OAO 5/12 Raw Thread

[JPopStarKami 0]

That theme for Orton does nothing for him.

[Exslade ZX 0]

God I hate when they change people's music.

 

Once you're used to something, that's usually part of what defines the character. And the replacement choices are never good.

[The Niggardly King 0]

NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

THE AGE OF ORTON IS DEAD

 

PUDDLE OF MUDD MORE LIKE A PUDDLE OF SHIT

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

PUDDLE OF MUDD MORE LIKE A PUDDLE OF SHIT

 

Tenacious D?

 

Man that new theme song blows a lot of dick. I hated the theme Orton has had all these years, but now I miss it.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

FUCK

 

THAT

 

NOISE

[Exslade ZX 0]

Since it's nearing ME time, two things I've noticed. One, there's a cage hanging from the roof, so I'm assuming it's going to be a cage match. Also, Regal pulled the whole "anyone who's not directly involved in the match" line, so I think we can expect to see JBL as the ref, or the time keeper, or something to that effect.

Or not.

 

Match isn't over yet though.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Its pretty amazing how the crowd couldnt organize a fire regal chant 90 minutes ago but they can now all chant "Cena" in perfect unison

[mfn 0]

The split chant really shows the age demographic of the Cena fans.

[Wally Balls 0]

In regards to Orton's new theme, I would have been happy as pie if they just kept the Evolution theme. That theme definitely fit him the best.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Its pretty amazing how the crowd couldnt organize a fire regal chant 90 minutes ago but they can now all chant "Cena" in perfect unison

 

That's because you had half the crowd doing it the right way, while the other half were actually chanting CLAP CLAP instead of clapping.

 

 

[Perfection 0]

God I hate when they change people's music.

 

Once you're used to something, that's usually part of what defines the character. And the replacement choices are never good.

 

It's not too bad if the new song is good but what in the fuck has whoever is in charge of this been smoking? Every single new theme sucks. One thing wwe has always been good at is theme music but now...that's been flushed down the toilet all at once.

[Wally Balls 0]

I can't remember the last time I liked a new theme...

 

Well, of course, Rock's 2003 Hollywood theme was the most epic entrance music of all time.

 

But other than that...

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Since it's nearing ME time, two things I've noticed. One, there's a cage hanging from the roof, so I'm assuming it's going to be a cage match. Also, Regal pulled the whole "anyone who's not directly involved in the match" line, so I think we can expect to see JBL as the ref, or the time keeper, or something to that effect.

Or not.

 

Match isn't over yet though.

 

Someone gets a cookie.

[mfn 0]

so is the ME scene ever going to get more people besides Triple H/Cena/Orton?

[Wally Balls 0]

so is the ME scene ever going to get more people besides Triple H/Cena/Orton?

 

Nah...

[Ripper 0]

What the hell is going on here.

 

And I got to tell ya, i think JBL just hurt himself there.

[Exslade ZX 0]

What the hell is going on here.

 

And I got to tell ya, i think JBL just hurt himself there.

I noticed he was limping at the end there as well. Didn't really see what happened though.

[Silence 0]

That theme for Orton does nothing for him.

 

It's like WWE just picks any song for a certain wrestler/PPV randomly. "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock for a spring PPV like Backlash did not make sense.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't know if Raw was actively bad tonight, but it was so nondescript and paint by numbers that my brother and I entertained ourselves by discussing WCW circa 1999. Think about that for a minute.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

My report.

 

Non-televised match results:

 

Dark:

 

Ron Killings def. Nick The Natural (I assumed this was Nick Nemeth) with an inverted Falcon Arrow.

 

Heat:

 

Jim Duggan def. CK3 (aka Conrad Kennedy III) with the running tackle.

 

Paul Burchill and Katie Lea def. Super Crazy (Burchill with the Curb Stomp, Lea did the pinfall).

 

Paul London and Brian Kendrick def. Charlie Haas and Highlander Robbie (Kendrick pins Haas after Sliced Bread #2).

 

Post-Raw:

 

Shawn Michaels, HHH, and John Cena def. Randy Orton, JBL, and Umaga in a 6 man-tag cage match. Couldn't tell you who was legal, but Shawn pinned Umaga, Cena pinned Orton, and HHH pinned JBL after the faces simultaneously gave the heels their finishers.

 

Notes:

 

- I could be mistaken, but as Detroit has been home mostly to house shows, PPVs, a SNME taping, and SmackDown tapings, this was the first Raw here since the 2004 draft lottery show. Unlike SmackDown tapings I've been to at the Joe, only one non-production / staging section was tarped off, and even that is questionable as it was right above the hard cameras.

 

- My friend and I ended up in a section with a lot of kids loudly cheering for John Cena. The kid sitting next to my friend began dancing widly when Cena (and Cryme Tyme) came out. I could hear a lot of pro-Orton chants and boos for Cena (and as is the case usually, I'm assuming that's what got over on TV) but my section was so loudly pro-Cena (and that included the 20 somethings on the other side of us) that I could barely hear anything. To give an account on overall loudest reactions would probably be an unfair sampling based on this. However, it did sound like Regal's first appearance in the ring at the beginning of the show got the most heat of the night. I really don't even know what he was saying in his promo as it was just such a loud chorus of boos.

 

- I don't want to get into the whole "parents bringing their kids to WWE events" thing (especially now that WWE openly markets a magazine to them), but it really is bizarre to hear kids yelling "suck it!" when WWE was playing "Best of Raw" anniversary clips during commercial breaks. I also wondered why so many people brought DX signs, wore DX shirts, and waved DX glow sticks when they're not even an on-air group right now. I guess I got my answer at the end of the night.

 

- Though I said I probably cannot fairly judge what the loudest pops in the entire arena were, the loudest I could hear in my section was either for Cena or Shawn Michaels coming out to DX music for the dark main event. Ken Kennedy and Jeff Hardy got really good reactions too. Actually, they played the excellent Jeff Hardy video package I mentioned way back in my October SmackDown notes from Detroit and that got people chanting his name (I think they thought it was part of the show and he could be coming out next - it was shown a few commercials before his appearance).

 

- My section was a bit confused as to how to react to Cade turning on Murdoch as they were just booing Murdoch's singing (while I was cheering for him to sing and tried to get a sing-along going). So they just did nothing.

 

- I saw a TNA sign get confiscated by security on my way in.

 

- As I mentioned, I couldn't really hear Regal so I don't know what was going at the beginning with him kicking fans out or what this had to do with Mickie James' brother (Roddy Hogan?) but it looked like he tried throwing two pretty young ladies out of the building. Though they probably looked like plants, they were actually in front of me at the arena security checkpoint, saying "We're twins! Can't you tell?" then going about their business. Just a small note... (edit: Well seeing the show this comment makes no sense since he was throwing out a man, but I only saw a blonde on the screen as the cage and light set-up was blocking our view of the screen. I did see the chicks on screen during Heat though).

 

Match Notes:

 

- I will never complain about Randy Orton over using a head/chinlock after that Nick The Natural match. After a few basic spots early on, the ENTIRE match was Nick holding Killings in a headlock or chinlock and blocking Killing's attempts to get out. Eventually Ron did get out and that led to the end of the match. Some people chanting "TNA" when Killings entered but not very many.

 

- The kid that was dancing around for Cena and Cryme Tyme was apparently a big Jim Duggan fan too. I told my friend that I found it really weird that the first live show I attended was Survivor Series 91 and Duggan was there too, and here's this kid who couldn't be more than 8 going nuts for him. Duggan gets easy pops for the whole USA deal too which must make his job that much easier. At the SmackDown tapings last fall, they gave CK3 a different ring name, but here they let him be CK3. Maybe because it's just for the UK and internet?

 

- Burchill/Lea vs. Super Crazy started off rough but was probably the best handicap match they've had since they started the gimmick. There were a few times it looked like Crazy might win but of course in the end he didn't. Before the match, Lea said something about Regal on the mic but here accent / people in my section yelling (heat for being the first important heels out) made it so I had no idea what she said.

 

- London/Kendrick vs. Uh, World's Greatest Highlander? Anyway, it was ok but basic tag formula with a Londrick highspot thrown in (stereo planchas) midway through. Post match, Kendrick said that, "This is a joke! We're coming to Raw to get the world tag team titles". Good luck with that, Brian.

 

- The 6 man tag was about 10 minutes and a nice surprise (good thing Shawn admitted he was a liar during the show, eh?). Most of it was just the heels working over Cena until HHH got a hot tag and gave everyone a spinebuster. Michaels then ran in and everyone was in the ring. The faces each ran a heel into two sides of the cage, then did the 3 way finisher spot.

[foleyfanforever88 0]

Just watched Raw..thoughts:

 

Mickie was looking phenomenal tonight.

Carlito and Santino should have won.

Good to see Hardy back and getting such a good reaction.

Cade's knockout punch on Murdoch was awesome.

Beth's attack on Melina was awesome.

Orton's new music is not awesome.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Quick question - how did Orton wind up on the floor in the last segment? From my seat I just saw HHH throw Orton into the cage, but then he climbed up top to look at Orton outside the ring. Was the side loose enough for Orton to roll outside?

 

Yeah, I hated Orton's new music. I still love the Kennedy remix though (and it sounds even more toe-tappin awesome on an arena sound system).

[Guest]

Was the side loose enough for Orton to roll outside?

'

Yep.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Thanks King. Some folks seemed to think HHH was going to dive onto the floor. THAT would have been something.

 

Some people near me made a good point about Hardy - he was going after the WWE title when he was suspended and his return promo was about the IC title. That's fine and all, since he lost the title before his suspension and this puts the belt over as meaning something, but it does seem like he's taking a step back in his goals.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Man, I just got around to watching that one-sided catfight; Beth beat the dogshit out of Melina. I loved the expression that flashed across Melina's face the instant before Beth slammed her up against the lockers, too: you could believe that she briefly had the thought, "maybe I should have thought this through..."

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Was this the first Raw since the WrestleMania build-up (and I think that's being generous as it might date back as far the Rumble build-up) to actually feature just Raw talent and not have random people from SmackDown/ECW wrestling?

 

I was dissapointed to see Carlito and Santino lose. I was hopeful of being able to drop a historical note of it being the second Detroit Raw in a row to have a tag title change (2004 was Flair/Batista over RVD/Booker). I'm really having a hard time believing Detroit hasn't had a Raw since then but I'm sure I would have went and I only remember house shows, PPVs, and SmackDown and the Cobo Hall SNME taping as having taken place since. I'm going to have to look this up.

 

Edit: Yep, first Raw since 2004. No wonder tickets went so fast.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Haven't watched RAW yet, but it's good to hear Cena did another job (even if it was screw-job type of job). I think Cena taking the fall every so often makes the whole "overcoming the odds" scenario more believable.

[Perfection 0]

Haven't watched RAW yet, but it's good to hear Cena did another job (even if it was screw-job type of job). I think Cena taking the fall every so often makes the whole "overcoming the odds" scenario more believable.

 

Yeah it's one of the reasons he is so disliked among older fans. But I tell you, I often wonder if they intentionally try to make Cena look stupid with his awful lines and interview segments. They are so corny and so bad that they have to be aware of the reaction they will get. I suppose they care more about him getting a reaction period than him being cheered as a babyface but the longer it goes on the more I think it hurts him. But the thing is, since the wwe's change of direction toward kids and the style of the writers, there is no one who gives interviews that are so much better either so he can get away with it. If he had given those style of interviews back during the attitude era he would be a jobber to the stars.

[JPopStarKami 0]

Haven't watched RAW yet, but it's good to hear Cena did another job (even if it was screw-job type of job). I think Cena taking the fall every so often makes the whole "overcoming the odds" scenario more believable.

 

Yeah it's one of the reasons he is so disliked among older fans. But I tell you, I often wonder if they intentionally try to make Cena look stupid with his awful lines and interview segments. They are so corny and so bad that they have to be aware of the reaction they will get. I suppose they care more about him getting a reaction period than him being cheered as a babyface but the longer it goes on the more I think it hurts him. But the thing is, since the wwe's change of direction toward kids and the style of the writers, there is no one who gives interviews that are so much better either so he can get away with it. If he had given those style of interviews back during the attitude era he would be a jobber to the stars.

 

I hate to say it, but Cena was the only one who entertained me at all tonight. Everyone else = boring.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Haven't watched RAW yet, but it's good to hear Cena did another job (even if it was screw-job type of job). I think Cena taking the fall every so often makes the whole "overcoming the odds" scenario more believable.

 

Yeah it's one of the reasons he is so disliked among older fans twentysomething males.

Fixed.