<![CDATA[Wrestling News and Forum- eWrestlingNews.com - Blogs - Daffy Duck's Finest]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/blog.php?7250-Daffy-Duck-s-Finest Wrestling News and Discussion - eWrestlingNews.com Community en Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:20:15 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Wrestling News and Forum- eWrestlingNews.com - Blogs - Daffy Duck's Finest]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/blog.php?7250-Daffy-Duck-s-Finest The Musings of a Duck. Episode 2: Eat. Pray. Push? http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41859-The-Musings-of-a-Duck-Episode-2-Eat-Pray-Push Thu, 31 May 2012 16:01:24 GMT With the fine month of May finally drawing to it's conclusion, I felt I part deux of my 'Musings of a Duck' was needed.

For those who haven't read my previous blog, this is where I look at what's been on my mind recently, both wrestling and non-wrestling wise. So let's do this!

1. Silly Superstars
This past week has been dominated by the ill-doings of Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. The two, ironically pegged to do battle at No Way Out in a couple of weeks, were suspended due to misdemeanors now well known to all you EWN'rs.
Whilst of course this is bad for WWE, for us internet fans, could mark a chance for someone to make a name for themselves. And whilst speculation is rife as to whom will make the leap forward, I believe it is a battle of two superstars; Dolph Ziggler and The Miz:
  • Whilst Dolph Ziggler is due for a major push, there are a couple of things that I believe will prevent him from doing so in the near future. First off, the WWE would need a face to take the spot of Orton. Ziggler needs time to turn face, and even when he finally manages it, the obvious feud is with Jack Swagger. Realistically, that should take up a month at the least, and if it were to drag on any further, Orton's return would be imminent. I don't think the timing is right for him.
  • This leaves The Miz. Whilst it seems as though he has been on the back-burner since Survivor Series, this could be the perfect chance for him. There are a couple of scenarios that I like here. Firstly, he could simply feud with Sheamus after No Way Out, or the one that I'd prefer, turn face due to John Laurinaitis' constant ignorance of what occurred at Wrestlemania. And I still want to see a proper feud between him an CM Punk...



Possibility?

2. Punk'd
From what I've been reading these past weeks on this website, more and more people are saying that the 2012 CM Punk is different to that of summer 2011. Some people are saying he's a sellout. This is the absolute largest bag of baloney I have heard on here.
The man used our outcries as a way to gain a lucrative contract, so what? Everyone would have done the same as him. Furthermore, without him, Raw would be more monopolized by Cena than it is now. At least it's more of an Oligopoly with Punk around, and with his success, the likes of Bryan and Ryder were able to succeed - arguably when they would have been destined for mid card city without him. The whole landscape of the WWE has been altered this past year, mostly due to the effort Punk has put in. So silly people of EWN (you know who you are), from me and the majority of people - SHUT UP.

3. Where the 'WILD' things are
Phew now I got that off my chest, I shall digress to something less serious. The past week or so, one of my friends has made me rejuvenate a new interest - Nigel Thornberry-isms. For those who don't know who he is, here's the scoop; Once upon a time there was a program for children's TV called The Wild Thornberries. This was the adventures of a family who travelled the world looking for rare animals. The daughter Eliza was able to speak to them. However, what got my attention was her father - Nigel Thornberry. With a stereotypical British explorer accent (voiced by Tim Curry), Nigel was hilarious for his one liners, especially, 'Blargargh'. I seem to watch the same video every day in order to get a laugh, so here's a gift from me to all of you. Enjoy.



4. Summer of Sport
The 8th of June starts the two month period of which will be one of the best summers that a sports fan could ever envisage. This includes the European Championship, Olympics and Wimbledon.
The European championship should be fun. And whilst I believe Germany will win it, they have serious competition from the likes of Spain, Netherlands and France. Of course I'll be rooting for England and ROI, however. Whilst there have been issues of possible racism during the Championships, I truly believe that won't be an issue, and we all will be able to remember what should be on show here - and that is the talent of football on show.
I am more excited though about the Olympics though. First off, yes I do have tickets - I am going to watch the Volleyball on August 2nd. As a keen volleyball player, having played it at University level, it seemed a no-brainer to apply for those tickets. As for watching it on TV, my favourite event is Swimming (obviously being a duck and all). There is an atmosphere that goes unmatched and the level of talent on show is remarkable. In particular I shall be cheering on Rebecca Adlington - she was brought up near where I live and she is one of my guilty crushes!


Top Girl

5. Crazy B****
On the subject of weird crushes (now I'm starting to sound like a pervert), I have to give credit to AJ. Whilst being unbelievably hot, she has managed to play her character brilliantly. She gives me that weird vibe, and is bringing an extra 'umph' to the Punk/ Bryan storyline. I am certainly looking forward to where all of this goes in the foreseeable future.
And for the record:

  • Hot woman on TV = Hot
  • Hot woman on TV + Weird Vibe = Very Hot
  • Hot woman on TV + Weird Vibe + Nerd/ Geek = UNBELIEVABLY HOT


That's it for this edition of Musings of a Duck. Thank you for reading, and remember to leave a comment, subscribe to this channel and you can go back and read the other episodes (Best Ryder impression) and take care... QUACK.



]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41859-The-Musings-of-a-Duck-Episode-2-Eat-Pray-Push The Musings of a Duck. Episode 1: A New Hope? http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41359-The-Musings-of-a-Duck-Episode-1-A-New-Hope Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:27:06 GMT To celebrate my one year anniversary of being a proud EWN member, I have decided to rekindle my blogging enthusiasm. This will take the form of... To celebrate my one year anniversary of being a proud EWN member, I have decided to rekindle my blogging enthusiasm. This will take the form of numbered points of view, with some related to Wrestling, and some that won't.

So here what has been on my mind recently:

1. WWE Payroll, Here Comes the Pain
The talk of the EWN town this week seems to be one man: Brock Lesnar (What do we call him these days - is it, 'The Next Big Thing, or simply, 'The Big Thing'?). The two time champ is back, and has his sights firmly set on John Cena, just like every other returning superstar these days. Reportedly being paid around $5million for the next year, Brock will become the second- highest paid superstar on the roster, which is overpriced, in my opinion. In the NHL you could own a team of Brian Elliott, Evander Kane, Gabriel Landeskog and Claude Giroux combined. I'd even go as far as to say Giroux will make the Flyers more merchandise sales as well.


Is Brock Lesnar really worth twice as much as Claude Giroux?

2. Fly me to the Playoffs
Speaking of the Flyers (for whom I support, if you didn't know), they do seem to provide quite a few talking points. For instance, they have made a habit of going down 0-2 early on, and then winning copious games this season. This attitude is down to the likes of Scott Harnell, Wayne Simmonds, and the coach Peter Laviolette. Talking of the Laviolette, it was good to see him do this last week (It's a fun watch, even if you are not an NHL fan):



Incidently, Laviolette got fined $10,000 for that. If he does that 99 more times, he might be able to afford to pay for next year's Wrestlemania fireworks.

3. The Grandest Stage
As for Wrestlemania, I enjoyed it profusely. I enjoyed the HIAC, I enjoyed the Punk/ Jericho match. I enjoyed the Big Show winning, I enjoyed the Kane/ Orton finish. I actually even enjoyed the 'Once in a Lifetime' match-up. Don't get me wrong, I hated the buildup. It was too long and too nagging for my taste. However, five or so minutes before the entrances, this was shown:



For me, this was one of the best promos that the WWE has produced for a match. And, although I have stated this in the forums already, this promo added something to the match itself, which, although not the best wrestling match I've ever seen, was entertaining nonetheless. One understated parts of this match was the finish; It HAD to be clean. The reason for this was simple: Never should consecutive Wrestlemanias end with interference, because, as quoted by the Undertaker, 'It has to be pure'.

4. Homer J. Simpson Would be Proud
Weeks in advance, I created my Wrestlemania food list. As with every Wrestlemania, the choice of food is critical, as I believe it can add to the enjoyment. This year I decided upon a box of around 20 mini- donuts, Mini Cheddars, a Ginster's pie, a bottle of Sunny D (Florida style, obviously), a bottle of Lucozade and plain orange squash. Of course being the overweight duck that I am, I devoured these treats without a care in the world. The next day however, I got to thinking: What would it be like to have a Wrestlemania party? I know some people have done this and it sounds cool. But how do you find one, when none of your friends watch WWE and you live in England? Answers on a postcard please.

5. Now Drafting...
Yes, Baseball is back! This can only mean one thing: FANTASY BASEBALL is back! The EWN had it's own league drafted and the banter has begun. Team 'Quack Attack' is a proud member of the Raw team, which is currently losing around 85% of it's matchups against our rivals on Smackdown. Typical. I believe we shall turn things around come the end of the season, and have complete faith in my team. Although not containing any obvious MVPs, it does contain the likes of C. Santana, A. Cabrera, Pedroia, CarGo, Sabathia, Cain with huge- upsided rookies such as Goldschmidt, Cespedes, Montero and Darvish.


EWN Fantasy League 2012: Yu Darvish has just been stolen

6. The Re-Start of an Era that Ended in 2004
As this is a blog on the EWN, my last point shall be strictly about wrestling, and unfortunately, not on a positive note. 2012 - This was supposed to be the year of Wade Barrett, the year of the #HEEL and the year the 'Ryder Revolution' came into full effect. Fast Forward to April. Here we are, Barrett is out for 4 or so months, Ziggler is being set to feud with Santino and the Funkasaurus, whilst Ryder is dealing with women issues. Yes,I know that the IWC is happy that CM Punk is still champion, and is still feuding with Chris Jericho, so that is some relief. However, there is an underlying issue that is bubbling with the return of Lesnar, and that is we are rewinding back to the early 2000s here. Lesnar v Cena happened, Lesnar v Rock happened at Summerslam, Lesnar v Undertaker happened, Cena v Undertaker happened, and now Cena v Rock has happened. Yet, according to the rumour-mill, many of these will be happening once more in the search for ratings. Furthermore, add the likes of Jericho, Austin and perhaps HHH and my teenage life flashes before my eyes with a sense of Deja Vu, and not the good sort. Oh and add the WWE title in there whilst you're at it.


Look familiar?

WM29 Brock v Rock. It's a possibility, and for one I don't like it. Everyone who follows WWE remembers the happenings of that feud, and match at Summerlam. You know what makes sense to me, and sounds better? Miz v Rock: There is history behind it, and has yet to happen one on one. Let Cena go with Undertaker, and give Brock someone like Orton or Punk. Now that'd be good.
I apologize, I have waffled a bit. Back to the main point here, how can WWE produce more main event stars when the old ones are coming back to fight the current main eventers? This was earmarked to be the year of the up and comers. But now that we're already nearly a quarter of the way through 2012 and it doesn't seem that the WWE have anyone in the pipeline for a push. Perhaps the Miz again, or a renewed push to Del Rio (but you already knew that). In a previous blog from last year, I revealed that the last time a superstar won their maiden WWE/ WH championship without the help of a MITB or Royal Rumble and in a classic, non- gimmick one on one match was John Cena at Wrestlemania 21... 7 YEARS AGO! That doesn't look like that fact is going to change any time soon...

With that thought, I'm going to have do drink away my sorrows. Oh wait, I can't drink alcohol as I'm a duck. Oh Qu***! ]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41359-The-Musings-of-a-Duck-Episode-1-A-New-Hope The Odds of Money in The Bank http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1515-The-Odds-of-Money-in-The-Bank Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:05:54 GMT Hey guys, for the past week I have been reading about who everyone thinks will win at MITB, and that's fair enough. However, for my latest blog I have tried to set the odds for each match. I hope I get close to what you think the odds should be!

My odds are in the brackets. If you do not understand how the system works, if the odds are 3/1 and you placed a $1 bet, you would win back £3 plus your original dollar. However, if the odds are 1/3, that superstar is heavily favoured, and that you would have to bet £3 in order to win £1. If the odds are evens, it means that that the superstar has just as much chance of winning that losing (like a 50/50 chance). To put it as simple as I can, if the second number in the odds (so the 1 in 2/1) is lower than the first, it has less than a 50/50 chance, whilst if the first number is lower, that superstar is favourite.
For the superstars in the MITB Ladder Match, no superstar will be heavily favoured due to the variables that could occur in the match.

Phew hope you understood that! Let's do this

1. Randy Orton (1/3 favourite) vs Christian (2/1)

Orton has been on a roll since being drafted, and it seems as though the management want him to carry the brand for a while. This is why he is a huge favourite. As for Christian, I believe he has more of a shot than he did at the last PPV as he has become a fully blown heel now. Add this to the stipulations in this match, and this means that Christian isn't that much of an outsider than people make out.

2. Rey Mysterio (8/1) vs. Alberto Del Rio (4/1 favourite) vs. Kofi Kingston (16/1) vs. Alex Riley (5/1) vs. R-Truth (5/1) vs. The Miz (6/1) vs. Evan Bourne (25/1) vs. Jack Swagger (12/1)

Two reasons for ADR being favourite here; This week's Raw performance, as well as his highly- touted feud with Cena in the next few months. Truth is up there too, due to the majority of MITB winners being heels (I think anyway). His downfall maybe this 'conspiracy' angle he has. We shall see.
I could easily see Riley snatching the briefcase with his current form also, but I suspect that he and Miz will have some kind of hardcore match as Summerslam (Street Fight anyone?). Rey always has a shot, and my dark horse is Jack Swagger. Bourne is only in there for an Airbourne from the ladder, and Kingston too is in there for his athleticism.

3. Kelly Kelly (1/6 BIGGG favourite) vs Brie Bella (10/1)

Kelly x2 is unquestionably the face of the divas division right now, and she's only just captured the title. She has owned the Bellas recently, and I forsee a long title reign. End of.

4. Big Show (evens) vs Mark Henry (evens)

Based on the past few weeks, Henry has undoubtedly got the upper hand over Show. This being said though, it only takes one shot for the Big Show to beat Mark Henry, and WWE could be tempted to make the fans happy halfway through the show with him winning. I know a lot of you would put Henry as favourite, but I believe this is such a close one to call.

5. Kane (10/1) vs. Sin Cara (10/1) vs. Daniel Bryan (9/1) vs. Wade Barrett (6/1 join favourite) vs. Cody Rhodes (6/1 join favourite) vs. Justin Gabriel (15/1) vs. Heath Slater (18/1) vs. Sheamus (7/1)

The Smackdown MITB match is the tougher of the two to call. Again, I think a lot of you would disagree with my odds, but let me explain my reasoning. Cody Rhodes has tremendous upside, and is become a big time player. His past year has been good, and he has experience in these matches, with possible assistance from his friend, Ted DiBiase. As for Barrett, although losing the IC Title recently, his exodus of sorts from the Corre has made him more credible and focused. He doesn't have the B-type superstars to look after and this will be to his advantage. However, after last week's SD, he might be nailed into another feud coming up (no spoilers!)
Sheamus is an interesting case. He has teased being involved in the title picture. However, do the WWE execs believe he needs this win. I doubt it. As for the rest, Kane is lower than what I was going to put him as due to his last MITB match (where he won). Daniel Bryan as a good shot also, and I don't know what else he is going to do after this. Sin Cara has lost steam recently,and I still don't understand why Slater and Gabriel are in this match. Although for Gabriel, see my comments about Bourne.

6. John Cena (1/2) vs CM Punk (2/1)

Cena has to be favourite due to the departure of Punk. Plus, THIS IS SUPERCENA HERE! Unless Punk has signed a contract already, which I highly doubt, he doesn't have as much chance as people make out. Yes he might win only for a MITB winner to take it from him, but it's all in the air. Although anything is possible in this match (Rock maybe, Mcmahon, a Chicago riot), I still stand by Cena being champ by the end of this match. Plus Punk hasn't had a good record at PPV's (apart from very recently) this year.

Other fun odds

US Title defended: 7/1
Tag Team Titles defended: 9/1
McMahon appearance: 5/1
Rock appearance: 20/1
Zach Ryder appearance: 22/1
Booker T saying, "TELL ME I DID NOT JUST SEE THAT": Guaranteed! :)

How do you rate my bookmaking abilities? Don't go to hard on me though as I'm not a professional by any stretch!

Anyway, thanks for reading folks!

]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1515-The-Odds-of-Money-in-The-Bank WWE Quiz to Prove a Point http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1475-WWE-Quiz-to-Prove-a-Point Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:51:42 GMT When it comes to the state of the WWE, everyone has their opinions as to what's wrong with it's product today.
As for my views on the matter you can read my previous blogs. However, for this one, I have decided to give you peeps a quiz to illustrate some of the key problems. Give them a go and see how many you can get right!


1. Who, and when, was the last superstar to win their MAIDEN WH/WWE title in a ONE ON ONE SINGLES MATCH (No stipulations, ie Hell in a Cell), and without the use of a Money in the Bank briefcase (the Miz, for example)

2. Who, behind Cena (1000+ days), Orton (510+), Undertaker (445) and HHH (1000+), has the longest combined WH/WWE title reigns in today's WWE roster, and how much (to the nearest 50 days)?

3. On today's roster, how many superstars have held the WWE/WH Title, and Intercontinental Title for a duration of at least 30 days each (Try and name them if you can)?

4. Which superstar had a winning record at PPV's in 2010 - Cena or Orton?

5. When was the last time the WWE Championship was defended at a PPV without Orton or Cena being involved? (APART FROM MIZ/LAWLER AT EC 2011) - Edited




__________________________________________________




ANSWERS

1. April 3, 2005 - Batista.

2. Sheamus - 161 days

3. 5 - CM Punk, HHH, Kane, Randy Orton & Rey Mysterio

4. Cena... just! With 6-5 record compared to Orton's 5-7-1.

5. No Way Out 2009! (When it was the Smackdown belt, and Cena was involved in the WHC match that time also)


If you got all of them you are without a doubt a WWE nerd and I salute you in all your awesomeness, especially if you got that last question which truly surprised me.

Let me finish by adding a quick analysis of each of these questions:

1. It may just be my opinion, but earning a number one contendership in a tournament/ match gives a challenger some momentum and validity for having a match with the champion. On top of that, the true pinnacle is to pin or make the champ tap out to cement your legacy. When Guerrero frog- splashed Lesnar I really felt something that I haven't gotten since, and that was due to the image of the three count being made on top of Lesnar.

2. I understand that Orton and Cena are going to be up there, but surely the likes of Mysterio or Kane should be up there. Don't their careers deserve that? Could Orton and Cena have less time as champs and still be faces of the company - I think so. I'm glad to see Sheamus getting up there, however.

3. Ok now this one has bugged me, not because that the superstars in the list aren't elite, because they are. But where is the home- grown talent? Punk arrived with a reputation, as did Rey to some extent. This leaves Orton the last guy to accomplish this feat, like 5 years ago? This could be when the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship went downhill, from which it has never recovered from. Where has the talent gone recently?

4. Neither one had an amazing record last year, which is worrying. This is because they are DUE good results - alas why Orton has the belt now, and destroyed Punk and Christian's reputations to fans outside of the IWC. (And why I still argue that if Punk returns someday, that he'll be due a push)

5. Now I don't want to sound like I'm bashing these two stars, because I am not (at least not in this blog), but come on... Cena or Orton every PPV for 2 AND A HALF YEARS?!? Really? Really? Wouldn't a combination of Sheamus/Miz/Edge/HHH/Punk be good enough... or at a stretch the likes of Swagger/Kingston/Truth/Barrett. WWE rely so heavily on these two that the PPV title matches are mild at best which has lead to poor buyrates and low attendance figures. It not hard WWE.... THERE'S A CORRELATION IN THIS

Wow I got worked up writing that last point, I apologize if that was tiresome. If not, I don't care. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this quiz/ rant and you learned some new interesting facts about the WWE.

Thanks for reading!

]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1475-WWE-Quiz-to-Prove-a-Point WWE: 2002 Style Draft to Move Forward http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1401-WWE-2002-Style-Draft-to-Move-Forward Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:03:52 GMT In my previous blog, I discussed how brand- specific PPVs could be the way forward -... In my previous blog, I discussed how brand- specific PPVs could be the way forward - http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/commun...92#comment5592

After thinking long and hard about another old school way in which WWE could enliven their 'Universe', I came back to what they did in 2002 with the Brand Extension draft. At that time it brought a new excitement to the WWE, along with just something different.
Now, I know that the brand extension method can't be replicated in today's arena, but what were to happen if the entire WWE roster were to be drafted from scratch? Would this lead to never-before-seen matches and feuds? Let's find out...

(Yes I have ranked the Superstars in what I would think are about right, you of course may differ. For the sake of it, Raw, being their number one show, get's first pick. After this it will go: SD, RAW, SD, RAW, etc)

*HHH & Undertaker not included, and yes I know CM Punk will be leaving, but try to ignore that for this blog's sake

Raw

1. John Cena - WWE Champion
3. CM Punk
5. Alberto Del Rio
7. Christian
9. John Morrison
11. Big Show
13. Kelly Kelly - Women's Champion
15. Kane
17. Ezekiel Jackson - Intercontinental Champion
19. Kofi Kingston
21. Mark Henry
23. Great Khali
25. David Otunga - Tag Team Champion
27. Michael Mcgillicutty - Tag Team Champion
29. Layla
31. Eve
33. Justin Gabriel
35. Ted Dibiase
37. Heath Slater
39. Drew Macintyre
41. Natalya
43. Goldust (Injured)
45. Santino Marella
47. Vladimir Kozlov
49. Chavo Guerrero
51. Primo
53. Chris Masters
55. Tyson Kidd
57. Yoshi Tatsu
59. Jimmy Uso
61. Johnny Curtis
63. JTG
65. Rosa Mendes
67. Kaitlyn
68. Tamina


Smackdown

2. Randy Orton - World Heavyweight Champion
4. The Miz
6. Rey Mysterio
8. Sheamus
10. R Truth
12. Dolph Ziggler - United States Champion
14. Sin Cara
16. Cody Rhodes
18. Alex Riley
20. Wade Barrett
22. Daniel Bryan
24. Evan Bourne
26. Brie Bella
28. Jack Swagger
30. Mason Ryan
32. Kharma (N/A)
34. Jinder Mihal
36. Nikki Bella
38. Skip Sheffield (Inj)
40. William Regal
42. Zack Ryder
44. Beth Phoenix
46. Melina
48. Maryse
50. Tyler Reks
52. Gail Kim
54. Trent Baretta
56. Alicia Fox
58. Jey Uso
60. Curt Hawkins
62. Brodus Clay
64. Hornswoggle
66. Husky Harris (N/A)
68. DH Smith
70. AJ

MOST NOTABLE FEUDS - RAW

Cena/ Christian - Basically this would be Christian in replacement for Truth in the whole 'Conspiracy' business. As we know, Cena needs carrying, and who better to entrust than Christian. Good promo potential here
Slater & Gabriel/ McGillicutty & Otunga - Do I need to say anything about the history here? Also, add Punk into the mix... and with Slater and Gabriel needing help, they ask for Ezekiel's help (saying that it was Barrett's fault etc). This would lead also to a short CM Punk/ Zeke angle, which could be ok.
Kelly Kelly/ LaylaLayla needs to be champ again. And also, MY EYES WILL EXPLODE WITH THESE TWO STUNNERS. No more piss breaks for me
ADR/ Morrison - I know this could be done at any point, but it has the potential to be a show stealer, a young person's version of Bret Hart/ Shawn Michaels. It could also lift both of these people into franchise guys, given time.

Other mentions: Cena/ Kane, Gabriel/ Morrison, Layla/ Eve, Punk/ Christian

SMACKDOWN FEUDS
Orton/ Truth - Both of these guys hear things in their head, which could work. Conspiracy theories could be rife in this feud also.
Barrett/ Rey - I have always been a fan of power guys against smaller high fliers. Their offensive differences could work together
Sin Cara/ Rey - Need I say anything?
Bryan/ Ziggler - Two of the best wrestlers in the company. Their matches would speak louder than any words. This could well be the match(es) of any given year.
Sheamus/ Swagger Two underrated performers in my estimation. If the company uses Swagger in an American Hero gimmick, Sheamus' promos could be brilliant also

Other mentions: Ryder/ Anyone, Mihal/ Miz, Orton/ Mysterio, Riley/ Rhodes

In conclusion, I thought that there would have been more variety of new feuds available. However, I guess the point that needs to be made here is that too many short feuds have resulting in not too many great feuds left for the WWE to use.
After 'drafting' the superstars, I saw there are enough big names now to keep fans interested, and people should consider the writers to be the key failure of the company, and not the actual talent.

I mean, look, I drafted Daniel Bryan at 23rd! And Ryder at 42 for crying out loud! ]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1401-WWE-2002-Style-Draft-to-Move-Forward Brand Specific PPV Could be the Way Forward http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1345-Brand-Specific-PPV-Could-be-the-Way-Forward Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:51:42 GMT Whilst browsing the EWN forums, it seems the majority of people feel as if there are too many PPVs per annum for the WWE to be fresh and compelling.... Whilst browsing the EWN forums, it seems the majority of people feel as if there are too many PPVs per annum for the WWE to be fresh and compelling. However, I believe there can be a counter-argument to those claims that could keep these events being entertaining.

Although at the time, I for one was against this idea. Nowadays, the idea of having single-branded PPVs (apart from obvious exeptions) could rejuvinate the WWE.

Here are my thoughts and reasons why:

1. Different people in the Championship Main event.
From Bad Blood, June 2003 (The first single branded PPV), until Bad Blood, June 2004 (excluding matches containing more than 3 participants) there were 13 different superstars competing for the WWE Title/ WHC:

Triple H
Kevin Nash
Brock Lesnar
Kurt Angle
Big show
Goldberg
Shawn Michaels
Undertaker
Kane
Hardcore Holly
Eddie Guerrero
Chris Benoit
JBL

From WWE Fatal Four Way, June 2010 until Capitol Punishment, June 2011, there were also 13 superstars competing for the top titles.

Sheamus
John Cena
Kane
Rey Mysterio
Randy Orton
Undertaker
Wade Barrett
Edge
Miz
Dolph Ziggler
Alberto Del Rio
Christian
R Truth


So here you say, 'there's no difference then'.

That might seem the case. However, remember the PPV's were Single branded for 9/13 of them in 2003/4. In comparison, in the past year, all the 13 superstars were able to feature in all 14 PPV's. AND this was the period where Triple H and Evolution ruled Raw! If you were sick of him , you knew the next PPV would feature top SD talent doing something different.

Just before moving on I want add this fact for the argument (although not entirely relevant to the previous point):

TOP FOUR SUPERSTARS TO BE IN THE MAIN EVENT/ FINAL MATCH AT A PPV (Excluding Royal Rumble)

2003/4
Triple H: 8/ 12
Goldberg 4/ 12
Shawn Michaels 4/ 12
Brock Lesnar 3/ 12

20010/11
John Cena 10/13
Randy Orton 5/13
Wade Barrett 5/13
* 4 Superstars 4/13

...and we say that the year in question was all about Triple H!


2. Tag Team Revival
In the last year, you can name the Tag Teams fairly quickly (Any Nexus, Any corre, Santino and Kozlov, Big Show and Kane, Hart Dynasty & Usos). Not much PPV action for fans to chew their teeth into is there? The numbers also supports these claims:

2003/4: 23 matches
2010/11: 16 matches

Back then we had Dudleyz, World's Greatest Tag Team, La Resistance, Bashams, APA, Los Guerreros, Evolution, UnAmericans, Too Cool.... need I go on. After this period (or during this time) 5 superstars from these teams went on to in their maiden World Championship (Guerrero, JBL, Christian, Orton, Batista).

Now look at the previous list of teams, where is the potential? Now name the champions in waiting from those teams.... Barrett... and then whom? Santino, Otunga? Erm yeah, I'll leave that one there for the moment...


3. STORYLINES

During the time of 2003/04 we can look back on the most hyped feuds. Here's to name a few...

Angle v Guerrero - 'You can't win unless you cheat'
HHH v Michaels - 'Who's better'... a continuation of a past feud
HHH v Goldberg - 'Who is the Alpha Male?'
Angle v Lesnar - 'Battle for domination on SD'... a continuation
Kane v Undertaker - 'Undertaker buried alive (again)' (and yes I know this was an inter- brand feud)

Now look at the past 12 months...

Cena v Nexus - 'Can he defeat them all?'
Kane v Undertaker- 'Has the Deadman lost his power?'
Cena v The Miz - 'No one ever thought I would make it this far'
Lawler v Cole - 'And I quote'
Edge v ADR - 'Is winning the WHC his destiny?'

Now seriously, which group of feuds would prefer to see, even if you took away the feud and focus on the match? I know which one I would that's for sure.
And there's one reason for this: a longer time between PPVs to create a good storyline for the WWE universe to submerse themselves in. If a brand had 2 months per PPV that would give a huge amount of time for quality storylines. And as I've shown today's feuds are nowhere near the quality of what we have once been given. Furthermore, midcarders would get the chance to flourish and show what potential they have on bigger stages. And would that be a bad thing?
Apart from economic reasons, I see no excuse for why Brand specific PPV's aren't a part of this company anymore. If there is one, someone please tell me!

As this is my blog, I am of course slightly biased. However I would love you guys to let me know know what you think!

Thanks for your time

* For fairness all stats are from Bad Blood 2003 - Bad Blood 2004, along with Fatal Four Way 2010 - Capitol Punishment 2011 (and yes, I preempted that WWE would have the WWE title match as it's main event.

All CP matches are subject to change ]]> http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?1345-Brand-Specific-PPV-Could-be-the-Way-Forward