Quick hits on WWE Superstars
Before I get into my thoughts on Thursday night’s episode of WWE Superstars, I have a confession to make: I have gotten into a routine the past couple months of taping the show and then never getting around to watching it (which explains why I haven’t written about Superstars since July). The combination of TNA adding a third hour of programming on Thursday nights and the less-than-marquee matchups on Superstars have made the show can-miss TV for me.
With that being said, the stars have aligned and “Quick hits On WWE Superstars” has returned to Ring Posts – at least for this week. I attended the Smackdown tapings at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Tuesday, and two of the matches on Superstars – The Big Show vs. Luke Gallows and The Dudebusters vs. Vance Archer and Curt Hawkins – were taped that night, so I feel obligated to comment on them. Plus, with the NFL season having kicked off on Thursday, TNA decided to give Impact and Reaction a bye week, and that gave me back three hours of my life. …
• The mixed tag team match that saw Goldust and Gail Kim defeat Primo and Jillian Hall was fun. It was nice to see Goldust and Kim get an opportunity to shine. Goldust’s primary role in WWE is to put younger guys over, but he does such a nice job in that role and has gotten himself into such good shape that he deserves to pick up a victory once in a while. As for Kim, obviously she is vastly underused.
• Jerry Lawler said that “Goldust is as good now as he has ever been in WWE.” While I agree that Goldust’s work in the ring is very good, he rarely ever wins a match, so that statement made Lawler sound silly.
• The R-Truth vs. William Regal match (which was won by R-Truth) was OK, although there were a few spots that weren’t real smooth. Regal’s rap before the match was pretty funny.
• When The Big Show delivered a thunderous chop to Gallows’ chest outside the ring, I was literally about a foot away from the action. All I can say is that television just doesn’t do justice to The Big Show’s size or the impact of those blows. Big Show, by the way, got a huge pop from the crowd in Baltimore.
• I thought the victory by The Dudebusters – who apparently are babyfaces now – over Archer and Hawkins was an upset when I saw it live, but when I watched the show on TV it was brought up in commentary that it was The Dudebusters’ second win over Archer and Hawkins in three weeks. Who knew?
• When Trent Barreta knocked Hawkins off the apron, Hawkins went crashing into the barrier with such force that he spilled the beer of a woman in the front row who was several seats down from me. She wasn’t happy about losing her over-priced beverage, but Hawkins actually might have done her a favor, as I witnessed a huge cockroach crawling on a tub of ice at one of the beer stands at the arena that night. See, this is the kind of first-hand reporting you just can’t get anywhere else but Ring Posts.
Comments
Was it one of those "Baltimore mutant cockroaches" that Bad News Brown had in his feud with Jake The Snake? Oops, wrong gimmick.
Posted by: Christopher | September 11, 2010 1:25 AM
And undercover health and safety reporter?
Posted by: Wayne | September 11, 2010 5:26 AM
Considering what a dump the Baltimore Arena is, it's a wonder that a cockroach crawling in the beer tub is the worst thing you saw. The Arena's slogan should be "Built in 1961, Antiquated since 1962."
Posted by: Xelpzat | September 11, 2010 6:01 AM
Cockroaches and beer...?
What next, Dietz and Watson hot dogs....
Posted by: steve in seoul | September 11, 2010 8:41 AM
I remember the first time that I saw Big Show live, me and my brother just stood there with our jaws on the floor for about 15 seconds. It's so true what you said there, the TV just fails to do justice to the size of the guy.
Posted by: Nick Jolley | September 11, 2010 9:32 AM
Yeah Kev I don't know if you saw that report on the poor standards of concession stands at sporting venues last month, but it's terrible. Unless you really enjoy food poisoning I would suggest eating or drinking before hand.
Posted by: Jay | September 11, 2010 7:52 PM
Gail Kim was superb in that match. I do not get why WWE continues to underuse her .. maybe some day we will know that answer after Ms. Kim has left them and is talking. Sure hope so.
Posted by: John | September 12, 2010 5:23 AM
So what was Bubba the Love Sponge doing hanging around the beer stand anyway?
Posted by: Ken Raining | September 12, 2010 7:49 AM
I was at the Baltimore show and had a good time like always (no matter how bad or good the angles are, live wrestling is a blast).
I was a bit surprised that the upper decks of the Arena were empty. Probably a mix of the Raw show in D.C. and the economy.
I know Matt Hardy is hurting these days, which is why I was impressed with his effort against Alberto. He even went for the moonsault- which is something I haven't seen Matt do for a while.
Posted by: West August | September 12, 2010 11:55 PM
"Gail Kim was superb in that match. I do not get why WWE continues to underuse her .. maybe some day we will know that answer after Ms. Kim has left them and is talking. Sure hope so. "
She's really bad and wooden on the mic, and whenever WWE has tried to do anything more with her, both in 2003 and 2009, she looked like crap in the ring, then looked fine when she went back down the card.
Posted by: chris | September 13, 2010 12:46 AM
Come on Eck, you know the Baltimoreans do not call them "cockroaches" they call them "waterbugs."
Posted by: The Mythical One | September 14, 2010 8:25 PM
You talk about Gail Kim looking like "crap" in the ring whenever she's pushed. Perhaps you're referring to her 2009 singles match with Mickie James where Ms. Kim sustained an injury (stinger) after falling hard on a crossbody attempt. I don't know about you, but how one is expected to competently continue a match while half knocked out and incoherent is beyond me. Furthermore, Mickie James made the incredibly stupid and dangerous decision to end the match via DDT, which given the circumstances could have led to a far more serious injury for Gail Kim. Funny how nobody bothers to mention this blatantly obvious fact while criticising Gail.
As for poor ring work, I guess the other Divas are given a free pass in that regard. Mickie, Melina, Maryse, Michelle, Layla, Alicia, Eve, all of them have been rubbish in the ring while pushed to the moon as champions. Pitiful match after pitiful match after pitiful match.
Posted by: Hooligan | September 15, 2010 1:06 AM
"As for poor ring work, I guess the other Divas are given a free pass in that regard.."
Or WWE doesn't think those girls are poor. It is a completely subjective matter after all.
Posted by: Brian | September 15, 2010 6:41 PM
"Or WWE doesn't think those girls are poor."
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Or WWE doesn't care. The Divas' primary job is to look good, not to impress us with athleticism which they may or may not possess. I have seen a question like this posted once or twice: "What was the point of having a ten-Diva tag match if only three of them would be in action?" The point was to have their bodies in full view. The "action" was secondary.
Posted by: Christopher | September 15, 2010 11:02 PM