RavishingRickRudo

BigBossMan clotheslining himself on the bottom rope at RR92. Oh lordy, that's a special one right there.

We agree, now ban Goodear.

10 points to L4W for using the terms "microcosm" and "undercard booking" in the same sentence

Fact is, Rudo, if someone said this on this board, you wouldn't hold it up as an example of how people don't experience things the same way everyone else does. You would likely either call them stupid or say they don't understand quality wrestling and move on. I actually _would_ hold it up as an example of how people don't experience the same things because that person would be saying it was *entertaining* rather than *good*. I can't really tell someone what to be entertained by. Just like I can't really tell what people "get" and "don't get", like a certain J-hawk. I can, however, question/ponder how anyone could be entertained by something so bad. I can also wonder how anyone could "get" something as deep as Eddies history of drug abuse *especially when stuff like his car accident and one of his best friends death* is omitted and _everything_ is based on spoken word rather than visual evidence. Personally, I find actually seeing it for myself to be more effective than just hearing about it. I don't think I'm alone in that regard.

I thought the dyke was pretty good.. and I think we have a new bouncy. Yowza. Tonights show seemed really, really, depressed.

Calm down guys, Rajah reworded the story and took it in another direction. It was originally reported on the Torch website that HHH wanted to move away from a program with Benoit after Wrestlemania and work with Edge. The rest was ad-libbed by Rajah. Neither the Observer nor the Torch, nor 1Wrestling or PWInsider for that matter, has reported that HHH is scheduled to retain the title. In fact, Meltzer just reported that current plans are for Benoit to win, but Bret not to be involved because it would overshadow Benoit's moment. Just wanted to clear that up. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll believe it when one of the Big 3 confirm it. I don't want to get my hopes up yet. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for being smarter than the sheep...I mean everyone else. -------------------------------------------------------------- I love how everyone questions anything from Meltzer, but believes fucking RAJAHWWF?? ---------------------------------------------------------------- I can't believe that if you have a semi credible website and post news like that then people want kill HHH. I'd wait till Wrestlemania in order to past judgment. ----------------------------------------------------------- Didn't you know? Rumors = Truth @ TSM. --------------------------------------------------------- Rajah appeals to popular prejudice, people buy it. Typical. Last year they didn't want both titles to change hands, the same thing is happening this year. Eddie will retain and the PPV will go off the air with Benoit holding his gold. Yes, it's a good thing. Yes, it's happening in WWE. I understand doubting WWE's ability to do anything right, but sometimes it's just insane. Of course, watch HBK win now that I've said that... -------------------------------------------------------- Another day, another volley of HHHate. You just know it's gonna happen. Like the sunrise. -------------------------------------------------------- Whoa. We need more mods like you. Anyway, HHH or no HHH, I've always figured that Benoit will never win the title, so there's really no anger or rage from me here. ------------------------------------------------------- I believe this report is complete and total fiction. Afterall, I don't need a report to tell me HHH is going to win. I already know that. Seriously, I like Benoit, but the guy is too much of a nice guy. He's all, "I'll work hard and be loyal, and I'm bound to be appreciated." While being nice will keep you in the company, it won't stop others from walking all over you. Just ask Bret Hart. ---------------------------------------------------- The Voice of Reason in this thread! ---------------------------------------------------- For the love of Christ...everyone completely no sold Loss's explaination. Rajah doesn't have it's own news...they always steal it from somewhere. This was taken from the Torch. Direct your anger at the validity of them...not the Rajah which is only a hub that gathers all the other crap. --------------------------------------------------------- I was about to post this in the thread (http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=50329) but then I realized that I would be doing the same thing I would be posting against. My god, dear god, I think the people above are much, much worse than those who speak about the rumours because at least the people who talk about the rumours are talking about the WWE rather than the board itself. Some of the posts above are completely condescending and serve no purpose other than to stroke the posters own ego as if he is above it all. I have no problem with L4W's post because it brought clearification, but everything else here is worthless. Absolutely worthless. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH DISCUSSING AN IDEA.

I think you didn't answer my question. That opinion is right. Spanish and Japanese are not exact terms as people outside the countries still claim heritage and nationality as there are people who are Spanish - claim Spanish heritage - but don't necessarily reflect the general population; if you want to say Spain and Japan and compare the two countries, then you can as there are many accepted stardards by which you measure a countries worth. GDP, Infant Mortality rate, Life-span, Employment, etc. etc. Much like matches. You can look at selling, storytelling, psychology, pacing, move performance and technique, etc. etc. I can tell you why I thought Benoit vs. Michaels wasn't ****; a lot of the people Ray was talking about probably couldn't and the *-rating merely reflects their "gut feeling" about the match. The problem with using feelings for an objective rating is that there are external factors (outside the match) which can effect your emotions.

I think it's to attract family and friends who aren't watching but maybe are in the same room or in the next room or something.

I think White people are better than Black people. Is that opinion wrong?

"Get it"? I have only seen a WWE ad off of WWE television ONCE, and I can't remember where so it couldn't have been that effective. They are stupid, stupid, commercials and don't really have a point to them other than trying to get over a stupid, stupid, catchphrase. Quite frankly, I think it's just to satisfy shareholders and say "we're reaching out!".

Their success was in cutting costs, not gains in revenue. It's good in a way, but bad in another. They are making money, but they are not getting more - it just costs less to get it. Ad. Revenue Down. (Revenues in general down) Live Events Down. PPV down. Buys down. Avg. Attendance down. Ratings up Merch up Interesting notes: Surv. Series did better than last year (0.4 vs. 0.3), but Armageddon did not (0.2 vs 0.3). RR is suspected to have been higher than last year (0.5 vs. 0.4). RAW Ratings are up (3.6 vs. 3.5) from the previous year), while Smackdowns remain constant (3.4) Publishing Revenues down (which may be concerning due to the change in publications) (4.3 vs. 5.0 mill) Home Videos up but thats mainly due to an 29% increase in videos sold (which is like 3 or 4 more videos) (3.7 mil vs. 2.7)

The thing about Stuffy booking the shows was, at the time you could TELL that something had changed (for the worse). I distinctly remember reading a report that Stuffanny McHam was incharge of the writing team and thinking that it started at Survivor Series 2000. RRR: No real reason for this post other than "Stuffanny McHam".

Didn't HHH pin Benoit in one of his first matches for the promotion? Didn't HHH pin Benoit again at No Mercy during that lil face period which effectively killed off Benoit as a high profile wrestler? Funny, that. I think the initial post here proves that Benoit is not a Wm kinda guy. Of the 3 matches he has wrestled there, did any of them really have any kinda build to them? That's why I didn't think Benoit winning at Mania was really fitting for him, as his history there isn't anything special. But what do I know...

He was also involved in Titan A.E. But to be fair, his work was severely undermined... or so he says. I believe him, cause the stuff he wrote on Buffy and Firefly was brilliant.

Was it an episode of Smallville where a cheerleader from the past kept draining the life out of students so she could maintain her youth?

To be perfectly honest with you all, after the way Benoit has acted and been recieved since arriving on RAW...I'm really not too keen on him winning the belt. I'd much prefer Shawn to go over, myself. I agree with how Benoit has acted, but in comparison to HBK Benoit has been received rather well. That match started with the fans going gaga for Shawn but they clearly booed the kip up spot as well as him superkicking Benoit the previous week. Benoit doesn't ellicit the SUPERSTAR pop (why would he? He's not presented as a superstar) but in-ring they get behind him more than anyone on RAW and with the exception of Eddie, more than anyone in the WWE.

if Benoit does not win the title at WM, then what was the point of him jumping to RAW and rushing into a program with HHH, further more if HHH is done working with him after WM, there goes Benoit's credibility..... The point wasn't even for Benoit to win the title at mania. He could have had that on Smackdown; it was "to be the best". He has already been pinned by Michaels, so credibility already gone. Methinks he would have been better off on Smackdown feuding with a newly crowned Eddie. Actually, me thought that Benoit beating Brock at Rumble and defending against Eddie (or Angle) at Mania would have been nice; but that was just me being kooky way back when.

All this does it piss off the optimists and cause the pesimists to say "I told you so." I haven't even commented on the possibility of HHH winning because Benoit's quest is already ruined by (a)the insertion of HBK and (b)HBK's win on RAW and ©the horrible booking of Benoit. Wait until March 15th before you start bitching. Shit, I was told that before Benoit even won the rumble and was on RAW. I WAS RIGHT! Haven't I earned the right for, as AS calls it, "pre-emptive bitching"? Quite frankly, I don't even know what to think about HHH keeping the title at Mania. I continue to give HHH the benefit of the doubt when dropping the strap; I did it with Goldberg at SSlam and with Booker at WM last year, yet even now I can't see him doing that. Fuck, *I* am one of those optimists!

Going back to your "but he didn't beat Shawn" argument because he would have even if he does pin Hunter, he gets a defacto win over Shawn. I dont think he and Eddie got their jobs back to the Dudleys on a PPV a couple of years ago, but you wouldnt say "but he never pinned Bubba Ray!" Yep, and most recently he hasn't gotten his win back from Eddie (Vengeance 03), Angle (RR and a Smackdown a few weeks later) and Brock (Smackdown). It didn't make sense for him to leave Smackdown with all those issues unresolved (which I _did_ say). With this storyline you have to compromise some things in order make it "work" (like history). This is a direct issue, however. If Benoit is happy with a "defacto" win, rather than getting the actual best of Michaels, then what sort of champion is he? Oh wait *smacks head* he's an idiot; I keep forgetting details like that.

What does it matter? Even if Benoit "wins" at WM he still "loses".

Looks like we might have an early candidate for most overrated match of 2004... C'mon, they gave the Ironman match *****'s (well, Keller did - keith gave it something similar). They really shouldn't be considered here. I thought the best part of the match was the pacing. It was slow(er) but it was constant. Benoit was really laying into Michaels and the crowd legitimately seemed clueless over who would win. The near falls, however, could have worked better. Again, they seemed so random, as if "ok, here comes the pinning sequence" rather than "these guys need to win now". I thought they may have been working towards a draw with the 3 "10 counts", but the finish had nothing to do with that. Infact, the finish had nothing to do with anything which really hurt the match, in my view. Not just because I am a benoit fan and hate hbk and this whole storyline (which is a major part) but because all the worked just seemed useless given that finish. It's like "here's a taste of what you'll get at backlash", but they still could have accomplished that in a better way (tag match?).

They had the quick near falls anyways, I was just suggesting a way to include the psychological aspects into it; rather than just random pin-falls. That's the whole point of ring psychology, to give things an exact purpose.

Then I agree 100%. The backdrop spot, actually, should have been with Benoit falling ontop of HBK and HBK should have been cradling Benoit. That way it plays up the hurt back and using the bad neck to his advantage. Benoit should have been doing roll ups for the quick pins which puts pressure on HBK's back. Hell, they could have been doing this in their match because I recall something similar, but it never stuck out like neato psychology should.

Which oddly enough goes back to why I said HBK didn't do jack shit in the match, he seemed to have no idea how to use his time. Actually, Beniot is at his best when he's working smart instead of bumping, but there's only so much you can do when you appear to be working with corpses. Eh, I think "smart" Benoit left a long time ago. Mind you, Benoit still knows how to put a match together and leave openings and whatnot, but in terms of working around his opponents faults, he tends to bump like crazy (vs. Jones) or chop a lot (Flair, Michaels.)

And RRR, I work at a Circuit City where pretty much everybody is a casual fan, and the ones that Eddy-Brock said nothing except great match, and the ones who hadn't said something along the lines of "Good, after everything he's been through he deserves it." I'd say they got it. From WO.com This is the last WWE pay per view that is based soley on new stars that I buy. It was pathetic. None of the matches had any meaning. The title doesn't even mean anything anymore. I had a lot of friends over for this one, most used to be really big wrestling fans and everyone was unanimously disappointed in this show. The main event was one of the most boring things I have ever seen. That was the most desperate way I've ever seen the WWE take up thirty minutes ever. They did probably 15 minutes of restholds that looked very sloppy or unrealistic. Goldberg's presence and the cruiserweight match were the only two saving graces of the show. Noble/Nidia was somewhat entertaining, as was the first time I've ever seen a "Bring Back Strike Force" sign, but none of all of that was nearly worth 35 bucks. My friends asked what the Mania card was shaping up to be and they all pretty much groaned. This company is in trouble, even if it's just for special attraction matches to make the shows feel more important, they have to bring in some names from the past to do something. I think the amount of empty seats at the Cow Palace who was used to seeing great SuperBrawl cards from WCW said exactly how I and my friends felt about this show. If they don't hurry up and add something big or change around the Mania line up, this is gonna be a bad year for buyrates. Not everyones experience is the same.