WWE Raw Hitlist: Vince McMahon's big angle, The Hardys reunite for a few minutes, WWE announcers, John Cena vs. Edge, ECW looks weaker than ever
Jun 24, 2008 - 01:40 PM |
In case you missed it last night, I posted a WWE Draft Hitlist that focussed entirely on the draft picks, which you can read by clicking here.
WWE Raw Hits
Announcers: I liked the way they rotated the commentary teams throughout the evening to let fans listen to a mix of the different combinations. Tazz was on his game last night and delivered some fun one-liners that showed his frustration with everything from Mike Adamle to how third-rate the ECW brand is. Meanwhile, Jim Ross had the line of the night when he quipped that he was "leaving the institution." By the way, this hit is not a statement about Adamle's performance. He still comes across like an unprepared dimwit and I don't get the sense that it's all an act.
The Hardys vs. John Morrison and The Miz: It's always fun to see the Hardys back together even if it never lasts long. I'd like to say the match did something for Morrison and Miz, but their win via holding the tights was fairly weak. The Hardys reunion was fun while it lasted, though.
JBL vs. Kofi Kingston: Am I the only person who enjoyed this match? It was such a clash of styles. I was expecting the worst and came away pleasantly surprised that they kept it together and made it work. JBL was working really stiff with Kofi, but the kid seemed to keep his composure from bell to bell. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a classic match, but I thought it made for interesting television.
WWE Raw Misses
Vince McMahon angle: Where do I begin? It was in poor taste to have a stage collapsing angle just weeks after a TNA crew member lost his life in a legitimate angle. It was also in poor taste to launch a storyline similar to the one he abandoned almost one year to the day because the Benoit family tragedy. Poor taste aside, the angle overshadowed the draft. WWE did so many things right last night and it was a huge mistake to go off the air with an angle that people feel like they've seen before because of the exploding limo angle last year.
Vince McMahon the game show host: He forgot the password? How in the hell could he forget the password that was named after his next pay-per-view? We're going to be looking back on these giveaway segments and laughing years to come. I don't even know what to make of Vince's character anymore. One week he's giving away a million dollars and having ultra-babyface Ric Flair thrown out of the building. The next week he's giving away a million dollars and apologizing to Flair. Is he a heel? Is he a babyface? Honestly, I don't care.
John Cena vs. Edge: That was not an exciting match considering the two wrestlers involved have had some great matches together in the past. They had nearly eight minutes to work with and it just felt like the match never got going. Part of the problem is that it didn't seem like anything was at stake since there was no title on the line. I wonder if WWE has ever considered reversing the way they hold the draft by announcing the name of the wrestler that is draft eligible before the match. That way, the participants are fighting to bring the wrestler to their brand. It would take some extra creative work, but I'd like to see them try that approach with a pick or two next year.
ECW: Could they have made this brand look any weaker? They lost their top star in C.M. Punk and the reigning ECW Champion Kane. They gained Matt Hardy, who didn't exactly look thrilled to be moving to the land of extreme. And then they were completely jobbed out in the battle royal. A lousy night for ECW that made the brand look more discount than ever.
MVP vs. Tommy Dreamer: A sloppy match that did nothing for MVP. In fact, he looked even worse when Umaga came out and destroyed Dreamer and Colin Delaney. Is it just me or is MVP slowing things down too much? I enjoy mat wrestling and submission holds, but some of his recent matches are just too slow. No, I'm not turning on my guy, but I was not impressed with his performance last night.
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