First post-split ratings test

[Guest Brian]

It seems since Vince has most of the guys who excel in the ring (Rikishi is a better big guy), it seems the first test will be whether fans tune into the big, slow guys on Flair's show or whether they tune into wrestling show with the cruiserweights, Angle, Benoit, and such on Vince's show. This will probably, I'm assuming, go until the day after the pay per view, and then trades will switch it up and we'll get a new assortment of two opposing style in each show. Unless one, or both groups, fall off the earth in ratings, which I'm doubting unless Austin doesn't come back, because the novelty of seeing these guys only once a week should work for a long while.

[Guest Anglesault]

It seems since Vince has most of the guys who excel in the ring (Rikishi is a better big guy),

 

I've always said that. Rikishi is the best Big man in the WWF. Of course, Test and Kane don't pose much competition...

[Guest MARTYEWR]

Hey, would you guys think Brock Lesner counts as a "big man"? If so, he could be the best, depending how he looks in the ring. As for now, I'd say Rikishi as well, although I wish, much like HHH, that he could go back to his year 2000 form.

[Guest Anglesault]

I don't think lesnar is excessively tall and he's not "fat" He's just built.

[Guest Pidgerii-4q2]

Not just the top workers, but Rock (and Hogan) as well, which is pretty important.  Now we have to wait and see where Austin ends up.  I can't help but feel that the Raw brand is being set up to fail.

[Guest Brian]

Not really set up to fail since Vince has always been big on the hosses, but set up in a way that plays to Vince's favoritism of the big men. Maybe a booker or two argued it this way, knowing it probably won't work, to make a point. But we're probably going to see a lot of opposing views going against each other as each group makes their trades. Next we'll probably see NWO and Hogan, Undertaker, Rock, and cruiserweights on one side and Angle, Benoit, and maybe Edge shifted to the other where there's a strong upper mid-card on one side, and that strong big name presence with weak main event wrestling but a good undercard.

[Guest mastermind]

I really don't understand why they split the way they did. Vince has the obvious edge. I bet if this thing tanks the wwf will blame Flair and Vince will come out looking like a bed of roses. Blame the "wcw guy" for flopping the wwf show. I'm in the minority that there should be NO trades. It will quickly make people think this split won't really be exclusive with the stars. When that starts to happen the "competition" illusion is gone which is a basic tool for this to begin with.

[Guest muzanisa]

If Austin ends up on Raw then I doubt it's being booked to fail. It's not really Flair's baby it is a WWF program that Vince owns and has a vested interest in seeing it succeed. I agree on the no new trades for now. But I have always loved seeing wrestlers turn up unannounched on "Rival" shows so I wouldn't rule it out just use it sparingly.I

[Guest Brian]

Well, if Vince gets desperate to get the NWO or the Undertaker, than Flair has all the leverage in dealing and it won't seem that they're not competitive.

[Guest KoR Fungus]

I bet if this thing tanks the wwf will blame Flair and Vince will come out looking like a bed of roses. Blame the "wcw guy" for flopping the wwf show.

The thing is, if this tanks, Flair loses nothing (he's just getting a few hundred thousand dollars a year anyway, and neither gets or loses anything based on how well Raw does), and Vince potentially loses millions, and has to re-establish Raw as the show to watch.  If Vince intentionally tanks Raw to stroke his own kayfabe ego, I will finally conclude that he's just completely insane.  He'll get to gloat over "beating" Ric Flair in some worked angle, and may look like a bed of roses on TV, but then he'll have to try to explain to stockholders why Raw is getting a 3 rating every week.  Not a good tradeoff, methinks.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

it's vince, he'd do it. the man doesn't care about anything but humiliting people who have done something to him in the past (imagined or not).

 

remember the invasion?

[Guest Some Guy]

I think there will be a lot of trades involved in this but I hope it isn't Vince trading all his cruisers to Flair for Taker or some other crazy trade that would devalue or overvalue a piece of talent.  They should do trades that can elevate guys Benoit for Taker would make the fans see Benoit as being closer to Taker's level of star power, unless Vince buries him verbally or brags about how great a trade it was for him.  nWo for Kurt Angle would also be good for Angle: Angle = 3 top guys, the fans notice.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

It seems since Vince has most of the guys who excel in the ring (Rikishi is a better big guy)

Eh, Rikishi has been garbage since 2000 and the heel turn. I wouldn't even call him the best big guy on the Smackdown roster, let alone the entire promotion.

[Guest mastermind]

The thing is, if this tanks, Flair loses nothing (he's just getting a few hundred thousand dollars a year anyway, and neither gets or loses anything based on how well Raw does), and Vince potentially loses millions, and has to re-establish Raw as the show to watch.

 

 

If Vince intentionally tanks Raw to stroke his own kayfabe ego, I will finally conclude that he's just completely insane.  He'll get to gloat over "beating" Ric Flair in some worked angle, and may look like a bed of roses on TV, but then he'll have to try to explain to stockholders why Raw is getting a 3 rating every week.  Not a good tradeoff, methinks.

This is true, but Vince sure doesn't think this way because he has loaded his roster with the two strong top babyfaces of all-time to counter Steve Austin's drawing power on RAW(now this is assuming Austin is even on RAW which would be REALLY NUTS if he isn't). He has also put the best wrestler in his division in Chris Benoit. He has also put Chris Jericho for all his "faults" acknowledged by the "staff" which consists of Trips and Stephanie's ego on his show. Maybe too keep him down and not shine on RAW who knows. When you have to counter the wrestling side of things by saying Mr. Perfect who was picked in the 20's something is wrong.

 

Vince and kayfabe are one in the same. All you got to do is watch wcw/ecw vs. wwf. I mean in his kayfabe world he has to remind people and Hogan he made Hulkamania. Funny, I thought Hulkamania was created in the AWA. Silly me, although he did explode in the wwf or was it Hulkamania exploded the wwf name? I admit you made me laugh with this paragraph because it should be known Vince is kind of insane. Look what he has done the last couple of months. He has to be crazy to think putting his daughter as any kind of creative force who is screwing a top level star won't create problems. For some reason Vince may very well gloat he beat Flair although I think this could work if done right. I mean look how he gloated so much when he sent wcw packing. WCW A COMPANY HE OWNED!

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Well, I think baring his old ass on RAW twice and making two grown men kiss certified, at least in my mind, that Vince is completely insane and pretty deranged, at that.