As much as I hate writing a recap, “non-theme” column, I must say this week’s Raw at MSG really got me re-motivated for the business. Everything I was starting to loathe about WWE’s product changed, if only for only one night. As much as I saw the DX “turning on” (for lack of a better word) Hornswoggle coming, I wasn’t so sure given WWE’s PG-friendly product (i.e. Linda McMahon running for Senate so let’s clean up our image). Thankfully, it happened and for a brief second, I thought DX was cool again. I mean, really, 40 year old dudes jumping around; pointing at their crotch with neon green glow sticks is a bit ridiculous. If anything, they are ripe for mockery these days.
This leads to my next theory…we need a new Clique. On the Heartbreak and Triumph HBK DVD, Vince admits that he listened to The Clique in the mid-1990s. The Chairman’s ideas were out of touch and insulting to the audience at times (something else he admitted at one point), so The Clique got in his ear and he listened. Now the only two Clique members that still work for him are his (biased) son-in-law and a born again Christian in Michaels. Don’t get me wrong, deep down I respect Triple H for his contributions and HBK may be the best pure in ring performer ever (still better than most even in his mid-40s), but even their ideas aren’t quite hitting today’s demographic as they once did. Vince, listen to some young guys again. Talent that was once fans. Guys like CM Punk and Ted DiBiase come to mind. Even JR, a man who arguably gave us the Mick Foley and Steve Austin that we know today (that I knew simply as WCW rejects at the time) still has a tremendous mind for the business. Jericho is another, who when given creative freedom, really captures the emotions (and heat) from the fans.
Anyway being a mark for Piper and Vince, I loved their segment. You could just feel the emotion. The unscripted nature of their deliveries really came through and you could tell it was real. On Piper’s DVD he mentioned that there is always money to be drawn between a Hot Rod vs. Vince feud. Even my dad, who could care less about today’s product, said referring to Roddy and Vince’s verbal confrontation, “That was good.” Even if the Hot Rod is a bit punchy these days, he can always turn it on and get riled up, especially in Madison Square Garden. Great build-up, bad let-down. When they had announced this match, I think it could have been drawn out, maybe for a PPV or at least a raw main event. The match never happened and we got an Orton/Kofi Kingston scenario instead. Not bad, as long as we get that Piper/McMahon showdown at some point. Anyway, I actually like Kingston’s push, I think it’s something that another uber-talented athlete in Shelton Benjamin should have had, but I guess Kofi is a bit more marketable. If he can work on his mic skills and add a bit more depth/edge to his character, he could add up to something more than a mid-card champion, but only time will tell.
Not too much more I want to say about Raw (again, I hate recaps), but their production team once again proves why it is first rate and I loved the Empire State/MSG video.
Really great tribute to one of the last sports old school sports landmarks. Very classy, even showing memorable (and necessary) clips of guys like Hogan, Savage and the Ultimate Warrior (not all on the best of terms with the WWE) and especially Owen Hart towards the end. The Mega Powers shaking hands at MSG makes me feel like a 5 year old again. Still hard for me to not see Benoit/Eddie with both titles embracing and celebrating with the tickertapes falling to close out WM 20, but I understand why it cannot be shown. I’ve already made a promise to myself that I’ll pay whatever it takes to see Wrestlemania 30, when it returns to the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Some of my old readers have asked me about Hogan and TNA and I will say that it is a time will tell scenario. Obviously, Hogan needs the cash and to also get back to doing what he does best. I felt the same way I did when he joined WCW fifteen years ago, slightly betrayed, but the Hulkster always needs to feel that he can make it on his own. In the WWE, I guess he feels he would be one of many players, whereas in TNA he would be the player. The thing is that it is not 15 years ago, he is one major injury away from having to hang it up for good. After all, I am sure he would have been at WM 25 if his health permitted (Jericho/Hogan would have been awesome).
With that said, the early results from Survivor Series seem to be a pretty good show, let's hope the WWE can keep the momentum going into Raw hosted another one of my favorites the man who tells it like it is...Jesse Ventura. After all, he did have his own award...
