Has the Jimmy Snuka case reopening been discussed? Could be interesting as I believe Vince was involved in speaking for Jimmy in some way. I'm curious if Vince could get hit with some kind of obstruction of justice charge or some such charge if Jimmy goes to trial.
If WWE management hasn't addressed the locker room over changes to the payout system yet, it probably means they have no idea what is going to change yet. I'm betting they don't address it for a while, until they have an idea of what is going to happen. They have no way of knowing what PPV revenues are going to be with the network yet. Guys in the locker room may have to start negotiating different licensing fees with corporate. Ah, the beauty of working with "independent contractors" and not "employees." Vince is brilliant...
As for Punk, the shows are going to take a quality-hit without him appearing, but I doubt it affects anything else. His feud with Kane is easily forgotten, and now we don't have to worry about him jobbing to Triple H at Mania.
I honestly couldn't care less about Matt Hardy and Reby Sky. My newspaper used to include a section called "Models of Queens," and Sky was featured in the section a handleful of times before I started working here.
Well, the other thing with that is, what % of the money brought in would count as "current", since really there's some original TV, but a also alot of archival stuff.
If they're really going to add Bryan to the main event pic does that mean we get Heel Hollywood Batista? If so, then I'm 100% on board. Bryan vs. Hollywood Batista = $$$$
From what I remember reading also, payouts come months after a show airs, so they probably have some time to work things out. Payouts for the Rumble may not hit til May or June.
Here's something I find strange about this whole timeline. So last night, the reports are that plans were changed for Bryan to win the title at EC and then do the triple threat against Batista & Orton at Mania. Then today it's that Punk left, so the plans are Bryan vs HHH at Mania.
Wouldn't those insiders who were leaking the Bryan/Orton/Batista plan last night have already known about the Punk walk-out that happened Monday?
I guess it's a matter of PWInsider (they reported the Bryan stuff last night, right?) not having known about the Punk walkout, which Meltzer broke today. Or nobody knows shit. Or it's all a work.
I remember reading the same thing re: quick cuts to make the moves look impactful. If that's the reasoning, it's bad logic, though, b/c it doesn't work.
I'm not convinced that anything we're hearing about WrestleMania plans have 100 percent backing to them, and until they announce anything on television, plans are probably going to change a few dozen times.
It could also be Meltzer and PWInsider talking to different people who have different perspectives on what's going on above their heads.
I know vince cuts corners with employee benefits but id be shocked if they dont make up the decrease of potential ppv payout loses with something else. If this network thing takes off, im sure the wrestlers will make a little more and the mcmahons will make more. Win-win
According to TMZ, the Punk thing is him leaving- for the foreseeable future - over the Main Event. He doesn't think Batista deserves it if he isn't even in ring shape, and doesn't want to fight HHH. Both are legitimate points, though both have legitimate counter-arguments.
The one thing that drives me crazy is whenever an impact move is hit (even punches/kicks if they're outside the ring) the cameraman will zoom in and out really quick. It's a testament to the Shield that they still have good matches even though the camera man is spazzing out at everything.
That's my biggest issue, honestly: Batista was TERRIBLE in the Rumble. 90% of his moves were sloppy and he was clearly gassed very early in. That's NOT a good sign if you want him main eventing.
Reby Sky is a nut and has always been a nut. If you go to football games in a superhero outfit to get "noticed", your wiring is a little off in the first place.
Reby and Matt seem like your typical white trash couple that are absolutely awful for each other yet somehow still stay together longer than most others.
Why would you be shocked? Vince has a total monopoly and wrestlers have no leverage anymore. Yeah he'll work something out with the guys who have leverage (Cena, the part-timers) but otherwise he's gonna cut the rest of the roster's earnings if that's what they need to do. You really think The Miz is gonna give management any lip?
Meltzer said he got a text at 3pm and Mike Johnson said the show was re-written at 6pm. With Meltzer being on the West Coast and going by his time instead of EST or even the Central Time Zone, it doesnt seem like a big deal to me.
I think you're over estimating the evilness in vince. Sure they might not get equal incremental value as the profit wwe gets but just like at wrestlers salaries the past few years. It's not the days of Bret making a million a year amymore. Vince is paying these guys more then they could have imagined 10 years ago. Didn't their collective salaries go up after they went public. Yea, I'm not saying they're getting exactly what they're worth or that wwe isn't gonna profit huge from the network but they'll get something. To offset the loss in ppv payouts
On a completely unrelated issue, the second issue of Mick Foley's WWE comic comes out today. I'm about to download it because it sounds so bad it's good. Here's the description, courtesy of Comixology's website:
WWE Superstars #2
Yes! Imagine a city much like any other crumbling, crime-ridden, corrupt modern city, except it? key people are shockingly similar to WWE super-stars. That city is Titan City. And Titan City is on the brink of chaos while warring factions try to track down the missing $10,000,000.00 that was allegedly stolen by John Cena! CM Punk prepares the people against the corrupt McMahon machine. John Cena finds himself manhandled by the enforcer Mark Henry. And Randy Orton confronts someone who could change the landscape of the city forever with just one word: Yes! Daniel Bryan is ready to take over!
Hey, look at that. Foley gets mad that Bryan wasn't featured THE SAME WEEK his comic book features Bryan as someone who is "ready to take over!" That's a hell of a coincidence, Mick.
We'd need to know what % of the locker room had those shirts to get a good ratio. I would buy such a shirt if it guaranteed a shot, but if I can save $150 I will.
So Punk is acting like a petulant spoiled child because he's not getting exactly what he wants? He must get every single program he requests or he leaves, regardless of getting freak programs the past 2.5 years? Seriously, if this is the reason, fuck him
As much as Punk likes to rip on "marks", he's the biggest one. If after all this time in wrestling, he doesn't get that the Wrestlemania main event is less about five star matches as it is about drawing eyeballs & making a ton of money, then he never will. Vince wants the casual fan to order Wrestlemania, and like it or not, Batista is more likely to be known to the casual fan than Punk is. Same theory applied to The Rock. Punk is great, but he is not the draw he thinks he is.
I don't think the guys on the low end of the pole (which would be what, 90% of the roster now) make as much money as you think. Weren't there some horror stories about the Nexus guys making developmental downsides, which coupled with how they were used, probably meant they got one PPV payout spiit x ways, or something disgusting like that
Yea, buy for those low level guys how much did they really make on ppv payouts to begin with? I'm not arguing if guys are worth their salaries, just that I can't see them cutting out ppv bonuses and not compensating for it
Again, until Elimination Chamber comes and goes, I still think there is a good chance this is a work. It just plays TOO PERFECTLY into the Punk vs HHH storyline. I really think they shit on Punk on TV for a few weeks, say he's gone, and then Punk helps Bryan win the title at EC to set up Punk/HHH and Bryan/Orton/Batista.
I don't think so. I think he's only got 20 dates or somewhere around there for the whole year and they have to be at, if my count is correct, 5 already.
Did i just get Baked? Why would they work the smarks on a CM Punk is a spoiled baby and went home angle for no reason?
Even the most ardent CM Punk fan is shitting on him today and for good reason, he's acting like a lil well Punk! I'm not saying it's impossible he changes his mind and comes back to fulfill the last 6 months of his contract but if he does, it won't be because he was working the sheets this whole time.
And here's the thing about switching to HHH/Bryan at Mania: are they planning on screwing Bryan AGAIN in the chamber? On the night before the Network launches, they're gonna make the fans angry again? Do they really want more fan outrage, fans hijacking Raw, and Twitter becoming a sea of #WWEsucks and #BoycottWWENetwork hysteria on the biggest day in company history? Now if the Punk thing isn't a work, and he really is gone, you're already going to be behind the 8-ball on a huge portion of the fanbase feeling upset. I just can't imagine they're gonna compound that by ending another PPV with a Bryan screwjob/loss.
And man, Batista is officially screwed as a face now. Not only are fans gonna blame him for taking Bryan's spot, he'll also become the (unfairly or not) scapegoat for Punk leaving. Eric Bischoff would have a better chance of being an over face in WWE than Batista at this point.
Fun fact: You can't buy anything off the Dave Batista merchandise line off a mere souvenir stand. Hollywood Dave's wares can only be bought from a souvenir boutique.
Fuck yes. They need to go 110% full-bore heel with Batista. Corporate shill, douchebag jersey shore elitist...the fucking works. That's when he is at his best.
Glad to know I'm not the only one that has seen the awful camera work recently. I still don't understand their idea of cutting to the audience during backstage segments either.
"Even the most ardent CM Punk fan is shitting on him today and for good reason, he's acting like a lil well Punk!" I'll have to respectfully completely disagree with you there. The CM Punk fans are gonna support CM Punk and want him back. If it's a work, it'll be the easiest storyline in the world. HHH & Steph say some nasty things about Punk, his fans will hate that, and they'll cheer like maniacs if he comes back.
Nobody in the crowd is gonna like CM Punk any less, and it creates an artificial return pop, which are always massive.
Not saying I think it's a work, but if it is then it's a good idea. Much better than their current plan to get towards Punk/HHH.
Not accustomed to living without PPV bonuses, the locker room now turns to Zack Ryder, who's gotten used to not having PPV (or TV) bonuses for almost two years.
Now if Punk is indeed gone AND Bryan isn't in the title match at Mania, how bad do we think the crowd hijacking of shows could get? Obviously any Batista/Orton segments are completely fucked, I seriously have no idea how they run that feud for 6 weeks nevermind teh actual match.
Do fans start nonsensically chanting CM Punk during Hulk Hogan segments too? Does Lesnar/Taker get shit on? I'm being honest-- crowds have obviously changed a lot in just the last ten years, and hijacking shows has become a thing.
For instance, Raw is in NYC the week before Mania. If Punk is gone and Bryan's not champion that night, I can't imagine the crowd not completely tearing everything a new asshole.
It's obvious that's the main reason they hardly don't do slow motion replays anymore as well (they only do it if the move still seems "legit" in slow motion, otherwise they speed it up at the second of the impact).
Really bad. Especially since it seems like WWE had no head's up this was gonna happen. Maybe if Punk approached them in November or December and said, "hey, I want out after the Rumble" it wouldn't be so bad. Just a bad move by Punk. I also guess he hates money.
If true, that's pathetic. CM Punk vs Kane is an awful Mania program no doubt but if people are that forgiving just because they like a guys ring work then that says alot about the double standardness of the IWC. If this was Randy Orton or Batista throwing a hissy fit just imagine the reaction.
When his contract is up, it's up and he's free to do whatever the hell he wants including taking a 6 month break and coming back as a strictly part time player. I'd applaud him and thank him for the good times but this? He's taking his ball and going home like a bitch!
the Royal Rumble was particularly bad. the whole timing of the match was off anyhow (Wyatt/Shield confrontation while someone enters, therefore robbing it of the crowd reaction etc.) but the camera work made it even worse. they missed several spots (including eliminations. didn't Cole and Lawler even ask at one point "where is XY?" - I would need to rewatch it for the name) and cut away too fast very often.
Interesting article claims that Punk could be going to MMA and even being on the Ultimate Fighter: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/1/29/5357720/wwe-ufc-cm-punk-walks-out-gracie-bjj
Exactly. He worked the Rumble, did his spots, etc. It's not like he walked out, the night before he was headlining a ppv. If dude wants to quit his job...You know...I can't really fault him for that.
It seems like the cameramen on the floor are filming like it's a fight scene in a Jason Bourne movie -- the shaky cam. The cuts right at impact are annoying enough on their own. Please, hold the camera still.
By number of buys I meant based on raw data before all expenses are covered. By revenue, I meant based on figures after all expenses related to the broadcast are deducted. I just phrased it in a weird manner where I don't even know if it made any sense.
although you could then argue that someone being out in the main event that is not in shape for it hurts the product, too (this might even especially apply to the casual watchers).
"Except he's not really quitting as he'll still receive checks from Titan Towers for his downside guarantee,merch & ppv payoff's etc etc" I'd bet anything his downside payments stop if he's not working for them. And yeah, he should get pay-offs for the PPVs he's worked already-- should he not get paid for working teh Rumble? Same for merch--- if they keep selling it, he'll get his cut.
Also I don't think it's called Titan Towers anymore.
Which is not at all what I said. He hasn't been the same person since then, it seems to be the catalyst to his downward spiral... all because her (apparently) magical box was taken away from him.
PPV payouts and merch would still be owed since they're based on past appearances and/or using his image. I don't think they'd be required to continue payment for the downside guarantee if he's purposefully not showing up.
WWE doesn't even have a script written until the day of the show. He can't be booked for shows that haven't been written. I guess you can assume his participation based on his card placement, but unless he's specifically being advertised for shows via radio/print/TV ads then he hasn't missed any commitments.
Oh, and for the "Batista is a mega draw and all should bow before him" crowd: http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_75981.shtml#.UulWmkRfT1U
"Overall, Monday's Raw scored the lowest rating and averaged the fewest viewers for a post-Rumble Raw over the past eight years..." He popped a big rating for the return, no doubt. But then this week it dipped BELOW what the comp date had been for the past 8 years.
Possible that Batista fans tuned in the first week, went "Eh" and moved on?
I honestly don't understand why anyone outside WWE would be mad at Punk. He quit his job, but not before he performed at a big show featuring him. Unless there's extenuating circumstances, he won't be getting paid while he's away. He exercised a right afforded him by his contract. So other than anger over not getting to see him on TV each week, what exactly is the big fucking deal?
WWE promotes internet use. Places like Scott's Blog are on the internet. WWE's official Facebook pages have been inundated way more than usual lately with things that I agree with:
So, WWE's internet promotion is biting them in the ass, because lifelong people who think "woooo, go Batista (or John Cena)", are now exposed to the explanations of why it's ok to go for a smaller, better wrestler
Punk's been working his ass off for years and he's consistently one of, if not the, best parts of the show whether it be a promo or a match. Two years ago he should have main evented WM as a face, but obviously couldn't because Rock/Cena was set in stone. A year ago he should have main evented as the long reigning heel champion, but it had to be Cena/Rock again. This year they're bringing Batista back and giving it to him? He's not in ring shape and he's not actually popular at the moment, but he's getting Wrestlemania just because....if I were Punk I'd be pissed to.
I think it's a bad decision to promise someone the Rumble/WM without them stepping foot on television. Can he still go? Will he be over? These are the kind of things you may want to figure out before you promise someone they get to be "the man" this year.
I won't pretend to be an expert on all their house show ads, but when they come to my hometown it centers on the WWE brand with occasional lists of random superstars you *might* see. I don't think any specific details even come out until they actually get to town.
I agree. That's the difference. Plus, Rock was in tremendous shape on his return. (Whether or not elephant steroids were involved is irr-elephant to my point.)
How is it a given that Batista's return is responsible for the numbers anyway? The Raw before his return ended with that huge cage match scene. Isn't it possible some of the ratings were due to that?
Similarly, numbers for this week's Raw could be attributed to many things from the week before and the Rumble being poorly received.
How do these simplistic claims of just one or two things causing ratings to swing make any sense?
The Brooklyn show is gonna end up being an angry version of the Raw-after-Mania crowd. No Punk and Bryan not as champion? I'm thinking 3 hours of "change the channel" chants.
He's leaving them before THE BIGGEST SHOW after sulking in the corner on the 2nd biggest show. The only explanation I will accept us he did it to protest potential ppv bonus cuts, by all accounts he did it because he wasn't happy with creative. It's a fucking simulated play sport, he's gotten better feuds then not named John cena the past 2.5 years, just bbecause they put him on the back burner for 3 months, he quits? I didn't see him complaining when he was getting an undertaker or Rock or Brock match. Hes a spoiled child who just gets off on raging against the machine.
You must have missed the crowing last week, after the ratings came in:
"BATISTA DESERVES THE RUMBLE WIN AND WRESTLEMANIA MAIN EVENT BECAUSE HE BROUGHT ALL THOSE PEOPLE BACK!"... was the general gist. No other possible cause, no other explanation, just "HA HA BRYAN AND PUNK DRAW FLIES, BATISTA DRAW MILLIONS!".
The counter argument would be that Batista wasn't really featured on RAW last Monday. And if you really wanted to make a point one way or the other, you'd have to compare the ratings for his segment to the other segments.
2 months before the biggest show, of which he isn't rumored to be a major part (and I assume he'd know more about his placement on the card than we). "Sulking in the corner" is bullshit that has no basis in anything.
Who cares why he quit? It's a job. People quit jobs all the time for varying reasons, real *and* imaginary.
Don't agree. Everyone knows the WM build starts after rumble and that they're pushing the network in 4 weeks. These next 3 months are argueably the most important few weeks in company history and he walks out on the guy who has set him financially for life. Complete bush league move
It's been "background chatted" on here once or twice... he pretty much makes that because INDIA! Much like if the WWE could find a Yao Ming that could wrestle, he'd get about the same deal. Because CHINA!
And he's foregoing his BIGGEST PAYOUT OF THE YEAR because he feels that's the best thing to do for his life/career/well-being. I seriously don't get why you think he owes WWE this great debt. They paid him what they felt he was worth. He's not gonna work Mania, they're not gonna pay him. He's accepting that loss of money, they're accepting the loss of whatever revenue he brings. " I didn't see him complaining when he was getting an undertaker or Rock or Brock match." They gave him those matches because they thought it was their best plan to MAKE MONEY. Those weren't favors to CM Punk because he's their buddy. It was their business plan. He doesn't owe them anything extra for those.
Also, why are you so steadfastly and blindly taking the employer's side? For all we know he called a meeting with Vince, discussed his concerns (PPV payouts, his "demotion", his injuries and schedule) and Vince let it known that he couldn't do anything for said concerns, so they agreed this was the solution.
He didn't no-show the event. He didn't not contact them. He had a meeting with his boss, and the end result of that meeting was that the employee quit. "Hes a spoiled child who just gets off on raging against the machine." is such an vehemently anti-labor stance to take based on what anyone knows.
It doesn't matter how big of a ppart of WM he was gonna be. He was still a wwe employee who would be am asset in helping them promote and sell the show/network.
Did you not watch the rumble? Did you see him phone it in? It was awful. At the time it amused me but in hindsight it was an obvious temper tantrum
A match against the biggest heel the company has is not a major part of the show? HHH would agree to take part in a match at WM that wasn't positioned as a major part of the show?
By that logic, no one who has ever made good money is allowed to quit their job if it's an important time to the company (which most companies would argue is "right now" or "the immediate future").
For some reason I like that little detail. Just reminds us that it's not a TV exclusive segment, and the live crowd can see it too. Maybe having attended a few Raws/Smackdowns makes me enjoy that more, I don't know.
Breaking News! Peyton Manning calls press conference to announce he will not be at the Super Bowl due to what he calls terrible offensive coordination plans.
"he walks out on the guy who has set him financially for life" Michael, this is business and you're making it personal.
Let's say it again: Vince paid Punk a salary that was based on his worth to the company. He doesn't owe Vince shit just because Vince paid him a lot of money. It was a mutually beneficial deal.
Vince does Sunny a favor when he pays for her rehab. He's not doing Punk a favor by paying him a salary.
The Miz main evented a Wrestlemania, why can't Punk?
Two years ago Cena and Rock was set in stone, so it's understandable he couldn't main event that year. They turned him heel, which in itself is a message that they don't view him as a top face, and his year long title reign is ended to set up another Rock/Cena match. You can write both of those off as Rock/Cena being too big a match to not do for Punk's sake, but what's the excuse this year? Batista? The message to Punk seems pretty clear - they'll choose almost anyone to main event Wrestlemania over him. It's just not going to happen. He's burnt out and beat up from working his ass off the last couple of years and he can't be in the main event for once because big Dave's ready to come back after his 4 year vacation? The audience just shit all over a pay per view, we complain about it constantly, how can we criticize someone for having enough of it and walking out?
He has one goal left that he wants to accomplish and feels he's worked hard enough to deserve it, and they won't give it to him.
I've never understood how Joey Styles was considered a big deal. I used to hear about how he was the best announcer in wrestling, etc, etc and when I finally was introduced to ECW he was a pissy, whiny dick who obnoxiously screamed oh my god.
I thought the trendiest thing he wore was that charity box around his neck as Deacon Batista. I mean it looked terrible but better than his Jersey Shore tight shirts and lady Sunglasses.
Even when he was beating HHH for the World title in the best angle the company had done in like a year, I still thought that belly-ubtton tattoo looked fucking wierd.
Agreed I'd go as far as not only have him come to the ring with the spotlight on him, but have him squash jobbers in little 3 minute matches WITH the lights dimmed and the spotlight still focused on him the entire match, and him lose his shit and flip out if the spotlight guy doesn't have it on him for a second or two
Has the Jimmy Snuka case reopening been discussed? Could be interesting as I believe Vince was involved in speaking for Jimmy in some way. I'm curious if Vince could get hit with some kind of obstruction of justice charge or some such charge if Jimmy goes to trial.
ReplyDeleteThe good news for Bad News Barrett is that he's never on PPV's, so he has nothing to worry about.
ReplyDeleteIf WWE management hasn't addressed the locker room over changes to the payout system yet, it probably means they have no idea what is going to change yet. I'm betting they don't address it for a while, until they have an idea of what is going to happen. They have no way of knowing what PPV revenues are going to be with the network yet. Guys in the locker room may have to start negotiating different licensing fees with corporate. Ah, the beauty of working with "independent contractors" and not "employees." Vince is brilliant...
ReplyDeleteAs for Punk, the shows are going to take a quality-hit without him appearing, but I doubt it affects anything else. His feud with Kane is easily forgotten, and now we don't have to worry about him jobbing to Triple H at Mania.
I honestly couldn't care less about Matt Hardy and Reby Sky. My newspaper used to include a section called "Models of Queens," and Sky was featured in the section a handleful of times before I started working here.
Can we please have some decorum!?
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming they are waiting to see how many people sign up for the network before saying anything about wrestlers PPV payouts.
ReplyDeleteHe must do it on the giant podium as well.
ReplyDeleteIt was a blog post a couple days ago
ReplyDeleteWell, the other thing with that is, what % of the money brought in would count as "current", since really there's some original TV, but a also alot of archival stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf they're really going to add Bryan to the main event pic does that mean we get Heel Hollywood Batista? If so, then I'm 100% on board. Bryan vs. Hollywood Batista = $$$$
ReplyDeleteNo shit, I just saw it on deadspin.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember reading also, payouts come months after a show airs, so they probably have some time to work things out. Payouts for the Rumble may not hit til May or June.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused...You asked if we'd discussed it here, I said yes--and then you said no shit like everyone knows...
ReplyDeleteI read that as "No shit, really? I just saw something on another site."
ReplyDeleteNo shit as it in I didn't know, You read that with the wrong tone. My fault.
ReplyDeleteSooo...you missed the part where they're possibly putting the title on Bryan the night before the network debuts specifically to pop Raw's rating?
ReplyDeleteHere's something I find strange about this whole timeline.
ReplyDeleteSo last night, the reports are that plans were changed for Bryan to win the title at EC and then do the triple threat against Batista & Orton at Mania.
Then today it's that Punk left, so the plans are Bryan vs HHH at Mania.
Wouldn't those insiders who were leaking the Bryan/Orton/Batista plan last night have already known about the Punk walk-out that happened Monday?
I guess it's a matter of PWInsider (they reported the Bryan stuff last night, right?) not having known about the Punk walkout, which Meltzer broke today. Or nobody knows shit. Or it's all a work.
Now I'm sorry -_-
ReplyDeleteShouldn't assume everyone on the internet is trying to be a dick. Should have thought about that for a sec.
I remember reading the same thing re: quick cuts to make the moves look impactful. If that's the reasoning, it's bad logic, though, b/c it doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteYour crusade against the WWE Network is still going, huh?
ReplyDeleteshhh....You'll ruin Nasty's illusion.
ReplyDeleteThe guy turns guys like Me (frequent WWE thrasher) into apologists sometimes
The Coolest Things Batista Has Ever Worn (According to Vince's Idea of Cool)
ReplyDeleteIt helps, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced that anything we're hearing about WrestleMania plans have 100 percent backing to them, and until they announce anything on television, plans are probably going to change a few dozen times.
ReplyDeleteIt could also be Meltzer and PWInsider talking to different people who have different perspectives on what's going on above their heads.
Like always, they're trying - and failing - to be Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteThey're telling stories. From different angles.
I know vince cuts corners with employee benefits but id be shocked if they dont make up the decrease of potential ppv payout loses with something else. If this network thing takes off, im sure the wrestlers will make a little more and the mcmahons will make more. Win-win
ReplyDeleteReby seemed like the overly supportive girlfriend who saw good in Matt even at his lowest.
ReplyDeleteSeems like he's now dragged her down to his level instead of her bringing him back up.
First it was 3 pm, now it's 6 pm.
ReplyDeleteAccording to TMZ, the Punk thing is him leaving- for the foreseeable future - over the Main Event. He doesn't think Batista deserves it if he isn't even in ring shape, and doesn't want to fight HHH. Both are legitimate points, though both have legitimate counter-arguments.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that drives me crazy is whenever an impact move is hit (even punches/kicks if they're outside the ring) the cameraman will zoom in and out really quick. It's a testament to the Shield that they still have good matches even though the camera man is spazzing out at everything.
ReplyDeleteWell, there were 10 rewrites of Raw, one at 3 and one at 6 still leaves 8 times that they were called in to change things on the show.
ReplyDeleteThat's my biggest issue, honestly: Batista was TERRIBLE in the Rumble. 90% of his moves were sloppy and he was clearly gassed very early in. That's NOT a good sign if you want him main eventing.
ReplyDeleteYou were backstage counting the re-writes? Amazing. Didn't know we had an insider in our midst!
ReplyDeleteReby Sky is a nut and has always been a nut. If you go to football games in a superhero outfit to get "noticed", your wiring is a little off in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYou expect monkeys at a typewriter to tell time?
ReplyDeleteSo, is Brock's dates getting cut back a real thing too? I saw somewhere that he's been taken off until after EC.
ReplyDeleteHh. I was just going by the other reports about Raw that we discussed here.
ReplyDeletewouldnt the answer be one of the divas? I mean part of him was wearing them.
ReplyDeleteReby and Matt seem like your typical white trash couple that are absolutely awful for each other yet somehow still stay together longer than most others.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you be shocked? Vince has a total monopoly and wrestlers have no leverage anymore. Yeah he'll work something out with the guys who have leverage (Cena, the part-timers) but otherwise he's gonna cut the rest of the roster's earnings if that's what they need to do. You really think The Miz is gonna give management any lip?
ReplyDeleteMeltzer said he got a text at 3pm and Mike Johnson said the show was re-written at 6pm. With Meltzer being on the West Coast and going by his time instead of EST or even the Central Time Zone, it doesnt seem like a big deal to me.
ReplyDeleteWELL I'M MAKING IT A BIG DEAL
ReplyDeleteBut Macho's been dead...
ReplyDeleteBUCKDIDDY IS GETTING ANGRY!
ReplyDeleteME TOO
ReplyDeleteI think you're over estimating the evilness in vince. Sure they might not get equal incremental value as the profit wwe gets but just like at wrestlers salaries the past few years. It's not the days of Bret making a million a year amymore. Vince is paying these guys more then they could have imagined 10 years ago. Didn't their collective salaries go up after they went public. Yea, I'm not saying they're getting exactly what they're worth or that wwe isn't gonna profit huge from the network but they'll get something. To offset the loss in ppv payouts
ReplyDeleteI almost had a seizure watching the cameraman zoom in and out while Cesaro was doing the spin on multiple guys in the Rumble.
ReplyDeleteSTOP YELLING! YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS FIGHTING!
ReplyDelete*runs to his rooms, slams the door and puts on loud music*
See what you guys did? Now someone should go in there and talk to him.
ReplyDeleteOn a completely unrelated issue, the second issue of Mick Foley's WWE comic comes out today. I'm about to download it because it sounds so bad it's good. Here's the description, courtesy of Comixology's website:
ReplyDeleteWWE Superstars #2
Yes! Imagine a city much like any
other crumbling, crime-ridden, corrupt modern city, except it? key
people are shockingly similar to WWE super-stars. That city is Titan
City. And Titan City is on the brink of chaos while warring factions try
to track down the missing $10,000,000.00 that was allegedly stolen by
John Cena! CM Punk prepares the people against the corrupt McMahon
machine. John Cena finds himself manhandled by the enforcer Mark Henry.
And Randy Orton confronts someone who could change the landscape of the
city forever with just one word: Yes! Daniel Bryan is ready to take
over!
Hey, look at that. Foley gets mad that Bryan wasn't featured THE SAME WEEK his comic book features Bryan as someone who is "ready to take over!" That's a hell of a coincidence, Mick.
:-)
I think they're just worried about catching a botch on camera in HD to be honest, a noble goal but once again they've gone too far.
ReplyDeleteIn times like this always remember Smug Vince smirking - "We Make Movies"
We'd need to know what % of the locker room had those shirts to get a good ratio. I would buy such a shirt if it guaranteed a shot, but if I can save $150 I will.
ReplyDeleteit was the best of times, it was the blurst of times
ReplyDeleteI gotta say, running out during wrestlemania season is bad form all the way around.
ReplyDeleteSo Punk is acting like a petulant spoiled child because he's not getting exactly what he wants? He must get every single program he requests or he leaves, regardless of getting freak programs the past 2.5 years? Seriously, if this is the reason, fuck him
ReplyDelete"id be shocked if they dont make up the potential ppv payout loses with something else"
ReplyDeletefree kids' sundaes at dairy queen!*
*limit one per customer per day
As much as Punk likes to rip on "marks", he's the biggest one. If after all this time in wrestling, he doesn't get that the Wrestlemania main event is less about five star matches as it is about drawing eyeballs & making a ton of money, then he never will. Vince wants the casual fan to order Wrestlemania, and like it or not, Batista is more likely to be known to the casual fan than Punk is. Same theory applied to The Rock. Punk is great, but he is not the draw he thinks he is.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the guys on the low end of the pole (which would be what, 90% of the roster now) make as much money as you think. Weren't there some horror stories about the Nexus guys making developmental downsides, which coupled with how they were used, probably meant they got one PPV payout spiit x ways, or something disgusting like that
ReplyDeleteIt certainly doesn't hurt
ReplyDeleteShawn Michaels says hi!
ReplyDeleteIt kind of is. I'm honestly surprised Punk didn't hold out until after a big WM payday.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ringsideaction.com/2012/10/wwe-talent-salaries/
ReplyDeleteYea, buy for those low level guys how much did they really make on ppv payouts to begin with? I'm not arguing if guys are worth their salaries, just that I can't see them cutting out ppv bonuses and not compensating for it
Hey! He lost his smile! It's tough to come back from that.
ReplyDeleteBad form when he did it too.
ReplyDeleteAgain, until Elimination Chamber comes and goes, I still think there is a good chance this is a work. It just plays TOO PERFECTLY into the Punk vs HHH storyline. I really think they shit on Punk on TV for a few weeks, say he's gone, and then Punk helps Bryan win the title at EC to set up Punk/HHH and Bryan/Orton/Batista.
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I think he's only got 20 dates or somewhere around there for the whole year and they have to be at, if my count is correct, 5 already.
ReplyDeleteDid i just get Baked? Why would they work the smarks on a CM Punk is a spoiled baby and went home angle for no reason?
ReplyDeleteEven the most ardent CM Punk fan is shitting on him today and for good reason, he's acting like a lil well Punk! I'm not saying it's impossible he changes his mind and comes back to fulfill the last 6 months of his contract but if he does, it won't be because he was working the sheets this whole time.
And here's the thing about switching to HHH/Bryan at Mania: are they
ReplyDeleteplanning on screwing Bryan AGAIN in the chamber? On the night before the
Network launches, they're gonna make the fans angry again? Do they really want more fan outrage, fans hijacking Raw, and Twitter becoming a sea of #WWEsucks and #BoycottWWENetwork hysteria on the biggest day in company history?
Now if the Punk thing isn't a work, and he really is gone, you're already going to be behind the 8-ball on a huge portion of the fanbase feeling upset. I just can't imagine they're gonna compound that by ending another PPV with a Bryan screwjob/loss.
And man, Batista is officially screwed as a face now. Not only are fans gonna blame him for taking Bryan's spot, he'll also become the (unfairly or not) scapegoat for Punk leaving. Eric Bischoff would have a better chance of being an over face in WWE than Batista at this point.
Fun fact: You can't buy anything off the Dave Batista merchandise line off a mere souvenir stand. Hollywood Dave's wares can only be bought from a souvenir boutique.
ReplyDeleteThe network hasn't started yet and they havent even begun to sell subscription at this point.
ReplyDeleteI'd...be lying to say I have a few of those shirts. The difference is mine are the correct size.
ReplyDeleteLeather vests with no shirt on is very 90's.
Fuck yes. They need to go 110% full-bore heel with Batista. Corporate shill, douchebag jersey shore elitist...the fucking works. That's when he is at his best.
ReplyDelete"I'm afraid I have some BAD NEWS for your bank accounts!"
ReplyDeleteGlad to know I'm not the only one that has seen the awful camera work recently. I still don't understand their idea of cutting to the audience during backstage segments either.
ReplyDelete"Even the most ardent CM Punk fan is shitting on him today and for good reason, he's acting like a lil well Punk!"
ReplyDeleteI'll have to respectfully completely disagree with you there. The CM Punk fans are gonna support CM Punk and want him back. If it's a work, it'll be the easiest storyline in the world. HHH & Steph say some nasty things about Punk, his fans will hate that, and they'll cheer like maniacs if he comes back.
Nobody in the crowd is gonna like CM Punk any less, and it creates an artificial return pop, which are always massive.
Not saying I think it's a work, but if it is then it's a good idea. Much better than their current plan to get towards Punk/HHH.
Not accustomed to living without PPV bonuses, the locker room now turns to Zack Ryder, who's gotten used to not having PPV (or TV) bonuses for almost two years.
ReplyDeleteIf there was ever anything foreshadowing a heel turn, this would have to be it!
ReplyDeleteBischoff was a face once during his HOT....LESBIAN....ACTION phase.
ReplyDeleteDid you not read the punk thread, it was like 75% support
ReplyDeleteWhat does that guy even do at shows? Just sit in the back and play poker or something?
ReplyDeleteAll he needs now are the Kanye glasses.
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking they want to wait until after WM to pull that trigger, but hostile crowd after hostile crowd seems to suggest otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused... I thought we didn't like Kevin Dunn
ReplyDeleteNow if Punk is indeed gone AND Bryan isn't in the title match at Mania, how bad do we think the crowd hijacking of shows could get?
ReplyDeleteObviously any Batista/Orton segments are completely fucked, I seriously have no idea how they run that feud for 6 weeks nevermind teh actual match.
Do fans start nonsensically chanting CM Punk during Hulk Hogan segments too? Does Lesnar/Taker get shit on? I'm being honest-- crowds have obviously changed a lot in just the last ten years, and hijacking shows has become a thing.
For instance, Raw is in NYC the week before Mania. If Punk is gone and Bryan's not champion that night, I can't imagine the crowd not completely tearing everything a new asshole.
It's obvious that's the main reason they hardly don't do slow motion replays anymore as well (they only do it if the move still seems "legit" in slow motion, otherwise they speed it up at the second of the impact).
ReplyDeleteBetween this and the Rumble incident, WWE is in some hot water right now.
ReplyDeleteReally bad. Especially since it seems like WWE had no head's up this was gonna happen. Maybe if Punk approached them in November or December and said, "hey, I want out after the Rumble" it wouldn't be so bad. Just a bad move by Punk. I also guess he hates money.
ReplyDeleteIf true, that's pathetic. CM Punk vs Kane is an awful Mania program no doubt but if people are that forgiving just because they like a guys ring work then that says alot about the double standardness of the IWC. If this was Randy Orton or Batista throwing a hissy fit just imagine the reaction.
ReplyDeleteWhen his contract is up, it's up and he's free to do whatever the hell he wants including taking a 6 month break and coming back as a strictly part time player. I'd applaud him and thank him for the good times but this? He's taking his ball and going home like a bitch!
Him and JTG probably eat catering and play backgammon
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that the statute of limitations for that has run out by now.
ReplyDeleteSomeone's gotta job to the NXT guys in dark matches.
ReplyDeleteHollywood Dave is coming!
ReplyDeleteI was about to say "for murder?" but you mean vince, so m'bad.
ReplyDeletethe Royal Rumble was particularly bad. the whole timing of the match was off anyhow (Wyatt/Shield confrontation while someone enters, therefore robbing it of the crowd reaction etc.) but the camera work made it even worse. they missed several spots (including eliminations. didn't Cole and Lawler even ask at one point "where is XY?" - I would need to rewatch it for the name) and cut away too fast very often.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteAnyone have a reason for this exactly? Why would you not have pre-orders for something this big?
ReplyDeleteIt makes no sense.
I don't think he cares about money at this point. He wants the Mania main event and if he doesn't get it then he'll quit.
ReplyDeleteif this were randy Orton or Batista, fans would be really really happy that they're leaving.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Still, even without an obstruction charge, Vince might be called in to testify and that's going to turn some heads about the company.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article claims that Punk could be going to MMA and even being on the Ultimate Fighter: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/1/29/5357720/wwe-ufc-cm-punk-walks-out-gracie-bjj
ReplyDeleteIn response Triple H Pedigrees and pins the entire roster tomorrow night on RAW!
ReplyDeleteI think they wanna wait until their fanbase COMPLETELY hates the product before they give them a chance to order.
ReplyDeleteBryan's first.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but you can't deny the tune would be completely different. They'd get killed on places like this blog
ReplyDeleteYeah, those extra million fans watching Raw the past 2 weeks would be throwing a parade i'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI would have never guess that Khali made so much more than most of the roster.
ReplyDeleteLast year he had a match against the undertaker. This year he was going to have a match against HHH. I think that's more than fair.
ReplyDeleteAnd they wonder why fans are angry
ReplyDeleteExactly. He worked the Rumble, did his spots, etc. It's not like he walked out, the night before he was headlining a ppv. If dude wants to quit his job...You know...I can't really fault him for that.
ReplyDeleteMatt has never been the same since Lita dumped him... she must be one fantastic lay.
ReplyDeleteMonopoly can be fun if you play it correctly.
ReplyDeleteExcept he's not really quitting as he'll still receive checks from Titan Towers for his downside guarantee,merch & ppv payoff's etc etc.
ReplyDeletePlus he hasn't fulfilled all his commitments as he's being pulled off show's he was previously booked for.
It seems like the cameramen on the floor are filming like it's a fight scene in a Jason Bourne movie -- the shaky cam. The cuts right at impact are annoying enough on their own. Please, hold the camera still.
ReplyDeleteHis contract may stipulate that failure to fulfill dates, nulls certain parts of his pay.
ReplyDeleteRaw in NYC should be a thing of beauty.
ReplyDeleteBy number of buys I meant based on raw data before all expenses are covered. By revenue, I meant based on figures after all expenses related to the broadcast are deducted. I just phrased it in a weird manner where I don't even know if it made any sense.
ReplyDeleteNow where does Batista's "Mom got drunk in Tijuana!" belly button tattoo fall within the cool index?
ReplyDeleteI think Matt probably did just fine with the ladies after Lita left.
ReplyDeleteI need to get my tickets to that.
ReplyDeletealthough you could then argue that someone being out in the main event that is not in shape for it hurts the product, too (this might even especially apply to the casual watchers).
ReplyDeleteIt could be argued that Matt's always been the same and that's why Lita dumped him.
ReplyDelete"Except he's not really quitting as he'll still receive checks from Titan
ReplyDeleteTowers for his downside guarantee,merch & ppv payoff's etc etc"
I'd bet anything his downside payments stop if he's not working for them. And yeah, he should get pay-offs for the PPVs he's worked already-- should he not get paid for working teh Rumble? Same for merch--- if they keep selling it, he'll get his cut.
Also I don't think it's called Titan Towers anymore.
I'll be there.
ReplyDeleteShhhh, if Batista finds out other people have sex it'll crush him.
ReplyDeleteThe Facebook comments to WWE's various postings have been hilarious all day.
ReplyDeletePerfect opportunity for Cena to turn heel at EC and cost Bryan the title. After that, the WrestleMania main event writes itself.
ReplyDeleteWhich is not at all what I said. He hasn't been the same person since then, it seems to be the catalyst to his downward spiral... all because her (apparently) magical box was taken away from him.
ReplyDeletePPV payouts and merch would still be owed since they're based on past appearances and/or using his image. I don't think they'd be required to continue payment for the downside guarantee if he's purposefully not showing up.
ReplyDeleteWWE doesn't even have a script written until the day of the show. He can't be booked for shows that haven't been written. I guess you can assume his participation based on his card placement, but unless he's specifically being advertised for shows via radio/print/TV ads then he hasn't missed any commitments.
There was no evidence of it prior to that so I don't see how you can argue that.
ReplyDeleteOh, and for the "Batista is a mega draw and all should bow before him" crowd:
ReplyDeletehttp://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_75981.shtml#.UulWmkRfT1U
"Overall, Monday's
Raw scored the lowest rating and averaged the fewest viewers for a
post-Rumble Raw over the past eight years..."
He popped a big rating for the return, no doubt. But then this week it dipped BELOW what the comp date had been for the past 8 years.
Possible that Batista fans tuned in the first week, went "Eh" and moved on?
So out of all the house shows booked you think CM Punk hasn't been apart of any advertising whatsoever for any of those shows?
ReplyDeleteOkay then.
I honestly don't understand why anyone outside WWE would be mad at Punk. He quit his job, but not before he performed at a big show featuring him. Unless there's extenuating circumstances, he won't be getting paid while he's away. He exercised a right afforded him by his contract. So other than anger over not getting to see him on TV each week, what exactly is the big fucking deal?
ReplyDeleteOk so I'm going to make an inference:
ReplyDeleteWWE promotes internet use. Places like Scott's Blog are on the internet. WWE's official Facebook pages have been inundated way more than usual lately with things that I agree with:
So, WWE's internet promotion is biting them in the ass, because lifelong people who think "woooo, go Batista (or John Cena)", are now exposed to the explanations of why it's ok to go for a smaller, better wrestler
It's true, it's damn true!
ReplyDeleteCause he's being a big meanie to Vince, you see.
ReplyDeletePunk's been working his ass off for years and he's consistently one of, if not the, best parts of the show whether it be a promo or a match. Two years ago he should have main evented WM as a face, but obviously couldn't because Rock/Cena was set in stone. A year ago he should have main evented as the long reigning heel champion, but it had to be Cena/Rock again. This year they're bringing Batista back and giving it to him? He's not in ring shape and he's not actually popular at the moment, but he's getting Wrestlemania just because....if I were Punk I'd be pissed to.
ReplyDeleteNeither is Batista. It's a shitty deal for Punk but it's hard to argue against putting The Rock in the main event. But Batista's not The Rock.
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks before Mania, it's in DC the week before, but yeah. That should be hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHis fans probably wondered why he insisted on being a heel.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a bad decision to promise someone the Rumble/WM without them stepping foot on television. Can he still go? Will he be over? These are the kind of things you may want to figure out before you promise someone they get to be "the man" this year.
ReplyDeleteCompany can fire him, and he can quit
ReplyDeleteI won't pretend to be an expert on all their house show ads, but when they come to my hometown it centers on the WWE brand with occasional lists of random superstars you *might* see. I don't think any specific details even come out until they actually get to town.
ReplyDeletePetulant or not, is it not his right? It is also WWE's right to not pay him while he's gone.
ReplyDeleteI agree. That's the difference. Plus, Rock was in tremendous shape on his return. (Whether or not elephant steroids were involved is irr-elephant to my point.)
ReplyDeleteHow is it a given that Batista's return is responsible for the numbers anyway? The Raw before his return ended with that huge cage match scene. Isn't it possible some of the ratings were due to that?
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, numbers for this week's Raw could be attributed to many things from the week before and the Rumble being poorly received.
How do these simplistic claims of just one or two things causing ratings to swing make any sense?
The Brooklyn show is gonna end up being an angry version of the Raw-after-Mania crowd. No Punk and Bryan not as champion? I'm thinking 3 hours of "change the channel" chants.
ReplyDeleteHe's leaving them before THE BIGGEST SHOW after sulking in the corner on the 2nd biggest show. The only explanation I will accept us he did it to protest potential ppv bonus cuts, by all accounts he did it because he wasn't happy with creative. It's a fucking simulated play sport, he's gotten better feuds then not named John cena the past 2.5 years, just bbecause they put him on the back burner for 3 months, he quits? I didn't see him complaining when he was getting an undertaker or Rock or Brock match. Hes a spoiled child who just gets off on raging against the machine.
ReplyDeleteI think it's more that any heavily-advertised return will pop a rating before they return to normal.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's his right, he's not a slave. But that doesn't mean i as a fan have to applaud him for such childish behavior.
ReplyDeleteOh noes, back to back Mania programs against the Undertaker and HHH! What a slap in the face!
It's not like he's on the pre-show in a 24 man battle royale here folks.
You must have missed the crowing last week, after the ratings came in:
ReplyDelete"BATISTA DESERVES THE RUMBLE WIN AND WRESTLEMANIA MAIN EVENT BECAUSE HE BROUGHT ALL THOSE PEOPLE BACK!"... was the general gist. No other possible cause, no other explanation, just "HA HA BRYAN AND PUNK DRAW FLIES, BATISTA DRAW MILLIONS!".
Those people know who they are... ;)
Strictly playing devils advocate but wasn't Bryan in the first and last segments? He was the focus of Mondays show
ReplyDeleteThe counter argument would be that Batista wasn't really featured on RAW last Monday. And if you really wanted to make a point one way or the other, you'd have to compare the ratings for his segment to the other segments.
ReplyDeleteSure he can, doesn't mean i have to applaud him for doing so, which is the entire point of contention.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, it's not right before Wrestlemania. It's over two months away. If he had done this the week before, you would have a better point.
ReplyDeleteThese Paul Heyman Guys aren't very reliable when it comes to Wrestlemanias with numbers featuring only X's.
ReplyDeleteMany of them were trolling just to fuck with people.
ReplyDelete2 months before the biggest show, of which he isn't rumored to be a major part (and I assume he'd know more about his placement on the card than we). "Sulking in the corner" is bullshit that has no basis in anything.
ReplyDeleteWho cares why he quit? It's a job. People quit jobs all the time for varying reasons, real *and* imaginary.
I know... but we seem to be pulling in new people who may not realize that. Yet.
ReplyDeleteDon't agree. Everyone knows the WM build starts after rumble and that they're pushing the network in 4 weeks. These next 3 months are argueably the most important few weeks in company history and he walks out on the guy who has set him financially for life. Complete bush league move
ReplyDeleteIt's been "background chatted" on here once or twice... he pretty much makes that because INDIA! Much like if the WWE could find a Yao Ming that could wrestle, he'd get about the same deal. Because CHINA!
ReplyDeleteNot if there's new evidence, or if evidence was tampered with at the time... (your state laws may vary).
ReplyDeleteI've never really understood comparing ratings by segment. It isn't stated beforehand when any certain wrestler will be on TV.
ReplyDeleteHe got to face Taker in a streak match, which has become the biggest prize in the company. I wouldn't be pissed.
ReplyDeleteAnd he's foregoing his BIGGEST PAYOUT OF THE YEAR because he feels that's the best thing to do for his life/career/well-being. I seriously don't get why you think he owes WWE this great debt. They paid him what they felt he was worth. He's not gonna work Mania, they're not gonna pay him. He's accepting that loss of money, they're accepting the loss of whatever revenue he brings.
ReplyDelete" I didn't see him complaining when he was getting an undertaker or Rock or Brock match." They gave him those matches because they thought it was their best plan to MAKE MONEY. Those weren't favors to CM Punk because he's their buddy. It was their business plan. He doesn't owe them anything extra for those.
Also, why are you so steadfastly and blindly taking the employer's side? For all we know he called a meeting with Vince, discussed his concerns (PPV payouts, his "demotion", his injuries and schedule) and Vince let it known that he couldn't do anything for said concerns, so they agreed this was the solution.
He didn't no-show the event. He didn't not contact them. He had a meeting with his boss, and the end result of that meeting was that the employee quit. "Hes a spoiled child who just gets off on raging against the machine." is such an vehemently anti-labor stance to take based on what anyone knows.
It doesn't matter how big of a ppart of WM he was gonna be. He was still a wwe employee who would be am asset in helping them promote and sell the show/network.
ReplyDeleteDid you not watch the rumble? Did you see him phone it in? It was awful. At the time it amused me but in hindsight it was an obvious temper tantrum
A match against the biggest heel the company has is not a major part of the show? HHH would agree to take part in a match at WM that wasn't positioned as a major part of the show?
ReplyDeleteWhat?
Yet, you'd think the people who tuned in to see him would have tuned in AFTER he won the Rumble, just to see what he'd say? Or do?
ReplyDeleteBy that logic, no one who has ever made good money is allowed to quit their job if it's an important time to the company (which most companies would argue is "right now" or "the immediate future").
ReplyDeleteHe was in there for an hour, wrestled centerstage for the first half, took a triple SHield power bomb, took a table bump.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't Flair in '92, hell he was totally unmemorable, but you're making like he skipped the event.
For some reason I like that little detail. Just reminds us that it's not a TV exclusive segment, and the live crowd can see it too. Maybe having attended a few Raws/Smackdowns makes me enjoy that more, I don't know.
ReplyDeleteBreaking News! Peyton Manning calls press conference to announce he will not be at the Super Bowl due to what he calls terrible offensive coordination plans.
ReplyDeletePeyton wishes the Broncos the best of luck.
"he walks out on the guy who has set him financially for life" Michael, this is business and you're making it personal.
ReplyDeleteLet's say it again: Vince paid Punk a salary that was based on his worth to the company. He doesn't owe Vince shit just because Vince paid him a lot of money. It was a mutually beneficial deal.
Vince does Sunny a favor when he pays for her rehab. He's not doing Punk a favor by paying him a salary.
The Miz main evented a Wrestlemania, why can't Punk?
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago Cena and Rock was set in stone, so it's understandable he couldn't main event that year. They turned him heel, which in itself is a message that they don't view him as a top face, and his year long title reign is ended to set up another Rock/Cena match. You can write both of those off as Rock/Cena being too big a match to not do for Punk's sake, but what's the excuse this year? Batista? The message to Punk seems pretty clear - they'll choose almost anyone to main event Wrestlemania over him. It's just not going to happen. He's burnt out and beat up from working his ass off the last couple of years and he can't be in the main event for once because big Dave's ready to come back after his 4 year vacation? The audience just shit all over a pay per view, we complain about it constantly, how can we criticize someone for having enough of it and walking out?
He has one goal left that he wants to accomplish and feels he's worked hard enough to deserve it, and they won't give it to him.
Was he benched for Dan Orlovsky? That would be a more accurate analogy.
ReplyDeleteLets see how funny it is to them when 70,000 people boo them at the biggest show of the year.
ReplyDeleteCasey Kulas
ReplyDelete@CaseyKulas
Punk was heard arguing with
staff saying "I passed all your damn concussion test" and "I'm not going
out and telling fans that BS"
Casey Kulas
@CaseyKulas
My info on CM Punk: I do know from sources that at #Raw in CLE there was heated exchange backstage between Punk & staff. Topic - concussion.
'you can't argue with the results, Diva-wise."
ReplyDeletereally?
motorhead wrote a song about melina:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWEyjb7baDo
miles davis
ReplyDeleteIf Hunter fires Kevin Dunn, Jim Cornette's brain might explode.
ReplyDeleteSo, Punk walked because he was told to tell fans he had a concussion? THAT seems like a work to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the last Dapper Dan suit you ever saw? LMAO
ReplyDeleteWhite leather jacket, with a big zebra patch and tied in white leather shorts,
ReplyDeleteHollywood Dave not being the plan from jump street shows the brain trust is out to lunch.
ReplyDeleteLL Cool J had one with a matching hat, and Ghostface had knockoffs.
ReplyDeleteWell, the WWF used to have a really good cameraman, but he was injured during the first Hell in a Cell.
ReplyDeleteYea, I'd still hit it.
ReplyDeleteshe looks like she already got hit
ReplyDeleteMaybe we're talking about different Melina's. Or you are strange.
ReplyDeleteHe's in charge of the website. He has a certain amount of power and, from all reports, is the guy who is crafting the content of the site.
ReplyDeleteSo would I... oh wait, you DON'T mean with a shovel.
ReplyDeleteMy bad.
Dunn might be fine as a TV producer... but keep him the FUCK AWAY from actually being involved in anything wrestling related.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to think it is by design to keep the show as PG as possible?
ReplyDeleteAt least they don't do a Saturday Morning Slam cut to the broadcast team anytime someone throws a punch.
Plus, that's when he wore the coolest clothes.
ReplyDeleteThey had a really fun match at a house show in Toronto a week after this aired and they wrestled their first match at the Spectrum a week prior.
ReplyDeleteI've never understood how Joey Styles was considered a big deal. I used to hear about how he was the best announcer in wrestling, etc, etc and when I finally was introduced to ECW he was a pissy, whiny dick who obnoxiously screamed oh my god.
ReplyDeleteI thought the trendiest thing he wore was that charity box around his neck as Deacon Batista. I mean it looked terrible but better than his Jersey Shore tight shirts and lady Sunglasses.
ReplyDeleteEven when he was beating HHH for the World title in the best angle the company had done in like a year, I still thought that belly-ubtton tattoo looked fucking wierd.
ReplyDeleteRight. It's set up so easily. they can at least attest that the boos are cause he's a heel
ReplyDeleteAgreed I'd go as far as not only have him come to the ring with the spotlight on him, but have him squash jobbers in little 3 minute matches WITH the lights dimmed and the spotlight still focused on him the entire match, and him lose his shit and flip out if the spotlight guy doesn't have it on him for a second or two
ReplyDelete