Torch Feedback WWE Smackdown Reax #1: "This show being a last-chance for Survivor Series hype left a lot of room for improvement"
Nov 22, 2009 - 6:31:10 PM
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-- 11/20 WWE Smackdown Reax
Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (6.0): Best: Punk-Truth promo. Worst: Vickie is Smackdown Coordinator. I read the headline that booker Gabe Sapolsky thought this Smackdown "sucked." He's wrong as far as regular shows go, but this show being a last-chance for Survivor Series left a lot of room for improvement. Whether face or heel, Batista has been consistent in being fairly even-keeled on his rage. I wish there would be more differentiation in the ring between the heel and face versions of him (like Morrison). The Morrison-Ziggler two-out-of-three falls match should have been saved for a PPV or future TV main event. The match was awfully short for the combined three falls. As it is, where does Ziggler go now? His title shot successes with title match failures can only go so long before he either turns face or he's dumped out of the title picture altogether. Nothing seems to hint the former, and moving to the latter gives him nothing to do. Vickie as Smackdown Coordinator is nothing more than hiding her being GM. Escobar won't get any real good benefit, as he needs to get over on his own. And Vickie should be nowhere near a high-level position when Edge returns. Punk's little intervention display was a much stronger way to state his case. Looks like he's moving on to Truth feud-wise (good). Getting the little concoction dumped on him could lead to some interesting things for Punk. It especially will work will if he brings up being forced to put in eye drops as "foreign substance" in the feud with Jeff Hardy. I guess hazing is an all right storyline approach for the Mickie-Michelle story, but for them being Survivor Series captains there has to be something better to use. The Mysterio-Kidd match gave viewers a good teaser and appetizer for a sweet and bigger match down the road. But the ending was pretty lame. Since when does a DQ happen for putting your hands on a wrestler outside the ring? That action happens all the time. And what exactly was the result of the main event? I expected Kane to do the job; instead it's a No Contest or Double DQ. And now on Smackdown, there is a belt theft? I'm guessing Jericho is doing the job for having the strap? Dumb all the way around.
-- 11/19 WWE Superstars Reax
Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. Best: Benjamin vs. Ryder (until finish). Worst: Escobar vs. Yang. When Superstars first started, it did a much better job of filling in the gaps caused by TV time priorities. With Survivor Series being so weakly built toward, this should have been a more "must win" show. While I liked seeing the MSG footage, why not move forward and show a video package of the site of Survivor Series, Washington DC? Summerslam 2005 was there for starters (which could be worked into the Rey-Batista story). The Rey-Batista video will be seen come Sunday, so why not a promo by either or both to further sell their match? Considering how badly Todd Grisham continues to say "Jimmy Yang Wang," I should be glad the Escobar-Yang match was on Superstars. Escobar is a competent wrestler, but has the charisma of a Pet Rock. Even heat magnet Vickie Guerrero was no help to him. Yang got entirely too much offense for his usual jobber duties, PLUS Vickie had to interfere for the win. Rhodes vs. Henry was not too bad a match; it wasn't spectacular but it also didn't stink up the joint. The opener had a pretty good match going until Rosa had to ruin it. She is the only female on the ECW roster not in an authority position, and the only function I see her serving is being the "Bull Durham"-esque roster tramp. Please, WWE, cut her loose completely or move her to one of the other shows. I'd be happy to accept a male-only show (save Tiffany) to preserve what could be.
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