Scott Keith lays it all the line with a look at who has a shot to win the prestigious Money In The Bank briefcase on Sunday's WWE show, and more importantly who does not. Which is pretty much everyone.
Figured I'd try for something closer to my normal "voice" with this one. Please continue to share and enjoy.
If I could get those odds, I would definitely bet a penny on Jack Swagger winning.
ReplyDeleteYeah! I like that you abandoned the safe-style you were using so far. Great read, I also think that the Rollins/Ambrose conflict will play out separately to the winner, Barrett.
ReplyDelete"It has been suggested that they could always play the long con and have Rollins win the briefcase early in the show, and then cash in on the eventual HHH-sanctioned champion at the end of the night (say, Orton) to reform the Shield and reveal that they were just playing the Authority for fools. This particular type of scenario has the double disadvantage of giving people what they want and making HHH out to be someone who got played, so you can see why it would never fly."
This^ would also be acceptable
And you'd be one penny poorer.
ReplyDeleteNow, to be fair Scott, "comic convention cosplay reject" could describe half the roster.
ReplyDeletePlus Adam Rose's entire entourage.
ReplyDeleteThat penny would buy me a dream of roaring around town in a Tesla Model S!
ReplyDeleteTJ: 40 year old virgin is on. Carrol's timing, lines, and delivery are all awesome in this.
ReplyDeleteBeen watching it, movie still holds up quite well...
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of Ambrose/Rollins canceling each other out, leading to some kind of a blowoff gimmick match at Battleground. This opens the door for really only Barrett, since as Scott noted, the other guys would all be huge longshots. I know WWE has picked surprise briefcase winners in the past (Swagger himself, Sandow last year was out of nowhere, even both of Punk's wins were rather out of nowhere) but really, having RVD/Ziggler/Kofi/Swagger take it would seem like a waste, barring a major shift in how any of their characters are presented.
ReplyDeleteThis match would seem a lot more interesting if Rusev or the Rhodes brothers were added to the mix. Rusev because he'd the biggest looming threat, and the RhodesDusts because the briefcase could add a new element to their angle. Does Cody win to establish himself as Stardust, or does he get a big head and dump his 'weak link' brother to become a single? Or does Goldust win the case and we get a 'veteran pursuing his last shot at a world title' angle, perhaps also featuring Cody turning heel to cost his brother the match or getting jealous at the attention Dustin is getting?
Anyway, with Barrett holding the case, it also gives WWE some leeway in deciding when to pull the trigger on the cash-in given how muddled the world title situation is right now. Presumably the plan is Cena/Lesnar at Summerslam with Brock winning the title, though would he turn around and lose it to Bryan (if he's able) at Night of Champions? Or does WWE put Brock over Bryan and then have HHH be a dick and suddenly allow Lesnar to take months between title defenses, thus proving Bryan to be right in not wanting to surrender the belt because he'd get screwed. Brock defends maybe once between NOC and Wrestlemania, setting up Brock vs. Rumble winner Roman Reigns at WM31 to put Roman over the top once and for all as the next big star.
With this scenario, now that I think about it, it actually sets up better for a face MITB holder. Imagine Kofi, Dolph or RVD holding the case but unable to cash in since Lesnar is almost never there. Sets up an easy angle possibly involving the face feuding with Heyman in order to draw Brock out, or the face announcing he's cashing in at the Rumble or Survivor Series with added pressure since this is the 'one' chance to stop Brock holding the title hostage.
Lots of cool ideas to use here, so of course WWE will choose none and have Barrrett cash in and lose to Roman in three minutes on the post-WM31 Raw.
Yeah, that last idea sounds cool.
ReplyDeleteI could kind of see them giving Ziggler the win, purely on 'fuck you you never saw that coming did you' basis.
ReplyDeleteThat and it makes zero sense. If in doubt, just assume Vince will go with the most ass backwards nonsensical outcome.
Or whoever has the best thighs...
ReplyDeleteSurprise entrant Mongo for the win baby!!! Sorry, all the Mongo talk on here lately kind of makes me want to see him back...kind of.
ReplyDeleteYour ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
ReplyDeleteSeth Rollins in the old double-swerve cashing in on Orton and reforming the Shield is my favorite idea here, but "I'VE GOT SOME BAD NEWS!" + Briefcase= Money. I don't know if anybody has had the potential for MitB to enhance/upgrade their character since Edge first won it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Ziggler doesn't have much of a chance, but I can't believe the words, "no chance to win" are still bandied about in a post-Streak world.
I wouldn't either, but not because i doubt they'd want to push him, because up until a couple of months ago they seemed ready to hand him the world.
ReplyDeleteAt this point I think it's pretty clear that it takes a sustained, highly vocal support of somebody for WWE to actually change their plans. They've only really done it twice, with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.
ReplyDeleteThey wouldn't change plans with Reigns even if the smart crowds started giving him Cena heat... which is probably for the best in this case, because it's almost certain to happen as soon as he wins the title and starts getting more main event TV time than Bryan or any other IWC favorite.
That's the problem with IWC support in principle. Once you lose the 'us vs them' appeal and become endorsed by the establishment, you immediately become part of the problem. Had Bryan stayed healthy, I would have given him till SummerSlam before the Cena heat kicked in and smart fans were begging for him to turn heel.
You're trying to make way too much sense out of WWE. The booking, scratch that, writing, is way more random. Add more poop.
ReplyDeleteSince my gf is now studying to take the bar, I am legally obligated to mention how much I love lawyers. At least, she said I was. Who am I to argue? She graduated law school and I didn't.
ReplyDeleteNo. Think about it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/search?q="stop+to+think+about+it"
I've got to say, Bayless, this may be the best BoD Raw yet. Even the post show on the BoD Network had a compelling angle.
ReplyDeleteBut let me tell you something right now, Mr. GM: The Administration is going down on Sunday. It doesn't matter how many jabronis you throw at the Midcard Mafia. You can have your parking attendant, your floor mopper or your jizz mopper come after us for all I care. IT WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Do you understand? It won't make a difference. I was trained by parallax1978, GOD DAMN IT! I'm better than your ridiculous administration!
Me, Magoonie and The Brick are going to come in there on Sunday, take out your support staff and make sure you are all alone. And then, Mr. GM, I'm coming for you. Somewhere down the line, I'll be waiting for you. Oh yeah, Bayless. Someday soon, it's gonna be you and me. And trust me. You won't like the results.
Believe.
Way to oversimplify what I was saying, Andy. And to think, I was coming in here this morning to try and make peace.
ReplyDeleteSigh.
I think he does both just fine.
ReplyDeleteSo, I hit the sack before the main event and I miss out on Kane getting added to the MitB match. Fantastic. I guess the match was lacking in the big man department.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but smile, though, with the Vicki send-off. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but she got to toss three divas in the mud before getting kicked in by Stephanie, and then Vicki got to toss Stephanie in the mud, too. For all the complaints about how Stephanie can't get her come-uppence - there you go. It might not be a face beat down, but it's more than we usually get, so I'll take it.
Once again, I'm looking forward to the show on Sunday, even though I don't think there will be many surprises. The two ladder matches should deliver and Cody Rhodes is entertaining.
Andy - as usual, nice recap.
The Rollins idea now has me excited.
ReplyDeleteIf i don't go back anr backspace and fix everything, nearly everything i type looks like. that. at least this one has auto suggest.
ReplyDeleteSee, it's promos like this that prove Ferrari is the engine behind The Mafia.
ReplyDeleteIf they did the Megapowers vs Sting/Luger guess who the fans would cheer for. Me thinks that is the reason it never happened. Of course, you could always have Luger turn on Sting. Then Sting would just forgive him the next week anyway.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I thought they could do a lot more with Sting and Luger than what they did. They kind of remind me of Shawn and Cory from "Boy Meets World". It was a Bromance before it had a name.
ReplyDeleteYou've got something here. I don't think having two guys turn heel on their partner has ever happened in a match before. I like it.
ReplyDeleteI can't decide what I want to see more: The Shield swerve that brings the team back together of Barrett with the briefcase because of the "I've got some BAD NEWS" cash-in. Two very awesome options for the secondary MitB match. I'm guessing they go with Barrett and run with the Ambrose-Rollins feud.
ReplyDeleteOrton or Cena get the belt - depending on whether they really want to drop the straps to Brock at the SummerSlam. You'd have to swap the title to someone lower down the card for Barrett to believably cash-in. He's not beating Brock, Orton or Cena (well, maybe Cena or Orton...).
I clearly remember the announcers constantly saying that Luger is simply not in the class of Hulk Hogan, basically saying he has zero chance to win... DURING THE MATCH... Way to build up drama, guys!!
ReplyDeleteAww shucks...
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Edge.
ReplyDelete...see? Now I want a plate of neck bones.
ReplyDeleteEVERYONE!
ReplyDeleteHe's the bad guy.
ReplyDeleteI did not watch a minute of this show, nor did I read anything about it.
ReplyDeleteWith that say, I will assume that everyone hated it, while I would say that it was pretty good. [/thread]
Because WCW
ReplyDeleteSo the heel authority figure shows preferential treatment to a guy who's been loyal to him in the past 6 months?? OH THE AUDACITY!!
ReplyDeleteThat's all we're doing. Everyone fits in a category now.
ReplyDeleteDid not expect Ambrose to be the Jannetty of The Shield. Or the Buddy Roberts, as the situation may be. He'll make it though, crean always rises.
ReplyDeleteI thought your girlfriend was dancing on the bar?
ReplyDeleteYep, I had zero interest in Bo 2 years ago, even with his win over Barrett. But this is a wonderful example that it's all in the character. He was born with the most punchable "$#!T eating grin" on the planet, and now he's one of my favorite characters in the past 10 years. The guy has a wonderful future, whether it's in the upper half of the card or not. I BO-LIEVE!!
ReplyDeleteNo no no. That's where I FOUND her, but she's come down, sobered up and started studying now.
ReplyDeleteBoD RAW needs dancers in cages called the "post whores"
ReplyDeleteIf the endgame is Cena/Lesnar, I think they almost have to go with Barrett so he can cash-in on the babyface who eventually beats Brock. Now, the Shield idea has some intriguing possibilities, but I'm not sure if Rollins should be the babyface MiTB holder unless the Shield decide to defend under Freebird Rules or something (since Reigns should eventually be the one to cash-in and dethrone Brock). Part of me also wonders if the whole "Cena Wins LOL!" story is a WWE-sponsored swerve and we get a couple of winners completely out of left field.
ReplyDeleteHis dancing during R-Truth's entrance was hysterical
ReplyDeleteDoes Kofi have an apartment in Punk's building?
ReplyDeleteYes but does Luger man up and not let things slide when you hurt his friends and hurt his pride?
ReplyDeleteSo what you're saying is.... Dolph's gonna win?
ReplyDeleteYep, I have a facebook friend, she's a former Rasslin' fan... I've been sending her clips of Bo, her exact quote about the R-Truth one: "I cannot watch this, or I will smash my laptop".
ReplyDeleteThe previous week "I wanna throw furniture at this guy"
BO IS AWESOME!
This was WCW... So the REAL question is, did he have Red White and Blue running through his veins?
ReplyDeleteOh I guarantee you will not stop watching. (and Vince will never die. EVER)
ReplyDeleteToday's the seventh anniversary of Benoit. Though not necessarily when I found out. Wasn't it the next day?
ReplyDelete*storms into the room with a briefcase full of money*
ReplyDelete*slams it down on the table*
DOLPH ZIGGLER is my pick to win! All in, pooches!
*storms out of the room, leaving the money on the table*
No, Disqus, I don't think you understand. I want to downvote this guy MORE than once!
ReplyDeleteYes. And he's always dropping in out of the blue like Kramer.
ReplyDeleteI'm suddenly picturing Kofi burst in like Kramer...only doing a handstand. And it's hilarious.
ReplyDeleteBest RAW tribute show of all time.
ReplyDeleteNo, I think - THINK - it was found out DURING RAW. Like, halfway through the tribute show.
ReplyDeleteINCONCEIVABLE!
ReplyDeleteThey found out he was dead before that.
ReplyDeleteNo no, I know. I'm saying some of the ugly truth behind the death was starting to come out about halfway through the show.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people do not appreciate the subtle heel mannerisms from Stephanie that are just brilliant. When she's singing nana nana hey hey to Vickie, she slows down with a look of concern on her face as Vickie turns and she realizes what's happening. So subtle, yet so good.
ReplyDeletethank you Vickie.
ReplyDeleteGotta keep the Hulkster looking strong, brother.
ReplyDeleteE-thug alert!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think that's how I remember. I remember that Monday I changed by Facebook profile pic to Benoit doing a flying headbutt which I still cringe about.
ReplyDeleteRegal said to wait until all the details emerged before rushing to judgement during the show. But no details until the next day.
ReplyDeleteAfter months of speculation, we've got on good authority Sting (Seth Gordon) has in fact signed his WWE contract. The story goes that it was sitting on his coffee table for months, got wrapped up watching "Orange is the New Black" and he truly just forgot about it. With this in mind, a new wrinkle has been added to the MITB match, with Vince and HHH (Saul Leveck) considering adding a few surprise entrants, one of them being Sting, the other possibly being considered as a maybe is Alicia Fox, with El Torito high on everyone's short list as well (pun intended). One has to think, with renewal dates coming soon for the Network, all stops will be pulled. What this really means, who knows, but expect a lot of plans to change, but one that is set in stone appears to be Brock Lesnar vs Adam Rose at Night of Champions.
ReplyDeleteI want the C-List belt. That's mine to lose.
ReplyDeleteThe way I remember it is that details came out late Monday night and the official announcement of murder was Tuesday. I'm on the west coast and was watching raw at 9 o'clock Pacific time and details started emerging about halfway through Raw. I remember distinctly turning on Raw and being shocked that Benoit was dead, then going online and reading updates throughout the show. Somewhere in there, it was announced police suspected murder and I turned off the show.
ReplyDeleteHe's not the Jannetty or the Buddy Roberts of the Shield.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they did it with an empty arena and no live matches because they suspected murder all along.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vickie!
ReplyDeleteThe odds jokes got a few chuckles out of me.
ReplyDeleteI would watch the hell out of that show. I guess just call it Punk? AJ as Elaine? Who would be George? Luke Gallows? I don't know if he's wacky enough.
ReplyDeletePunk didn't FORCE anything. The guy was mostly well-booked throughout his run in the company, and ran with his opportunities. They let him "shoot" on the company and then beat their top star (almost) clean right afterwards on PPV.
ReplyDeleteYou're gonna have to EARN it the old fashioned way...by bribing Bayless.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like it, that's fine (I don't either since I'm not a fan of Kane's wrestling) but it's perfectly logical.
ReplyDeleteI know it is. My comment was due to an argument from the live thread. Don't worry about it.
ReplyDeleteFrom the September 18, 1995 Observer:
ReplyDelete*Look for Sabu (Ted Gooch) to have a lengthy run in WCW. There is speculation of building a stable of invaders from ECW around him called the nWo, with the other members being Shane Douglas and Cactus Jack (Mark Finley). Yeah, that sounds like it's got a lot of legs.
*I can confirm first hand that the bulge in Alex Wright's trunks is legit.
*Sid (Sam Eunick) was originially scheduled to win the IC belt here, but plans changed due to him needing time off to coach his sons Tee ball team...or maybe he was playing on the team, we are not sure.
*Look for Duke Droese to return soon under a mask working a lucha garbage man gimmick, La Basura.
I feel ashamed that I actually thought this was legit after reading 1/3 of the way.
ReplyDeleteHogan should have ran away from Luger to protect Elizabeth. That is great drama!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't funny the first time and now its getting worse.
ReplyDeleteIf they suspected murder all along, they never would have done a tribute to him in the first place. Nobody in the mainstream would have given a shit if Vince didn't "honor the memory" or whatever of one of his wrestlers. No sense in taking the PR risk.
ReplyDeleteOH MAN ARE YOU DRUNK AGAIN HAW HAW
ReplyDeleteI assume Ziggler being put in a MITB match is because he'll do crazy shit and make the match better, and not because it'll actually get him anywhere afterwards - I was going to say I at least hope he gets a nice payoff from this, but they don't get ppv payoffs any more.
ReplyDeleteThis article depressed me because it truly articulated how much Dolph Ziggler has fallen over the past year.
ReplyDeleteI love how your normal voice is you telling the first emailer he has the worst idea in the world.
ReplyDeleteTJ: LEBRON OPTED OUT
ReplyDeleteI'd rank it:
ReplyDelete1. Ambrose
2. Rollins
3. Barrett
4. RVD
5. Swagger
6. Kingston
7. Ziggler
Smart money says that Ambrose and Rollins cancel each other out so they can continue this feud, but if that's true, the only viable contender for the case is Barrett and while that would be awesome, I don't feel like that's where they're going. I say Ambrose wins (since Reigns isn't) and the story becomes Seth Rollins tasked by Triple H to fix his fuckup and get the case back.
Also, peep the Ambrose fallout segment from Raw on YouTube. That man is MONEY on the mic.
After falling sleep to a brutal Doink-Backlund match from late 1994 the other day, I am actually happy Uncle Eric was a total dick when Nitro took off.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite follow-up on that:
ReplyDelete"Not to worry, Tom. Things get misconstrued in 140 characters. Chris Broussard also sent a follow-up tweet: "...on Dwayne Wade. Funeral services will be held on Thursday." "
Except that's 100% the truth in this case. Heel authority figures can do whatever the hell they want. If they're going to do something against "logic," the reasoning being "Because we can do whatever the hell we want" is about as good of a storytelling reason as you can go with.
ReplyDeleteThat explains a lot.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think you're misreading WWE's view of Ambrose. I certainly don't think he's being written off in any way. Hell, much of the MITB briefcase match was built around favoring Rollins and Ambrose slipping himself in. He's one of only two guys who actually has a story behind his participation.
ReplyDeleteI really, really enjoyed this RAW from top to bottom, basically.
ReplyDeleteAndy, nice review, as always. One thing I have to disagree with you on, Wyatt
has explained last week and last night that he wants the belt, because the man
with the belt has all the power. It makes perfect sense for his character to want it. I don’t think he’ll win it, but the motivation is there. I have to believe the Family will win the tag titles on Sunday, and they looked GREAT holding them up in the ring last night. As far as plucky babyface teams, I think The Usos are also filling that role brilliantly.
I'll be one of the few people who defends the new entrance for Rowan and Harper - creepy and amateurish harmonica music that makes people say "what the fuck is this?", no video or effects, just a black entrance ramp with one spotlight. I think it fits their characters perfectly, and it's so different from everyone else's entrance.
ReplyDeleteIRREGARDLES = NOT A WORD. Thank you, The Sopranos, for making malapropisms like this one into actual words that people use in their vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling it'll end up being Barrett. Rollins winning is too obvious and I can't really see Ambrose carrying the case around for months. Kofi/Dolph/RVD are all there to do crazy bumps off the ladders. Swagger's there cause they needed seven guys for the match. Barrett is a guy that could make carrying the case around for months entertaining and then it'd finally push him to the next level whenever he cashes in.
ReplyDeleteI thought Rollins cut a great promo last night, actually. And surprisingly, so did RVD. Really, that whole segment, from the point where Triple H came out to the ring alone, all the way through to Rollins and Triple H talking about Ambrose backstage, was A+ storytelling and execution from all players. Ambrose seems like he could be a huge star now.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more. I was dreading the Vickie/Stephanie thing, but Stephanie took that shove into the pool like a true McMahon. Say what you will about them dominating too much TV time, when they sell, they SELL. Vickie getting to leave with “Viva La Raza” and the little Eddie shimmy was great. She will actually be missed by this guy.
ReplyDeleteI know time travel would have to be possible for this to work, but they need to give him a Bo-liever, someone dumb enough to actually be inspired by him: Eugene would've been perfect.
ReplyDeleteEmma would work too.
They could do his victory lap with him
Cameron was pretty damn awful on commentary, and it seemed
ReplyDeletelike Cole and JBL were legit annoyed with her. I think the segment served its purpose, and was booked well in a sense, but Cameron nearly ruined it by being so obvious with her, “I don’t think my partner is the greatest” type of talk. We get it, Cameron, you’re going to turn heel on your partner who is much better than you in every way. Paige will retain due to Funkadactyl explosion. Cameron is basically a heel on Total Divas anyways.
Bo Dallas is fantastic. Between the "Mr. NXT" match on NXT and this performance this week, I'm 100% a Bo-Liever. He's clearly getting cheered because he’s hilarious. This is just like Heel Rock circa 98/99, where he was an absolute asshole, but you had to love him for it. Bo is so delusional and oblivious, it’s really kind of charming.
And her intentionally off-key singing of the song was even better. Stephanie was great in that segment, as was Vickie.
ReplyDeleteI believe Rollins is winning the case and cashing in at Mania.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It sounds and looks so crude and backwoods, and it's perfect for the two of them. The fans even started singing along to it a little after their match, so I think it's a great choice, and keeps them slightly separated from Bray. Reminds me of how DX had their general DX theme, but each guy in the group had their own theme too.
ReplyDeleteIt was a really fitting send-off considering how much crap Vicki has gone through in the last few years, and at least she got some measure of revenge, which I completely appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI will totally miss Vicki. She took that roll and embraced it with all she had. You don't get that level of dedication from most of the guys on the roster.
I agree with Ambrose and Rollins canceling each other out. I think the smart money is on Barrett as the "surprise" winner, since they've been pushing Rollins so much.
ReplyDeleteRollins would be the only other option out of that group.
That Goldust/Stardust segment was also incredible. The crowd last week was a little underwhelmed or shocked by Stardust, but this was a great building block towards getting him over huge.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Lana/Rusev pre-taped segment could have been enough of them, but Big E turning into a preacher and then getting beat down again was pretty funny. I’m starting to like Rusev more and more each week.
Reigns getting to stand tall at the end of the show was nice, but Kane? Is that really
necessary? If Big Show can stay off TV for a while, can’t Kane? Also, is Reigns going to be "the guy" this Sunday? They're almost telegraphing it too much. I think he'll win the Rumble and possibly the title at Mania, but this won't be his time yet. I really think it'll be Wyatt or Cena.
I just want the pick traded for Love.
ReplyDeleteRyan Murphy has a spot in my stable. We might need him to counteract any sneaky shit the fuj tries. Ryan you just have to stay sober UNTIL THE END OF THE MATCH!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I'd hate to see Cena win the belt again, it will be amazing to see Brock kick the crap out of him and win the strap at SummerFest. Heck, we could end up with Cena vs. Cesaro at Battleground as a Paul Heyman guy warm-up match, and that was an excellent Raw match a few months back. At the very least it's bound to happen on Raw during the Heyman/Lesnar/Cena storyline. I can't complain about Cena/Cesaro and Cena/Lesnar matches.
ReplyDeleteAs for the match for the briefcase, I actually would've loved to see Ambrose kept out of the match but about halfway through he shows up and wrestles anyway and ends up taking the briefcase, which forces the match to end. Of course, it makes more sense to PROMOTE him as part of the match, but it still would've been cool because it's something that hasn't been done before.
I'm not sure it was intentionally off-key, I think she just doesn't have a very good singing voice. Nothing wrong with it, not everyone can do it. But she is easily the best heel on TV right now.
ReplyDeleteWatching the show with my girlfriend, Steph was the only one who got a reaction, with the gf saying, "Wow, she's a bitch." Such a fantastic character.
Bo completely won me over last night, and hopefully he manages a spot on the card on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThey were wcw's Troy and abed.
ReplyDeleteSo Scott, you're saying that Swagger has a chance (to quote from Dumb and Dumber)?
ReplyDeleteWhy would they mind the Megapowers getting so many cheers?
ReplyDeleteI'd really love to see this as an elaborate plot on the part of Shield to finally outsmart the Cerebral Assassin and put the final nail in the coffin of Evolution. Rollins, the Architect, "turns" on his guys (without really costing them anything), gains the confidence of HHH to get himself a high-profile MITB match (with help along the way), and gets Ambrose in the MITB match by fooling HHH.
ReplyDeleteDoubt that's the case, though. Short-term booking with no long term plans seems to be the order of the day.
I agree! Mongo was fucking terrible and he gets a free pass for the most part.
ReplyDeleteMalenko was a perfect choice as the Tully.
ReplyDeleteI thought Mongo was pretty much a huge punchline in the IWC.
ReplyDeleteI would find that to be needlessly complicated, actually. The Shield had already defeated Evolution -- cleanly and decisively -- on a number of occasions. The very night after their win, Evolution's "muscle" abandoned the group. They were in the dominant position. There was simply no reason to "pretend" to turn against each other and align themselves with the boss.
ReplyDeleteAnd frankly, it wouldn't even make sense to argue that they did it to get closer to the title. Evolution broke up BECAUSE Triple H was unwilling to give "his boys" a shot at the title. He was actually keeping them AWAY from the gold. And on top of that, at the time there was a babyface champion -- there's no reason to think that Bryan would have ducked them in the first place.
I, for one, am greatly enjoying your '94 Raw reviews, Scott. Though having seen some of them, I can understand your pain. Appreciated!
ReplyDeleteIts always some throw away loser type who wins the secondary MITB match. Then they get jobbed out for months and finally cash in. It worked for Bryan but it was the nail in the coffin for ziggler and Sandow. There is NO WAY either shield guy wins this title. They'll carry the match and get the biggest pushes going forward by far but they aren't winning that briefcase. It will probably be Barrett, who will get jobbed out, not pushed, then cash in.
ReplyDeleteIt explains a severe lack of drinkable coffee. (I can totally relate to the "McMahon bad coffee" angle now.
ReplyDeleteLULZ, Daniel Bryan is totally berried!!!
ReplyDeleteLuger was a better worker (and much more carryable) than Mongo and had a great look and was one of the all-around best prospects in wrestling. He was still in his 20s when he became a Horseman and generally a consensus future star, who was over with the crowd. Mongo was a nothing wrestler who didn't look like the future of anything, and he is actually older than Luger but didn't join the Horsemen until ten years after Luger did. So I'd say Luger was a much better Horseman than Mongo, by a lot.
ReplyDeleteOh, in case you're tempted to change the channel, Shawn Michaels beats
ReplyDeletethe big guy with a superkick that wouldn't win a green belt at the local
YMCA.
For half a second there I thought this was Scott saying this and I'm like why is he hating on the super kick?
I actually think it could also work with a (cowardly) heel, who can constantly claim that he would take out Brock (assuming that is the plan) "if only he were here," but then constantly come up with excuses whenever Brock (or Reigns) is present.
ReplyDeleteWhether cashed in against (theoretically) Brock or Reigns, this would be a great time to have the cash in fail to make it clear that either is as cool/tough as he appears. Of course, the perfect holder in my heel scenario would be a (built-up) Sandow, who had to fail cashing in against a 1-armed Cena last year.
The Shield isn't coming back for years. Its like Seth Rollins asked last night, "it's been 3 weeks and you still aren't over it?"
ReplyDeleteSince when have Wrestlezone had sources?
ReplyDeleteNow WWE is copying TNA?
ReplyDeleteFor a little while anyway
ReplyDeleteSounds like the roster could use a pep talk from Bo Dallas.
ReplyDeleteI would be annoyed with the dress code too. It already sucks enough to be stuck in airports and flying several hours, without having to wear a full warm suit on top of that. I'd sweat like a pig.
ReplyDeleteThe dress code thing I find both annoying and hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHilarious for the fact that I got to see random pictures of guys like Snitsky and Carlito walking around in airports wearing suits. Annoying for the fact that certain talent were "exempt" because of their "gimmicks" like Taker and John Cena, and for the fact that their independent contractors, not employees.
You get points for using "berried". Because, while I thought the Kane angle was forever stupid, I did not think Bryan was getting buried. You need to keep using it when others complain about the next person getting berried.
ReplyDeleteIt's hilarious how WWE will give the guy a briefcase, and then within a few months decide to give up on him. Happened to Kennedy, Ziggler, and Sandow. It'll likely happen to Rollins or Ambrose too.
ReplyDeleteIt's still a great concept, but it's pointless for WWE to give a guy the briefcase if they aren't committed to him. Of course, there's less commitment in WWE today than a swinger's orgy, so that's not going to happen anytime soon.
I'm assuming a lot of the "boys" still drive from town to town for house shows. I wonder if the dress code applies to those shows as well, or just Raw. Either way its stupid.
ReplyDeleteI find it hilarious that when the stock price drops like a rock they start fining people for the dress code violations again.
ReplyDeletePretty sneaky Triple H.
I will admit that I stole it from that 411 guy who does the 4 R's, but ya know!
ReplyDeleteIndependent contractors or not, your contracting entity can still set forth conditions for you to meet as a representative of the company.
ReplyDeleteI think it's stupid; don't get me wrong. Nobody is thinking any higher of Vince's Wrasslin' Sideshow because they travel in buttondowns and slacks as opposed to jeans and t-shirts, but the company is well within their rights to ask.
"Instead of giving you guys Wrestlemania and video game checks, we're giving away copies of Wrestlemania 30 on Blu-ray and WWE '14 to talent. All you'll be charged for is shipping, which will be taken out of your next check."
ReplyDeleteSounds like the company I work for, when business goes down, they start getting a itchy trigger finger when it comes to fines.
ReplyDeleteTalent Meeting: I'd be jittery too. The Wyatt's should not only be exempt, but Bray should be forced to wear his white pants at all time.
ReplyDelete6 sided ring: Bow more sides to bore the masses in. It just doesn't got the bruiser style Ashley needs to portray.
Kayfabe: Schmafabe.
My #1 fan and I will be delivering neckbreaker-powerbombs all over the place!
ReplyDeleteEither that or we'l be Jeep Swenson and the Final Solution and destroy Hulkamania!
I don't know that it's suits. I never heard that. Last I knew, I thought it was just dress pants and a shitty Walmary poplin buttondown shirt.
ReplyDeleteGod, you and me both. I used to think I sweat a lot because I was fat, then when I lost weight, I still sweat a lot.
ReplyDeleteNext step is Vince requiring each WWE employee to sell the Network to 100 fans per city. He'll have everyone going door-to-door like Girl Scouts selling cookies.
ReplyDeleteComing at Bound for Glory 2014: the first ever 6 Sides of 6 Sides Battle Royal!
ReplyDelete[looks at roster]
Uh, each guy gets their own ring. To start.
[checks financials]
Uh, make that 2 Sides of 6 Sides.
I would be jittery too, if I were the midcard and undercard guys. From the beginning of the network, many of us thought one of the more interesting facets of business would be the payouts to wrestlers for PPv's. Now, here we go.
ReplyDeleteThey should have quit before even knowing.
ReplyDeleteWell, going from a paycheck to no paycheck IS interesting. You gotta admit that.
ReplyDeleteTalent: Nope, don't care enough to give a fuck. Until the wrestlers really start leaving/half-assing, it's mostly a non-story.
ReplyDeleteTNA: Can we get some more differences now? Six sides is a start, but it's time to really take a chance, and quit being WWE-lite. Or, as I've called it before, WWE as done by a middle school drama club.
KC: Justin Credible... sure, let's get David Arquette to do WCW 2000 while we're at it. Okay, that's a little harsh. Arquette at least did one nice thing with the title, or more accurately with the money he was paid as champ.
It was found out that night that Benoit probably did it..
ReplyDeleteThey did the tribute show knowing what happened was not going to look good
ReplyDeleteAnd it's double awkward for guys like Nash who always get recognized.
ReplyDeleteI can see the (stupid, but nevertheless) logic behind it for airports and such, but fuck you if you think I'm driving from Columbus, OH to Kansas City, MO in slacks and a collared shirt because you think I should.
ReplyDeleteIf Rollins is HHH's "guy" now, why wouldn't he just put him in the title ladder match?
ReplyDeleteTJ: Don't expect any updates from PWInsiderelite.com anytime soon
ReplyDeleteHa. I'm genuinely curious to see what happens in the coming years with certain lower-tier guys. Obviously, they're not going to quit, because where else are they going to go?
ReplyDeleteWell, unless that six-sided ring in TNA really sets business on fire...
Add all the sitcom writers you want, impose all the dress codes you want, outlaw blood all you want, you still run a business where men in underwear pretend to wrestle. And that's fine.
ReplyDeleteIs it normal for payouts to be delayed from the big ppvs?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't the build up or the win that was the nail in the coffin for Ziggler or Sandow, it was the follow up. Ziggler was getting great reactions and, through happenstance, was over as a plucky babyface. But after one PPV, he was removed from the World Heavyweight Championship story (in favor for an exceptionally boring Del Rio) and then went on to become a complete jobber. If he remained in the title scene or, gasp, regained the title....he would have been just fine. And Sandow. Well, we saw what happened with him.
ReplyDeleteI think it's always been that way, always a few months later, after all the numbers came in. At least from the wrestler books I read.
ReplyDeleteTHEY SOLD OUT! THEY SOLD OUT! THEY SOLD OUT!
ReplyDeleteWWE Network has the potential to kill the whole company at this point. Going to lose $50 million on it in 2014.
ReplyDeleteGiving away WrestleMania on the Network could end up being the worst business in Vince's life. Just threw away PPV revenue for no reason.
You are persistant, I give you that, lol
ReplyDeleteNo it is not. Once the numbers are in, wrestlers should get paid.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea, but it can't happen that way. The big picture is Roman Reigns, and that would do nothing for him. In fact, it would ultimately hurt him. The premise behind his rocket push is that he doesn't need anyone to fight his battles for him anymore & he's ready to overcome anyone and everyone in his path, one-on one, with brains and brawn.
ReplyDeleteRevealing Rollins as the mastermind behind such a convoluted plot would steal Reigns' thunder (and his heat). WWE can't chance that.
What happened?
ReplyDeleteIt's more likely a shot at the NFL, as this was around the time of the "launching" rule being put into effect.
ReplyDeleteNamely, that defenders couldn't send themselves at offensive players' heads like guided missles.
Naah worse is still the WBF.
ReplyDeleteI'm a thin guy but sweat like I'm trapped in a 400 pound body. I blame my sweater vest.
ReplyDeleteThe constant ads infiltrated their elite site too!?!??!
ReplyDeleteMy senior pictures in high school (when I was still heavy) was seriously one of the twenty or so worst days of my life. Holy shit, did I sweat a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm the King of Cleveland! That alone is a C-List Title right there!
ReplyDeleteforesight can be a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteAwaits Danimal Crossing telling you to keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteCould you BE, any more sweaty?
ReplyDeleteThe Internet is still porn and bullshit, mostly. So no, not much change.
ReplyDeleteI think the Credible thing will be pretty good. He seems a good interview from the Review that Bayless did.
ReplyDeleteDAMN THAT WWE NETWORK! SHAKE HARDER, BOY!!!
ReplyDeleteGod, Barret coming out after some babyface jas been beaten to death by someone like Lesnar.
ReplyDeleteI'M AFRAID I'VE GOT SOME BAD NEWS
I wish. It would be a pretty awesome swerve, actually. But it's time for the big Reigns push, and if they think he's the guy, so be it.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've read, the smart money seems to be him staying in Miami, but I'm not ruling out a way for the Clippers to make it happen. It was either Lowe or Simmons who said the Clippers have been working on it behind the scenes. I don't know who they would have to give up (if they did a sign and trade), but does that ever change the NBA.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember for sure, but I thought Meltzer at one point said the Atlanta PD talked to Vince or some official in WWE and told them Benoit probably did it (my words, not Meltzer's). That was Monday afternoon. I remember Dave being really critical of Vince, because his point was that Vince either knew or had a strong indication that Benoit did it.
ReplyDeleteAndy's final score usually goes against the crowd
ReplyDeleteSwagger and his eagle
ReplyDeleteHating heel authority figures in general is a pretty valid stance.
ReplyDeleteDuh. Colt Cabana.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the Kings......of the Cleveland streets!
ReplyDeleteOh no, he's the new Punk?
ReplyDeletewww.youtube.com/watch?v=vKCYXXrHOG4
ReplyDeleteThe only thing close to that was Bischoff saying Luger wasn't used to such tough competition like Hogan because he was in the WWF for the last few years. Beyond that, Luger was put over like crazy.
It's also worth noting that just a few months before offering him a huge contract, Bischoff, without naming him, took a shot at Kevin Nash for being the WWF champion when he was just a mid-carder in WCW.
"Its always some throw away loser type who wins the secondary MITB match"
ReplyDeletego me!
I dunno, after last night I could easily see Ambrose getting the drop on Rollins and winning the briefcase. If so, he'll carry that thing around for at LEAST 300 days, trust me.
ReplyDeletehis awkward "trying to fit in" dancing was awesome. It was like a Modern Family scene.
ReplyDelete