In Memoriam: Luther Ingram. Great chops, even better songwriter. Definitely one of Stax’s most potent secret weapons during their heyday.
I just wanted to mention the new guy here. He makes a good proposition in turning Punk heel. However, he’s missed the main point: CM Fuckin’ Punk is better off getting a push, period. It doesn’t matter if he’s face or heel.
Let me make an analogy here if I must: I had a supervisor at one of my plants who was doing a really good job. However, the manager responsible for sanitation at the plant is in the middle of pulling a gigantic power play, and he absolutely hates the fact that there’s a contracted sanitation crew there (a decision made above him on the corporate ladder). As part of the power play, he bad-mouthed my supervisor there to my boss, who happens to be the son of the owner of the company I work for, playing up some rather indecorous comments made by my supervisor into The End Of The World. We had to transfer the supervisor out in order to shut this guy up (and it was bad timing as well, because my supervisor’s wife was in the process of giving birth to twins; this happened about a month ago, by the way, and mother and twins are doing fine). Now, he’s going after the replacement supervisor by threatening to request a salary cut. This guy is also screwing around in this fashion with his own subordinates, who predate him in their jobs, so that’s the type of guy he is.
This is the same type of boat Punk is in right now, with some equally indecorous comments or an apparent “attitude” taken the wrong way by the road agents. God knows I love Arn and Finlay, but in this case, they’re simply wrong. There’s a time for “paying dues” and there’s a time for striking while the iron’s hot. ECW needs hot wrestlers at this point more than people trying to make some kind of point. Blatt stated this week that if you’re not in the eight-man at Wrestlemania, Punk, or Lashley, you’re crap in the eyes of everyone in WWE. I’d narrow that down even further: if you’re not Lashley, you’re crap. Punk and Burke have a boatload of potential that needs to be cultivated, and quickly, if they’re to be in a position to be something when the plug’s finally pulled on ECW.
(Oh, by the way, Memo to the new guy: using nicknames in an unironic or non-sarcastic fashion may not be a felony, but it’s definitely a Class 1 Misdemeanor. Nothing screams “mark” as much as that.)
On with the show, since I still have nothing…
Match Results:
Monty Brown and Kevin Fertig over Sabu and Rob Van Dam (Pinfall, Brown pins Sabu, Pounce): Ah, what a nice little flashback that ending was, to the days when TNA was somewhat entertaining instead of being completely baffling from start to finish. Unfortunately, Murray already made a drug joke regarding Van Dam and Sabu, so I don’t really have anything else to say. Adequate match, given just enough time, satisfying without being too heavy. For ECW these days, that’s a compliment.
You want the crowd to come alive? Have Rob do his flippy-yippy stuff.
Gene Snitsky over Mike Toler (Pinfall, boot to face): Next.
It must be love
CM Fuckin’ Punk over Bob Holly (Pinfall, Go To Sleep): There’s a time and a place for angle advancement. This wasn’t it. Burke’s presence totally wrecked the flow of the match because Punk was forced to look at him. Punk and Holly tried to keep it together, but just didn’t click on this one. That’s a big surprise, because they both know how to give a match good flow. Just keep this whole recruitment thing backstage, please.
A pat on the back, Chicago style
Elijah Burke over Tommy Dreamer (Pinfall, Elijah Express): Now these two together, I’d like to see more of. I can’t think of anyone better for Burke to learn from than Dreamer. Dreamer could easily do for Burke what Finlay and Regal did for Lashley. I just hope that someone back there is seeing the potential in Burke that I am, and that it’s not going to go to waste. They just can’t repeat what they did with Shelton Benjamin again. I’m crossing my fingers.
A peck on the cheek would have been sufficient
Bobby Lashley over Chris Masters, Non-Title Match (Pinfall, Dominator): Didn’t give a shit on Monday night. Still don’t give a shit on Tuesday night.
Masters, meet ceiling. Ceiling, Masters
Angle Developments:
You’ll Shriek When You See The Sheik: Another worthy induction, but I’m going to be a great deal more curious about the induction speech. We’ve all heard Sabu attempt to cut a promo and fail miserably. This speech is really going to be a trainwreck (like SD Jones’ last year). The odds of Sabu totally blowing his image by going all emotional and teary are even money right now. Nothing good can come of this, except for the fact that the Sheik is going to be recognized.
Aw, hell, I’m falling asleep. See you guys in a couple of days.
