Welcome dearest sticky friends and minions alike, to another edition of The Rager. This week, we analyze the changing of the guard, the new WWE under the leadership of HHH.
And by the way, if you haven’t noticed, I’m your host-like Gondolier, Chris, you’re welcome. (mmm, can you taste the smug?)
Starting Anew
With HHH stating last week that the “board” voted out McMahon, one can imagine the reasoning would be because of his questionable direction, or lack thereof. One can assume this meant that HHH was going to do something bold, something fresh because now this isn’t going to be your Dad’s WEE. No, this is a brand born anew that’s TV-14, at least, its edgy. Instead of World Entertainment Entertainment, its now Wrestling Wrestling Entertainment, yes?
NO
Its not and this past Raw showed that. Of course, not every Raw can be spectacular, you’re gonna have your business-as-usual weeks, but if they’re really gonna sell that this is a new regime, then they’re gonna have to do better than that (minus the ending, obviously, but we’ll get to that later).
This episode of Raw just had Vince’s fingerprints all over it and it wasn’t anything new:
Rey held a belt for a very short (punny) period of time
Kofi got screwed out of any momentum
Yet another MitB fake-out
Kids and Women screaming at the brink of inaudible sound at the sight of their beloved John Cena in the main event.
Teasing the fans with a big reveal, only for it turn out completely different.
Michael Cole making the entire company look bad in the ring and all his other hijinx we all thought we were done with.
John Morrison not quite pulling off believable Rage (I give cheap tutoring lessons on Rage, btw) while reminding everyone that he’s chiseled out of stone…hooray for you.
The IWC getting teased yet again by a Zack Ryder sighting.
Oh yeah, R-Hooch is craaaazy and HHH is portrayed as the lovable goofball on the mic.
Take a look at anything on that list and tell me if you’ve never seen any of that before when Vince was in charge? The only difference is one thing (and it makes all the difference) and that is CM Punk. The firing of McMahon last week followed by the showdown between Punk and HHH at Comic Con worked as a logical way to get Punk back on the air with the company. In my own opinion, I think it would’ve been more dramatic if they let it breath a little longer and really make the fans sweat it out and wonder if Punk really is gone for good.
The good side of this is that it goes ahead and gets every one excited for Summer SlamFest (aside from getting Cee-lo booked to perform, which I’m pretty stoked for). I thought it was fitting that on HHH’s first Raw as head hancho, we got a silent promo much like the one HHH had with Taker. It was a very nice touch to use Punk’s RoH entrance music and maybe its a sign that he’s just gonna do things his way, which I’m sure is to the delight of many. I also saw a great balance with that song because we see so much of a Stone Cold-like reflection in CM Punk and its only fitting that Punk’s music is now the same as when Stone Cold was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Of course, I could be looking into it too much but where’s the fun in just accepting reality for what it is. Live a little, people.
Yeah, this may be the beginning of a new era for the WWE but for things to have so much change, a lot remains the same and you know what? I’m completely okay with that because WWE is exactly who we thought they were and they’re not hiding from it and we’re still watching. Does that make them arrogant pricks for doing it? Maybe. And does that make us mindless lemmings for going along with it? Its a very real possibility. However, I do love the simplicity of that kind of relationship, both parties know what they’re getting into and that makes the occasional switch from the usual that much more special. So with that in mind, I have no complaints.
Sike
The Divas and Keith Stone had no business being on the air and I was completely sick of hearing the commentators take cheap passive shots at the president’s television conference. If you think the president is a liberal idiot then call the man a liberal idiot because people are already calling them conservative nut-cases. Forget separation of church and state, we need a separation of church and entertainment. That would’ve solved Weiner’s problem and we wouldn’t get those awful cold opens on SNL that basically rehashes whatever came on CSPAN the previous week.
Whew, glad to get that out of my system but maybe you didn’t, if so, feel free to post a comment below if there’s anything in the world that you feel the urge to rage about.
As always, be sure to catch me on Twitter for the weekly Live Rager during Raw every Monday where I basically make fun of what happens on the tv and I get to interact with all of you, so I’m having a good time all around.
I hope every enjoys that football is now back, I celebrated by starting my own fantasy football league. If you think you can take me on as well as some of my friends, let me know if you’re interested. We’d love to have ya and there’s plenty of open spaces.
Well, that’s about as much self-promoting as I’m willing to squeeze into this thing. Be sure to check back in at Pulse Wrestling for some great columns written by some of the most capable, intelligent writers you imagine.
Have a great week!
Chris
The Answer is: Just The Tip
