WWE Draft 2011: With the 1st Pick, SmackDown Clamors For...

The WWE Draft has a pay-per-view like buzz to it, at least from a journalism aspect, as the theme of the annual shake-things-up-athon centers around the SmackDown brand trying to regain its mojo.

Time was SmackDown was the "wrestling" show of the two brands.  Rich with an efficient balance of good hands and over characters with hint of old school charm, compliments of SmackDown head writer and pro wrestling lifer Michael P.S. Hayes, SmackDown exemplified the true art form of professional sports entertainment that RAW's weekly variety show didn't always capture. 

Give or take a couple de-pushes, and the loss of one of the all time most prominent characters in the show's history, and SmackDown is right back to being the second rate wasteland it crawled out of not too long ago.  

With Smackdown ranking just a notch above WWE Superstars or, dare I say, FCW, Edge's retirement removed the proverbial duct tape that had been propping the brand up on its own two feet like Bernie Lomax.  

Enter the WWE Draft. 

WWE's otherwise meaningless flip flopping of the immortals, emanating from Raliegh, North Carolina, couldn't have come at a better time for the (black and) blue brand.     

Rumblings have it that a top babyface on RAW is expected to be drafted to SmackDown in order to properly fill the void left by Edge's retirement.  My question is, with Alberto Del Rio primed to be the breakout star of that show, is a top flight star in his prime (a la Randy Orton who is at the center of all these rumors) going to willingly put Del Rio over in the long haul?  Or will WWE book the babyface in question to flip flop title reigns with the Mexican star on the rise to preserve his heat at the expense of Del Rio's credibility?  

One school of thought suggests that SmackDown's answer as the next top babyface to step up lies in house with Christian, who has easily received the biggest push of his post-TNA career in WWE.  Something tells me, however, that once the farewell Edge aromas wear off, Christian will be right back to where he started in the vaunted "good hand" role. 

On to the boldface type...

WWE Draft 2011 - Themes to Watch

Big Name Draft Picks.  WWE RAW is the ratings-driven flagship show of the WWE brand and while ratings will continue to soften since WrestleMania season, it won't be for a lack of effort. 

The name of the WWE Draft game is Vince McMahon and co. changing their minds countless times before the show goes live, with the ultimate decision coming just minutes before the draft and primed to feature at least a pair of buzz-inducing draft picks designed to get the people talking. 

Despite being neck deep in a hit-or-miss youth movement, WWE will look to supplement the have-not brand with established stars in order to revitalize the product while preserving its flagship with comparatively noteworthy acquisitions.

False Finishes.  This has Diary of a Doghouse star John Morrison written all over it.  With the WWE Draft doubling as the go-home show for Extreme Rules (admit it, you just remembered too!), WWE is not likely to have one third of its so-so main event do a job. 

With JoMo still technically sunburnt with backstage heat, expect Morrison to be dog-housed by way of a double count out draw, prompting one draft pick for each brand to expedite what should be an action-packed draft. 

Pay-per-view worthy matches on free TV.  I've come to peace with the fact that WWE is just in the era of giving away too much.  The bargain shopper in me loves this, however the business major in me (Ole!) despises WWE's willingness to cave to slumping ratings by mortgaging an otherwise profitable showdown. 

Although RAW and SmackDown performers have been incestuously inhabiting each others' brands for weeks now, there are still a handful of novel, never-before-seen, inter-promotional matches that will surely be wasted featured on WWE's special Draft episode.

Announce Team Switcheroo.  A bothersome trend that has been developing on RAW as of late is the mid show replacement of the RAW announce team.  The show could start with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler on commentary, and after Ross becomes entrenched in barbecue sauce or Lawler gets pounced by Jack Swagger, the hall of fame announce team is subsequently replaced by Michael Cole and his try hard frienemy Josh Matthews. 

Last week, The show begun with a crowded thee man booth in the form of Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, and Michael Cole.  But following a stale segment that saw Cole Knighted, Ross was made to make out with Coles' toe jam and his night was done.

Expect more of the same this week, with WWE's high profiled Cole/Swagger-King/Ross tag team match set to receive a generous segment punctuated by physicality. 

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The WWE Draft hasn't been a ratings draw for years, with WWE sabotoging the Draft's significance by booking inter-promotional appearances and matces at will.  While some may pass on this year's draft, the quasi pay-per-view event should prove to be quite interesting with WWE seemingly primed to aggressively shift the balance of power between brands. 

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