WWE: The Icon View

[GLOBAL ICON]

WWE: The Icon View​

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to WWE: The Icon View. This is the thread I promised my fellow Bookers in the Book This! General Discussion thread. Here, I will be posting the editorials on the hottest topics of wrestling, especially the WWE and the mega-event of WrestleMania 28 under the title "Editorials". Also, I will be talking about my Book This! fed, WWE: An Icon Presentation (http://forums.wrestlezone.com/showthread.php?t=175824) in what will be titled "My Book This! Article". In "Extras" I will be posting articles on other sports like soccer, lawn tennis, cricket (I hope people will read this one) and basketball. For the other Bookers, I have a different category called "BT! Mates" where I will be talking about the major angles happening in your BT! [There will be a poll held here in this thread to determine who goes first].

Opinions, views, reviews, likes, dislikes, constructive criticism and Whostine are all welcome. Plus, I will give an opportunity to selected members to talk about my Book This! in general detail right here.

Don't forget to check back because my first article in "Editorials" will be up soon.

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

Editorials

The curious case of Sheamus and Daniel Bryan "main-eventing" WrestleMania

January 2012, Chris Jericho made his much-hyped return to the WWE with his flashing jacket. After weeks of saying nothing, all he had to say 6 days before the Royal Rumble was “This Sunday will be the end of the world as you know it”. And everybody thought, everybody hoped he would win the Rumble just for the sake of a great “wrestling” match between him and the WWE champion, CM Punk. And along came the Royal Rumble. Jericho was in the final 2 along with The Great White Sheamus. Jericho was supposed to win. At least we thought so. And out of the blue, Sheamus dumps Jericho to the floor and we are all shell-shocked. Sheamus is the 2012 Royal Rumble winner!!! At such a young age, this guy has accomplished so much. But we were all thinking “Really, this guy?” We had every right to. Jericho was the most-talked about guy at the time and Sheamus, with inappropriate backing of the son-in-law walked away with a ticket to the main-event of WrestleMania!.

After months of the D-Bry cash-in build, and after the creative team finally investing time in Daniel Bryan, the guy finally won the World Heavyweight championship at the TLC event in December. Then, D-Bry went from being the much-liked and cheered underdog to a son of a bitch in a month. Kudos to the creative, Bryan himself and a monster we all call Big Show. The turn seemed real. It was well done. And not to everyone’s surprise, Daniel Bryan retained his championship inside the Elimination Chamber at the pay-per-view of the same name. And with that, Bryan established himself as one of the major players on a lacking SmackDown! roster. A major player nonetheless.

And, two of the most successful men on SmackDown! in recent months, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan, would be facing off at the Big Daddy for the World Heavyweight championship. With Bryan’s World title, Sheamus’s Royal Rumble win and the dark match of WrestleMania 27, one would have thought that they would indeed be in the “main-event” of WrestleMania. But will they? I highly doubt it. And below’s why:

Since the Elimination Chamber, they have hardly had quality promos together that didn’t involve any third person, and they have never had an opportunity to collide with one another in the ring, excepting a few matches with two others thrown in with them. To be honest, their build-up has lacked majorly and Vince McMahon clearly wants to say that he doesn’t believe in them, or one of them, maybe. But I don’t blame them entirely. Partially, yes. Because Punk and Jericho haven’t been given more time if not less and they have got me interested. Sheamus and D-Bry have failed to do it and that is their fault because they haven’t been very bad on the mic, but they haven’t been very good either.

The other thing that factors in all of this, is the lack of air time their getting. We all know how much Vince loves Cena and Dwayne battling it out like children and HHH and Taker with HBK have also been golden in their stint. We all seem to be interested in Jericho-Punk because though they haven’t been their usual in the promos, we all know they won’t disappoint when it matters. On the big show, apart from all of this, there is going to be the cluster – you know what – of a six-man tag team match and the huge Hall of Fame class with Edge, Iron Mike and the recently added Yokozuna. Sheamus and D-Bry are two young and upcoming talents and they are being over-shadowed by all of this.

This is not good for either of them. They are still young in their careers and they are being given the feeling that they don’t matter. And this WILL, like it or not, affect their match at WrestleMania. They will probably be the opener (I hope not) or they will be one of the first four. And the problem is, people won’t care. Sheamus comes out, Bryan comes out, they have a good match, not the best, but good still. But the people simply won’t give a damn because of the lack of interest the two men have created for their match. I hate to say this, but the World Heavyweight championship match will just be a break for the people to regain their senses for the big, real main-events on a stage where the World Heavyweight championship should be one of the most important things in the WWE.

All I can truly say about this is that this is a waste of good talent. Nobody really even thinks about the two of them anymore when we say “WrestleMania show-stealer”. And the truth is, they won’t. Because they are not in a position to. My friends ask me who do I think will walk away with the World title at Mania. I have just one answer. I don’t care who wins. It doesn’t matter who does. Because the result of the other matches will have a deep impact and a long impression on professional wrestling. Cody Rhodes will be established. Long/Laurinitis will become the general manager of both shows. CM Punk will cement himself at the apex of the WWE with a victory over Jericho. It will be the end of an era. And the result of Cena vs Rock is sure to be epic. Whereas the result of Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan will be short-term. It can be fixed. If they feel they have done it right, they’ll keep it that way. If not, Extreme Rules is not too far away, is it? It won’t affect the WWE as much as the result of the other matches will.

At the end of a magnificent WrestleMania, the only thing people will be saying about Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan is, “Were they even there?”​

You can give in your feedbacks and opinions on this article right here in this thread OR you can PM me anytime. Thanks for your time and I hope you liked the article. Don’t forget to let out your views. Keep checking back because the next article in “Editorials” will be up within a few days time!!!!

 

[GCB]

Agree with the majority of that, Icon. The booking of both title matches at WM has been woeful until they turned the heat up on Punk-Jericho in the past few weeks. However, and I haven't seen this week's SMACKDOWN yet, the build for Bryan and Sheamus has been non-existant. There doesn't appear to be a reason for their feud other than the fact that Bryan is WHC and Sheamus is the RR winner. That's fine for a starting point but it needs intensifying. Unfortunately, there is little to no heat in the feud. Sheamus is steamrolling over everybody he faces, Bryan is the chickenshit champion that still hasn't had a 'big' win to solidify him (for Bryan, read Miz last year) - we're all meant to think Sheamus is going to batter Bryan and he might do or Bryan might pull out a sneak win - but nobody really has reason to care.

Part of the reason (for me) is that Sheamus' character is so one-dimensional, it is laughable. OK, they turned him face - I hated that move immediately because I think Sheamus could be a fantastic heel (he was for a few months, a feud with HHH could have been gold at one point). However, if you turn him face, you need to give him some obstacles to overcome. He's overcome every obstacle so easily - the only real challenge I feel he has had recently was overcoming Jericho in the RR. So, you have a face challenger who appears to be nailed on to win the WHC with ease - errr, poor booking. A WHC that appears to be sneaking victories out by luck, cheating or beating Santino Marella - err, weak champion. Therefore, I - like many others - don't care. Although we've seen it a million times before, I'd prefer to see a plucky, underdog Daniel Bryan story as he cashes in MITB on a heel Sheamus than this. Would have made more sense. Or Randy Orton should have been included for Triple Threat to make it less predictable.

Sheamus' character seems to be being set up for the kids - I can only hope it is to replace Cena in some way. Then I can accept it a little!

 

[IHW]

Great Editorial GI.
Sheamus is was being considered to win the Rumble for a long time, but I thought Y2J would win it. When Sheamus won I was shocked. Now, this match is going to be 4th, or maybe even considered 5th on the card and that is quite sad for the 2. But hey, at least this year they will make the main card.

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

Editorials

Forget the payoff, remember the moment

The Undertaker made his annual WWE return two weeks before the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view during a segment which involved Triple H and John Laurinitis. After months of anticipation as to what happens with Taker and his streak, the story, which is very well told by both Taker and HHH unfolded. Taker challenged Triple H to a match at WrestleMania XXVIII in an attempt to get rid of the “uncertainties” surrounding last year’s classic No Holds Barred match they had which may have even saved WrestleMania 27 from becoming a complete sucker of a pay-per-view, let alone a WrestleMania.

For weeks, Triple H refused Taker’s challenge which even led to the charismatic Shawn Michaels returning to confront his friend. The result, Triple H walks away with a firm NO. The next week, Taker finally managed to convince Triple H to accept the match. And not any match, a Hell In A Cell. And what led to this? A simple question from Taker: Are you (Triple H) better or is Shawn? And the following week, we had Shawn Michaels reappear to confront his friend again and this time, he made a huge announcement that may, and I say may have an effect on the outcome of the match, as is teased by HBK himself.

With that ladies and gentlemen, we have a recipe which can create one of the if not THE most outstanding physical, mental and emotional match in the history of WrestleMania. Because in one ring, inside one Cell, there are going to be 3 of the best competitors the WWE Universe has ever seen in what will indeed be the “end of an era”. This is a moment we all should be recording in our cameras for it can even melt the hearts of the next generation of fans. The intensity, the noise, the commotion, the emotion, everything in Miami, and all over the world during this match will surely leave a deep impact on professional wrestling. It will make people believe in every move that will be performed. Young kids will aspire to become “professional wrestlers” and may I say, the sports-entertainers that live now, may want to become what these three are.

But in spite of all this, the “smarks” or the critics that form majority of the IWC that troll on dirtsheets like WrestleZone aren’t happy. The reason: Shawn Michaels is the special guest referee!! Damn it. Never would have I thought people would be complaining of such a thing. But they are. Because they feel there will be no “payoff” for what will happen on April 1st. I summed down what COULD happen on that day and I made 3 cases.

CASE I: Shawn Michaels, as he has been claiming, doesn’t play it down to the middle and he indeed ends the 19-0 streak. But as people have been asking, where’s the payoff? Shawn won’t be around for a long time after WrestleMania is done. Probably one or at the most two appearances until the next WrestleMania season. And we all know how much Taker likes his little summer vacations that continue to the holidays and finally end in February. So what’s the point of creating a story that has no payoff?

CASE II: Shawn Michaels doesn’t call it down to the middle as in the first case, but this time, he costs Triple H a golden chance to end the streak. A guy costs his friend a chance at superstardom (not that Triple H still has left something to prove, but breaking the streak is something that hasn’t been done till now) for the millionth time in the business. Again, and I know I am getting repetitive, but where’s the payoff? As said above, Shawn won’t stick around for too long and Hunter (pardon me) will be resuming his job as the Chief Operating Officer of the WWE.

But I strongly feel that these 3 don’t need to be around for more than 8-9 weeks in a year to create a storyline that headlines every wrestling site and forum in the world. Last year, we had Taker been taken out on a stretcher and Triple H saying all those things he did, this storyline has interested me more than Cena/Rock with lesser mentions within a period of one year. Well done, oldies.

CASE III: Shawn’s claims of NOT calling it down to the middle are all just teasers. Shawn will indeed do the 3 count without any controversies and declare the better man the winner. This is the case that I am going with. But now and finally, we have a different question: If this is the case, why even bother adding HBK to the match as a special guest referee? I’ll tell you why:

As I said, this match is a match of the ages. It will probably be the last time Taker, HHH and HBK will be in the same ring together at the Grandest Stage of ‘em All. It has been dubbed as the “end of an era”. But ever since this so-called “reality” era has started, with every superstar throwing in an out of “kayfabe” word or exposing the other’s backstage identity to the world, people too have started becoming more “intellectual”. They want more intelligence in a world where created stories have reigned supreme for the better part of 30 years. And we all are a part of this era.

But are we all forgetting what brought is into wrestling? It’s these crazy storylines that can be seen nowhere but in a comic book and a square ring. Wasn’t Hulk Hogan a comic book-type superhero? Wasn’t the relation between Macho Man and Elizabeth all chocolaty (with a few exceptions of course)? Weren’t Roddy Piper and Ted DiBiase, Sr. those maniacal villains? Wasn’t Undertaker back in the day a character that crept into the dreams of kids and scared them alive? Yes it was. And that is what made wrestling different from all other forms of sport and entertainment. It were those moments that made up a person’s night. It is those moments that still fill up our minds like it was yesterday. We will always remember Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant. We will always remember Macho Man proposing to Elizabeth. But will we, after a few years, remember CM Punk saying to John Cena, “ I asked for a John that is a company guy, but it isn’t you”? No we won’t.

But still people want an amount of edge in every damn storyline. Guys, this is not Punk or Austin or Rock. This is Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker. 3 men who are known for being so perfect in giving us those moments. The first-ever Hell in a Cell that featured Shawn and Taker. The first-ever Iron Man match that made Shawn a champion. The innumerable entrances of Taker that send a chill up our spine every time. Those are the moments. And for once in this reality era, we need some of those moments.

In six days time, we will have these three in the same ring, inside the same Cell, looking each other into the eyes. Their body language, movements, expressions will all be telling a story. And we need to let go of that “intellectual” image to enjoy this moment with the utmost amount of passion. We need to go back to being the crazy little fans of the crazy wrestling world to understand what these 3 are trying to tell us. For once, we need to forget about the payoff and cherish the moment. Because there will be no payoff. And for those who will be looking out for it, will not get the payoff, nor will they be able to see the sight we all have been waiting for, for many years.

This is going to be once in a lifetime. This is going to be something that can’t be done again by any means. So I’ll advice to all reading this article, just take your beer and your pizza and all your buddies, sit back on your couch in front of your television set and just do one thing. Enjoy the moment. Because this truly is “the end of an era”.​

 

[Theo Mays]

I was sooooo peeved when the rumors of a Taker/Trips rematch were in the books. I wasn't a fan of their match last year at all and I was dreading the rematch. However the Hell in a Cell pulled me in and the promos this time around have been better. I could do without Shawn Michaels though. Just let it be Trips and Taker and leave it at that. I think the reason for adding Michaels is to plant in your head that he is gonna screw someone. I honestly think we will see him give Taker a Sweet Chin Music, but not count him down. Trips will question and Michaels will give him a Sweet Chin Music for good measure. In the end he will count the shoulders down when it needs to happen. At least I hope that is the case.

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

Ladies and gentlemen, below is the poll on who should go first in this thread under the "BT! Mates" section. Remember, don't vote for yourselves. And PM me with the votes. DO NOT crowd the thread. Any questions will be answered via PM only. The voting closes next Sunday, that is the 15th of April. Here are the nominees:

#1 Peep (Friday Night SmackDown! post WrestleMania XXVII)
CP Munk (WWE: Carnage!)
GrandSword (TNA - Wrestling Matters)
greasy_chip_butty (GCB's WWE)
IHW (IHW Mayhem)
JAM (PWC: Premier Wrestling Circuit)
Kid Horror (World Wrestling Federation)
Mr. HD (WWE My Way: 2011 and On)
Theo Westside (Theo presents: Monday Night RAW [post WrestleMania XXVII])
workhorse (workhorse presents: WWE Monday Night post Survivor Series)


There you go. Please vote.

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

Extras: Sports: Soccer

A revolution is coming

4 decades. The time since when the English Premier League has been dominated by Liverpool and the world’s richest club to this day, Manchester United. They together share 38 titles and have been the nucleus of the EPL for more years than my family members can count on their fingers. They have reigned at the top with victories in consecutive years with a few inputs from teams like West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and most recently, Chelsea. But this domination, this utter ruthlessness is slowly showing signs of decay. Liverpool has become a shell of its former self and just in the season that finished, Man United finished second to the team that has brought the revolution in the BPL, their own neighbours, from the Ethiad Stadium, Manchester City. Manchester City did what no team has been able to do in the years of United when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge. They attacked United and shook them to their core, took their place as table toppers and they did it with the same passion, perfection and demeanor that United have been doing in their years as toppers. Mr. Roberto Mancini has made diamond out of coals. He took a bunch of unethical brats and turned them into glorified winners.

When I talk about European Soccer, the Champions League and the Liga BBVA, the only team that comes to mind is FC Barcelona. Those guys have dominated and I mean DOMINATED European football in a manner that no other team has just in five years. They have become the team to beat. They are the Supermen of European Soccer. Unshakable, powerful, determined and incredible. Their style of playing has not only impressed the legends of the game but also the casual fan. Every time I step onto a street, I see every fifth lad in a Barcelona jersey with “Messi” written behind it. Speaking of Messi, having the 23-year-old and 5-star players like Iniesta, Puyol, Villa, Pedro, Pique, Fabregas and Xavi doesn’t hurt. Every match of Barcelona possesses the same amount of passion if not more and the players that make up the team are determined to give their best performance in every match. Be it against Real Madrid or even Osasuna. And the credit goes to a man who recreated the “total football” playing style within the club which has helped them amass countless trophies in his years of in charge. That man is the visionary, someone who “was” dubbed as the unbeatable Josep “Pep” Guardiola.

Now, the reason I highlighted the “was” in the above sentence is because The Joker to Guardiola’s Dark Knight has come in the form of the calculating, menacing and may I say irritating and irate soul Jose Mourinho. He maybe a classless, tasteless, ruthless, annoying swine of a man but he’s a winner. He uses his sharp brain to outsmart his opponents and he does it with the smoothness of butter. He has bought the world’s most talented players and has propelled them as a team. And not any team, a team that beat the Supermen of European Soccer in their own game, in their own league and in their own stadium to emerge conquerors of the Spanish League with over 100 points. And I’ve got only one word to describe this: AWESOME.

And then there are the less major leagues where talent reigns supreme instead of hype. Bayern Munich is one such team who have emerged as the dark horses in the race of golden stallions. They became the Champions League finalists in 2 out of 3 years and though they didn’t win, they came so close that one more right touch of the foot to the ball would have recreated the club’s history not once but twice. And there is no denial that they have carved a name for themselves on that bigger stage and now they have become one of the golden stallions. And though they have a good team, the team spirit and a pure desire to win is what has brought them at this stage of their game.

And there are more teams who join that list too. The English teams that hail from London, Chelsea and Arsenal too have become household names of world soccer. The latter has adopted a style that prevails at Camp Nou and they have brought it to the Emirates Stadium and maybe that is why they are dubbed as the “Catalans without the trophies”. But if Arsene Wenger continues to reap home-sown talent and Robin van Persie stays at the club, they may have a golden chance to win the EPL. And trust me, they have the urge to do it. On the other hand, Chelsea has emerged from ashes and has gone on to win the latest Champions League for the first time in their history. They have done a tremendous job overcoming the hurdles that were the need of a long-term manager, rivalries within the team, controversies outside the team and the feeling of need to get rid of the “oldies” that are likes of Drogba, Lampard and Terry. But they silenced their critics, they single-handedly won the most prestigious European trophy under the leadership of Robert Di Matteo. And not only the Champions League, but the lesser known Europa League has also had some changes. FC Porto, Athletic Bilbao and Altetico Madrid are making a name for themselves, keeping the bigger tournament in sight.

The reason I talk about these different stories of success, is that I feel they are bound together by a common factor. A word I used many times above, passion. These teams have managed after countless years to take out the teams that have been sitting on the top with a popcorn bowl in hand and now they have become the teams to beat. They have written their own history and now the top teams struggle to compete with these. After many years, the tides have turned. The wind has started to blow in the opposite direction. For once, other teams have stepped up to the plate and given the top guys a run for their money, even the fear of relegation (see Liverpool). After what seemed like eternity, the Manchester United and Barcelona fans have something to complain about and the army of the other teams have something to cherish.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the power has shifted. It is distributed. It is equal. The stage of world soccer has become more balanced and exciting. We don’t know who will win the next EPL season, the next La Liga season, the next Champions League season, the next Europa League season. But the one thing we do know is that it won’t be a one man rock band. It will be a chorus of talented singers. So people, fasten your seatbelts because the ride is becoming a lot faster. And keep yourselves ready for a revolution is coming.​

 

[GCB]

As a fan of a lower league team in England, I have to say that your comment about the balance of power shifting in the PL is ludicrous man. We don't know who'll win it next season? Well, no, we don't. But I can narrow it down to two. And both begin with Manchester. If you think that is entertainment, you should try Scottish football where Glasgow has won the league, Rangers or Celtic style, for the past 20-odd seasons.

England = 2 horse race
Spain = 2 horse race
Champions League = boring
Europa League = irrelevant

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

Editorials

A Happy Anniversary?

Time flies by, doesn’t it? It was one year ago around this time that CM Punk did the “shoot” promo that was heard all around the world. And that moment is marked one year later by the tremendous Royal Rumble PPV that GCB put up in his thread *applause*. This should be a moment of celebration. We have had a year of the semi-kayfabe era. But it is not. Why? Because the WWE has been as mediocre as it has never been before in the later half of this year. Storylines are ridiculous with no space for “explanations”, the Divas have been non-existent (with the exception of AJ), debuts of new superstars are photocopies of each other and getting suspended is the latest trend in town (see Jericho and Orton).

Around this time in 2011, CM Punk spoke a few words that shook the wrestling world to its core. He mentioned the grievances of himself and the IWC and became a favorite on the internet. He brought back the “attitude” into PG and gave us this semi-kayfabe era. He mentioned Paul Heyman, something that was taboo before it happened and he shot down all the McMahons in power: Vince, Stephanie and Triple H. He made use of some dirty words and he chopped down the crème de la crème, John Cena, something that we as Internet fans wanted to see for a long-long time. But along with all this, he made some bold statements that went unrecognized to a certain extent.

He said he was an agent of change. He said he was changing some things in the WWE. The way some people looked at him in the WWE Universe and in the management, the way people booked him, the way people booked Cena, the way people compared those two. And most of all, he said he was bringing back the ICE-CREAM BARS!!
And I’ll give it to him, some of those things have been done. CM Punk is now a 2nd top face. He is the WWE champion and has had one of the longer reigns in the past few years and the management has recognized him as a money-drawing, dependable superstar.

But I ask, what has really changed? CM Punk was destined to do all those things. After all, it was just a semi-kayfabe rant that he made a year ago, it was written down for him. Punk made a name for himself. Well and good. But did he really topple Cena off the top? No he didn’t. John Cena is still there. He is still the master of the universe. And by no means is he is going to fall off the top of the mountain. He is the “cash cow” and will continue to do so for eternity, at least it seems so. CM Punk is now a major face but he is still living in the shadows of Cena. He might be the WWE champion but Cena is the WWE’s main guy.

Punk defends the WWE title at every pay-per-view and every damn match is a true wrestling fan’s paradise but then again, he still lives in the shadows of Cena. Punk does all those things but it is Cena who main-events every show, every pay-per-view. And I am not comparing the two, but that is the state of affairs in the WWE. Cena is the MVP while Punk is just a substitute. Cena’s place is there while anybody else could take Punk’s.

And with that, the WWE championship’s prestige is fallen down so much that it has become an international shame. First, during the times of Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart and Steve Austin and even recently Randy Orton and Batista, championships made stars into superstars. Those wrestlers needed the championship. Now comes a time when championships need wrestlers. Yes, “the most prized possession in sports-entertainment” as they call the WWE championship has fallen down so much that it needs to be held by John Cena to be prevented from going into obscurity. He is the only guy who can bring it back to the main-event and prevent it from falling in his own shadow and according to the rumors, that is what we will see in the coming months. And the ice-cream bars are nowhere to be seen.

And whilst those two battle it out at the top, the mid-card is like a broken needle. It’s missing a point. Santino Marella is the U.S champion and I’m perfectly fine with it until he defends it, hell even if he carries it with prestige and brings a slight bit of seriousness in his comedy character. But that’s the problem. The WWE doesn’t allow him to. The goddamn U.S champion is facing off against a ring announcer in a Tuxedo match at a pay-per-view???? And Cody Rhodes might be a great superstar in line for a major push, but he’s doing nothing for the Intercontinental championship that he brought back.

The tag-team and divas division has become non-existent and that’s the most frustrating part of it. We get to see thrown-together tag-teams, 5-minute matches involving those teams and 2-minute Diva squashes. What’s the point of all this? Either you give us something you and we care about or you just crumple it all together and throw it in the bin. Don’t let it stink under your dirty socks.

Brodus Clay has been a real entertainer with his catchy song and dance but he hasn’t done much in the ring. He is either too good for somebody or just too bad (see Big Show’s match with him from this past RAW). Antonio Cesaro has just disappeared completely and I don’t seem to care about him anymore. Looks like he is destined to be the next Drew McIntyre. Lord Tensai, now just Tensai and next T-Plane too doesn’t draw attention, heat, pops and I feel he is too bland for anybody’s liking. Ryback, the most promising of the new crop, is being wasted as he has been given the same match every Friday for the past two months. If Randy Orton was the “Legend Killer”, Ryback is the “Jobber Killer” and I don’t think that is something to be proud of. Come on guys, give us something to cheer about.

The World Heavyweight champion Sheamus I liked when he was that badass heel but right now, he’s being forced to fill the void that is between the top faces and the mid-card ones and he really sucks at that. He is just another feel good guy with insignificant microphone skills and I can’t get into his character. And it looks like the WWE are building him up to be the next John Cena but for what?! Cena is showing no signs of turning heel and I seriously do not want to see the WWE dominated by two cheesy guys or characters.

And not only the new crop, but the old talents are being wasted as well. Chris Jericho has done nothing significant since his return and he has been on a pay-per-view losing streak ever since arriving back to the squared circle. Randy Orton is not too happy to be the #3 face and recently got suspended meaning he falls further down the ranks and he is a talented guy. The Miz too is being fed to the likes of Brodus Clay just a year after he had that amazing title reign where he beat John Cena in the main-event of WrestleMania and not many do that.

The WWE did a really good job at building up John Laurinaitis as a major heel but just like many storylines in the recent years, the WWE threw up all over it and Big Johnny got fired even before he could do something significant. It took us time to get into Johnny and when we did, the WWE decided to wrap things up. Why? I still do not know.

But amongst those complaints, I have got something positive to write for as well. We have seen new talents emerging, old ones proving their mettle, the old guys coming back and some good in-ring drama. After the Kane-Cena-Ryder-Eve story, the Kane-Punk-Bryan-AJ story has got me interested. They have been doing a fabulous job at keeping me guessing what’ll happen next and I commend AJ for doing a fantastic job. Daniel Bryan too is being used right after his 18-second loss at WrestleMania. He is now in the WWE title picture and in one of the better storylines prevailing in the WWE right now. I wrote an article earlier saying Vinnie Mac doesn’t believe in Bryan but I guess Vince read that and he found back his senses *LOL*.

Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler have been getting a chance to showcase themselves and they are being used properly and being given chances at the world titles between storylines. But that’s just a start. We have got something more to see from these guys in the coming years. Add Barrett, Ryder and Bryan to that group and we already have a well-established team of main-event talent after Cena, Orton and Punk don the roll that Triple H, Jericho and Undertaker play now.

And finally, after I guess 8 years, Brock Lesnar returned to the WWE with Paul Heyman and it looks like he’s going to have a major program with Triple H this summer. And though many people would complain the two of them eating up the spotlight but that is good for ratings and for the young guys who can take their own time to reach that “it” level. Until then, let’s have these two and Cena and Punk have the cake.

With all those things that have happened, this year of semi-kayfabe has been a roller-coaster and I have had some things to cheer about a lot (The Rock’s WM win, CM Punk’s current job status, the amazing series of matches between Punk and Bryan, Lesnar’s return, Kane’s masked persona, the return of the angry Big Show and the end of the People Power era) and some things to boo the hell out of (Cena beating Lesnar in the latter’s first match in the WWE in 8 years, Alberto Del Rio, John Laurinaitis and the World Heavyweight champion Sheamus??).

But it has been a great year for WWE and I as a crazy wrestling fan have enjoyed every bit of it. And though the booking has lacked substance, I know it’ll be good once SummerSlam gets around and that’s not too far is it? Next stop is the 1000th episode of Monday Night RAW and it is sure to be a slobber knocker. Hush-hush. Let’s not talk about it too much or the creative might shit on our hopes AGAIN in the name of unpredictability. With that, in the name of People Power goodbye and I hope you had a good read. The next article will probably be the build-up to the grand finale of the Euro 2012 and then the RTWM of GCB’s WWE.​

 

[GrandSword]

GrandSword Review

Question, we're you at all drunk when you wrote this?

 

[GLOBAL ICON]

No I'm straightedge. Why do you ask?

 

[GrandSword]

Straightedge, very cool good on you. I read your latest article and it seemed like a giant rant, and you had so many things to say, compared to your others which were written in that article type style. I guess the current state of the WWE (usually after Mania) is always quite poor and probably why last year Vince approved the Punk promo. They probably thought the signing of Brock would fix this issue this year, but that hadn't happened.