WWE [speculation, spoilers]

That's a good approach, but it often indicates a heel turn.

Aactually, he needs to go back to Smackdown and rule the Crusierweight division.
 
leather_w0lf said:
Aactually, he needs to go back to Smackdown and rule the Crusierweight division.
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I hate to say it, but "ruling the Cruiserweight division" is often like saying "writing a top-selling Vertigo comic" -- it's impressive to a small number of people who follow that particular style, and you'll get loads of praise from fans on the internet, but it's not going to do much for your paycheck.

I really, really hope the viewership of TNA Impact increases on the strength of the X-Division, and proves that high-impact, athletic, spot-driven matches can still bring in the ratings.

That way, the morons at WWE "Creative" will feel compelled to follow suit, permitting guys like RVD, Matt Hardy, AND the Cruiserweights to put on showcase performances without having to adhere to some percieved 'WWE standard', driven purely by showmanship and "entertainment value".

THEN *maybe* I'd be happy to see Hurricane back in the Cruiser division.
 
The MORON at WWE creative who has final say on all gimmicks and storylines is Vinnie Mac - so you tell him how to run his business, lol - he must know what he's doing because he's multi millionaire and we are not. The head bookers on RAW are Johhny Ace (Road Warrior Animal's brother) and Michael Hayes. Arn Anderson and Simon Dean (That's Dean Malenko to you marks - the Simon Dean charcter is a rip on Deano) run Smackdown. Steph runs the creative department and the writers are under her.

This is how it's done - either a storyline idea will be thought up by a writer, a wrestler or a booker. For example: the booker will see if it will work for the "area" they will be in and then present the idea to the writers. The writers then come up with a script, so to say. Steph then approves or dissapproves. After an idea gets her approval, it is then presented to Vince for the final OK. Wrestlers are usually given 2 weeks to get their idea over. If not, it's sh!tcanned.
 
leather_w0lf said:
This is how it's done - either a storyline idea will be thought up by a writer, a wrestler or a booker. For example: the booker will see if it will work for the "area" they will be in and then present the idea to the writers. The writers then come up with a script, so to say. Steph then approves or dissapproves. After an idea gets her approval, it is then presented to Vince for the final OK. Wrestlers are usually given 2 weeks to get their idea over. If not, it's sh!tcanned.
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Thanx x 1 000 000 for explaining that, because I was never completely sure how exactly the booking process worked. That was very helpful.

I was under the (mistaken?) impression that Paul Heyman was also involved with booking on BOTH shows, in a 'consultant' kind of role.

I assume that even if this *was* the case before, he is no longer involved with WWE product, since he's been given full creative control over their 'farm league', Ohio Valley Wrestling, yes?

Related questions: do the heads of the farm leagues -- in this case, Heyman -- have a say about which developmental wrestlers get called up to the main roster, and how soon? And does WWE Creative have final say over what gimmicks the new wrestlers use?

I ask this because some talent have been completely repackaged once they enter WWE (the Bashams, Batista, Eugene, Conway), while others end up using the same basic gimmick as they did in OVW (Kennedy, Lesnar).
 
Oh, you like Heyman - Then start watching/buying up OVW tapes.

He rus OVW now.

Jim Ross is done on air - he's leaving to run RAW Unlimited. Being replaced by Mike Goldberg. Should be sometime later this month or next month.

Conway came up with his own gimmick. It was either that or go away like Marc Copani (aka Hassan - who isn't from Detroit, he's from my stomping grounds, Syracuse, NY).
 
Here's the latest on JR leaving RAW. It looks as if both JR & The King may be moved over to RAW Unlimited on WWE.com with the new RAW team being The Coach and Mike Goldberg (Goldberg is the UFC announcer for those who don't know who he is).

The Vince firing angle from last week's Homecoming should be the "firing" of JR and The King. Expect Hogan to be the heel in the Hogan/Stone Cold rivalry that could start as soon as the lead in to Survivor Series and lead all the way to Wrestlmania 22.

More info as I learn more from my insiders.

Leather
 
leather_w0lf said:
Here's the latest on JR leaving RAW. It looks as if both JR & The King may be moved over to RAW Unlimited on WWE.com with the new RAW team being The Coach and Mike Goldberg (Goldberg is the UFC announcer for those who don't know who he is).

The Vince firing angle from last week's Homecoming should be the "firing" of JR and The King.
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If this happens, it's gonna hurt Raw's ratings. Mark my word. If they scrap 2/3 of the established color commentary team with absolutely no storyline build-up for it, viewers WILL tune out.

I don't care what a seasoned professional Mike Goldberg is. I was not familiar with him, and chances are neither are many long-time WWF/E viewers. Perhaps it won't be a huge deal for more casual viewers. But no amount of professional delivery can ever make up for the years of passion, dedication, and love that Ross brings to his commentary, when he's on his A-game.

And evidently, most wwe.com readers share this opinion:

pwtorch.com said:
-In a poll on WWE.com this week, they asked visitors whom their favorite WWE Raw announcer is. Jim Ross won with nearly half of all votes, with Jerry Lawler getting about a third, and Coach the remaining fraction.
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Frankly, I could do without Jerry "Puppies!" Lawler at the booth, and I'd be fine if they replaced him with Goldberg, as part of the firing angle (with Coach continuing to play the biased heel announcer role).

Then, once viewers have become familiar with Goldberg's commentary style, give Ross a proper send-off and retirement ceremony (perhaps ending with a personal salute by Vince, and a beer-bash with his real-life pal, Steve Austin).

But to permanently scrap both guys at once would be a massive disservice to RAW's audience.
 
This change has been in the works since Coach was added to RAW's broadcast team.

And it will help, not destroy, the WWE and RAW. JR is old and wants to spend time with his family - do you blame him? Over the past few years he has voluntarily deminished his responsibilites at the WWE.

With you being in the 'pines, you can still get see him & Jerry by watching RAW Unlimited on wwe.com.

Mike Goldberg's contract was for an "insanely high" amount of money.

Joey Styles is replacing him in the UFC from what I've been told. Bet he'll drag the WWE through the mud at any chance he gets.
 
leather_w0lf said:
Mike Goldberg has apparently turned down the WWE contract.

Now things could get interesting!
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Actually, I felt that the level of activity on the RAW Homecoming episode was enough to make things interesting enough already, without the need for a shake-up in the announcing team.

On the other hand, after the uninspired No Mercy card, things can only get more interesting on Smackdown. :roll:

Does anybody know if the casket-burning angle at the P-P-V was meant to set up a hiatus for 'Taker? I certainly hope so -- I think he's been a little over-exposed this year, anyway.

Besides, I'd much rather see Orton rekindle his old feud with the newly re-signed Mick Foley before Undertaker makes his inevitable return to put the final nail in the coffin in his rivalry with the Legend Killer.
 
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I don't bother with PPV's unless they are RAW/SMACKDOWN joint ventures. I used to watch every PPV but when the brand expansion came into effect I stopped. No Mercy did have a weak card, that's for sure.

Mark is old and always needs time off. Next up is the Foley/Orton re-match. Then Taker will come back after his needed vacation and beat Orton.
 
The only PPVs i usually get is the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania

One great thing about Smackdown is their new talent. Ken Kennedy and Bobby Lashley are the best newcomers ive seen in a long time.

and Juvi is the new cruiserweight champ :rockon:
 
Juvi rules.

Juan Deere tractors just kill me everytime I see them.

I want Rocky to come back and get in Juvi's face about stolen catch-phrases.
 
Well, last night WWE jumped the Shark with the Linda heel turn.

It's been well known for some time that Vince has wanted to get a younger, more hip announce team for RAW. Why not just be "real" and have JR say he's going off RAW to run RAW Unlimited on WWE.com? Why not? We're not stupid! Linda's heel turn was about as convincing as the Rock in drag. It went over as well as Mae Young giving birth to a hand! It ranks right up there with WCW's worst moment - when David Arquette won the World Title belt on the Thunder taping in Syracuse, NY (I actually have pics of that as I was there!). I'd rather have Katie Vic's casket back!

The whole show was great up until Vince walked out. What was he thinking?
 
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leather_w0lf said:
Well, last night WWE jumped the Shark with the Linda heel turn.
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Am I really the only person who actually ENJOYED this aspect of the JR firing angle?!

Linda's heel turn was the only saving grace, other than JR refusing to apologize for the attacks. And the kick in the balls was a really entertaining visual.

What i'm really upset about is how undignified an ending it is to JR's on-air career, assuming there are no plans for him to return to the broadcast table in the near future.

As a long-serving commentator and superb play-by-play guy, his retirement deserved to be met with a full-on beer-bash, accompanied by his real-life pal, Stone Cold, or soemthing equally celebratory. Instead, we got the disgraceful finale that we all saw.

I sure hope he gets one final chance to say goodbye to the viewers with a degree of respect.
 
Leather's Raw Report

RAW improved some last night.

Ric Flair did his best promo since he was trying to save WCW in the couple years before the buy out. I used to tune in to his segements on commercial breaks during RAW, hoping I would finally get to see his head explode. But Ric proved a point, he is one of the best mic workers in the business. He would keep us there until he was done and we'd miss crap on RAW.

Now, I'll get to Jim Ross in a moment, first - Linda? As a regular character? All this silliness to build an angle leading up to Austin vs. Hogan at some PPV coming soon? She's not needed in the story. She's not The Donald and I fear that's where this is going. Next up, Steph - she's changed her image, once again, good for her. And Vince? Fine, well, I can take you or leave you as a character. One question? Where's Shane? Another question? Why bother with an angle? Just make the damn match.

Mick Foley is always a pleasure. Carlito is starting to get funny. Can you say Rock funny? I knew ya could.

JR: Coach needs to go away. Find someone else and STAT. I don't care if it Marv Alpert, get rid of Jonathan Coachman.

The JBL thing with Edge leading to Survivor Series . . . who's turning face? Someone tell me who thought to book this crap?

Kane returns, blah blah blah, Hurricane made a heel turn on Rosie on RAW Unlimted. He took his mask off, clocked Rosie. I think he's going back to being Shane Helms. They made matches for Taboo Tuesday (fans voting for 3d man in title match . . . all that hunky dory nonsense). I'll post the PPV results here next Wednesday morning.

But all in all it was pretty good, much better than last week and kept me around for another week.

Leather
 
Re: Leather's Raw Report

leather_w0lf said:
Ric Flair did his best promo since he was trying to save WCW in the couple years before the buy out. I used to tune in to his segements on commercial breaks during RAW, hoping I would finally get to see his head explode.
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And last night's promo indeed came very close, with the busted stictches. That was intense. Didn't know he had it in him. His late-WCW stuff felt "too little, too late", and his early 90s WWF "Real World's Champion" gimmick never really impressed my 13-year-old self at the time. But this? THIS is what I'd been hoping to see, ever since I watched his DVD set.

leather_w0lf said:
Now, I'll get to Jim Ross in a moment, first - Linda? As a regular character? All this silliness to build an angle leading up to Austin vs. Hogan at some PPV coming soon? She's not needed in the story. She's not The Donald and I fear that's where this is going. Next up, Steph - she's changed her image, once again, good for her. And Vince? Fine, well, I can take you or leave you as a character.
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leather_w0lf said:
One question? Where's Shane?
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I believe he's running the WWE New Media department, and thus is in charge of WWE Unlimited, and the Taboo Tuesday rigged poll nonsense, and all that "exclusive" web footage we see broadscast several minutes later on TV (thus pretty much crapping on the "exclusive" claim).

leather_w0lf said:
Mick Foley is always a pleasure. Carlito is starting to get funny. Can you say Rock funny? I knew ya could.
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He played really well off of Foley. As soon as he develops a stiffer, less sloppy in-ring style, he'll be ready for the World title picture. He's got all the funadmentals, he just needs to work on making the moves LOOK impressive. Did you see how he messed up the first chokeslam during the Battle Royale?

leather_w0lf said:
JR: Coach needs to go away. Find someone else and STAT. I don't care if it Marv Alpert, get rid of Jonathan Coachman.
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His incompetence seemed obviously worked to me (c'mon... "Gore! Gore!"). Only his dstatements soudned terrible -- I don't think his delivery was all that bad. But yeah, I still think JR's "firing" angle is the WWE equivalent of all those casual supporting character deaths in a big DC "event" comic -- cheap, easy, intended for dramatic effect for the sake of it, and not made to last.

leather_w0lf said:
The JBL thing with Edge leading to Survivor Series . . . who's turning face? Someone tell me who thought to book this crap?
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My early guess is NEITHER -- this whole angle is a misdirection. It's either an excuse to make Edge butt heads with Batista, by accident, making him claim his Money-In-The-Bank title shot for the SD belt, OR it's a set-up for Matt Hardy, to attack Edge while on SmackDown, in keeping with the no-Matt-on-RAW stipulation.
 
Damn, I haven't watched WWE since it was WWF, well even way before that actually. Back in the days of Ultimate Warrior, when Hulk was still king, and Macho Man Randy Savage was going "Oooohhhhhhhhh, yeahhhhhhhhhh". Back when Jake the Snake and Andre the Giant were still in the league. Back when the Legion of Doom was still the top tag-team duo. Ahhh, those were the days. Of course I was like 9 at the time, so this still entertained me. I'm wondering how all you intelligent people still find it so. Not knocking you or anything, seriously wondering. I mean has anything new been introduced to the wrestling scene since the 1980's?
 
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