Belt Trouble and an Idea for a Televised Farm Fed

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

We all know that ratings are down in the WWE right now, and in all likelihood they will stay down. That is the cyclical nature of wrestling. You can sign any wrestler you want (hell, they've basically done it already), but it won't make any more than a temporary blip in the ratings. It's just that wrestling's time in the sun is gone-for now. What the WWE has to worry about now is maintaining the fan base it has now; they have to offer a product that will keep the ones that are there now and that will attract fans who happen to view it for the first time (as little as that may be).

 

Smackdown is great. It's an entertaining show with entertaining wrestlers. Raw is pathetic. I find it hard to sit through, and I'm a die-hard wrestling fan who wouldn't dream of missing a Smackdown or Raw. Raw just doesn't make me want to watch next week and that is a big no-no in serial television.

 

It would bother me if they were using their talent right and were still hard to watch, but they're not. It is a poorly built show-rosterwise and booking wise. Raw has a terrible roster and has no direction. WWE just need some common sense, not radical ideas to improve the show. It's seems that common sense is NOT a part of their game plan.

 

Number one, their titles. This is a hot topic, now with the demise of the IC title forthcoming. Heres some ideas, these are not radical ideas; these are ideas that I thought they would obviously use if they were splitting the roster:

 

OK, getting ride of the hardcore belt was good and Euro wasn't so bad. They could have used the Euro properly but were too lazy. The Euro title was great when it was first used, but it went totally down hill. So OK that was good.

 

The Champs should fight on both shows. So the four belts would be defended on both RAW and smackdown. I mean, why do this with the Women's and the Heavyweight but not IC and Tag? Who thought of this? Who was the person who said "Yeah, lets have the women's defended on both shows, but Tag Belts? NO way, they're just goin' on one show." Terrible idea. It wouldn't have to happen each week. Just imagine what they could do. J.R. announces that, say, Chris Benoit is coming over to RAW in two weeks to defend the IC belt, who will get the shot? Same with Tag Belts. WWF had four tag teams. APA, Dudleyz, Hardyz, and B and C. They put the tag belts (B and C) on Smackdown and put Hardyz on RAW. They split the Dudleyz and the APA. Who the fuck said "Yeah, thats a great idea. Lets put the tag belts on one show. And the only tag team on that roster will be the champs. Thats genius!"

 

THe IC belt really suffered the past couple of years. The reason why they're getting rid of it is probably because it's lost all meaning. But, the problem is that it's the WWE's own fault. Too many belts changes is obviously to blame. Noone even cares that they're IC champ anymore. Yeah, Benoit was good, and RVD etc. etc. But they didn't really even mention that they were IC champs in their interviews. They didn't even seem PROUD of the belt. Sample Interview: "Yeah, I don't like you yadda yadda yadda, you're an idiot. Let's fight tonight. Oh and by the way, its gonna be for this IC belt I got here" There was no "You're not good enough to take this belt from me. You'll never be good enough for this belt". It was ignored. They need to put it on someone and keep it there for at least four months. Back in the day the belt became a part of your persona, when you think MR. Perfect, Honkey Tonk etc. etc. you get a picture of them with the IC belt in your head. These wrestlers were IC champions, and nowadays the wrestlers just have a cup of tea with it. I know he's not a stellar wrestler, but I think Bubba would be good with the IC belt. He's popular, but not main event level, and I think he would be definitely proud to wear the belt. He would talk about it's history and give the belt the polish it deserves.

 

Two Champs: I guess I don't need to address this. I mean, Jericho unified these titles over a year ago. You just can't un-unify them without explaining it. ANd you can't have two champs, two marquee men. Baseball has a world series champ, not a champ for each league. If the champ was able to fight on both shows, like they were able to before, this wouldn't be a problem.

 

 

 

 

Enough about the titles, lets move on. Eventhough the WWE has made some bad moves in the big picture, they have been doing A LOT of litting things that improve their programs. Their video packages have done a huge leap forward as have their promotion (eg. theme songs for PPVs). I really like the Rock and Brock video packages before Summerslam. When I watch wrestling I want it to feel like it's real, and it gave it that feeling. We know its fake, but we suspend disbelief when we watch it. These desire things were also a little experiment that was excellent.

 

Also, Confidential was a great addition to help the WWE gain legitimacy. Even though plenty of people watch wrestling, it still can't get serious coverage other than these little features on Xtra and Access Hollywood that are fluff pieces. So the WWE has gone ahead and given the fans what they wanted through their own outlets. It shows that WWE isn't backwards and are willing to let the fans see the wrestlers for who they are. It's hard to put into words, but this kind of show is a refreshing alternative.

 

The split, and some things accompanying it, like the draft and the free agent signings were kind of neat. They were good ideas, just not utilised good. Raw started off as the weaker show, so they tuned up by swapping talent, and Raw got better. Then they kept roster swapping and look where we're to, Raw is shit again.

 

Raw's main eventers: HHH (decent wrestler), Kane (can't get over), Y2J (can't get over), Flair (can't wrestle anymore), RVD (excellent), Booker (hasn't had a main event since the Fall of Rome)

 

Smackdown's: Edge (excellent), Kurt (excellent), Take (great in his role), Lesnar (definitely entertaining), Eddie (not quite there, but ready, and an awesome wrestler), Benoit (excellent wrestler).

 

It's not hard to see who has the fresher faces and who-this is important-can just go out and deliver a great main event whenver they want. Through in all the Cruiserweights on Smackdown and you wonder why RAw can't deliver a great show.

 

I fail to see how WWE doesn't realize they have screwed RAW over talent-wise. They can easily correct this with simply a series of trades. Nothing radical. And a trade is something that would be exciting, has been mentioned, but has never been done. It's time.

 

Ok, heres something that is a LITTLE radical. WWE has it's two signature shows, but also has Heat and Velocity. These are basically third and fourth rate shows, where you can see up and comers and wash-ups. Why don't we just call it what it is.

 

These should be turned into the WWF minor leagues. It wouldn't change the structure of the WWF, it would just change the presentation of the show. All they would need to do is get different ring aprons. I don't know what they would call it, maybe the FWE (Future Wrestling Entertainment or somethin'? Yeah I know that was a bad name!).

 

They could have their own champ, seondary champ and tag champs. When someone became big, you would see Eric or Steph show up and do a little locker room skit where they bring them a contract. It wouldn't make the shows any different. It would be wrestling based with just a couple of interviews. But, it would make the talent seem important. They wouldn't be the BOTTOM of the WWE, they would be the TOP of the farm leagues. OVW would still be the same, they would be the REAL farm leagues. But for the purpose of TV, the renamed Velocity and Heat would be the on-air farm leagues. You could also send down washed-up veterans (say, Big Show) down on "conditioning-stings" like they do in the majors. This way, they could get off the marquee TV's, but still stay in the limelight somewhat. Then they become free agents, and can make a splash when and if they become fresh enough to make a new comeback.

 

It just would be something different. And it doesn't cost anything, or any new talent. It's basically what they are doing now, but with a little bit more jazz and a couple of belts.

 

Anywhoo, this has gotten WAAAAY too long. Hopefully a couple of you will reply with other ways that the WWE has neglected common sense and it has cost them ratings. God knows they have. Just take WM X8 with had endless talent with NO buildup. but thats for another day.

 

Hopefully I didn't bore ya to death.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

I agree with pretty much everything you said. Getting rid of the Intercontinental Title is pretty stupid, and I was hoping that Jericho was still the Intercontinental Champion so at least it would get recognized. I mean, the Intercontinental Title is the second biggest title in the WWE, and all the WWE is doing by getting rid of it is spitting in the history of the Intercontinental Title. I really hope something happens to explain this. I like the idea of making Velocity and Heat shows in which younger, newer talent can wrestle and show off their skills. The only thing I will say is that I prefer RAW over Smackdown, mainly because I'm more of a fan of the sports entertainment aspect of the WWE. Smackdown isn't too bad, and as a matter of fact, I'm starting to like it just as much as RAW. So anyways, yeah, the WWE does need to do something, if they want ratings to go back up.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Y2J (can't get over)

What? I guess I imagined the boos he was getting, as well as "Y2J" chants, this past Monday?

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

Give me a break. Y2J has been on the "verge" of greatness for the last two years. Did you check out the reaction in the main event of Wrestlemania in his home country. I was there, at least a couple of thousand people left the floor to walk out (and that's no exaggeration, they did a good job of editing out on the broadcast).

 

It's not his fault, they handle him totally wrong. He could be good.

 

And for another thing, he has the worst promos ever (yes, the apple thing was priceless). He has these stupid words that he uses for catchphrases.

Its like the words "jackass" and "assclown" are supposed to be funny. OK, Chris, you can stop using them any minute. He might as well come out and say "You are stupid" and expect the crowd to react.

 

He has been handled totally wrong and as a result seems unmotivated every time he does an interview or hits the ring.

 

I'm sorry it's that way, but it is. And I LIKE the guy.

[Guest Brian]

They left because Toronto was a horrible crowd that showed up for one match.

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

It was Wrestlemania and it was the main event. If you can't hold a crowd in their seats, there is something wrong.

 

It was the WWF's fault for booking the angle wrong, but that is part of what I'm talkin' about. He has been hangled wrong and the fans will find it hard to root or boo him in a main event role for a long while I think.

[Guest Brian]

Ehh, they didn't come to see Mania, they came to see Rock/Hogan. They were leaving during the women's match too.

[Guest Trivia247]

They underestimated the Nostalga of Hulkamania at a Wrestlemania. They brought in hogan under the impression the fans would see a Broken down Heel piece of crap that is trying to Hog his former glory. However the fans didn't see that in Toronto and Saw Hogan like they saw him years ago. Even in decline he was Babe Ruth. As Babe Ruth was Babe Ruth when he couldn't even round the bases anymore.

 

Major Miscalcuation.

 

I'm worn out about the title stuff. i've heard the idea on my thread that Bisch is getting rid of the titles to bring in WCW and US titles etc and Smackdown might just get the belts they thrown away. Farfetch. Im just sick over that crap.

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

I definitely get your drift, but thats not what I'm basing my whole argument on. Jericho is good and does fill a niche, but do you think he will be headlining a ppv in the next couple of months-No. And he should be given his resume of the last year.

 

Anyways, lets put all that aside. Thats just a little aspect of what I was talkin' about.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

All I know is, Jericho has been the most entertaining thing on Raw over the last month or so.

 

He's getting good heat & pops, so he could very easily be huge over if pushed convincingly either way. And by "pushed convincingly" I mean "ignore anything that's ever come out of HHH's mouth about Jericho".