SmackDown this week was not bad at all. In fact, I couldn't have seen the Undertaker's title strip storyline go any other way than for Edge to some way weasel himself into another title attempt.
So, that leaves us at Judgment Day with Edge versus Undertaker for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. As it stands now, the clash is just a regular match, without any stipulations that will likely close the show. (Judgment Day is traditionally a SmackDown pay-per-view and that show usually gets the main event).
Can we say, "yawn." The first two matches between these guys were mediocre at best. Yes, it got better at Backlash, but logic says the show here has run its course. What more could these guys give us in a regular match that we haven't already seen? It's a rare event that the third match in a series is excellent. John Cena v. Shawn Michaels wrestling a Broadway that night on Raw from London was the exception to the rule. Heck, even "Stone Cold" Steve Austin v. The Rock had lost something by its third episode at WrestleMania XIX.
This bout screams to have some sort stipulation. I'd say put them in a cage, but we already have one with Randy Orton v. Triple H for the WWE Championship that night. (Note: Try explaining the two championships to non-wrestling fans. It's not easy.)
Two cages might work, but that would seem lame after last year's No Way Out sold us two Elimination Chamber matches in one night. And it was worth the price of admission and then some I might add. The Raw chamber might have been the best one in history.
Still, two cages in one night would ring hollow so close to that. Yet, we need a stip on this match. If WWE allows this go forward as is, I'm sure I won't be the only disappointed fan.
How about a submission match, but one where Undertaker is not allowed to use the triangle choke? Wouldn't it be crazy if Edge were to regain the WHC by making 'Taker tap to that very move.
Now that's third chapter I'd be happy to see.
As for the rest of Judgment Day 2008, I'm sure I'll post a full preview sometime next week.
I am stoked for the Orton/Triple H match. I'm also excited to see CM Punk & Kane challenge The Miz & John Morrison for the WWE Tag Team Championship, even if the build was well...um...virtually non-existent. Well, there's still an episode of ECW on SciFi to go to make up for it.
And say what you want about John Cena v. John Bradshaw Layfield, but their "I Quit" match from Judgment Day 2006 might have been the best in the history of that ppv. Can't sneeze at a rematch there...
Other notes:
Yes the podium spontaneously combusting was cheesy, but for some reason I dug it...Anyone else want Big Show to leapfrog right over Mark Henry and get himself into the title mix?...Mick Foley is exceeding my expectations as color commentator...MVP was awesome in the battle royal, as usual. It seems he shines in multiple-person matches. This guy is going to be huge...Can SmackDown Divas challenge for the WWE Women's Championship, or do they have to be offered a job on Raw?
If you didn't know already, a Florida judge sentenced Nick Bollea, aka Nick Hogan, to eight months in county jail for the car accident that seriously injured his friend, John Graziano.
If you're still in the dark, Bollea is the son of Hulk Hogan, and starred with him in the VH1 reality show "Hogan Knows Best.
I wound up catching the sentencing on TMZ accidentally, and my immediate reaction was that the judge was quite fair in handing down the sentence. Bollea also got five years probation, five hundred hours of community service, a court order that restricts him from drinking alcohol during his probation, and a three-year driver's license suspension.
The judge justified Bollea's incarceration without a prior criminal record by pointing out he believed Bollea willfully chose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, and race the car at very high speeds, making the incident more than just an accident.
Eight months in county lockup is a long time for an act that carries no malice with it. But take into consideration that Graziano, Bollea's passenger at the time, will require a lifetime of medical care. Bollea's time is a cakewalk in comparison.
Moreover, Bollea pleaded "no contest" to the charges, which may have factored into the judge's decision not to adjudicate the case any further. Hence, he doesn't get a felony conviction.
Pleading nolo contende or "no contest" has the same effect as pleading guilty to a charge, but there are some technical differences carried into sentencing. However, if someone is charged with a serious crime again in the future, a "no contest" plea could come back to haunt.
So, it all seems like a well handed sentence given the nature of the crime and so on.
But, I saw a piece on CNN that asks if Bollea got preferential treatment. The prosecutor's office and the Graziano family recommended the maximum five-year sentence for Bollea.
Now, I still feel Bollea got neither too light nor too harsh a sentence given his celebrity, albeit D-list, status. But I wonder if others feel differently.
Should Bollea have gotten the full five years? After all, Graziano will have to live the consequences of the accident for the rest of his life. And Bollea has played the role of spoiled rich kid to a tee, cavalierly racking up speeding tickets and showing no regard for his own or other's safety while driving.
Or, should he have gotten less. He had no prior criminal record, and it might be fair to say the crippling of one of his good friends has taught him a lesson he will never forget.
I wonder what people out there in Fan Nation think.
One thing is for sure; a car is a big piece of machinery. It's stupid to operate it while drunk, or to go zooming down public streets at unsafe speeds. If you want to be a racecar driver, save it for the track. I hope people walk away from this at least thinking about that.
I didn't get a chance to watch the entire episode of this week's "TNA Impact!," so I can't comment directly on it. However, if you've kept up with this blog, you know I'm not the biggest TNA fan in the world.
It's too bad, since I kind of root for this company. It makes no sense that a roster this good--Kurt Angle, Sting, Christian Cage, Rhino, Samoa Joe, I could go on--should make some dramatically stupid televised wrestling. Add to that when I watch TNA with the sound off (say I'm on the telephone or something) I love it. When the volume goes back up, I'm right back to wondering how this product got a national television deal and Ring of Honor flounders on first-run pay-per-view.
I got a lot of flack in the past for being a "spiteful" TNA hater, so here's a look and recap of what I think is wrong...and right...with this company. And here's your chance to agree or sock it to me if you like.
The Good
The roster is strong. Kurt Angle may be one of the best living performers in the business. Sting, even though he's lost a step or two, is still electrifying. Christian could have been just as strong a performer had he stayed in WWE. You've got Rhino, the Dudleyz (now Team 3-D), Samoa Joe, Jay Lethal, the Motor City Machine Guns, A.J. Styles and on and on.
They all put on great high-paced, high-impact matches. The quality of wrestling is spectacular, even if some of the best TNA matches are simply spotfests. The Angle/Joe matches have been phenomenal. The knockouts division is superior to WWE's divas.
Unfortunately, this is the only praise I can heap on the company. But, it's a damn good compliment to get if you're in the wrestling business.
I think not. Unless you want to count adding two sides to the squared circle or bringing back the scaffold match innovation.
TNA's television product is loud, annoying, and at times desperate. Nothing is given time to develop or sink in. When a new concept is introduced is so complicated, the viewer forgets it before it has time to gel. Remember King of the Mountain, or the reverse battle royal? How about this Deuces Wild tournament, although I'll admit the concept is growing on me.
In addition, they use lasers. Is this WCW circa 1995...'nuff said.
The pay-per-views are apparently no better. I haven't ordered one yet, although I plan to soon, but I believe there were a few where the outcome was revealed on the next Thursdays show. Ouch, what a waste of 30 bucks, if it's as bad as has been relayed to me.
I could go on, but...
The Ugly
A guy who wrestles with a dish of curry on his head? A guy dressed like a shark biting off "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's angle? "Macho Man" Randy Savage repackaged? The latter is kind of neat, but it seems to be Jay Lethal's entire career as of late.
What else?
The Dudleyz continually calling back to WWE or ECW, instead of showcasing what they've done lately. (I seem to remember a great six-sides of steel match about a year or two ago)
Lousy interview segments with questioners who sound and look like they're reading cue cards.
The now too long-running and flat Karen Angle angle (needed to get angle angle in there somewhere)
The sifting through noise to figure out who's a heel and who's a face.
Mike West and Don Tenay.
Kurt Angle in sneakers.
Let's cut it here.
***************
The sad part is, TNA has potential. But they settle on being the annoying little brother continually poking at WWE's heels rather than trying to mount a sincere challenge. If it weren't for the marquee names, TNA would look like just another indie promotion with a TV contract.
The company will grow, and will either implode or create another Monday Night Wars atmosphere. Hey, when wrestling companies compete you get some of the best product.
But before that happens, I fear TNA will indeed have to reinvent the wrestling wheel.
Hopefully they do it for the better. Or, they'll be ousted by Hulk Hogan's celebrity wrestling show. Now that's a scary thought.
So, it's the one hundredth episode of ECW on SciFi, and the show goes by with barely a peep. For a centennial episode this was pretty boring fare. Of course, I'm being unduly harsh. The show has been no better or worse than the past few episodes.
But, WWE spent a lot of energy promoting the milestone program. "Monday Night Raw"'s main event was a showcase of ECW talent just to push the next night's show. I expected something special, something extraordinary, something amazing. What I got was something far below my expectations.
I got an anemic Extreme Rules match, an abridged version of the Colin Delaney story, and a main event that's made about as much sense as all the other post-WrestleMania main events on ECW.
To make things worse, the Mike Adamle situation is as confusing as ever. Last week he walks off the broadcast. The fact WWE allowed the taped program to air that way all but sealed my opinion this must be a work.
This week, Adamle gives a weak apology, goes back to the announce table and everything is OK. No story development (if it was indeed a work), no payoff...nothing.
To make things more bewildering is that many of the matches have utility guys working the mic (Stevie Richards, Miz, Morrison) to give Adamle as little airtime as possible.
So, what's going on here? As a work, it's getting dangerously close to the dreaded "I don't care" point, or worse yet the 'I'll change the channel point" for many fans. What started as something that leant cool mystery to ECW is starting to drop like a helicopter without rotor blades (sorry, I was looking for a goofy Adamle-esque metaphor).
It's one thing to confuse fans in a way that urges them to say, "Wow, what is going on here." It's another thing entirely to get to say, "Oh, please," and move on.
Other notes:
I still think Kofi Kingston is one of the most exciting things on this show. What a move on those ropes!...While I'm happy with how it turned out, the Colin Delaney program had potential to be much better...Anyone else amazed as Armando Estrada's physique? Did he sell the "Allejandro" part of his name for a Bowfelx?...Evidence of my moods during the recent main events, I can now tell you that CM Punk has worn at least eight different sets of trunks on television...Finally Bam Neely doesn't wrestle in a suit, that was ridiculous...the clips of the older shows looked way out of place, almost like the came from a completely different program...While the main event was a color-by-number tag match, the four performers still did well enough with it to keep me engaged. That's saying something.
