Yes, here I go again! I have things to say about divas! And being a diva ...or embodying the ditzy side of divahood :-). I had a major blond moment today, hit an asteroid-esque pothole and blew a tire (and rim) out on my car (sigh). While I was jacking it up, and kicking myself for my own stupidity (not so easy, by the way ..to kick oneself while jacking up a car), a complete, random guy stopped to help me. Not that I needed the help; I'm a barn girl after all, but still it was thoroughly nice, thoroughly unexpected and wicked cool. It also reminded me of a lot of other times when strangers have gone out of their way to do something thoughtful just because. So while I'm thinking of it, I just want to send a big, grateful Thank You out to everyone who has done and continues to do things like that. You may never know what a difference you have made to someone else's day, but I do believe karma comes around...I sure it hope it does! :-)
Ok, now on to the subject of the night ...from being a not-so-distressed-diva to less-distressing-than-usual-Divas. I have a confession. I am beginning to think better of Maryse. Scary, huh? She's always been the full-of-herself model-type. Then, she started wrestling and I thought she was going to earn the Clumsy Diva title for a few weeks. But she seems to have gotten through that and her wrestling skills are starting to appear. She always had the acting ability. The athleticism was a little doubtful, but I'm starting to become a believer, especially after watching tonight's SD. Not that I'm ready to get baptised in the Worship of Maryse Church just yet; hell, no (did I just make that jump? lol). It'll be a long day in ...well, wherever :-)... before that happens. But she can throw a punch as well as McCool. And pairing her up with Natalya was a lovely idea. It seems that Maryse isn't too blond to pick up a trick or two. The laurels are far from being big enough to rest on, but I'm seeing improvement and I like it. I enjoy it. I give it a tip of the Stetson. Nicely done. Keep it coming.
The imminent return of the Undertaker at Summer Slam has brought into sharp relief the enigma that is Vickie Guerrero. There is no doubt that Vickie has quickly turned into one of the best heels currently in the biz. It's so easy to dislike her (Understatement of the Year Award? :-) ). She's had the opportunity to do some truly heinous things and has pulled them off with style. Consider her handling of Jamie Noble and others and the unsuitable matches she put together. Her dealings with the Undertaker cemented (uhh..no pun intended) her nefarious personality. She did a praiseworthy job of getting under the Deadman's skin time and again. Although I would have loved to see a bit more suppressed pleasure when she stripped him of the WHC title (think Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter), its the only moment I've seen her fall a bit short of wringing every possible drop of contempt from the fans. It even seemed that she'd stolen a good helping of Edge's heel thunder, which is saying something, since he, too, is very good at being very bad. It was almost easier to hate her than him, since she was clearly the power behind the alliance.
But then, there is the matter of her creation of the Divas Championship. It was surprising to see such a positive gesture come from such a despicable character. Even her reinstatement of the Undertaker has a strong suggestion of justice about it. Granted, she's doing the right thing for the wrong reason. But that highlights the crux of the matter: Vickie is a much more complicated character then we often get to witness in WWE. And her complexity comes from fairly clear motivations in an arena where such are often nebulous. Additionally, there remain some intriguing possibilities for the future: what of Vickie and Edge's "marriage"? How long will they stay manacled to each other and with what results? And in what relation will Vickie now stand to the Undertaker?
The intricacy of the situation is dynamic in that it allows for some potentially fascinating scenarios, as well as for those involved to explore some new dimensions, which makes for entertaining viewing. There is some pretty fair craftsmanship going on here, both in conception and execution. Props to Vickie & Co.
Tillie Carter once said "In life, you either make dust or eat dust. The choice is yours". Since the Great American Bash, I've been wondering what choice Michelle McCool will make.
After narrowly defeating Natalya for the Diva's Championship and making history, her recent matches have been decent, but not mindblowing. One would think gaining the one thing she's been pursuing since arriving in the WWE would have inspired her a bit more than her performances have indicated. Prior to winning the championship, she'd already had to kick her game up a notch to compete with Natalya, who has been one of the most brilliant new arrivals on the scene. Natalya's performances have been consistently strong. Tough competition seemed to be the perfect answer for Michelle, as she revved things up, adding a number of new moves to match Natalya. But where will she go from here? Early indications suggest that she may plateau. Where is the passion to be expected from a diva who has been pushed to a new height of success by a close competitor? Will she be one of those champions who, having reached the pinnacle, can't find the next level until someone else raises the bar again?
No matter how weak or strong the others in the field are, there is always someone to compete against: yourself. You either know that and keep pushing the envelope or you don't and become content. The problem with being content is that there are always those behind you who are hungry. Being content is a good way to end up eating dust. Michelle has suggested she wants to create a legacy and one title does not a legacy make. But how you hold your belt is the foundation of one. Will Michelle's title reign be one that makes dust and history? Or will it need a can of Pledge in the near future? The choice is hers.
Another quickie! My two cents have been rattling for a few weeks now on this subject and I need to stop the jingling :-). WWE has debuted two new belts recently: the Divas belt and the new ECW belt. My impressions of the two vary greatly.
I recently read a comment that referred to the Diva's belt as the 'Barbie' belt and although it hadn't at first occurred to me, the reference is an apt one. There are a number of things I dislike about it. First, it has quantities of pink and I am not a fan of pink. Perhaps it is the hue that suggests Barbie. Second, it reminds me very much of a butterfly. I have nothing against butterflies as such; they are lovely. If I see one among the wildflowers when I'm out on a trail ride, I thoroughly savor the moment. But they are far from the epitome of what a diva should be. Butterflies are airy, flighty, delicate. An airy, flighty, delicate diva is going to get smashed into the canvas ... or worse :-). This belt should represent what divas are striving for; its hard to respect a chick who is striving for the Butterfly Belt. It seems to me to be a disservice to the strength, athleticism and fortitude of these women to make their championship trophy one that reflects only the girly-girl side of diva-hood. The belt should suggest the full range of qualities that make a diva worthy of winning it.
Contrast this with the new ECW belt. It is clean-lined, simple, sleek, straightforward. It has presence and no nonsense about it. It is a belt that lends credence to whomever carries it. Kudos on the new design; it is a triumph! Too bad the Divas belt couldn't be more like it.
With the Olympics looming, a quote attributed to the late renowned hockey coach Herb Brooks has been in my mind lately:
"Great moments are born from great opportunity".
If you study your craft, if you pay your dues in sweat and pain and humility, if you feed your soul on desire, if you stare down your fear, if you push your body to the edge of breaking day after day in after day out, you might just earn a great opportunity. You might get the chance to create a great moment for yourself and for all those watching...a moment that puts a chill in the bones and a sparkle in the eye of everyone who partook of it, literally or vicariously. Moments like that are unforgettable. They are history bordering on mythology. They become stories around the dinner table decades from now, when they have the same vibrant glory as when they happened. The 1980 U.S. hockey team did it when they beat Russia. Kerry Strug did it in 1996 in Atlanta, when she threw a near-perfect vault from an injured leg and nailed the landing. The Olympics abounds with those moments, those brilliant performances. Sports of all varieties offer the potential for great opportunities, and with them great moments; maybe that's why we love them, live them, breathe them. And sports entertainment, with its synthesis of athleticism and drama, is not exempt from its share.
Like the Olympics, Wrestlemania is the height of the great opportunities; a championship match there is the Everest of possibility. This year, Edge and The Undertaker had a great opportunity. Taker, with his experience and poise, was polished as always. But I thought Edge was a bit lackluster. I'm not saying he wasn't good; he was - very good. But it seemed to me he fell just a bit short of making the moment, just a touch shy of delivering all he is capable of. Now, he has one more opportunity. At SummerSlam, he will face his own demons, as well as The Undertaker, in a Hell in A Cell match. This is Taker's forte - a mirror image of the TLC match Edge won at One Night Stand. The Undertaker's legend is rife with memorable HIAC moments; the cornerstone of his glittering career is great performances in this setting. Edge has the opportunity to be part of this: to create a great moment.
Am I saying I want him to win? I wouldn't go that far ;-). But to leave nothing on the table and lose is not the worst of scenarios. Respect is due for that. Admiration is due for that. Remembrance is due for that. Who can forget Alydar pounding down the stretch in challenge to Affirmed in every one of the Triple Crown races of 1978? Any other year he would have been the champion. Three decades later, his name is still mentioned in the same breath with Affirmed. To be the one who pushed one of the best there ever was to his very limits holds no shame. That is a brilliant performance, a great moment ...born from great opportunity.
