How will they crap up Smackdown's

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

The Benoit matches were good, but that wasn't Albert "keeping up with Benoit" it was Benoit "slowing down for Albert" and getting the shit kicked out of him. Cena, O'haire, Show, and Rhyno all had that chance and didn't make use of it as Albert did.

 

Albert needs repackaging. He is a victim of Russo booking and WWE punishment/motivational system (that is, wear the tiny pants to get shamed into losing weight). This Sable thing has the possibility of doing that, but I don't see it happening. The problem here is that Albert just rose up from out of nowhere and should be considered a threat? WHY?? There hasn't been a build, he hasn't gotten better over the past few weeks, he's just been beating up on Funaki - there is no progression (a SEVERE problem in the WWE today), and that lack of evolution in his character won't make the fans believe that he's a monster.

[Guest Anglesault]

Albert, while much better than say, Test, still isn't exactly good, nor is he over enough to get pushed again.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Well hasn't WWE switched over to a slower style? I'm not a A-Train fan by any means but I have to believe that management pretty much decides on his attire or lack there of. Also Vader got a program with a redhot Sting and still somewhat young Ric Flair. Are we to compare this with a couple of matches with Benoit that were quite Ok and teaming up with Test, facing Funaki in a best of 100 of 199 series? Remember the great match vs Kane a while ago? Kane has to be carried to a good match and A-Train did it. And while he does use big man offense he is using different and usaully quite cool moves compared to a lot of the others Hosses~! I just watched a lot of Vader matches off Kazaa and he wasn't exactly a thin ball of energy. He has a unique look different from the cookie cutter image WWe is favoring lately.

 

BTW I can't believe I used my 100th post defending A-Train

Edited July 29, 2003 by frozenblockofpissreborn

[Guest Anglesault]

He's certainly the best of the Hosses.

 

But that's comprable to being the best last place team in the league.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Oh I agree, Albert isn't good or deserving. Best of the Worst, indeed.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Like I complained about before, it isn't so much that they're pushing him that they have him do something dastardly after being on Velocity for a while, then have him wrestle in his tiny shorts, attack a few over guys, and when he fails to draw heat they depush him, then repeat.

 

There's no gradual improvement in heat or ring work.

 

The net gain is zero.

 

At least with Orton they're trying to push him somewhat logically (putting him in a stable with a champ, feuding with midcarders and hasbeens, getting cheap wins in tag matches, etc).

 

Albert sucks on the mic, so his primary way of getting heat is being a thug and looking disgusting. The former is best suited to being an associate to a smartass heel and the latter has never really worked. Bastion Booger never became a star, he's just a guy only Vince and people who visited Wrestlecrap remember.

[Guest Space_Cowboy]

Has the WWE given up on Billy Gunn yet? If not he'll probably sneak on the PPV somewhere in place of the cruiserweights or something.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Like you just said A-Train is a good example of a WWE push. Get wins on some jobbers one week, disapears to Velocity for a few more, and isn't taken seriously as a result. This not really the fault of A-Train in this case becauses WWE wastes so many like this. If Heyman or Oldschool WCW had free reign with A-Train his weaknesses would be hidden and his strengths showplaced. I agree A-Train sucks on the mic but so does one of my favorites Chris Benoit and in fact so did Vader for the most part. Thats why a Harley Race was used with Vader and an Arn Anderson or Ric Flair or Heyman should be used today with the weak mic workers. Vader got over by squashing Sting not much after his debut, if anybody got to do this today with a WWE main eventer the fans would care.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Benoit doesn't suck on the mic.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Exactly. Regardless of how talented or not, the aim should be to play to the strengths of each person. Instead, they seem to try to do the opposite, or book someone in a completely ineffective, nonsensical way.

 

And is it me or does WWE not really bother watching wrestlers' ring work before putting them on TV?

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

While Benoit can get a real nice intensity on the mic to say he doesn't suck at it is blind hero worship. And thats from a huge fan of his.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Well that would explain Nathan Jones, Scott Steiner, Mark Jindrak, and so many more recently that it could be true. I heard on Wrestling Observer Live I think that the road agents are quite careful not to say anybody sucks in order to avoid stepping on the toes of some of the management(i.e. everyone giving passing notes to Booker vs. Bagwell before that dreaded raw match.)

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I'd like to hear how he sucks.

 

He gets his point across, he doesn't take a ton of time doing it, he doesn't flub his lines, you take what he says seriously, his character comes across as well.

 

Just because they don't have catchphrases doesn't mean they suck.

[Guest croweater]

Benoit doesn't suck on the mic. He doesn't BRING THE HOUSE DOWN, and isn't as witty or verbally charismatic as some, but he gets his point across with some degree of intensity.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

What "Prove Me Wrong" isn't a catchphrase?

We both are fans of Benoit that is obvious. When we watch we watch as smarks. We like our technical workers and we like having a nice oldschool mentaility to our interviews. Benoit is like Bret Hart in many respects in that like you said he's quick and to the point. The thing is though he can't give a money interview. He can't make the crowd come alive when he talks. He has gotten quite a bit better since his return to Smackdown since his surgery but in most of the cases all his decent work has been with superior mic workers. He can't improvise to the crowds mood with his promos, and if he loses his momentum he loses the crowd. His best promos have been backstage promos talking about his personal life which in all likelyhood had to be taped a couple of times. Once again this if from a fan. I'm not comparing him to the blackhole of Charisma Billy Kidman.

Edited July 29, 2003 by frozenblockofpissreborn

[Guest MixxMaster]

Now, call me a conspiracy theorist or whatever, but despite Vince's claims of "In competetion with ourselves" personaly feel that he doesn't want one of his shows to be decisively better than the other.

Actually, I think it would be great if they did another "draft". Face it, Raw does blow compared to Smackdown!, and as wrestling fans, we shouldn't be supportive behind the disparity, especially with the comments like, "Well, keep that shitty wrestler off Smackdown!".

Now, if there were to be another "draft", don't you feel that this would be the best way to even things out, as well as create new feuds? To me it just makes so much sense. It would also be a great way to bring in the "rookies" in OVW that they're sitting on their thumbs trying to find a way to bring up.

If they were to do another "draft", who do YOU think should be on each brands roster, to make things EVEN? Do not have all of your favorites on one show, and the other one is pitiful. Don't be markish in your picks...

[Guest Anglesault]

I'd like to hear how he sucks.

 

He gets his point across, he doesn't take a ton of time doing it, he doesn't flub his lines, you take what he says seriously, his character comes across as well.

 

Just because they don't have catchphrases doesn't mean they suck.

He's a very bland, dry speaker.

 

I don't watch wrestling to hear someone who sounds like my dad, you know?

[Guest Anglesault]

It would also be a great way to bring in the "rookies" in OVW that they're sitting on their thumbs trying to find a way to bring up.

Christ on a cracker, there's MORE of these guys waiting in the wings?

 

And Randy Orton has been deemed more ready than whomever is left?

 

 

Good Lord, what is awaiting us?

 

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Back to the Albert thing, being the best hoss is not totally unlike being a winner at the Special Olympics. Yes you won, but you're still retarded. Sorry, I just wanted to say that.

 

Benoit is...just there on the mic. I don't consider him bad, he is just...well there.

 

I'm convinced OVW should be blown up. For every Brock Lesnar, there is about 6 Garrison Cades. But hey! That Randy Orton sure does have a six pack!

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

What "Prove Me Wrong" isn't a catchphrase?

 

Benoit incorporates his catchphase intelligently, rather than gratuitously. It actually makes sense when Benoit does it. With Guerrero it flowed in nicely and with Angle (the "prove it") it got changed up a lil and still managed to reflect his character (great delivery too, very intense).

 

We both are fans of Benoit that is obvious. When we watch we watch as smarks. We like our technical workers and we like having a nice oldschool mentaility to our interviews. Benoit is like Bret Hart in many respects in that like you said he's quick and to the point.

 

I'm with you so far. I don't see how any of this is "bad" or if it's just inclusive to smarks, but I'm with you so far..

 

The thing is though he can't give a money interview.

 

I would contest that neither can Kurt Angle. Actually, _very few_ in the WWE can.

 

He can't make the crowd come alive when he talks.

 

But that's not hard _at all_. It takes as much effort as saying "France Sucks! USA! THIS TOWN ROOOOLZ!". Maybe its a perception thing, but I see promos as being complementary to matches and feuds, rather than being the be-all/end-all of selling ppvs. Sure a _great_ promo can get one hyped, but I can only count on one hand guys in the WWE who can do that... and I don't think I need to use all my fingers. Benoits promos complement his match. Listen to his Royal Rumble promo, it's really good. He gets across his motivation very well (making all of his sacrifices and all of his families sacrifices mean something by winning the title) which is something you just don't see out of promos these days. In other words, his promos actually have a point. Rock, while being incredibly natural and smooth on the mic, rarely ever does that. I don't knock the Rock for that because that's what he's told to do, simply entertain by talking, and he does it well... but its ultimately pointless. (I am certainly not saying that Benoit cuts better promos than the Rock. I am just saying Benoit does not *suck* on the mic.)

 

He has gotten quite a bit better since his return to Smackdown since his surgery but in most of the cases all his decent work has been with superior mic workers.

 

Benoit doesn't get a lot of mic time, the 4 big times he was on the mic (w/ Guerrero just last week, w/ Angle and the "Prove it", and the two black background promos) were all good and at times excellent.

 

He can't improvise to the crowds mood with his promos, and if he loses his momentum he loses the crowd.

 

Has this happened recently? Has Benoit lost the crowd? Your theory is fine, but it just hasn't happened yet so it remains theory. Rock is great adapting and listening to crowds, that's what makes a _great_ talker... I'm not saying Benoit is a great talker, I am saying he does not suck. To suck he has to flub his lines, have no emotion, be all over the place, etc, etc. He doesn't do that. If it doesn't appeal to you, fine. But don't say he sucks when there are not elements of what makes a promo suck in his mic work.

 

His best promos have been backstage promos talking about his personal life which in all likelyhood had to be taped a couple of times.

 

Austin and Angle had to do seconds takes when they did their lil skits together. I'm sure that happens all the time. It would be very hard not to with the amount of stuff Benoit had to get across in those promos.

 

-------------------------------

 

He's a very bland, dry speaker.

 

Dry, yes (I prefer "cold"). Bland, I disagree. Benoit has about 4 levels of speech/tone. There's the solomn, there's the cocky/sarcastic, there's the pressing, and then there is the straight up intense. 4 is actually not bad. 4 actually is more than a lot of guys on the WWE roster, some of whom are regarded as "good-great" mic workers.

 

I don't watch wrestling to hear someone who sounds like my dad, you know?

 

Doesn't sound like my dad. Hell, I haven't heard anyone talk like Benoit before, and I live in Canadia... it's pretty distinct. He doesn't talk like he has marbles in his mouth or anything..

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Here’s how they can fuck up the show…

 

Albert v. Rikishi v. Demott in a 3 way dance to decide the #1 contender for the US Title

Bashams v. APA v. Matt/Shannon v. TWGTT

Angle v. Big Show

Lesner v King Kong Bundy

Eddie v. Zach Gowan

 

Bonus Heat Match:

Gunn v O’Haire in a loser bangs Chuck match.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I was trying to think who Stephanie would use to get back at A-Train, fearing some nonsense with Cena going face and fighting for her. Then I wondered how they would work Zach onto the PPV. Then it hit me... A-Train vs. Gowen.

 

Ugh.