Another loss for Gail Kim on WWE Superstars
Coming off her loss to Maryse last Friday on Smackdown, Gail Kim was once again looking up at the lights on WWE Superstars Thursday night. This time, she was pinned by Michelle McCool during a tag team match.
I didn’t have a problem with Kim putting over Maryse, who is perhaps the most entertaining female character in WWE right now, but there’s no way that McCool should get a clean win over Kim.
Kim’s lack of a significant push since returning to WWE is puzzling. She did defeat both Maryse and McCool in recent weeks, but giving those wins right back renders them meaningless.
It seems as if WWE is trying to prove the point that being a standout in TNA doesn’t make you anything special in WWE. Why a company would outbid the competition for someone’s services and then not give them a big push doesn’t make sense to me.
Perhaps I’m reading too much into this, but I think Kim has looked a bit tentative and unsure of herself recently, like she may have lost some confidence. Hopefully, she will be given the push that she deserves in the near future.
Other thoughts on Thursday's show:
I guess Alicia Fox is a heel now since she was teaming with McCool. I hate when characters turn for no apparent reason. All WWE would have had to do is give her a minute or so to explain herself before the match. It didn’t need to be anything too deep. Just have her say that she’s on a new show, so she has a new attitude. Instead of shaking her booty, she’s now concentrating on kicking some, and she doesn’t care whether anyone likes her or not. Would that have been so hard? …
I enjoyed the Ted DiBiase Jr.-Carlito match. As I have said before, Carlito is very good when he wants to be, and DiBiase already looks smooth in the ring despite his inexperience. I’m looking forward to the Colons-Legacy WWE tag team title program. …
The Evan Bourne-Paul Burchill match was fine, but I thought their match on ECW last week was better. I did like the psychology in Thursday’s match, as Bourne sold a knee injury but still managed to hit the Shooting Star Press on basically one leg.
NOTE: I want to take a moment to address what has been an incredibly tough week at The Baltimore Sun. As those of you in the Baltimore area are probably aware, 61 of my colleagues in the newsroom were laid off. Among them in the sports department were fellow editors Ray Frager and George Vandaniker, both of whom I have worked with for more than 20 years. To put it in a wrestling context, we first became co-workers during Hulk Hogan’s initial title reign. At that time, they were already established in the newspaper business, while I was just a young kid trying to get a foot in the door. To say I learned a lot from them over the years would be a huge understatement. Even twenty-some years later, I don’t think a week went by when I didn’t seek their advice or opinion on something. It was truly an honor to call them my colleagues, but it’s even more of an honor to have them as my friends.
Comments
Nice comment and tribute to the Sun employees that lost their jobs this week. These are tough ecnomic times for all members of the print media all over the country. I hope for the best for your colleagues.
Posted by: Zeke | May 1, 2009 3:24 PM
Eck - whew! The blog was silent for awhile there and I thought we lost ya!
Posted by: JTK | May 1, 2009 3:37 PM
One thing about Frager, he had no problem telling it like it is, especially when it comes to Anita Marks. His commentary will be missed.
Posted by: Mr. Eli | May 1, 2009 3:46 PM
Kevin, I know it has been tough for everyone lately and with no end in sight. It makes it extremely tough when you lose someone you work with for a long period of time. Not only does it feel like you lost a friend but someone you can almost call family.
As for Superstars, I think Gail Kim should have stayed in TNA where she would have been one of the top Knockouts.
I really like Evan Bourne. His high flying maneuvers are like Rey Mysterio's only higher. The shooting star press is a great move and an exciting move.
I think the Colons/Legacy storyline will end up with the Legacy taking the belts so all 3 members will have titles.
Posted by: Dave | May 1, 2009 3:53 PM
sorry to hear about ur friends at the sun i was a little worreid about ur status becaus i did not here u on WNST on wed. and u havent posted anything in 2 days im glad that ur still around, other than that i knew once Maleena was coming to SD then Gails push had to be squashed atleast until lady taker wins the title and then maybe gail will win the title from her and u really can't say that not everyone is given an oppertunity coming out of TNA because as soon as Jeff came back from TNA he got the IC Belt and then the tag belts and finally the WWE title and Christian just won the ECW title and Monte Brown & RTruth were given significant time, so not everyone got the Chris Harris treatment and lets see in about 6 months where Gail is before u can say that this just might be the MVP test where as im gonna keep u down for a while but im gonna let you up and help u get bigger
Posted by: frank | May 1, 2009 4:23 PM
If you pay big money in order to take jabs at some other organization, then the joke is on you.
Posted by: Christopher | May 1, 2009 4:29 PM
Kevin , putting Ring Posts aside for a few moments , we're all glad you were'nt among the Sun's lay-offs . These are such hard times . Well wishes for your colleagues - David Steele , Rick Maese , etc . Good luck to all .
( i was worried as well when ring posts hadn't been updated for a day ! )
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | May 1, 2009 5:20 PM
I agree Gail Kim should have stayed with TNA. Thanks to the idiot that is giving Santino the Clown the big push in the WWE Womens Division ... the WWE Womens Division is a total JOKE and a waste of air time. Vince has always treated the Womens Division like garbage. There are quite a few former WWE Women Wrestlers that will attest to that. WOOOO
Posted by: Ric and Baltimore | May 1, 2009 6:07 PM
sorry to hear about your friends and i really like what u said about Fox that would have been something that WWE top "wirters' couldnt think of isn't that sad
Posted by: Kyle Billings | May 1, 2009 6:55 PM
Wow, you know things are tough when Jack is worrying about you. Glad we didn't lose you too, Kevin. Thanks for the blog.
Posted by: Gwen | May 1, 2009 7:09 PM
Gwen - without Kevin I'd have to find somebody else to pester . ( maybe Kev wishes he were laid off ! )
Just joking Kev , not meant to be insensitive . Just tryin' to lighten the mood .
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | May 1, 2009 8:29 PM
Good to see you still around Kevin.
If something were to happen to your job you're more than welcome to be part of my website. It wouldn't pay you anything, but it would give you an avenue to express your wrestling opinions.
Posted by: Elevation | May 1, 2009 8:47 PM
Also,
Enjoyed your appearance on Between the Ropes this week. Interestingly enough you were a much better guest than Sylvain Grenier
RESPONSE FROM KE: Thanks (I think).
Posted by: Elevation | May 1, 2009 10:37 PM
I didn't mean to make it sound too much like a backhanded compliment. Its just that Grenier was the first guest on the show and your segment was much better and less French than his.
Tickets go on sale today for the ECW/SD! taping this July in Baltimore are you going to be there?
RESPONSE FROM KE: I plan on being there.
Posted by: Elevation | May 2, 2009 1:09 AM
Kevin,
On the main topic, I share your puzzlement over the booking of Gail Kim; if they just wanted somebody to job to Maryse and McCool there were plenty of cheaper options already on the roster. Is business that good for the WWE that they can pay big money to lure away talent from TNA and just waste them like this?
As for the other news, I'm a Sun reader and blog lurker. I was shocked at the scope of the layoffs and I'm going to miss the work (both in print and online) of many of them; especially Ray Frager, Rick Maese, David Steele, and John MacIntyre.
But, I was glad to see you survived the axe. Keep up the great work Kev, and I hope your former colleagues all quickly find new jobs and everything turns out all right for them.
Posted by: Dave | May 2, 2009 3:01 AM
Jack... we would all miss the friendly banter that this blog delivers.
Posted by: Gwen | May 2, 2009 12:40 PM
Hey Gwen - Well said . It's all in fun and hopefully thats the way others see it too . I know I "rag" on Kev all the time and I'm sure by now he knows it's harmless ( right Kev ?? ) .
Truth is , I respect his wrestling knowledge and opinions immensely .... see, that was a joke too !
( i really do )
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | May 2, 2009 4:54 PM
Monte Brown/Marcus Cor Von rides long as the fourth wheel of the New Breed story line on ECW for about a month, then disappears. Ron Killings/R-Truth seems established as a jobber, even though he has more talent than that. Christian is sent to ECW (at least he has a belt for the moment) when most fans were hoping for a reunion with Edge and the upper card story lines that would go with it. And now Gail Kim. It may not make much business sense, but underutilizing former stars to jab at TNA does seem to be what they are doing.
Posted by: Mike | May 2, 2009 5:56 PM
The WWE/WWF women's division is
what brought BACK pro wrestling,
have IQs fallen off that much?
Wendi Richter/Cyndi Lauper.
Hello, McFly, anybody home?
Gail Kim should have stayed with TNA.
McMahon doesn't know what put him
on top YET.
It wasn't a surfer boy who would eat
his own t-shirt and tell kids to
take their Hulk Hogan vitamins!
Posted by: Redheaded Ambition | May 3, 2009 7:53 AM
When Kim left TNA, it was assumed she would be amongst the elite of the WWE women's division. This is not the case. Christian left the WWE, went to TNA and won the world strap; comes back to WWE and is assigned to ECW where he jobs to the all american american. Cmon. It's obvious. Leave the WWE for TNA and want to come back; you'll have to do this with your tail between your legs.
Posted by: mjk | May 4, 2009 2:17 PM