Torch Feedback WWE Raw Reax #3: "And truly - has John Cena ever been worse? He was a train wreck last night."
Jul 8, 2008 - 3:12:41 PM
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Brian C. of Clarksville, Md. (1.5): Best Match: Santino vs. the Batman. Worst Match: Michael Cole vs. Lawler's enjoyment of the Diva Match. Wow, thats the quiestest I've ever heard Jerry Lawler during a diva's match. Poor Jerry tried to make a joke about Jillian Hall's singing ("I heard Jillian used to be a Metropolitan Opera star"), and Cole reacts like Lawler must be an idiot. Lawler was dead quiet after that, while Michael Cole calls the action in the ring like we're watching MMA. Hey Michael, loosen up buddy, its attractive women rolling around in their underwear doing suggestive moves on each other, and you're calling the action like its Clash of the Champions? Vince, please bring back J.R. Yeah, we've seen the J.R./King act for years, but hey, it works, and J.R. doesn't talk down to the audience like we're idiots. I had strong reservations about Michael Cole going to Raw and skipped last week in part because of that, and from what I saw last night, it doesn't looking promising.
Bob Richardson, Buffalo (3.5). Best Match: C.M. Punk vs. Snitsky. Worst Match: Charlie Haas vs. Kofi Kingston. This was an awful show, made worse as a sequel to last weeks' memorable show. I pick the C.M. Punk-Snitsky as my best match, because the slo-mo replays totally sold me on Punk's GTS knee smashing Snitsky's face. Pretty convincing K-O. Regarding my worst pick, I am a Kofi fan, but thought he was kinda sloppy against Haas, so was disappointed he couldn't replicate some of his great ECW work for the Raw audience. The wrestling matches, however, were merely a side-event to all the lame narrative. I mark out for Vickie, but the opening segment went far too long. And truly - has John Cena ever been worse? He was a train wreck last night. Over time I have grown to become a fan of the real John Cena, but his in-ring persona is puerile and totally unfunny. The totality of the air-time he consumes with this garbage only amplifies the humiliation. His material and delivery goes over like a lead balloon, and he seems clueless about it. When Beavis & Butt-head used this material, it was funny because they were sub-mental losers. Isn't Cena *supposed* to be sold and perceived as a babyface winner and hero? Can anybody ever remember Stone Cold delivering as many clangers in ALL of his episodes combined on Raw as Cena did stinking-up the show last night? Final observation: I didn't see where Batista might've copped an arm injury last night, but he certainly seemed to be selling, or at least favouring, his left arm after the Fatal Fourway triumph. Await any news on that.
Adam Riemer of New York, N.Y. (4.0): Best: Hey, at least it wasn't John Cena vs. Triple H in the main event again. Worst: John Cena's "Poopy" writing. Plain and simple, this show was not very good. That being said, it was at least nice to see some newer faces on Raw and not have the main event be Cena vs. Hunter for the 900th time. C.M. Punk is an okay champ, but not anything to make him stand out. Hell, they made Rey Mysterio the World Champ so Punk's title run isn't that far-fetched. I will say that it is nice seeing Batista on Raw again; however, he has lost a lot of steam as a face, I think the WWE missed out on something by having it be Kane who turned "main event" heel instead of big Dave. Speaking of Kane, did he need to turn heel? Yes, but does it matter? No. Kane has not mattered in WWE since he was first unmasked years ago; it's a shame, but it is true. His heel turn was abrupt, and sometimes that works (like when he turned on the Undertaker way back when wrestling was good), but in this case it seemed wasted. Instead of attacking someone of significance he attacks Michael Cole who no one cares about, and then Jerry Lawler, who fans support but don't carry the hatred over on the attacker like they would if Kane attacked someone like Punk or Cena. Attacking announcers just seems to be a cop-out for writers to turn someone heel. The rest of the show? What was it? Cena is lame, and now without a direct threat other than his old foe in JBL, it just seems like he is out of place. I don't want to see Cena vs. JBL for the 20th time, it is as if the writers don't want him booed so they put him against a mega heel in JBL. Also, what is with Cena and the spray paint? "Poopy"? Are you serious? Everything Triple H said is true about Cena's fans and John lives up to that assumption by acting like a kid. Also, why is Cryme Time helping him? This would be a perfect time for JBL to buy Cryme Time and have them turn heel, but the WWE won't do that. No Rhodes or DiBiase, either? Rey Mysterio looks like he would rather be wrestling on Shotgun Saturday Night than be on the Raw roster. Y2J-HBK was really the only good thing that happened tonight, but it sounds like some fans are starting to come back to the Y2J bandwagon; his heel character always seems more popular than his face.
We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." Thank you for editing your submissions carefully. To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here.
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