LOOKING AT THE GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LAST NIGHT'S OLD SCHOOL SMACKDOWN
By Revin Samuel on 4/11/2012 8:55 AM
SMACKDOWN - 10/04/2012
What needs to be accomplished on this show?
•Smackdown goes with the old school theme and I think it can only help after last week’s subpar show. I hope we take advantage of the legends and not over script them or use them in too many goofy segments. I like the announced Piper’s Pit with Daniel Bryan, but I’m also concerned that the segment will be dedicated to Piper tearing down Bryan. I hope it focuses on some of Bryan’s strengths as oppose to reminding us of the embarrassing loss
•What will be the consequences for Sheamus nailing an official last week on Smackdown? I hope there is some realism to this and not just a way for Laurinaitis to use heel tactics to take advantage of the babyface champion
•Extreme Rules hype. WWE announced Cena-Lesnar last night, but there wasn’t too much focus to the importance of the match or the actual pay per view. I’d like to see an emphasis put on the pay per view tonight
Show Breakdown
- I like the Smackdown intro with the Blast from the past graphic and showing the different legends we will be seeing tonight.
- I like that Smackdown opening with a recap of the Daniel Bryan/AJ split showcasing that Bryan is still important...hopefully.
- I hear a faint Daniel Bryan chant.
- Gotta love the Laurinaitis theme music.
- $500,000 fine...right. Vince McMahon no respect for the intelligence of his audience.
- Shouldn’t Howard Finkel be doing the ring announcing for tonight’s show? No offense to Lilian of course.
- I like that the commentators are talking about and hyping up the WWE title match between Henry and Punk for Raw next week.
- Last week I mentioned that WWE needed to move away from the Randy-Kane and Cody-Show feuds and I stand by that, but this was a pretty effective angle if they are continuing the Kane-Randy program. Good usage of Ace Orton.
- I just don’t see Ryback working in 2012. The audience doesn’t like the juice heads like him and Mason Ryan, perhaps I’m wrong, but that’s my instinctive reaction every time I see him.
- Always good to see Jimmy Hart. You’d think Jimmy Hart would find better talent then Heath Slater.
- Seeing Mick Foley out here reminds me that I found it interesting that they billed Roddy Piper as the big draw for tonight’s show, while Foley got third billing after Dusty Rhodes as well. It’s always interesting to see WWE’s perception of their talent.
- I wonder if Jimmy hart with the megaphone getting in Foley’s ear is a rib from Vince to Foley. I’m guessing it might be.
- Love Foley quoting Owen Hart’s theme song - “Enough is Enough and it’s time for a change”.
- Remember how I said above that it’s interesting to see WWE’s perception of their talent, well it’s interesting that in the graphic for the main event Bryan is slotted behind Del Rio.
- I like that match between Bryan-Sheamus for Extreme Rules. It seems that’s WWE’s way of making it up to the audience for short changing them at Wrestlemania.
- I don’t expect Sheamus to be the more popular figure in Chicago.
- Piper’s been watching AJ since her debut? He’s coming off a tad creepy.
- That was on the better end of a Piper’s Pit. Piper sometimes makes no sense, but its part of his charm.
- I am really hoping for an AJ heel turn possibly in Chicago at Extreme Rules.
- That intergender six person tag with the appearance of Mae Young is the type of segment that appealed to one audience...The Bubble in the back. The type of match that reminds us of the menu that Vince talked about at the stockholder meeting last year. I’ll probably be referring to that alot more in the coming weeks.
- Damien Sandow was a bit better this week. His words didn’t go in one ear and out the other this time.
- Duggan/Slaughter-Hunico/Camacho...not much to write about. Meanwhile Michael Cole is burying their own product as Vince McMahon gets insecure with the elder guys on TV.
- Smackdown Creative really seems to be burned out following Wrestlemania. This Cody Rhodes-Big Show feud is the definition of treading water.
- Ah Good to see the Fink. Michael Cole in full McCole mode bullying his legends.
- Josh Mathews hit the nail on the head “feel good night”, but pretty much a filler ending to a filler Smackdown.
What this show accomplishedThe Good•Daniel Bryan-Sheamus announced for Extreme Rules. Pay Per View hype will always get a check mark from me! Sheamus pinning Bryan thanks to the legends distraction also works for me to push their upcoming match•Piper’s Pit with AJ and Bryan. Also good and I am going to assume being on Piper’s Pit probably did mean something to AJ•Orton-Henry-Kane match/angle. I liked that they protected both Henry and Orton. The use of Bob Orton was probably the best usage of a legend all night to further the Kane-Randy storyline•Damien Sandow. Much more effective for me this week•Sheamus hitting a ref was addressed and I thought it was addressed realistically with the probation and the fine; however the fine amount was way out in left field. The Bad•Everything else. Too much to get into. The crowd wasn’t hot for the legends. Some of the matches were so rushed that it came off contrived (Khali/Fox/Natalya-Bellas/McIntyre). Mae Young kicking Khali was beyond suspending disbelief. Michael McCole was as bad as ever. If Vince McMahon is this insecure about his Legends, he shouldn’t have a show dedicated to them. What needs to be accomplished on next week’s Smackdown?•Smackdown needs a fresh injection. They appear to be at a complete creative stand still. Feedback: revinsamuel@rogers.com
