Angle v. Lesnar

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

How on EARTH are so many people saying that Angle is looking weak here???

 

He's got the world title. He ended Smackdown beating the crap out of Brock and standing tall over him. He's got the best manager in a long time on his side.

 

The angle (no pun intended) has logic flaws, but let's look at where we stand now.

 

1. Angle made the arrangement with Heyman before going to Lesnar on the SD before Armageddon.

 

2. He lied to Brock and tricked Brock into doing his work for him.

 

3. He's now using Heyman to make sure he doesn't have to face Brock! Angle is a total dick!

 

I'm not seeing Angle as this so-called pussy lackey. I'm seeing him as a manipulator who'll take any chance he can get, turn his back on the fans at a moment's notice, and takes pleasure in being a sarcastic dick for the sheer sake of pissing people off and being able to boast about how he's the best.

 

To answer counterarguments:

 

Yes, you can say that Angle had the title handed to him by Brock. Why is this bad? It plays into this storyline, revisionist as it may be, perfectly: Angle used Brock. He doesn't have to be able to beat everybody clean--he's the fricking heel. Now, if the bookers do something retarded and not give Angle a pretty decisive victory over Big Show next week, then yeah, I'll agree that there's problems with the booking. Based on one show, I'm liking it.

 

To the "transitional reign" argument: SO WHAT. How many reigns leading up to Wrestlemania haven't been Face chasing Heel and eventually finally triumphing? Very few. People are bitching about how Angle's being booked like Jericho last year, but how can you say that? If it happens, then yeah, but so far, *nothing has happened to Angle that paints him as a lame duck champion*.

 

If you don't agree with the storyline logic, which is a bit of a stretch, then yeah, maybe Angle looks weak. But if you take what the storyline is being presented as, I don't see how you could effectively maintain that viewpoint unless you're really, really, really stubborn.

[Guest notJames]

...if you take what the storyline is being presented as, I don't see how you could effectively maintain that viewpoint unless you're really, really, really stubborn.

This is the SmartMarks, right?

 

I'm not into the whole Angle-as-lackey conspiracy, but I do know that the results of the WM match won't be in doubt now that Heyman is Angle's manager. And that's what this feud needed: suspense. With Rock and Austin, they had already established their relationship over a long period, plus they were mega-stars who could carry a feud on name alone. Angle and Brock neither have the history together nor the name recognition to truly cash in on the "wronged former champ seeks revenge on current heel champ" story. I think they took a lot of potential out of the feud once Heyman signed on, and now this matchup isn't so special. To me, anyway.

 

That's not to say I won't enjoy the match or at least try to appreciate the feud during the next 3 months, but let's just say I'm a little disappointed, especially in an atmosphere where Vince and Co. can't allow any more fans to walk away disappointed.

[Guest RedJed]

The only way out of this to me is if Lesnar goes back with Heyman and it was all an (illogical) plot to hurt Angle and Show's careers and at the same time show Heyman's power in the company which starts a sort of feud with Steph or something, I dunno. How can anything else good or sensical come from what they started last night. Then at least the storyline would have went full circle and Lesnar wouldnt have been damaged by the loss to Show, etc. Then Angle would get an opportunity to build up credibility into Mania and both sides would be more even and who knows who would win. At this point its obvious of the result.

 

The fact is that in most cases, the simplest formulas are the most successful, and this clearly would have been one of them. They had never tried anything as the natural wrestling backgrounds, etc.........and it was something exciting and fresh that I was looking forward to. Even without the Heyman storyline, it would have worked if they would have wanted Angle to be a heel by other means (fuck, ANY means but this......this just overshadows Angle and the title reign IMO). By the way Angle was hyping up the Lesnar-Angle match in promos, it really got me pumped, and from the crowd noise last night, they felt the same way. Now this match just doesn't have the feel of "big time" anymore to me.

 

At this point the storyline is just a continuation of Brock v. Heyman which I feel has already pretty much run its course or will as soon as they have a rematch with Brock-Show. So they plan to keep the chase going through til Mania which is overkill, if you ask me. Plus totally predictable what the result will be. They've done it so many times (especially leading to Manias) I was hoping for a change.

[Guest Anglesault]

My biggest problem with all of you guys that are claiming that this angle is an automatic failure is the fact that it's just now getting fucking started!

Because we all saw it fail seven months ago.

[Guest red_file]

What I can't understand is why people continue to fall for Anglesault's schtick. Petulance should be used in moderation.

 

As for the angle, aside from having the Big Show speak, I've enjoyed it. I'm just wondering if they're trying to redo the Heenan Family or the Dangerous Alliance.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Why not have the heel champion Angle (by himself) fued with Lesnar. Angle would be built has a serious world champion, and Lesnar would require a SSP at Wrestlemania to beat him. Even have Angle beat or force Lesnar to tap in tag matches, or non-title, leading up to WM, the novelty of beating Brock is gone since Big Slow already did it.

[Guest art_vandelay]

I was hoping to see a feud purely based on their athletics and amateur background, but all the sports-entertainment bullshit with managers and contingency plans has corroded that hope thus far. What I really dislike is that this feud has yet again become an extension of the Brock vs. Heyman story instead of Brock vs. Angle.

 

And I also have to restate what notJames pointed out. With all the odds stacked up against Lesnar, it will come as no surprise when he beats Angle at Mania, much like it was no surprise when Triple H beat a much, much weaker Jericho last year.

 

I know people give Hogan vs. Rock shit because of the terrible match, but the heat for this dream match was there. And I think much of that can be attributed to it's simplicity (yeah, I know the nWo ambulance stuff was there, but the feud always focused on Hogan and Rock, without any outside forces taking dominant roles like Heyman is right now).

 

I'm saying all this now, but I know I'll be hyped up to see the match when they play those swank highlight videos on the Heat before the PPV. Those things can create anticipation for ANY match.

[Guest RedJed]

Why not have the heel champion Angle (by himself) fued with Lesnar. Angle would be built has a serious world champion, and Lesnar would require a SSP at Wrestlemania to beat him. Even have Angle beat or force Lesnar to tap in tag matches, or non-title, leading up to WM, the novelty of beating Brock is gone since Big Slow already did it.

Ex-fuckin-actly. Like I said, the simplest ideas are usually the best.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I was hoping to see a feud purely based on their athletics and amateur background, but all the sports-entertainment bullshit with managers and contingency plans has corroded that hope thus far. What I really dislike is that this feud has yet again become an extension of the Brock vs. Heyman story instead of Brock vs. Angle.

Well, you gotta remember how they almost fucked over X-7 by making Debra the Rock's manager, but pulled out of it weeks before the show. They could do much the same thing here really. There's enough time and plotholes to get out of it as quickly as they started.

[Guest deadbeater]

Angle said that he want to fight Brock at Wrestlemania. They have to build up to that epic match. Smackdown show was a great start.

 

Also, Angle to recover from his surgery and other nagging injuries, while Brock heals his.

 

As for Paul Heyman, he is working the Don King gimmick. Don Heyman is there to hype matches and maximize its drawing power.

[Guest Brian]

Why didn't they just have Brock stay heel in the first place and keep the title and let Angle win at Mania and be the first person to end the streak and actually challenge Brock to the fullest?

 

Angle's act though is nothing like Jericho's. Jericho was a total lackey, a side in that feud was almost totally ignored in the month build-up to Mania. There's a lot of time to change things.