cabbageboy

Oh I'm not criticizing Eric Young. I think he's hilarious. But I would think someone should say "Dude, you're great. You're not going to be fired, so chill."

Yeah but Goldberg's push at least worked and drew major money for WCW until they cut his legs off.

Okay allow me to explain some stuff here. RVD was very likely the most over guy on the roster through most of 2002. He could have won that KOTR and been launched into the world title scene against either the Rock or UT. Lesnar wasn't anywhere near ready for that spot, and I think history has proven that point given the way he flaked out. So let's see, Brock flakes out and leaves within 2 years of his KOTR win. RVD loses there and it sends him into a damn near 4 year dry spell where he gets mostly buried. It wasn't until this year that Van Dam got back on track. I know he faced HHH for the world title in 2002 but HHH could always point to Van Dam jobbing to Brock and say "You didn't have faith enough in him to win KOTR, so why should I job to him?" In other words they sacrificed RVD to push a guy that was destined to never draw big money and then leave them high and dry. Where was this huge money Lesnar drew? The one WM he did headline drew the weakest WM buyrate since 1997. SD was certainly the better show during his 2002/03 run there, but it was more due to guys like Eddie, Benoit, Rey, Angle and Edge than him. Lesnar got a big reaction at SS 02, sure. That was mostly the Rock's doing however, since the crowd was more interested in seeing him lose than Brock win. At no time during Brock's entire run did he ever particularly connect with fans as either a heel or face, mainly because he was mostly a bland character either way. Answer me this: If Lesnar was in fact so super over why the hell did they keep turning him? I can see the initial face turn, since he was getting dominant wins. As a face he may have gotten some cheers but it was the variety of "I'll cheer this guy because I'm supposed to." I actually wouldn't mind seeing Brock back, since I do think a Brock vs. Batista match would be interesting. But as of right now Brock has to go down as the biggest example of a guy who got too much, too soon.

Yeah, but the trashing of WWE and ECW only works if your own TV shows are clearly better....which TNA isn't. TNA is the most schitzo fed, I swear. I really enjoy the Nash/Shelley stuff and I am usually quite amused by Eric Young. But here is a problem with the Young deal: Why is he this worried about being fired? Of the heatless losers in Team Canada he'd be the last guy I'd fire. This Jarrett stuff is too funny. I mean Cornette flat out came on TV and said he sucks and is bad for business. It's like they themselves know JJ can't draw a dime, yet are powerless to change anything. By the way, anyone else note that they edited out the Zbyzsko and Hebner screwjob part of the Slammiversary PPV match?

I don't think there are any grand plans here for Sabin. If he's lost all heat in this Nash feud it could be because he's been booked like a jobber in it. Nash and Shelley have been so obviously more entertaining to the point where Sabin is an afterthought. Kinda like Nash will beat him down and then move on and do the same angle with another guy.

I don't think Lesnar was ever all that over. He certainly brings more to the table than Orton in terms of amateur credentials and has a "big scary dude" look. But I don't really remember Lesnar getting massive pops as a face or massive heat as a heel. He had to go around beating up cripples to get a midcard heel reaction. I'm likely not the best judge of Lesnar though. He forever earned my wrath when he beat RVD at KOTR 2002, which to me is still the stupidest booking decision of the post Invasion era. Anyway, Orton. Yeah the Foley feud was good for him because he got some hard earned wins and also it didn't really hurt anyone else's push since Foley isn't a full timer.

I'm thinking it will be Sabu that wins this. Don't ask me why but I just can't see them doing RVD this soon. It's like "Loses title, gets suspended, comes back 30 days later, wins belt back in 1st chance." Isn't that all a bit too easy?

Okay, I am actually thinking of going to see this flick over the weekend. I have my 2 free tickets from the screwy Clerks 2 screening (where the sound was messed up and the reel broke). It might be the only way I'd ever see this movie at the theater. Hell, at this point I'm intrigued at M. Night Shyamalan movies for the car wreck appeal. I can't believe the guy cast himself as a visionary writer that is going to change the world with his ideas. Incidentally I stumbled on The Village last night via the Starz On Demand. Man, I thought it was a mediocre movie in the theater originally but on TV that movie is truly death to all that is living. My brother said it might well be the worst movie he's ever seen. My dad did nothing but rant on how he'd rather be watching a Chuck Norris movie instead. After it was over I apologized to everyone for even putting it on. Then to make it up to my dad we watched Code of Silence tonight for his Chuck Norris fix, haha. I think adding Chuck Norris to The Village would actually improve the movie: "Those of which we do not speak....it's time to die!"

I honestly think that the whole knee injury thing is a semi work (as in maybe Hogan's knee is bothering him, but who knows) all designed to help Hogan save face if he loses. In regards to Orton, note that he is slowly getting over back on Raw whereas I'd say he totally tanked in the more workrate oriented SD. Let's face it, Orton was beyond terrible on SD. He was put in feuds with either guys no one could buy him beating (UT) or against guys who are obviously better workers (Benoit, Rey). And what's worse, he was given an insane amount of time for these matches, something like 20+ minutes a show. This approach exposed him badly as a guy who can't do much beyond headlocks and the occasional spot. What does it say about Orton that after he was suspended and left SD they pushed Mark Henry and The Great Khali as the main heels and the show got BETTER? At least back on Raw Orton has been kept on a leash and his matches haven't gone on way past a tolerable length. And he's kept his promos relatively brief, Orton Knows Best aside. That said, what can you do with Orton on Raw? Right now he's just about the #3 heel on the show, behind Edge and even Umaga. Let's say he survives this Hogan feud with some amount of credibility. Then he will feud with HHH, who by then will want back in the title scene and Orton will be nothing but a filler program. Then he might feud with Cena for a while, and since I'd say Cena is in thicker with Vince than Orton at this point he'll likely job out in that feud as well.

I took a look at that botch fest. There were multiple bits of Goldberg and Lesnar on there...is it any wonder that match from WM XX is a textbook of suck?

What was the first whiffed Van Daminator this year? Canadian, I know what you mean about Sabu. Do they not realize that his only viable way of getting over is by doing crazy hardcore stuff? I mean he can have a rudimentary standard match like last night but it's not what people expect or want out of him.

No matter what happens to RVD from here on in, at least I don't think he'll be tied up and almost set on fire like the Kane feud. The funniest aspect of that sad feud is that it was the semi main event of SS 2003, right between the Angle/Lesnar WWE title match and the Elimination Chamber. And I don't think it was meant to be that piss break match before the main event like a woman's match would be.

Honestly I blame Jericho almost as much as I do Orton for that spot. Orton was a dumbshit barely out of OVW who didn't know any better. Jericho was a veteran and should have thought of something there that did not involve a blatant repeat of the spot. As in drop the Walls of Jericho, they do a little bit of stuff, then Orton hits an RKO out of nowhere. Jackie Gayda wasn't even trained at the time, and besides the blind sell of a bulldog is a tough spot I would think. Especially for someone who had no idea what to do. Anyway, RVD tonight wasn't on that level. He blew the Van Daminator, then quickly hit Angle with something else and then nailed Sabu. The crowd forgot it 30 seconds later. He didn't grab the chair back from Angle and then retry the spot or anything.

I watched the 2 ECW episodes on the 24/7 service yesterday. One thing came to mind. If they are going to insist on having matches with normal rules then someone needs to be ordering this, a la Bill Alfonso in 1995. He was DQing people then, but it had a point and purpose and got him over as a heel. I actually like that Heyman ordered that Sandman match tonight as not extreme rules since it is the first official mention that it is Heyman's doing (rather than some higher up thing).

Tonight shows exactly why they need ECW only shows, so they can get that rabid crowd. As far as tonight, I have no idea what to think of any of this. No CM Punk after his hot debut last week (though lord knows we have to see Kevin Thorn). Did it seem like Angle was practically yelling spots in the match with Sabu? I couldn't make anything out clearly but you could tell he was saying stuff. As far as RVD's goofy missed Van Daminator, it was kinda funny but at least he didn't do like Orton and flat out repeat the spot. We'll chalk it up to possible ring rust. In terms of attacking Angle and Sabu, this needs some explanation next week. I think I know vaguely why, but it needs mention.

They'd have to be beyond being on crack to not have RVD on TV tonight. I mean he worked the house shows over the weekend in the same area of the country. They've managed to get by decent enough without him, but the past month has been largely makeshift stuff until he gets back. I'm thinking he does a run in during the main event and to screw over Heyman he makes sure Sabu wins.

UT/Berserker was mostly a house show feud, it was one of many feuds post WM in 1992 that never went anywhere or have an actual blowoff while it was "hot." They needed a KOTR type PPV then so they could blow some of this silly stuff off, and then build new stuff for SS. Honestly, I couldn't even remember the whole UT/Yoko feud in 1993. I mostly remember it beginning in Jan. 1994.

Oh, make no mistake. Lawler is a God of Wrestling in my book. Hell, I'm from Louisville. I grew up on old school Memphis and USWA. Which is why I flat out turned the channel rather than watch Lawler go out in Memphis and job to Orton. Hell, I even defend Jeff Jarrett to some extent due to liking him on the USWA from 1988-93.

The problem with that Angle/RVD match is that it'll likely be yet another example of them putting the WWE guy over the ECW guy. I'd just as soon neither guy be on the PPV, or maybe just make it a 4 way.

I think Raw is the weakest WWE produced show at the moment. ECW is only 1 hour so I don't change the channel (despite the crowd's urging) since there's at least an immediacy to the show. SD has nothing overly offensive on it aside from the Chavo/Rey stuff, which I actually find fairly interesting. I guess I do change the channel during the Diva crap, but I did at least watch the 30 second clips this past week. But Raw? I saw Orton vs. Lawler on my TV? Change the channel. Diva elimination segment? Keep it changed. The first Diva contest was a masterpiece compared to the last two. I actually was hoping for an Umaga run in so he could wipe them all out.

Yeah but there is one truly huge beef I have with that idea: Big Show vs. Angle at SS? What the fuck? It seriously has to be Sabu somehow winning this match. I don't exactly know how, but there has to be an ECW title match at SS with at least 1 actual ECW wrestler in it.

ECW drew it's biggest crowd in Chicago for Anarchy Rulz 99. There will be plenty of psychos at that show if it is moved.

Who did UT lose to in Sept. 1993 anyway? I don't recall him losing to anyone period between the Hogan title loss at Tuesday in Texas and the Yoko casket match at RR 94. Let's see, UT spent most of 1992 with the Berserker and then Kamala, so no he didn't lose any there. Spent most of 1993 with Giant Gonzalez and maybe Mr. Hughes a bit. I'm drawing a blank as to what UT did between the Gonzalez feud and the Yoko feud. Maybe he didn't do anything more than be on Luger's team at Survivor Series?

How the hell is Sabu a heel in any sort of ECW environment? Against Angle the interloper? Forget it. This match kinda reminds me of the Sabu/Ken Shamrock match from TNA. I sorta hope they try that ladder vs. submission idea, which I thought was a good match in theory but wasn't utilized right. I have a hunch this will lead to RVD's return anyway.

I said it earlier today, but it bears repeating. This Umaga stuff is so tedious because at the end of the day we all know 100% that it's a dead end push. At some critical point, say a match with Hogan or a major PPV title shot, they're going to just job Umaga out so there really isn't any point to this stuff. Let's face it, they have now jobbed out Flair, Cena, HBK, and HHH to Umaga and the guy still hasn't sniffed any aspect of being over on his own merits. Yes, I know Armando is kinda over but he'd be over regardless of whatever loser he was managing. It's easy to see they are wanting to make Umaga the WWE version of Samoa Joe with this streak and all. But Joe is about 10x better as a wrestler and has had awesome matches that he has won in clean and dominant fashion.