Did I get a really good hand in the crib and was so happy that I hugged you for giving me the right cards?

They rushed themselves into it KC - how they treat the challengers reflects how they look at the champion, and with Orton such a quick rise will only hurt Benoit when/if he loses. They could have had time to incorporate Orton into the scene but they chose to take the easy way - because, quite frankly, Benoit isn't worth the effort. Infact, the only thing Orton has done recently to hint at a ME slot was speaking out against HHH. So I guess they _have_ been focusing on long-term feuds; it just happens that this supposed "god push" the WWE has been doing for Benoit ain't it.

Sakuraba is injured, but Henderson is a good bet as he has said he is training to fight in the next PRIDE show. Actually, Sakuraba vs. Hendo would be fucking awesome. You know, if this were around PRIDE 12.

It's the right move. Fedor is the champ, so if he went out in the second round that would hurt the belt and cause some problems. Ogawa is the least risky, plus he's a big name and going up against the top star (much like Silva/Yoshida) - he doesn't need to be in the finals to be an impact(ful draw). Kharitonov/Nogueira, Silva/Kondo, Cro Cop/Alex is aaaalll the matches I need. Shame it's on a week long delay (I heard, haven't checked for myself).

Very much so. 1. The WWE writing team obviously hasn't been paying attention to Benoit's reign as they've repeated an idea (and not just a small detail either). 2. The gap between Main Event and Midcard is huge. There should have been someone ready for that spot to make a smooth transition between the end of one feud and the beginning of another for Benoit (in both cases). HHH had/has his guys all set up nicely for him to face, but Benoit doesn't. He gets something that is very rushed... meanwhile the long-brewing HHH/Eugene feud rages on for its blowoff. Sound familiar? T 3. This hurts everyone on the roster. They need to create a better system of developing main event talent because Battle Royales are not sufficient. They need to get organized and map it all out. Here are the guys who they want in the scene in 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 12 months. 1 guys in 6 weeks (month and a half), 2 guys in 12 (3 months), 4 guys in 6 months, 8 guys in 12 months (the longer the time period, the greater the risk. The shorter the time period, the harder the push). That's a detailed system, but I bet its better than the "Let's see who HHH wants to face next" one they have had going for the past 2 years.