WWE Raw Preview: CvC Wrap Up, Jericho, Punk, Random Thoughts About Tonight
Before we begin talking about tonight's heavily anticipated Raw, I just wanted to officially congratulate all the winners and participants of a hard-fought CvC competition that truly showcased the level of writing, creativity, and imagination that BR has to offer.
It was a sincere honor to compete against all those that participated, and I can only hope that the next one will be just as competitive.
The voting was so close that while sharing a pitcher of "Diet Coke" with a close friend of mine at a local bar, we exchanged the following, and very true, conversation:
Me: I think I'm losing by one vote.
My Friend: Want me to create a couple of fake accounts, and send two votes your way? It'll cost you another round, but I'll do it.
Me: Everyone loved Eddie Guerrero when he was cheating and lying his way to the top. I could do the same, and honestly who would know?
My Friend: Am I witnessing a heel turn?
That obviously didn't happen as I, graciously, accepted the second-place medal. Big shout out to Jon Fisher for winning. Mr. Fisher proved that when you are the organizer of any event, it is much easier to fudge numbers, as well as, concoct a system to your benefit.
I smell a C-O-N-spiracy, but I'm sure the event was run with complete respect and grace, and not like Enron or Tyco.
I would like to now take a moment and do the correct thing by making a public, politically correct statement about my silver medal win...
... I graciously accept the silver medal and look forward to improving, along with the rest of my competition, in the future. We, as a collection of writers, can band together to make this site the best it can be if we continue to support each other.
This moment is not about me losing, but about Jon Fisher. A man who rose above everyone else and took his rightful place along side previous winners and legends. Congratulations and good luck in your future as a top-flight writer.
And now for your Raw preview and other random thoughts about tonight...
Chris Jericho & his (hopefully) Working Vocal Cords
The last time we saw Chris Jericho he was trolling on all of us. His personal circus allowed us all to revel in his return, and then, brilliantly, have us turn on him. All without saying a word.
Only few can accomplish this. Could you imagine if Cena eventually did this? That would be hilarious! Although I'd fear that some crazy IWC member might actually jump the barricade and shank him. Don't act like it's not a possibility!
While Jericho's return may go down as one of the most polarizing promos in recent memory, there is one thing that everyone seems to agree on...
Everyone is rightfully excited to have Y2J back in the WWE. Jericho's return not only adds a much-needed piece to a recently (due to injuries and lack of proper investment in the future) thinned out roster, but a heel character that can finally compete on the mic with CM Punk.
He brings a flash of "Attitude," showmanship, and incredible wrestling ability to a product that might have finally gotten over the hump. Good things are in store for the WWE and its loyal fanbase.
However, if Jericho once again comes out and parades around the arena soaking in boos, cheers, hail Mary's and Je-suses without saying a word; then god help his soul and the WWE's.
Last Monday was intriguing, different, and a little tongue-in-cheek play by the WWE, but another round of that will be complete overkill and probably turn off a lot of people.
Patience might be a virtue, but in the world of WWE and it's fanbase, patience is more like a ticking time bomb. Hold the story, angle, mysteries, returns, buildup and payoffs for too long and you'll likely blow a hole in your stock shares, television ratings, pay-per-view buys and sold-out arenas.
We have to see an inevitable Punk/Jericho confrontation soon, right? Here's hoping that this year the WWE actually starts to build up their upcoming pay-per-views, delivers on high-profile matches, and gives the people what they want.
The people want Punk/Jericho...let's make sure that tonight is a step towards that. It can be subtle, but at least let people know you're in touch with their wants. It'll only ensure people come back for seconds.
Here are some more Random thoughts about tonight...
Random Thought No. 1
While I'm sure that this Kane/Cena feud will be elaborated more on tonight; I'm hoping to see the Big Red Machine in action soon. I'm completely cool with a squash match. The only reason I want to see Kane in action is to see exactly where the crowd is with Kane.
I'd personally cheer the man, but something tells me the WWE still has more work to do in defining who exactly is the heel/face in this feud. It's a fact that we, as fans, have a lot more say over who gets pushed (see Zack Ryder, Punk), who's face, and who's heel than those running the show.
We have essentially created this whole Cena angle by revolting against the WWE and its strict face/heel premise...
...That, and Cena was getting to the point where he was basically killing the heart and soul of the industry every time he headlined a pay-per-view match against an opponent we all knew had no shot. This is not 1970 anymore. It is not entertaining to watch the face win all the time. There needs to be competitive balance.
The WWE should honestly play around with the landscape we've created. I'm hoping for a day where the roster is full of tweeners who have their own personalities, and those in attendance can choose for themselves who to cheer and boo.
Side Note: Do any of you find it remotely wrong to see Cena fans all of a sudden become huge Punk fans based solely on the premise that Punk is now a "good guy"? Or that Ted DiBiase is starting to get cheered for the same reasons? That Beth Phoenix gets booed, when she's clearly the one saving grace of the women's division?
I find myself doing the opposite of what the WWE wants me to do. Except for Punk, he's too good (even when he was "heel") to boo.
Random Thought No. 2
Speaking of heels and faces, the following is a scientific list of actual "villains" and "heroes:"
...Don't worry, I did the research in a lab coat so you know the findings are legit.
Villains: Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio, Mark Henry and John Cena.
Heroes: CM Punk, Santino, Booker T, Zack Ryder, Big Show (rolling my eyes) and John Cena.
Conclusion: There needs to be more people like John Cena. Not in terms of character, or wrestling ability, but in terms of crowd reaction. Hopefully Chris Jericho is the beginning of a beautiful new world full of this.
Random Thought No. 3
I hope to god that Ziggler doesn't have a year like he did last year.
What I mean is: Ziggler starts in the world title picture, gets screwed out of it somehow, changes his hair color, wins a secondary title, then makes a name for himself only to have the WWE get spooked when he's close to a world title, rinse and repeat.
So far in 2012 we're on that same track.
Random Thought No. 4
How come other people don't do random-thought articles? I give you all permission. Not like you needed it in the first place. However, if I, by some miracle, start getting paid to express my "random thoughts," then I'll have to shut down the others like they're a K-Mart.
Random Thought No. 5
Raw is now officially better than Smackdown. Smackdown had a nice run when it seemed Raw couldn't get out of the way of itself, but ever since Punk was given the green light, the show has drastically improved.
Low ratings? I don't care, and it bothers me the WWE does. Overall the show is much better, and that's the only thing that matters to fans. I'll repeat that again...fans.
As a fan I could care less if Joe Shmoe, who rarely watches wrestling, tunes in for a brief minute, sees Punk as champ, says "who the hell is this guy," and clicks over to whatever HGTV show he was watching before.
Unless the WWE brings back a TV-14 format (which would allow for darker stories, more violence, and occasional slurs) then the WWE will fail to reach its potential. We don't need the "Attitude" era back, but we do need that edge, intrigue and chaos that people want when they watch TV.
In the new world with UFC, where real people have real fights, people are no longer drawn to the scripted, sometimes cartoonish, feuds that the WWE develops.
The low ratings now wouldn't be so low if the WWE had developed Punk, Ziggler, Rhodes, and Bryan earlier. The WWE was going to eventually have to bite the bullet and experiment with its youth movement sooner or later. It might best serve them to ride this wave out, and continue investing in the future.
Random Thought No. 6
I woke up this morning actually looking forward to Raw tonight. If this was a math equation it would look like this:
Me + Looking forward to Raw tonight = The WWE doing a wonderful job.
I realize that I'm not 13 years old any more and now have the everyday struggles of life at my feet: Work, school, friends, relationships, financial responsibilities but if the WWE can intrigue me enough once a week to look forward to Monday nights then I would like to say "thank You" to the WWE!
I will continue to come back for seconds and you will no longer play runner up to Monday Night Football.
Random Thought No. 7
...Speaking of runner up.
Runner up? Did I really get runner up in this CvC competition? I don't play the part of runner up real well. Something had to be wrong with this whole thing...
I can't help but feel as though I need to deliver devastating chair shots to those standing near me on the "winners" podium.
Perhaps when Mr. Fisher is handed his gold championship belt he'll also be greeted with a chokeslam though a table.
Maybe I'll take that belt and hold it high over my head as I look down around my fallen competitors.
Maybe I should pull a Dolph Ziggler and run laps around my competitors screaming and waving around the belt I've always wanted, needed, earned...
Congrats once again to all who competed.
Now say hello to the bad guy!
#Heelturn
