Previously, I wrote a piece on stating just having pretty women doesn't mean the women's division is good. That article can be read here. I might have undersold a certain area in that piece.
For a while now, many viewers of the WWE would attest to the fact that Friday night was the best night to see wrestling. SmackDown! was no longer the Jan Brady, it had progressed to the point where it was Marcia. Fans were treated to fantastic encounters featuring men llike CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, John Morrison, Rey Mysterio, and Chris Jericho.
The same could not be said for the women of Friday night. Although Women's Champion Michelle McCool, Melina, and the "Anvil-ette" Natalya were on the brand, the division was not putting out anything worth talking about.
Things just might be on the way up thanks to a little switching around.
Forget the women in the picture above (well, don't forget them, but stop drooling) as the landscape of the blue brand's Diva division no longer features some of those beauties.
Up until the divas trade "initiated" by RAW guest host Nancy O'Dell, SmackDown! was the place to see, not only those three women named earlier, but Maria, Eve Torres, and Layla. Those three, especially Maria, weren't on the level of being "good." For Eve and Layla, good was near. Maria, not so much.
Still, the title scene was pretty much an on-going battle between McCool and Melina. Natalya, as talented as the youngster is, seemed to be relegated to accompanying The Hart Dynasty to the ring.
Michelle McCool/Credit: thewwe-divas.blogspot.com
After defeating Melina again, McCool seemed poise to battle Eve. Yet, much as Eve was progressing, was it truly believable that she stood a chance at dethroning McCool as the queen of SmackDown!?
Bring on said trade.
Gone are Eve and Melina, as they shuffle off to Mondays.
Mickie James and Beth Phoenix, welcome to Friday nights.
In the words of Jim Ross, "business is about to pick up."
If the WWE continues to keep Natalya as the valet for TJ Wilson and David Hart Smith, it isn't as disheartening as before.
McCool now has the privilege to defend her title against two worthy competitors in James and Phoenix. And by George, am I happy.
With all these changes, thanks to the trading, I think it's time some of the women themselves trade roles.
As a heel, McCool has not been able to garner any reaction from the fans. Heck, as a face, she wasn't much better at getting people to care. Having her compete against a top face like James could do wonders. At the very least, we can hear noise during their match, unlike Melina's and McCool's matches were most of the noise was from Melina's primal screams.
Phoenix is a dominating heel, and one who can knock McCool off that high horse that she is currently atop.
The division is now with two face Divas (James and Maria) and four heels (McCool, Phoenix, Natalya and Layla). Seeing as how Maria's skills are lacking, James is pretty much left as the only face there. This needs to be rectified.
McCool isn't turning face anytime soon. Layla isn't in need of a change either, as she is coming along. But what if Phoenix was to turn face? Outside of her very first appearance in the WWE back in 2006, Phoenix has played a heel. It seems high time for a change for the Glamazon. Taking McCool out is one way that can be done.
There is another, but I'll hold that for a little bit later.
Rumor has it that James has been contemplating retiring due to her current standing within the company. She has had some less-than-stellar outings lately and lost her Divas title the night of the Divas trade. There was the heat she received after that incident with Gail Kim in their match on RAW weeks back. Then she is traded away from RAW, where she's been for her entire career. All things considered, I don't think Ms. James is a truly happy camper.
What about turning the chipper, upbeat James heel? Have her use some of that real-life angst. 
She's not on the card in the the three-on-three brand supremacy match at Bragging Rights. That has to hurt. Let's use that. Use the fact that she lost her title to Jillian Hall in a controversial fashion. Have her get angry. Have her get mad. Have her take out whoever is in her way. And do it without mercy.
James and Phoenix can basically switch roles. Back on RAW, they have had countless battles. Have James now the aggressor. Much like how the WWE used Randy Orton beating down Ted DiBiase Jr. to garner face reaction to his stablemate, James taking out an unprovoking Phoenix could elicit face reaction for the Glamazon.
Whether or not we see new faces and/or heels on Fridays, I am interested in watching things unfold. We should be given quality wrestling, and at the end of the day, that's what I am looking for.
If only the WWE was as behind the Divas division as I am.
This article was originally published on Hit the Ropes.
Shane Howard is a member of Hit the Ropes Radio Show. You can check out the web site here . HTR Radio airs every Wednesday at 6 PM ET. This week we welcome a fan favorite on the Indy scene, M-Dogg 20. In two weeks, HTR welcomes Dragon Gate USA's Gabe Sapolsky.
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