|
Article comparing Smackdown and Raw; by David Long
|
|
Topic Started: Oct 30 2006, 05:32 AM (298 Views)
|
|
MY85
|
Oct 30 2006, 05:32 AM
Post #1
|
|
It's a fabulous new day, yes it is!
- Posts:
- 23,115
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #227
- Joined:
- July 15, 2006
- All Time Favorite Wrestler(s):
- Shawn Michaels
- Favorite Active Wrestler(s):
- Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Finn Balor, The New Day, Sasha Banks
- STATUS:
- Just another day in life.
|
That Damn Good: Why Smackdown is the A Show
- David Long at PWMania.com
-
This is a debate that has been building for quite a few weeks and I thought I would address it with a column on why Smackdown as JBL rightly says is the “A” show.
It saddens me when I talk to people online and get texts from my listeners saying that they don’t watch Smackdown but agree RAW sucks ass. My view is that people who aren’t enjoying RAW should make the switch to the blue brand and forget about the awful days of Smackdown when fat Tazz was in the chair shouting “here comes the pain!” every two minutes. Those days are long gone. Smackdown has in JBL, the best announcer in the business and the reason for that is quite simple, he speaks the TRUTH and doesn’t let Vince muzzle him through an earpiece from the gorilla position backstage. Vince has meddled too much with the RAW announce team and what we have now is a happy couple in JR and Jerry Lawler that is sickening to listen to. They kiss Cena’s ass at every opportunity. JR has never been the same since he was fired in late 2005, he is Vince’s puppet now and I wish he had never come back. It was funny when JBL slagged JR over the blister on his mouth. JBL stole the show on the 3 hour RAW, he made shit on JR and Lawler on their own show and he didn’t even have a contest when he took Tazz apart piece by piece. Tazz’s comebacks were as bad as Roseanne’s! Lawler just laughed when JBL was slagging him off. The old Lawler was a prick who hated all the babyfaces like Bret Hart, the Undertaker and HBK when he was face. He was a joy to listen to but since John Cena has been pushed down our throats on RAW he wont shut up reminding us that the “Champ is here”. JBL represents fans who like the heels and HATE the likes of the Miz and MVP but the problem on RAW is Lawler and JR are singing off the same hymn sheet and it is so boring to listen to. Where’s the conflict?
Smackdown wins the battle of the announcers hands down
Smackdown in King Booker has the vastly superior world champion. Before we even get into that I just want to refer to the visual image of the belts. The World Heavyweight Title is a superb looking belt that actually looks like a belt worth dying for in the ring. Compare that belt to the piece of shit spinny belt that John Cena throws around the ring and there is no contest. The World Heavyweight Title is THE belt in professional wrestling. King Booker has so much history in the business with WCW and made a successful transition into the WWE but sadly due to the bullshit politics of the company had to wait 5 years to get his well deserved run at the top. The King Booker gimmick has been a success and very entertaining as the King speaks like Prince Charles, I don’t see how people dislike it, its comedy on a grand scale. Booker has been a revelation in the commentary box anytime he calls a match on Smackdown I cant stop laughing out loud. They guy should get a spot in the table on RAW when he retires. The other thing I like about Booker is his passion for the business, he has recently set up his own training school. That to me signifies a man who loves this business so deeply. I can safely say we will never see John Cena setting up such a school, maybe a marine camp but like the movie it is likely to be a TOTAL FLOP. I cant help but laugh smugly as I write this column on hearing the news that the Marine flopped at the box office! What a shit movie clearly ripping off Arnold Scharwenegger’s Commandos from the 1980s. Robert Patrick of Sopranos and Terminator 2 fame better have been getting paid a lot of money to appear in that piece of shit movie. In a way I was hoping the movie would succeed so Cena would leave for Hollywood. There is no doubt his presence as The Champ on RAW has made a very bad show to watch. How can you build a class show around a guy who cant wrestler to save his life and who ripped off William Regal’s old submission move, the STF? If I was Regal I would be extremely pissed at that but Regal is a such a class act that he wouldn’t even bother complaining. Cena’s feud with Edge much like the DX McMahon feud went on way too long and even when Edge had the title there was a terrible sense of inevitability about the fact that Cena would win it back at Unforgiven. That to me sucked ass more than most Cena wins because he beat Edge in a TLC match, a match that Edge helped to make the cornerstone for excellence in the WWE. If you watch Unforgiven you will see a lady in the crowd shouting at Cena to “learn to f***ing wrestle” and I was so happy to see this as many people generalise Cena fans as being either women or under 12s, this lady proved she had taste. I am still waiting for a listener to come on WWR to defend Cena but as you can imagine, nobody has been willing to step into the ring with Dave Anchorking. You cant be a true wrestling fan if you like Cena. Smackdown has an enjoyable title scene with Batista, Lashley, Finlay and maybe Benoit in the near future all in the hunt for the World Title. On RAW, we don’t have a title picture now that Edge is gone.
Smackdown has the more prestigious belt and better champion in King Booker
Another big drawback to RAW is DX diluted. They are clearly not the same faction that drove the business to new creative heights in the 90s. Todays DX has the religious goody goody two shoes HBK and a HHH who doesn’t give a crap about putting a good match on. The last good match the Game had was Vengeance 2005 against Batista. That’s OVER a year folks. What happened to the HBK who could have class matches with Angle at Mania 21, against Benjamin in the Gold Rush tournament, against Jericho at Mania 19 and win the title in an Elimination Chamber. Im pissed off HBK got a 5 year deal because in my view he didn’t deserve. His religion is making DX suck ass and he doesn’t want to be World Champion which is annoying because as much as I hate the prick he would make a great World Champion (heel or face) much better than John Cena. I remember fondly back to last Summer when HBK superkicked the Hulkster and embarked on a hugely entertaining heel turn (remember Larry Bling?). I know Shawn Michaels bitched on RAW about Hogan which didn’t show much Christianity did it? Michaels should have realised as should HHH that they will never be in Hogans league and therefore should be grateful to be in the ring with Immortal One before they have designs of actually beating the Hulkster. I might remind HBK that the heel turn and feud with Hogan put him in a PPV main event in a one on one match for the first time since Armageddon 2002. So HBK would do well to remember that if he wants to be RED HOT he needs to be a heel and ditch the religious bullshit. Why does he cover his eyes when he sees women? Is he batting for the other team? For god sake (excuse the pun) HBK, when will you realise that women are GOD’s creation? DX’s feud with Spirit Squad and the McMahon’s provided no competition and it quickly became clearly that HBK and HHH didn’t give two shits about what the fans wanted, they just wanted to plug their crap merchandise on WWEShop.com, their new spraypainted logo is a rip off of the nWo. If DX were a credible faction they would go after the World Tag Team Titles or else the WWE title but they aren’t a credible faction so instead they have been pissing around wasting valuable airtime for younger superstars like Shelton Benjamin and Carlito.
DX is wasting airtime and responsible for a poor World Title scene on RAW
This is another area where Smackdown beats RAW, its uses of talent. Smackdown may not boast the riches of the RAW roster but they use their talent much better. As King Booker pointed out on RAW last week, he was a mere peasant on RAW and would never have been made World Champion on that show. Do you remember the ordeal he had to go through with Christian to win his first ever Intercontinental Championship? They should have put the strap on Booker T at Wrestlemania 19 against HHH, it would have been a fantastic moment but as always WWE didn’t see it that way. Smackdown has a very talented tag team champions in Kendrick and London compared to the talentless Spirit Squad (I was never happy with the concept that 5 guys could share the tag team titles). Neither brand has a tag team division but Smackdown has the better tag team champions! Also Smackdown is using Chris Benoit very well since his return, he was jobbing out to everyone after he lost the World Title on RAW. Ken Kennedy is a shining light on the Smackdown roster and his feud with Undertaker will help to cement that further. Smackdown has also integrated Finlay, Little Bastard and Lashley into their roster very effectively and have given William Regal new blood in his role as Sir William Regal. I find that Smackdown brings in their new characters much better than RAW (Umaga, spirit squad, cade & Murdoch, matt striker) compared to the funny Vito, Jimmy Wang Yang and annoying heels like the Miz & MVP (I hate them but they get a decent build on Smackdown) On RAW we never get to see Shelton Benjamin (who badly need to team up with Charlie Haas again), Carlito (who rarely says cool or spits apples), Charlie Haas (turned heel with Vis on Lilian Garcia but it was never explained)
Smackdown makes better use of its talent roster
So in conclusion, Smackdown is the A Show for the following reasons
1. JBL and Cole piss all over JR and Lawler 2. King Booker pisses all over John Cena 3. The World Heavyweight Title belt is more prestigious than the WWE title 4. Smackdown has better tag team champions 5. Smackdown introduces new characters better 6. Smackdown makes use of its talent roster 7. Smackdown doesn’t suffer from the McMahon factor
Let me know your thoughts on this RAW/Smackdown divide
Email me at davilong@gmail.com
I'd highly recomend y'all to give this a read and I'm totally agreeing with the idea of why Smackdown is much better than Raw.
|
|
|
| |
|
_DL_
|
Oct 30 2006, 05:37 AM
Post #2
|
|
BURN IT DOOOWWNNNNNNNN!
- Posts:
- 43,526
- Group:
- Administrator
- Member
- #31
- Joined:
- January 20, 2006
- Current Theme:
- Vox
- All Time Favorite Wrestler(s):
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- STATUS:
- Wasting Life
- Favorite Brand:
- Lucha Underground
|
I love how he tears apart DX.
|
|
|
| |
|
TheObserver
|
Oct 30 2006, 06:09 AM
Post #3
|
|
- Posts:
- 12,855
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #51
- Joined:
- February 7, 2006
- All Time Favorite Wrestler(s):
- Great Muta HBK Steamboat Vader
- Favorite Active Wrestler(s):
- Angle Daniels Punk Joe Beer Money Doug Williams
- STATUS:
- AJ Styles to Madison: SHUT UP HOOKER!
|
While I agree with the majority of this, something I have to point out.
- Quote:
-
The World Heavyweight Title belt is more prestigious than the WWE title
Right now the WHC may seem that way but if your in tradition and know that titles have a certain meaning to them, then the WWE title still has more value than the WHC, sure it sucks that it has someone like Cena holding it but the WHC has'nt established itself as being around long and have greats hold it, shall we take a history real quick at the WHC?
In 2002, Bischoff resurrected a title that was known once as being the WCW championship, but instead of being known as the WCW title, it is now the WHC that was given to HHH and what I think should've happened is some sort of tournament to give it some credit to it, even though HHH wrestled Flair for it who put HHH over on the same night, it should've been more than just wrestling Flair, all do respect to Flair though.
HBK came in and had a huge feud with HHH, winning the title in the first EC match which is giving a good amount of recognition do to HBK being the great wrestler he is, even at his age, only to drop it to HHH within a month which I thought was bogus but whatever.
HHH went on to defend it for a good time, about 9 months in which one of those matches Booker at WM in 2003 should've won it.
So what happens? A hype of Goldberg coming to WWE was something fans of WCW wanted to see, he whinded up winning the title, then he'd drop it to HHH in alittle less than 3 months, but the real thing is Goldberg did'nt even last a year in WWE but yet was given the title because of his hype.
I would'nt even count his reign but what's done is done.
HHH drops the title to Benoit who more than deserves being a WHC, but even that came to an end when WWE had this misconception that Orton was the next Rock, who I might add dropped the title within a month to who? HHH again.
Then the controversy match that led to another EC match to have HHH win yet again.
Batista would win the title who was still pretty new but even so, smarks hated this idea, but he still did a pretty good job being a champ IMO, and he might even have been champion longer if he did'nt get injured.
Then a 20 man battle royal for the title happened which crowned Angle the WHC who is another that should've been the WWE champion instead of Cena, but the oppurtunity came and he took, though he lost it at the past WM, he was still one of the better champions to hold the title.
When they gave Rey the title, they showed no interest to make him look good and this is where the title just lost what recognition it was gaining, instead of having Rey be a great WHC, they decided he was'nt the one to do it.
Booker won the title in 3 months, now the while this is good cause Booker is a great choice, I'm just wondering who they are going to have him drop it to.
Overall, the title could be looked upon as being the better out of the three but do to WWE not even acknowledging that it's in relation to WCW with the ones that held the title does'nt give it the credibility it needs.
Also since it's existence, HHH has won it 5 times, while it's been held by 8 other people, that may seem alot but having it being dropped within a months time to someone who gets favortism because of the situation, then of course the controversy match that was just complete bs, HHH became a 10 time holder.
You might aswell call it the HHH belt.
But then again, who'd want to have a title that David Arquette won? I sure as hell would'nt.
A big argument though is if the WCW is the WHC. That of course is an opinion of whoever looks at it in the way they do.
The WHC just does'nt have the ones that's held the title to make it look as good as it could like Stone Cold, Bret Hart, Undertaker or even Eddie Guerrero.
Also, the WWE title at one time was being defended on both Raw and SD!, the WHC is just a one brand title.
|
|
|
| |
|
rapper150
|
Oct 30 2006, 05:40 PM
Post #4
|
|
- Posts:
- 335
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #110
- Joined:
- April 11, 2006
|
See, thats why i rather watch WWE Friday Night Smackdown! than WWE Monday Night Soap Opera.
|
|
|
| |
|
_DL_
|
Oct 30 2006, 05:55 PM
Post #5
|
|
BURN IT DOOOWWNNNNNNNN!
- Posts:
- 43,526
- Group:
- Administrator
- Member
- #31
- Joined:
- January 20, 2006
- Current Theme:
- Vox
- All Time Favorite Wrestler(s):
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- STATUS:
- Wasting Life
- Favorite Brand:
- Lucha Underground
|
Yeah, once WWE got rid of the WCW history of the WHC, the title became almost less than dirt IMO.
|
|
|
| |
|
Cybrus
|
Oct 31 2006, 07:01 AM
Post #6
|
|
STAY HYPED!!!
- Posts:
- 55,819
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #1
- Joined:
- August 24, 2005
- All Time Favorite Wrestler(s):
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Favorite Active Wrestler(s):
- Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt
- STATUS:
- WWE Universal Champion!
|
The article is a bit too bias towards SD! for my liking, but I think it does raise several decent points. One of the best points it raises is how well SD! uses what talent they have. SD! has somehow managed to turn Miz, Boogeyman, hell even Khali into recognizable performers that have a background and get featured regularly, yet Raw cannot even find a way to feature guys like Shelton, Carlito, Haas, and other very talented performers. If that doesn't point something out to you, then I doubt much will.
|
|
|
| |
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
|