LOOKING AT THE GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THIS WEEK'S SMACKDOWN
By Revin Samuel on 3/31/2012 8:06 AM
SMACKDOWN - 30/03/2012
What this show needs to accomplish?
•Great video packages. It’s getting repetitive, but I truly feel these video packages that really paint the picture and give a sports like feel to the matches are what sell pay per view buys
•Full Card rundown. On a show where not much was taped, is it possible they’d give us a full card rundown? I don’t think so, but one can hope
•HOF emphasis. It’s a great night, even if it is a marketing tool.
•Final promos for Bryan and Sheamus. I liked what they did on Raw, but I’d like a promo from one or both men for a final hard sell on this match
Show Breakdown
- Josh and Striker on commentary. I’m interested to hear this duo without the shadow of Cole and Booker. I couldn’t stand Striker on commentary in the past so hopefully he’s developed some more since his previous run.
- I’m glad to see Drew made Wrestlemania seeing as he’s in the terrible losing streak storyline that never helps anyone.
- I like Striker referencing his firing from the Smackdown announce booth in relation to the Drew McIntyre firing storyline.
- Another much needed win for Ryder.
- Jericho-Kofi could be a really fun match.
- I didn’t like this Metallica song originally as the theme for Undertaker-Triple H, but it really grew on me with the video package on this past week’s Raw.
- Great video package number one for Triple H-Taker – check.
- I like the idea of a pre show for Wrestlemania and a “free for all” type match like they use to do years ago. I hope in their obsession with social media that WWE make this an aspect of every pay per view going forward.
- I won’t lie, I fast forwarded through the replay of the cringe worthy angle from Extra with Maria, Kelly, Beth and Eve.
- Always cool to see the charity events that WWE takes part in. They should be proud of it especially around Wrestlemania time.
- Great video package number two for Punk-Jericho – check.
- Seeing Cole and Lawler waving the flags around for Team Johnny and Team Teddy tells you just how obnoxious the commentary will be during that match at Wrestlemania.
- I really hope they don’t have Booker play double duty at Wrestlemania and he only wrestles. No need to hear Booker’s commentary on a four hour show.
- If Big Show is going to point out that he won the World Heavyweight Championship in his first match, he should point out that it was in WCW, because I’m sure long time WWE fans are very confused if they never watched WCW. Since they were in Atlanta, Show mentioning WCW might have got a pop as well.
- Solid hard sell promo from Big Show about the match with Cody. For me on the go home week of television Cody and Big Show is really the only match that has clicked on all cylinders with the build for their Wrestlemania match.
- Great video package number three for Bryan-Sheamus – check.
- Cole and Lawler mentioning the HOF and to go to wwe.com to see the inductors. I disagree with this strategy. This is just a recap show and I’m sure they could dedicate one minute to running down the HOF class and the inductors.
- This is the video package I’ve been looking for in regards to Undertaker-Triple H with different superstars and legends talking about the match that being said I would really like to see them pick who they think will in. Even if they all know Taker is going to win, it’s a worked business, have them work the answer!
- Solid match with Jericho and Kofi.
- I’m not sure why WWE wants to brag about Cena-Rock being built through social media.
- I’m not sure why WWE decided to replay the entire final segment from Raw of Rock and Cena, which was very underwhelming.
What this Smackdown accomplishedThe Good•Two solid video packages for Taker and Triple H and two more good ones for Jericho-Punk and Sheamus-Bryan.•Solid hard sell promo from Big Show. This is the match for me that really delivered solid hype week in and week out during the Wrestlemania build. I don’t think that’s a good thing.•Good match with Jericho and Kofi•Zack Ryder gets a win•Plus for the plugging of the preview show on wwe.com and YouTube The Bad•No full card run down especially on a show like this where you can find time to incorporate that into the show•I didn’t catch a mention of Orton-Kane. WWE found time to plug every match including the divas match, but no mention of Orton-Kane•Rock-Cena hype should have been an amazing video package as oppose to showing the entire promo exchange from Raw. I’m bewildered that WWE didn’t realize that the go home segment for Rock-Cena did not deliver •HOF class deserved more emphasis. This was basically a recap show. Why not make time to give a graphic to each member of the 2012 HOF Class•I like the originality of Cole and Lawler hosting from Axxess, but this would be a perfect opportunity to have different guys join them on set to cut hard sell promos for their match at Wrestlemania. I know I would have enjoyed seeing brief promos from the likes of Booker, David Otunga, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, etc. Maybe have a legend like Mick Foley show up to talk about the top matches.Overall Thoughts•This was pretty satisfactory effort. Doing the show with Axxess cut in’s gives them the opportunity to do so much more including hard sell promos from some of the participants, but they choose not to take advantage of that. What needs to happen on next week’s Smackdown?•I said in my Raw report that next week’s Raw was one of the most important of the year in terms of trying to hook viewers for what’s ahead as Rock, Undertaker, Shawn and Triple H all leave TV. I don’t share those same ^ for Smackdown since none of them are on Smackdown, but still it will be an interesting show to see where they take tingsWrestlemania Predictions•Cena over Rock. I think this is a mistake unless there is interference to setup a match for Rock next year. I suspect WWE goes this route in their every dying obsession with trying to get Cena over. The passing of the torch stuff and the fact that it will probably be a morale booster for the locker room, which I think is probably important to Cena, Rock, Triple H and maybe even Vince•Taker goes to 20-0. I can’t fathom Hunter taking the streak. Also I think if Undertaker ever loses the streak it should be the main event of the show. I think it would deflate the crowd to have Taker lose, because they would be so shocked•Jericho takes the title from Punk. I’d say Punk should go over here, but the fact that next month’s pay per view is in Chicago has me thinking Jericho takes the title here and rolls with it into the war zone of Chicago and CM Punk’s family and friends•Sheamus over Bryan. Bryan has done a remarkable job with the title and I don’t think it’s time to take the title off him yet, but I think WWE wants to make Sheamus and are almost as driven to do that as they are to get John Cena unanimously cheered•Orton over Kane. Simple as that•Big Show over Cody. This is interesting. Cody has taken the entire build up and I have no issue putting the IC Title on Show for a brief time, but I question the idea of having Cody who has been relatively protected jobbing out to Show. I could see a DQ win for Show followed by a Cody knockout•Maria/Kelly-Beth/Eve. Maria and Kelly get the win. I’ll be interested to see how much Maria will do or will want to do since she probably doesn’t want to injure herself any further for Dancing With The Stars. •Team Johnny-Team Teddy. I’m going with John Laurinaitis win. I’m questioning whether we are seeing the end of Teddy here as a regular character. I wouldn’t mind seeing an Aksana heel turn on Raw or Smackdown. I can’t stand her as a babyface, but could probably learn to accept her in a heel role. Hopefully Hornswoggle isn’t too involvedOther Notes•I hope they don’t try and kill us with too many backstage WWE overly scripted bad comedy like they did last year with the Snoop Dogg rap off and Mae Young and Pee Wee Herman nonsense. This is the type of stuff that I think runs off fans and WWE doesn’t need to show it off on the biggest show of the year•I’d go with Orton and Kane in the opener. Some people might be shocked with that pick, but I think the crowd will be hot for Orton’s theme song right away and it is probably the safest place to put this match if it is going to be any good•Vince McMahon thinks this is a record breaker, I do not. I’m predicting under a million buys, probably around 975, 000. Enjoy Wrestlemania 28!Feedback: revinsamuel@rogers.com
