hi kevin is it me or for as much as people complain about raw they still watch if you don't like it don't watch

Good observation, Steve, and it's true to a degree; I won't miss RAW even if I've just spent the last 3 weeks belly-aching over it. And each week, it's a brand new disappointment to me.

However, I hope that I am in the so-called "vocal minority" and the majority of the viewers find that these episodes of RAW have been at least on par for the course.

I think the Raw rating was mostly bumped because of the three title matches. I'm thinking that next week's rating will sag because Orton vs. HHH has been done so many times, and because Trump is as wooden as the Great Khali, but the no commercials aspect might keep it high.

Actually I couldn't agree with Steve more. Has anyone even cared about Donald Trump since the first season of the Apprentice and his subsequent feud with Rosie years later, which by the way took place around the same time he came to the WWE. I say that because, Kevin, I think you pointed out that he brought up ratings on your RAW feedback blog and his feud with Rosie is likely the reason why. The commercial aspect intrigues me a little bit just because I'm curious as to what the show format will be like but come on. I can't stand Donald Trump. Just the way he talks makes him seem off-putting for some reason. I enjoyed RAW but next week ratings will decline

I can't stand Donald Trump. Don't like the hair. Don't like the voice. I'm done. I'll keep reading Ring Posts so let me know when the Trump storyline is over!

I am definitely one of the vocal people steve speaks of, but I'm still sucked in because I still can't shake the feeling that "anything can happen." Plus it's habit. I used to con my parents in to letting me watch Raw when it debuted or I'd have to give up cartoons to watch Livewire on Saturdays to see what I missed (well that and Sunny). Take that to college where I chose to live in a hotel converted into a dorm because it was the only place with cable and to now where my wife just knows Monday night is wrestling night (God bless her).

The thing I notice now is that I don't rush to get home from work like I used to on Mondays. My DVR is set every week and more often than not I watch it on delay. Even on DVR I still end up watch all the matches though. I like to watch new stars grow in their craft and even an old star like Goldust give up his pride to put over someone else.

For things like that though I can watch just about any other show on TV. ECW and Smackdown (even TNA kind of) are written in a way that new stars are developed and as a result the shows are intriguing. Those shows are closer to "can't miss" because you never know when someone will have that breakout performance. Much different than how Raw used to be "can't miss" because just about every week was a wrestling event. Monumental, game changing, Holy S event. If anything

Raw is the show that buries new talent and THAT is why I get mad. Eventually it will be why I stop watching and Kev's amazing blog on Tuesday mornings (or afternoons) will let me know when it's worth tuning back.

I guess mission acomplished for 1 week with the ratings Vince anyway Kev did you see during the commercial break comcast was still call the Bash the GAB. and why won't they have it here in Baltimore where its home really was for about 10 years.

Kevin, will it just be the Raw roster on this Monday's commercial free episode? If it is, they have a hard enough time trying to fill spots on PPVs with the entire WWE roster on hand. This may be like a train wreck, you can't not watch.

RESPONSE FROM KE: I believe it is just the Raw roster for this one.

I think they would be pleased to a certain extent. It was the best rating in 2 months, but it was also an extremely loaded show (which was also a good show overall), as should be the case next week. That April 16th show was the draft lottery, another loaded show. So while it was the best rating in 2 months, it also goes to show that the WWE doesn't get much above 5 million viewers except for big shows like these. At the end of the day, it's hard to sell PPVs (one coming in less than two weeks) when you're getting in the habit of giving away PPV matches on free TV.

Commercial-free Raw just means an extra 30 minutes of "Moments Ago" and "Earlier Tonight" replays of footage you have already seen if you have been watching the show.