Opening Witty Banter
I really don’t have anything terribly exciting to say this week, other than I’m continuing to love WWE 24/7 and HBO On Demand. Tonight’s column is brought to you by the September 8, 1997 edition of Monday Nitro, and it’s six days away from Fall Brawl. I know Scott Keith has said this before but I really wish they would also show the concurring PPV in time with the RAW and Ntiro episodes they are playing because they have excited for the show. Chris Benoit update: He is in the opening interview with all the Horsemen, but he is never mentioned by name and his individual part of the promo is clearly edited out.
On with the news…
The Top Story
Freddie Prinze, Jr., joins the WWE creative team. He will be working with the SmackDown! brand. Prinze and Michael Hayes? Now that’s an interesting combination.
The McMahon are hoping that hiring Prinze will open more doors in Hollywood, and (surprise, surprise) they are also hoping to have access to Sarah Michelle Geller for an angle at some point. It’s been reported he has already made a good impression with everyone backstage with his enthusiasm, respectfulness, knowledge of the company and willingness to work.
Here’s the company’s official press release:
Prinze, Jr. Joins WWE Creative Team
July 30, 2008
STAMFORD, Conn, July 30, 2008 – Freddie Prinze, Jr., a long-time fan of World Wrestling Entertainment®, joins WWE®’s creative team. Prinze, Jr. will now have a behind the scenes role contributing to WWE’s weekly television and pay-per-view programs.
“Freddie Prinze, Jr.’s passion, energy and creativity make him an excellent fit for WWE,” said Chairman Vince McMahon.
“Bringing on board an experienced Hollywood writer, actor and producer like Freddie Prinze, Jr. will only increase the level of entertainment to millions of viewers and passionate WWE fans every Monday on USA,” said Chris McCumber, Executive Vice President Marketing Digital & Brand Strategy, USA Network.
I think this is a fantastic move by WWE. Not only did they hire someone with Hollywood credentials (which is something apparently the company craves) but he’s also already a legit fan of the business. If the signing gets them some positive mainstream publicity, and he happens to bring his hot wife to the company’s potluck dinner then more power to them.
Seriously as a talent he isn’t going to be any worse than any other Hollywood writer they’ve hired in the past. At least Freddie is a fan already, which will help him immensely when it comes to acclimating himself to his new role.
Everything Else Fit For Print
Mike Adamle pretty much screwed the pooch during the reveal of the new GM on RAW last week. As soon as Shane McMahon’s music hit, Adamle got up from the announcer’s table and grabbed a mic, but was then quickly told to sit down and wait until Shane announced him as the GM. This gave away the surprise to the live crowd in attendance.
Hahaha…I love Adamle. How can a legitimate professional sports broadcaster with years of experience be so terrible in this new environment of his? It’s gotta be an act? He can’t really be this bad on purpose.
Ricky Steamboat’s kid Richie Steamboat wrestled his first pro wrestling match last weekend. Steamboat has been training under former Mid-Atlantic mainstay George South.
I can’t wait until the WWE roster is completely made up of just second and third-generation wrestlers…and Samoans.
ECW will move to 8 pm CST, as opposed to its current 9 pm timeslot, beginning on September 30. This is part of WWE’s new plan to make all of its programming TV-PG.
I would make a joke about putting another nail in ECW’s coffin by making it more “family friendly†but I think that coffin was already put in the ground years ago.
It seems as if all plans of ECW being moved to Mondays and being taped before RAW have been dropped. The thought that Mondays are a super stressful day as it is and the RAW roster is so stacked that it would be hard to find room and creative ideas for the third brand.
Things have changed so much with this rumor over the past few months that I wouldn’t be surprised if they change it all again next week.
Stephanie McMahon and Triple H’s new daughter has been named Murphy Claire Levesque.
I really have nothing witty or entertaining to say; so congrats to the family.
Sicodelico, Jr. and Dos Caras Jr. have both signed three-year contracts with WWE, according to a report in the Ovaciones newspaper in Mexico. However Dave Meltzer reports that the two men have not yet signed deals, although Sicodelico is expected to sign soon and Caras “is in play†for WWE.
So are they going to be janitors, gardeners, uneducated or a combination of a bunch of offensive stereotypes?
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, representatives of Ric Flair have told several independent promoters that Flair will be available for bookings, due to the fact that he has now parted ways with the WWE. It is being explained as an amicable split, and it is related to the WWE not allowing Flair to take independent offers that he wanted to.
This was just reported as I was putting this report together so I have no idea the legitimacy or validity of these claims. I’m sure we’ll hear more about as the time goes on this week.
Wrestler of the Week
I’m trying to think of new ways to change up/improve this column so each week I will highlight who I think was WWE’s Wrestler of the Week, kind of like what JR does on wwe.com. As this is still in its early stages I don’t really have any criteria, but I’m sure my choice will come from a combination of kayfabe and real-life factors.
For the week of July 28 – August 3: Edge
Edge looked like a superstar on SmackDown! with his fantastic show-closing promo and beat down on Mick Foley. He followed it up the next night on Saturday Night’s Main Event with a win over Jeff Hardy. He is easily the top heel on SmackDown! and I’m actually finally interested in his lovers quarrel storyline with Vicky and Alicia Fox. His Hell in a Cell match with the Undertaker is being promoted is being promoted as the main event of SummerSlam and should get higher billing than the World Championship match and maybe the WWE Championship match, depending on who all ends participating in that match.
RAW’s On Tonight!
The only thing announced for tonight’s show is a live appearance of Shawn Michaels, his first since The Great American Bash. But the important thing is that it will be the first full night of THE ADAMLE~! as the brand’s general manager. I would bet you that the Cena-Batista SummerSlam match gets changed into an Elimination Chamber match featuring Punk, JBL, Batista, Cena, Jericho and Kane. Well…now that I think about it you can’t have both Hell in a Cell and Elimination Chamber in the same show because there isn’t room for both, but I suspect some sort of multi-man gimmick to accommodate all those main eventers. You know with Adamle running things now and WWE in a good relationship with NBC they should really just go all American Gladiators style with RAW. Larry Csonka on commentary with The King and a renaming of the Elimination Chamber into The Eliminator Chamber…now that would asses in seas.
On Last Week’s Episode…
Raffi does a great job of recapping WWE’s weekly online shows.
Saturday Night’s Main Event made its return this past weekend. Scott Keith and MM have all the gory details.
SmackDown! put on a helluva show this week, with a great Edge-Mick Foley main event promo, Mr. Kennedy-Shelton Benjamin in a type of match SD! has become known for, and the greatness of THE~! Brian Kendrick; plus a Stevie Richards sighting.
ECW continues to be our site’s most covered show, with a recap, 6 thoughts and 10 thoughts.
Marshall has the live coverage of RAW while Daniels provides the commentary.
How They Rated
A.M. RAW (7.27.08) – .8
RAW (7.28.08) – 3.6
ECW (7.29.08) – 1.4
SmackDown! (8.1.08) –
This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wells has a countdown of the best FIP DVDs out there on the market so someone like me would know which ones to pick up.
Glazer has a preview of things you should have already seen.
Welcome back to puro God Ditch as he graces the Pulse with his presence.
Kirschner continually educates me on the goings-on of CHIKARA and the Guerilla.
Wiswell laments the plight of Claudio Castognoli.
