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No, but seriously...

...dumb memes aside, what is the story even supposed to be at this point?  Bryan gets screwed out of the belt at Summerslam, then has it taken away after Night of Champions, then a no-contest at Battleground and finally screwed again in his ultimate chance at revenge after a RAW where HHH and Shawn basically demeaned him as a B+ guy who couldn't win the big one?  I know I rag on them "telling stories" but at least the story leading up to Summerslam made sense and paid off the MITB thing in a way that you could go from A to B to C and say "Aha, of course HHH was going to screw Bryan over there".  What was the point of The Reign of Abeyance?  Why not just put Orton over last month if that's where you wanted to go with it?  It's now three PPVs after Summerslam and we're literally right back where we were again -- Orton as champion after the referee handed him the fluke win and screwed over Daniel Bryan.  

And people wonder why I can only stomach RAW on Hulu now.

Comments

  1. And he'll probably get cheered over Cena on top of it.

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  2. I just don't even care anymore.


    And I say that as a pretty big fan of psycho heel Orton. Because it's not like that character got anything out of this mess either. He looks like as much of a tool as Bryan does.


    I wish I could figure out what the hell happened in the booking meeting that decided Bryan gets the title at NoC, just to be screwed the next night. You can track the downward spiral right back to that moment.

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  3. If we're talking about SummerSlam 97 here, he did count instantly but


    1) There was a stipulation that if he didn't count, he could never wrestle in the US


    2) He sold it with his facial expressions and mannerisms as hating having to do it


    So I think he did a fairly good job of making it clear he wasn't particularly thrilled to be caught in that position.

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  4. "Because the alternative is Vince by himself. And we saw how that turned out..."


    Kinda like it's turning out now? I really see no difference.

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  5. I couldn't bother with the PPV tonight. Even jabbering with the BoD has lost its joy, just because the results are such a stomach-punch.

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  6. At this rate, Abeyance's reign will last until Wrestlemania.

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  7. You can only drag the story out so far before the guy turns into Lex Luger with a Duck Dynasty beard.

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  8. The point of the story was for Bryan to become champion and become a legit main event guy. That's why John Cena went to the effort he did to put him over at Summerslam. This was never supposed to be about HHH. Not everything has to revolve around HHH.

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  9. http://youtu.be/q3fVj8A-K8E

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  10. It's 2009 again! Orton and Cena are the company's top champions with no successors in sight.

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  11. I never want a guy to be injured, but yeah, life is cruel that way.

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  12. 3 ppv's since Summerslam and i didn't order any of them

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  13. ...is probably Phil Collins' best album.

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  14. I get that they're doing this, because they want to do "The Chase" again. And in a way, whoever is holding the belt in a Chase storyline isn't important because everyone knows the guy without the belt is the true main event and that the power behind the guy with the belt is the true villain.

    The problem is that the interest in the chase comes from the obstacles and shifting odds in the storyline, and a Kliq storyline in 2013 is not going to find room on most people's DVRs.

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  15. It's too late for them now with Daniel Bryan. No-one is going to buy another ppv to see Daniel Bryan win the strap because why would they if he hasn't done it in three?

    Daniel Bryan is hot and he's a guy fans want to see. Him fending off the authority as champion can still be as good a story as him chasing the title.

    Is this not all a bit Zach Ryder revisited? Guy gets over despite not being given much from the company, fans really get behind him only for the heat to be taken right out from under him. And this is on an even bigger scale than Zach Ryder.

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  16. Talking about WM28 when he superkicked Taker right into a pedigree. At Summerslam, he went to waffle Bret with a chair and missed

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  17. I saw it as a callback to the UT/HHH HiaC match too. But the problem is that that HHH was a face in that match and playing up his friendship with HBK is really endearing. Shawn cares so much about his friend that he's going to take rash actions to defend him; that doesn't make the other guy (Bryan in this case) very sympathetic.

    You're right about it being a convenient way to give Orton the belt without pinning Bryan cleanly or turning HBK heel, but I think it's going to cost Bryan some of his heat. His level of overness is draining with each development in this angle. Honestly, I'm even starting to feel like I'm less into him.

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  18. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:10 AM

    Remember that time Lex Lugar beat Halk Hagen?

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  19. If it leads to bryan vs Shawn Michaels, then I'm ok with it.

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  20. In other words, what a great heel!

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  21. Tournament at Survivor Series?

    Better still, Ultimate Survivor Match for the title!

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  22. That kick wasn't really near Bryan. Maybe they are all in cahoots?

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  23. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:22 AM

    Orton: "You been away a long time Adam, I don't do shines for Evolution no more."

    Batista: "Hey, I'm just breakin' your balls, right away you're gettin' fuckin' fresh!"

    Triple H: "Now now Dave, you're gettin' a little out of line. Little bit."

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  24. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:22 AM

    Triple H is lookin' one way, Batista's lookin' the other way, and Ric Flair's like "ah, whaddya want from me?"

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  25. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:23 AM

    Triple H said to Bryan that he's going to job like a bitch to Orton... it sounds much nicer in Italian.

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  26. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:24 AM

    STEPHANIE MCMAHON IS A WHORE!! THERE'S A WHORE IN YOUR BUILDING!!

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  27. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:27 AM

    CM Punk, on phone to Vince: "Hello? Is Bryan champ?"
    Vince: "Well, something came up and... he's gone."
    Punk: "...Whaddya mean he's gone?"
    Vince: "Eh, he's gone and uh, there's nothing we could do about it."

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  28. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:29 AM

    Orton: "As far back as I can remember, all I ever wanted to be was mediocre."

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  29. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:31 AM

    Really? Triple H wrote this, did he?

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  30. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:33 AM

    I will say this:

    This storyline is deader than Lou Reed.

    I will say that.

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  31. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 2:40 AM

    BREAKING NEWS

    Music legend Lou Reed has passed at the age of 71.

    He will be buried along with Daniel Bryan's dignity.

    RIP, guys.

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  32. Never, ever, ever try. There's always someone bigger, tougher, and stronger than you.

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  33. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 4:28 AM

    Well, I don't think he pines to see him beaten in a worked match. I think he wants to use a time machine and take a coathanger to Mama Orton.

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  34. Orange one. I don't remember a yellow one.

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  35. Abeyance has been such a hard worker for the company, I'd like to see him get a Wrestlemania payday.

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  36. Exactly - Bryan successfully defending the championship against hand-picked opponents would have been a BETTER story and a BETTER way to give Bryan a push.

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  37. Not being given much? He had the tag titles for 6 months, then went right into the upper card solo where he's main evented the last four PPVs and has been the guy opening and closing RAW/Smackdown for months.

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  38. I can't wait for either Orton vs. Show or Orton vs. Show vs. Bryan at Survivor Series.

    Barf

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  39. Happy and sad are different than good and bad.


    Happy endings can be good.
    Happy endings can be bad.
    Sad endings can be good.
    Or, in this case, sad endings can be bad.

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  40. I really hope that "Super Kick Tourettes" becomes a meme here.

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  41. Ugh.

    Hey Scott, you sure you wouldn't rather review NJPW, if only for the sake of your sanity?

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  42. I can see it now...


    "Wait a minute... Triple H put me over once. Triple H put me over? Cleanly? What has the world come to? What was his reason for doing so? Triple H never puts anyone over cleanly. This doesn't make sense! Does not compute! Everything I know is a lie! There's a conspiracy! I'm the victim! Brain... tearing in half... Chewbacca... lives on Endor... NANCY!!!"

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  43. How long can you remain sane listening to commentators screaming OTTOH! RARIATTIO! BURAINBUSTUTAHHHHHB!!!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHqh36bNWDs

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  44. That's the real kicker: They've made Orton irrelevant thanks to Triple H, so obviously you should stick the belt on him by putting him over the hot face!

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  45. Whoops....yes, you're correct. Chair shot.

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  46. Yeah... I think he is still over.
    I think it was obvious Bryan was going to lose at Hell in a Cell. They just see Punk/Orton and Cena/Orton as options they want to have for the next few months.
    I assume Bryan will go over HHH in their match ( I hope!). If so, he'll be fine. If they are really doing Brock v Undertaker at Wrestlemania, Punk/Bryan could be a wrestlemania match anyway for the title. I assume either Punk or Bryan are winning the Rumble.

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  47. Pretty much this, yes. As long as Bryan goes over Triple H he's (probably) fine in the long run, but the storytelling here fucking sucks.

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  48. Music to my ears compared with 'creates separation', 'vintage', etc.

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  49. Remember when he lost the belt back six days later?


    (Also, nice vowel replacement. Guessing it was intentional...)

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  50. Besides Hogan in the 80s, was there ever an interesting long face title reign? Maybe Bret Hart 94, but most of the time, when a face was world champion, the shows were boring (HBK 96, Diesel 95, Cena the last years). The chase is better than the catch often fits to any storyline.

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  51. Stone Cold in 98 wasn't too bad.

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  52. Didn't see the PPV or care to see it with Cena coming back. HHH once again dominating the main event scene and burying guys (without even wrestling now) along with HBK. It is the late 90's all over again, but without the talent of the Rock and SCSA!

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  53. And, I should add, what a great dick-heel move by Bret to draw that chair shot. Excellence of Execution indeed.

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  54. LETS GO TO THE TAPE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgINWprJErY

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  55. So nobody is going to watch raw tonight?

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  56. Matchwise the ppv was pretty shitty.

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  57. So Im spitballin it here...let me see if I got this right, you DONT like Orton?

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  58. There is only one man to SAVE US................................................http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGuhZvO1DKg

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  59. This company has been bad at telling the story of the underdog for years now. I suspect somewhere in the WWE's subconscious is a core belief in the underlying message of the feud. It's not really about the underdog, or storytelling, or heroics. It's about a guy who doesn't have "the look" proving that he can be popular without it. And, at the end of the day, what does the WWE really believe? They believe in "the look." That's why John Cena has been the top of the company for over a decade. So, in this story, they can't tell it right. They don't seem to actually understand the appeal of Daniel Bryan, so they don't know how to book him. This is the guy they beat at Wrestlemania in a squash. The fans demanded more, and the company gave it to them begrudgingly.

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  60. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 7:10 AM

    I do!

    I'm thirsty, I'm going to have myself a tall glass of Lex Lager.

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  61. Good post. To piggyback off your idea, I think that management views Bryan exactly how hes been booked: as a main event place holder who will never be "the man", in the mold of Punk and Foley. In this role, youre never gonna get a huge payoff bc wwe is just looking to eventually sacrifice you. Look at Punk, as over and as great as hes been the past 3 years hes only been the focal point of the show when hes worked with HHH and Cena. We debated for days whether HHHs comments last monday really "buried" Bryan, but theres no doubt what he said reflects exactly how management views him.

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  62. Like he tapped out to CM Punk?

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  63. Its the same reason why we get McMahons all the time, or when we clamor for WarGames we get the Elimination Chamber, or 3 hour Marathon RAWs every week, or guys get their push halted like Zack Ryder and Dolph Ziggler. In the WWE, they will give you what they THINK should get over......crowd response be damned. The huge pop when Ziggler cashed in should tell you how the audience felt about it. Only responses like that force feed their hand. Its almost like they resent the people telling them they arent into something. How else do you blame the WWE taking other people's ideas or creations (nWo? ECW? RAW Roulette?) and putting their own disastrous spin on them...or killing a character completely (Al Snow? Taz?) by forgetting what it was that got them over. A prime example is Fandango. They shoved him down our throats, then it TOOK OFF! Then, once the WWE publicity machine tried to put their spin on his success what happened? Yep exactly. Becoming just another guy (well all the 50/50 booking doesnt help)

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  64. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    But is that Paul Levesque's fault?!

    I say no. A man that white? I can TRUST, bah gawd.

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  65. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 28, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    (I'm drunk as hell.)

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  66. Honestly, I have to admit: given the lazy booking, I was totally expecting Big Show to turn heel for the 1000th time

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  67. My downvote is for you being in a position to objectively rate Phil Collins' albums. FOR SHAME.

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  68. Hes not that white! He hangs out with H B Shizzle

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  69. I hope balloons drop and cake is provided to the audience to celebrate the milestone.

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  70. I dunno... I've never had more than quiet disdain for him to be honest, just going by the reports of his behaviour and his mediocre matches. But in the last 12 - 18 months he's had some really strong matches with Christian, RVD, Bryan, Punk... yeah, all good - great workers, but I don't think it's just that.


    Certainly so long as Sheamus is still working there, Orton will never be #1 in my Most Bored Of book.

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  71. I'd like to think it'd be a little like this: http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp12192001.shtml

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  72. After firing up the DVR and watching the Walking Dead last night,


    WWE Universe - "HHH, did you kill Daniel Bryan's career?"
    HHH - "Yes"


    Calmly walks away

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  73. I'd be thrilled if someone started reviewing NJPW for the blog, but the tryout submissions are all old WWF and TNA shows it seems like.

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  74. Might as well give up on life too.

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  75. Well, they have the story if they did want to do it...

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  76. Take the lead, show some initiative.

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  77. Top 3 Phil Collins related TNA PPVs:

    3. Against All Odds
    2. Genesis
    1. Sussudio

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBVgc2516oI

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  78. Todd Lorenz would attend that RAW just for the free cake!

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  79. See I think guys lie Vince, and HHH don't understand HOW someone like Bryan can be popular or the guy people support. In their mind the conquering hero is supposed to be the larger than life Superman. To use a high school analogy they think the jock who wins the football game and fucks the head cheerleader is always the hero, and the geek who plays D&D and writes computer programs is an afterthought at best and couldn't possibly be the main protagonist... even though that dynamic has drastically changed in the last 20 years or so in our culture (as much as I hate the 'nerd' culture has become so mainstream) they just don't know how to relate which is why they are so bad at booking guys like Punk, or Bryan, or Zach Ryder... but they can write a story about the big jock pantsing them and taking their lunch money before sticking them head first in a trash can which is kind of what we have been seeing for the last couple of years when they try to capitalize on these guys.

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  80. Its 10am!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8smoarpwftA

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  81. I don't let entertainment dictate my mood levels...yet.


    So, I'm just gonna wait on the dying thing.

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  82. Then why don't you volunteer to do them? That's not meant negatively, you seem to have a passion for it and a desire to see them reviewed. Same reason I keep encouraging Ripner to do NXT reviews.

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  83. I was in cahoots once... I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque

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  84. "No-one is going to buy another ppv to see Daniel Bryan win the strap because why would they if he hasn't done it in three?"


    I get your point... but technically he has done it twice.

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  85. Or "heaven", "purgatory", or "imagination land. "

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  86. Did you really not get the reference there?

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  87. "Fuck Randy Orton. Not because of what happened tonight..."



    But because he is such a handsome man? Still not my thing, but I don't judge... for that.

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  88. "what is the story even supposed to be at this point? "


    Don't act like you don't know Vince McMahon is coming back. Because THAT'S what people tune in for: corporate squabbling.


    If that story about some producer during the height of the Russo years saying wrestling "will be more fun when they get rid of the ring" is true, I hope he's kicking himself now for the can of worms he opened.

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  89. :: NPP makes fun of you for thinking there are different types of heat ::

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  90. I did. I was going for a slight religious dig though. Religious snark> wrestling snark

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  91. Yeah if you remember right they had a couple of matches before Summerslam as well... it has been done to death this year.

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  92. He is going to pass Flair's number of title reigns by the end of 2014.

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  93. 1. I was sad to see Shawn take that ref bump as though he were an actual ref. Imagine going back in time and telling 96-97 Shawn that he'd do that in 2013.
    2. I fully expected HHH to use Shawn as an excuse to enter the cage and have him and Orton beat the fuck out of Bryan.

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  94. I realized something reading this post, your theory reflects in the fans I meet too! Splitting the adult fans I like into two categories: those who like the current product (and John Cena) and those who don't, It's generally Jocks and popular kids that think Raw is fine just the way it is. They coast through school and think playing COD makes them a hardcore gamer (or in one case, believes he's ready to "blow up some middle eastern fuckers" in the army as a result of his kill/death ratio).


    As for frustrated fans, one is in my DND group, another the best Pokemon player I personally know. All the wrestling fans I interacted with at Anime-North are Bryan or Punk fans.


    I'm not sure what, if anything, my silly observations mean, but It's interesting.

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  95. I'm not someone cries about the babyface getting the big title run and push. I'm an old school NWA fan, I love the strong heel champion, but this whole debacle isn't really that at all. I wish they would just bring back Batista or re-sign Chris Masters so they could have the big ripped babyface that Vince really wants.

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  96. Well I think in entertainment mediums, we always look for characters we can relate to... even if it is in an indirect way... and guys like Punk, and Bryan are guys that you and I can relate to. Some people are into an everyman because they see themselves that way... some people are into the larger than life action hero because they see themselves that way... or at least think they could be that way.


    Like I can totally see ending up at the same Punk show as... uh Punk... and I would imagine you can see Bryan playing D&D at the local game shop... its only natural... it just sucks when one type of person has total control of the writing and can't look past their own bias for the sake of... and I can't believe I get to say this unironically... what is best for business.

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  97. I think the problem here is that most people can neither relate to the hardcore nerd or the high school QB that gets the hottest girl at school. The best everyman WWE ever had was Mick Foley and he is a once in a lifetime wrestler, one of the greatest of all time. Mick has been buried in recent years and become a parody of himself but he deserves more praise than he will ever get. Bryan is a nerd, a fitness nerd, his beard has gone from funny to ridiculous, his hair is ugly, he is short, etc, he's ok but not great on the mic, and he is a walking catch phrase. Not everyone, or even most people can identify with him. Foley was the one guy who was a perfect everyman.

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  98. To be fair... isn't one of your big complaints about Punk that he isn't a big ripped guy?

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  99. I hope you guys ordered from a 3rd party on ebay and not the "official WWE" Macho Man shirt.

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  100. Agreed. I can get into Bryan for storyline purposes, but take that away and his character fucking blows.

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  101. Daniel Bryan is in great shape. Punk couldn't be bothered to even do the minimum to look the part. I like a lot of things about CM Punk's character and ability. At the same time he will always be an angry backyard wrestler trying to live his late 90's fantasy.

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  102. Let it be understood, I LOVE big dumb action movies with over the top heroes, but they don't MOVE me. There is no humanity in it. Cena is the same way, his character has no soul--he's just an action hero. The problem is multiplied because Cena is a shitty action hero, he's FAR too cuddly to play all conquering bad ass. Lesnar is an action hero proper, HHH plays action hero.



    Here is the piss off, there is something ALL of us, Jocks, geeks, and freaks alike can relate too--we love wrestling. THAT'S the universal baby face trait, passion for the sport! It's the one thing we DON'T knock Cena for, It's the thing that made Bryan a legend of the indys in ROH, it's what drove Punk to be "the best in the world"



    Yet in the WWE that is a HEEL character trait, just ask AJ Lee

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  103. Is Bryan a "hardcore nerd" on TV, I don't remember him ever being anything other then a Wrestler who really likes yelling YES!


    You don't have to be EXACTLY like someone to relate to them, GOOD story telling lets you relate to someone from any circumstance.

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  104. ...What character is that exactly...His entire character is yelling YES!


    I miss all the quirky things he did as Bryan Danielson
    "I have until 5 referee!"

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  105. That's true. But it wasn't soo long and he lost it against Kane (at least for one day ;-)).

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  106. This is not good story telling.

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  107. I always thought it was less realistic to have longer title reigns, especially in this era of 2+ TVs a week and more than 12 PPVs a week. I thought it was more realistic to have more title changes, and have more than one challenger gunning for the title at a time. (I don't mean that the champion should fight in triple threat matches all the time, but title-feuds should have more than one layer in them.)

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  108. No, it's AWFUL story tellling, I was specifically responding to

    "I think the problem here is that most people can neither relate to the hardcore nerd or the high school QB that gets the hottest girl at school"


    I'm saying connections with those characters can be established, the WWE just doesn't know how to do it.

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  109. Actually if you look at punk now vs. near the end of his reign he definitely looks to be in better shape. I think I noticed it around the time of the Brock feud.

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  110. They do.


    His name is John Cena.

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  111. Remember when he got angry and needed to go to anger management class? Neither do the writers.

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  112. I bitched about it a lot during his title reign. He was starting to look like a cruiserweight guy.

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  113. Meh, Austin was basically the top guy (with or without the belt) from Royal Rumble 1998 to No Mercy 1999, that's a pretty damn long run in the Attitude era.

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  114. At the same time he will always be an angry backyard wrestler trying to live his late 90's fantasy.


    Lolwhat? Find me a backyard wrestler with a tenth of his talent!

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  115. As long as they don't care if the guy gets cheered or booed out of the building. In that case is your man but I think they are keeping him away from this story for just a little while.

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  116. 100's on the indy scene.

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  117. Hell, that piece of shit (and it's NOT Russo, for once [Cornette face]) is probably ECSTATIC at what the WWE's become.


    And I'd love to erase him from history.

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  118. Indy professional and backyard wrestler are not the same thing.

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  119. Here's another conspiracy theory I just made up:

    HHH and Co have orchestrated all of this to convince Cena that he can't go around putting people over clean, because there's no one worthy. So he should make staying on top his main objective, essentially joining the darkside and leading to a new era of Cenamania running wild, all while HHH steeples his hands and says "Good..for this business."

    Wait, did I accidentally come up with what should have been the plot for the Star Wars prequels?

    ReplyDelete
  120. Someone from the BE A STAR campaign, once they get to the Cena-Ryback feud. Maybe Arquette gets the double he so richly deserves...


    (snicker)


    (chuckle... fuck it, I'm laughing)... damn, I wonder how far I could've taken that if it didn't make me laugh and cry at the same time?

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  121. The beard, mic work, etc.

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  122. you make a good point. Really, I'm not up on the feuds, but I'll give the next ppv a go, sure.

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  123. If there's ever an angle that needs a Jesse Baker fantasy booking idea, its this one. Come in Scott, I know there are 17 in your inbox!

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  124. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryOctober 28, 2013 at 10:06 AM

    He did work for your favorite promotion, IWA-MS. That's basically backyard wrestling.

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  125. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryOctober 28, 2013 at 10:09 AM

    And he beat Cena clean at Summerslam. Granted, that only happened because Cena was injured, but to compare Bryan to Ryder (who still sucks, BTW) is pretty sillly.

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  126. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryOctober 28, 2013 at 10:15 AM

    Fuck them, too.

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  127. "The huge pop when Ziggler cashed in should tell you how the audience felt about it. "

    To be fair, that was also a crowd that chanted the Fandango song nonstop. And that really didn't have a shelf life beyond a week, except in my heart and IPod. I look at that pop as being expertly timed to capitalize on where he would get the huge reaction. When he lost AJ and Big E he pretty much lost the crowd I feel.

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  128. Your_Favourite_LoserOctober 28, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    hi stephanie and paul!

    ReplyDelete
  129. The story is, "Daniel Byan is not a tippy-top guy, here's John Cena to save the day!"

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  130. The problem with that analogy is that punk and Bryan are elite athletes, pretty much in the top 1% of the wrestling world, making tons of money, banging really hot chicks etc, and I don't really think that makes them a good representive for any kind of down trodden people. If anything cena (who I admit I like) is a better representive of geeky "losers" because of his cornball babyface schtick and sticking up for people/ anti bully stuff.

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  131. Probably an understatement

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  132. Nevermind that their audience is in fact more "nerds" than jocks to begin with. Why am I going to pay $60 to watch the quarterback beat up on the nerd when I was the nerd in high school?

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  133. So another thing, has this angle really helped Orton either? A no finish, a win with interference, and a "loss" to Bryan followed by the Abeyance reign. This 3 ppv streak has made both guys look worse, IMO. Ortons heel heat is being syphoned off by HHH, who is then taking this heat and syphoning it off even more by playing this "shades of grey" heel. Great booking of the lead heel. Its hard to do but there is a way to book feuds where both guys look better, or at least one guy comes out looking better.

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  134. Maybe, but that is not the way most fans, or the writers/McMahons see them. To look at Punk or Bryan there is nothing elite looking about them... you could somewhat say the same for their characters

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  135. " Imagine going back in time and telling 96-97 Shawn that he'd do that in 2013."


    96-97 Shawn: I'm still gonna be alive in 2013? Well shit... (pops another Soma)

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  136. "If anything cena (who I admit I like) is a better representive of geeky
    "losers" because of his cornball babyface schtick and sticking up for
    people/ anti bully stuff."


    The flaw is your linking "Geek" with "loser"


    We (geek friends and I) are all happy people, we don't want to be anything other then what we are! we WANT the geeks to be the top 1%, and in many cases believe that in the real world they are (Bill Gates anyone?). That's what makes them the heroes. Being successful doesn't make you the enemy or un-relatable. I don't think I'm a loser, why would I want to cheer for a loser?


    Hell, I'd say making geek and loser the same thing is EXACTLY what we're talking about. Vince and HHH think they are the same thing and doesn't understand the appeal of Bryan.

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  137. Ugh, don't fucking remind me.


    Punk always took being a wrestler seriously though, not like 90% of the fuck-ups in the tournament of Death like xOMGx or Viper

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  138. Also, "Geek" and "Loser" aren't the same thing :p

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  139. As pissed as people are for what hhh has legitimacy done behind the scenes to hinder the careers of iwc favorites, there aren't many guys that have been as fucked over by him as Orton. 2004, 2009, and since summerslam this year are three times Orton was legitimately on to something and hhh couldn't have fucked it up more for him. You could argue that Daniel Bryan has gained a tiny bit from this angle (no where near what he should have and you could definitely make an argument that it hurt him) but Orton has been nothing more than hhh's ineffective avatar. You have orton showing flashes of just top notch heel work (like the miz beating) and doing a little bit of great heel mic work but then he's relegated to just standing their while hhh talks, being told he sucks/not getting the job done, getting cut off mid sentence by Stephanie, and let's not forget hewas standing right next to bryan when hhh said he only works with stars, and he didn't mention Orton on the list of guys he considers stars. Also the whole face of the wwe thing is kind of implying Orton is just a empty corporate stooge who needs hhh to fix his matches for him. The summerslam finish made Orton look like an evil heel. The last three ppv endings made Orton look like he sucks.

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  140. Of course not... and if I stated/implied that I didn't mean to (I work in IT for fucks sake) I am just saying that overflowing balls of machismo like HHH and Vince see it that way, and book from that perspective.

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  141. IMO neither is a thing. People are just people. Those are just dumb labels that don't even work anymore. That's why I put on the parentheses. In school I played 4 years of varsity basketball, watched wrestling and was a full fledged iwc guy, and I did drugs. Does that make me a jock, hippy, or nerd? I just think that these old labels are dead and buried.

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  142. To be fair every wrestler in history is/was living out their childhood fantasy. I do agree though, Punk seems like one of those guys that just always had a real attitude issue that's never going to change. It seems so from his documentary at any rate. I have no doubt that were this a different time in the business he'd be Raven, bouncing from promotion to promotion and back, never doing more than a couple years at a clip and always being brilliant for the business but never reaching the top.

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  143. Thats true I suppose.....but he still was more over than most of the roster a week later as was Fandango

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  144. Well I put loser in parentheses because I don't link them. I just think that cm punk or Daniel Bryan have way more in common with the star qb with a convertible and a hot gf than they do with someone who spent their time pursuing non athletic interests

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  145. That is true. Vkm and his entourage have a very homo erotic body builder thing going on but for the typical viewer watching his show (and not even the work rate fans that would appreciate them anyway) may no longer giant muscles with in ring prowess. Not that they give a shit what the fans think. Either way we are probably getting a 45 minute hhh match at wmxxx which makes us all losers in a way.

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  146. Oh no, it's obliterated Orton, he's barely able to speak for himself in this angle. It's like Ken Shamrock being the Corporate Champion instead of the Rock.

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  147. Charismatic e-Negro Jef VinsonOctober 28, 2013 at 11:52 AM

    I was going for Broadus Clay, but we're not miles off.

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  148. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryOctober 28, 2013 at 11:53 AM

    There's a wrestler named xOMGx? The fuck? Dolph Ziggler sees that and thinks "What a stupid fucking name!"

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  149. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryOctober 28, 2013 at 12:12 PM

    Hell no. If anything, Orton comes out of this looking worse than Bryan does.

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  150. Charismatic e-Negro Jef VinsonOctober 28, 2013 at 12:12 PM

    Because using your analogy the jock gets the cheerleader NOW when everyone's interest is the highest, while the geek gets the cheerleader 15 years from now after he gets his degree and the big job. And just like the story I just told by the time the geek gets all that no one cares because they've moved on and the cheerleader is used up.
    That is how HHH works. By the time the person he faces gets his revenge no one cares. He sucked when it mattered.

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  151. Orton has been made to look like a chump too. He's needed HHH's help to win 2 titles and the one time HHH didn't help him, he lost. NO ONE CAN SUCCEED WITHOUT HHH

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  152. I don't think Cena will get involved for awhile. He'll be doing something with Del Rio I would assume. My dream would be for Punk and Cena to go at it again. They seem to bring the best out in each other.

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  153. Hell even the summerslam cash in needed HHH to Pedigree Bryan before Orton could get the pin.

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  154. Anyone remember all of those times The Iron Sheik screwed Hulk Hogan out of winning the title until Hulk finally overcame the odds and won his 10th title shot 10 months into Sheik's reign in front of a half empty crowd at MSG? Yeah, me neither.

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  155. WWE: Where it's 2006 every day of the week.

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  156. Backyard wrestling actually draws bigger crowds.

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  157. Charismatic e-Negro Jef VinsonOctober 28, 2013 at 1:25 PM

    They could get the the breast cancer chick. Susan whatshername.
    (Yes, I know she's dead)

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  158. Charismatic e-Negro Jef VinsonOctober 28, 2013 at 1:28 PM

    At least DBry got to take it home overnight. Luger barely got to wear it long enough to know what it felt like.

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  159. Maybe they got confused about the money being in the chase, so decided to double their money with both the Heel and Face chasing?


    First The Nexus "invasion" being squashed to five Cena something to do, The Summer of Punk 2 being squashed to give Kevin Nash a final PPV match against HHH, Punks year long reign being mostly non-Main Event to keep Cena above him for Mainia, Now Bryan' s Main Event climb just being an uphill swim through the same old guff.
    I couldn't invest in Bryan solely because I knew we would all end up back at the start with HHH sucking in the heat like Unicron, or Cena pushing back to the front of the card because it's "safer" that way.


    WWE is the Macdonald' s of Pro Wrestling, it seems like a good idea at the time but it's never as good as you remember it was when you were a kid and couldn't get it all the time, also it goes through you in about two seconds because there's nothing of substance in it. I think I'll just stick with Yo Sushi since Japanese stuff seems to suit my pallet a bit better these days.

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  160. Zack Ryder didn't lose in 18 seconds at Wrestlemania 28.

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  161. And Austin had to earn his title shots when he returned.

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  162. Bullshit, show me a backyard fed that did 2200 paid

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  163. Yes, xOMGx Is an Iraq war vet with the Autobots insignia tattooed on one arm and the Decepticons insignia on the other.

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  164. Orton went from directionless upper-card babyface in May/June to WWE champion, PPV main-eventer and top (wrestling) heel in the company by September. So yeah, I'd say it's helped him.

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  165. Man, you just dont get it

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  166. Yeah I say that is has helped him in that regard, although I don't think he was doing too badly before as a face. The biggest thing this angle has given him is some direction, as much as some people wouldn't want to admit it, Orton was one of the top faces in the company and consistently got the biggest pops. I got a kick out of his "do blatantly bad stuff, but still get cheered for it" shtick and that shit eatin grin he had on his face while doing it.

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  167. No, he only jobbed to a spare tire that wasn't around Dusty Rhodes' midsection.

    I forgot my point, but that's still funny/sad.

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  168. That never stopped them from using someone in the storylines (sup, Eddie?)

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  169. Yeah like I always took Booker and "his people" being a subtext for WCW guys, cause they didn't destroy the company enough with the Invasion.

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  170. Oh it gets worse! Alberto is still a WHC contender?

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  171. Stevie Richards wrote for the Attitude Era?

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  172. Hey who else felt like that? I wonder what happened to that company?

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  173. His name was Mok, thanks a lot.

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  174. But if you do, it will display a want for a more classic product. Though, now this situation and the comments about it being like Crockett make me think...maybe the HHH is a Crockett fan thing we had high hopes for wasn't such a godsend after all? He has tried some positive things (tag team reboot attempts, getting Bruno), but you know, one step forward, etc. etc.

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  175. Next thing, all the interview subjects will have to mention Triple H at least once.

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  176. Yeah...it reminds me of the Benoit tribute. Vince actually did what everyone said they should have done for Owen, and then this happens. I guess that's why he feels safer being an asshole.

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  177. Either way, just look at the 2002-03 results. They were so obviously signing the big WCW names just to kill them off one by one, by jobbing or putting them in degrading situations.

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  178. Are you kidding me? I mean, your own comment makes the point far better than I ever could, simply because of your apparently need to parenthetical Orton's status as the top heel. At least when he was an upper-midcard babyface, he was still extremely over and could be counted on to draw reactions wrestling whoever. Now? He's just some guy who holds the title because that's where Triple H wants it. They haven't bothered giving him an actual heel character because they're using all of their motivations on establishing Triple H, not Orton.


    So no, no this has not helped him. He's turned from being an over babyface who could be plugged into the main event as necessary into a subordinate heel champion who will now wrestle....who? Where does Orton go from here? There's nothing for him to do in this slot. The only babyface with enough credibility to challenge him is Punk, who has been off doing his own thing and for whom a sudden push into the WWE Title picture might cause the entire WWE Universe to suffer massive whiplash. And if not Punk, who? Christian? The fucking Miz? Orton may have felt he had nowhere left to go as a babyface, but now that he is where he is.....there's *really* nowhere for him to go now.

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  179. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 29, 2013 at 2:09 AM

    I live in Australia.

    And I'm Australian.

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  180. Big Dick McGillicuttyOctober 29, 2013 at 2:22 AM

    Then NPP are wankers.

    I don't look at Chris Benoit footage when he was a heel and go, "what a dastardly son of a bitch! Killed his wife and kid! I hope he gets beaten up real bad!"

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  181. So if you were Randy Orton back in June and HHH came to you like, "We're going to have you win MITB next month, win the WWE title at SummerSlam and main-event every PPV after that until WrestleMania. But to do that, we'll have to turn you heel" ... you would've said, "No thanks, I'm good. The fans are really reacting to me right now."

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  182. Yes BUT he wasn't John Superman who won everything, but he also lost a lot matches and he wasn't even champion from fall 98 to Wrestlemania 15.

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  183. In a vacumn, turning Orton heel and sticking him in the main event is fine. As played, yes, yes I would've rather been in Orton's shoes pre-turn than post.

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  184. Krispy Kreme McDonaldOctober 30, 2013 at 5:27 PM

    Late to the party but once dustin leaves, codys heat is gone

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