Updated daily from the corner cubicle, Torch columnist James Caldwell's weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and other items of interest from around wrestling.
Updated Tuesday, July 29
Superlative after superlative has been heaped upon Chris Jericho for his work the last few months on Raw. It's as if he's been on a separate TV show because the writing, symbolism, and character presentation has been too sophisticated and rich for the standard fare from WWE on Monday nights.
Triple H once said on a DVD release that a wrestler is telling a story the moment he walks through the curtain on camera. Jericho's attention to detail with his dress has cemented the fact that there is serious attention to detail going on here. Last night, the villainous charcoal-gray suit with the heelish beard was the perfect way to say "I'm not Mr. Fun anymore" prior to him even opening his mouth.
Jericho's command of the audience is what also sets him apart. It certainly sounded like there were some "boring" chants during his promo, which is exactly what he was going for. The audience had nothing on him because his scripted lines have a hint of truth wrapped in a complex story. Yet, Jericho kept going through the catcalls and boos, delivering a memorable line.
He whispered to Shawn Michaels over the boos: "Shawn, stay home. Move on with your life. Hold onto your wife. Raise your precious children. Enjoy your new life away from the wrestling business because you deserve it. Be thankful for what you have. Move on, Shawn, because I have."
It was based on a truth, but with Jericho presenting it as a convincing truth to keep his arch-enemy away from the ring. Playing that villain character, Jericho's entire mission with his feud against Michaels was to get rid of him. Eliminate the competition. Instead of trying to kill him in a match, he started off with a simple injury with the smash through the Jeritron, then continued to play the mind games that caused Michaels to return too soon, causing further injury.
The physical and the verbal have been in constant lockstep. One hasn't been ahead of the other. When it has been time to be physical, such as Michaels attacking Jericho to start Raw a few weeks ago, the program has advanced. When it has been time to be verbal, Jericho has taken over while Michaels has been off TV.
It all starts with Jericho's non-verbal clues to set up his verbal tirades against Michaels. You want to hate him because he speaks some painful truths with a twist on the end. He's a classic psychological villain with attention paid to every detail. It's as if Jericho's character is on a completely different level and a completely different TV show.
If there's one reason to watch Raw each week, it's to see how Jericho adds a new layer of detail to the program with or without Michaels event present. The lesson is simple. A story can be told without any physicality in the ring. All it takes is attention to detail and a passion for the character being presented on camera.
LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1039 (17 PAGES)
This issue begins with a cover story by Wade Keller who attended Brock Lesnar's first UFC victory on Saturday night in the semi-main event in front of a record-setting crowd in his hometown. Keller's BBL looks at Lesnar's place in MMA and in what ways he seems more comfortable than ever... Bruce Mitchell's Memo examines the dilemma of Chris Benoit and the Hall of Fame... Sean Radican reviews the two latest TNA DVD releases... In-depth coverage of the TNA Hard Justice PPV including Keller's match report with star ratings and the newsletter-exclusive Roundtable Reviews... Jason Powell's "Page 2 Buzz" with scoops and insider analysis... WWE Newswire, TNA Newswire, and ROH Newswire with insider news, big story analysis, and notebook tidbits... Plus Keller's reports on Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, the Top 5 Stories of the Week, and more....
