Jeff Hardy's move was amazing. He still sounds a little weak on the mic, but he is definitely able to carry a main event match. Also, if they are going to do a gimmick like the Wheel, shouldn't they show the wheel being spun? Maybe it happened for the live audience off-camera, but it seemed stupid to promote it, and then only show the wheel spin once or twice...

That pillow fight was horrific. Even the crowd thought it was awkward. Ashley looks like she was on a hunger strike.

JBL needs new ring gear. For he is not a little fat. He is the white Big Daddy V.

A few random thoughts in response:

The lack of talent in the WWE today has been made very apparent in recent episodes of Raw, if only because of the fact that they continue to do the same contests over... and over... and over... in some type of capacity (ie: Hardy v. Umaga, HBK v. Mr. Kennedy, etc.). in the process, the people that the WWE are sandbagging are being left in the background and not enough chances to develop (Carlito, for example). That's if they're lucky, and don't decide to jump ship to TNA.

Kevin, I also have to disagree with you on Hardy's development. Although the physical talent is certainly there and he's proving he's got the skills in that field, he is seriously lacking in mic skills (that isn't a big deal, Matt Hardy is no better if you ask me - and I'm a huge fan of both). If they really want to add heat to Orton, the creative staff ought to involve him in Jeff Hardy losing the IC belt. This does two things: It makes Orton look much more believable as a heel, and lends a lot more credibility to the Royal Rumble Championship match (I honestly can't see Hardy walking out WWE champion unless he drops the strap and soon).

I'm glad that Mick Foley is still relatively active with WWE. However, it seems like anyone connected with Hornswoggle is sentenced to death in the WWE. This is, by my count, the second time Foley's still working with him. Foley always cut outstanding promos, perhaps they could give him a role in writing for Raw?

At this point, my reaction to WWE has become, "Yeah, but who gives a crap?" How I long for the day when the show gives us a reason to care again...

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: I never said Jeff Hardy was great on the mic, just that he had improved. He has gone from below average to an acceptable level, but it's definitely not one of his strengths.

I think a lot of the roulette was contrived. Wonder how many times during the day they had to film Vince spinning the wheel before it came up as they wanted.

The second Michaels and Kennedy entered the ring I thought "Tag-Match" and sure enough...

It would have been nice if the wheel had been spun live in front of the arena crowd but I doubt that'd ever happen.

Too much chance of ending up with Triple HHH vs Regal in a lingerie pillow fight or something just as daft; and I couldn't imagine WWE giving us the Divas in a Cage.

I even wonder if the Cyber Sunday votes are really as WWE announces at the PPV.

I know WCW did some Spin The Wheel Make The Deal PPV matches in the past but living in the UK never had access to them. Anybody know if these were spun in the arena or backstage?

Maybe I'm just cynical.

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: I think it was pretty obvious that the roulette wheel was gimmicked. I'm fine with that because wrestling is scripted entertainment. As far as Cyber Sunday, however, WWE has always said that the voting there is legit, which I tend to believe because I think WWE has been surprised by the resuts at times (like The Miz getting the ECW title shot). With Cyber Sunday, WWE does try to influence the voting, though. For example, they clearly wanted the fans to vote for Shawn Michaels to face Randy Orton, and you could tell that by how they booked the shows leading up to it.

I'm surprised Jeff Hardy is still alive after all the ladder matches with Edge and Christian. He was the one that always took the biggest bumps and kept coming back. More power to his push.

Other than Jeff Hardy's leap from the top of the cage, my favorite moment from Monday's Raw was the King's comment about B.H. Jordan ( Hornswaggle's first partner before being bumped by Mick Foley). If I'm not mistaken, the King said " if B.H. Jordan was wearing black, he'd look like a closed umbrella ). Sometimes the King rivals Bobby Heean.

I just can't get excited about Hardy vs. Umaga again. Ted, you are completely right about the booking. They have to do something to make me care about these matches. As it stands, it is just too boring to invest anything in the same matches. Meanwhile, burying Jericho with an out of shape, man-boobed up JBL was the wrong call. Jericho had the momentum and should have carried the brand until Cena came back. Stupid move putting him in the midcard.

The Whisper in the Wind was amazing - no doubt - if for the simple fact that it was a Hardy and there was a better than average chance of him jumping down onto Orton as well. It's sad that we need these huge spots to get fired up about wrestlers anymore. Since the WWE cut out a lot of the more risky stuff, it takes a lot to get a crowd hopped up. Some of those crazy spots helped put over a lot of guys.

I think leading into the Big Four PPVs, the WWE should cross-pollenate the brands - give us some Batista, etc. on Raw. Are we giving William Regal more screen time? Really? C'mon.

And don't you worry about Charlie Haas, I'm sure he will be fired sooner than later.

I know I'm commenting two days after the fact, but the entire show seemed very bland to me. The most exciting thing for me was Jeff Hardy's Whisper In the Wind off the top of the cage. Other than that, the entire show just seemed to be...there. Perhaps there's a slow and steady build to the Rumble PPV in order to create a slow and steady build to WM 24?

ALL of WWE's shows are bland and repetitive these days. If I were them, I'd nix Smackdown, which had it's heyday, and divvy up it's talent betwen RAW and ECW, with the younger guys going to ECW to provide competition for CM Punk, and the veterans going to RAW to feed Orton's development as WWE champion.

Speaking of Orton, it's nice to see him as champion with Jeff Hardy in close second. Frankly, I'm tired of the veterans taking over, I really am. It's nice to see some young blood on top. And the good thing about using guys like Orton--who isn't a MEGASTAR--is that he can have matches with ANYONE, not just megastars, which gives guys like Jeff the opportunity to break through.

As far as Jeff's mic. skills are concerned, I agree that his pace on Monday was a little rushed, but the guy gets less mic. time than HORNSWOGGLE, whose whole gimmick is to grunt and cackle. Who can blame the guy for being maladjusted on the mic., when the WWE is more interested in playing with leprechauns, than they are in developing their future?

No body is going to read this but... I have just saw RAW because I wasnt at home last monday and...
About Jeff whispering in the wind from the top of the cage... I'd read Kevin's post before watching the show, so I knew about the big thing. I just sat on my chair and told to my self "ok, any time, the Whisper will come out". When the Cage Match was about to end I started to get a little bit inpatient, but not too excited...
When the camera angle changed into a more panoramic way, I got frozen. Watching Jeff jumping that way from the top of the cage was like watching fireworks.
It's probably the first time I watch a recorded RAW show knowing the result and ALSO THE FINISHING MOVE of the main event and I got amazed, despite all the spoilers.
Amazing.

I really like Hardy in the main event spot, and it's a shame that has no chance to pick the title at the royal rumble. I would love to see Jeff winning the Royal Rumble match and winning the title at Wrestlemania (yes,i know.I have to quit drugs as soon as possible).
I would not like to see HHH involved in a Title match in Wrestlemania again. I mean, he is being booked to title matches at Wrestlemania since...2000? Shawn Michaels only got the title shot last year because of HHH injury (as it is said in last HBK DVD), so it would be great to see new young faces in the biggest event ever.
Ok.I'm done.
Great post,as always.

Before I say anything I feel i should tell anyone who reads this that I am not a huge wrestling fan, I don't follow shows I just follow the particular wrestlers who I find entertaining to watch in the ring. Basically the only 3 wrestlers I follow are the Hardy Boys and 'the fallen angel' christopher daniels.

After seeing Jeff Hardy's matches for years I think it is about time he was given a better push for a title opportunity. He may not be very good on the mic, but as far as I can tell he doesnt really have a persona he is putting across - he is playing himself on screen. And while he may not be very good at expressing himself verbally, just look at his ringwork - he can tell the story of a match purely through his facial expressions, and there is nothing better for selling a move than his 'ragdoll physics'.

The last time I remember seeing him go for the top title, was the best match I have ever seen (the ladder match vs undertaker). I think he proved back then that he CAN have matches with the big boys - the same with his match against The Rock when the trish storyline was on the go.These matches were when he allegedly lost his desire to wrestle; since his return to WWE he has looked better than I have ever seen him and has great matches with just about anyone.

That whisper in the wind spot was a heart-in-mouth moment - even for someone who isn't wrestlings biggest fan! and it transformed an already good match (due to the various spots, but mostly due to Orton at ringside to keep something going on at all times and build the storyline for the match at the rumble) into a great one; and I dare say that you will be able to count the number of better matches in 2008 on one hand

I'll give you that the RAW's have been somewhat lackluster, but the 1/7 RAW was especially tearjerkingly bland. I got mad at how boring it was. This week's episode was almost like a throwaway - it was a random week that got wasted b/c the Rumble isn't until the end of the month. And personally, the Rumble doesn't seem all that important if you can throw away tv episodes that are supposed to get me to want to pay $50 to order the ppv.

We all agree that Jeff's mic skills aren't the greatest, but then again he HAD to be reading something written for him...I mean you could tell that. But it's up to Jeff to develop his skills to the point where once he gets his spot, he can get a general idea of what he has to say and then go off the cuff. But then again, this is something that should've been going on way back when he made his comeback to WWE.

I believe that putting Jeff in the main event is great. Him and his brother really need pushes. They have been with WWE as long as alot of them, Matt and Jeff appeared in WWE about the same time HHH came right?

And yet, HHH continues to be a top dog after so many years of main event status. I say stop using oldies like Hogan, Piper, and Flair, and push guys like London/Kendrick, or Kennedy. It just doesn't seem right that most veterans have been cemented in main event status and are forced to face the new guys, usually making the new guys out to be heel. In my opinion, clear up some money by releasing people like HBK, and Flair and hire some people from the independant circut.

I know it might be wrong to release the people that made you famous, but keep them around too much longer and they'll make you go bankrupt. So please as a favor to alot of people out there, freshen up the rosters. Change up the champions. Re-write the storylines.

And for gods sake please do not push Cena upon return!