Raw gives me a headache. Literally.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Know how in those old 60's episodes of Dragnet, at the end they have some guy hammering a "Mark V" logo into a slab of stone? Okay, imagine some one doing it repeatedly on your forehead.

 

Shortly after Raw started, that's what hit me. I hope I may not be getting migraines like my mother does regularly. Oddly, the headache hit me shortly after Raw started. I'd planned to play Smackdown SYM instead, but was tired from shoveling snow and homework, so just laid down.

 

After it started hitting me, a disappointing Storm/RVD match later (Storm using rest-holds and a few bland moves, RVD just flipping and flopping), it got worse. So I took extra strength Tylenol. Why does Kane get his own entrance just to act as a valet? How much did RVD smoke before this match?

 

HBK and Jeff are buddies and pals now? My headache gets worse...

 

Bischoff interview. He teases Austin and delivers Morely. I didn't expect Morely, but I sure as hell didn't expect Austin. He then teases Austin again in the main event. I expected a midget until he finished.

 

Dudleyz getting thrown out. I wonder what point in the night they'll run in for a match.

 

It's sad that the only surprise to me just HOW they'll cop out rather than if they'll cop out.

 

If at any point during this promo you actually expected Austin in any form, you're either new to watching WWE or a blooming idiot. Even freakin' Fox doesn't screw its viewers and actually delivers.

 

"Divas" tag match. Kinda decent, but why build up a heel vs. heel fued? Why is Molly still a freakin' jobber in the division?

 

At some point I recall Stephanie being in a commercial and going from being stalked by Carrot Top to having her legs in Carrot Top's lap while he plays "this little piggy." I didn't think there could be a couple more evil than HHH and Stephanie. This also does nothing to dispel those Vince/Steph incestual overtones.

 

Alexandra York is back, and the Tourette's gimmick is a go I guess.

 

Evolution mocks Goldie. HHH has a combover, and I'm shocked they only have gotten a minute or so of camera time so far. HHH says he'll put Booker in a hospital bed next to Goldie--didn't Booker just say Goldust was recovering at home?

 

Has anyone actually carried out a threat to seeing that X Face "doesn't make it to [name of PPV]?"

 

Hennig video tribute--best thing all night. I didn't know Mr. Perfect could do a 450 splash!

 

Rodney Mack--less heat that D'Lo. Wow. Nearly cripples the hometown boy Al Snow in a shitty match. Fuck you Roddy.

 

Jericho swats the gum a la Perfect!! Cool!

 

Alas, I still have a headache, so during the entrances for Jeff & HBK (which is begging for Yuna to write one of her perverted stories about it) vs. the Chrises, I take some cheap generic Ibuprofin. Not much effect at first...

 

Hurricane wins a match and some other stuff happens. Seems like the headache gets a little worse when 3 Minute Jobbers come to the ring. Why is Rico still with these assholes? The headache starts to clear up...

 

Booker & Steiner vs. HHH and Batista. Wasn't this supposed to be the main event? 3 of the worst workers on Raw--and that's saying something--and a decent one--I roll over and fall asleep, not waking up until 3:48 AM. Headache completely gone.

 

Either a coincidence, or my brain is telling me to stop watching this shit.

[Guest raptor]

I actually got a headache during Raw last night, too... Eerie.

[Guest chirs3]

Damn, I only watched half of Raw and I got a headache too... not a big one or anything... perhaps turning Raw off to play SSX Tricky helped...

[Guest Fook_Hing_Ho]

So you passed out before JR/Bisch?

 

In that case, consider yourself lucky you had a headache.

[Guest DerangedHermit]

That's weird. I had a headache and went to sleep right before the HGH/Bashitsta vs. Big Poopa Dump/Jobber T match and conveniently woke up as Bischoff was going kung-fu Gallagher-style.

 

EDIT: Aarglug......aarghhhhlughhhh

[Guest The Electrifyer]

The thing that gave me the biggest headache was that in the JR/Bischoff match, were they actually trying to build up Eric as an opponent who can actually win?

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Alas, I still have a headache, so during the entrances for Jeff & HBK (which is begging for Yuna to write one of her perverted stories about it)

Just because Jericho told Christian that he was a sexy beast, Jeff/Shawn are sex walking, and that Jericho, and Jericho was stripping HBK.....none of that screams slash, now does it?

[Guest gangsteruwa]

This is truly fucked up because the same thing happened to me. I think it was during the RVD vs. Lance Storm match that I got a bad headache. Then when I was watching the entrances for the Booker/BPP vs. HHH/Batista and I just shut my tv off and went to sleep....lucky for me I hit record on my vcr and got to see both of those wonderful segments this morning.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Alas, I still have a headache, so during the entrances for Jeff & HBK (which is begging for Yuna to write one of her perverted stories about it)

Just because Jericho told Christian that he was a sexy beast, Jeff/Shawn are sex walking, and that Jericho, and Jericho was stripping HBK.....none of that screams slash, now does it?

I forgot about the "sexy beast" comment, but I also didn't SEE that much of Raw, because for a lot of it I was merely listening, and looking over if something interesting was happening.

 

Hmm--odd, a lot of you seem to legit have headaches too. I could see one or two others by coincidence, but seems odd so many got hit with it, too.

 

So yes, I completely missed out on JR/Bisch, but don't feel ripped off. HHH & Pals didn't give me a headache, it just put me to sleep.

 

Although, even an HHHater like me feels that the big tag match that was promised as a main event last week is a more fitting main event than a fat announcer vs. a fake GM.

[Guest AndrewTS]

The thing that gave me the biggest headache was that in the JR/Bischoff match, were they actually trying to build up Eric as an opponent who can actually win?

Maybe partly that, and to partly give Bisch more heat for beating up JR.

 

However, how I would book it, is to have Bisch fire JR as an on-air announcer, and kick the ass of an Austin midget. Maybe a run in by a Dudley post-match. However, I wouldn't have done all the Austin baiting and switching previously, so it wouldn't have hurt to cop out ONCE on it.

 

Still, at least it was the most intelligently booked part of Raw from where I sat when I looked up a Raw report this morning.

[Guest Will Scarlet]

I wish I had fallen asleep during Raw. At least then I would not have overslept this morning, and wouldn't be exhausted now either. Not like I would have missed much, except Hurricane/Nowinski.

 

And I like AndrewTS's idea much better. I wish they would have at least had the glass break before the bait & switch. It makes it better, and would get more heat.

[Guest Flyboy]

If you don't watch Raw, you don't get headaches.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I wish I had fallen asleep during Raw. At least then I would not have overslept this morning, and wouldn't be exhausted now either. Not like I would have missed much, except Hurricane/Nowinski.

 

And I like AndrewTS's idea much better. I wish they would have at least had the glass break before the bait & switch. It makes it better, and would get more heat.

Right. Firing JR just to be a dick would have been a huge help too. They could just have him re-hired later anyway, and maybe he'd come back with renewed vigor.

 

Instead, I doubt the marks will even believe Steve shows up, although it was nice of them to have him show up live.

 

Bisch is the big boy who cried "Rattlesnake" so many times no one believe him anymore. Hence, they don't give a shit about Raw.

 

That combined with being vs. Joe Millionaire--I expect a low rating.

[Guest Mik at Cornell]

If you don't watch Raw, you don't get headaches.

Or you can be like me and never had a headache in your life! Whooooooo!

[Guest bravesfan]

Not to escape WWE logic here, but shouldn't Austin/Bischoff be a question about how Bischoff will be able to slither out of this predicament? -not about if Bischoff will actually win this match?

 

Which fan, in their right mind, is actually buying Bischoff as a credible threat? Why not just have Bischoff trot out and say "he's not afraid of Austin, because I have a plan" or something along those lines? Does this not accomplish the point even better, without ego-fucking JR and putting HIM in the Main Event for the 3rd time in eight weeks?

[Guest AndrewTS]

Not to escape WWE logic here, but shouldn't Austin/Bischoff be a question about how Bischoff will be able to slither out of this predicament? -not about if Bischoff will actually win this match?

 

Which fan, in their right mind, is actually buying Bischoff as a credible threat? Why not just have Bischoff trot out and say "he's not afraid of Austin, because I have a plan" or something along those lines? Does this not accomplish the point even better, without ego-fucking JR and putting HIM in the Main Event for the 3rd time in eight weeks?

In other words, basically tell your audience to expect a screwjob? That would be WWE Logic, my friend.

 

If they weren't bound and determined to make sure Austin isn't seen or heard in any other way through video packages, they could have had Austin pop up on the Titantron live via satelline, cuss him out and say he's not impressed. He'd then tell him he's eager to return to work on the Raw brand, "but in my first match back, sorry son, I'm gonna have to whip your ass."

 

Make the audience know Bisch ain't shit, and that they ARE going to see Bisch getting the holy hell stomped out of him.

[Guest Just call me Dan]

See the build for Vince/Austin Vince trained his ass off and went out there to give it all he had, only to get squashed.

 

I'm sorry but aside for HHH not being able to really jump his match with Steiner/Booker was not bad at all. Raw as nothing great, and the booking was bad (So is it on Smackdown) but the show wasn't bad. Try lightening up and giving the show a chance before it even comes on the air, maybe your headache will subside.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Try lightening up and giving the show a chance before it even comes on the air, maybe your headache will subside.

It started during the show. It got worse as the show progressed. I was actually rather optimistic about the show going in, but as always, it was unfounded.

 

The booking on SD isn't great, but it's better than Raw, and we always get at least one or two really good matches. The workers on SD actually try, but on Raw it's clear they frankly don't give a shit, because HHH and the quick-fix roid monkey Steiner are the main eventers. Why even work hard at your job if you're not going to get rewarded in any way? That's why on a regular basis the women's matches are far, far better than the men's matches. Most of the WWE women on Raw suck at wrestling but at least they try.

 

SD actually delivers its promises. Hogan was promised, and Hogan was delivered.

 

Raw can't even do that.

 

See the build for Vince/Austin Vince trained his ass off and went out there to give it all he had, only to get squashed.

 

Vince had never been in a ring in his life other than to run his mouth, and they made sure everyone knew he was in his early 50s. Everyone knows that a young wrestler will always beat a much older guy who barely knows how to fight yet alone wrestle.

 

No, I won't make any hoss jokes.

[Guest Just call me Dan]

Well that comment wasn't really made towards you Andrew, I have no problems with you, and your ranting is your opinion, its cool, I respect it. My problem is looking through the thread and seeing the bandwagon being overloaded.

 

"Worst Raw ever"

 

"Oh tonight sucked ass"

 

It's insane these people who can't back shit up. It is undeniably true that the Raw talent is unmotivated because of HHH's running of the show, but look at last night, Hunter was on TV for less than 20 minutes and jobbed.

 

I'm sorry, but I don't remember talent wrestling like shit when Hogan dominated or the Clique ran wild. Wrestlers dogging it because they are unappy is the problem with the business today. Take their job away from them and see how happy they are then.

[Guest AndrewTS]

"Worst Raw ever" has been said so many times that it's meaningless. I could see you saying that about them if it was a short-term thing. However, name one name that's been significantly elevated one Raw since the split besides Brock?

 

Intentionally dogging a match and getting so disgusted over time that you just don't care anymore are two completely different things.

 

Likewise, I think we've been conditioned to expect shit on Raw, because that's all they've delivered for the most part. However, remember the Jericho/Christian vs. Booker/Goldust match? Kick ass match, announced ahead of time, and resulted in one of the best matches on Raw since the split, maybe even more.

 

That Raw was praised.

 

Also, maybe it isn't just being unmotivated. Lance Storm's chinlockery has convinced me that Raw guys may be being told to wrestle closer to the WWE style than the SD guys. Call it even "don't outshine HHH" if you're an adamant HHHater.

 

I just know that the end result is matches that are almost always pitiful in comparison to SD, even from guys who are decent workers.

[Guest TheGame2705]

"Jeff & HBK (which is begging for Yuna to write one of her perverted stories about it)"\

 

*laughes his fucking ass off*

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Try being me watching RAW X with a migrane... Bad...Bad...*shudders*...BAD.

[Guest Just call me Dan]

You do make sense. The wrestlers on Smackdown DO entertain me more, despite a lot of guys on RAW being pretty decent workers. It always perplexed me why they didn't look so well, but I just don't know how wrestlers can "dog" it to make a match look bad, when I know they take pride in their work. I think that is a big myth and it is bullshit. Maybe they are un-motivated, but being told to do so? Nah.

[Guest AndrewTS]

You do make sense.  The wrestlers on Smackdown DO entertain me more, despite a lot of guys on RAW being pretty decent workers.  It always perplexed me why they didn't look so well, but I just don't know how wrestlers can "dog" it to make a match look bad, when I know they take pride in their work.  I think that is a big myth and it is bullshit.  Maybe they are un-motivated, but being told to do so?  Nah.

It makes sense when you take into account that WWE hates a fast, paced, exciting, diverse style. They like punching, kicking, rest-holding with a handful of heavily-telegraphed spots. It's a "Sports Entertainment" style that cuts down on injuries, but doesn't make for entertaining matches most of the time. It's also why they love hosses. The look, and the ease of using that style rather than having to keep up a faster pace with more diverse moves.

 

Rock admittedly has been able to have good matches with that style, plus now he can get away with more technical touches throughout his match.

 

The SD roster is as a whole better than Raw, but even the "decent" SD guys regularly pump out far better matches than the best Raw guys. Hell, even the hosses on SD actually seem to try harder.

 

I don't know exactly why, so I can only speculate.

 

Having HHH lecture you on how to work also can't really help. That has happened, too, and has been well documented. :rollseyes: