Bob-O's Random Ramblings: RAW 8/22/2011

[Bob-O]

-You know what I love about Alberto Del Rio? It's his first run as champ, and I can't help but feel that he's right where he belongs. He kicked off Raw tonight with WWE's two top draws, and he looked right at home. Something Miz couldn't pull off six months ago. I refuse to believe that had Del Rio been in Miz's shoes at Wrestlemania, the third wheel between Cena and Rock, he wouldn't have been "the after thought". He would have been Alberto Del Rio, a stand alone star. The man held his own with WWE's three best promo guys and he hardly said a word. Ladies and gentlemen... the "it" factor.

-On a side note, Triple H said "...rematch clauses aren't like Money In The Bank, you don't just cash them in whenever you feel like it. See, that's my job. I'm the COO of this company..." Seriously!? If this is what the Chief Operating Officer's primary role in the company is, WWE's stock being in the toilet right now isn't a mystery. I get the storyline. I do. But statements like that are silly and just drive home the fact that he's playing the role of a GM. They've yet to make me feel like Hunter has the reigns.

-Beth Phoenix and Nattie Niedhart's talking head promo left me feeling uneasy. They finished it with "....but what we DO want.... we're not going to tell you...." and I can't put my finger on it, but it had a vibe I didn't appreciate. I felt like I'd heard it before. I think I might know why....... but I'll keep that to myself..... for another time..... Maybe I'm just not a fan of women's wrestling...

-I miss the Swagger Soaring Eagle. I know the gimmick ended with the bird getting eaten, but I forget who ate him. Doesn't matter. The point I'm trying to make is that, the SSE never spoke, but if it did I'd imagine it to sound a lot like Vickie Guerrero. That Dolph Ziggler face turn I was smelling last week might be happening more sooner than later. I hope they don't jump the gun here. I REALLY want to see Ziggler drop the US Title and go after the Tag Titles with Swagger. Those two definitely have the ability to elevate the Tag Titles back to where they belong, and with Vickie Guerrero as the mouthpiece... it could really be the making of something much bigger than these two could ever achieve on their own (See: The New Age Outlaws)

-I said it last week and I'll say it again, when did Kevin Nash get so bad at talking!? What did TNA do to him!? I mean, Booker T was never very good at it so it's hard to say if it was from all the exposure they had to Scott Steiner in the MEM. But wow! They have him leading in the second hour blubbering and stuttering about god knows what. "Please please, don't ask me not to be a man." I think he said something about apologizing to CM Punk. Why would that even cross his mind!? I know he saw the show! He was in the middle of the ring when it happened. Why couldn't Foley have screwed Punk out of the title... ?

-Lawler just compared Otunga and McGullicutty to The Bushwackers. Of all the teams to compare them to, The Bushwackers? Skip Sheffield maybe, but not these two NXTers. No, a fair 90's comparison would be... nothin. I've got nothin. The 90's actually had teams. Tonight was a step in the right direction, though. The belts are around the waists of two singles guys we recognize. They don't have any chemistry with one another, but I have a feeling those belts are going to Miz and Truth at Night of Champions anyway, so I won't dwell on it. I wonder if Otunga and McGullicutty get to cash in their rematch clause next week, or if they have to wait for the Chief Operating Officer to do it provided he can remember all their names.

-Just as I was saying at the top of this Rambling, how Del Rio looked right at home with Cena and Punk, Miz looks right at home with his new running buddy R-Truth, beating up on Santino. I can't blame WWE for giving Miz the ball, but I also can't blame them for taking it away. I think it's great that Miz has come as far as he has, and I think he'll have a chunk of that 2 hour spotlight for years to come, but I think he got pushed too far and is suffering from the recoil now. He's not on Cena's level and will need a Punk-level repackaging to ever get there again. Even on the Road To Wrestlemania he was treated as a joke. I think they need to be focusing more on R-Truth in this conspiracy angle. He was the hottest heel in the company until Punk came along...

-So, they're GIVING away Punk vs Cena III (the feud that was never settled), but we've had to pay for 14 different Orton vs Christian (The Feud That Would Never End) bouts? I'm not complaining, I just don't get it. Nash's involvement caught me off guard, but it wasn't a mark out moment or anything. Scott Hall walking down the ramp? NOW WE'RE TALKING! They could even play up the Straight Edge a little bit! I'd even go for Waltman at this point, who could conceivably put on a decent match with Punk. Anything to buy a little time to erase Nash's mind of whatever TNA has done to him.

[KILLdozer]

-You know what I love about Alberto Del Rio? It's his first run as champ, and I can't help but feel that he's right where he belongs. He kicked off Raw tonight with WWE's two top draws, and he looked right at home. Something Miz couldn't pull off six months ago. I refuse to believe that had Del Rio been in Miz's shoes at Wrestlemania, the third wheel between Cena and Rock, he wouldn't have been "the after thought". He would have been Alberto Del Rio, a stand alone star. The man held his own with WWE's three best promo guys and he hardly said a word. Ladies and gentlemen... the "it" factor.

-On a side note, Triple H said "...rematch clauses aren't like Money In The Bank, you don't just cash them in whenever you feel like it. See, that's my job. I'm the COO of this company..." Seriously!? If this is what the Chief Operating Officer's primary role in the company is, WWE's stock being in the toilet right now isn't a mystery. I get the storyline. I do. But statements like that are silly and just drive home the fact that he's playing the role of a GM. They've yet to make me feel like Hunter has the reigns.

-Beth Phoenix and Nattie Niedhart's talking head promo left me feeling uneasy. They finished it with "....but what we DO want.... we're not going to tell you...." and I can't put my finger on it, but it had a vibe I didn't appreciate. I felt like I'd heard it before. I think I might know why....... but I'll keep that to myself..... for another time..... Maybe I'm just not a fan of women's wrestling...

-I miss the Swagger Soaring Eagle. I know the gimmick ended with the bird getting eaten, but I forget who ate him. Doesn't matter. The point I'm trying to make is that, the SSE never spoke, but if it did I'd imagine it to sound a lot like Vickie Guerrero. That Dolph Ziggler face turn I was smelling last week might be happening more sooner than later. I hope they don't jump the gun here. I REALLY want to see Ziggler drop the US Title and go after the Tag Titles with Swagger. Those two definitely have the ability to elevate the Tag Titles back to where they belong, and with Vickie Guerrero as the mouthpiece... it could really be the making of something much bigger than these two could ever achieve on their own (See: The New Age Outlaws)

-I said it last week and I'll say it again, when did Kevin Nash get so bad at talking!? What did TNA do to him!? I mean, Booker T was never very good at it so it's hard to say if it was from all the exposure they had to Scott Steiner in the MEM. But wow! They have him leading in the second hour blubbering and stuttering about god knows what. "Please please, don't ask me not to be a man." I think he said something about apologizing to CM Punk. Why would that even cross his mind!? I know he saw the show! He was in the middle of the ring when it happened. Why couldn't Foley have screwed Punk out of the title... ?

-Lawler just compared Otunga and McGullicutty to The Bushwackers. Of all the teams to compare them to, The Bushwackers? Skip Sheffield maybe, but not these two NXTers. No, a fair 90's comparison would be... nothin. I've got nothin. The 90's actually had teams. Tonight was a step in the right direction, though. The belts are around the waists of two singles guys we recognize. They don't have any chemistry with one another, but I have a feeling those belts are going to Miz and Truth at Night of Champions anyway, so I won't dwell on it. I wonder if Otunga and McGullicutty get to cash in their rematch clause next week, or if they have to wait for the Chief Operating Officer to do it provided he can remember all their names.

-Just as I was saying at the top of this Rambling, how Del Rio looked right at home with Cena and Punk, Miz looks right at home with his new running buddy R-Truth, beating up on Santino. I can't blame WWE for giving Miz the ball, but I also can't blame them for taking it away. I think it's great that Miz has come as far as he has, and I think he'll have a chunk of that 2 hour spotlight for years to come, but I think he got pushed too far and is suffering from the recoil now. He's not on Cena's level and will need a Punk-level repackaging to ever get there again. Even on the Road To Wrestlemania he was treated as a joke. I think they need to be focusing more on R-Truth in this conspiracy angle. He was the hottest heel in the company until Punk came along...

-So, they're GIVING away Punk vs Cena III (the feud that was never settled), but we've had to pay for 14 different Orton vs Christian (The Feud That Would Never End) bouts? I'm not complaining, I just don't get it. Nash's involvement caught me off guard, but it wasn't a mark out moment or anything. Scott Hall walking down the ramp? NOW WE'RE TALKING! They could even play up the Straight Edge a little bit! I'd even go for Waltman at this point, who could conceivably put on a decent match with Punk. Anything to buy a little time to erase Nash's mind of whatever TNA has done to him.

The HHH bit..him saying hes the COO thing so he decides when rematchs are used..he meant that he has final say on that type of thing,,,being COO and the man completely in control of everything.

Beth and Natalya's promo was interesting adding to the angle,except for the "We dont want the voluptuous body like them" Beth and Natalya already have more shapely curvier bodies than eve and Kelly anyways,especially kelly,who has no body.

I didnt get what happened with the swagger vickie and Dolp thing..I didnt see anyone bump Vickie down off the apron,it just seemed like Noone touched her,maybe I missed it..just seemed strange to me.

Tag match was interesting,nice touch giving Bourne and Kingston matching attires,really shows theyre trying with the tag teams.

The feud that was never settled,is still going on lol,...but one thing I found just wrong about the match was the crossface....before he had it officially fully locked in,EVERYONE,announcers and punk,,were playing it off like he actually the hold cinched in..when he only had one arm clasped around the neck..that was a bit strange to me.

[KILLdozer]

I think Vickie fell over on purpose.

hm,theres something I didnt think of,maybe she did,maybe she wants tension between them,to play them against each other

[KILLdozer]

Dolph was saying he didn't push her over..so I guess they are turning Dolph face..

yea,I see it as being "She said you pushed her over so you pushed her over." so thats where the turn begins