Mixed views about RAW Monday. I enjoyed Bischoff's return, and I felt that if the GM idea was to work, you needed a great personality out of nowhere to make it work. Eric Bischoff was it. Many said that it's just an act of desparation which will make the WWE screw up yet another storyline that should have helped business. So let's see here... That would mean that ever since the tail end of Stephanie-Triple H era, the failed storylines have been as followed: Failed Stone Cold heel turn, Failed WCW/ECW Invasion, Failed NWO return with the exception of Hogan's returning popularity, Failed Flair-McMahon Split, and now a Failed GM idea?
I don't know... I just feel that Eric Bischoff has more to bring to the table than Ric Flair. Bischoff is the personality that fans do nothing but hate, instead with Flair, they are always undecided. Bischoff has been a long hated WWF target, too, and that could bring back some old Monday Night War fans who have been searching for a reason to watch it lately. The key, too, for Bischoff to be successful is how well the WWE chooses the Smackdown General Manager. If a wrong one is chosen, it could immediately tank the new unique idea of having General Managers run each show. Also, if the talent raiding gets out of control, it could become too insane to watch, just like the many title changes and swerves attempted during the Invasion.
And yes, I yielded to temptation and already read the Smackdown Spoilers to find out who the Smackdown General Manager is. Now, I have no comment on who it actually is, for this isn't a Spoiler column. The only thing I wish is that the WWE tries to swerve the fans by shooting a live announcing, only for it to be someone else, as made in the WWE studios, as many of the posters on the LoP forums have greatly suggested. I'm not going to make any comments on the Smackdown GM until Friday, whether it's a good idea or not.
On to the PDC.
Credit to the WWE for putting a lid on this situation. The internet had NO CLUE this was going to happen, and neither did the dirtsheets (or insider wrestling newsletters). Hell, Bischoff hid in his limo for most of the show to avoid any wrestler calling up any of the insiders with their cell phones, a practice that the WWE has failed to limit or stop to this day. It was a nice surprise to me, at a time that a debut hardly surprises me anymore.
-I liked the Eric Bischoff interview on WWE.com. He was really open and optimistic about working with the WWE, and he clearly stated that he's just an on camera talent and nothing more. Now whether he joins the creative team or not in the future, well, that's up to Vince McMahon. With Bischoff, it's well known that he can buddy up to wrestlers, and be manipulated by them, at least that's what the folktales say. Bischoff became great pals with Hulk Hogan, and was the main one making sure Hogan remained on top with the World Belt, despite ratings dropping and the rise of the WWF. He was also good pals with Earnest Miller (child's karate instructor) and Rick Steiner (hunting buddy), as both wrestlers regularly received pushes whenever Bischoff was in charge.
I do think that Bischoff could lend some advice to Vince McMahon about the Cruiserweight division. Bischoff had that division going great during 1996 and 1997, and almost brought back that fire in 2001 with the Cruiserweight tag titles. The current Cruiserweight in the WWE is on life support, due to the pathetic WWE lid put on any innovation allowed in that division, and let's hope some Bischoff suggestions could help it out.
-You know, people are so blind when it comes to Triple H. They think he has a passion for the business and that he's willing to do anything to make it better. Uh huh, what they didn't know is that he's only out for himself, as seen in the recent WWE.com backstage interview that passed him off as a total prick. With the Clique, he did everything he could with that group to bend the WWF rules, every which way but loose, and now that he's banging Stephanie, he uses her power to influence ideas towards other wrestlers, and that's totally wrong.
First point made in the interview was about how wrestlers would leave the arena early if they had one of the first matches on the card. First of all, the WWE does NOT punish wrestlers for leaving early at events, so it's their fault to begin with. Secondly, I agree with what was said on 1wrestling... right now, the WWE has plenty of dates for the wrestlers to do right now, thereby giving them a very hectic travelling schedule. Most wrestlers have to, after the show, drive all the way to the next show instead of getting some actual sleep. Then, before that next show on the next day, they must find a gym to work out. Shit, Triple H said it himself in that Mtv special. And yes, I agree with the notion that Stephanie's boyfriend is likely to have much better travel accommodations than anybody on the roster, you know, like flying instead of driving to some events.
The next point Triple H talked about was about working hard. Let's not deny that Triple H busts his ass, because he does. But he's implying that many wrestlers in the WWE aren't, even though it's hard to find a wrestler today that isn't in great shape or always works hard in that ring or always does what is asked of him. Triple H got lucky on his spot, as he was a prized free agent at the time he re-signed with the WWE in 1999 and also, there weren't any strong heels at the time for him to come in and take his "spot". Starting to screw Stephanie helped cement his spot, which it has forever done today. You can't ask for any more luck or circumstances in Triple H's department.
Triple H also made a comment about wrestlers playing cards or Nintendo before shows, instead of learning about the business. What is there to learn? Nobody but Triple H can attend any creative meetings. Secondly, wrestlers are told to show up at the arena roughly about 6 hours or so before showtime, so there's plenty of downtime there. Those wrestlers are politically connected like you are, Triple H, and they'd like to have some free time in their lives instead of living like a McMahon, as Triple H does.
-It's amazing that it took a Kevin Nash injury for the WWE to grow a big enough sack to send X-Pac home for his tantrums and backstage political moves. It's about time. And people say that X-Pac has never been a problem backstage! HA! There's your proof, X-Pac fans! In your face! How about them apples?
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@Ah yes, I've had my day in the son in terms of valid proof of a what a butthole X-Pac is. I'll be back tomorrow to hype Smackdown and then some.
Take Care, and Thanks for Reading.