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ISSUE 3355
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Mark R
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Sep 30, 2009 17:19 PDT
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+++ AL SHARPTON EQUALS TUMBLE FOR RATINGS. The Al Sharpton RAW show was
one of the lower rated shows with a guest host and while some associate
that number to the competition of the Monday Night Football game, I also
see a correlation between the lower number and Sharpton being on the
show. Granted I admire the courage it took for WWE to produce a show
with Sharpton on it and love when they do surreal things like that,
provided they take full advantage of them in an entertainment fashion
during the show. WWE didn't even attempt to do anything remotely
different or entertaining when Sharpton was on the show but produce a
show that put over his education reform ideals. While I admire and
respect WWE as a public company for handing Sharpton prime time
television time to get his word out I denounce the way he was used on
the show because it did absolutely nothing to help WWE or promote their
own product. Even to the point that there was no real reason for him to
even be on the show, outside of making the plea to the voters to support
his education reform project. The live audience wasn't receptive to the
idea of Sharpton being on the show either as it was apparent from their
reaction when he was in front of them live that they cared less about
him even being involved in the show.
+++ SPOILERS FOR THE 10 YEAR SMACKDOWN SPECIAL. Jim Ross & Todd Grisham
are your commentators for the evening and showed various highlights to
begin the show from over the years. No JBL, No Michael Cole, No Tazz, No
Mick Foley (both of who work for TNA and couldn't appear if they had
wanted).
Batista beat Kane in the first match on the special, so we can see how
the pecking order is now on SD. Kane the monster destroys everyone in
his path, including Khali but when he meets Dave he is gobbled up
himself. Got to admire the notion that Kane gets to beat everyone but
Batista.
They had a party in the back so they could bring in special guests from
over the years and not have to really explain what they were doing
there. Teddy Long was pretty much the focus of the party in the back,
so he survived and made it to the ten year special. Michael Cole
appeared in these kits and so did Vickie Guerrero. Vickie had a new look
and introduced her new boyfriend Eric (Eric Escobar from developmental)
so she is now a valet with the company and likely is going to be used to
promote Escobar. Hornswoggle was with Finlay and ran around annoying
everyone like usual and ended up kicking Cole in the shin. MVP allowed
everyone in to his MVP area but Zack Ryder. Iron Sheik was seen in the
MVP area.
They did an awesome tribute video to Eddie Guerrero, which was
originally going to be hosted by Vickie but I think they felt that if
she did it the fans might crap on it since she was such an awesome heel.
Good call in my opinion to allow the tribute to stand on its own
merits.
Dolph Ziggler & The Miz beat Kofi Kingston & John Morrison with Jack
Swagger doing guest color with Ross & Grisham.
Yoshi Tatsu, Funaki, Iron Sheik, Jillian Hall and Hurricane were at the
party with some doing karaoke and Hurricane saving Iron Sheik from
choking to death on food. Chris Jericho & Big Show show up to the party
and Cole ended up vomiting because he drank to much, enter your own
punchline.
They aired a pre-taped promo by Dewayne Johson, better known as The
Rock. He made fun of Dolph Ziggler and then did his famous catchphrases.
He put over that he was on the show when it began and was over big time
with the live audience. He talked about Cm Punk and made fun of him in
only the way Rock can do, that they try to make Cena do but he never can
pull it off. He talked about how he made history with Undertaker and
made fun of the camera man. He then talked about the Hell in the Cell
PPV and how he might just guest host RAW now and by the reaction that
got out of the audience they MUST do it now. It would get huge ratings.
While you don't want your heels being made fun of, Johnson doing it
actually gives them a rub so its okay.
Michelle McCool beat Melina in a lumberjill match when Beth Phoenix
caused Melina to lose.
Undertaker promo that was kind of cool because it played in to Punk's
Straight Edge theme when he said after HITC, Punk is going to need to
drink and take drugs to deal with the pain.
Drew McIntyre toasted himself at the party and was attacked by Ron
Killings, that made Long tell everyone the party was over.
John Cena & DX & Undertaker beat Cm Punk & Legacy & Randy Orton when
Undertaker pinned Orton. Do I see the next feud on the horizon for
Orton is going to be Undertaker?
+++ ECW THOUGHTS. William Regal was the GM because Tiffany suffered a
broken arm and will be off tv for a few weeks. She may appear using the
cast as a gimmick since all she does is talk on ECW. She suffered it
working a match in FCW. Regal changing the scheduled title rematch with
Christian v. Zack Ryder in to what turned out to be an eight man tag was
planned to slightly turn Ryder babyface and tell the story that nobody
likes Regal or his henchmen. It made sense too since Regal has been
complaining that he ought to be the champion and no one else even
deserved a shot at the title before he gets another one. At first he
booked a 4 on 1 match with himself and Ryder & his henchmen v.
Christian.
They did the brutal Abraham Washington waste of time with laughing Atlas
(man he is annoying). They had on Ziggler and then Morrison to promote
their PPV match.
Regal was in his office when Ryder enterted and Regal informed Ryder the
Board of Directors did not like his 4 on 1 match so instead he booked
Yoshi Tatsu, Goldust and the forgotten Tommy Dreamer as Christian's
partners. Regal asked Ryder if he was questioning his ability to be the
GM and Ryder affirmed he was.
Paul Burchill v. Shelton Benjamin never happens as Benjamin is attacked
by Sheamus. Benjamin wanted to do the match even though he was injured
by Sheamus and Burchill further attacks him. Benjamin overcomes all odds
and wins, telling us that Burchill is buried again.
Tommy Dreamer & Goldust & Christian & Yoshi Tatsu beat The Henchmen &
William Regal & Zack Ryder when Tatsu arrived and pinned Regal. This was
a good way to push him to the moon on ECW.
+++ ANOTHER CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE NEXT GUEST HOST OF RAW. The
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is not happy about the idea
of Ben Roethlisbeger's decision to go on RAW next week to be the guest
host of the show. There is a minute chance that they could attempt to
force him out of appearing on the show but chances are they can't if he
wants to do it. I can see both sides of this issue. I can see why
during the NFL season you don't want your star player appearing on a
show that potentially could risk his health and the teams season. But
provided he is not going to take part in any physical action then there
should be no concerns.
+++ HOGAN'S HERO'S ALREADY BAILING ON HIM. King V (Big Daddy V) called
off of the Hogan tour as he got a movie gig instead and Charles Wight
(Godfather) also called off the tour for an unknown reason and likely
before the SD taping some probably thought he was going to appear on
that show and that was the reason but that wasn't the case.
+++ BRET HART BACK IN WWE? Major rumors about Bret getting the itch to
return to WWE in some capacity and there is SOMETHING to this rumor this
time. Would being a guest host on RAW for one week cure that itch? Who
can tell. My guess is that if he did agree to make a return to WWE then
he would have to agree to a deal that mutually benefits WWE as well and
that would mean he would not be in for just one night but to work a
program with Vince McMahon & HBK. Personally there is only ONE thing
that I want to see happen with McMahon, Bret Hart and HBK and that is a
meeting in the middle of the ring where all parties embrace each other
and put the Montreal incident behind them once and for all. Yeah, WWE
doesn't do that. So I think would likely happen is they would have Bret
Hart turn heel and side with McMahon and work that the entire thing was
a work to help Hart and not to really help HBK.
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