What Did You Think of Last Nights Raw? (6/18)

[AfRoMaN36]

I worked yesterday so I missed it entirely. I DVR'd it so I would watch it today..... but I work today also. In fact.... the only three days that I work are days where wrestling is on. I will also miss Smackdown. But if anything, I'll just leave late threads if noone else opens up a thread. But what did you guys think of the first Raw since the draft and since Vince McMahons "death"?

[djthefunkchris]

[QUOTE=AfRoMaN36;247073]I worked yesterday so I missed it entirely. I DVR'd it so I would watch it today..... but I work today also. In fact.... the only three days that I work are days where wrestling is on. I will also miss Smackdown. But if anything, I'll just leave late threads if noone else opens up a thread. But what did you guys think of the first Raw since the draft and since Vince McMahons "death"?[/QUOTE] Stephanie appeared, and was an ok promo, but the fans just boo no matter what. Kennedy.................................................. I'm going to have to say that is probably the best mic skills or close, on the roster. He went from cheer's to boo's and turned them so easily, you would think it's just a button he switched. I was laughing the whole time during his promo. Was a good one to say the least. Probably the highlight of what anyone had to say all night. I was hoping for a Mic Foley beatdown ON UMAGA, to show his hardcore side before the bell rang. When it started I thought I just had a preminition, till it ended up Umaga doing the beatdown... Oh well, lol. I'm hoping for one last Foley championship run though. Tag team match (s): Weather a regular team or not, they all done very well. I can't decide which one I liked better, although I did like Kendricks little run up the pole backwards slam thingy he done (again). Coolest move of the night.... I liked Melina's way of pinning. Was a good match up when Mickey was fighting, however.... Although I will say Candice has improved bucketloads, this match made me think of the road agent note "Candice seemed off her game tonight". She just looked to me like all the moves were cut short, and... Very low to the ground. For what its worth, I was not impressed with tonights show after last mondays, but.... I still give it an above average score. Looking forward to what happens on the three hour show next week. I'm starting to think they should just make Raw three hours, Smackdown Two, and ECW 1 hour. Didn't they just have a three hour show? Ratings must be booming for them, for the networks to just let them do this whenever they seem to feel it necessary.

[PeterHilton]

[QUOTE=djthefunkchris;247076]I'm starting to think they should just make Raw three hours, Smackdown Two, and ECW 1 hour. Didn't they just have a three hour show? Ratings must be booming for them, for the networks to just let them do this whenever they seem to feel it necessary.[/QUOTE] Last week's rating was 3.8 off hours of 3.03, 3.99, and 4.35. The regular two hour average was a 4.2, which sort of indicates the tearly third hour hurt them. I basically agree with chris' rundown. not a lot to speak of ringwise...the show was OK...some pretty hot promos.

[Remianen]

There is no "probably" about it in my mind. Kennedy is hands down the best out & out talker on the roster. Which isn't to say everyone else sucks (Mick can throw down on the stick as well). That was the highlight of the night for me. Melina's new "finisher" is a great visual, even if it isn't particularly innovative (inverted DDT legdrop). London & Kendrick can just flat out entertain. I love how it seems the E is finally allowing Lashley to use more mat/technical wrestling maneuvers in his moveset. Just adding power-friendly moves like a variety of suplexes (especially the arrow) would at least give his game a bit more visual pizazz. Hell, change his finisher from that boring ass "Dominator" to a modified Steiner Screwdriver (changing the driver from a pile- to more of a -bomb kinda thing or making it inverted with a floatover), which would be more visually impressive IMO. Turn him into a real life Human Arsenal. :p The show was decent, all told. I love how the so-called "casual fans" are reacting like the 'smark' stereotype (booing anyone who mentions Vince in a positive light). I also think Steph might need to go back under the knife and have her implants tuned up. After the baby, judging by pictures I've seen of her from the European tour and last night's appearance, they look kinda saggy IMO.

[cappyboy]

Up and down show for me. London and Kendrick vs World's Greatest Tag Team just rocked. Love all four guys and they showed again why. Umaga vs Mick Foley was pretty decent for a powerhouse vs guy who hadbn't been in the ring much for seven years. Coachman's meeting with the Iron Shiek was a neat little diversion. But the Cryme Tyme home shopping parody? Not so much. Best part was the federal investigator coming in at the very end and wanting to speak to them as they tried to profit off the McMahon "tragedy". And I especially have to play the contrarian on y'all's beloved Mr. Kennedy. Had my first exposure to him and I just couldn't take the guy seriously. The whole time I was trying to listen to the man I was trying and failing to make sense of how you get a guy who looks like that and call him Kennedy. He looks like the love child that resulted from Ric Flair's sister getting knocked up by a Holly cousin. Flair + Holly = Kennedy? I'm sorry. That does not compute. I ended up shutting the show off in the middle of his rant since I was getting nothing from it and the main event didn't interest me all that much. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Wayne Brady vs a psycho stagehand and the only consistently interesting talent in the match is not much of a way to get me to watch a main event.

[Remianen]

[QUOTE=cappyboy;247199]And I especially have to play the contrarian on y'all's beloved Mr. Kennedy. Had my first exposure to him and I just couldn't take the guy seriously. The whole time I was trying to listen to the man I was trying and failing to make sense of how you get a guy who looks like that and call him Kennedy. He looks like the love child that resulted from Ric Flair's sister getting knocked up by a Holly cousin. Flair + Holly = Kennedy? I'm sorry. That does not compute. I ended up shutting the show off in the middle of his rant since I was getting nothing from it and the main event didn't interest me all that much. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Wayne Brady vs a psycho stagehand and the only consistently interesting talent in the match is not much of a way to get me to watch a main event.[/QUOTE] I can definitely understand your perspective. There are folks who believe The Rock wouldn't have been as successful as he became if he wasn't 6'5, 275ish. But then, I relate to a Kennedy or Shawn Michaels or Rey Mysterio moreso than a Batista or Khali or Mark Henry because I'm a "little guy" who has lived his life with "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog" as a personal motto. I'm sick of Khali types (workers with zero or near-zero in-ring ability and only a "look" to justify their existence) being pawned off on the public while talented performers ("all rounders") languish because they don't fit the "hoss" category or they don't have chemically enhanced physiques. But I do realize that there are folks who are heavily into the look (if there weren't, it wouldn't remain the status quo) so, as usual, my perspective is the minority. However, I will say that I haven't seen so many people from both sides of the aisle (the "hoss" supporters and the "skill" proponents) unite on their opinions of a worker like they have for Kennedy. You don't let that kind of charisma languish in the midcard for very long. Especially if your only other alternatives are folks like Snitsky and Chris Masters.

[cappyboy]

[QUOTE=Remianen;247203]I can definitely understand your perspective. There are folks who believe The Rock wouldn't have been as successful as he became if he wasn't 6'5, 275ish. But then, I relate to a Kennedy or Shawn Michaels or Rey Mysterio moreso than a Batista or Khali or Mark Henry because I'm a "little guy" who has lived his life with "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog" as a personal motto. [/QUOTE] And you'll get no argument from me. I'm the same way. Lifelong little guy who's been a big believer in "the size of the fight in the dog." As a general rule, I tend to support more normal size guys than the musclebound freaks as well. But you give me a a big guy whose character suits him as well as Mark Henry's has been lately and I won't balk at seeing him. Even if I do root for the smaller guys to overcome him. [QUOTE=Remianen;247203]I'm sick of Khali types (workers with zero or near-zero in-ring ability and only a "look" to justify their existence) being pawned off on the public while talented performers ("all rounders") languish because they don't fit the "hoss" category or they don't have chemically enhanced physiques. But I do realize that there are folks who are heavily into the look (if there weren't, it wouldn't remain the status quo) so, as usual, my perspective is the minority.[/QUOTE] I hear you and I can certain understand that. With the E being the dominant promotion and being over-fascinated with these types, it's only natural that this would getting annoying. It does for me at times too. You see, I'm not a look guy. Or a workrate guy. Or even a "charisma" guy. Heck notice I tend to prefer speaking of "personality skills" than "charisma". I'm a balance guy. Give me a good mixture and I'm happy as a general rule. But that works both ways. Like with Kennedy, he may have the personality skills but his look is old hat to me thanks to the Holly & Flair likenesses. Or Randy Orton. Even now, after having started to get used to him I still tend to forget who he is the first shot I get of him in the evening. What personality or ring skills he may have, he looks nothing like a viable wrestler to me. More like some random pretty boy I'd expect to see on Days of Our Lives trying to bed Chelsea. Conversely take a guy like an Ernest Miller. When he was in WCW, everybody I knew online was amazed I liked The Cat because I had a workrate rep. But he was just so much fun as a personality guy, it made it easier to overlook his lack of ring talent. As long as a guy can bring something to the table, I don't care what it is. I'll give try to give him the benefit of the doubt at the very least. [QUOTE=Remianen;247203]However, I will say that I haven't seen so many people from both sides of the aisle (the "hoss" supporters and the "skill" proponents) unite on their opinions of a worker like they have for Kennedy. You don't let that kind of charisma languish in the midcard for very long. Especially if your only other alternatives are folks like Snitsky and Chris Masters. [/QUOTE] And that's all well and good. But my first impression of Kennedy is still mud. Of course that could in part be because my introduction to him was on the stick. Maybe once I get to see him in the ring, I can forget that his face is old hat. Seeing that I've only seen him once, there is room for me to come around. Until I have more of a body of work to go by, I'm not going to say he sucks or needs to go away. That would be far too kneejerk. But I do hope the next time I see him it's not as close up as last night was.

[djthefunkchris]

Kennedy wasn't someone I warmed to either. I still don't picture him as Main Event Material, but.... I certainly see him as a legitimate midcard worker, one who would be quite the stepping stone to the Main Event. Don't get me wrong though, I like his in ring work as well..... Here is my biggest problem with Kennedy, and maybe this will make more scense. We have a saying which I'm sure is probably world wide. A little guy that drives a HUGE TRUCK, Walks as if he's seven foot tall (you know, chest out as far as they can poke it, arms swing way wider then what's necessary to get around that tiny body, etc.), and an Attitude, about almost anything... We call it "Little Man's Syndrome". Alot of times, if they are in any seat of power (boss), they like to emphasize that at all times. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it right because Most little guys are not like that, but the few that are, are so bad, that it's obvious right off the bat. Now, that's what my whole problem with Kennedy has always been. I can't help thinking "Little Man's Syndrom" whenever I see him. So when I see him acting as though he can whip up on anyone not smaller then himself, it's hard for me to take him serious, at all. However.... I've come to like his personality quite a bit lately. Like I said, when he come to the ring they were cheering like crazy... Took him almost 5 words to turn that into just as much heel heat. Was quite obvious to me that he was having fun seeing how fast he could do that. Kennedy is a guy that grows on you over time. You will end up liking him, I'm sure. Be as set against him as possible, and I promise you, right when you think he can't be any worse is when you will all the sudden go "Wait a minute here...". See, now in my opinion he is walking the walk just as I explained, but he is doing it on purpose for the Heel and attitude gimmick. I think he's probably a blast to talk to in real life. Far as his name goes, I can't think of any name I'd rather him go by, lol.

[PeterHilton]

For the record...Kennedy is listed at 6'2." He's probably realistically around six feet even. That is the same height as both HBK and Bret Hart. If Kennedy has the goods, I'm sure he'll be fine.

[djthefunkchris]

[QUOTE=PeterHilton;247539]For the record...Kennedy is listed at 6'2." He's probably realistically around six feet even. That is the same height as both HBK and Bret Hart. If Kennedy has the goods, I'm sure he'll be fine.[/QUOTE] I had felt the same way about both of them also..... They won me over as well. The 6'2" is believable to me, it's just around the other guys they don't "Feel" like they are that size (most of those guys are 6'4" or taller). Which means none of them really had "Little Man's Syndrom", lol.

[ubernoob]

What about Benoit, if we are talking about "Little Man's Syndrome"? After standing next to him I'd realistically put him at 5'8'' or 5'9'' (if my memory serves me correct...) Anyways, I fast forwarded through RAW... An average show, so a 3.0 or 3.5 out of 5 from me. Kennedy is the goods, by the way, if not only for the fact that HE HAILS FROM GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN (20 mins from here ;)) If you are wondering about the Kennedy name, I think it's been stated that Vince McMahon liked him so much that he allowed him to take his middle name (Kennedy) and use it, although Heyman or someone might have had something to do with it.

[dvdWarrior]

Just out of curiousity, is it bad of me that while Stephanie McMahon was out there, making that "emotional, heartfelt" promo of hers, all I could think about was the time The Big Boss Man stood right in the center of that very ring, talking about "Mah Daddy! Mah Daddy!" during his fued with The Big Show? :o