Hey hey hey. Another week gone by and another packed week in the world of wrestling. I'm flying high on energy drinks and migraine pills (Equate Headache Relief for those interested. I've found they work just as well as the prescription pills the doctor gave me and about 1/10 the cost.) plus my nieces have finally left for the next few days. Now I finally have time to reflect on the shows from the last few days and see what you folks had to say about them courtesy of the World Wrestling Insanity Message Boards. Did the majority of the WWI Metaverse (a group of scientists in Geneva Switzerland upgraded us from Multiverse after finding three more universes in which Aaron Wood and Shooting were the most popular members of their respective forums) agree with my thoughts, particularly on CM Punk returning from his extended 8 day hiatus from the WWE? Was his absence from RAW just a way to get Vince McMahon out of the picture and clear the way for the King of Kings to return with unlimited power?

My main questions are these, if the entire CM Punk storyline was a way to bring HHH back as head of the WWE (which I'm not sure if it was, so hypothetically I'll say it was) and they brought him back after one week instead of building to a grand return, did The Game cut Punk's legs off from under him? Will there be a true payoff to the story? Or is this more evidence that the people in charge of creative feel that their viewers attention spans are so short that they can't understand a slow build to a story so they feel the need to hotshot every angle? Why is everything I'm typing a question? More than that, why are most of them run on sentences? I don't have an answer to any of those, well, except the last two. The answer to those are I'm a horrible writer.

Enough from me for now. We have a lot of stuff to cover before we are through so let's jump into the deep end and find out what everyone thought of Monday nights Cult of Personality edition of RAW.

JohnnyCraze starts us off with

Well, tonight's raw looks to have quite an impact(haha, no pun intended). We will crown a new WWE Champion tonight. Will it be Rey Mysterio or The Miz? Will De Rio then cash in his MITB? I have a feeling and I'm saying this now....Mysterio will win and IF Del Rio cashes in, I don't think he'll win....yup, he'll he the first MITB loser. Just my guess.

Also, what will happen with John Cena? Will he have any part of the WWE Championship? Let's remember, he threatned to take his business to someone else's show last week, brother!!

Oh yea, HHH is in charge now. What will the first order of business be for him? As long as he doesn't make himself WWE champion then I can care less what he does.

Aaron Wood

What will be interesting is to see what Belt they have tonight. Whether it's a copy of the one they have or a brand new one. Or if, rather stupidly, they go beltless for a week or so.

JohnnyCraze

same belt??

Nuwanda (and by the way, welcome to the forums and to Hot Threads!)

opportunity missed....

JT

I'm smoother than Keith Stone. (RR Note 1: Damn Straight!)

Tenchi

I REALLY wish Michael Cole would stop using "Lookit!" all the time, he sounds like a 5 year old trying to get his mother's attention.

JohnnyCraze

Mysterio won!!!! BOOOOOOOO!!!!

Tenchi

Rey wins? F**k.

JT

Great Rey will now have a third forgettable title reign.

JohnnyCraze (RR Note 2: Remember the night was still young)

Wow, Mysterio might keep the belt for most of the night.

JT

I said it last week and I'll say it again this week, I'm sick of Rey Mysterio.

Tenchi

Think we could call this his last token reign before he hangs his boots up?

The Green Teabagger

Maybe they're going to go with Cena-Mysterio? It's never been done before. I mean, I can't think of any time Cena and Mysterio faced each other.

Ok, so we got a lot of filler this week on RAW. Even the HHH State of the WWE seemed like filler. Really the only thing it accomplished was bring back JR (for however long it will be this time), give us a Zack Ryder match against Michael Cole and give Rey another match tonight. This time against the Last Son of Krypton, John Cena. However, I really hate a certain advertising character right now, so I want to add in any remarks against him I can.

JT (Saying it again)

I'm smoother than Keith Stone.

The Green Teabagger

My ass is smoother than Keith Stone.

Tenchi

More Keystone product placement? LAME. At least it's piss-break time.

The Green Teabagger

I'd say Melina's ass is smoother than Keith Stone, but usually there's a dick in it so that won't work

We now return you to your regularly scheduled recap of RAW

Tenchi

Just don't let it be CM Punk returning right now, they'll be blowing their load too soon. As usual.

JT

Psycho Truth- Awesome

HHH Mocking Truth- Lame

wolfchild

I would have settled for Eugene...

Out of morbid curiosity, have we heard anything from the autonomous Raw GM? Or did he go the route of Kane's evil twin and other dropped gimmicks I can't remember?

JohnnyCraze

Great, Cena vs Mysterio....who the hell to pick?? I'm gonna say Mysterio wins again. I don't think they'll take the belt off Mysterio in one night.....unless Del Rio cashes in.

Average

Way to make the new title mean something. Have the first guy to hold it drop it after 90 minutes. Oh yeah, make him come out before the challenger, too

The Green Teabagger

Cena wins handicap matches with ease. Does anyone really think he's not going to club a midget whose already had a match?

Nuwanda

Anyone thinking the new belt looks like a toy one?^^

JohnnyCraze

Cena wins.......Motherf**ker


Punk!!!!!!!

wolfchild

I RETRACT MY BOO!!!

JT

RESPECT THE CHAMP BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Average

Too soon.

JohnnyCraze

For the love of God, I have a headache. Punk is back. Cena is the champ again after Mysterio beat The Miz before to become WWE Champion. Now what? Punk vs Cena at Summerslam for the real WWE Championship?

James, your gonna have a ball with this raw!

EaglesFn345

Iam Punk the White. And I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide.


Awesome way to end the show...SuperCena defeats Mysterio, but only to be confronted by the True Champion

Average

The entire tournament was kinda just pissed away, wasn't it?

PeterDawson

I liked this Raw. Kind of annoyed Evan doesn't seem to be getting a shot at the US title, at least not yet, but hey, maybe that'll change in the future. I do like Ziggler versus Bourne, at least on paper.

So yeah, like I was saying, pretty good Raw. We got the necessary teaser with the cashing in only for it to be denied, we got a new champion, we got a good old announcer returning and Michael Cole getting owned by the internet... champion. Cena winning does annoy me, granted Rey's about as milked as him, but Rey has never really been solid in terms of title reigns and for once, just once, I'd like to see him thrown a bone there. Still rumors are he's got big stuff coming so we'll see. None the less it does make sense for Cena to get the title back since him versus Punk at Summerslam to unify the two WWE championships (maybe rip off Ring of Honor and call it the Pure title?) is a pretty good angle. Really the only way I'd have liked this to go down better is just more time with Punk gone, say a whole PPV. Just a situation where scheduled events didn't allow for what would arguably have been better storytelling. It happens, they more or less made the best of it.

JohnnyCraze

Punk came back way to early. I have to agree with JG on that. The whole excitment factor is gone now.
Anyway, stayed up to read JG's insanity and thank God I did! Until next week my WWI buddies, goodnight.

Anthony.Analog

Everyone's forgetting that Punk can't be gone for any longer than 30 days, lest he forfeit the title for not defending it.

Aaron Wood

Exactly, AA. At worst, I expected him to appear tonight if only in the crowd at the end, with him making the full return deal next week. This wasn't far off it. Still has to explain wh a guy who was sodding off is back. But beyond that, it's pretty much around the schedule I expected.

Taht said, unlike some dipshits claim on Twitter, the angle isn't dead and the WWE haven't f**ked up. Just because the WWE didn't do THEIR fantasy booking doesn't mean they f**ked up. That said, if by the end of the RAW after Summerslam, it's business as usual with Cena on top and no advancement beyond that, then yeah, they f**ked up.

But we should at least give them that long to see where they story ends up becfore denouncing it, rather than after a twist in the tale that just so happened to not be part of our own plan.

James Bullock

Makes me feel like I'm watching CM Punk circa 2005 again. I hope he keeps it even if he loses at Summerslam. The song and Living Colour are incredible (Full LP owner, right here).

I know a lot of people are upset about Punk coming back so soon, but I couldn't be happier. In my last "Honor Nation", I admitted that I truly didn't care what was going on with Raw without Punk, and the same old guard being pushed while guys like Kofi are waiting in the wings for their real opportunities. One week later, I wake up, go on the internet to find Punk came back. I'm excited again.

With the reaction Punk recieved last night, I have hope that WWE won't miss a big opportunity and drop the ball. He's not some flash in the pan, flavor of the month. The fans are really digging everything about him right now. And just like the "Summer of Punk" in ROH, Punk could use that fan connection to give the rub to guys like Kofi or Morrison after the Punk vs. Cena thing ends.

Sprout1883

way to go WWE.

Thanks for pissing on one of the best things you've had going on for ages.

Tenchi

They haven't screwed the pooch yet. Jeez, Give it a chance will you?

Canadian Bulldog (RR Note 3: Who is back with the greatest column ever..EVER!!! Inside The Ropes)

That's it; I'm never watching wrestling again. WWE has completely ruined everything. For good! Why would I even bother ever tuning again, given that they didn't write exactly what every Internet wrestling fan wanted them to? Thanks for reminding me that wrestling is fake, WWE. Screw you!

Herzeleid

Wow, so many people got so angry. I loved it. With audiences the way they are these days, trying to make such a storyline that long-burn doesn't really work. Especially since this is the establishing of Punk as huge, a few more weeks and people would have forgotten all about it. I'm with those in the camp that as long as it's not Cena on top after Summerslam, then it's all good.

Lionheart

Still waiting for Punk to get rid of the bling, bling WWE title.

They should have left Cena's name on Punk's belt for storyline purposes. Having CM PUNK just shows that he hasn't left WWE.

The Chosen 1

Perhaps HHH is letting him back on the show WITHOUT a contract still.... so we can have the weeks of negotiations and stuff....

And while I think it was early.. I think it was only a few weeks to early.. I honestly don't think it should have been dragged out past Summerslam...and in WWE's defense without the Punk return we'd all be talking about how "eh" the show was... WWE needs to end all their show with big satisfying moments or we all complain... so how can you really blame them?

The Attitude Era was arguably the most well received era of WWE...and things were NEVER dragged out, there were huge moments every week.. stories that could have lasted weeks might not even make it out of one night, and people ate it up. And these days we all say we want things to drag on forever but then when nothing happens one week we all talk about how boring the show is... so whether or not this was too soon, it means that WWE has created yet another huge moment for another straight week... which is definitely a good thing. Can't have it both ways.

XarsenicKissX

So, a few thoughts. If I ever see Cena v Rey again, it will be too soon. That was absolutely horrible. That match was never going to have any clear winners for me. If Rey wins, we have a champion that if he were to actually wear the belt would pretty much cover his entire torso. If Cena wins, well you know where I am going with this.
A few people have mentioned Punk having to defend the belt every thirty days. Can I ask why? He isn't under contract and doesn't have to do anything. (Please bear in mind I am talking in kayfabe terms here before someone rips me a new one.) If Punk were to show up at an indy in Buttf**k, Iowa and lose the belt to a local hick, that guy wouldn't become the new WWE champion, as the WWE wouldn't recognise the legitimacy of Punks reign from the moment his contract ended.
Cult Of Personality. Amazing and a perfect fit. As a super massive AFI it would be great to hear Miseria Cantare, but I don't think its the song for now. The lyrics and the dynamics of the song don't fit where Punk is heading.
Finally, Punk being back. I personally loved it. As was mentioned, noone has said he has resigned. He may have been there as a guest of Trips. When he smirked at Cena and raised the belt - pure gold. I truly think it was up there with HHH and Taker and there pre WM non verbal confrontation.

I NEED to have the Punk Chi-Town shirt. I'm seriously considering getting one off e bay.

Double edit - the shirt is now available minus the date on wweshop

So after all of the buildup, we get a feel good moment at Money in the Bank with Punk winning the belt and “leaving” the WWE only for him to be back in a week. Opinions are mixed everywhere you look. However, even though Punk was only gone a week, he was still gone longer than when Cena was “fired” during the Nexus angle last year. So I guess if nothing else we can say they are trying to make the stipulations and angles seem a little more realistic, even if they are rushing things.

One other thing this week. It's quite telling that with four hours ofprime time television, the only story worth talking about is CM Punk. WWE has lots and lots of talent on their roster but it seems as though they can only be assed to create compelling storylines for one person at a time. The problem is that while they do a great job of that one story, they prematurely end it or let it fizzle out while they begin a new one for someone else.

I know this might seem like a rant of someone who can't get over the Attitude Era, but that was a great example of how they should tell stories. Everyone was part of the overall story. They might not have been in the main storylines, but people like Al Snow and the Bossman were tied in to what was going on with Austin and McMahon or The Rock and HHH. Now they can barely keep a story with just two guys from going kaput in the middle because it seems like they are writing on the fly. Just my two cents, but it seems that they would be better off to decide on the ending and book backwards from there. As a matter of fact, it seems that I remember hearing lots of the sports great bookers saying that's the way they did it. Where could that have been? Oh yeah, every single interview I've ever heard or read where they discussed it. Why do writers in wrestling today feel the need to reinvent the wheel? Is it that bad to use what has worked for almost ¾ of a century?

Well, that's it for me. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend and a good week. I'll be back with the rest of the Hot Thread Broskis next week. So until then, get on the message board and post your hearts out. Remember, the more you post the easier it is for u, I mean the better this column is for you!

This week was filled with major announcements on the World Wrestling Insanity Message Board, which you can follow the link and join for free. I'm not just talking about the announcement of SEASON 2 OF THE WWI WRESTLING FANTASY GAME (COMPLETE WITH PRIZES AND FREE TO ENTER JUST FOLLOW THIS LINK) http://s14.zetaboards.com/Wrestling_Insanity/topic/6671769/1/ or the return of Canadian Bulldog's Inside the ropes http://www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com/am2/publish/CanadianBulldog/Inside_The_Ropes_The_Return.shtml . I'm specifically talking about the return of James Guttman's Raw Insanity http://www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com/am2/publish/RawInsanity/72511.shtml . JG's signature column is probably the exact reason 95% of people visit the site (YAY! Hot Threads 5%). So for JG to bring us back the WWI Galaxy's (bringing it back) favorite column we rejoiced. Come and join in on memories and the celebration of the Insanity.

James Guttman

Thanks for commenting, GWD. You're one of the few.

To be honest, lack of response like this is why I barely do these anymore. They take a while to do. When I stop, everyone writes asking me to do more - even though it's really a pain to do. But when I announce a new one, the response is minimal besides a few people here and there. If the reaction after Monday is the same as it is now, then it'll probably be a long while before there's another one of these again. If I hadn't announced it already, I'd call Monday's off.

Just saying.

TheGreatWhiteDope

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I love'em

Aaron Wood

I know how you feel, to an extent. I have PMs, DMs and e-mails all sent to all sorts of people that really do kinda require some sort of acknowledgment of at least having been read, even though some of them are more pertinent to the future, such as NYC and the Edinburgh Fringe show I'm helping with, "The Wrestling".

I just get the feeling people will be more reactive once things are confirmed and moving and happening rather than the general notice that something is going to happen.

Anthony.Analog

James... your Raw Insanity column back at PWInsider are the reason I'm an active member of the IWC. Prior to then, I had no idea teh internets could be used in such a way. Just sayin.

TheGreatWhiteDope

Being linked to a very random Raw Insanity (the first one for this WWI site I think), is why I've been active here since what Dec 4th, 2005. Shit man, my 6th birthday is coming up.

            Aaron Wood

Your SIXTH? Man, they're making Internet writers young these days...

James Guttman

The thing is that anyone who knows me knows that I'm not really big on feedback. When I write something, I write it because I want to. If I hear from 2 people or 2000 people, it's all good.

With the Raw Insanities, though, the sole purpose for me doing any nowadays is because people request them. I'd be content doing the Insanity intros like I have and the interviews. It's just too much time and too long of a night to spend covering a show that RD Lee already does a great job recapping. When I post that I'm doing a new one, I can't help but wonder where all the people who emailed asking me about it went. It's very bizarre - but Aaron may be right.

Thorn_Gabriel

Dude! I have totally missed your Raw Insanity!!! The one thing I always loved about them is just hearing your take on it all. The intros are funny, but the column is what I loved the most.
I for one, am looking forward to it.
I miss ZAH's columns too. Thankfully Matt delivers a great column week to week, or I would have nothing to read when I am trying not to work.

The Green Teabagger

I would have responded but frankly...new Raw Insanity is awesome beyond words

****, it was the Raw Insanitys from Guttman that brought me to internet hell the Torch, which then eventually brought me here to WWI.
Don't do them every week anymore? Fine...
Do one once a month or so.
This has been a monumental past few weeks of WWE television on Raw.
What better time is there to do an Insanity?

            James Bullock

            ^This. It's also the reason why I bought your first book, then gave me the confidence to ask for a job. Add to that I actually have copy and pasted Word docs of some 2005 Insanitys on my old laptop. The 2005 Memorial Day one still has a warm spot in my heart.

JohnnyCraze

James, I can't wait for your insanity to come back. You do an amazing job and I always looked forward to reading it after a hardworking Monday and Tuesday.
The best of luck to you with the insanity's.

ZAH

it was JG's RAW Insanity columns that initially got me hooked on writing a wrestling column. It's pretty much why it was a no-brainer to come join him when he started WWI.

You may not always get comments (I know I never really did when I was writing weekly), but you gotta know that you've got your fans, brother.

Wolfchild

I would say, like everyone else, James's Insanities are what clued me into this site. And I stayed because of people like Matt Dawgs being an Angry Young Man while Thanking God it's Friday, ZAH Shaking his Head, and the efed... And I would say that I continue to stay because of Bulldog's and Wood's. Hot Threads and Twitter...

Nelsolo

I don't comment often, and never requested anything, but I just wanted to jump in and say Insanities were the reason I came to this site in the first place. And whenever you do one, I always look forward to it.

James Guttman

Thanks, guys. Like I said, I just wanted to make sure people still wanted to see the Raw Insanities and I wasn't just spinning my wheels. If you guys want a new one, then I'm more than happy to do them. Again – thanks

Canadian Bulldog

Yeah, 100 percent we want to read them. I realize you have to put a ton of effort into it (especially the introductions), but definitely they're worthwhile from where the WWI Universe sits.

The Chosen 1

The truth is there some sections on this board don't get as much attention as others... I know my eyes usually dart to Wrestling Stuff first before anything then Club WWI if thats got nothing new, so Id imagine most people who do care about this are just a little late to the party.. And considering the outpour of JG love AFTER a few days Id say thats pretty much proof, haha.

Every single person who posts on or reads these boards or this site nearly every day... And theres quite a few of us at this point) owes it to you and your unique vision for World Wrestling Insanity... Which all started with the RAW Insanity... But I'll stop there because People are going start wondering what award I'm presenting you... But I for one am ALWAYS pumped to see a good old fashioned return to the basics of why this entire place exists in the first place... But ya know... No pressure or anything lol

James Guttman

Should be a fun night. Hunter never lets us down.

WorldWrestlingInsanity.com

James Guttman

Hey...he gave the tank a rub just by being in the same ring. It's not his fault that the fans didn't connect with the tank after he pinned it.

We're coming up on another historic night in the wrestling world. Not CM Punk/John Cena at Summerslam, not the plausible ROH/Indy Superstar faction headed by Punk, not the impending apocalypse, but the first Ring of Honor television tapings at the Frontier Fieldhouse in Chicago Ridge Illinois on August 13^th. This show is lining up to be something huge. We have three title matches announced, and it will be the farewell of some ROH legends. The insanity staff and forum members weigh in before I have a mental seeing ROH live breakdown.

TheGreatWhiteDope

First match for ROH's TV taping is KoW/WGTT (Hot Threads Note: KoW = Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli aka The Kings of Wrestling. WGTT = Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjiman *The black ladder spot guy from WWE. No, not Kofi Kingston, the one with the blonde hair from three years ago* aka Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team)

I'm happy about that.

Mike Johns

May be the Kings' last night, should they past their pre-signing tests

            TheGreatWhiteDope

            It would be horribly bitter-sweet for me at that point.

                        ZAH

                        Seriously? The KoW are actually at the point with WWE that they're about to sign??

                                    TheGreatWhiteDope

                                    I would feel so weird if my favorite tag team went to WWE right when one of my favorite wresters (#3 CM Punk) of all time was leaving for awhile. Man.....crazy.

Alas, me getting to be there on the Kings plausible last night? F****** AMAZING! Hero deserved a world title run though, damnit.

                                                James Bullock

                                                From what I've seen and heard, Hero and Claudio have taken their physicals and WWE is waiting for the results so they can avoid people like Nigel.

                                                            TheGreatWhiteDope

                                                            Well...suddenly I probably have one of the hottest tickets in "wrestling town"

TheGreatWhiteDope aka @ThisCoreyLetson aka My ROH-bot rant

And in shot number 182736403248286246 Davey Richards will be making his first title defense against Roderick "I'll f****** fail" Strong

Seriously I'm pretty sure out of the like 9 shows I've been too, the ROH title has been defended on about 6 of them. Every single f**king time I see Roderick Strong fight for the title. Except the one time I saw Roderick Strong defend the title. So you know, I got that going for me.

(Note: In reality I've probably only seen Strong fight FOR the title about 4 times. Plus his one defense. It's just a moment of 'give me a new up and comer or something'. I understand the idea that your first television taping you want nothing but great/solid/phenomenal matches and you know Strong can deliver. I'm f****** burnt out on Roderick Strong. I don't care. Eddie/Strong pulled me in. I'm really hoping Richards/Strong can do it to. But ****!)

James Bullock

You'll hear my thoughts next week. Might not be as visceral, but we're on the same wavelength.

Mike Johns

Me, I saw Roddy's run as Champ with the HOT, thinking they were eventually going to make an angle out of Roddy being in denial over Truth's interference in his matches and what he would be forced to do once he was confronted with the truth that Truth was the only reason Roddy was still champ.

ROH never did that. In fact, they thought so little of Rod, they killed it off entirely, gave the belt to Eddie Edwards, had Christopher Daniels join the HOT and basically take over the center spot, and all but say, "Hey, even WE gave up on Roddy."

With that said... If TNA shows any interest in the guy at all, he should jump on it like a starving man on a rib bone, because he is D.O.N.E. in ROH. If they didn't see enough in him to even run with the "illegitimate champ" angle, they ain't doing nothing with him.

This Week in WWI Forum History

Welcome back to my, and yours no matter what you say, favorite portion of writing Hot Threads. This Week in WWI Forum History. Where I remind people of all the stupid things they said years ago with huge, pointless, forgotten, and probably regretted over-reactions/regular reactions. We're going to start this journey the same place we start every week. We're going all the way back to 2006 to check out the Moment of Insanity, because of JG can bring back Raw Insanity for one week I think we can see Moment of Insanity brought back at least once. #MoI will happen.

Moment of Insanity Voting for July 29th – July 24^th 2006

Noze Nuggetz

Can you say "The Demon Seed of Stephanie Levesque"?

Kwazi Mbutabe

The Many Perils of Smackdown...that's my early pick for MOI (Lashley, Khali, Crazy, Kash, Henry, etc. all at almost the same time).*

*Subject to change due to the fact that there are 3 whole WWE shows, that's 5 hours of potential insanity, before the 29th.

David

Which is more flimsy right now? Smackdown's roster, or that Punjabi Matchstick Prison?

WWE's Wellness program seems to be trading off problems instead of solving them. I don't know enough about the issues to really say much, but something is still not even close to being right in the World of Wrestling Entertrainment.

Will the WWE ever learn that you cannot be larger than life, travel and perform as much as the WWE expects and stay physically healthy all at the same time?

            Curse_7781

            Bam! I think we have our MOI right here. ^_^

I second this nomination! B)

Antoine

I said it two weeks ago and I'm sticking to it...the Diva Search is getting my vote until it's over...

The dance-off -> LAME
The Miz's announcing-> LAME
The musical chair -> LAME

Seriously the Miz has NO emotion in his voice when he introduces the Diva...Come on man, make it exciting a little bit...it's sexy half-naked women for God's sake! The tone he uses is more suited for a funeral!


But all the Triple H "knowing" the dad reference would have won if I didn't ressent the Diva Search with all my soul...

            Raevir

            He used to be really into it. Then he dropped the ball and is kind of gun shy now.

Aaron Wood

Yeah, it's got to be the decimation of of the Smackdown roster. But something really needs to be said.

How about, instead of just trying to find whatever angle to keep lumping shit at the door of the WWE, how about actually giving the praise they deserve for stopping these guys from doing anymore damage to themselves rather than just covering it up/ignoring it just so they forsake the product.
I think the WWE deserves all the praise in the world for taking the health of their workers and the wellness policy seriously.

            Curse_7781

            Actually you're right. The WWE should be praised because we certainly don't want a wrestler taken so soon from their lives (like Eddie).

But I think the problem with this is that this type of situation happened so suddenly and now while it is a great move for the health of the wrestlers....it also poses a problem with the Smackdown program. While the WWE will most likely switch people from Raw to Smackdown, though it would help to some degree or send up people from the developmental programs. In my opinion doing this would be a bad move considering there is a good chance they are still green and can hurt the overall product.

Plus you have to taken into account by the time some wrestlers who were taken off of action (who are also good wrestlers like Matt Hardy and Bobby Lashley) are back the developmental guys alreadly taken their spots and steal their thunder that was meant for them.

I think we have to look at both the good and bad of the solution unfortunately. :o

Mischief

MOI was the "liver problem" that went around over the course of the week for the Smackdown roster. Resulting in mass changes on GAB, some good some not so good. With all these guys out, storylines will have to be tweaked and heels will have to turn face. It could be interesting to see how it all turns out.

Traceman

The birth of the demon seed on Raw.

Aaron Wood

What the f**k? How in the f**k is a woman giving birth to a child be a BAD thing? If they had aired the birth on RAW, then yeah, it was pretty f**king insane, but Stephanie McMahon giving birth is her f**king business not not something that qualifies as "insane".

Now, having a nod and a wink to HHH being the daddy on TV is MAYBE a different issue, although it's not that much of an issue because unless they come out and say it, which would to an extent be debunking how HHH and Stephanie should feel about each other, then there's an issue, but otherwise, leave the f**k alone and be what you should be, happy for them.

Mischief

            Well maybe they didn't say "Triple H is the daddy" on RAW but they certainly broke kayfabe on the website.
From WWE.com

Stephanie McMahon and her husband Triple H welcomed their new daughter, Aurora Rose Levesque, into the world. Aurora weighs 8lbs 7oz. Both mother and daughter are doing fine. WWE congratulates the entire McMahon family.

Which does spark some ongoing insanity. Why has WWE.com been giving spoilers like the Dx reunion, and now this? They encourage fans to go to their website so they must want them to be in on the little "secret." :wacko:

                        ZAH

T-Dog

I'll go with the insane number of wrestlers who are being taken off the road due to the same problems. Whether it's steroid realted or not, it's scary that this many people are having the same problems at the same time. It's good that the WWE are recognizing these problems and intervening, but they really should not let it get this far. They know what's going on in the locker room and if they're serious about the Wellness Program, they should be able to locate the problem and stop it atb it's source.

IMO, I agree with Dawgs (from another topic) that it's steroid realted. Having to ditch the roids and going to other substances can have a negative effect on one's liver. Lashley, Masters, Kash, Khali, Crazy and Mercury all look to me like they've been on something (the back acne is a big clue).

            Raevir

            Then why is it that only Smackdown is affected? Especially at a time like right before their PPV. The timing is really strange.

                        Keevel

                        Hunter's on RAW.
Those pee samples were handled differently.
In an interesting note, those same pee tests that found the liver issues on Smackdown have determined that Eugene is pregnant.

TNA is ECW is Debate is History is Still Repeated Today – July 21^st 2010

Remember when WWE did those pretty good ECW reunion shows in 2005 and 2006 before straight out re-launching the brand in 2006? That was pretty good stuff. Now, granted we have a lot of gripes after the fact…what about TNA's ECW tribute 5 years after the original WWE tribute. You know, a decade after the entire product was done. Either way, it ends up with a debate about ECW's history and anyone's attempt to re-capture “The Magic”.

RDLee

Now, I don't follow TNA that much anymore but I just read that the main event for Hard Justice (ECW only ppv) is RVD v.s. Jerry Lynn.
I think that match alone should be worth watching that PPV.
What do you all think?

Aaron Wood

Secondly, in 2010, I'd rather go back to the source material for thos ematches. In 2010? I'm not so sure. I mean, it'll probably be good. But AS good? Can't see it. And as for making buying the show worth it? I REALLY doubt that.

Mike Johns

Anybody remember the Hardcore Homecoming shows? Yeah. That's what we're dealing with here, and the best match on that was Kid Kash vs. 2 Cold Scorpio.

So, should I be excited about Lynn/RVD 55? I guess, if this were 2002 and booked by someone competent. But it's not, and its not. Sorry, but we're in 2010. is it so hard to ask that the wrestling world catch up to the rest of us a decade into the new millennium?

TheGreatWhiteDope

Jerry Lynn has proven he can still go (see: Honor, Ring of)

            ZAH

            But what can TNA (ECW) provide us after that match? Of course RVD vs. Lynn is gonna be awesome...but then what??

I mean, ECW's heyday was over a decade ago. This is just silliness and desperation on TNA's part. Do they REALLY think their audience is still looking for this style of wrestling?

Maybe they are, but I'd dare say they're not.

RDLee

Doesn't matter because we both know TNA's long term future is full of bullshit like it's been for the past seven years. I've given up completely on the idea of TNA becoming a viable number 2 because if they haven't done it by now they never will.

At least in this case we will get one good PPV that we wouldn't have had if Hard Justice was a TNA-like show. ECW might be dead but if it's done right the nostalgia can still make good short term business.

Aaron Wood

But here's the thing. In the likelihood that RVD vs. Lynn happens, what can the rest of the card possibly be?

There is no Heyman (and according to the newest WON, he's against the angle and told Dixie such when they met at the beginning of the month, so I don't ever think he'll have anything to do with it). No Joey Styles to provide the voice. None of the WWE talent, such as Rey or Jericho. Can't get Benoit or Eddie. They've passed on. No Tajiri or Super Crazy since they're already booked in Japan.

I mean, there's a reaosn they had to fill out the initial ECW "invading" force with Pat Kenney and Al Snow last week. Corino in all likelihood won't do it since he didn't do it five years ago.

Basically, the only guys they can really get are either your brawling guys like Sandman and New Jack who couldn't have a good match if one stapled a dollar bill to their heads, or guys who really didn't mean all that much that they can get their hands on (the aforementioned Pat Kenney. According to PWI, Shane Douglas wants a match with Flair, which I can't see happening.

Indeed, again in the WON, there is talk of not promoting a single match ahead of time and selling it on the idea of it being an "ECW" show on it's own, although obviously, they can't even use the letters, which suggests to me that they don't even know who they have on board yet.

At the time, I thought Hardcore Homecoming was something of a stupid money-grab by bitter people. And yet, I would say it was a much more legit proposition than this.

RDLee

So out of all the following current TNA stars and free agents you don't think they can do a decent one night only ECW ppv?

Singles: RVD, Jerry Lynn, Raven, Kid Kash, Sandman, Sabu, Rhyno, Tommy Dreamer, Shane Douglas, Terry Funk, Mick Foley, Tanaka, Al Snow, New Jack, Mikey Whipwreck, Spike Dudley, C.W. Anderson, Chris Chetti, Super Crazy, Tajiri and Steve Corino.

Tag Teams: Impact Players, FBI, Team 3D, Danny Doring/Roadkill, Balls Mahoney/Axl Rotten, Simon Diamond/Johnny Swinger, and the BWO

ZAH

The ONLY people who could put on above-average matches in your list are RVD, Lynn, Rhyno, Dreamer (on a good day), Douglas (I doubt he's coming back to wrestling), Whipwreck (he's also extremely doubtful), Tajiri, and Steve Richards.

That's it.

Nobody else on your list would be able to lace up their own f**king boots for more than two or three spots in a match. Guys like Raven and Sabu and Funk and Crazy and ANY of those tag teams have loooooooooooooooong seem their best days behind them. Hell...they've seen their GOOD days behind them. Anything else from them would be spotty and sloppy at best.

This has "disaster" written all over it and TNA should leave ten years ago well enough alone. Or at the VERY LEAST, leave things the way they current are with Dreamer, Richards, Rhyno, & Raven forming their own faction. That would be more than enough "nostalgia" before pushing the envelope.

An entire PPV ten years past its prime is a suck-ass idea.

The Chosen 1

The WWE's ECW One Night Stand and Hardcore Homecoming... were FIVE YEARS AGO!.. Yeah, they were exciting back then because it was new and refreshing to see people looking back on ECW (started by a FANTASTIC WWE DVD) and actually going "Ya know what... that WAS f**kin' awesome. Lets have a reunion of these guys." Now, we've had the horrible NEW ECW on SyFy for years and really... we've all moved on... and to a point.. seeing as its been 10 YEARS, I think it's OKAY that we've all moved on. An all ECW show, will not draw

RDLee

It's funny because I remember the exact same thing being said 5 years ago about the first ECW One Night Stand PPV and look how awesome that turned out.

James Guttman

The only reason this won't be seen as a failure is because it's much better than whatever crap TNA would be doing anyway.

I agree with what ZAH said ten fold. It's been ten years and all these guys, while "originals," have had ten years of a career since then. They're not ECW anymore. I don't know. It's all so lame. We've done WCW. We're doing ECW. Next year, they're going to do an AWA takeover and invasion from WCCW complete with Kevin Von Erich in bare feet.

Lame.

ZAH

Steve Corino was recently asked in an interview whether or not he has been contacted to participate in the ECW Invasion angle in TNA:

Yes, you (the interviewers) just contacted me about it. You're the only one. TNA doesn't know my number. No one calls me. I'm so removed from the whole ECW thing, I think I would be the last person they would call. My career was two years in ECW, and I don't think those guys like a Dreamer, or a Taz, The Dudleys (Team 3-D) were the crew before me, so I don't even think I'm on their radar. I don't even know what can be done again. What can you do again? The company has been gone for ten years. I appreciate they keep the legacy alive for the fans, but for me, I always like to look forward and never look back, but no one has contacted me.

Wolfchild

Maybe they'll bring back the Zombie...

Shooting

How many fans from 2001 are left? Most people think of the WWE version of ECW is the more known version of ECW. By the end that show was getting 1. something (close to what TNA is getting right now). They may have an increased buyrate but it won't be by much.

Also you have to add in the fact that a lot of the old hardcore type wrestlers from the first ECW aren't in the best heath these days and don't give out a great image for TNA. TNA will most likely ask them to take chair shots to the head and bleed like nobodies business.

BTW why would TNA need Heyman? They have Al Snow, Raven and Dreamer who could book circles around Heyman. If I was TNA I would hire some young booker who is in touch with the 18 to 30 demo (I know Snow, Raven and Dreamer aren't but they have talent)

            Aaron Wood

            That is the single funniest thing you have ever written since it's so delightfully deluded on ALL levels.

TheGreatWhiteDope

the whole roster problem...I think they'll fix it by having people from WWECW (Pope, Angle, uh...others) also be on the PPV. Look, I don't know. Truthfully none of us do. Hell I think maybe Tommy knows. And really he just can't let it go. That company was everything to Tommy. That name isn't just the name of some company...it is the name of Tommy's company. Truthfully it just seems like he is the one who won't let it go. I think Tommy is awesome. But he seriously seems like the only one who has yet to put ECW to bed. It just seems like he is starring in Momento. Waking up every morning believing that ECW is still there and once he realizes it isn't he works hard to get it back, even for just a night, so he can have one good night sleep.

Maybe it isn't Tommy. I know it isn't all Tommy, but I think he is a part of the whole thing. I understand that was his life. The blood, the sweat, the tears I get it. I feel bad for Tommy Dreamer. Even now he could offer TNA a lot as an agent. He is someone that younger guys could benefit talking to.

I'll download this pay per view if RVD/Lynn headline. Hell I'll probably download it anyways for a night when I'm bored. ECW is gone. We all know it. Even Heyman doesn't want to touch it. He knows its gone. He knows its done with. The last thing left that is still ECW....is Tommy Dreamer. And thats because he just refuses to recognize that it is truly gone. And it isn't ever going to come back again.

Aaron Wood

Want to talk numbers? The original ECW's PPV number bubbled around the 100k mark, despite never particularly having a good TV slot.

TNA's current creative vision is drawing PPV numbers for the last couple of shows of less than 10k.

And just for a comparison in today's business, ROH's numbers on INTERNET PPV, on the far inferior HDNet, are around the 1500 mark. Basically, if TNA's spot would in every single possible likelihood be doing better numbers than TNA is doing right now.

Also, as Zah said, Heyman didn't go out of business due to lack of interest. There were still crowds there for the shows. If they had a good TV slot and backing of the station, things may not have ended the way they did.

It was Heyman the businessman that ended up sinking them. Not Heyman the creator.

Mike Johns

We're still having this debate, five years later? ECW isn't Christianity, folks. It's not a religion rooted in faith in an unknown, unseen God who manages to hold power by debateable means over people who are otherwise rational and sane. ECW is just a company, rooted in revenue, ran by a mere mortal man who just spent more than his company brought in, despite its success (which, by all measurable means, it was).

There is no question ECW was a hot property.
There is no question ECW was selling out nearly every show they ran in the last year of its existence.
There is no question ECW was successful on PPV despite itself.
There is no question ECW is held in a higher regard than virtually any lost wrestling promotion of the past 100 years, including WCW.
There is no question Paul Heyman was a successful booker, in every possible definition. NO ONE could do what Paul did with that mostly shit roster. WWE, TNA, and ROH can't even do it with mostly GOOD ROSTERS.
It's clear, in every telling, every analysis, that ECW failed for one reason - the show on TNN. They had a bad deal with the network to begin with, and only made that relationship worse when, on the first episode that was to air, Heyman played a replay of a PPV match instead of new wrestling. They didn't change the theme song. They didn't use the production teams TNN sent them. In short, they didn't make their network happy, and that's why they died. Because, when TNN decided ECW wasn't going to play ball with them, they went to Vince McMahon.

Now, was that likely to happen anyway? Maybe. But because Paul didn't want to play ball with TNN, we'll never know that answer for sure.

But here's the thing - it's not 1997 anymore. The audience has changed since then. It's gotten smaller. It's gotten more specialized. It's gotten smarter and more tech-savvy, and it has far more entertainment options to choose from than we did in 1997. Or 1987. Or 1977.

Maybe, instead of trying to get a once-hot property and HOPING it still has enough juice to kick-start a "revolution" or whatever we're supposed to buy TNA as, maybe Dixie, Vince Russo, and Jeff Jarrett just need to go to the big local Nashville Mall, and see what the f**k the kids are into. What they're listening to, what they're watching, the clothes, the styles, the speech-pattern, the books they're reading, the movies they go see.... you know, being 'hip' and 'cool', like Dixie thinks wrestling ought to be when she's tweeting and Facebooking and pretending to give a shit about the fans.

It's not that f**king hard, and you don't need to hand your company over to Paul Heyman to do it, either.

That is just the start, we have another 10 pages of discussing TNA's future, in 2010, and the history of ECW. There is everything from Tommy Dreamer's legacy to Heyman's legacy all the way from the beginning to the end of everything. Ironically it is the same exact conversation we've been having about TNA for around 5 years now. Does that say something? Yes. Should someone in TNA realize that? Yes. Will they? That's funny.

Anyways if you'd like to read the rest of this particular Hot Thread just follow the link:  http://s14.zetaboards.com/Wrestling_Insanity/topic/6629736/2/ and enjoy your reading.

While you're there start posting around the forums and meet some of the great people on the boards. Tell JG how awesome his site is and totally join SEASON 2 OF THE WWI FANTASY WRESTLING GAME. It starts the night after Summerslam and only takes maybe 5 minutes of your time A MONTH! WIN WIN AND MORE WIN! Until next week, enjoy yours.

I'm going to be doing a lot of self-promotion this week....

Every now and then, on the World Wrestling Insanity Message Boards we get a streak of hilarious insane pictures of some of our favorite wrestlers. Some of them are flattering. Some of them are batshit insane. Some of them are well....



Yes, folks. That's The Undertaker. I don't know what he's up to in this picture but its hard to imagine that this is the same guy whose torn the house down with HBK for two years running at Wrestlemania.

The boss of World Wrestling Insanity posted this pic of WWE Hall of Famer The Fabulous Moolah from when she was younger around the 1940s or so.



Not bad.

Somehow, that's going to be the awkward segue into this pic provided by Aaron Wood depicting the very first scene of Friday Night Smackdown.




Ewwwwwwwwwww.......I hope he was wearing trunks. I missed it.

Our very own RD Lee followed up on CM Punk's inspired pic of putting the WWE Title in his fridge with this....



And since CM Punk is new official definition of greatness (I'm expecting the Webster people to get on this ASAP) I'm going to pat myself on the back for creating this beaut at the DIY.DESPAIR.COM website where you can make things like this....



Damn straight.


Last week, for the first time in a while I think, we actually had a thread for TNA Impact. Though for a while, it was mostly The Green Teabagger and JohnnyCraze show (yes, I get top billing)

Italics indicate my notes.

JohnnyCraze: Well, since I have to go online tonight to fill out an application, I thought why not go to WWI. So, for the first time in probably three years or so, I will be on for impact!
Sting is the new World Champion with thanks to Kurt Angle. Will he or Anderson have anything to say? The Bound For Glory series continues tonight. Will Joe finally get a win?

The Green Teabagger: (in response to the last question about Joe)----No.

The Green Teabagger: You know how you can tell someone's not insane?

When they admit it.

Dumbassery.

JohnnyCraze: Sting and Angle vs Anderson and Bully Ray?? Sounds good.

The Green Teabagger: Hey look it's Rob Van Dam vs Scott Steiner aka an old Raw mid-card match

JohnnyCraze: Steiner looks sooooo old

The Green Teabagger: Steiner turns 49 in a week. (which at this point, I think is today so HAPPY BIRTHDAY Scott Steiner!)

JohnnyCraze: Does anyone think Winter is hot?

The Green Teabagger: Well yeah. But then again........I'm not blind. Why she's letting Angelina talk is beyond me though

JohnnyCraze: does anyone really care about the knockout's tag team championship?

The Green Teabagger: No.

They were created when TNA cared enough about the KO division back when it wasn't a light version of WWE's Divas....pre-Hogan aka "Women can't work, draw, or do anything in a ring"

Honestly, I'm surprised they bothered to keep the belts around

Then finally, a couple more WWI Message Board members came to the Impact thread.

JohnnyCraze: Morgan won!!?? You've got to be kidding me. Poor Joe.

The Green Teabagger: You and I have better chances of winning a BFG Series match than Joe. Joe will finish dead last. Watch it happen.

Tenchi: And on that day, a lardy Samoan will request his release.

The Green Teabagger: ....and TNA will laugh and tell him to get his fat ass out to the ring and job to Chavo Guerrero clean.

Average: James Storm needs to talk more. A lot more.

JohnnyCraze: Well, impact was ok. Not great but not bad. I guess were going to have Angle and Sting....which is better then Sting and Hogan.

Mike Johns: Miss Tessmacher holds a title. I live in a world where someone actually put a pro wrestling title belt on Brooke Adams.

Thank God for WWE. Because, without the Divas division, I'd never have gotten used to this level of disappointment in female worker being rewarded simply for being the one with the best ass.

The Green Teabagger: At least its a belt that doesnt count. It has less value than Zack Ryder's Internet Title belt.

Pretty sure I can take a bit of cardboard, cut it up a bit, draw some shit on it, tape a few soda can tabs and add in some velcro to make a belt and it'll be more valuable than the TNA KO Tag Titles.

ZAH: You gotta admit, though...out of the realm of possibilities out there...that's certainly not the worst reason.

Mike Johns: Well, if we're going for best ass, then shouldn't Velvet be holding a title right now?

As for TNA not having options... sure they do. It's called "hiring wrestlers instead of bikini models". or, better yet, not having a KO tag title if you don't have the roster to support it, which TNA has never had. You need at least double the female roster TNA has now to even pull it off, and despite the fact that KO segments tend to be the highest-rated segments of Impact (and have been for years, now), and, the fact that women are cheaper (seriously, there's Jobbers out there that make more a match than the women), they never did. Hell, they practically gutted it because Hogan, a guy whose definition of "work" involves 20 minutes of posing to bad 80's metal and dropping a leg after the silliest comeback ever, thinks girls can't work.

Instead, we hire Mr. Anderson, who couldn't do a Velvet Sky quaterhour number if he shot himself with a 12 gauge in the middle of the ring, and force our women's tag division, which they shouldn't even have, to be carried by a woman who can't even do a proper armdrag.

There are ALWAYS options. For the love of God, people, it's not wrong to expect quality. Or, at the very least, to realize you don;t have the resources and cut your losses. It's not like anyone's going to miss the KO tag belts.

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