Vince McMahon and McMahonism, did you pass the collection plate yet? Will WWE fans continue to put money in the “plate” and invest in something that could possibly offend their personal spiritual diety? Where is the line for the viewers that will turn it off or stick with it, with hesitation, until the pay off? The small payoff was obvious, Shawn Michaels coming in for the superkick during McMahon’s sermon to the arena of non-believers. It’s not that any of this really offends me to the point where I have had enough, however, it was just boring. When you get to the point where you’re booking God on a pay per view, you know you’re out of fresh ideas or bringing back ideas that work. How can Vince in a traditional wrestling town like St. Louis, insult the crowd with that long promo when they are giving him direct feedback that this is boring and let’s move on? The Yes People have to learn to say “I dunno Vince, this doesn’t work.” It’s truly sad that Chris Jericho isn’t around because he could have breathed life into that segment by stopping it in it’s tracks. I would love Shawn Michaels to bring back the DX attitude that he’s been hinting at and bring some life into this. McMahon relied on the photoshopped photos that WWE has done in the past that works, but not necessarily with this because it was expected at some point. When Michaels came in for the superkick, he pounded his chest like Tarzan or the Ultimate Warrior and then proceeded to do the Stone Cold trash talking and the Christian flopping like a fish out of the water on a deck all over the ring.
Later on we were “treated” to Papa Shango 2006 (thank you Erik Fenton) aka Umaga versus Shawn Michaels. What a lose-lose situation that is. Umaga is not going to job cleanly to Michaels because they are CRAMMING this down the fans throats as entertainment and wrestling (which it is neither) and Michaels can’t lose because that would kill his credibility as being a main eventer all these years. The whole point of this was Vince McMahon to watch and then God pops pyro and fire into Vince’s face and we’re supposed to believe that’s God’s actions coming to the aid of Shawn Michaels. Really ridiculous, when is God a raver? Maybe Vince needs a neon green glow stick and Too Cool. Again, why not the Undertaker lightning? It makes more sense if God is going to strike, he’d use the sky pyro instead of the cheesiest pyro WWE could find from the ring post – where it looks like that the Chyna fire gun had more of a kick. For anyone who had tuned out of wrestling and tuned into this show to possibly get back into it, could not have been sold to come back to the pro wrestling audience. The lack of Shane McMahon this week could mean a Judas type betrayal with Shane having enough of the Almighty Vincent Kennedy McMahon and turn face, which would work as well.
Returning to WWE Monday, however was Charlie Haas against his former tag team partner, Shelton Benjamin. Haas has always been a good athlete but without Jim Ross being behind the commentators’ table, there’s no way that Joey styles, Jerry Lawler and Jonathan Coachman possibly hyped it properly. Ross could have really brought emotion into reminding how long Haas and Benjamin have tagged together (four years), how their styles complimented each other as Team Angle and now Haas could be Benjamin’s most formable opponent that he was unprepared to see. Benjamin did a great job incorporating some of RVD’s mannerisms and moves for heel heat and of course they didn’t look as fluid as when Rob Van Dam does them, but it didn’t lose the effect he was achieving. Haas pin seemed pretty sloppy and I felt for his comeback match it wasn’t as strong as it could have been, but his ring rust wasn’t too bad overall.
The Chavo Guerrero/Jim Ross segment was hard to watch because it wasn’t believable. Interesting how it’s always real estate as the occupation to do if you are done with wrestling. I joked with my family that maybe Chavo could sell my family’s property since our real estate agent is doing a less than impressive job, but I’d much rather see Chavo wrestling. He is talented, and it’s not fair that he can’t just be Chavo and have the Eddy tribute angle be over at the WWE Hall of Fame. He’ll probably reenact the Guerrero tradition and come back and say, “I lied!!!” about leaving in the first place.
Mickie James and Trish Stratus continue to be a high point on RAW. However the promo last night, could have been too complicated for the average viewer. I think it took Mickie out of her fun and naturally psycho yet hot role more so than in the past few weeks but it was a strong promo for Trish to give some color to her role. The addition of Jack in the box was a nice touch and he had the line of the night with “I think both of you bitches are crazy.” Jack the pawn still got kicked in the head at the end for his troubles, so the audience who shouldn’t like Jack to begin with, still wins. I hope next week it will pick up again in intensity and I love the switching of the roles but I hope Mickie gets more of a less hesitant role next week.
The main event was predictable with John Cena and Edge versus Triple H, and since they have ran out of handicapped match combinations now, maybe next week they can make the angle fresh again. Cena looks weak each and every match he’s in and he’s the WWE World Champion. Edge looks like a chump overall because WWE doesn’t seem to really want to invest him as a real possibility as WWE World Champion again right now, but I think it would be a good move as a possibility against RVD at ECW One Night Stand for interesting elements of heel heat, just as interesting if it’s Cena getting booed out of the Hammerstein Ballroom on June 11th. Both could still happen, if John Cena turned heel and crashed the show and rapped on ECW and possibly Edge. Edge as WWE World Champion would give Triple H a chance to be Shawn Michaels’ friend in need and reunite DX against Vince McMahon.
Thanks to all those who tune into the Big E Sports show at Rockland World Radio every Tuesday between 7-8 EST to hear hosts Erik Fenton, Dave Lagreca and I to discuss professional wrestling and whatever else is going on! This week we discussed the incredible speed of tickets selling out for ECW One Night Stand, Easter, McMahon and religion, blondes and brunettes and who’s hotter and why, Star Trek/Planet of the Apes and more. You just never know what we’re going to talk about next! Always remember, for things to change, you have to make movement. Thanks for reading and for all the feedback, feel free to contact me anytime at Bam@4sternstaging.com.
