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Welcome to another edition of Sean O’Mac’s Pullin’ No Punches (PnP for short). Here you’ll find Sean’s opinions on one or more topics in the WWE world as well as letters from readers. Remember that you, too, can chime in with your thoughts anytime. I like the props, but love the debates and disagreements too.
Whatâs up WWE fans and Sean OâManiacs? Back with another edition of Pullinâ No Punches, and one thatâs really âon the flyâ so to speak. To be quite honest, Iâd planned on making the bulk of this weekâs edition an homage to Ric Flair, but a fellow columnist has already, and quite eloquently, done so.
So, rather than continue to harp about how great The Nature Boy is – a viewpoint Iâm sure you all know I hold – I figure to hit on some topics hitting the news boards lately, as well as open up a new can of worms for you readers out there.
HULK HOGANâS AFFAIR
One of the biggest headlines hitting recently was the revelation that Hogan had an affair with a close friend of his daughter Brookeâs, although I should again point out that this woman was in her 30s. It broke in The National Enquirer and was later confirmed by Brooke herself.
Now, I havenât seen or heard anything yet from The Hulkster on this, but Iâm not sure that we will, either. Although the news is, by nature, public – the fact remains that this is something thatâs between Hulk and his family. No doubt, however, fans and cynics alike will toss this around for quite a while and come up with all sorts of things to say about it.
Just remember something, fans. Thereâs always two sides to every story. Also, the affair allegedly happened at a time when it was clear to both Hulk and Linda that their marriage was ending. Does that make everything right if the allegations are true? Well, I guess that depends on your own morality and upbringing. As for myself, Iâve been there. The way I see it, if you know your marriage is over and itâs mutually agreed, why should a simple piece of paper stop you from moving on and having some fun?
Granted, a better choice probably could have been made than to get some action from a close friend of his daughterâs. But those of you who do have high morals should remember all the rules of that morality – one of them being âJudge not lest ye be judged.â
FINALLY! THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO THE WWE!
So now we know that The Rock is indeed going to be on hand to induct his father and grandfather into the WWE Hall of Fame. I was happy to hear the news, personally, and look forward to seeing the ceremony.
But Iâm also torn on the matter. Like many, itâs been hard to understand why a man who has made it so big in acting wants to seemingly sever himself completely from the horse that got him there, professional wrestling. Ideally, I would love to see Rocky make an appearance at WrestleMania itself and perhaps even whip someoneâs candy ass all the way to the Smackdown Hotel. But the chances of that happening are unlikely.
Dwayne, Iâve got nothing but love for ya man. You were a great performer in the WWE, and most of us fans out here are very happy for your success in films. But donât forget those fans out there who would love for you to, if even for old timeâs sake, make an in-ring appearance!
SO LETâS HEAR IT FANS!
As the Road to WrestleMania continues and we look ahead to this yearâs card, itâs always easy to look to the past and compare this yearâs event to previous WMs even before it has begun. Right or wrong, weâre all guilty of it in some form.
But with that in mind, itâs time to look to the past anyways. WWE.com has some of the âbiggest momentsâ in WrestleMania history on the company site, and now I want your voice to be heard! Letâs hear it, fans. I want to know what you think were the best matches in the history of WrestleMania!
Hereâs the deal. Pick your top three bouts, rank them first through third, and send them to me with the subject head âBest of WrestleMania.â In the final edition of Pullinâ No Punches before the big event, Iâll tally up the results and share them with the world along with some of Sean OâMacâs top choices.
So nowâs your chance, fans. Letâs hear it!
THE PUNCHING BAG
Well, youâve been hard at it again readers! Sean OâMac now has a much more powerful computer, complete with quad-core processing and 19-inch HD LCD monitor. But you know what? It doesnât make answering e-mails any faster!
No matter, I still love hearing from you all. Keep â~em coming, and Iâll keep typing away!
Sean,
A student of mine has a very keen eye and noticed something I hadn’t heard ANYONE comment on yet…
If you get a chance, or if you were lucky enough to have it tivo’d or something, (it IS on YouTube, but not real clear) watch the Royal Rumble subway train commercial. Right near the end, Batista throws someone out of the window of the train, and it appears to be none other than Chris Benoit! Now, I’m not claiming an Elvis sighting or
anything, but with all of the fervor by WWE to rid themselves of all things Benoit, it seems like a symbolic “trashing” of him, getting a stunt guy to wear his tights and taking the plunge. Again, if you get to see a clear tv version, you’ll see, the tights have the signature triangular claw rips…creepy!
– Mark
Well, Mark, I didnât have Royal Rumble recorded on my DVR because I actually made the trip to watch it with my keyboard comrade Chris Cash. I also didnât have an episode that would have contained the promo as I only save two weeks at a time. However, I did go check it out on YouTube and can say that the similarity is indeed striking.
But the question becomes, did the WWE really intend to âtrashâ Benoit? Or, was it simply a wardrobe coincidence and the extra who was thrown from the subway just happened to have on very similar tights?
Personally, although I do believe there are indeed âconspiraciesâ out there, Iâm not a âconspiracy nutâ so to speak. My first impression of this is that it was merely a coincidence. I believe that despite the tragic circumstances that unfolded and the shock his friends must have felt, very few would have probably stood by and/or participated in such a âtrashing.â
I think itâs enough that the WWE is pretty much deleting Benoitâs existence from history. Why would they need to do something that would only serve to stir that up?
Hello Sean, big fan. I was just wondering who u would root for if they met at Wrestlemania 24, Taker or Flair?
– Biggie Fortune
Wow, Biggie. Thatâs a tough one. Both are legends and Iâm a big fan of each. I think Iâve already made it perfectly clear how I feel about Flair – and Iâm also a fan of Taker. I suppose if I had to make a choice, a small part of me would win out in favor of Flair simply because Iâm dreading the day this business is without him. Granted, it is time – but âThe Manâ will never really be replaced.
Sean,
I am really questioning my intelligence for reading your column after your last edition. It’s not you. Your efforts are generally fantastic.
I just can’t believe that I have something in common (reading your column) with some of the idiots that write to you.
I really can’t believe that any male over the age of 12 likes Jeff Hardy. “The Rainbow Hair Warrior,” the master of the “swanton bomb” and “whisper in the wind.” The guy is ridiculous. His highspots are great, but the rest of his work is sloppy and generally uninspiring.
I’ve been a fan of the WWF(E) for over 20 years, and if Hardy ever takes the belt I will quit watching. He doesn’t look, talk, or move like a champion, and he doesn’t deserve to be in that spot.
Thanks for entertaining,
– Ralph I.
Ralph, Iâve got six words for you. âDiversity makes the world go â~round!â The great thing about wrestling fans, even though Iâm sure there are âcloset fansâ out there, is that they come from all walks of life.
I can say this much. I certainly donât agree with everything that reaches my mailbox. But thatâs the beauty of all this, giving everyone a chance to voice their opinions.
However, I also have a saying that Iâve held true to my heart, passed on to me by my grandfather who was indeed a very wise man.
âOpinions are like assholes. Everyoneâs got one, and most of them stink!â
Okay, first off, this is not in anyway me bashing your article. Far from it. Like you and the Authority, I feel it personifies why we as viewers of pro wrestling need a voice to be hard and this is what gives it. I could go on and on about what I feel is wrong with the WWE and TNA, but the list keeps getting more added to it so why bother. You gave reasons as to why to watch WM24. Here’s my reasons why I won’t
10) John Cena in the main event AGAIN. And those of us that saw Cena vs Triple H and Cena vs HBK know that it’s not a pretty sight. Now we got him in a triple threat. It’s gonna be ugly.
9) Mayweather vs Big Show. Didn’t they learn their lesson from the sumo match?
8) Some diva match involving Maria. ( Okay bad example cause I like Maria )but every match that involved a diva in playboy ended up bombing.
7) Their so called 3rd brand known as ECW being squeezed into the card for one match, proving yet again how very little faith they have in their third brand.
6) A poor attempt to have all the belts defened which may not even happen.
5) John Cena winning the belt or Triple H holding up the spinner belt like it’s solid gold. Makes me wanna heave thinking about it.
4) Money In The Bank may be the one good match, but it’s not like somebody that we’d love to win it will. It’ll probably be Kennedy or somebody else who gets a push above somebody else who should.
3) The world titles will be the only thing that changes hands.
2) To better sum it up is Raw back to back with Smackdown with an ECW main event mixed in. And if it’s anything like that, then that leads to…..
1) Every year the price goes up and the quality of the PPVs including Mania goes down. And the last time I ordered Mania as 2 years ago when it was Cena and Triple H in the main event. The fact that Rey’s big win was knocked down by that godawful Cena/Triple H was appauling. It defeated the purpose of the Royal Rumble win since the winner of that match should be in the main event. Instead we had a match where supposedly one of the best couldn’t overshadow Cena’s lack of in ring ability.
Call me crazy but I can think of better ways to spend my money than that. I haven’t ordered a WWE ppv in over 3 years and despite the problems TNA has had latley, I don’t feel ripped off after watching their PPVs
So thats my two cents
– Halo204561
To each their own, Halo. I have to admit, I have yet to order a single TNA PPV event – but I do hear they are much more interesting to watch than the television broadcasts.
I watch WWE PPVs, each and every one, not only because I get paid to (although that is a nice perk) but because most of the time there is something there that I enjoy. Granted, like any fan, Iâm full of suggestions for how storylines could be improved. But generally, I like what I watch.
But Iâm certainly not afraid to let everyone know if it sucks, either!
Not that i think this holds any water, but for the conspiracy theorists out there I’ll throw this out.Apparently Sting has resigned with TNA but has yet to appear and it is well known that flair wants to wrestle Sting one more time. Maybe a deal was worked out where its sting and flair at wrestlemania, then sting goes back to TNA, of course this will all get blown up next week when its announced its flair vs HBK or roidista and sting appears on TNA.
– Corey in Iowa
Well, we all know the answer to this one now, Corey. There were indeed rumors floating that Flair wanted to hook up one last time with Sting, but I think the actual chances of that happening were slim to none.
Hey Sean,
Like your work. First of concerning the current tag team div, if you look back even so far as 1997 and onwards as to 2007 the tag titles can be significantly boosted in their overall prestige value by simply giving them to big stars. Remember the three match trial and Cena and Michaels had to go on to retain their titles. That was fantastic and did wonders for the title. As did Rated RKO holding them. So in short, IF the WWE wanted to make the tags titles a little more important (which I donât think they do) they should simply give it to more important superstars.
Thnx for reading.
– Anne P.
Thereâs certainly some truth to that, Anne. But the tag division will never be what it used to – not unless the WWE realizes that there are enough fans out here who want to see good tag action again.
Crikey, some of your fans really go on don’t they!, I just wanted to send a quick email with thoughts on Cena, if he wins the title at Mania, I will not be happy, I mean come on!!!! the guy comes back at the rumble, beats a inform, fit, fresh HHH, are you telling me this is believable, I don’t think so. So he’s straight in the title race AS ALWAYS! and I bet my last dollar he wins at Mania.
Granted the guy works his arse off but seriously, its time for a change in main event, how about the most talented guy in WWE?, Shelton Benjamin, WWE are wasting him!!
– Jayboy
Iâve said it once, Jay, and Iâll say it again. How can you not keep selling a man who polarizes crowds like Cena? How many wrestlers out there get just as many jeers as cheers and so strongly? As long as that holds true, youâll see Cena in main events for years to come.
As a bit of a novelty inductee into the Hall of Fame this year, why not Induct, Juanita Wright? (Sapphire)
– Tyler F.
Most of us who have been watching wrestling for years can certainly remember âSweet Sapphire,â God rest her soul. But Iâm not sure that her contribution to wrestling history would garner such an honor.
Hey Sean!
I know the Rumble has come and gone already, but something’s been bugging me that I would love to hear your take on. Here’s the thing…Chavo Guerrero was put in the Royal Rumble match, even though he was the ECW Champion. That made no sense to me whatsoever. Why a world champion would be in the Rumble match defies logic. I mean does the WWE not consider the ECW Championship a world title?? They used to….I remember when RVD, Big Show and Lashley held the title, it was referred to as the ECW World Title or the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. However, ever since John Morrison won the title, it has been referred to as the ECW Championship. Hell, last year after Taker won the Rumble match, he had a choice of Champions that included then ECW World Champ Bobby Lashley. So in a span of a year, what happened? I mean when Johnny Nitro was originally sent to ECW, they did that because they wanted to tweak his character a bit and bring him back as John Morrison. The hope was that they wanted to push him, and then send him back to either Raw or Smackdown as a main eventer. They saw great potential in his in-ring abilities, and had enough confidence to push him. So, what better way then by giving him a World Title to run with for a while right? But it was at that time, the name changed, and it was no longer referred to as a world title. Even J.R. in a recent blog stated that the ECW Championship is not world title worthy yet….which doesn’t correlate with what happened last year. To me, since ECW only has one title, isn’t it logical for it to be a World Title? I mean if any wrestling organization is focused on one title, how much sense does it make to have it be a mid-carder championship (i.e. IC or U.S. Title)?? So back to my point here haha, I thought it was a bad idea to put the ECW Champ in the Rumble match. I know WWE doesn’t consider ECW as a brand to be on the same level as Raw or Smackdown, but they should refrain from making it blatantly obvious to the fans worldwide, who are ECW-diehards, and thus treat it as being equal to Raw and Smackdown. The ECW Championship deserves some semblence of main-event status…I mean it’s ridiculous that practically every PPV begins with a “World Title” match. Anyways, that’s my view. What’s yours?
– wwefansince89
Itâs true that the ECW Championship has certainly lost some of its luster, but you can blame the WWE for that one. I donât know their motivations, but the status of the title is something thatâs established by storylines. Itâs theirs to do with as they please, and for one reason or another theyâve certainly downplayed the strap recently. But then again, is ECW anything like what you remember when it stood alone?
Hey Sean! I gotta say man, U ROCK! First things first, i was wonderin’ if 1) Sean’O Mac is ur real name or 2) is it a play on shane o mac??? So, this whole Paul n Katie Burchill thing. Seems to me like what WWE is doing is trying to bring back the adult veiwers it lost after the Benoit saga. I mean, vince has always been calling his product “soap opera for men”, doesn’t it seem a bit like a controversy stunt to get the veiwers back???Think about it.
Here we are again. Another wrestlemania and cena’s in the wwe title match. Haters are hatin,no FUMING ’bout it, but they just dont see reason, do they? THE GUY’S A CROWD MAGNET. LITERALLY. Ever since Wrestlemania 21 cena’s carried the fed on his back, and, unlike HHH, he didn’t ask for it did he? But he’s been doing it. Doing it well i should say. True he may lack technical skill but cmon no one’s perfect. I aint sayin go n hug the guy, but GIVE HIM A BREAK!
Once again, U ROCK!!!!
– D@Niel A.
No, and partially. Sean âOâMacâ McGuinney was born from my real name and from the surname of my Irish family, which through marriages and such has only recently died. Shawn is my true middle name, but I always chastised my mother for not using the âproperâ spelling of it. So when it came time for me to adopt a pen name, Sean McGuinney only seemed natural. The âOâMacâ certainly is a play on Shaneâs nickname, but rest assured he isnât the first Irishman to use it!
I can understand the necessity of introducing some controversy into the program, but still maintain my distaste for the whole incest angle.
Thanks for the props and for reading, Daniel!
Sean,
Long time reader, first time poster. First off I want to say that I love reading your columns, you’ve got your finger on the pulse and you express your opinion without coming across as a know it all whose opinion is the only one that counts and that everyone else’s is wrong, unlike some other people on this site who shoot down anyone with differing views as “not getting it”. No names mentioned though of course!!
Anyway now onto the topic of this post.
I know I am not the only one who was very disappointed when news broke of a potential incest storyline surfacing on WWE television. We’ve all heard that Vince was desperate to an incest storyline (involving his real life family fer gawd’s sake – issues or what?!) and now he’s getting the chance to.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this angle (aside from the fact they’re doing it all) is the rumour that Burchill & Katie Lea actually suggested doing it. If that’s the case then they must have been really keen to appear on TV. Although in a weird way it was kinda smart of them to do so because they knew Vince would go with it.
I think this storyline could actually work (seriously, bear with me!) as long as over the next few weeks/months they keep the relationship between the two vague, an “are they or aren’t they?” story if you will. You could have it being brought up by JR & The King on commentary “What’s the deal with these two, we know they’re brother & sister but there’s more going on”.
As time goes on, Burchill could become involved with another diva (it doesn’t really matter who) and could start bringing her to ringside for his matches. This would drive Katie insanely jealous and in the end she recruits her own man to take out her brother. During this it could be explained that there was never any kind of sexual relationship between them and that Katie grew jealous because for the first time in her life she didn’t have all of her brother’s attention lavished on her, that she used him to get what she wanted i.e. seeing him “inflict pain” on others. Burchill could simply say that he was looking out for his little sister.
If the above scenario is played out then there’s a chance that once this whole storyline is over the WWE will still have two productive performers on their roster, whereas if they go down the route we all think (and dread) they will, then there will be nowhere for Burchill or Katie to go (where can you go after an angle like this?) & they can expect their releases to follow shortly.
Sorry for rambling but I just felt I had to get that off my chest.
Keep up the great work!
– John from Scotland
Love hearing from readers across the globe! Thanks for the props, John.
Itâs true, the WWE could quite possibly play this storyline in such a way that I change my mind. Iâve been known to do that on occasion. I guess weâll just have to wait and see.
As far as Burchill and Katie Lea suggesting it? Well, it thatâs indeed true (which youâre not the first place Iâve heard that) then it was a brilliant move on their part.
Hey Sean
Love the column and read it every week. I just wanted to know what your opinion of Kofi Kingston is? I have been very impressed with him since he debuted,apart from his debut match when he botched a few moves but I’ll put that down to nerves, and think he could have a big future in the WWE but they need to give him tougher opponents,like Deuce and Domino, so we can see what he can really do and to see how far he can go.
Also whats your opinion on the Colin Delaney angle thats happening on ECW? I know that Kevin McElvaney likes it and I’d have to agree with him on that and with what little offense we saw from Colin on ECW this week, I have a feeling that they are soon going to give him his first win in WWE.
Anyway keep up the good work and I look forward to your takes of Raw and the future editions of your column
– Kenny L.
Thanks for reading, Kenny. I have to make a confession, Tuesday nights are the one night a week Iâm sure to have to be in the office and away from my television, so I donât catch ECW usually. I recorded this weekâs episode for purely personal reasons and did watch it. Kingston looked impressive to me, and if that remains consistent I hope he gets his shot to move up the roster. As far as Delaney goes, I think itâs a smart thing to introduce the idea that anyone can make it if they try hard enough. Remember Zach Gowen?
Good day,
My question-Is the WWE trying to keep the “working guy” from watching their PPV’s? I read yesterday where they are raising the cost to $54.95 for WM24 and $69.95 if you want it in HD. I have been a fan of the WWF/E for almost 20 years, but I can in no way justify that price. This on the heels of the story I read about them charging the sports bars so much to show their PPV’s that many of them have stopped ordering them as well. It just seems the prices are going higher than most can afford to spend and want to spend on this entertainment. Your thoughts?
– Dave K.
Personally, Dave, I think it sucks. What a time to raise prices, eh? Gas is going up, cost of living increases, home foreclosures skyrocketing. Hell, why not join the club, right?
Hi Sean,
I’d like to get something off my chest. Festus is NOT “stoic”! He doesn’t look like the type who holds “that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law.” He looks more like someone who holds to the philosophy of “drooling on himself.” He should be labeled catatonic, blank, absent, vacant, vegetative, brain-dead, comatose but not stoic. I cringed the first time I heard Michael Cole use the term. Don’t become a Michael Cole!
– Seb S.
Any of the suggestions you made would work, Seb. But saying he canât be referred to as âstoicâ suggests that you are open to only one definition of the word when, in fact, many words in the English language have multiple definitions.
In fact, the top definition for stoic in the American Heritage Dictionary is âOne who is seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain.â Iâd say that certainly fits the bill!
Websterâs New Millennium Dictionary of English states that stoic (lowercase) is âone who is indifferent or free from passion.â However, it also has a capitalized definition for Stoic, which refers to what you mentioned.
Hey Sean O’ Mac,
Love your takes on WWE programming. I just have one question regarding Edge. A while ago, it said on wrestlezone.com that Edge has an undefeated streak at Wrestle Mania. But at last year’s big daddy â” I believe it was last year â” Edge was knocked out of the Money In the Bank match when Jeff Hardy smashed through him and a ladder.
Mr. Kennedy went on to win that match.
Now, technically, Edge “lost” the match. However, being a MITB match, he technically didn’t “lose.”
Can you clear this up for me?
– Ray A.
I think you pretty much cleared it up for yourself, Ray. Granted, WWE writes its own history. But itâs most likely that failing to win a MitB match doesnât necessarily count as a âloss.â
Let me say that first off, the Edge thing is probably the most distasteful thing on the show. I believe thought, that is what WWE wants. That kind of reaction is good for Edge’s character and to make it interesting. It sullies the memory of Eddie, but in reality the WWE will do what it can to make money and provide entertainment, even if it means doing something distasteful. I think the Mae Young incident proved that.
I am glad Undertaker is getting another shot at the title. I think he derserve a long run with the belt before he retires. The Edge fued is great and i love how they are playing up the streaks.
It’s sad though that the ECW World champion is too busy on smackdown to even be on his own show that he is a champion of.
I think WWE needs to realize it dropped the ball with the cruiserweights and realize how popular they are. Taka and Funaki were very over before that run ended. Matt Hardy, Ultimo Dragon, Jamie Knoble, the Hurricane, all of them provided some great entertainment. They should bring in some talent like Jushin Liger, Super Delphin, Super Dragon, American Dragon, Ultimo Dragon, and others for some great exciting matches.
I am a big fan of Snuka’s son and think the D and D stuff is awesome, i just wish the tag team roster would be loaded again.
As for Big Show and the Boxer, Well at least he won’t be wearing a diaper this time.
– Chris S.
I really enjoy the cruiserweights as well, and agree with a friend of mine that says the WCW really was the brand that stepped up to do them justice.
Thanks for the input, Chris.
Now that weâve gotten quite a few fans and accolades out, letâs throw in a Sean OâMac hater for good measure!
did you watch smackdown with your mommy and daddy this week? Good Column, I needed a nap.
– Sluddy
No, Sluddy. Iâm a big boy now, and I get to watch TV all by myself. Iâm so proud.
Did you get permission to send me an e-mail?
Iâve said it before and Iâll say it again. I love a good fight. If you disagree with what I have to say, tell me about it! Letâs have at it! But for Godâs sake people, if you want to bash olâ Sean OâMac, at least show some intelligence and originality!
I must not have completely put you to sleep, bro. You did, after all, have enough energy left in you to write a completely pointless and stupid e-mail.
whats up shane o mac how come you dont come back and wrestle kane like in summerslam i forgot what yeAR but u defeated him and big show thats was an elbow drop so hows the buisness?
– Gero M.
Dude, I certainly hope you read my answer to the question about my name above. For the millionth time, I am not SHANE!
hey m8 gr8 work on wz big fan keep up the good work 🙂
– Jack L.
Thanks, Jack.
HEY MAN I DIDNT GET TO WATCH SMACKDOWN FRIDAY BUT I WOULD GEUSS IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SHOW. I ALSO THINK THAT SMACKDOWN SHOULD TRADE UNDERTAKER AND BATISTA 4 SHAWN MICHELS AND Y2J. WHAT DO U THNK?
– Nick T.
Well, I donât know about those particular players. But Iâm sure weâre bound to see some roster shifts after WrestleMania. Who knows, Nick? You may just get your wish, or at least something just as satisfying.
Something you ought to talk about is just what came out of that bit on RAW. Was JBL saying that the entire angle with Vince’s son was just a scheme? Was JBL just saying that Hornswoggle was the scheme and that there is still an illegitimate son out there? I was confused by that whole bit.
– Brooke S.
He never alluded to another illegitimate son. Just that Hornswoggle wasnât Vinceâs and the McMahon family, along with Finlay, were all in on the deception. Iâm sure more details will emerge quickly as we head toward WM.
I think Flair should win at WM and then announce his retirament after the match. That would be the perfect sendoff to THE MAN!!!
– Cory
Well, Iâd love to see him go out a winner rather than putting someone else over. But that wouldnât necessarily fit the storyline. I do suppose itâs possible, however, that Shawn could put Flair over after one hell of a match that saw many close calls for Flair, who then decides to retire rather than âgive Vince the satisfactionâ of putting him out.
AT WM Flair should win this match versis Shawn Michaels and IMMEDIATELY challenge World Champion Edge for a title match. Because that is the belt Flair made famous. It is Flairs belt. And back a few weeks ago JBL was calling The Nature Boy the original Rated R star. It could all tie together.
In his final match, Flair should defeat Edge in a classic, non controversial match and become World Champion, and at the next Smackdown TV taping announce his retirement and vacate the title to Teddy Long. (Vickie G is terriable as GM) What better way to go out then as “The Man.”
Just my opinion.
– Tim R., Indiana
Well, dare to dream, Tim. Would love to see it, but it just isnât going to happen.
who did you want to win the elimation chamber matches at no way out?
– Joseph G.
In Smackdownâs, I recall that Undertaker was set for a long title run before his last injury cut it short, and certainly feel that he deserves it. So, I was rooting for The Dead Man there. Although to be honest, the Irish in me got a little excited when Hornswoggle showed up and tossed in Finlayâs favorite tool! In Rawâs Chamber it was a bit tougher. Personally, Iâve been loving the push Jeff Hardyâs been getting, but also expected that Triple H would walk out of that one victorious. I would also have loved for HBK to get back into the championship mix. So, go figure. Ever watch a football game and not really care who wins, you just want to see a hell of a game? That was Rawâs chamber for me.
I just wanted to tell you that I thoroughly enjoy your recaps of Raw each week. But…why did Kennedy get the upper hand at the end of Raw? The only thing I can think of is that they are making him seem like a huge threat for the MITB match.
– Kim S.
Thanks for the props, Kim! Iâm sure youâve probably hit the nail on the head. Kennedy, after facing a suspension, has now been back long enough to probably start getting a renewed push. Couple that with how âoverâ Jeff Hardy is, and now with Y2J in the MitB mix, it was fitting to make sure and establish someone else as a major threat.
And now for a couple of the more lengthy letters. Youâll still get in, folks, but if you donât want to be pushed to the end youâve got to trim it down a bit! Still love hearing from you, though, so here they are.
somewhere in between insomnia and chicken, i devised the perfect finish to the raw main event.
(sidenote: im actually going to mania this year, so if this somehow manages to happen, im going to crap my pants with joy.)
not to take away from the SD main event. taker + edge + streak vs. streak = makes for a hell of an ending any way you slice it – although, over though taker may be, watching him walk away from mania with the heavyweight strap yet again seems a little stale.however, my idea for raw is, as the title entails, an everybody wins situation.
step one: open the show with MITB.hardy, benjamin, and kennedy are a lock. kane, morrison, miz, dreamer, hell, even umaga can find their way in. doesnt matter: hardy wins.
step two: fast forward to show’s end. the bell rings, the fancy entrances are done and over (im sorry, but conan the barbarian vs shmuck tracy at 22 did nothing for me), its main event time, and to everyone’s utter surprise, orton emerges victorious.
why?
trip gets his mania main event. and given the fact that he’s, um, rings a bell, on the tip of my tounge, oh yeah, triple frickin’ h, chances are he’s gonna see gold again.-even cena himself must know half the population of the world’s wrestling fans are going to be tempted to drink the kool aid if he YET AGAIN leaves the building with belt in tow.-orton solidifies himself as a main eventer for good by beating out two of the biggest names in the company.
however…the innocent onlookers are confused as the bad guy emerges champion, and any mark worth their salt knows there’s about a popsicle’s chance on the sun of a heel winning the main main event. edge beating taker – not only possible, but not all that unlikely. the show ending with orton wearing his evil imgonnadobadthingstoyouinyoursleep face? no.
so there’s gotta be a catch.
maybe the music will hit, maybe the lights will go out, maybe regal will be britishly polite and inform orton he’s about to get screwed. either way…there’s another hurdle orton has to leap before he can nappy nap with his freshly retained belt.
out comes none other than jeff hardy. THE most over sonofabitch in all the wwe.
it’s true, it’s true. (a quote borrowed from mr. kurt blah blah blah gold medal blah blah blah broken frickin neck angle.)
thanks to our old friend edge, its become somewhat of a tradition for that briefcase to be utilized in such underhanded and holy$&!t surprising ways, so why wait a year when you can you can pick up a trick from your formal rival – hey, better that than his disturbing taste in spouses. (ill reserve my opinions on that particular twist, because it isnt worth my opinion. yes, im that pissed.)
long story short, orton’s a walking cadaver thanks to his beating from seargeant shmuck and hunter hearst whotoldyouyoucouldtouchstephaniethere, and hardy, regardless of whatever ridiculous spot he’s gonna pull in MITB this year, has had a good two to three hours rest, 2 + 2 = hardy’s the champion and 80 thousand people are screaming like little girls.
they could have him pull a kane and drop the belt to newly smartened eugene the next night for all i give a damn, this would be one of the biggest spots in wrestlemania history. unforgettable. hardy could never come within 100 feet of that belt again, and he would NEVER lose his luster from pulling a stunt like this. and tell me…does it not beat the thought of ending the night listening to “its all about the game”, or…god forbid…”my time is now” for the 903,235,789,045’th time?
exactly. me 1, whatever crappy finish they have planned right now 0.
and if you put this this up on the punching bag, i want EVERYONE who lays eyes on this to remember where you saw it.
my name is BOX, and i…really dont have a life at all, do i?
Well, BOX ⦠I donât know you socially. But if you have to ask the question â¦
Hey Sean –
First off I wanted to give you props for your work so far. I’ve been coming here for years and you’re the first columnist I’ve read consistently and agreed with consistently. There aren’t enough of us die hard WWE marks around these days.
That said, let me get to my topic of discussion; Jeff Hardy’s push. The main reason I was tempted to write this is a comment in your last ‘PNP’ where a reader complained about the Mania ME (which I personally think is awesome) and said Hardy-Orton would be a bigger draw. Let’s compare how many times Jeff has main evented compared with Triple H and Cena- a minimal amount. This is the first reason I would give for him not being in the main event at Mania-he doesnt have enough MAIN EVENT exposure.
Second of all, his push is just starting. Jeff’s been a strong face for over nine years now, but until he was re-signed after his last absense, he was never pushed strongly as a single’s competitor. His past indiscretions (not turning up to shows, drugs etc) cannot be ignored and are also surely reasons why his push is being paced as it is. Is it intelligent to push a guy who could slip up and be a liability? The answer is no. However, he deserves a chance and that’s what he is getting. But instead of being rocketed straight to the top, he’s getting there gradually. If he wins MITB this would be perfect- he would have a whole year, then, in which to solidify his reliability and credibility as a singles competitor and an employee and finally be given his chance to lead the show/brand/company. I am personally a HUGE fan of Jeff and I hope he pulls it off.
It’s my personal opinion that WWE are timing his push to perfection, and that Mania is going to be amazing. The heat Orton vs. Cena generated since the Rumble was incredible. I don’t know about you, Sean, but I was anticipating Orton/Cena more than any other match at NWO, despite knowing that it wouldn’t end with a clean fall. Their feud has incredible heat. And the addition of Triple H is genius, not only because he has history with both of them in different ways, but also because it makes the recipe complete- bona fide face (Triple H) vs. Heel (Orton) vs. Tweener (Cena). How else better to put Orton over as a heel?
I could waffle alot more but I’ll spare you =D
– Ben
Thanks for the props, Ben, and the letter.
I appreciate each and every one of you that write in each week!
Sean “O’Mac” McGuinney’s day job is as a newspaper editor. He has been a journalist for nearly 10 years and has covered everything from government to sports. The wrestling? Well, that’s just been enjoyed since he was a kid. Don’t ask how long ago that was.
Miss a column or Take? Just want to look back and see if I’ve flip-flopped on an issue? Visit Sean O’Mac’s archive blog at CLICK HERE www.myspace.com/wzseanomac.
