At A Time Like This...

[Guest gearhead]

Note: This post contains spoilers for this weeks's SmackDown, which at the time of posting has not aired. - Nik

 

Smackdown is in no way stable in ratings, and since the rebranding of sorts over a month ago, the tide has quickly turned away from Smackdown all together and soley on to Raw. Maybe if World Wrestling Entertainment cared enough about both products, they would wish to change this system, and easily get the cycle to be equal. Now, rather then Raw having the packed talent roster and entertaining storylines, why not switch some back to Smackdown? In most cases, they need it more then ever before, more then before the rebranding. It is simple to say Smackdown got the shaft when at the time, Raw was the superior product, and now they just got more veterans to return for their program, so Smackdown still didn't equal out.

 

The problem that this faces is the Smackdown shows. I've actually talked to a co-worker for the first time about wrestling and moe notably WWE (not knowing he was a fan), and he stated the same thing in which I preached, the shows sucked, and Bradshaw isn't entertaining. This is a casual fan, which I can easily tell when his favorite wrestlers are like Triple H, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels. This is the same man that says Bradshaw was only entertaining when he was the beer drinker, because it fit his image, not this character, but he says it's alright. Now, he was not used on Smackdown in a match, but once again, a long winded promo was extracted from the horse's mouth. I think the majority of us would rather see a match from John Bradshaw Layfield (even if his matches are never that exceptional) then hear the same promo, rehashed. In my honest opinion, I blame Bradshaw and creative for the demise of the Smackdown show. It may not be fair to rely it on Bradshaw, but if he is gonna be the new main eventer, he has to make it work, right now, it isn't. The ratings declined every week since he was put in the main event. It just isn't realistic for him to jump up from a flacking tag team, and jump into the main event title scene and actually being realistic as a main event opponent, when he was just jobbing weeks before, and now Eddie can't totally beat him? Doesn't make sense to me, and since the Smackdown ratings have went down the drain, the interest and the writing has not improved.

 

The Undertaker returned on Smackdown (read the spoilers), yet it wasn't advertised, so how is that supposed to help the bad ratings? In the main event, Smackdown is set to showcase Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Eddie Guerrero, and right now, of all times, this is not the time to do it. I can't believe they would put Bubba Ray Dudley in the main event when he has never drew for WWE, and seemingly never will. He has nothing special at all. It would have made much more sense to have Rob Van Dam vs. Bubba Ray Dudley, but not in the main event, both are not marquee selling matches, and neither will keep fans watching until the show turns black and the logo disappears. They simply won't, casual fans don't wanna watch that, and as a wrestling fan, I can't really say I do either. So at a time like this, they really pull dumb moves - A SURPRISE Undertaker return, John Cena on Velocity, Rey Mysterio on Velocity, John Bradshaw Layfield on Velocity, and the rest of the matches looking horribly booked, and a sour main event that no casual fan would really be interested in, because Eddie Guerrero still lacks a solid main event stance. He isn't their yet, so he shouldn't be used as a building block for other stars just yet.

 

At A Time Like This. . .

Edited April 29, 2004 by nikjohns

[Guest Choken One]

what I find interesting is that...Supposedly according to Mr. Ladder Match...Eddy was the one Vince and Co. felt comfortable enough putting the title on and felt that he would get a long run...yet Benoit was the opposite and was expected to have a short reign, perhaps as short as a month.

 

Yet, You see both shows and clearly Benoit has been used very exceptionally well since winning the title...While Eddy is stealing Hats for fans to spit it and having bad matches with the stale heel turned dudleys...

 

Eddy might have the longer run due to the lack of quality people to put the title on...but Benoit will have the more meaningful one in the end.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

The Undertaker returned on Smackdown (read the spoilers), yet it wasn't advertised, so how is that supposed to help the bad ratings?

First of all, SPOILER TAGS.

 

Now, any surprise appearance is to make people who didn't watch wish they had. This is so they tune in repeatedly instead of just to see advertised matches and angles. If Taker only shows up once a month and they don't advertise it, it's because they want people to watch every week instead of only when they say he's going to be on.

 

In the main event, Smackdown is set to showcase Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Eddie Guerrero, and right now, of all times, this is not the time to do it. I can't believe they would put Bubba Ray Dudley in the main event when he has never drew for WWE, and seemingly never will.

 

Bubba has almost reached main event after the "brand extension." As much as I didn't want to like it, his semi-feud with HHH nearly got him over. (I wait for everyone to bash me for this. BASH AWAY!)

 

So at a time like this, they really pull dumb moves - A SURPRISE Undertaker return, John Cena on Velocity, Rey Mysterio on Velocity, John Bradshaw Layfield on Velocity, and the rest of the matches looking horribly booked

 

The Velocity moves are probably because it's on a new time slot and they want people to watch. Hell, I'd love to see people other than A-Train, Paul London, and Stevie Richards on Velocity and Heat. I'd love to see storylines that intertwine with the bigger shows.

 

and a sour main event that no casual fan would really be interested in, because Eddie Guerrero still lacks a solid main event stance. He isn't their yet, so he shouldn't be used as a building block for other stars just yet.

 

I think he's main event, but that's just me. I don't think he's being used as a building block, they just don't have many heels on Smackdown

[Guest nikowwf]

Bubba has almost reached main event after the "brand extension." As much as I didn't want to like it, his semi-feud with HHH nearly got him over. (I wait for everyone to bash me for this. BASH AWAY!)

There's nothing to bash, but i disagree highly with that statement. I agree with the way Smackdown is going, having bubba in the main event is wrong. Killing a rating one time to establish a new guy is ok, but Bubba is not a new guy by any means.

 

niko

[Guest Dazed]

gearhead, please give some warning before posting spoilers. Rather than spoiler tag out half of your post, I just added the warning at the top.

 

 

The problem with them putting Bradshaw at the top like they have, is that they have taken someone who hasn't wrestled (m)any singles matches over the last two years, fired his tag partner, turned him heel, changed his character and pushed him to the top all in the space of a couple of months. Given time to establish himself back as a singles wrestler, having a more impactful heel turn, and less goofy promos, then they may be onto something. As it stands, it's a complete rush job.

 

And didn't they have the draft to get some main event talent onto SmackDown! anyway?

[Guest gearhead]

yea sure..sorry about it, i'm new around here and i'm also new to wrestling forums, so next time if my posts have spoilers i'd be sure to mention that spoiler is here. sorry about spamming but do u think my post was too long? because i saw that most ppl here just post a little, maybe a sentence or two