theFRANCHISE

It wasn't the rating that made late-'90s/early-'00s WWF great, though; it was the quality of both matches and storylines. Sure, the wrestlers were able to get away with more during the TV-14 Attitude Era, but pushing the envelope doesn't automatically equate to a better product. There's plenty of garbage shows with mature content, and there's plenty of garbage wrestling with edgier content. Every time we all have a discussion about WWE-PG, I always bring up Y2J vs. HBK in 2008 as the prime example of a mature storyline within the confines of PG. There were unpredictable swerves, great promos, and a level of realistic violence that pushed the boundaries without needing blood or excessive chairshots. This is just one of many video packages from that feud that encapsulates how great it was: YouTube I'm glad there aren't unprotected chairshots to the head; concussions are no joke. I'm glad that unsafe blading has stopped, although I wish they'd at least allow the occasional fake blood or experienced bladejob for intense PPV matches. It's up to the writers to step up their game and make us care about the stories. It's up to the wrestlers to reach for that brass ring and make the material work, no matter how bad. The vocal Internet fans that blame WWE's woes on the PG rating, tend to forget that there were just as many cringeworthy moments in the Attitude Era as there were classics.

From what I saw of the show, I enjoyed it but I agree that the order of the card was wonky. Meanwhile, I think WWE is working an angle on Internet fans. When they directly mentioned JTG's Twitter rant and jobbed out the guys who are allegedly unhappy (Tensai, R-Truth in his post-match beatdown, etc.) and joked about Triple H or HBK flying commercial, I think this is all an elaborate work similar to CM Punk's worked-shoot last summer. We'll definitely know it's a ruse if A.W. is brought back or referenced in any capacity. Otherwise, I think this is a case where the lines between fiction and reality are intentionally being blurred: midcard guys had been frustrated for some time, so the writers may have decided awhile back to turn it into a storyline and leak misinformation.

The JR bells palsy jokes have always bothered me, and unless there's something about the JR-Vince relationship that we don't know, I can't imagine that they're friendly backstage. Professional, yes. But I doubt friendly. I really can't see anything bad about the AW release: 1) it gets rid of a performer I didn't care for; 2) he's raising awareness about the hypocrisy of WWE; and 3) it might lead to better compensation for the disgruntled talents, if not a union. As a fan, though, I selfishly just wanted to see him gone. He did nothing to entertain me. Sure, the Primetime Players got more exposure because of their association with him, but AW's mic work didn't do much to get them over.

I'm cool with A.W. getting the boot. I've never been a fan of his mic work even in the old WWE ECW days. I just never thought he was funny and thought he was a huge distraction from the in-ring action when he had the live mic. Though it's undeniable that the Primetime Players were more noticeable with A.W., they're better off with a different manager or a repackaged gimmick. I couldn't name their finisher(s) or recall a significant spot in any of their matches since they've been with A.W. -- and that's never good.

Yeah, that Streak DVD was VERY disappointing. I can't believe the documentary was only 40 minutes long and was just a straightforward history of the Streak. All in-character interviews and no additional insight that you didn't already know if you're a casual wrestling fan. Even though it's nice to have all 20 matches in one set, a lot of the earlier matches were lackluster. This was a waste of $20.

In the tradition of most great wrestlers, Ziggler is a sell machine. Rarely do sell machines get overlooked for long, even if it means just a quick run with a midcard belt.

Contrary to popular belief, Stone Cold wrote a blog post this morning explaining that it was his decision not to show up, not WWE's. He had major knee surgery on July 2nd and he's been at home recovering. Rumored reports circulated that he was in Hollywood filming "Grown Ups 2" with Adam Sandler, but he's been recuperating at home, which might explain his silence on the matter on Twitter.

It's a great move, IMO. 1) AJ's character is insanely over; WWE can continue riding this momentum 2) If AJ is merely arm-candy to Daniel Bryan or another wrestler, she's relegated to the background and her 3-month hot streak ends 3) AJ's unstable gimmick gives them a storyline reason for her to make neutral or unpredictable rulings, so she can be a face or heel at the drop of a hat when needed 4) AJ's acting has improved immensely to the point where they can't deny her a top spot, and this enables her maximum exposure without wrestling for a title 5) This could also give them a storyline reason to book more Divas matches in the future if they ever decide to take that division seriously It's a win-win situation all-around. While most people would've preferred a traditional authority figure or WWE legend, I like this out-of-the-box thinking. It was a move that no one saw coming and it adds legs to the AJ character.

I saw The Dark Knight Rises twice. I teared up the first time, cried the second time. Fantastic movie. I don't think it's fair to compare it to The Avengers since they're both attempting to do different things (one is a traditional superhero movie, the other is not; one is beginning a trilogy, the other is ending one, etc.), but they're both good movies in their own respects. The only major gripe I had with TDKR was that it relied so heavily on knowledge of the first two films, which would be a problem for casual viewers. This hurts its standing as a singular film outside of the trilogy's context. However, when viewed in the context of the trilogy, it's a deeply emotional film that does everything it needed to do as the final chapter of an epic saga.

Keep in mind, Punk beat Cena at SummerSlam 2011 to unify the disputed WWE Titles before losing to Del Rio in a cash-in. So, it's not out of the question for Cena to lose on a big stage. Instead, I'm leaning more towards the match ending in controversy, Punk retains his title, and a rematch is signed for SummerSlam.

Jericho has been gradually turning face since the build towards the MITB PPV, especially with his use of old Y2J catchphrases. I'm excited for his feud with Ziggler. This should be a great way to get Ziggler built as a credible contender. Daniel Bryan is likely turning face; AJ will leave D-Bry and take Miz's side, leaving D-Bry as a sympathetic face.

I believe that Cena was booked to win the match so that he'll be the first man to lose after cashing in the briefcase; the 100% success rate of the briefcase takes away some of the suspense once that bell rings. If they must lower that success rate to keep things unpredictable, then I'd rather see a veteran take that loss since it won't hurt their standing. If WWE drops the ball and has Ziggler be the first to lose, though? I'm done with WWE for a couple of months. Sure, I'll still watch the big PPVs, but I won't follow them weekly anymore. Ziggler is just about ready for that main event push, and unless it ends in a title reign soon thereafter, there's no way that losing his title shot would help Ziggler.

This is a good time for wrestling right now. Though rumor is that ROH is struggling, TNA is (presumably) stepping its game up under the creative direction of Dave Lagana and Bruce Prichard (Brother Love). WWE is also improving with its phenomenal WWE Title program; the handful of quality indie signings they've made over the past two years; the quality of the new (locally-televised) NXT; and the renewed pushes of young guys like Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes. Just the fact that Tyson Kidd is in the SmackDown MITB match when there's other flashy high-flyers that didn't make it, speaks to how WWE is slowly turning a creative corner. Extremely slow, but still making that turn. Austin Aries and Bobby Roode headlining a TNA PPV never would've been fathomable last year. Things are changing for the better in the Big Two. I just hope that ROH stays afloat long enough to get some minor attention.

I ordered Slammiversary. I regret it. **SPOILERS AHEAD** Maybe it's because ROH has spoiled me, but I couldn't help but criticize the whole show as it went on. There were some good matches, but then others were just average-quality. I haven't been following TNA storylines as closely as I should, but from what I saw, not much has changed in terms of quality. It pains me to see TNA and WWE linger in mediocrity, when I'm convinced that ROH could do so much on just TNA's budget alone. There were just so many maddening moments for me: - Why would Garrett Bischoff jump onto the ring apron as if he's about to break up the pin attempt, when HIS OWN PARTNER is making said pin? - Why did Hulk Hogan no-sell Christian's cameo appearance and didn't even bother to build anticipation? - Why did Taz act as if he was surprised to see Christian, when Dixie Carter tweeted about it well in advance and the TNA website had his picture? - Why did TNA cut off Christian's segment abruptly with the video package without any closing remarks for context? - Why place the #1 Contenders Triple Threat Match so early in the card with three big names, prior to any of the lesser matches? (this is also a WWE problem) - Why have an established guy like James Storm end Crimson's winning streak, rather than use the opportunity to bring in a younger guy for the rub? - Why book Kid Kash vs. Hernandez when they have no program whatsoever and no one had any interest in seeing it? At least WWE attempts to come up with some semblance of an angle, even hotshotted, just to get a match on the card. - Why not reach out to more former TNA talent if you're emphasizing the nostalgia aspect of TNA's 10th year? - Why not give Bobby Roode a clean victory over Sting, when a clean loss would do nothing to Sting's reputation? **SPOILERS END** Overall, I was disappointed. The crowd was lackluster, as they chanted "This is Awesome" at some rather innocuous things and those TNA chants sound stupid when there's nothing special about their brand of wrestling. They're WWE Lite. They need to do more to stand out. I'm dying for WWE to just buy out their video library and contracts, and for ROH to take over as the #2 company once they get more TV markets and more money to play with.

Allegedly, that leaked photo of the new belt might actually be a belt buckle that's been in circulation for some time -- but, no confirmation and we'll all find out soon enough, I suppose. On another note, I find it interesting how quickly the IWC turns on WWE guys. The Miz was an Internet darling just prior to winning the WWE Championship, and then Miz hate became the popular thing after he dropped the belt to Cena. Randy Orton was (justifiably) one of the IWC's favorites during his vicious heel run in 2008-2010, but now I'm reading how people have "always" thought Orton was boring -- this, despite Orton consistently turning out great PPV performances, even with his stale gimmick. I don't see as much flip-flopping on TNA or ROH guys (probably because the viewership isn't as high), but TNA is just as guilty of WWE in the oversaturation of their talent and how they drop the ball on many of their guys. As a business move, it'd be stupid of WWE to cut ties with Orton before he even hits a third strike, especially if his suspension has nothing to do with any of what the Internet has speculated. As a fan, I still think it'd be stupid to get rid of Orton when he's delivered more consistently than Cena in the ring over the past 4 years.

The PPV was pretty good, save for that main event. Punk-Bryan was a must-see and deserved to close out the night. Each match did what it was designed to do, and there were some nice highlights along the way. - The opening battle royal was a fun way to start the night and it was great to see Tyson Kidd and others get the spotlight. Kidd was made to look like a star with the amount of offense he got in and the crowd really took to him. - The quality of the Divas match was a great surprise. - Punk-Bryan is already my pick for WWE Match of the Year. My only issue was the timing of that finish, as the pinfall seemed a bit anti-climactic. Had the match been given just one more minute of back-and-forth offense leading up to the finish, it wouldn't have been so deflating. - Christian-Rhodes was a nice outing that showcased Rhodes' main-event ability while also giving Christian a nice win for his televised return. - The tag-title match was entertaining. - Miz-Brodus was surprisingly serviceable. I was astonished that Miz got so much offense in, although I could've done without the match if it meant more time for Punk-Bryan. - Ryback's squash of Camacho was just a complete waste and a blatant filler match. - The WHC Fatal 4-Way was a fun match and Del Rio's performance actually impressed me. Jericho was as great as he always is, and Orton stepped up for the big PPV bout as he always does. Sheamus gave the weakest performance but he wasn't asked to do much. And then...there was Cena-Laurinaitis. While I did laugh at some of the comedic moments, namely Cena and Johnny Ace doing "commentary" and Cena giving Johnny Ace two opportunities to NOT tap out, the match dragged and went much longer than it should've. Big Show's predictable interference and heel turn took way too long. This shouldn't have been the final match of the night.

Andy from Tough Enough is pretty much done. The show never said anything about a guaranteed push -- just an opportunity. Andy never took advantage of that opportunity. I wasn't really a fan of the ring work of anyone on that show, from what little we saw. No one stood out to me as a true star. So, no real loss there. I just hope there's another season soon!

The worst part about TNA's Impact Zone is that it's the same fans every week and they don't react nearly as passionately as loyal, devoted fans should. ECW had the same fans virtually every week and there was no problem in getting them emotionally-invested in the product. I'll watch TNA matches and see fans sitting on their hands, contrary to the canned heat that's edited into their tapings. I wish WWE and TNA would be willing to travel to the smaller venues for weekly TV tapings. Those fans tend to give you the best reactions, as they don't get on TV as often as the bigger cities do. Just look at Ring of Honor tapings as an example.

That's assuming that WWE uses that extra hour wisely, of course. The past couple of three-hour RAWs have done nothing to convince me that they won't just tack on two or three more long promo segments than they normally would on a two-hour RAW. If I'm WWE, I'd use that extra hour to showcase some of the younger talent. Maybe bleed over some of FCW and NXT's programming to force the young guys to respond to the pressure and to give both shows more exposure. I know I'd be more interested in NXT if the stories had any bearing on the major two shows.

Wanted to pop in while I had a quick minute to say hi. Contrary to some messages I've gotten, I didn't die, y'all. lol. Just been really busy. Quick hits before I leave: 1) I don't mind the way they're booking Lesnar, and bringing in Paul Heyman shows that they're at least putting some thought into it. 2) Johnny Ace keeps taking one step forward and two steps back for me as the top heel authority figure. He really needs to work on his promo delivery, though the stuff they've given him to do has been gold. 3) Going back to Paul Heyman's appearance...yeah, Dixie Carter screwed up. 4) Ring of Honor looks like they're bringing Internet PPVs in-house now, so hopefully this leads to an increase in production values later. The in-ring action is as phenomenal as ever but the "look" of the shows are still second-rate. 5) TNA is...no. Yeah, I'm happy they're pushing Bobby Roode and there's been a handful of good matches here and there, but for a company that prides itself on being the anti-WWE, it seems that WWE has been putting on better TV matches lately. 6) Speaking of WWE TV matches, there's been an awful lot of underrated matches on both RAW and SD lately. Not all of them are 5-star classics, of course, but the crowds have been hot for a lot of the matches and there's been some good action. 7) Layla could be the next Trish Stratus in terms of how far she's progressed in the ring and her mainstream appeal. Really look again at the limited ring action she's been given plus her matches prior to injury. Book it. 8) Everyone wants Beth Phoenix vs. Kharma, but if they give Layla-Beth enough time at Over the Limit, that's a feud I wouldn't mind seeing until Kharma comes back. That's about all I've got right now. Hopefully, I'll be back sooner than later!

I believe that they're running with an idea similar to what Arda Ocal thinks they're doing: starting a losing streak for Cena, similar to how franchise players like Alex Ovechkin, Peyton Manning, Sidney Crosby, etc. have slumps where fans question whether they can still hang. Then, the losing streak gets snapped unexpectedly in a big-time match and Cena gets back on a small winning streak, setting up a match with The Undertaker or a title match with The Rock at WrestleMania. It's a risky proposition but it's a good way to get fans back in Cena's corner if he suddenly looks vulnerable and isn't Super Cena anymore -- the flip side is, WWE has to be careful with how they handle his eventual winning streak or else those same fans will reject it.

Right when I complain, WWE happens to put on a pretty good show from the bits and pieces that I was able to watch tonight. Maybe I should complain more.

Since WrestleMania, the WWE product over the past two weeks is almost in limbo. There's no clear sign of where any storyline is going -- and not in that good, unpredictable way. Everyone and everything is just stagnant. Sheamus is a bland babyface. No one really knows or cares where Orton-Kane is headed. Lesnar is just Lesnar, earning a quick buck. Cena is still smiling and trying to get his mojo back. Daniel Bryan's storyline as the verbally-abusive boyfriend of AJ almost took an interesting turn with Piper's Pit except the fans in DC crapped all over it. Rhodes-Show is supposed to be a slow burn where Rhodes gets broken down before he's built back up, but they're not following through with their plan to add credibility to the IC Title. This is the first time in a while where I can honestly say that I don't know what they're doing with any of the storylines, and while there's plenty of potentially good matches on the docket for the next few months, I just can't find any reason to care.

While I agree that heel authority figures are always interesting, Johnny Ace attracts more go-away heat than good heat. He's done some decent things as the heel GM, but he often makes me not care to see him on my TV set. Dolph Ziggler = good heel heat. Johnny Ace = bad heel heat. A good heel is one that garners respect from the audience for what they do but also elicits the appropriate crowd response for their actions, sometimes resulting in cheers. A bad heel is one that gets ZERO reaction from the audience while also getting booed for the wrong reasons.

Randy Orton and The Rock readily admitted on their respective DVDs that Mick Foley helped them get to that main event tier. While Rock was already there as WWF Champion in late-1998 and Orton was on the precipice, it took matches with Foley to get fans to buy into the idea that they were ready for the main event. Foley has also said that he takes pride that his WWE legacy will ultimately be in the stars that he's helped make. I hope he does the same for Dean Ambrose -- and that WWE will let him. I believe Kharma is still on the mend after her miscarriage in December. She had initially announced that she successfully gave birth, but later admitted she lied because she was devastated at the time. She made a surprise appearance at the Rumble probably because she needed an emotional boost. I think there's still medical concerns before she can return full-time.