I don't know how many standing ovations I gave Randy Orton for his ripping on the state of RAW in his promo.  Okay, none, but inside I was thunderously applauding.  Randy not surprisingly looked shrunken and had a neck like a stack of dimes, but he cut a mean promo.  I love worked promos that are actually shoot promos.  Randy is correct that when he was WWE Champion, RAW was the number one brand but now the state of RAW is such that Smackdown has a very strong claim as the A show.  Smackdown is the A show as far as I'm concerned.  Orton even broke the unspoken "heels don't rip on other heels" rule and got face pops for ripping on Glamarella and DiBiase and Rhodes.  I'm behind Orton all the way in his poor assessment of CM Punk as World Heavyweight Champion.  I did also like Punk's worked shoot comment about Orton "popping wheelies" on his motorcycle.  I get the feeling Punk has a better chance of surviving the Scramble than Triple H does.  Seems like they'd preserve Punk as Champion for Orton when he's healthy; otherwise what was the point of the two Orton/Punk confrontations?

Michael Cole called Kofi Kingston's finisher "Trouble in Paradise" again.  Didn't he give it another name at one point?  That lasted like a week.  This Charlie Haas dressing up as other people angle will keep him jobbing, but whatever; he's on TV and Creative found something for him to do.  Until they forget all about him again.  At least he hasn't been wished well in his future endeavors yet.

Orton reminding everyone he slapped Dusty Rhodes and then slapping Cody Rhodes was pretty sweet.  They should bring back Goldust and let Orton slap the wig off his head.  Once again, Orton was right about the BS that John Cena beat both the tag team champions in a handicap match two weeks ago.  Maybe Orton should go and slap the writers too.  Come to think of it, Creative wrote the vignette of Orton slapping Rhodes to punish him for losing a match the writers booked him to lose.  I love the logic of pro wrestling.

I don't appreciate WWE forcing me to watch ECW on RAW against my wishes.  I do appreciate Tiffany, my old MySpace buddy.

I could watch William Regal suplex Jamie Noble all night, but I wonder when he'll finally stop repenting for getting suspended a few months ago? 

I'm pretty damned surprised to see Candice back and on RAW.  The MyNetworkTV advertisements had her listed for Smackdown.  I wonder if plans changed and Gail Kim is going to Smackdown?  Regardless, Candice has taken Ashley's spot of Diva with the most body ink on RAW, and Kofi Kingston's spot of wearing pants that fall down.  Unlike Ashley but much like Kofi, Candice might be the fastest Diva in the company, even faster than Mickie.  Candice's speed and running starts have always impressed me, although I cringed when she was on the top rope and leaped onto Beth.  I did like the continuity of Candice coming back to beat Beth.  And I'm glad Candice is back.  I always liked Candice.  I also liked how she kept taking down her left bra strap to show off her scar.

Santino still has the unibrow but he manscaped his facial hair off.  The Honk-A-Meter is awesome!  It's the greatest innovation in recent sports entertainment history.  Honky Tonk Man = 64, Santino Marella =2. Only 62 more weeks to go to break the record for longest/greatest Intercontinental Champion of all-time.  What? Cole said D-Lo Brown was taught the Shining Wizard by the Great Muta?  Has the Great Muta's name ever been dropped on WWE television before?  Santino: "I hate you, D-Lo!  I hate you!"  I love this man.  No interaction between Glamarella though.  Weak.

Why did Miz get booked in two matches on RAW tonight?  I was this close to drafting a sternly worded letter to WWE voicing my extreme displeasure, but it all turned out great in the end.  I thoroughly enjoyed the beatdown Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase gave Cryme Tyme.  I could watch that DDT JTG took on the belt all night.  Actually I did rewind and watch it twice more.  Serves those two criminals right.  The beatdown even got the RKO seal of approval.  If Cryme Tyme actually wins the belts on Sunday, I might just be drafting that sternly worded letter after all.

Weird.  Mickie is actually at the Republican National Convention tonight but she just wrestled half an hour before they showed her at the RNC.  That threw me off until I remembered RAW was taped last night.  Shades of the late Ravishing Rick Rude appearing on both a taped RAW and a live Monday Nitro back in 1997.

The order of entrances for the RAW Scramble battle royal was also weird.  Since when does the World Heavyweight Champion enter third of four?  Punk getting tossed by Kane and landing at the feet of Randy Orton sure validated his opinion of Punk.  Tossing the water bottle in Orton's face shows Punk's a sore loser.  Rey  Mysterio looked great tonight.  He seemed to have dropped some weight and was faster and in good form.  He looked more like the Rey Mysterio from 10 years ago.  I have a pet theory that Rey is actually in cahoots with Kane and will turn on Batista.  Seems far-fetched but I'm still sticking to it as a possibility.

Where does Chris Jericho get his suits?  They're definitely tailored.  James Bond himself doesn't have suits that sharp.  I loved how Jericho wouldn't look at Shawn Michaels during the contract signing. Jericho is magnificent.  Frankly, I think Chris Jericho has now officially leaped above Edge as the single greatest heel in wrestling right now.  I also liked how both men dismissed their "security" consisting of  local indy wrestlers.  But at what point did HBK tear his tricep?  Was it when he fell out of the ring and landed on his head?  I find it hard to believe Shawn Michaels wouldn't gut it out and still perform at Unforgiven with a torn tricep, doctors orders or no, but it would totally blow if this unsanctioned match gets called off. 

Finally, I hate how Shawn's wife is referred to as "Rebecca Michaels."  They should call her by her Christian name: Whysper Hickenbottom.