It’s been almost three months since the last edition of A View From the Rafters in its column forum, today AVFR debuts as a new weekly feature of the UWF Blog. So how does AVFR: The Blog differ from the column version? Well, it’s much shorter for starters, concentrates on only one to two topics and is only about wrestling. Other than that, nothing else has changed, just don’t expect to see a full length column version of AVFR anytime soon. Onwards.
- Here’s wishing Ring of Honor star, and probably the best wrestler today, Bryan Danielson a speedy recovery after his injury a week ago, which involved damage to his retina and required laser surgery. The ROH Newswire stated that he is expected to be out from 4-6 weeks, and that there’s a 90% change he’ll regain eyesight, though it may be blurred. Danielson is an absolute beast, a super human competitor. The thing with Danielson, is he’ll come back as soon as possible and still kick ass and work hard and stiff. He’s a warrior, and I hope he regains his eyesight in his damaged eye and that it isn’t blurry.
- Good to see Triple H and Rey Mysterio back, and soon The Undertaker. Needless to say, with the events that have transpired the past couple of days, WWE can desperately use them.
- Still boycotting TNA, as I’ve done for much of the year. It’s amazing they can continue to push older guys, like Kurt Angle and Sting, over the younger talent that actually makes TNA enjoyable. Less WWE sendoffs, less Sting and the Steiner’s, and more of guys like Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Motorcity Machine Guns, etc. I want to see an alternative, not WCW mixed with WWF.
- Be sure and check out the forums if you aren’t already a member; http://z14.invisionfree.com/uwf_forums
With the announcement that 10, possibly 12, superstars have been suspended due to violations of the “Wellness Policy”, and the subsequent release of 15 WWE contracted workers tied to the Signature Pharmacy scandal, WWE is in a bad way heading into the Congressional hearings coming up in September. Obviously, WWE is still under a microscope by the media and Congress, and they aren’t going away. So what are some things WWE can do to make life easier on the wrestlers, and possibly reduce the drug intake?
Right off the bat, they should do away with the popular notion of “bigger is better”. It’s time to lay off the muscle heads who really can’t wrestle very well, and start pushing the smaller guys. You gotta remember, small guys take this stuff with the hope of getting bigger and getting that push. Now’s the time to change that perception, and curb that habit. Push the smaller guys; CM Punk, Brian Kendrick, Paul London, Shelton Benjamin and others should start getting major pushes.
Another problem, is life on the road. How do you ease that? Well, some folks might say cut house shows, but that’s not realistic; and it doesn’t do anyone any good either. So you need a compromise of sorts that cuts back on the number of house shows.
4 house shows on most weeks; 2 on PPV weeks. That's fair. It gives the wrestlers more dates and matches than TV and PPV, allows WWE to make a little extra money, and gives fans the chance to go see a non-televised event.
4 house shows a week may sound like a lot, but it's really not when you look at like this: 1 RAW and 1 Smackdown/ECW house show on Saturday; on non-PPV Sundays you have 1 RAW and 1 Smackdown/ECW house show. 4 shows in 2 days, which is really only 2 house shows a week for the rosters.
Compare running shows on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to just running shows on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Under my plan, the wrestlers could take a flight out Friday night, possibly even Saturday morning to make the first house show. Wrestle, go to the Sunday show, and then go to the ECW/Smackdown/LIVE RAW event on Monday. Yes, all three TV shows in one day, it has been done before. You can tape backstage segments for ECW and Smackdown throughout the day and night, and only have the matches and important segments in front of the fans, this way fans aren’t completely burned out by three full TV shows in one night.
If they're not needed any more, let the ECW and Smackdown guys leave during RAW. Fly home after or during RAW, and the wrestlers have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to spend at home with their families and to heal from injuries, and make whatever appearances are necessary.
I think that is a fair schedule, and certainly much healthier for the wrestlers.
Add in a few extra items:
NO Dress Code - I can understand the need to "look professional", but come on. These guys wrestle in small tights, it's not going to kill anyone to see the wrestlers arrive to the arena dressed comfortably in blue jean shorts and a T-shirt. Let the wrestlers dress the way they want and have fun.
NO Bans on Video Games - Let the wrestlers play video games backstage. They're at the arena for hours before the shows begin, let them have their fun before time to get serious.
Regular, Tough Drug Testing - A regular testing for all kinds of drugs, that's completely ran by an outside party. Any wrestler that fails, 30 days at home without pay. Fail it a second time, rehab clinic. Fail it a third time, released.
Company Hired Therapist at the shows on Monday. - A mental doctor for the wrestlers to talk too in private about any problems they're having. Plus routine mental health checks.
How about a "study hall" backstage? A room where wrestlers can take college classes, paid for by WWE; Mickie James takes these classes, WWE should pay for it and offer the service to all wrestlers who didn't go to college or who want to do it. Give those wrestlers that didn’t go to college, something to fall back on in the event of an career-ending injury
There's no reason WWE can't be a fun and safe, drug free, place to work.
Now what about the brand extension? Well, I have a plan for that too, right down to the rosters for each show.
RAW Exclusives:
General Manager -
William Regal
Women’s Division w/ Women’s Championship -
Victoria, Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Melina, Jillian Hall, Candice Michelle, Katie Lee, O.D.B, Nattie Niedhart, Shantelle Taylor and Maria (I’d also try and get Gail Kim back)
Intercontinental Championship
Smackdown Exclusives:
General Manager -
Theodore Long
Cruiserweight Division w/Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero, Funaki, Gregory Helms, Jamie Knoble, Jimmy Yang, Kenny Dykstra, Shannon Moore, Daivari, Johnny Jeter, Nunzio, Super Crazy and Rey Mysterio*
* = Wildcard, moves in and out of division
United States Championship -
I’d really build this title as a TV title, defended every week on Smackdown and pushed to actually mean something.
RAW and Smackdown:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WWE World Tag Team Championship
Talent That Can Appear On Both Brands -
John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, King Booker, Mr. Kennedy, Umaga, Randy Orton, Carlito, Charlie Haas, Jeff Hardy, JTG, Lance Cade, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Robbie and Rory McAllister, Santino Marella, Shad, Charlie Haas, Trevor Murdoch, Val Venis, Batista, Brett and Brian Major, Chris Masters, Dave Taylor, Deuce, Domino, Edge, Eugene, Finlay, Hardcore Holly, Kane, Mark Henry, Matt Hardy, MVP, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Harry Smith, TJ Wilson and Teddy Hart
Extreme Championship Wrestling:
General Manager -
Armando Estrada
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW TV Championship
ECW Talent Roster -
Balls Mahoney, Big Daddy V, CM Punk, Elijah Burke, John Morrison, Kevin Thorne, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Mike Knox, Stevie Richards, Tommy Dreamer, Colt Cabana, Cody Rhodes, “The Ripper” Paul Birchall, Ace Steel, Chet The Jett, Mike Mondo, Nick Nemeth, Shawn Spears, Sonny Siaki and Steve Lewington
Now that we have the rosters and all that out of the way, we can take a look at everything.
ECW would be a distinct and separate brand, getting one or two matches on the PPV’s and having one ECW only event all year (ran from a small venue and a lower price). It would be a developmental organization mostly, introduce new guys to the WWE audience and give them experience working in front of WWE crowds and doing live national television. Ideally, it would get a second hour to make room for the TV championship and allow for stories and feuds to really develop.
RAW would have the Women’s division exclusively, meaning the wrestling divas would not appear on Smackdown. The above listed women’s division is filled with women who can work damn good matches, so this division would be built to showcase that these women can wrestle; the division would be a RAW signature, featured each week with attention paid to it and feuds and stories actively going and involving multiple divas. RAW would also have exclusive control of the Intercontinental Championship; if you wear the IC title, then you appear exclusively on Monday Night RAW.
Over on Smackdown, you have the exclusive Cruiserweight division, which would be featured multiple times each week on Friday Night Smackdown. The CW division would focus on fast paced and exciting matches, in the vain of the cruiserweights of the Nitro days. Cruiserweights, unless they move out of the division (tag teams or Rey Mysterio), appear exclusively on Smackdown. Smackdown also has exclusive control of the United States Championship, which would be defended every week under a 15 minute time limit (unless special stipulation). This would actually be a highly contested championship, where the champion appears exclusively on Smackdown.
Other than that, RAW and Smackdown work much the same way they do now; each has a roster that appears mostly on that show. However, unless you’re a women’s wrestler, cruiserweight or IC/US champion, you’re free to move between shows. That doesn’t mean the top guys appear on both shows every week and take all the TV time, it just means they can appear to keep things fresh and fill out the card without limitations of a “specific brand” and without the need for drafts, trades, etc. With the amount of injuries and suspensions WWE have encountered this year, this could really help mask that. The WWE World Championship and the WWE World Tag Team Championship would be defended across both shows.
That’s all for this edition of A View From the Rafters: The Blog. Until next time, this has been Stinger, bringing you all my view.
- Stinger
Quick Tidbits and Random Thoughts:
- Here’s wishing Ring of Honor star, and probably the best wrestler today, Bryan Danielson a speedy recovery after his injury a week ago, which involved damage to his retina and required laser surgery. The ROH Newswire stated that he is expected to be out from 4-6 weeks, and that there’s a 90% change he’ll regain eyesight, though it may be blurred. Danielson is an absolute beast, a super human competitor. The thing with Danielson, is he’ll come back as soon as possible and still kick ass and work hard and stiff. He’s a warrior, and I hope he regains his eyesight in his damaged eye and that it isn’t blurry.
- Good to see Triple H and Rey Mysterio back, and soon The Undertaker. Needless to say, with the events that have transpired the past couple of days, WWE can desperately use them.
- Still boycotting TNA, as I’ve done for much of the year. It’s amazing they can continue to push older guys, like Kurt Angle and Sting, over the younger talent that actually makes TNA enjoyable. Less WWE sendoffs, less Sting and the Steiner’s, and more of guys like Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Motorcity Machine Guns, etc. I want to see an alternative, not WCW mixed with WWF.
- Be sure and check out the forums if you aren’t already a member; http://z14.invisionfree.com/uwf_forums
It’s Time For WWE To Implement Serious Changes
With the announcement that 10, possibly 12, superstars have been suspended due to violations of the “Wellness Policy”, and the subsequent release of 15 WWE contracted workers tied to the Signature Pharmacy scandal, WWE is in a bad way heading into the Congressional hearings coming up in September. Obviously, WWE is still under a microscope by the media and Congress, and they aren’t going away. So what are some things WWE can do to make life easier on the wrestlers, and possibly reduce the drug intake?
Right off the bat, they should do away with the popular notion of “bigger is better”. It’s time to lay off the muscle heads who really can’t wrestle very well, and start pushing the smaller guys. You gotta remember, small guys take this stuff with the hope of getting bigger and getting that push. Now’s the time to change that perception, and curb that habit. Push the smaller guys; CM Punk, Brian Kendrick, Paul London, Shelton Benjamin and others should start getting major pushes.
Another problem, is life on the road. How do you ease that? Well, some folks might say cut house shows, but that’s not realistic; and it doesn’t do anyone any good either. So you need a compromise of sorts that cuts back on the number of house shows.
4 house shows on most weeks; 2 on PPV weeks. That's fair. It gives the wrestlers more dates and matches than TV and PPV, allows WWE to make a little extra money, and gives fans the chance to go see a non-televised event.
4 house shows a week may sound like a lot, but it's really not when you look at like this: 1 RAW and 1 Smackdown/ECW house show on Saturday; on non-PPV Sundays you have 1 RAW and 1 Smackdown/ECW house show. 4 shows in 2 days, which is really only 2 house shows a week for the rosters.
Compare running shows on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to just running shows on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Under my plan, the wrestlers could take a flight out Friday night, possibly even Saturday morning to make the first house show. Wrestle, go to the Sunday show, and then go to the ECW/Smackdown/LIVE RAW event on Monday. Yes, all three TV shows in one day, it has been done before. You can tape backstage segments for ECW and Smackdown throughout the day and night, and only have the matches and important segments in front of the fans, this way fans aren’t completely burned out by three full TV shows in one night.
If they're not needed any more, let the ECW and Smackdown guys leave during RAW. Fly home after or during RAW, and the wrestlers have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to spend at home with their families and to heal from injuries, and make whatever appearances are necessary.
I think that is a fair schedule, and certainly much healthier for the wrestlers.
Add in a few extra items:
NO Dress Code - I can understand the need to "look professional", but come on. These guys wrestle in small tights, it's not going to kill anyone to see the wrestlers arrive to the arena dressed comfortably in blue jean shorts and a T-shirt. Let the wrestlers dress the way they want and have fun.
NO Bans on Video Games - Let the wrestlers play video games backstage. They're at the arena for hours before the shows begin, let them have their fun before time to get serious.
Regular, Tough Drug Testing - A regular testing for all kinds of drugs, that's completely ran by an outside party. Any wrestler that fails, 30 days at home without pay. Fail it a second time, rehab clinic. Fail it a third time, released.
Company Hired Therapist at the shows on Monday. - A mental doctor for the wrestlers to talk too in private about any problems they're having. Plus routine mental health checks.
How about a "study hall" backstage? A room where wrestlers can take college classes, paid for by WWE; Mickie James takes these classes, WWE should pay for it and offer the service to all wrestlers who didn't go to college or who want to do it. Give those wrestlers that didn’t go to college, something to fall back on in the event of an career-ending injury
There's no reason WWE can't be a fun and safe, drug free, place to work.
Now what about the brand extension? Well, I have a plan for that too, right down to the rosters for each show.
RAW Exclusives:
General Manager -
William Regal
Women’s Division w/ Women’s Championship -
Victoria, Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Melina, Jillian Hall, Candice Michelle, Katie Lee, O.D.B, Nattie Niedhart, Shantelle Taylor and Maria (I’d also try and get Gail Kim back)
Intercontinental Championship
Smackdown Exclusives:
General Manager -
Theodore Long
Cruiserweight Division w/Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero, Funaki, Gregory Helms, Jamie Knoble, Jimmy Yang, Kenny Dykstra, Shannon Moore, Daivari, Johnny Jeter, Nunzio, Super Crazy and Rey Mysterio*
* = Wildcard, moves in and out of division
United States Championship -
I’d really build this title as a TV title, defended every week on Smackdown and pushed to actually mean something.
RAW and Smackdown:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WWE World Tag Team Championship
Talent That Can Appear On Both Brands -
John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, King Booker, Mr. Kennedy, Umaga, Randy Orton, Carlito, Charlie Haas, Jeff Hardy, JTG, Lance Cade, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Robbie and Rory McAllister, Santino Marella, Shad, Charlie Haas, Trevor Murdoch, Val Venis, Batista, Brett and Brian Major, Chris Masters, Dave Taylor, Deuce, Domino, Edge, Eugene, Finlay, Hardcore Holly, Kane, Mark Henry, Matt Hardy, MVP, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Harry Smith, TJ Wilson and Teddy Hart
Extreme Championship Wrestling:
General Manager -
Armando Estrada
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW TV Championship
ECW Talent Roster -
Balls Mahoney, Big Daddy V, CM Punk, Elijah Burke, John Morrison, Kevin Thorne, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Mike Knox, Stevie Richards, Tommy Dreamer, Colt Cabana, Cody Rhodes, “The Ripper” Paul Birchall, Ace Steel, Chet The Jett, Mike Mondo, Nick Nemeth, Shawn Spears, Sonny Siaki and Steve Lewington
Now that we have the rosters and all that out of the way, we can take a look at everything.
ECW would be a distinct and separate brand, getting one or two matches on the PPV’s and having one ECW only event all year (ran from a small venue and a lower price). It would be a developmental organization mostly, introduce new guys to the WWE audience and give them experience working in front of WWE crowds and doing live national television. Ideally, it would get a second hour to make room for the TV championship and allow for stories and feuds to really develop.
RAW would have the Women’s division exclusively, meaning the wrestling divas would not appear on Smackdown. The above listed women’s division is filled with women who can work damn good matches, so this division would be built to showcase that these women can wrestle; the division would be a RAW signature, featured each week with attention paid to it and feuds and stories actively going and involving multiple divas. RAW would also have exclusive control of the Intercontinental Championship; if you wear the IC title, then you appear exclusively on Monday Night RAW.
Over on Smackdown, you have the exclusive Cruiserweight division, which would be featured multiple times each week on Friday Night Smackdown. The CW division would focus on fast paced and exciting matches, in the vain of the cruiserweights of the Nitro days. Cruiserweights, unless they move out of the division (tag teams or Rey Mysterio), appear exclusively on Smackdown. Smackdown also has exclusive control of the United States Championship, which would be defended every week under a 15 minute time limit (unless special stipulation). This would actually be a highly contested championship, where the champion appears exclusively on Smackdown.
Other than that, RAW and Smackdown work much the same way they do now; each has a roster that appears mostly on that show. However, unless you’re a women’s wrestler, cruiserweight or IC/US champion, you’re free to move between shows. That doesn’t mean the top guys appear on both shows every week and take all the TV time, it just means they can appear to keep things fresh and fill out the card without limitations of a “specific brand” and without the need for drafts, trades, etc. With the amount of injuries and suspensions WWE have encountered this year, this could really help mask that. The WWE World Championship and the WWE World Tag Team Championship would be defended across both shows.
That’s all for this edition of A View From the Rafters: The Blog. Until next time, this has been Stinger, bringing you all my view.
- Stinger
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