Hey Scott,
Long time bla bla bla.
I ordered Survivor Series and feel like I wasted my money. I agree with everything you voiced in the rant but would like to hear your opinion on one more thing: The crowd reaction to Ryback. First he came out to no reaction even though they introduced him last of the 3 wrestlers hoping for a monster pop but then there were sporadic "feed me more" chants during the match.
Are crowds just not completely buying into him yet so he gets 50-50 reactions or is it just that WWE draws such a mix of people to shows now that you will never get an entire crowd behind one wrestler (unless they are in his home town.) In terms of Ryback it just feels like he is over while not REALLY being over and it's sort of confusing.
It seems to be dependent on the city. He seems to get better reactions in markets they don't hit as often, whereas the more cynical places like New York and Philly kind of see through it and crap on him. Honestly, at this point they should just push through it and keep him at that level, because they'll make him a main event guy just by association and then once you've had your Tippy Top Ticket punched, you don't need to break the glass ceiling again to get back up there. The Punk injury is actually kind of a positive for Ryback, because now he's not being put in a position to lose a third title shot in a row and can instead destroy one of the Shield guys and win something.
Crowds seems to dig him the most when they expect him to come out and destroy a heel that is talking shit/beating someone up. It kinda reminds me of Austin back in the day when the crowd was just waiting for that glass to break at the end of the show when Austin would come down and stun everyone and they would go crazy.
ReplyDeleteAnd before I get 45 replies saying "derp r u cray ryback isnt as big as austin derrrr he sux derp derpy derp" I'm not saying Ryback is as over as Austin. At all.
Derp r u cray ryback isnt as big as austin derrrr he sux derp derpy derp!
ReplyDeleteSaw that coming a mile away.
ReplyDeleteI know, I couldn't resist. I had some reply typed out to the topic in question, read your reply first, forgot what I wanted to write, then wrote that instead.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I remember what I wanted to write now!
ReplyDeleteThey can't have the Shield lose their first match on PPV, so WWE decided to make the three on three match with Hell No/Ryback a TLC match... only you can win by pinfalls or submissions. So I can easily see Bryan taking the fall in that match, or if they really want the Shield to look strong: Kane.
My bet on the finish would Ryback kicking ass near the end of the match and Punk walks out(or hobbles) and taunts him. Ryback leaves to give chase and The Shield pick up the win.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't even buy him in his current role. He should not be this far up the card at this point. I think crowds cheer because it's just something different. The idea of Ryback showing up and knocking guys over is much better than the execution of it.
ReplyDeleteI honestly can't see it going any other way than that. Especially since they've said that Ryback still has a title shot coming to him.
ReplyDeleteRyback shows that Vince still likes the big muscled freaks. Before you think I'm shitting on Ryback, hear me out.
ReplyDeleteI always complain about the WWE booking philosophy that a new guy, even if he gets over right away (say the first few months after their debut), they still have to "pay their dues" and thus are automatically depushed for sometime. This has happened countless of times as far back as Jericho.
With that in mind, I'm glad they're keeping the Ryback push as he's caught on whether some of us smarks like him or not. Now, here's what clearly displays Vince's love of these dudes, who's more over than Daniel Bryan? Yet, he's eating pinfalls almost weekly and though his character has withstood this, a loser gimmick NEVER gets over if it's done for an extended period of time.
There is zero doubt in my mind that if Bryan, exactly how he is now (wrestling ability, charisma off the charts) was 6'3"-5" and had muscles on muscles, he would've already been pushed to the top and you'd be getting ready for another year long title reign.
Regardless, because I've gone on way too long, it never hurts to have more main event players and Ryback is there right now, so keep it going. I like Cults idea of him being distracted in the 6 man tag and the Shield pins Kane.
I wouldn't classify Bryan as a loser gimmick. Yeah, he ate a lot of pinfalls but the announcers never make it a point to talk about it and there haven't been any storylines that revolve around it. I think in this day and age, unless it's a big match, who wins and loses on tv is largely meaningless. Nobody remembers random tv matches.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be Ryback winning so he can beat Big Show at the Royal Rumble. Then he puts up his title and undefeated undefeated at Wrestlemania 29, by oh, let's say... Moe.
ReplyDeleteI mean, The Undertaker. Streak v Streak.
Omg I just watched WWE Main Event on ion and I wasn't bored, annoyed, or embarrassed. Less is so much more! Bravo.They desperately need to rethink all their television shows--both the length and style.
ReplyDeleteIs Ryback over or is the 'feed me more' chant over? Does it annoy anyone else that the crowd chants 'feed me more' and not 'feed him more'?
ReplyDeleteI like him, but that might because I dig the chant of "FEED! ME! MORE!"
ReplyDeleteYeah, ME has been really good since its inception.
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of trouble getting behind the guy for a couple of reasons, the largest of which being that I'm just not into the whole jacked up, roided out monster like Vince is. Considering the last real successful wrestler to use this concept stopped drawing money in 1998 (Brock Lesnar not withstanding), I'd say it's not the end all-be all that Vince would like to think it is. As more and more casual fans get driven away, they have to face the brass tax and realize that a worker with as limited in-ring ability as Ryback just wont move the needle. His push feels too artificial, like they're intentionally trying to recapture the Goldberg magic and hope that it catches fire again. Of course, despite looking like a beast, does anything Ryback does in the ring look all that impressive? He has the look, but he seems to lack some intensity in the ring.
ReplyDeleteWhat Streak? Ryback already has a loss in the books.
ReplyDeleteIt's also a little thing, but I just don't like his finisher at all. The stomping around looks silly to me, and yeah, I realize it's probably really physically impressive to pick up the guys and all that, but it just doesn't LOOK impressive. Compare that to the F5 and Jackhammer/Spear .
ReplyDeleteI've been a long proponent of Luger's Torture Rack and you have to have serious strength to pull it off. Give it to Ryback, he can do it and it's an impressive move when done right.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Bryan would be a mega star right now if not for his size, it's sad
ReplyDeletewhere's Zanadude to do a victory Jig?
ReplyDeletePlus it's TLC, so if they do that 3-man powerbomb (which REALLY needs a name. The Spirit Squad had a named finisher. The Shieldbreaker?) through 5-6 tables on Kane, he'll still look strong in defeat.
ReplyDeleteLet me throw this out there as an idea for the new TLC main: If Kane or Daniel get pinned, we have new tag champs(and they bring back the Freebird rule for the Shield in honor of the late Buddy Jack), if Ryback gets pinned (pausing while everyone laughs) he forfeits his future WWE title shot. Give the match some stakes.
ReplyDeleteI like the backpack stunner more, but it's also a bit too contrived as an every match move for me.
ReplyDeletea submission move for the "kill everything" monster would be weird. Hell, why not just give him the jackhammer?
ReplyDeleteOr that one move Hernandez does. A two handed overhead choke slam. (I think he calls it the Crackerjack?)
ReplyDeleteProbably because the Crackerjack looks like one of the least safe moves ever used regularly in a national promotion.
ReplyDeleteThey should be a live version of PTW. Three minute squashes, vignettes, promos and one good main event
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
ReplyDeleteIt's like the muscle buster except shitty
ReplyDeleteits lame
ReplyDeleteWe like Roy!
ReplyDeleteto be precise, those de-pushes are just for guys like Jericho. guys like Ryback, Lesnar are Lashley never really got that de-push.
ReplyDeletebut he's about to find out that being wrestler is harder than it looks?
ReplyDeleteHernandez, unsafe? Noooooo!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Sheamus is stronger than him. I'm definitely sure Cena is stronger with him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for proving my point ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf Cena can get away with a fireman's carry as his finisher, Ryback could do worse than a Samoan drop with a runway.
ReplyDeleteBe like boy!
ReplyDeleteShould be called the Diaphragm
ReplyDeleteQue?
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. Well, shows how much the current product is sticking in my mind I guess! It's certainly not my fault for being forgetful ... ahem.
ReplyDelete