Make a statement

[Guest Dids]

At this point, the WWE doesn't have enough talent to run Smackdown as a viable seperate brand. A year ago the brand extension was a great idea, but with Brock, Austin, Goldberg, the Rock leaving, and Angle being limited in-ring, they don't have the star power to make two shows work.

 

Rebuttal: They do, but they just don't want to send anybody over to help and expect the show to survive on green rookies.

Who do you suggest they send over?

 

I can see Jericho making sense, especially since he'll work better against people like Eddie and Angle than say UT will, but he won't save the whole thing. I think the shows would be stronger, given the lack of talent, if they scrapped the brand extension, and I was a HUGE fan of it up until this post Mania period.

[Angle-plex 0]

Statement: At least one A-Train push will occur in 2005.

 

Statement: PMS will make their return to WWE television later this year.

[WrestlingFan4Ever 0]

Another statement: If I never saw HBK wrestler again, I'd be OK with that.

 

Rebuttal: Disagree. HBK is one of the most consistent workers in the WWE and since Survivor Series 2003 has been having great matches. He hasn't failed to deliver in a big match situation since his comeback. I would like to see him wrestle Guerrero and Angle though.

[Guest Dids]

Statement: The total shattering of kayfabe means that the WWE should focus more on in ring work, and the talent of their preformers, and less on silly Angles like Kane/Matt/Lita. If there's one thing we learned this year, it's that good wrestling and decent booking can get somebody over (see Benoit, Chris).

[Guest Dids]

Another statement: If I never saw HBK wrestler again, I'd be OK with that.

 

Rebuttal: Disagree. HBK is one of the most consistent workers in the WWE and since Survivor Series 2003 has been having great matches. He hasn't failed to deliver in a big match situation since his comeback. I would like to see him wrestle Guerrero and Angle though.

Disagree. I haven't seen a HBK match I've enjoyed in a while. His offense is boring, his character is stale. The ONLY way he'll work is if he turns heel.

[CanadianChick 0]

Statement: At least one A-Train push will occur in 2005.

 

Rebuttal: I think the first step is to get on Heat first. Or is he injured right now?

 

Statement: PMS will make their return to WWE television later this year

With the same girls? Aren't they all fired?

[AndrewTS 0]

"If there's one thing we learned this year, it's that good wrestling and decent booking can get somebody over (see Benoit, Chris). "

 

Rebuttal: And then can be undone easily by lousy booking with makes the champ an afterthought on the show and makes him merely a bit player in the major storylines.

 

With the same girls? Aren't they all fired?

 

Jackie wasn't fired, and Terri I think was quietly given her release on good terms.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Another statement: If I never saw HBK wrestler again, I'd be OK with that.

Rebuttal: False. Shawn Michaels may wrestle the same match over and over with the same person HHH but I find him exciting. I liked his Summerslam '02 match, his 2 Wrestlemania matches, and a few others in between. Give him a tag title reign with Benoit or something.

 

 

Statements: It wasn't Shawn's fault for being a low drawing champion in '96, I mean who wanted to see the New Rockers, Aldo Montoya, and Duke 'The Dumpster" Drose.

 

 

The WWE should have another Gimmick Battle Royal.

 

Vince should get the WWF initials back or ignore the ruling. I was watching the Entrance Videos (Ramped Up Vol.1) DVD and the logos were not blurred.

 

And last...

 

Kevin Nash could be a huge asset to the WWE as a commentator and road agent.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Statement: The total shattering of kayfabe means that the WWE should focus more on in ring work, and the talent of their preformers, and less on silly Angles like Kane/Matt/Lita. If there's one thing we learned this year, it's that good wrestling and decent booking can get somebody over (see Benoit, Chris).

False, you need stupid things for the kids. (I remember being scared when Austin shattered Brian Pillman's ankle). And then you need your 10 hour iron man matches to please the smart marks.

[spman 0]

Statement: Mark Henry will return before the end of the year, and quickly reinjure himself, leaving him on the shelf untill his contract expires in 2006.

[AndrewTS 0]

"Statements: It wasn't Shawn's fault for being a low drawing champion in '96, I mean who wanted to see the New Rockers, Aldo Montoya, and Duke 'The Dumpster" Drose."

 

Rebuttal: Shawn was a lousy babyface, and his comeback sob-stories were such transparent bull**** that even the fans could see through it. Sid was cheered like gangbusters against the little biznatch. (I think that was 96, anyway). That was part of the problem, but he's not free of blame. For all of their influence the Klique wanted to help themselves, not the WWF, or they would have slapped some sense into Vince.

[Guest Black Lightning]

Statements: 

 

At this point, the WWE doesn't have enough talent to run Smackdown as a viable seperate brand.  A year ago the brand extension was a great idea, but with Brock, Austin, Goldberg, the Rock leaving, and Angle being limited in-ring, they don't have the star power to make two shows work.

REBUTTAL: But they do have enough talent for it. The only problem is that Smackdown has been completely raped of talent in favour of RAW, resulting in potentially useful guys to Smackdown being lost in the shuffle on RAW. Shelton, Venis, A-Train, Rhyno, Tajiri and Hurricane are exampes of some guys that aren't doing much of note on RAW, but could really mean something on Smackdown (all of whom, curiously enough, were originally drafted/debuted there) if given the chance. For star power, HBK and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Jericho could easily provide it without damaging RAW's main event scene too much. And with the way things might be going, you might even be able to sneak Benoit back over there if necessary.

 

They have the resources to make the split work, it's just that they still haven't figured out how to balance everything yet.

 

The WWE's best opportunity to survive in the next 5 years is to  sign and build their shows around indy talent, because their home grown workers are simply not good enough to draw once the main eventers now are too old to work with any consitancy.  Only Orton strikes me as somebody who will be able to carry a show in 5 years.

QUASI-REBUTTAL: I won't argue the part about the home growns, and I'm even a little iffy about Orton. The problem, obviously, is that the casuals still think size and looks are more important than skill. Thus, it'd be alot more difficult and require a lot more patience to market guys like Daniels, Danielson and Styles as legitimate forces to the masses. And patience is not one of WWE's strengths.

 

I do, however, think that Joe, Punk and Cabana could get all kinds of over in WWE.

 

EDIT: Wow, I really need to get my ideas down faster.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Who do you suggest they send over?

 

I can see Jericho making sense, especially since he'll work better against people like Eddie and Angle than say UT will, but he won't save the whole thing. I think the shows would be stronger, given the lack of talent, if they scrapped the brand extension, and I was a HUGE fan of it up until this post Mania period.

 

I'd like to see the SD6 get back together with Jericho taking Edge's place. They were carrying the show while Lesnar was feuding with Undertaker and Big Show.

[Guest Dids]

"If there's one thing we learned this year, it's that good wrestling and decent booking can get somebody over (see Benoit, Chris). "

 

Rebuttal: And then can be undone easily by lousy booking with makes the champ an afterthought on the show and makes him merely a bit player in the major storylines.

I find this notion to be totally incorrect and flawed.

 

Benoit's mic work simply isn't good enough to build the show around him. I thought the booking during his run was fine, and the bitching the result of anti-HHH paranoia from silly smarks.

[Guest bigm350]

Statement: Mark Henry will return before the end of the year, and quickly reinjure himself, leaving him on the shelf untill his contract expires in 2006.

Rebuttal: He'll amazingly stay injury free and Vince's big man fetish will result in another 10 year contract.

[Da Maintenance Man 0]

Booker T: The Tag Team Wrestler is fine because it hides his weakness of doing 20 minute singles matches. Booker T: The Singles Wrestler is too limited in the ring, and doesn't have anything in his wrestling arsenal that wows people. (The spin-a-rooni is not a move!)

Disagree. Booker has a nice variety of kicks & spinebusters that get the crowd pumped at times. Don't forget he also has the Houston Hangover, though he hasn't done it since WMXIX. Makes me wonder if he can still do it.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

STATEMENT: If Vince dies, WWE would be far better off if it was run by HHH rather than either of his two kids.

[jester 0]

STATEMENT: If Vince dies, WWE would be far better off if it was run by HHH rather than either of his two kids.

Eh...not so sure about this one. I think it's really just choosing whether you'd like cancer of the left nut or the right nut.

[spman 0]

Statement: If Vince were to drop dead tomorrow, Pro Wrestling would go the way of the Roller Derby in less then 5 years.

[Da Maintenance Man 0]

Statement: Charlie Haas will become the next Chris Benoit.

[Guest MikeSC]

STATEMENT: If Vince dies, WWE would be far better off if it was run by HHH rather than either of his two kids.

Agree. For all of his faults, Hunter WILL do what's best for the business almost all of the time.

 

Rico is the most criminally mis-used performer --- when healthy, obviously --- on the WWE roster. Dude should be pushed as a legit badass.

-=Mike

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Rico is the most criminally mis-used performer --- when healthy, obviously --- on the WWE roster. Dude should be pushed as a legit badass.

 

True, Rico needs to drop being gay and go back to the badass Role Model he used to be or touch up on his old Fashion Stylist self and be similar to that of Rick Martel.

 

*misses Rico & Charlie as a tag team

[Australian Pride 0]

Statement: Charlie Haas will become the next Chris Benoit.

Disagree: Haas has the potential to be way more of a name than Benoit. In ring skills may be on par one day, but Haas has him in other areas, like charisma, acting and mike work.

[Guest Staravenger]

Booker T: The Tag Team Wrestler is fine because it hides his weakness of doing 20 minute singles matches. Booker T: The Singles Wrestler is too limited in the ring, and doesn't have anything in his wrestling arsenal that wows people. (The spin-a-rooni is not a move!)

Disagree. Booker has a nice variety of kicks & spinebusters that get the crowd pumped at times. Don't forget he also has the Houston Hangover, though he hasn't done it since WMXIX. Makes me wonder if he can still do it.

Personal rebuttal: I don't get excited by kicks unless they are Low-Ki stiff, and Booker T hasn't done the Harlem Hangover in over a year, and it looked really bad at Wrestlemania XIX IIRC. Looked like he barely got it right.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Statement: Smackdown needs Hulk Hogan.

 

Rebuttal: No it doesn't. He'd just overshadow everyone else, and it wouldn't pay off by giving anyone a rub. He'd get big pops, which would feed his ego, which would end up in Hogan pushing for a big spot, and ultimately walking out over some sort of disagreement w/ Vince.

 

Statement: I believe what he was trying to say is have Hulk Hogan on the show to get pops and ratings in a non-wrestling role position like Austin as the co-GM / Sheriff was for RAW.

That still wouldn't help anyone, much like Austin's "sheriff" stint.

 

Kevin Nash could be a huge asset to the WWE as a commentator and road agent.

False - Nash would only be a cancer.

 

Statement: Charlie Haas will become the next Chris Benoit.

Maybe, but Jamie Knoble already does a great "mini-Benoit".

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Statement: Charlie Haas will become the next Chris Benoit.

False. Shelton Benjamin is the next Chris Benoit.

 

STATEMENT: No World Title run in WWF/E history was more damaging to the company than Diesel's in 1995.

[spman 0]

Statement: Charlie Haas will become the next Chris Benoit.

False. Shelton Benjamin is the next Chris Benoit.

 

STATEMENT: No World Title run in WWF/E history was more damaging to the company than Diesel's in 1995.

I'm no Nash supporter by any means, but I think the downfall in buisness when he was champ was caused by an oversaturation of 80's style gimmicks, pushing the wrong workers (Sid, Mable), and Undertakers never ending feud with the Million Dollal Corporation, rather then because of Nash holding the belt. It wouldn't have matterd if Nash, Bret, Shawn, Undertaker, or The Goon was world champion during that period buisness still would ahve been down.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Then who was worse? There are certainly some candidates (Warrior, Hogan 93, Yoko, HBK 96, Sid both times, Hogan 02, HHH 02-03).

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Statement: If Vince were to drop dead tomorrow, Pro Wrestling would go the way of the Roller Derby in less then 5 years.

It depends on my first statement. If HHH gets control and keeps it, I think it can stay afloat. Shane seems to have the brains, but not the ambition, and Steph has the ambition but no skill.

[spman 0]

Then who was worse? There are certainly some candidates (Warrior, Hogan 93, Yoko, HBK 96, Sid both times, Hogan 02, HHH 02-03).

Warrior in 1990 was probobly worse. Despite the fact that live crowds popped for him, he wasn't a draw. Combine that with the fact that as champion, he could no longer simply squash all his opponents in under a minute and it basically killed buisness. It's not like the undercard was doing to horrible at the time either, I mean the Hart Foundation and The Rockers were doing great stuff int he tag division, and Ted Debiase 's on again off again feud with Jake the Snake led to good matches. So I think you can place the blame solely on Warrior.