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The opening promo was quite humorous and although it was nearly fifteen minutes long, it did not get stale or painful to watch. Triple H has better character as a wise cracking prankster than with the previous “King of Kings†gimmick.
Crime Time had an impressive debut and it looked like Shad took the heads off of the two nondescript Spirit Squad members with the double clothesline. The skit with Crime Time and King Booker was amusing as well. Booker is the real MVP of WWE at the moment, not Montel Vontavius Porter.
Kevin Federline got the worst heel heat I’ve seen in a long time without even saying anything to the crowd. It was shocking to see him take the bump from the FU since he did not need to take that kind of abuse.
The IC title match was fun to watch with lots of high flying and fast paced action. It is good to see Jeff Hardy in superior form as opposed to when he first started with TNA a few years ago. He looked out of it back then.
Steve-O and Pontius getting the beat down from Umaga was kind of surreal. Umaga laid into Steve-O with exceptionally stiff shots. I didn’t really expect that to happen!
The main event was okay but could have been better. Triple H and Orton have had more intense matches in the past. Perhaps it was upstaged by the IC title match and didn't seem as good in comparison. All in all it was a great show with no low points.
Sean
Baltimore
***********
This week's RAW was fun to watch. While it is not how it was back in the late 90's and until the invasion angle in mid-2001, it was a step in the right direction.
The dX-Edge/Orton stand-off at the beginning of RAW was as good of a starting promo you can do when it isn't straight into action. I found Orton was actually funny at points when he spoofed HBK but when he got the mic, he blew it. I am not amused with the use of the photos by dX once again as it brings them back to the same sophomoric humor that they did with the McMahons but at least they did not bring back the cock references and instead claim Orton is gay.
The Crime Time vs.. Spirit Squad match was good. I do think that Crime Time are a mix of The New Foundation and the antics of the Nasty Boys thrown in with the gangsta image of most rappers these days. JTG and Shad are definitely talented performers and I will enjoy watching them grow and developed on WWE TV.
On another related note, I think the Spirit Squad should branch off. As Mike Johnson said months ago Spirit Squad should be WWE's Special K type group where you shuffle OVW or DSW guys like Seth Skyfire or The Major Brothers in there to replace Johnny and Kenny who are ready to break out as single stars.
The Fatal Four-way was solid but my question is how much longer will Masters job until he becomes a full-fledged jobber like Stevie Richards?
After that you had Kevin Federline who can make anyone a face by default. It was a good segment despite the fact that Big Show, Booker and Mr.. McMahon came out to talk about the Cyber Sunday ppv main event. It was nice to see Cena break-out the freestyle for once.
After that Carlito beat Rob Conway like just about everyone else has in the past year.
Then you have the fatal four-way bra & panties match which made no sense. Why would only one girl getting stripped be a victory and after seeing Maria and Candice "naked" on ECW last week, a bra & panties match is nothing.
Then you had Orton and Triple H face off. The problem I had was that Edge & Orton ended up getting humbled in the end when they should have been able to actually get one over on dX.
Overall I thought RAW was good. They improved from previous weeks but they still have places to go.
Michael King
Long Island, NY
**********
I was actually at the Staples Center Sunday Night so here are my LIVE thoughts.
-The interaction with Edge, Orton & DX was funny. And yes Shawn, you do look that stupid in your entrance.
-I guess to get people to get behind Cryme Tyme is to put them against people that would annoy us even more like Spirit Squad. Just from how they look together based on their size & built, Cryme Tyme seems like a WWE version of Harlem Heat and were impressive. And the backstage skit with them & Booker T had everyone laughing...and was a nice RESPECTABLE tribute & throwback to Eddie Guerrero (watch Royal Rumble 2005 & you'll get what I'm talking about).
-Alot of people in my section were saying "about time" when someone left the Spirit Squad.
-The four way match was crazy but it seems like a lot of the Intercontinental title matches have been booked very similar to the way TNA books their X division matches.
-Just like Cryme Tyme, Cena was put with someone who would annoy us even more than him. My section didn't like Cena but when we saw K-Fed, we were begging for Cena to come kick his ass & we were even cheering him during his rap. And the TV audio didn't do the HEAT (and that's putting it lightly) that K-Fed got justice.
-I thought Conway heard me because when he came out, I said "I thought he was dead...or on Heat, same thing!" Then he cut his promo & got squashed. Just go ahead & put La Resistance back together since you aren't doing anything with either guy on either show. And good Carlito got the strong squash because there were so many people with apples & afro wigs at the show, it's a message to push him because he's over.
-It looked like Umaga was really pissed off & because Steve-O kept smiling & not selling anything.
-Divas...bleh, dime a dozen except for Victoria.
-We all thought the match was going to be stopped because Orton looked really hurt & saw the referee throw up the "X" sign. I guess the match was changed afterwards or I don't know but for DX to call Orton & Edge jokes & then beat them at their own cheating game the same night doesn't do much to start the feud between the two.
RAW was good this week live & outdid the SmackDown taping, that's for sure.
**********
Cyber Sunday Spoiler.........WWE Championship on the line, King Booker and Big Show fight so hard they cancel each other out. Your winner John Cena.
Steve O. not knowing how to sell Umanga's moves was funny as hell. I laughed so hard!
The main event predictable as usual.
Alan
Baton Rouge
**********
My God, what a wretched show.
I thought that Edge & Orton were quite amusing with their DX parody and they both cut strong promos but the segment went to hell when the real DX came out and bored us to tears with their lame toilet humor that Edge so correctly mocked earlier. And of course, we are supposed to overlook the small matter of DX being upset and being parodied when that has been their gimmick on many an occasion!! Edge & Orton were right – DX do suck!
So, Cryme Tyme finally debut. I didn’t rate Shad Gaspard when he was Da Beast in OVW and he hasn’t improved since then. I’m always concerned when a new team beats the tag champs in the TV debut. I did like the exchange with King Booker (“I do not speak Ebonicsâ€ÂÂÂ) though. So, is this the end of the Spirit Squad at last?
Are we done with The Marine hype yet?
I enjoyed the four way match for the IC title but I have a slight problem with the fact that while there are so many ready challengers for the title, it kind of devalues the whole line up when they keep throwing them in these 4 or 6 way matches all the time.
I have to confess that I had not heard of this Federline bloke before this show but I have to ask – Britney Spears married that? This segment with Melina and Nitro did something that I never thought would be possible: it made me glad to see Cena on my TV. And Vince’s big announcement for Cyber Sunday fell a bit flat didn’t it? I just wished that Cena had been a bit stiffer with his FU on Federline.
Rob Conway is still employed by WWE?
Could Stone Cold be the special ref for the DX squashing Edge & Orton tag match at Cyber Sunday?
What happened to TNA being the major pluggers for the Jackass film? Or was it the fact that the TNA fans turned on it so they thought they’d try their luck with the less discerning WWE fans instead? Another hideous segment that wasted everyone’s time although I enjoyed Umaga stiffing the bald Jackass guy for laughing and not selling his moves.
I’m glad to see the Women’s Title is being taken so seriously. In this tournament we’ve had a 10 second squash, two bra & panties matches and a lumberjack match. Will the final be contested in jelly or gravy or something? And what is sad is that Victoria is not in the final four, so we have two wrestlers (Mickie & Melina) and two non-wrestlers (Lita & Maria) en route to the final. What a sham. Trish – we miss you!
Sadly, this Edge & Orton vs DX feud is over all ready. HHH just can’t help himself. He buried everyone as a heel now he’s burying everyone as a face. DX should be trailing in this feud until the big PPV blow off match when they get their revenge, not beating the heels first time out and against all odds! But it is one of the 10 commandments - thou shalt not get heat on HHH. All I can say is roll on ECW tomorrow night, roll on Thursday for Kurt Angle’ s debut on TNA Impact then roll on Bound For Glory on Sunday.
Cheers
LEE RELPH, UK
**********
This was a bad Raw.
It was focused on idiots like K-Fed and Jackass celebs.
-The best match surprisingly was Cryme Time. The crowd seemed into them.
-The worst match was HHH vs Orton because of the ending.
What happened to HHH saying he would put over talent? Didn't he criticize Hogan for not putting Orton over? Guess what, HHH just beat Orton. He is such a HYPOCRITE. DX needs to go, far away. I can't believe they are booked to kill everyone and not lose. That's bad for business regardless of T-shirt sales.
At least Cena got a good reaction, he seemed real happy about it too.
Steve, NJ
