1. The only problem with great segments like the one that ended last week’s show is that they are never followed up on when the next episode rolls around. At least this week they capitalized on it. I’m impressed at how far Cody has come on the mic since his OVW days.
2. I’ve always wondered why they’ve never played up the “mentoring” approach more on this show with backstage segments, video packages, and/or coaching during matches. It’d give McGuillicutty’s promo more power because I can’t identify one way that Kingston has helped him during this season.
3. I wonder what the future holds for McGuillicutty and Riley, especially the latter. Riley acts so much like a Miz clone that when the Miz leaves him he’s going to really suffer. A Varsity Club-type gimmick is a little too cartoonish for the product that the WWE is pushing today.
4. For some of these segments, like the trivia challenge, it would make more sense to do them backstage and tape them. Making the crowd sit through them is pure torture. At least twenty years ago in a Superstars taping you got to see lots of matches, even if they were squashes.
5. Howard Finkel has a good sense of humor to throw in a trivia question about the Dynamic Dudes. I wonder how many Philadelphia fans were screaming the answer at their TV screens.
6. The WWE really should go back to the Manhattan Center for the 900th episode of Raw. Oh well, maybe they’ll do that for their 1,000th episode in several years.
7. It was very refreshing to see Sheamus use the “30 days” rule when it came to his championship. Even if he was overruled by the phantom GM, I can’t recall the last time I saw the 30 day rule utilized.
8. It’s so weird watching Cody wrestle without kneepads. I’m so used to seeing guys wear them as part of their attire that it’s an odd visual.
9. Was I the only one at home wondering if they were going to pull a time limit draw with the Rhodes-MVP match? I was shocked that they gave them both as much time as they did. Unfortunately, it was hard to get into the match because Matthews and Cole spent more time talking about the Internet and jabbering amongst themselves. There’s a time for promoting upcoming shows/continuing storylines, but if you treat the match as an afterthought you aren’t helping either guy get over.
10. A really awful show this week since none of the rookies competed. The trivia challenge was a waste of time and I can’t believe they just did a one match show. I guess the WWE thinks the season finale will just sell itself.
Check back in a couple of days for my “What the World is Watching” column, which will recap the December 11, 1995 edition of Monday Night Raw.
