WWE TV, May 23rd - May Something

[Johnny Sorrow]

Having a Money in the Bank match with mostly "new era" guys only to have Jericho win and ultimately fail to cash in seems like a colossal waste. Especially when they are going to need to elevate some guys to fill 5 hours of TV a week with a split roster.

No, it takes away what can be an albatross and puts it on a guy who can use it as a prop to maintain heat.

[goc]

 

So The WHOLE REASON they are going with two champions is because they need someone to cash in Money in the Bank this year? They have absolutely no other possible motivations for creating a second title?

 

 

Their main focus the last two years is to keep Roman strong, and the whole gimmick is that the MITB is pretty much a guaranteed title win. There's no reason for them to create a second title (and thereby risk recreating the main issue that sunk the brand split the last time) unless they wanted another belt for the briefcase holder to win

 

So it took like 8 years for the god awful unforgiveable sin of each brand having a main title to "sink" the brand split? You'd think if it was such a terrible thing it wouldn't have taken that long. You'd almost think the real reason Smackdown stopped being a viable touring group is because Jeff Hardy left and then they tried to replace their other big draw Rey Mysterio with Randy Orton.

 

They want another belt because they are going to do another split and they want each show to have a main title. They aren't making a new belt just for the fucking MITB winner.

[Grimmas]

 

 

So The WHOLE REASON they are going with two champions is because they need someone to cash in Money in the Bank this year? They have absolutely no other possible motivations for creating a second title?

 

 

Their main focus the last two years is to keep Roman strong, and the whole gimmick is that the MITB is pretty much a guaranteed title win. There's no reason for them to create a second title (and thereby risk recreating the main issue that sunk the brand split the last time) unless they wanted another belt for the briefcase holder to win

 

So it took like 8 years for the god awful unforgiveable sin of each brand having a main title to "sink" the brand split? You'd think if it was such a terrible thing it wouldn't have taken that long. You'd almost think the real reason Smackdown stopped being a viable touring group is because Jeff Hardy left and then they tried to replace their other big draw Rey Mysterio with Randy Orton.

 

They want another belt because they are going to do another split and they want each show to have a main title. They aren't making a new belt just for the fucking MITB winner.

 

Yes, there is some sense to having two titles. Each brand gets to feel like they are equal.

 

The issues with two titles comes from when they clearly present a show as more important (ie Raw). When Brock and Triple H were champions, no issues. Both things felt important.

 

When Raw was clearly the A show and Smackdown the B show, then the Smackdown title became an IC level belt and just devalued everything.

 

The best way to go is make the IC/US titles as the main belts on each show and the World Champion touring. Heck, you have NXT too, so he can tour there too.

 

Say Roman is draft to Raw, is the World Champion still. Well if he even loses the title he would be Raw exclusive, but in the meantime, he can spend a month on the road with Raw, a month with Smackdown, then a month with NXT or whatever. All the while the IC, US and NXT Titles are the main belts on each show.

[goc]

 

 

 

So The WHOLE REASON they are going with two champions is because they need someone to cash in Money in the Bank this year? They have absolutely no other possible motivations for creating a second title?

 

 

Their main focus the last two years is to keep Roman strong, and the whole gimmick is that the MITB is pretty much a guaranteed title win. There's no reason for them to create a second title (and thereby risk recreating the main issue that sunk the brand split the last time) unless they wanted another belt for the briefcase holder to win

 

So it took like 8 years for the god awful unforgiveable sin of each brand having a main title to "sink" the brand split? You'd think if it was such a terrible thing it wouldn't have taken that long. You'd almost think the real reason Smackdown stopped being a viable touring group is because Jeff Hardy left and then they tried to replace their other big draw Rey Mysterio with Randy Orton.

 

They want another belt because they are going to do another split and they want each show to have a main title. They aren't making a new belt just for the fucking MITB winner.

 

Yes, there is some sense to having two titles. Each brand gets to feel like they are equal.

 

The issues with two titles comes from when they clearly present a show as more important (ie Raw). When Brock and Triple H were champions, no issues. Both things felt important.

 

When Raw was clearly the A show and Smackdown the B show, then the Smackdown title became an IC level belt and just devalued everything.

I'm not sure whether to call this a flat out lie or just a wild over exaggeration. Undertaker, Batista, CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, Mark Henry, heel Daniel Bryan, even Edge who I fucking hate all felt WAY more important as the champion on Smackdown than any IC champ in the last 20 years.

[Ricky Jackson]

I think the comparison at the time was more that the Smackdown belt felt as important as the the IC belt was in the 80s and 90s in relation to the world title

[Loss]

I prefer one champion, but I think if we look at second-rate champions, in most cases, we're looking at MITB winners more than we are Smackdown champions. Think Del Rio, Ziggler, Punk, etc. The briefcase made Edge a star because he was the first, but all it's done for everyone else is bring the title down to their level instead of bringing those guys up to the title level.

[goc]

I prefer one champion, but I think if we look at second-rate champions, in most cases, we're looking at MITB winners more than we are Smackdown champions. Think Del Rio, Ziggler, Punk, etc. The briefcase made Edge a star because he was the first, but all it's done for everyone else is bring the title down to their level instead of bringing those guys up to the title level.

Add Jack Swagger to that list as he's the biggest name everyone likes to drop when they're talking about people who didn't deserve to be World Champion. And he likely never would have been, or at least would have actually been sufficiently built up to that level if not for that stupid fucking briefcase.

[Grimmas]

I think the comparison at the time was more that the Smackdown belt felt as important as the the IC belt was in the 80s and 90s in relation to the world title

Exactly.

[Matt D]

Which is still probably more important than any of the belts they have now.

[WingedEagle]

Perhaps I'm just too old for this -- although judging by the fact I watch this show every week I don't think that's the case -- but I am furiously tapping out on New Day. Absolutely cannot stand the act whatsoever.

[hammerva]

It is definitely an act that is better in smaller amounts. But that has never been the WWE strategy

[Strummer]

Wow the crowd was absolutely dead silent for most of that opening segment

 

And btw dorky babyface Steph who thinks she's cool but isn't is much better than the ball cutting .Steph we've gotten the last 3 years. I really hope they stick with this instead of doing the obvious and have her turn on Shane

[hammerva]

Yeah I am sure putting Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins in 10+ plus minute promo at 9:00 is going to stop that wave of people going to TNT for Game 7. I mean it is probably not worth trying but putting Cena there seems like better sense.

[Loss]

They know they're getting destroyed tonight by Game 7, so this is the show we're getting. I understand the logic, even though it's pretty brutal.

[Steenalized]

Not watching live, is it as bad as that Raw a few years ago when Cena issued a challenge for HALF WAY THROUGH THE SHOW and they clearly postponed that segment until Monday Night Football went to half time (and it ran late at that)

[C.S.]

Looks like that lame "Hatch" crap was for Bill Goldberg being a pre-order bonus in WWE 2K17. *Yawn*

[Strummer]

Oh God they are going to do Steph v Charlotte aren't they?

[...TG]

It's good to see Steph can emasculate the female talent as well as she does the men.

[The Thread Killer]

The WWE performance center teaches classes on how to cut promos, and has people like Arn Anderson, Ric Flair and Michael Hayes around to give advice to those that seek it out, I assume. Also, there are paid writers who script what we see on television.

 

All that, and you still get segments like that Rusev/Titus O'Neil "confrontation" which featured Rusev stumbling over his words, odd leaps in logic (he is now somehow an American Hero, because people in Green Bay are the cheese people covered in cheese...or something) only to be interrupted by Titus who reminded us that this is Memorial Day so..let's fight!

 

If that is what they come up with when they are taught what to do and are given a script, then maybe it's better for all concerned that they aren't allowed to come up with their own stuff and ad-lib. I shudder to think that there might be something they could do that was worse than whatever that was.

 

Good Lord, that was awful.

 

*Waits for obligatory Johnny Sorrow post explaining how that was the best segment on the best episode of RAW he's ever seen.*

[funkdoc]

you'd probably get more stuff like the New Day if guys could ad-lib freely, as they seem to have been coming up with a fair amount of their own material. for some here that's a "be careful what you wish for" deal, for the majority it probably shows why they wish that could be the case.

[Loss]

There's always the stories with the gaming panels about some guys being really good at cutting promos off the cuff and some not. Last year, the note was that the only guy who could keep up with Cena was Xavier Woods. The year before that, it was that Cesaro, Sheamus and Reigns were actually charming and witty.

[funkdoc]

i could totally see cesaro being good but "too euro" for vince & co.

[ZThomas]

The WWE performance center teaches classes on how to cut promos, and has people like Arn Anderson, Ric Flair and Michael Hayes around to give advice to those that seek it out, I assume. Also, there are paid writers who script what we see on television.

 

All that, and you still get segments like that Rusev/Titus O'Neil "confrontation" which featured Rusev stumbling over his words, odd leaps in logic (he is now somehow an American Hero, because people in Green Bay are the cheese people covered in cheese...or something) only to be interrupted by Titus who reminded us that this is Memorial Day so..let's fight!

 

If that is what they come up with when they are taught what to do and are given a script, then maybe it's better for all concerned that they aren't allowed to come up with their own stuff and ad-lib. I shudder to think that there might be something they could do that was worse than whatever that was.

 

Good Lord, that was awful.

 

*Waits for obligatory Johnny Sorrow post explaining how that was the best segment on the best episode of RAW he's ever seen.*

There are more than a handful of guys pre modern NXT era that could do without being fed lines, I mean overrall this current roster there are more guys that could handle themselves better than the roster of the last decade.

Its so stupid to see guys dumbed down so much in that regard when even on the Youtube and website guys show way more personality than they are allowed to on TV

[Johnny Sorrow]

The WWE performance center teaches classes on how to cut promos, and has people like Arn Anderson, Ric Flair and Michael Hayes around to give advice to those that seek it out, I assume. Also, there are paid writers who script what we see on television.

 

All that, and you still get segments like that Rusev/Titus O'Neil "confrontation" which featured Rusev stumbling over his words, odd leaps in logic (he is now somehow an American Hero, because people in Green Bay are the cheese people covered in cheese...or something) only to be interrupted by Titus who reminded us that this is Memorial Day so..let's fight!

 

If that is what they come up with when they are taught what to do and are given a script, then maybe it's better for all concerned that they aren't allowed to come up with their own stuff and ad-lib. I shudder to think that there might be something they could do that was worse than whatever that was.

 

Good Lord, that was awful.

 

*Waits for obligatory Johnny Sorrow post explaining how that was the best segment on the best episode of RAW he's ever seen.*

I haven't watched the show yet, but here's an obligatory " Go fuck yourself, you fucking zilch." 👍

[The Thread Killer]

That was not obligatory, that was entirely optional!