A star-studded Smackdown
The first episode of Smackdown on MyNetworkTV Friday night reminded me of baseball’s All-Star Game. The show featured top talent from all three WWE brands, but, like the All-Star Game, it came across as a glorified exhibition that had no meaningful impact on the season.
Wait, that’s actually a bad analogy. I forgot that the All-Star Game now determines home field advantage for the World Series. I swear baseball commissioner Bud Selig is so inept and clueless that he ought to be the general manager of Raw.
But I digress.
The show didn’t do much in regard to story line development or building up today’s No Mercy pay-per-view, but I still enjoyed it. It served its purpose as far as not being an ordinary episode, and I always like it when wrestlers from all the shows get together. In fact, it wouldn’t upset me at all if WWE just dropped the separate brands concept and went back to one big roster, but that isn’t happening.
Other thoughts on Friday’s show:
I liked the triple threat match between champions Triple H, Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy. I know what you’re thinking: It was so predictable that the finish would be Triple H pinning Hardy. And you’re right – it was. But it’s also the right call. Triple H is the top guy on Smackdown and he should have gone over on the debut episode on the new network. The only other finish that would have made any sense would have been for Triple H to have Hardy beaten, but somehow Jericho sneaks in and pins Hardy. …
And now I am going to contradict what I just said about Triple H rightfully winning the multi-brand triple threat because he is on Smackdown. Even though Michelle McCool is the Smackdown women’s champ and Beth Phoenix is the Raw champ, any result other than Phoenix winning would have been – as the late, great Gorilla Monsoon used to say – a miscarriage of justice. …
As I have said before, the build-up to today’s WWE title match between Triple H and Jeff Hardy has been odd to say the least. The focus has been on Vladimir Kozlov rather than the issue between the two contestants in the match. …
The eight-man tag match pitting Batista, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio and Finlay against Kane, JBL, MVP and The Brian Kendrick was fun and a good way to kick off the show. I hated to see MVP do yet another job, but somebody had to, and if it was either going to be him or Kendrick. …
I’m not sure what the point was of The Great Khali and Mark Henry’s beat-down of Chavo Guerrero. If it was to be entertaining television, it failed. …
It’s great to see Santino Marella winning some matches, even though they are always of the “slip on a banana peel” variety. His win over Shelton Benjamin was merely a device to further the program between Benjamin and R-Truth. …
Speaking of R-Truth, I can’t get that “What’s Up?” song out of my head. The first time I see that entrance live I’m going to bust a move in the aisle, thus proving that the stereotype about Caucasians and dancing is absolutely true.
Comments
I agree the show was more about the matches than any of the storylines. I think WWE should add R-Truth against Shelton Benjamin to the No Mercy Card because that would be a great opener to the PPV.
I wonder when Edge is returning if it's on the PPV then it would be a great Birthday present since I turned 21 today.
Posted by: Hardway | October 5, 2008 6:15 AM
R-Truth's gimmick is shallow, just as it was when he was (and seemingly still is) K-Kwik. He'd be better off if he returned to TNA.
The "That's the Truth" vignettes were taking his character down a much better road...but it was all spoiled when he came out rapping like it was 1999 again.
Posted by: Jerry | October 5, 2008 7:08 AM
"Even though Michelle McCool is the Smackdown women’s champ and Beth Phoenix is the Raw champ, any result other than Phoenix winning would have been – as the late, great Gorilla Monsoon used to say – a miscarriage of justice."
The more of Beth Phoenix I see, the more overrated I think she is. Somehow, Michelle and Maryse had a better match (on the 9/19 Smackdown) then Michelle had with the Glamazon.
At least WWE had the sense to put the other Divas around the ring because a big fight on the outside was the only way anybody in the building was going to react while the two heatless champions were in the ring.
Also, Kevin, sorry if you get this post more than once, but I kept getting a error message and had to keep trying.
Posted by: chris | October 5, 2008 2:00 PM
kevin you need to post a youtube video of you bust in a move to da turths entrance that would be lol funny
Posted by: ritz | October 5, 2008 4:47 PM
Jerry, I could'nt have said it better myself...seeing Kevin "bust a move" would be more interesting than R-Truth himself!
Kev how can we get archives of your radio show?..AM is not an easy signal to pick up.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Go to www.wnst.net.
Posted by: Rob the barber | October 5, 2008 6:58 PM
It will be interesting to see the ratings for Smackdown. I keep seeing that MyNetworkTV is available in 96% of the same homes as the CW. However, here in Omaha, while MyNetworkTV is available, it is only available through digital cable. Most people have regular cable including me and won't be able to watch Smackdown unless they decide to upgrade.
Posted by: Bob Buscaglia | October 5, 2008 7:22 PM
"Triple H is the top guy on Smackdown and he should have gone over on the debut episode on the new network. " Right...that's why HHH went over. Considering that no one has gone over Triple H since Armageddon 2007, I don't think there needs to be a reason given for HHH winning a high profile match.
And I agree that the buildup between Hardy and HHH has been less than stellar. Kozlov isn't a favorite of mine, and injecting him into this match at this eraly stage of his push is a disservice to Jeff Hardy. At this point, I almost don't want Jeff to win at No Mercy; I'd rather see him finally win a world title when it feels like the build has been done better.
Posted by: Glen | October 5, 2008 7:55 PM
Just wanna "third" what Jerry said. Is it possible for Vince to not put black wrestlers into stereotype roles? Besides Benjamin, you've got Cryme Tyme (thugs that steal), MVP (spoiled black athlete), Kofi Kingston (rastafarian) and now R-Truth (rapper). His intro vignettes had a "tough-guy-against-the-odds" feel and now he's just some clowny rapper that AGAIN caters to little kids..... Embarassing.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: There's no denying that wrestling (not just Vince) has always created stereotypical characters of all ethnicities and persuasions (stuffy British guys, Irish guys that like to fight and have leprechauns for kids, island guys who are savages, mexicans who lie, cheat and steal, etc.)
As far as MVP, I interviewed him last year and he said that he created the MVP character himself. And R-Truth really is a rapper; it isn't some gimmick that was created for him by the creative team.
Posted by: JGavin | October 6, 2008 2:42 PM