Smackdown Rating

[Guest Choken One]

Smackdown just pain sucks. Really. If you were a casual fan (as I have recently become again), which would you prefer? Raw, which is live, has energy running through the building, and has seemingly more "big names" (Austin, Rock, Foley, et al.) or Smackdown, Thunder's big brother? I've been saying this for years. SD's production values suck, partly due to it being on UPN, a brodcast network, but a low powered one at that. The picture looks all grainy and overexposed. Honestly, I think that is why it seems like the inferior show, not because of the product itself.

You're right about the feel of Raw - a live show, with much more electricity running through the building. I think that Raw's set contributes to this.

 

The main reason that SmackDown! is (or at least, was) considered the superior brand among the IWC is because of it's wrestling - it's got a Cruiserweight division, Eddy Guerrero, Kurt Angle, it had Chris Benoit, it had the 'Self-Proclaimed' "World's Greatest Tag Team", and was generally a rung or two on the ladder above Raw as far as wrestling goes, considering that Raw couldn't exactly put on spectacular matches, or, more precisely, the talent wasn't allowed, for some reason.

 

Now though, it's not exactly that Raw have gone up on that ladder, even with Chris Benoit working with mid-carders each week - but SmackDown! have gone down with the Drafting of him, the splitting up of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, Kurt Angle not wrestling, and the departure of Brock Lesnar.

Raw has been having the better matches lately...so Smackdown literally can't compete with Raw. It used to combat the "bigger stars" with BETTER WRESTLING...but not anymore.

 

While Raw does a HOT EIGHT MAN TAG MATCH with 5 workers whom are no stranger to ****+ matches (Benoit, Flair, HHH, Foley and Shawn), a VERY competant Worker with good Charisma (Benjamin), a Good Power worker at times (Batistia) and some other guy that could easily be comparable to the classic 10 Man Tag Match in Dallas in 2000....Smackdown will have another shitty Bradshaw mocks Eddy and the Latinos main event interview segment.

 

Oh and I bet Cena goes "DEEZ NUTS" at some point.

[justcoz 0]

I really wish people would get off the whole "Suger" Shane Helms gimmick...The gimmick has been done an 100 times. It was just another variation of the trite "Pretty Boy Arrogant/Cocky Heel/Face" (depending how the organzation pushed him)...

 

There is nothing more that can be done with the Hurricane gimmick. It's laughable that some people (not necessarily saying you Choken One) within the smark community love this gimmick but talk about how Eugene will damage Nick Dinsmore's career. I'm in no way saying the Sugar Shane Helms gimmick is original but I would take the pretty boy arrogant heel Helms over Hurricane. Smackdown needs heels and they need a heel who can work. Helms in real life is an avid hip hop fan from what I've read and would probably get a kick out of working a program with Cena. Plus, it would benefit Cena to work with another young guy who can actually work. Rene Dupree could be interesting but is Dupree still too green? Helms has been around and a change would do wonders for his career, in my opinion.

 

SD's production values suck, partly due to it being on UPN, a brodcast network, but a low powered one at that. The picture looks all grainy and overexposed. Honestly, I think that is why it seems like the inferior show, not because of the product itself.

 

I agree here. UPN is terrible but what can you do? It's the only network deal WWE can get. Our UPN affiliate here in Pittsburgh suffers from the same grainy picture you mention. Not to mention that the audio levels are terrible. I sometimes have to turn the volume up all the way for Smackdown but when I flick the stations, my apartment probably sounds like that of an 80 year old man who can't hear the television. I'm constantly messing with the volume.

 

Plus, I still feel that Smackdown would be better served with a time slot switch. The Thursday night competition is fierce when there is almost no competition on Tuesday or Wednesday nights.

 

Smackdown just pain sucks. Really. If you were a casual fan (as I have recently become again), which would you prefer? Raw, which is live, has energy running through the building, and has seemingly more "big names" (Austin, Rock, Foley, et al.) or Smackdown, Thunder's big brother?

 

What also sucks is that in the era of the Smackdown six and the great matches (although sometimes pointless and reduntant) we were given, I often argued with co workers who thought Smackdown was inferior due to name value. Now we barely even get quality matches which was the strong point of Smackdown even when creative was questionable. I still feel that they get more "wrestling time" on Smackdown which I like. It legitimately still feels like more of a wrestling show. The lack of top name players is hurting them however. Especially when guys like Benoit and Edge end up on Raw.

 

I'll also say that the Booker T storyline isn't helping matters. They are planting the idea that Smackdown is second rate and minor league into the minds of the viewing audience. This audience may already be feeling that vibe and it doesn't help to have a jump over from Raw echoing it. Even my uncle, who is pretty mucha casual fan, commented to me this week that Smackdown is making themselves come across as minor league. If that's evident to someone who isn't a Internet geek or has access to inner workings of the product - something is wrong.

 

LISTEN TO THE PITTSBURGH MUSIC SCENE AND MORE

[Guest Choken One]

I agree about the Booker T part...You can still make him a heel but by him saying Smackdown is inferior...you really don't help yourself.

 

imagine if Ric Flair, when he came to WWF in 1991 said

 

"Whoo! I just came from Atlanta, The greatest Organization in the world but now I'm suck here, In New York with the WWF. I don't like it, Down there we had em all! Luger, Steiners, Simmons, Sting...and here it's nothing, I'm better then WWF! "

 

WOuld've have Drastically changed his 1992 Run.

 

Not comparing Flair to Booker but it's kinda true...It's ok for Booker to run down the fans(he's a fucking heel thats what they do) but dismissing the workers as INFERIOR workers to the "competition" is the most idiotic thing i've ever seen. At Least Necrophila had a purpose, to "shock" us...Eugene is supposed to be "funny"...but this is the DUMBEST idea ever...I have no idea what's to accomplish here...

[CanadianChick 0]

Don't be surprised if the Hurricane is released soon.

I'd seriously be shocked if Hurricane got released. He sells a ton of merchandise.

[Guest Choken One]

so did Jeff Hardy...

 

but then again...Shane Helms isn't a crackhead. Then again...he IS from Carolina...so who knows.

[CanadianChick 0]

Damn dem Carolina guys....

 

Really though, attitudes much? Jeff was a druggie late all the time, Shane is a hothead, Matt does that whole standing up for himself thing, Lita rubs people the wrong way, Shannon is, uh, too pretty...

 

Hell, fire them all.

[Guest Choken One]

I was about to say something about Flair and his " Arial Aventures" but I remembered he's from Minnesota...

[jester 0]

I agree about the Booker T part...You can still make him a heel but by him saying Smackdown is inferior...you really don't help yourself.

It's funny, WWE has a habit of making heels that are hard to boo, because they're speaking the truth, though WWE doesn't realize it.

 

Examples:

 

1. Booker claiming Smackdown is inferior to Raw.

2. HHH going on about how stupid the Sheriff Austin thing is.

3. Coach and Eric Bischoff mocking the Raw announce crew for only being able to say "STONECOLDSTONECOLDSTONECOLD!" and "PUPPIES!"

 

Sometimes I think Vince needs to pick up a wrestling primer again and learn what heels and faces are.

[justcoz 0]

Not comparing Flair to Booker but it's kinda true...It's ok for Booker to run down the fans(he's a fucking heel thats what they do) but dismissing the workers as INFERIOR workers to the "competition" is the most idiotic thing i've ever seen. At Least Necrophila had a purpose, to "shock" us...Eugene is supposed to be "funny"...but this is the DUMBEST idea ever...I have no idea what's to accomplish here...

 

They would have had an instant PPV program between Booker and Eddie with something as simple as Eddie interrupting Booker's Smackdown debut promo to welcome him to the show. Booker getting upset over the Eddie chants and being interrupted. Booker saying something to get himself booed by the audience then flipping out because the Smackdown audience disrespected him.

 

There would be no need to refer to the brand as minor league or say that Raw is superior. They could have even played into the idea that Booker, a five time WCW champion, felt that his championship's lineage was the big gold belt on RAW, not the WWE title and how he wanted Chris Benoit's title, not Eddie's.

 

Pretty much the same as the angle right now without Booker repeatedly commenting that Raw is superior/Smackdown is inferior, Eddie is a minor league champion, etc. Those aspects of the angle are just ridiculous. It's especially stupid when Booker says this stuff to the Smackdown GM Angle who nods his head in agreement without taking any offense to the comments.

 

Listen to the Pittsburgh music scene and more

[Scroby 0]

3. Coach and Eric Bischoff mocking the Raw announce crew for only being able to say "STONECOLDSTONECOLDSTONECOLD!" and "PUPPIES!"

 

They were just saying what we were all thinking.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

3. Coach and Eric Bischoff mocking the Raw announce crew for only being able to say "STONECOLDSTONECOLDSTONECOLD!" and "PUPPIES!"

 

They were just saying what we were all thinking.

One of those is funny and/or adds intensity. The other is just retarded.

 

Can you guess which is which? Without one of those descriptions, it could've been difficult.

[Scroby 0]

.....Why do I have this feeling your saying what I said was wrong?

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

.....Why do I have this feeling your saying what I said was wrong?

That's not at all what I'm doing. I'm just giving my opinion on each phrase.

[haVoc 0]

Good! Smackdown fuckin' sucks. IT SUCKS. Flat out, no excuses, SUCKS!

 

I highly doubt Booker T would have spiked the ratings but they wouldn't be at 3.0.

 

Eddie is still a new champion and needs to work with credible challengers. Which is arguable about anyone at the moment.

 

Bradshaw's new character isn't all that bad but he shouldn't be in the main event.

 

Having Taker actually be on the show after all that build up for the "Return of the Deadman" would help.

 

Cena/Dupree feud isn't that bad but it would be better if it was more about the damn title.

 

Angle becoming more bland and worthless by the week.

 

RVD doing jack shit.

 

Big Show doing jack shit.

 

Cruiserweights doing jack shit.

 

The whole show is shit!

[Lil' Bitch 0]

You know it would be better if Booker, RVD, or Big Show worked a world title program with Eddie and Bradshaw gets squashed by Undertaker at JD instead. WWE management has no one to blame, but themselves.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I will not, nor ever WILL watch anything where Justin Hawk Bradshaw is the #1 Main Event Heel. I've never liked Stan Hansen Jr., and never will like him.

This is a highly stupid thing to say considering that Hansen is one of the greatest workers of all time, BRADSHAW is NOT.....

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

You know it would be better if Booker, RVD, or Big Show worked a world title program with Eddie and Bradshaw gets squashed by Undertaker at JD instead. WWE management has no one to blame, but themselves.

I don't know about the Undertaker part, but those guys will probably (they really have no other options) be in the title picture post-Judgment Day.

 

What exactly is the Undertaker squashing Bradshaw going to accomplish? It wouldn't happen right after a gimmick change, anyway.

[SuperJerk 0]

Good! Smackdown fuckin' sucks. IT SUCKS. Flat out, no excuses, SUCKS!

 

I highly doubt Booker T would have spiked the ratings but they wouldn't be at 3.0.

 

Eddie is still a new champion and needs to work with credible challengers. Which is arguable about anyone at the moment.

 

Bradshaw's new character isn't all that bad but he shouldn't be in the main event.

 

Having Taker actually be on the show after all that build up for the "Return of the Deadman" would help.

 

Cena/Dupree feud isn't that bad but it would be better if it was more about the damn title.

 

Angle becoming more bland and worthless by the week.

 

RVD doing jack shit.

 

Big Show doing jack shit.

 

Cruiserweights doing jack shit.

 

The whole show is shit!

Ditto.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

There is nothing more that can be done with the Hurricane gimmick.  It's laughable that some people (not necessarily saying you Choken One) within the smark community love this gimmick but talk about how Eugene will damage Nick Dinsmore's career.

I think your wrong I think they haven't even began to write the Hurricane gimmick to it's fullest. Yeah it will never be a main even gimmick but, there is alot they can do with it and make the fans care about it and not take it as a joke.

 

Hell I always had an idea that Hurricane during beatdowns of women or other faces Hurricane would come out and help no matter what. Even if he's not in an angle with them. Why? Because, he's a super hero and he'll fight any injustice in the world cause he really believes in what he's doing. But, that's just me.

[justcoz 0]

There is nothing more that can be done with the Hurricane gimmick.  It's laughable that some people (not necessarily saying you Choken One) within the smark community love this gimmick but talk about how Eugene will damage Nick Dinsmore's career. 

 

 

I think your wrong I think they haven't even began to write the Hurricane gimmick to it's fullest. Yeah it will never be a main even gimmick but, there is alot they can do with it and make the fans care about it and not take it as a joke.

 

Hell I always had an idea that Hurricane during beatdowns of women or other faces Hurricane would come out and help no matter what. Even if he's not in an angle with them. Why? Because, he's a super hero and he'll fight any injustice in the world cause he really believes in what he's doing. But, that's just me.

 

But we are going on what... three years with the gimmick? I agree that there were certainly things they COULD HAVE done to push the character. He's a super hero so your idea of him coming to the rescue of people is a good example of things that they could have done.

 

They also never gave him an arch nemesis. It's always funny how creative release people that they "don't have anything for". They could have easily thrown Kanyon on Raw, put him in Mortis gear, and played out a comic book type feud between him and Hurricane. Nick Dinsmore could have thrown on the Doink the Clown gear for a program with Hurricane. Not to mention Nova. Steven Richards is a huge comic book geek, I'm sure him and Hurricane could have had a good run also.

 

So, yes, there is more they could do with the character but by this point it's just stale and he's been jobbed out. The company don't even get the intended humor in their own creation (the Hurricane choke slam ban). If they can't laught at it and if they can't get creative with it, end it. Let this supposed hot head become a cocky heel and maybe the next HBK (that may be stretching).

 

Listen to the Pittsburgh music scene and more

[humongous2002 0]

I agree about the Booker T part...You can still make him a heel but by him saying Smackdown is inferior...you really don't help yourself.

 

imagine if Ric Flair, when he came to WWF in 1991 said

 

"Whoo! I just came from Atlanta, The greatest Organization in the world but now I'm suck here, In New York with the WWF. I don't like it, Down there we had em all! Luger, Steiners, Simmons, Sting...and here it's nothing, I'm better then WWF! "

 

WOuld've have Drastically changed his 1992 Run.

 

Not comparing Flair to Booker but it's kinda true...It's ok for Booker to run down the fans(he's a fucking heel thats what they do) but dismissing the workers as INFERIOR workers to the "competition" is the most idiotic thing i've ever seen.  At Least Necrophila had a purpose, to "shock" us...Eugene is supposed to be "funny"...but this is the DUMBEST idea ever...I have no idea what's to accomplish here...

It's the same thing with Austin chanting boring while Lance Storm is having a match, did that get him over??NO,Storm is lucky that he still has a job.WWE is very counterproductive sometimes like they really love screwing themselves.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

You have no idea how pissed off I was when Austin did that...

 

They used Lance Storm to take the heat off the new match type because he hasn't got a gimmick, not because he's a bad wrestler, so that it wouldn't hurt a bad wrestler's feelings.

 

For fuck's sake, a "You Suck!" chant ties in with that's person's music and is just a stab at their personality, "Boring!" is a crack at someone's abilties, which is not cool.

 

If I was Lance Storm, I would've done three things:

 

1. Been thankful that I know that I'm not a boring wrestler, and that all of these little fuck's jump on Austin's bandwagon.

2. Put on very entertaining matches to spite the company, thus getting me over as not boring.

3. Wondered how long I would have my job for.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Austin's been crap since he stopped working. At least then he had a reason to bury others. His whole deal about coming out every week to stunner or embarass a worker when he wasn't wrestling was just crap.

 

Austin's going to be over, that's that. Making other workers look bad doesn't help him any, just hurts them.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

You have no idea how pissed off I was when Austin did that...

 

They used Lance Storm to take the heat off the new match type because he hasn't got a gimmick, not because he's a bad wrestler, so that it wouldn't hurt a bad wrestler's feelings.

 

For fuck's sake, a "You Suck!" chant ties in with that's person's music and is just a stab at their personality, "Boring!" is a crack at someone's abilties, which is not cool.

 

If I was Lance Storm, I would've done three things:

 

1. Been thankful that I know that I'm not a boring wrestler, and that all of these little fuck's jump on Austin's bandwagon.

2. Put on very entertaining matches to spite the company, thus getting me over as not boring.

3. Wondered how long I would have my job for.

And you know what really got me about that is there were people on the board saying that Austin had nothing to do with that. It was all the writers fault, Austin was just doing what he was told. The writers telling Austin what do to. HAHAHA yeah right.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

You have no idea how pissed off I was when Austin did that...

 

They used Lance Storm to take the heat off the new match type because he hasn't got a gimmick, not because he's a bad wrestler, so that it wouldn't hurt a bad wrestler's feelings.

 

For fuck's sake, a "You Suck!" chant ties in with that's person's music and is just a stab at their personality, "Boring!" is a crack at someone's abilties, which is not cool.

 

If I was Lance Storm, I would've done three things:

 

1. Been thankful that I know that I'm not a boring wrestler, and that all of these little fuck's jump on Austin's bandwagon.

2. Put on very entertaining matches to spite the company, thus getting me over as not boring.

3. Wondered how long I would have my job for.

And you know what really got me about that is there were people on the board saying that Austin had nothing to do with that. It was all the writers fault, Austin was just doing what he was told. The writers telling Austin what do to. HAHAHA yeah right.

You're right - that's absolute shit.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Don't be surprised if the Hurricane is released soon.

 

I don't have a problem with Rey Mysterio as U.S. Champion, but I can't see him being moved out of the Cruiserweight division, let alone being pushed as an upper-mid carder. Rey is a Cruiserweight, and he's damn good at it.

1) I *would* be surprised. As mentioned, he sells a bunch of merch. He may be a hothead, but we really haven't heard any stories about him since the Rodney Mack incident. Pretty sure he's not into drugs. He's kid-friendly.

 

2) The thing w/ Rey is, he's almost *too* popular for the cruiser division. He overshadows anyone else he goes up against. They need him to give the rub to a few people in the division, then move him into a permanent upper midcard slot. SD needs star power, and Rey is popular. Cena is going to move to the ME scene at some point, and having an over face like Rey in the US Title scene can do nothing but help. Plus, how many more times can they go back to Rey to challenge and/or win the belt?

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Don't be surprised if the Hurricane is released soon.

 

I don't have a problem with Rey Mysterio as U.S. Champion, but I can't see him being moved out of the Cruiserweight division, let alone being pushed as an upper-mid carder. Rey is a Cruiserweight, and he's damn good at it.

1) I *would* be surprised. As mentioned, he sells a bunch of merch. He may be a hothead, but we really haven't heard any stories about him since the Rodney Mack incident. Pretty sure he's not into drugs. He's kid-friendly.

 

2) The thing w/ Rey is, he's almost *too* popular for the cruiser division. He overshadows anyone else he goes up against. They need him to give the rub to a few people in the division, then move him into a permanent upper midcard slot. SD needs star power, and Rey is popular. Cena is going to move to the ME scene at some point, and having an over face like Rey in the US Title scene can do nothing but help. Plus, how many more times can they go back to Rey to challenge and/or win the belt?

The Hurricane does sell a lot of merchandise, and even though the circumstances are/were different, so did Jeff Hardy.

 

I don't see how Rey can be "too popular for the Cruiserweight division". He is incredibly over, but the Cruiserweight division is him - he is a Cruiserweight. I am not trying to say that Rey could not work the mid-card division, and then chase the U.S. Championship., because I know that he could and the fans would eat it up, but it would seem strange.

 

Personally? I'll admit, I would love to see him chase it, which may seem like a contradiction from reading this, but the Cruiserweight division is nothing special at the moment, and Rey would be a huge loss.