williamssl
Steers and Queers  
Posts 4317
Registered 1-11-2004 Location Hippieville Member Is Offline Mood: Fuck USC
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 05:59 PM |
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They said that for the forseeable future...SD stars will be appearing on Raw. That and we get Raw folks on tonights Super-SD.
Correct then - they did not announce the end of the split.
I..and others...are probably playing this forward a bit seeing this as the potential first "formal" step towards that.
Don't Mess With Texas
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denverpunk
Showstopper 
Posts 969
Registered 6-27-2007 Location Mile-Hi Member Is Offline Mood: Stoked
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 06:28 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by diablo_dor
Who is the first we expect on the chopping block due to overstuffed single roster?
The usual: Barretta, Hawkins, Yoshi Tatsu, the more useless members of Nexus, etc.
Honestly, I'd kind of like the brand extension to end. Titles mean much less now than they used to, though on the other hand I highly doubt we
would have seen Christian as a World Champ without it.
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TomS
Showstopper 
Posts 611
Registered 7-7-2006 Location Liverpool, England Member Is Offline Mood: Moody
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 06:42 PM |
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I just want to add one random thing:
From the look on his face, I couldn't decide whether Otunga hated Lawler, or wanted to fuck him. He was smoldering towards him, I'm sure.
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cardscott5
Fella
Posts 422
Registered 6-28-2007 Location wherever god takes me Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 06:55 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DevilSoprano
On another note, first...Randy Orton has had a great year in the ring. It's mostly due to his opponents: Punk, Christian, and now Ziggler...but
he's more than held up his end of the bargain in those feuds. And secondly, I'm not sure how out there this opinion might be...but Dolph
Ziggler is the best "wrestler" in the WWE right now and I'm not sure it's even close. He's just brilliant. Selling, psychology,
telling a story in the ring. The only thing I'd love for him to do is find a better finisher than the ZigZag. It's almost as painfully bad
as Starship Pain, but everything else Ziggler does is great.
I agree with both of your points. There was a lot of groaning when Orton went to SD to be the face of the show, but he's done nothing but put on
really good matches every week. He's had good matches with Sheamus and Kane as well as Christian, Punk and so on. Hell, he was part of Ted
DiBiase's first above average singles match maybe ever.
I thought Ziggler was ready to bust through last year, after he feuded with Bryan and Edge. I don't know why he couldn't be pushed to
challenge Cena after Cena and Del Rio fight at NoC. He fought Kofi a hundred times, but besides the fact they were fighting again, their matches were
all watchable. If he ends up fighting Swagger, I think they could steal the show at the ppv.
Visit my site: www.BearcatsBlog.com. Pretend to care.
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Dominator
And I am AWESOME
Posts 150
Registered 7-5-2007 Location Florida Member Is Offline Mood: Cheeky
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 07:01 PM |
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Sometimes it's the little things. When Sheamus came down to assist Cena with Henry & Christian, Cena assumed a 3-on-1 posture, given their past
history. Very few fans outside the IWC would notice it, but it's one of the reasons why I've always thought Cena was much better than a
lot of people gave him credit for.
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the goon
Sister Act
Posts 3885
Registered 3-13-2004 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 07:51 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dominator
Sometimes it's the little things. When Sheamus came down to assist Cena with Henry & Christian, Cena assumed a 3-on-1 posture, given their past
history. Very few fans outside the IWC would notice it, but it's one of the reasons why I've always thought Cena was much better than a
lot of people gave him credit for.
I noticed that as well and agree that it was a nice bit of logic/continuity on Cena's part.
And I agree on the sentiments about Orton and Ziggler. I've been apathetic to Orton for 95% of his career, but it seems he's really
stepped it up since going to Smackdown. Not only was he in one of my favorite free TV matches of the year (the no DQ match against Sheamus on
Smackdown a few months back) but he did a surprisingly good match with Kane as well, something that on paper should normally bore the shit out of me.
Same with Ziggler. I think his feud with Edge proved that he could be a legit contender and he's gotten pretty damn solid in the ring. The
problem for him is that he's on RAW where there's a shitload of heels. I really think he and/or Swagger would benefit from jumping back to
Smackdown, where you really only have Christian and Mark Henry as the top-level heels.
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Froggie
Fella
Posts 484
Registered 10-25-2002 Location Bizarro Land, Ontario Member Is Offline Mood: Stylin'
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 08:41 PM |
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Wooooooooo...the brand split is FINISHED~! SD! superstars will now officially be allowed on RAW. WWE changed the name of the Smackdown! vs. RAW
video game series (to WWE '12) because they felt fans didn't distinguish between the seperate RAW and SD! brands and didn't take
them seriously.
The truth of the matter is this: WWE themselves don't take the brand split seriously!! Just last month they had Beth Pheonix and Alberto Del
Rio at the SD! go home show before SummerSlam for no reason. It wasn't always like this...back in 2005, Shawn Michaels (who was on RAW and
having an inter-promotional angle with SmackDowns Kurt Angle) had to pretend he was a cameraman to appear on the show. At No Way Out 2004 (PPVs were
single-branded at that point), Austin bought Goldberg (a RAW wrestler) a ticket so Goldberg could watch the Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar main event
(Goldberg was semi-feuding with Lesnar at the time). RAW and SD! even had separate broadcast teams and they sat at different parts of the arena.
My have things changed!! Now they don't even try to make people suspend disbelief. "Yup...we're all the same company! Don't make
the mistake of thinking we're two different brands...that's completely dumb!" I'm happy I don't watch the TVs anymore...when
they couldn't shoot Christian to the next level that's when I stopped taking everything they did seriously
[Edited on 8-30-2011 by Froggie]
"...Best There Ever Will Be!!"
-When WWE jobbed first time WWE World Heavyweight Champion Christian out to Randy Orton and turned him heel when he (Christian) was arguably the most
over babyface on the roster and having great matches with everyone on the card, it was at that exact moment that WWE jumped the shark!!
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Chris Is Good517
Posts 10711
Registered 1-10-2002 Location Little Rock, AR Member Is Offline Mood: punchy
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 09:28 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ThePunisher
WWE.com is hinting at a return of the nWo.
God, I hope not. There's no fucking reason for it. None. Waltman is probably the only one out of that entire group that can even still put on a
decent match, and putting that aside and the fact that nobody wants a bunch of late 40s/early 50somethings at the top of WWE again, the nWo without
Hulk Hogan is stupid. It'd be like trying to reform Nirvana without Cobain. There are some things that are too stupid to do, and bringing back
the nWo is one of them.
Now, if they wanted to do a nWo: Next Generation angle where Nash hand picks a bunch of guys like McIntyre and Ryder to be the "new" nWo, meh, I
guess you could do something with it, but I don't think it would really be an especially good idea and doing it this soon after the big Nexus
angle last year would really take all of the "oomph" out of it anyway.
I have nothing against occasional nostalgia acts, but the nWo is dead and needs to stay that way.
quote:
Dev
Dolph Ziggler is the best "wrestler" in the WWE right now and I'm not sure it's even close. He's just brilliant. Selling,
psychology, telling a story in the ring. The only thing I'd love for him to do is find a better finisher than the ZigZag.
Well, I think Dan Bryan and CM Punk are obvious counterarguments to that and as you pointed out, Orton has really been on point lately. I also think
Cody Rhodes is quietly becoming one of the best in the business and Rey was really on a good run before he got hurt again. But yeah, Ziggler is in the
top 5 right now and if he doesn't get that end of year new heel champion title run that Sheamus got in '09 and Miz got last year, I have
no idea who the hell will.
Gee, I wish I was still alive- LuckyLopez R.I.P.
Bachmann: "I haven't had a gaffe... when it comes to the best Republican who take
on Barack Obama and not have any clunker in my record to be able to take him on, it's me."
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S Kid J E T S 48
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1651
Registered 10-12-2007 Location New York Member Is Offline Mood: You Know It
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 10:07 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris Is Good517
Now, if they wanted to do a nWo: Next Generation angle where Nash hand picks a bunch of guys like McIntyre and Ryder to be the "new" nWo, meh, I
guess you could do something with it, but I don't think it would really be an especially good idea and doing it this soon after the big Nexus
angle last year would really take all of the "oomph" out of it anyway.
When he came out to help Miz and Truth, I kind of liked that combination. Maybe neither of them need the nWo per say, but as a start to a new
stable...perhaps.
Not sure I love this general idea, so it's less of a fantasy booking and more of what I could see them doing with this...
Lets say it was Miz behind this entire text thing. He did it because he was sick of being underutilized and decided he was going to mess with
everyone on top...HHH, the McMahons, Punk, Cena, etc....while putting himself in position to take over with the help of Laurinitis or Steph or
whatever (Shane would be best for pure shock, but he's done...so Vince as the off-screen Chairman that lets them do what they want?) Maybe the
brand split being put on hold allows them to bring Barrett in, who last we saw him said he was sick of being given nothing to do...and the 5 of them
just do a brutal beatdown on both HHH and Punk to end the show...perhaps Cena comes out to help them and gets beaten also.
While it would be reminiscent of Nexus, two major differences would be there: a) This wouldn't be 8 rookies with barely any experience and only
3 of them actually being good wrestlers and b) while there was reaction, after a while, who the hell cares if Cena ran through all of these people?
In Punk, there is a more defined "hero" that can be rallied behind that suddenly, instead of the "HHH friend of the month" going after him each
month, has several upper card opponents to get through before getting to Miz (who I would want to somehow take the belt from ADR as soon as
possible...and someone may soon anyway if the rumors of his visa issues are true...). So maybe at Hell in the Cell Punk gets Barrett...next Truth...a
Vickie-less Ziggler...etc...until he gets to Wrestlemania and faces Miz for the title instead of HHH, which may please the IWC a little bit more.
Through this, you are clearly defining several upper-level heels in WWE (Miz, Truth, Barrett, Ziggler) who can be new stars for the next 10 years...as
well as stating an obvious storyline that could be ended at Mania with a defined group against them (Punk, Cena...playing the Foley role of the late
90s, ReyRey...others), while also keeping Smackdown as its own show...allowing those not involved in the storyline to be protected from it (allowing
younger guys and others to run at Orton...like Bryan who has the MitB and others to still remain and not be lost in the shuffle on Raw).
So in recap, you'd have a big new stable full of newly defined main event guys, a storyline that could actually peak and end at Mania with easy
steps to get there, and a check and balance with Smackdown being its own show still, to give this new nWo a break from tv and not allowing it to
swallow all tv time nor all the heels in the company like in WCW.
FREE ZACK RYDER
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diablo_dor
Fella 
Posts 439
Registered 1-11-2010 Member Is Offline Mood: confuffled
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 10:19 PM |
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ADR got that run.
With the merging, I could maybe see Ziggler going to Smackdown to get away from Vickies "pride" then getting a chance but I really can't see
him somehow cracking the huge glass ceiling on double duty Raw.
A 2 month rebuilding & he might be ready but I really fear HHH will expect another run if he does return at the PPV.
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cloak and dagger
Creepy Little Bastard
Posts 63
Registered 8-24-2011 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 11:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris Is Good517
quote:
Dev
Dolph Ziggler is the best "wrestler" in the WWE right now and I'm not sure it's even close. He's just brilliant. Selling,
psychology, telling a story in the ring. The only thing I'd love for him to do is find a better finisher than the ZigZag.
Well, I think Dan Bryan and CM Punk are obvious counterarguments to that and as you pointed out, Orton has really been on point lately. I also think
Cody Rhodes is quietly becoming one of the best in the business and Rey was really on a good run before he got hurt again. But yeah, Ziggler is in the
top 5 right now and if he doesn't get that end of year new heel champion title run that Sheamus got in '09 and Miz got last year, I have
no idea who the hell will.
I'm willing to say that Dolph Ziggler consistently puts on better matches than both Bryan and Punk. The crowd might pop for the other two more,
but if we're talking strictly workrate? Ziggler has the athleticism and crispness edge over both of them. Not to take anything away from Punk
and Bryan, mind you.
Also, I'd like to co-sign on Rhodes 100%. I was determined to hate that kid when Legacy broke up, because I hated that whole stable and its run.
Cody stepped out from behind that, and made leaps and bounds in personality, mic work, and in-ring work. His character has evolved from metrosexual
Rick Rude, to self-conscious and angry, to embracing his "disfigurement" like Two-Face. One of my favorite wrestlers going right now. And that
Beautiful Disaster always looks vicious.
"...and everything I touch, shall wither and die."
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Flash
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1016
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Brantford, Ontario Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 11:28 PM |
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Random thoughts;
* The Cena reaction to Sheamus's run in was well played.
* Anyone else notice what looked to be Edge walking through the Raw entrance area in the background while they did that close up of Orton just staring
out at the crowd... just before JR launched into the Ziggler package.
* Before Punk came back with the gagging and kinda disappeared out of frame for a minute or so I honestly thought he was going to get a chair that he
could then lay out Nash with. I think this would have played better than two guys supposedly hating one another just standing around, Punk getting
screwed yet again, and then the very match the whole segment set up being called off...
Had Punk laid out Nash he would have gotten his revenge and it would have given a reason for why there was no match. Punk could then have been put
into the Cena - ADR match (which would have helped give a reason why those two will have another match next month), at that time Nash could have come
in and laid out Punk (and Cena if need be to give ADR the cheap win).
Which brings us to what we actually got....
* I'm probably going to be in the minority here, and let me preface this by saying I think its way too early for Punk and HHH to be facing one
another, but I think HHH should go over Punk at NOC. I'd give it a screwy ending, one again where perhaps Nash gives HHH the secret assist...
but I'd have HHH go over Punk...
Ideally I would have liked to have seen Punk get a good, quick, and clean win over Nash this month and then go on to face some adversity while the
Punk and HHH stuff simmered, and probably even get back burnered for a bit, and then culminate at WM in 7 months. Going over Nash would have given
Punk a solid win over a recognized legend on the heels of two solid wins over John Cena... By that point he's over and about as top level as you
could get. I would have then set him against several lackey's, hire muscle (didn't HHH put a bounty out on someone before?)... maybe need
some indy buddies for some faction based matches... ect. Point is adversity and perseverance, with maybe a few screwy losses to underscore the
adversity and to help make some younger undercard guys.
There's probably a lot of people clamouring for the end of HHH vs Punk, I personally think there's a lot of good story that could come out
of this and a Punk win over HHH immediately takes a lot of the wind out those sails. He beat the boss in a match that while it has plenty of
backstory, was hastily executed and all that can come after is HHH extracting petty revenge and going heel in the process. HHH already doesn't
have anything to lord over Punk.
HHH going over Punk gives him something to hold over Punks head, and gives Punk a reasons to chase HHH a bit... he'll want to piss him off and
goad him into a re-match... HHH having that win will tell him to piss off, he's already beat him and all CM Punk was is hot air... HHH was
right, him and Taker were the last challenges in the locker room. The more Punk pisses HHH off the more HHH can throw guys at him to make him go away,
until finally Punk wins something (maybe the Royal Rumble) giving him the right to name his own opponent at WM... and of course he picks HHH where he
gets the clean win.
ETA:
* Wouldn't that little exchange between Laurenaitis and HHH have been a great spot to have revealed Johnny Ace as the compu-GM? Also, the
involvement of a ref in the backstage spot was kinda weird... I wonder if there's going to be something that comes of that, or if they are going
to start giving ref's personalities again?
[Edited on 8-30-2011 by Flash]
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Gobshite
The Rowdy One 
Posts 2502
Registered 1-30-2004 Location Right here, in Birmingham, England!! Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-30-2011 at 11:35 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Flash
* Anyone else notice what looked to be Edge walking through the Raw entrance area in the background while they did that close up of Orton just staring
out at the crowd... just before JR launched into the Ziggler package.
I did notice it, but knew from the second I saw it that it was Kevin Nash.
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