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...AND MARKING OUT
Is A Cure in the Works for RAW?
A few weeks ago, when Raw was unopposed post the Armageddon PPV,
I was pretty disappointed. I thought about what exactly I felt Vince
and Co. needed to do in order to break the monotony that was becoming
prevalent on WWF programming. I wrote:
What the Hell happened to Raw?!? On an unopposed night, this is what we get?!? These two questions have been floating around in the front of my mind since approximately 11:15 p.m. EST on Monday night. And I know I'm not the only person walking around thinking these thoughts and I probably won't be the only person writing and bitching about it or the only person offering my Tuesday Morning Booking, but here goes anyway. First let me say that I was very excited for Raw coming off of the Armageddon PPV. As I stated over on the EZ board, I liked the event well enough and I dug the main event. I felt that Armageddon left lots of storyline opportunities. I was excited for 9 p.m. to roll around. I was totally deflated by the end of the show. So I offer the following things I think can make Raw a better show in the future: Then I offered so remedies. This week's ...And Marking Out takes a look at what I thought the Fed should do and how I actually think they're doing. Remedy #1: Shake Up things in the Main Event: I wrote: These faces don't necessarily need to be full-time main eventers, but people who are interesting to watch and have some reason (that the writers concoct) to wrestle main event talent. This would serve to give viewers and break from the constant Austin/HHH, Undertaker/Angle, Rock/HHH matches that we've all come to know very well. Remember how cool it was when Jericho challenged HHH and won the belt for a minute? It was nice to see them battle and Y2J winning the belt (with the APA by his side) just made it even cooler. Regal inserting himself during Vince's promo was a nice start, but unless they follow this up with at least one match with Austin, it's pointless. I am now pleased to note that they turned Austin/Regal into a pretty entertaining mini-feud. They have managed to give Regal a pretty good rub, while allowing Austin to maintain his killer badass image in a new way (by basically giving him a fresh ass to kick) What's more, they have given the McMahon/Austin feud a fresh twist by inserting Stephanie in the mix and one of Austin's primary antagonists. I thought that the charisma and synergy between Daddy's Little Girl and SCSA was way cool. He has belittled her, intimidated her, and embarrassed her much to the delight of fans everywhere. Who wasn't marking out just a little when her shirt came flying of on RAW, even if you could see it coming once they were in the ring together? C'mon, admit it... Plus we saw a SmackDown! where Jericho got a title shot. That had to please all the Y2J lovers out there (me included). Rikishi is now having issues with the Undertaker again it appears and Kane got a slight nudge into the main event this week. Now all of this could just be Royal Rumble hype in that they need to make everyone look like a contender - and I think the way they have booked Kurt Angle does that without trying too hard - but I'm happy to see these small changes nonetheless. I would go into more detail, but remedy #4 will cover more of my thoughts on the WWF main event scene. Remedy #2: Stop the Formulaic Booking: I originally complained about run-ins and matches that could be seen coming a mile away: Angle, Edge and Christian come to the ring. This lets you know that the Dudleys will eventually come out (based on their Four Corners Tag Match from the previous night) and team with whomever Angle rags on the most from the HIAC match, which in this case was the Rock. Instead of booking them in a six-man tag match with nothing at stake, how about a simple idea like rematches. Alas, this trend continues. Everyone runs in on everyone else's matches, and it's rarely a surprise as to who will be running down the ramp or when. Sigh... Remedy #3: How about some actual Wrestling?: I bitched: The last few editions of Raw and SmackDown! have featured an average of six matches. That's just not an acceptable amount given at least two hours or more of television time to work with... Save the extended promos for when they really count and give some more of the talent a chance to shine during those precious primetime minutes. Don't you think that Saturn or Tazz or even Too Cool would love to have even four minutes to show what they can do in front of a live crowd? I think Vince is beginning to get the message here as well. Since I originally wrote those words, the following things have happened:
Even though we may still only get about six or seven matches, recently those matches that we did get to see were matches that I wanted to see. Better wrestling and more wrestling make it harder to change the channel or press fast forward on the VCR remote. Remedy #4: Write Beyond the Main Event: Original complaint went as follows: It seems that the writers just stop trying after they get past the six top stars Today the WWF has perhaps the strongest top-to-bottom roster in the history of wrestling. They have a mid-card that includes: Kane, Jericho, Hardcore Holly, Regal, The Radicalz, T&A, Tazz, Raven, and the list goes on. Not to mention lightweight talent like Rios and Scott Taylor. All these guys really need is a storyline/angle to make them more interesting or to make them seem more interesting if you already like them well enough. To set the record straight, I do believe it is possible to focus most of the writing on the main event scene and still have solid programming top-to-bottom. In order for this to happen, storylines have to be intertwined so that any change in the main event structure has a ripple or trickle-down effect on the rest of the Superstars on the card. Changes in the main event status quo should rock the undercard like a sizeable earthquake. New players should emerge and begin to claw their way to the top, top stars should settle to a somewhat lower level now and then. This is already happening as Test is getting another singles push since Trish and Albert have betrayed him. Trish and Albert are trying the climb the mountain, Stephanie wants to keep them down. Test now has to make it own his own. All because Trish is flirting (or more) with Vince. A change in the Main Event is having repercussions on the rest of the card. Which leads us to: 10 Things I Think I Think: 1. I think I really like how there are many shades of gray on heel/face divide. The Fed has heels and faces on either side of the fence, but the heels don't totally get along and neither do the faces. The current tensions and storylines have more possibilities that I thought they did after the Armageddon PPV. 2. I think I really am enjoying the entry of Trish in to the McMahon divorce angle. I will mark-out big time when/if Vince announces her as Stephanie's new Step-Mom. Who wouldn't kill for one of her massages? 3. I think that I smell an Austin heel turn. Vince and Austin do not get along. Ever. Period. Why would Vince give in to Austin's demands on SmackDown!? Why would he help Austin gain a title shot? Surely he wasn't truly afraid of Austin and I don't buy the simplicity of protecting his daughter. There's more going on here. 4. I think if Austin doesn't win the title on RAW on Monday (and I don't think he will), we will see a double turn at the Royal Rumble during an Angle/Austin title match. Austin and Vince will form some kind of alliance. I think at this point it's the only way that fans will boo StoneCold. 5. I think that if #4 happens, Angle will become a face by default. 6. I think that would be a good thing because we could finally see a plausible continuation to the HHH/Stephanie/Angle love triangle that was back-burnered when HHH didn't totally turn face. 7. I think the love triangle would still cap off with Angle stealing Stephanie from HHH. Stephanie will be at odds with Vince over the whole Trish thing and probably wouldn't be too happy about a McMahon-Austin alliance. We still don't know where or how HHH will fit into all of this, but you can bet that even if he isn't getting along with Vince and Austin he also won't be rubbing elbows with Kurt. 8. I think that Austin can draw against Angle because Angle has been built to appear vulnerable to everyone. If Austin/Angle does headline the Rumble, I don't really think the outcome will be in doubt to anyone who watches, but the swerve of Austin turning heel would instantly give the WWF that must see feel again. 9. I think that the Rock is my leading candidate to win the Rumble. It seems that the WWF is already teasing that both he and Austin are going over the edge. The writers want to find out whom the fans will boo. If the Rock wins the Rumble and Austin defeats Angle with a double-turn, the hype to WrestleMania will begin in earnest. Anybody who watched Armageddon heard how the crowd reacted to Rock and Austin pounding on each other in the ring. The pops were incredible. There is no doubt that these two can be the money match at WrestleMania. Now let's hope the WWF can deliver in a manner that satisfies casual fans and smarks alike. 10. I think that whether my fantasy scenarios play themselves out or not, Angle's days as champion are numbered. Agree/Disagree? Send hatemail/feedback to drinkingbeersandmarkingout@yahoo.com. I'm Out.
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