wrestling / Columns

The Wrestling Sandwich 07.21.12

July 21, 2012 | Posted by Scott Rutherford

Greetings pilgrims and welcomes to another edition of The Wrestling Sandwich.

While there is always something new to talk about when it comes to wrestling I’ve noticed that this week I’m set to talk about more of the same last week. I know, such a shock for me to repeat myself. It just seems that feedback and talk in the comments warranted further discussion.

As is my way I don’t have much else to say so let’s get into this weeks Sandwich…

Reader feedback…

By the way the tv ratings are pretty good. Roh draws about a 1.0 on late night tv. You need to do more research on the Sinclair Corporation if you are going to write an opinion piece about them.

Posted By: Mark (Guest) on July 14, 2012 at 12:35 PM

My first reaction is this is…huh? I did some digging around on the Sinclair and ROH websites and did about 10 different searches on Google and Bing looking for ROH ratings since moving to Sinclair going right up until now and it’s no where to be found. The only thing I found was way back in November 2011 was vague mentions that they rate somewhere around the same as Impact.

SO I take it that’s where you get your 1.0 from but you are missing a major piece of info, what is the viewer number? The number you drop is a share of the total rating audience that is watching TV at that time. Or to overly simplify it for you…if 1000 people have access to Sinclair in that market and are watching at the time ROH is showing and 10 people watch it, that’s a 1.0 share. Not that impressive really.

The opinion piece you refer to isn’t opinion. When Sinclair took over ROH they based revenue and talent payments on working a certain amount of house shows per month and the talent getting x amount per show based on what they believe would draw with ROH being shown in new markets. At the time of the ROH purchase Sinclair needed a paid attendance of 700-750 fans per house show to break even.

While there isn’t a comprehensive list of house show attendances anywhere (surprise surprise) you can easily piece together what has been happening with some searching…

06/30/12 Belle Vernon, PA attendance around 500
5.19.12: Richmond, VA – attendance around 470
4.29.12: Dayton, Ohio –attendance around 190
1.21.12: Norfolk, Va – attendance around 500
Plymouth House Show 3/18/12 – attendance around 500
Richmond 5/19/12 – attendance around 400
Milwaukee, WI 07/15/12 – attendance around 250

Now I pulled these attendances off the ROH World forum and let me tell you that almost every house show result I looked at told the same story and not once did I look at an attendance that got anywhere near 700. The guys giving these figures are hardcore ROH fans and have every reason to embellish but a show like Dayton, Ohio took place in a building that held 5,000. Ouch.

So you have a company that has money to fund ROH and admittedly they are paying more out than previous owners did but a company like Sinclair doesn’t have the pockets of a Spike or Panda Energy to sink cash into with little chance of return. Wrestlers like Kenny King saw greener pastures and headed to where the money is better and the exposure as well.

If your going to throw a comment like doing more research before giving an opinion at me it would be wise to do the same.

Too add another layer to this debate we have the news Sinclair is going to purchase Newport Television for nearly half a billion dollar. Sounds impressive to be sure but keep in mind that this station reaches only 3% of the US but all are new markets for Sinclair, There is also rumblings Sinclair will purchase Bay Television for around $40million. This will give exposure for ROH in Texas, Florida, Ohio and Kansas which all at one time were wrestling hotbeds. However with Florida and Ohio you are talking about areas that the WWE and TNA have big footprints.

Certainly interesting times for ROH if they can survive.

++++

More reader feedback in relation to Bruiser Brody…

The Brody story is bullshit. There’s another Brody story that, both he and Hogan were on good terms with each other since they were mutual friends of Stan Hansen. Both Hansen and Brody had offers to jump to the WWF to work programs with Hogan since they both fit the monster heel look and attitude that the WWF was pushing for him at the time, but both declined because they could make more money working Japan and by holding American promoters like Verne hostage for bigger paydays.

I have no doubt the NWA goofs were seriously considering having Hogan’s legs broken since they were a bunch of relics of the shady 1950s, but I doubt someone like Brody would have been dumb enough to be the one to do it.

Posted By: Guest#8799 (Guest) on July 14, 2012 at 03:22 PM

^^^^This.

Probably the best reasoned comment about the whole thing. While the story of Brody may be a myth I would bet money the intent of the story itself is close to the mark and as is the case when you talk about rumor and innuendo stuff gets added and you move further away from the guts of the story. I’ve heard Meltzer talk about Stan Hansen and Hulk Hogan before and if you need any further proof that there was respect there you have Hogan going over Hansen in Japan after WM6 clean as a sheet. As word has it Hansen was happy to lay down for Hogan and in Japan, going over Stan back in the early 90’s was huge…but I’m off point.

Wrestling promoters aren’t the most rational and sane breed of people. Vince was pissing everyone off left and right at the time and the fact that a worker like Hulk Hogan who was not realistic at all was becoming this huge star would have ruffles feathers. Verne Gagne was made to look a fool and this was man at the time who was not used to eating crow.

++++

It’s amazing how many people are down on Aries winning

Posted By: Billy_Pilgrim (Guest) on July 14, 2012 at 09:43 AM

I actually though I explained this better but to clarify…I have ZERO problem with Austin Aries winning the title at Destination X. If he didn’t it would have flown in the face of the booking in the weeks leading up to the PPV and TNA right now is all about the logical booking. My complaint is by stumbling over a second hot storyline TNA painted themselves into a corner and likely sacrificed the larger picture of the Robert Roode/James Storm storyline. I would not have put Aries in that position at this time because to use him as an interim champion will be a total waste.

If they keep the title on Aries and move Roode/Storm into blood feud territory for the next couple of months and have Samoa Joe and Aries at BFG that would be quite the happening and totally acceptable. Have Roode cost Storm the final points in the BFG tourny to go above Joe for the title match and you another thread to an already strong feud and you really don’t need the TNA Title in that match because it doesn’t need it. Aries/Joe would be a great match and you suddenly have two REALLY strong main event matches at your biggest PPV.

So it appears that Kharma/Awesome Kong was in fact released from the WWE just over a week ago. I know I get flack for saying stuff about the WWE with no “proof” but this is just further “proof” at how nutty the WWE is when it comes to the planning, building and execution of wrestleing angles and the effect on the wrestlers themselves…

Kharma was to make her return and destroy the Bella Twins but word got out to a few people and since the WWE literally has to swerve everyone (even themselves) Kharma was subbed out and the surprise return of Layla (a return no one was clamoring for) was hotshotted into place. The problem was the writers couldn’t think of another way for Kharma to re-debut and she sat in the sidelines twiddling her braids until she either quit or the WWE released her.

It’s frickin’ madness!

Remove the Bella/Khama/Lalya stuff for a moment and say you have to come up with a new way to debut Kharma. Keep in mind when she first appeared last year she was over huge before being forced out of the ring and when she re-appeared at the Royal Rumble she got a huge pop…I have no doubt anyone reading the column regardless of age or mental ability would be able to come up with SOMETHING entertaining.

With 5 seconds of thought I came up her coming and beating the crap out of Beth and put her on the shelf for 4-5 months…win the Womans Title from Lalya and just have her run through everyone. Have the incoming Sara Del Rey and maybe one or two other good female workers show up and have Kharma go over her and then have the returning Beth looking for revenge. Try and stretch that out to WrestleMania and have a blow off match there.

It’s not a great idea I know that but it’s one that’s workable and at least interesting.

Everyone knows WWE creative is the pits at the moment but fundamentally the system in place there is broken and needs fixing. If not even one person can come up with a decent enough way to get Kong back on screens in a compelling way fire the whole lot and bring in Vince Russo to book. At least that man would come up with something for most everyone…even if it was terrible.

I’ve stated that I think HHH will be a solid leader for the WWE when he comes to power and right now we’re seeing some of his touches when it comes to the WWE product. Supposedly he was in charge of last weeks RAW and the change was noticeable with the slower pacing and more logical booking.

Word also dropped a couple of days ago without much comment that he is also behind the push for longer title reigns. While some haters will hate and look for any position they can find that makes HHH a villain for suggesting this I think most of us would agree that this is a fine idea.

We all saw how well received Austin Aries winning the TNA Title from Robert Roode was and that was in no small part due to Roode being the longest reigning champion and that fact being built upon. Add in a good storyline and a wrestler that people are behind and suddenly in the space of a few months the TNA belt became important again. Last year C.M Punk managed to make the WWE Title something special and people responded.

Building long term champions is the best way for a wrestling promotion to be and the more emphasis that is placed on a title holder being something special and beating a champion is a rare event people will care. Right now audiences are programmed to not care because the WWE doesn’t care themselves. This goes for secondary and tag team titles as well…some of the loudest pops I’ve heard were IC Title wins because the fans were invested in the titles.

Right now your tag team champions are cannon fodder for The Big Show on this weeks Smackdown.

Give the champions long reigns…protect them and have them rarely drop a match or at the very least not take a pinfall in meaningless matches. I would go as far and say you never job a champion on TV unless he’s actually dropping the title. Anytime you see a champion on TV he’s nothing but strong.

It’s the building blocks wrestling was built on. It’s Booking For Dummies. It’s the only way you do it. You can still get people to suspend their disbelief as long as you do everything the right way.

HHH is approaching it the right way.

For those that missed New Jacks epic Facebook rant from earlier in the week…

She is the fucking devil,just like that good for nothing bitch Terri and to say that her new lil BOY TOY,treats her or loves her better than Chris ever did…IS A GOTDAMN INSULT TO HIM.I saw pictures of that trick with a dick in her and she was still with Chris.She got caught sucking dick for percs in the back seat of somebody’s car.

FUCK THAT TRICK BITCH AND THE AIR SHE BREATHS AND TELL HER LIL BITCH ASS boy toy,that if he HAS A PROBLEM WITH WHAT I’M SAYING…HE CAN STEP UP(SHOOT).SHE IS NOT DOING THIS SHOOT TO COME CLEAN,THE BITCH IS FUCKING BROKE AND YOU ARE PAYING HER TO SUPPORT HER PILL HABIT…THAT FUCKING DRUNK.ALL OF THOSE WASHED UP BITCHES FROM WWE/F ARE BROKE…RIGHT TERRI?HOES OF THE FED ARE EASY TO GET IN BED…ALL IT TOOK ME,WAS FB AND PERCS AND THAT LIL BLOND NASTY BITCH WAS HOOKED…WOULDN’T YOU AGREE DUSTIN?

intervention my ass,you are supporting that bitches drug and drinking.INTERVENTION TO WHO?TO A BUNCH OF GOTDAMN MARKS THAT SHE CAN’T SEE?ROB DON’T GET ME WRONG,YOU ARE JUST DOING YOUR BUT THAT HOE IS COMPLETELY BRAIN DEAD!!!

I DON’T GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT NOBODY IN THIS BUSINESS,SO IF THIS IS STINGING ALOT…SOOOOO FUCKING WHAT!!!!

OH AND LETS NOT TALK ABOUT HER BLOWING REX KING,WHILE CHRIS WAS IN THE NEXT ROOM TAKING A SHOWER!!!

HOW IN GOD NAME COULD SHE TALK ABOUT CHRIS…OF ALL PEOPLE…CHRIS?BITCH HE GOT YOU IN THE BUSINESS AND HE SUPPORTED YOUR DUMB ASS UNTIL VINCE SIGNED YOU AND THEN YOU WENT TO THE FED AND BLEW EVERY DICK SWINGING…CHRIS WAS MY FRIEND,YOU LITTLE NASTY,GOOD FOR NOTHING SLUT.TERRI WAS RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING…SHE SAID THAT YOU SUCKED YOUR WAY TO THE HOF…KEEP IT GANGSTA YOU STINKING ASS MOTHERFUCKER!!!

SHE SPOKE BAD ABOUT CHRIS…WTF!!!!!!

OMG.

Now did anyone else get a mental picture at the end of New Jack saying OMG like some 14-year old, ducked faced teenage girl?

Keep in mind this is coming from a man that has regularly maimed people in the ring and is an admitted murderer I would say pot calling the kettle…oh.

Tammy is a drug addict, anyone that’s lived or been around drug addicts known what they do and what they will do to service that addiction. Is it sad to read and probably know that everything he’s said is true? Yes. Am I surprised that they are likely true? Not at all. However, ranting bullshit like this does not help.

New Jack can say what he wants about the whole Tammy & Chris Candido situation but many WWF wrestlers from the 90’s have stated Candido lent Sytch to Jake Roberts to score crack amongst other. Once that door got opened it was easy enough to walk through again and again. Her being “loaned” out is almost the stuff of legend to the point he even TAKA managed to tap Sunny.

You could also make a case that Candido was the worst thing that could have everyhappened to Tammy as she was a med student doing quite well for herself before she got hooked into wrestling by Jim Cornette. If Candido had never come into her life she would likely be a doctor now and living a happy quiet life instead of sucking dick for drugs.

While every adult needs to take personal responsibility for there actions, once Tammy got involved in wrestling before she turned 20…that woman didn’t stand a chance.

The SMACKDOWN GOOD & BAD

Opening Interview
The Good: It was short an relatively inoffensive. Rey Mysterio got his hometown pop of course and it was nice to hear the crowd noise coming out of my television match up to the actual crowd unlike the usually over-sweetened crap we get.
The Bad: I’m sure that I’m not the only guy that is totally over the four person promo where everyone gets involved and no one says anything. I’m also not the only person that notes it’s completely counter productive making your main event during the show when this could have been announced on RAW Monday and maybe helped build some interest.

The Primetime Players (w/A.W.) and Hunico and Camacho defeated Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Epico, and Primo
The Good: There was no boring spots in the match. As much as the Primetime Players fall behind in terms on ring work, they have personality to burn and I have no problem with them picking up the win. It also wont go without note that we have four defined tag teams on show here
The Bad: This should have been the show opener. I have no idea why the mindset is that you have to lead off with a promo but a quick-paced 8-man tag is an infinitely better choice.

Big Show Destroys Every Tag Team In The Ring
The Good: I’m all for showing everyone that The Big Show is a complete monster. He needs this type of extended push as a monster and hopefully they resist the urge to turn him face in the next couple of months just because he can be entertaining in that role.
The Bad: You could have made a 5-against-1 match with local jobbers and achieved the same result and then some. In fact, get some jobber lightweight and have TBS just hurl him from inside the ring and sail right onto the announce table. If nothing else it will give you an awesome visual.

Damien Sandow defeated Zack Ryder
The Good: Right now Damien Sandow is my favorite new character in the WWE. He has a great look and the perfect persona to really carry off this character. You can tell he just “gets” it and I particularly loved when Ryders head was under the rope at the start and Sandow just gets the ring apron and covers his face with it. It was such a dick move. As for the mans work in the ring it looks so crisp and purposeful. Great stuff.
The Bad: It depends on your definition of the word bad…I’m not a Zack Ryder fan and think people like going Woo Woo Woo and the smarks cheer him knowing that it’s the “insider” thing to do. As far as Ryder is concerned, it’s one thing to lose a 90 second match to a main eventer like Alberto Del Rio on RAW it’s another thing to lose a squash to Damien Sandow. It’s a clearer an indicator for Zack as you will ever find.

The Peep Show w/- Daniel Bryan & A.J
The Good: After the short turn around between AJ and Bryan splitting, getting back together and now getting married they needed to do something here to establish the relationship. The video of AJ and Bryan in the wedding cake shop acting like a couple of goofy teenagers was priceless. I also give a billion bonus points of the reveal that they were eating “Vegan & Gluten Free” cake.
The Bad: Nothing of note that was bad about this and to find anything is just to nitpick.

Kane defeated Daniel Bryan (w/A.J.) by DQ
The Good: So after the relationship set-up in The Peep Show this match establish the twist we needed to give the wedding next week intrigue. The moment A.J and Kane came face-to-face in what was an almost intimate embrace and the confusion that came over both of them was pretty neat. Sure it was standard wrestling soap opera fare but it was done well so the trick now is for the WWE to book the inevitable wedding hijinx in a way that’s fun instead of cringe worthy.
The Bad: While I know this match was more about the coming wedding angle the actual match itself was actually entertaining while it lasted. While Kane can’t wrestle his way out of a paper bag when you put him in the ring with a good wrestler he knows how to work a smart match, doubly so when you have an outstanding worker like Daniel Bryan. They were having a good big man/small man match and the crowd was hooked when Bryan was going for the Yes Lock. I would have found a way to give the match a clean winner and then the angle kick in or just not have the match and have Kane interrupt the interview.

Road Warrior Animal defeated Heath Slater
The Good: I don’t mind the legend stuff of the past couple of weeks and Animal was a good a get as anyone. The one thing I’ve noticed with all these matches is the legends seem to be having a blast and enjoying themselves. It’s been a long time since they’ve performed in front of such a large crowd and you could clearly see Animal was soaking up with atmosphere while he could
The Bad: Animal looks old. Truthfully it isn’t even a criticism just an observation. I guess it makes me feel old as well as guys like Animal and Bob Backlund where around when I started watching.

Sheamus and Rey Mysterio defeated Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler by DQ
The Good: A good match and you know exactly what I mean when I say your “standard SD main event match”. You know the one, a solid *** affair that will have no effect on anything after you finish watching. Rey looked good in his first match back but there was a noticeable lack of zip in his actions. If in a month or two he’s still looking the same you can safely guess the latest injury has slowed him down. Here’s hoping that it’s only ring rust because Rey versus the current crop of SD heels sounds like a good way to fill up PPV and television space.
The Bad: Balls at the second DQ of the night but it was the smart move rather than just jobbing someone out so we can have a winner. I would have liked a more creative non-finish that actually played on the dynamic of the main event right now but this is what we got.

Post Match
The Good: Ziggler contemplates cashing in MiTB on Sheamus but gets blocked by Rey Rey.
The Bad: I get why the want to tease Ziggler cashing in but do you need to make him look like a complete chump both times it was unsuccessful? I mean, did he really need to eat a 619 and a brogue kick?

++++

Overall
The Good: I like the fact we had less match filler this week and a solid focus on SD related storylines in amongst the RAW1000 hype.
The Bad: While we had less filler matches we only had two decent matches on the show. Still, they were good for what they were.

Other Tasty Treats

I loved this mini feud and was bummed I couldn’t find the other backstage interview where Kurt said Rey needed to be “this tall” to wrestle Kurt Angle. Classic.