I loved the three-hour Raw last night. The time just flew by and there is very little that I didn’t like. I thought this was one of the best draft shows in fact maybe the best, but of course there was one brand that got the short end of the stick, but then that’s exactly what happened last year. And the ending with another let’s focus on Vince McMahon could have been omitted but again I will get more into that as well. But let me get right into a very good show, where the matches played second fiddle to some very off the chart trades.
Raw and Smackdown definitely benefited from last night’s trade. And just like last year ECW was made to look like the nothing brand. I still don’t understand how Vince McMahon the genius can treat ECW like someone else owns it. While I would have preferred Matt Hardy moving to Raw, I figured well maybe this is just the start of ECW getting some major star power. I had no idea that the Matt Hardy trade would be ECW’s only trade. I mean come on how sad is that? I don’t even know why Vince bothers having that brand. Why should viewers waste their time watching it week after week when the owner could care less about what happens. I felt bad for Tazz just like I did last year when he had to make light of what was going on when deep down inside you know he must have been plenty pissed of about this.
And speaking of pissed off I cannot believe that JR the voice of Raw was moved to Smackdown and Michael Cole got JR’s spot. While Smackdown is without a doubt the big winner with this so called trade, JR never should have been switched. Did you guys happen to notice how upset JR looked and how thrilled Michael Cole was? Some say they think Cole knew what was going to happen and that’s why he immediately got up and took JR’s seat. I think the saddest and cruelest part of all of this is, that JR was not told and this was just sprung on him. I hope all of you will go read his blog http://www.jrsbarbq.com/2008/06/24/upon-further-review/#more-428 because he holds nothing back about being traded to Smackdown. This is a MUST read partially because JR thought about quitting last night. I just think it was a dirty thing to do by not telling him in advance. And if anything I would have moved Foley to Raw with JR and Lawler could have been the guy sitting next to Cole. So these were the two things that really got to me. But then things turned out so well, with the exception of the Kane trade. I think I would have kept him on ECW because this guy has been bounced around so many times in the past few years. But other than this trade yes I liked everything else that took place.
Let’s see Raw got CM Punk, Batista, Rey Mysterio Kane and Michael Cole, well 3 out of five isn’t bad at all. I think the Punk move is perfect, it’s about time CM Punk got a chance to go to one of the main brands. And it will be so nice to see Mysterio and Batista on Raw. Having both men there is so refreshing and it will give Raw some nice new feuds. Raw came out very well in the draft like usual but this time so did Smackdown. I’m was so glad to see Jeff Hardy go to Smackdown, I know I said I would put him on ECW, well at least I got the Hardy part right, but Smackdown is a perfect place for Jeff. And Mr. Kennedy…Kennedy going back to Smackdown might be a good thing for him because on Raw things didn’t really seem to click. And I was so excited when that Burchill/Kennedy feud started but that feud really never took off. We all saw Kennedy looking at Edge and mouthing something about getting Edge for taking his MITB contract last year. So this Kennedy move could be a very good thing. Of course the biggest shock for me besides the JR move was Smackdown drafting Triple H. Talk about not seeing that one coming. I was so sure John Cena was the guy that would go. But this is one trade that I really love. Now there’s so much talk out there about Triple H going right back to Raw, or that Hunter will be there for a short time and as soon as Undertaker returns, Triple H will return to Raw, and finally some think that they will figure out a way to send Hunter back to Raw and Cena to Smackdown. I have no idea what is going to happen, but I am hoping and even thinking that Hunter will stay on Smackdown. One of the reasons why I feel like this is going to stick is because I read that Hunter pushed to go to Smackdown because they work one less night than the Raw roster and that extra night off he will be able to spend with Stephanie, his daughter and the new baby that’s on it’s way. So I say Smackdown is now the official home of Triple H.
The Triple H shocker was not only a big surprise but it should have been Raw’s ending. Ah but Vince McMahon had to make it all about him. The whole “accident” ending was so unnecessary. Okay let me say I bought it for a few seconds and that’s only because once Hunter got drafted I came over to the computer since the money call didn’t interest me. So I didn’t see the beginning with the lights falling and then I started watching and it all seemed very staged to me. But it was when Vince “woke” up and called Triple H by his first name Paul that I thought wait did this really happen, but the camera’s stayed on this way too long and reality hit me that this was all a work and then I thought that Vince did this to end the contest. And within seconds WWE.com immediately put something lame up about this accident and that the contest was over indefinitely. Oh please they should have at least waited it out for a while to make it seem real and you know what? Why didn’t Vince the heel just announce that he’s done giving away his money? Did we really need this to overshadow the draft? I know I didn’t.
And then it wasn’t until my friend Andrew said that when he watched Vince’s “accident,” he immediately thought about the TNA employee that lost his life when the set he was tearing down collapsed on him. Andrew couldn’t believe how Vince could do that and I told him I hope that’s not why this was done. According to a major site this ending was planned over a month ago and the reporter is giving Vince the benefit of the doubt that it had nothing to do with the TNA accident. I’m hoping that this report is accurate. As I said we didn’t need this ending because the show should have been about the draft not Vince. Hey if this means Vince will be off TV for a while and we can kiss the contest goodbye then at least something good came out of the ending. As I said I loved the show and I am just wondering if more trades will take place with the mid carders. Some think there will be a supplemental draft, others feel we got it all last night.
I’m definitely looking forward to this week’s Smackdown and even ECW tonight. I want to see just what they are going to do with their ECW champion on Raw and the number one contender on Smackdown, wow what a mess that is. Also I just read that JR updated his blog and again its something I hope you will all read. I will be back over the weekend with my thoughts on the new and improved Smackdown.
Email lindarobin3@yahoo.com