Welcome to the News & Views. I was going to do a recap of the Bret Hart DVD last week, but I never got around to finishing. It's a work in progress that will probably be done in the second week of January. The 2005 Awards column is also being worked on and will be posted in the middle of next week some time, so January 3-5, somewhere in that range. It's quite lengthy and I tend to re-watch a lot of stuff in the couple of weeks before I write the column, so that's why it's coming then. Plus, unlike most I wait until the whole year is over before writing it. Just seems to be the right way to do that.
With both of those of those projects on the way, I wanted to write something in this last week of the year just because it's been a month since the last time I wrote. In this week's N&V, I've got a quick Raw recap, some news on Booker's injury and also on WWE re-hiring three former wrestlers. Also have the Three Count section with my pick to win the Royal Rumble and then I'll be answering some emails to bring it home at the end.
Quickie Raw Recap for 12/26/05
I wasn't wild about the show. Thought the matches were average at best, although Chavo carried Masters to a pretty decent match. One thing I don't like are the announcers trying too hard to get Shelton over as a heel. I was laughing as they said something about how it's not like him to hit a spin kick on a guy. Yeah, because he does it in every match. The idea that he's more vicious because he would attempt it on the floor is funny. I hate when they try too hard to turn somebody.
I don't really care about Show/HHH. The whole "guy injures his hand" angle was done with Brock/Undertaker three years ago. Just because WWE has no memory doesn't mean I should lose mine.
The main event angle was just decent. My guess is Bret isn't back for the Hall of Fame or anything in 2006, but they're going to tease it as much as they can and do a Vince vs. Shawn match at WM22 even though Vince should not be wrestling. You just know he wants to work with Shawn so he'll do it even if it makes no sense. He's got to work with his other boys over the years like Hogan, Undertaker, HHH, Austin, Rock and so on, so now he gets to work with Shawn.
I read about the Trish/Mickie thing before I saw it. Two words: More Please.
Edge/Flair was an okay segment. Of course, they ripped off a bit from Conan O'Brien, but with this writing team that's nothing new.
To summarize, the angles were okay and the matches were okay, so I give it a 5. Just average. Maybe I'm being too hard on the show, I dunno. Probably am because I've been watching my best of AJ Styles DVD.
5 out of 10.
The News
- You've probably read by now that Booker T. is injured after straining his groin muscle and according to a trainer that was spoken to on WWE.com he will be out somewhere between four to six weeks. The trainer also said that since he's a wrestler he'll probably be back sooner. This puts in an obvious wrench in the plans of the Booker/Benoit best of seven series, which was going so well. I assume it was going to end with match 7 at the Royal Rumble, but now that may be in doubt a bit. I don't read Smackdown spoilers, so I have no idea what the plan is for this week until I see the show. Needless to say, bad timing for Booker and for Smackdown. On the plus side, it is not a lengthy injury all things considered.
- In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (I highly recommend it, BTW), Dave Meltzer informs us that WWE has re-hired three former employees. They are Charlie Haas, Chuck Palumbo and Aaron Aguilera, who you may remember as Carlito's buddy Jesus when he feuded with John Cena.
Nice to see Haas back, but I'm not sure if they know how to market guys that are stronger wrestlers than characters. Would love him on Raw to feud with a heel Shelton, though. Even though Smackdown needs talent, Haas vs. Benjamin would rule. I guess this is also why Haas never signed with TNA while his wife Jackie did.
I don't see Palumbo or Aguilera being used as anything more than what they were before, which is just midcard talent. Should be noted that Palumbo got hired back partly because his brother was featured in Iraq for winning a medal by saving other troops and being a hero over there. I'm sure he'll accept the paycheck, but it's not like they're going to push him all of a sudden.
- The other interesting news is about TNA/ROH and all around awesome indy talent Samoa Joe. If you recall earlier in the year Joe decided between WWE and TNA for where he wanted to work on a national basis. He chose TNA because they just signed the TV deal, plus he would still be allowed to work for ROH and in Japan as well. Word has come out that Joe invited WWE writer (former head writer on Raw in fact) Brian Gewirtz to an ROH show to check him out. Now John Laurenitis, head of talent relations, supposedly wants to bring him in as a monster heel. According to the story, Joe has a contract with TNA that said he'd be given a raise after he has proven himself. He's had some awesome matches there and gotten over well as a strong heel, but so far there's been no raise. I'm not sure how or if he can get out of his TNA deal, but this is a story to keep your eye on.
Personally, I think Joe wouldn't be a great fit in WWE. Don't get me wrong, he is a tremendous talent that should be successful anywhere he goes. It's just that WWE tends to want to change people to their liking. Joe wrestles a very physical style, one that is different than the "WWE style" we hear so much about and I imagine that if he were to show up there they'd limit what he can and can't do in the ring. Of course I'm curious to see him against the likes of Benoit and HHH just to name a few, but I'm a bit worried that if they try to change him too much then the talent that he obviously possesses would be wasted to a degree.
The Three Count
1. I get a lot of emails asking me who I think is going to win the Royal Rumble. A few months ago my answer was Rey Mysterio simply because I thought WWE would pull the trigger on that and that Orton would be the World Champion at that time. Now that it looks like Batista is holding onto the title through until WrestleMania, my pick is Randy Orton. My second choice would be HHH because I think they're saving HHH vs. Cena for the first time ever (on TV anyway, since they have wrestled on house shows) for WrestleMania this year as well. I don't really have a third choice. It's either Orton or HHH. Babyfaces have won the last six Royal Rumbles (Batista, Benoit, Lesnar, HHH, Austin, Rock), so I think it's time to change it up a bit and let a heel get in there to win one. First pick is Orton. Second pick is HHH. On the Oratory main page we got a poll up asking who you think is going to win the Royal Rumble, so check that out to see what the majority of people are thinking on that. For you Simon Dean fans out there, your hero is sitting in third place right now.
2. I love Ric Flair as much as the next guy, but I am not a fan of the Intercontinental Title being wasted on him. I think it was cool that he won it. I just hate when champions are in matches like Flair was with HHH at Survivor Series, the belt isn't on the line and they obviously are the loser. Then they want to try to act like the IC title is some credible belt. It wasn't even defended at WrestleMania. On the contrary, the US title has gained value because of how much desire Benoit and Booker have shown in holding that title. I would have thought that somebody like Rob Conway would have been given a chance with the IC title. Instead, he's never on TV. That's just one of WWE's problems, though. They never know how or when to push "new" talent to the right spots. Like I said, I love Ric Flair, but there's no need to put the belt on him. The belt should be used to elevate the wrestler and when it's Ric Flair he doesn't need elevating like that.
3. I have no desire to watch Dancing With The Stars with Stacy Keibler on there. Even if Trish was on there I wouldn't watch. My girlfriend probably will and when she asks me if Keibler works for WWE you know what my answer will be? It will be something like: "I guess so." You know why? Because they barely use the woman. I don't understand it. She's gorgeous, the crowd likes her, she is a decent actor compared to most people in wrestling and she has this wholesome look about her that makes me want to see her. The only thing she did worthwhile this year was be Randy Orton's "girlfriend" for a couple of weeks before he hit her with an RKO to garner cheap heel heat for his feud with Undertaker. Other than that, she did nothing. I don't get it. Use talented women like Stacy Keibler as a manager the way Melina is. She can do it. I don't doubt it at all.
Reader Questions & Comments
As always, reader comments in yellow and mine in regular font. Only three emails this time since I haven't had that many to reply to due to not writing a lot lately.
Just wondering about your opinion of Joey Styles. Personally, other than his OH MY GOD, which fit ECW, but not so much here, I think he is really the right man for the job. Most "smarts" don't seem to agree with me, though, and I have pleaded my case as best I know how, to no avail. What gives?
Thanks for your time,
Toby Tobias
I'm a fan of Joey Styles. I think people may not be so receptive to him simply because Jim Ross was still a good announcer and the way he was taken out of his job was too over the top for most people. Styles is the most qualified person for the job, though. He has credibility from being an announcer and unlike a lot of guys he actually knows the names of moves. I think he's pretty funny when he wants to be although so far in WWE they have tamed him. I think he'll open up a bit more as he gets more comfortable on the job. To answer your question, I just think people are so used to Jim Ross as the voice of Raw that it's going to be hard for anybody to be in that spot no matter how good that person is. In time, Styles will be accepted by all and probably liked by all because he is good at the job.
I've watched Rey since he was in WCW and I think he's one of the best wrestlers. I was wondering if you think WWE is ever going to give him a title besides the cruiser weight. No disrespect to the cruiser weight but I think Rey is to good for that title. I know it's been talked about before, but if Randy gets the heavyweight title, one main event between him and Rey would be awesome for wrestlemania 22.
Ethan Thompson
I think he deserves to have a run with the World Title, even if it only lasts for a week or a month, I don't care. I think the moment of Rey Mysterio, wrestling's ultimate underdog, winning the biggest prize in the business would be phenomenal to see. I don't see it happening for WrestleMania, though. Four or five months ago I would have said yes. But now? I don't think so. I would love to see it happen at any time. Not sure if it will.
My other question was actually about “The Champ” himself, John Cena. I know that you have stated he is WWE’s long-term babyface superstar. But, I’m haven’t really accepted him that spot just yet. I’m also not a real big fan of the guy. I liked him a lot more when he was a heel. He was a lot fun to listen to when he was cutting all those nasty raps on people. Since they turned him face, he’s lost that edge to his character and I don’t like him as much. He is still pretty funny but it’s not the same. I guess my point is that I will always heel Cena more that face Cena no matter what he’s doing. That’s just how I feel and I know from your columns that you liked him as a heel too. I’d just your opinion on that thought. Anyways that’s all. Keep up the great work and take care.
Patrick Craig
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
I totally understand the thinking that he isn't as good as a babyface. I think that can be said for a lot of wrestlers, though. The reality is that as a heel you have more creative freedom and more opportunity to show your talents. As a face, you are limited in what you can do, especially when your gimmick is supposed to be a "thug rapper" and you spend more time kissing fan's ass than dissing your opponents. He definitely has lost the edge he once had as a heel, but with that said, he's moving merchandise more than anybody right now. He's not a rating draw or an attendance draw, but nobody is in WWE right now. His merch is doing well, though. And that's what they're always going to point to when somebody suggests that he go heel. Now, in 2007 if it's like this with fans booing him then maybe they'll turn him, but for now and for the rest of 2006 I think he'll continue to be the "face" of WWE. In closing, if you don't like Cena as the top face all I can say is get used to it. It's not changing for a while at least.
How You Can Be Here
Email me a question with regards to anything WWE related. Ask me what I think about a wrestler, something from the past that you were wondering about, what I think about a match from the past (I can give you a star rating and thoughts on it, for example), a storyline going on or anything else. My only request is no fantasy booking. I know people like to do that. I just don't want to do that in this column. Another option is write me a commentary that's around 500 words at the most and I'll consider posting it.
Send all comments and/or questions to me at oratoryjohn@gmail.com and throw in a name for me to reference to as well. I won't post your email address, but a name would be nice. A location is fine too. That's up to you. Remember this too: The better your grammar, the more likely it is that you'll be in the feedback section.
I really enjoy answering your questions and hearing your ideas for stuff. It's a lot of fun, so please keep them coming.
Column Flashbacks
About a year ago I wrote a column about Edge where I said that 2005 was going to be his year. It was called His Future Is Now and all I can say looking back on it is that if the whole Hardy/Lita thing never happened I think he would have been World Champ in 2005. Maybe 2006. I hope. He deserves it.
In Closing…
That's the last piece of writing I will do in 2005 on wrestling. Like I touched on at the top, I have some projects that are being worked on to start off 2006 on a high note. I hope you enjoy them.
Last thing I want to say is feel free to send me an instant message at my new MSN address of oratoryjohn@hotmail.com because I'll try to be on there as often as possible. I've had people email me asking to get an MSN address, so I've signed up and you can contact me there as you wish. Don't email me at that address, but you can contact me on MSN at that address. That's what it's there for.
Have a safe and Happy New Year.
Smell ya later,
John C. - oratoryjohn@gmail.com
Contact me via MSN: oratoryjohn@hotmail.com
Links to check out:
The Oratory - The Best Wrestling Columns on the Net!
The John Report Archives - Missed something that I wrote? That's the place to go.