OldStingberg

The WWE isn't exactly going strong in the ratings right now, so there's probably a pretty good chance that what they're doing isn't working as well as it could. And all the "sitting back, relaxing, and not forming opinions" isn't going to change that.

I did get the feeling that they're taking it to HHH & Punk vs. whomever, but if that's the case, they're sure being clumsy about it. What's Triple H gonna say? "Well, this is personal, you've been constantly insulting me and my wife, but um, I guess we'll work together because I got pushed". I'm guessing they've got another screwy finish planned for Punk at NoC, but I don't see how they get from "you repeatedly insulted my wife" to "I guess we're working together" very well. And that sort of clumsy transition in this story is probably the best-case scenario for the Punk storyline right now. I disagree about Punk getting bigger pops than HHH tonight. I thought HHH clearly came out of that face-off better and easily got the biggest pops of the segment. But the fact that it's even a discussion is a problem. Triple H is already a big star. Punk is trying to get there, and Trips sure didn't help him tonight.

What the hell is the WWE doing? Seriously. It's not just that a lot of what's currently going on is bad, it's that it makes no sense. The WWE was gifted a golden opportunity by Punk himself to build him into a superstar. Maybe not a pantheon level superstar, but a legitimate main event superstar that could draw back a number of those lapsed Attitude-era fans. All they had to do was continue with the basic premise of Punk speaking truth to power, give him a little freedom, and then get the hell out of his way. Punk is probably the best overall worker in the WWE right now in terms of combining ability in the ring with skills on the mic. Punk was red-hot going into and coming out of MitB. But look what they've done to him since then. The WWE had arguably the single most intriguing story in years in Punk leaving with the belt, but instead of playing that out, they rushed him back after only a week off in a desperate attempt to get SummerSlam money. Then at SummerSlam, and nearly every week since then, they've got Kevin Nash getting the better of him. This isn't bad in theory, but Kevin Nash? Not only does he bring nothing to the table, but he's not even generating any heat because half the crowd is too busy popping for him because of what he did in the 90's. The WWE really didn't have a big muscle-bound dude that could play a hired assassin with the benefit of actually being able to physically wrestle in a match for Punk to win? And now, his speaking truth to power schtick doesn't work anymore, at all, because the power, in this case Triple H, is very popular. And it especially doesn't work when the power is constantly popping the crowd by playing to them and commanding the moral high ground. Where the hell are they going with this? What outcome at NoC does Punk any good? They had this great opportunity with him, given to them by him, and they've completely messed it up. Not only have they undercut Punk, but they've done it while also delivering a terrible story no one is really interested in. I'd love to go off on what they're doing with Michael Cole, Daniel Bryan, and more, but I've already ranted enough.