Wrestling Fact or Fiction - May 26, 2012

Wrestling Fact Or Fiction May 26, 2012 Doug Maynard Russell Jackson It's back and with a vengence (kind of like Chyna on the set of a porn movie). It's "Tossing Salt Presents: Wrestling Fact or Fiction". I'm Doug and along with the real baddest man on the planet, he makes Mike Tyson cry, Russell Jackson, we're here to kick butt and take names rasslin' style. Actually, we're just taking a look at ten different situations in the world of sports-entertainment and determining among ourselves if it's Fact or Fiction, good or bad, sweet or sour, high or low, sell or no sale, etc... We're telling it like it is because that's just how we roll. Sorry for the absence of the past two weeks. Both Russell and I have had issues and obligations that have caused havoc in our lives, but things are back on track and on schedule and we're ready now to rock and roll. And I've rambled long enough so let's do this. Questions were sent out early in the week. WWE expanding RAW to three hours every Monday night is a good move? Russell - FICTION: 2 hours of Raw every Monday night is more talk than action...A move to 3 hours will be even more talk & even less action...It's a bad move... Doug - FICTION: Doesn't anyone in the WWE remember WCW and Nitro and how many problems that they had filling three hours of Nitro each Monday night. I understand why the WWE is doing this - the USA Network wants them to and it will mean a substantial increase in revenue for the company, but when you factor in the added expenses for more talent, more writers and the toll this will take on the so-called "creative teams" for the extra hour of television, when they're already doing Raw, Smackdown, Superstars, NXT, AM Raw and FCW, it's just not worth it. When you read Eric Bischoff's book, "Controversy Creates Cash", which is a very good read, Bischoff goes into great detail about how much harder it made things for WCW to survive when they added the third hour to Nitro and then added Thunder as well. You would think that the USA Network and the WWE would look at that example and learn from it rather than make the same mistakes. Three hours will burn out the Monday night audience, allow much more crap than usual to make it on the air and put more pressure on everyone and will end up hurting the company far more than it can possibly help. It's not a good mood at all. Sometimes, too much really is too much. (1-0) TNA Impact! going live every Thursday night for the summer is a good move? Russell - FICTION: How bout TNA Impact going live every Thursday night from now on?...At least people will have to tune in to TNA Impact shows if they wanna know what's gonna be on the show... Doug - FACT: It's throwing stuff up against the wall to see what sticks and while trying to compete against RAW on Monday nights a couple of years ago wasn't the brightest of moves, I can't see this doing anything but helping the company at this point. It adds a sense of anticipation and excitement to the show that pre-taped shows can't possibly have. When it comes to sports-entertainment, live is almost always better. It'll add more pressure to the wrestlers and production teams to do their very best and should help to draw some new fans to the TNA product, checking it out to see if things are any better than the last time they took a look. This could be a big opportunity for TNA to reach out and find a new audience if they do it right. It surely can't hurt. It should attract some a few new viewers. (1-1) Bring Paul Heyman in to act as Brock Lesnar's representative was a smart play by the WWE? Russell - FACT: Paul Heyman was the guy that helped guide Brock Lesnar to his first of three WWE Championships in Lesnar's first stint with WWE...It only make sense to have Paul Heyman be brought in to serve as Brock Lesnar's representative, as Paul Heyman is a close friend & business partner of Brock Lesnar...Smart move by WWE... Doug - FACT: Having Paul Heyman come in, especially when you consider his history not only with Brock, but with the WWE in general, was a major gain for the WWE. Paul's character will attract older fans, from the ECW glory days, plus it adds some legitimacy to the Brock - HHH storyline because nobody is better at blurring the line between reality and storyline than Heyman. It's a win - win for all parties involved. Heyman is de' man! Heyman is a wrestling genius. (2-1) Brooke Hogan will make a good addition to the TNA Knockouts Roster? Russell - FICTION: Brooke Hogan - Another idiot "Hogan" name bein brought to the TNA Organization & bein hand picked by her idiotic father to run the TNA Knockout Division...Another huge crack in the sinking "Titanic" that is TNA... Doug - FACT: And no, I'm not joking. I'd definitely much rather see Brooke in a TNA ring, getting her ass kicked by the other TNA Knockouts than have to ever listen to her attempt to sing again. She has name recognition and some noteriety that comes along with her and hell, she can't be any worse than Garett Bischoff, right? Let her be a Knockout. She might actually be able to have some skill and ability at this job. Just don't make us listen to her sing. (2-2) WWE was smart to sign Ashley Flair (Ric's daughter) to a developmental contract? Russell - FACT: Ashley Flair getting a developmental contract with WWE was a smart move on WWE's part...Before too much longer, I see Ashley's father, Ric Flair, to makin his return to WWE in some way, shape or form... Doug - FACT: If Ashley wants to try wrestling and has even half the ability that her younger brother Reid was showing (before he screwed up and got a drug arrest, thus costing him his WWE Developmental deal), then it's a great move by the WWE. The name "Flair" still sells wrestling tickets and besides, nothing ventured and nothing gained, right? I strongly suspect that Ric Flair will be back in the WWE in some capacity before the year is out (TNA is getting tired of his shenanigans) and once the heat dies down on Reid and his screw-up is pretty much forgotten, he'll probably be back in the WWE as well at some point. So why not hire Ashley and make it a "Flair Family Reunion". It can't hurt and at least it's not the Hogan's, right? Wonder if she can go "all night long"... Wooooo! (3-2) <<<--- SWITCHEROO --->>> Turning the Big Show heel at "Over The Limit" was a good idea? Doug - FICTION: I'm kind of torn on this one because it's probably good for the Big Show's character, which has become extremely stale and boring over the past few years. It'll give him a chance to tweak the character and be a total ass-clown for a change rather than the big goof he's played so often as of late. But the reason I'm saying fiction is just that it was so damn predictable and boring. As soon as the stipulation was named for the match, we all knew that there would be outside interference to help save "Big Johnny" from getting his butt kicked. The only question was would it be Brock Lesnar, who has "quit" or Big Show, who Laurinaitis had just "fired". Well, know we know. Yawn! This would have been a great time to maybe debut some of the newer talent from WWE Developmental instead of being so damn predictable. Almost anything or anyone else would have been better. Russell - FICTION: Turning the Big Show heel at "Over the Limit" PPV was a friggin stupid move on WWE's part & now we're stuck with a Big Show vs John Cena feud...*looks down, shakes head*... Big Show does not a good heel make. (4-2) Having John Laurinaitis "defeat" John Cena at Over The Limit was a good call by the WWE? Doug - FACT: Another call where I wanted to say "fiction", but if Cena had won, then what would happen next? It'd be over and he'd be back in the WWE title picture, hogging the spotlight from folks like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus. With "Big Johnny" getting the win, we're pretty much assured that Cena will be busy for the next few months playing "Stone Cold" to Laurinaitis's "Mr. McMahon" and thus, kept away from the major titles and leaving the belts to people who deserve that spot of glory for a change. True, this means that we have to listen to "Big Johnny" for a while longer and endure this "PeoplePower" crapola or whatever it is that he calls it, but anything that keeps Cena away from the major titles is, in my mind, a good thing. Russell - FICTION: Seriously?...John Laurinaitis gettin the win over John Cena at Over the Limit PPV?...What will happen next? John Laurinaitis challenging for a WWE Championship title?...Plain pathetic... Johnny Ace knows how to generate heat - that's for sure. (4-3) WWE made the right call in having Christian defeat Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship? Doug - FICTION: Don't get me wrong. I'm glad to see Christian (finally) back in action, but coming in and defeating Cody for the IC title as quickly as he did just totally crapped all over Cody and his efforts as the IC Champion over the past year. The money, for a guy like Christian, isn't in being a champ, but in the pursuit of the title. What draws the fans is wondering "can he do it" and just "one more match"... lol. And what's up with this sudden face turn for no reason? When last we saw Christian, he was kissing up to John Laurinaitis, annoying everyone in sight and whining constantly about "one more match". And now, for no reason at all, he's back from his injury and he's all sweet and lovable and Mr. Nice Guy on the side of the angels. I don't mind heel turns or face turns if there's a reason behind them, but this just happened and it doesn't make any sense. But then again, this is the WWE and making sense isn't necessarily required for their storylines, is it? Oh vey! Russell - FACT: Not only having Christian defeat Cody Rhodes for the I.C. Championship, but Christian turning back to a "face" as a result of winning the I.C. Championship was a good call over all...At least, maybe, we won't get to hear Christian asking "For one more shot at the World Heavyweight Championship"...One can only hope... And on Sunday night, Peeps all across the world joined together and rejoiced. (4-4) CM Punk was the right choice to win his match and retain the WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan? Doug - FACT: CM Punk is on a roll and doing a fantastic job as the WWE Champion. And Daniel Bryan is so hot right now with the fans (YES! YES! YES!) that he doesn't need a title to get himself over. With Punk as the champion and Bryan as the challenger, we're having some fantastic matches that will probably carry us all through the summer months (if we're lucky). And you know what? That suits me just fine. Russell - FACT: All hail CM Punk as the WWE Champion & all hail CM Punk retaining his WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan at Over the Limit...Thank you... Punk is de' man now in the WWE! (5-4) Ric Flair will soon be terminated by TNA and will eventually return to the WWE? Doug - FACT: Ric has been making noise about coming back to the WWE for a while and even said so when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a part of the Horsemen a few months ago. And from all reports, TNA is getting tired and fed up with his shenanigans and antics and beginning to realize that while Flair is arguably the greatest all-around wrestling superstar of all times, his behavior isn't really the type you'd want associated with your company. Vince and HHH know and love Flair and will tolerate his stunts. TNA doesn't need to and shouldn't have to. Ric will be gone from that company before long (probably within the year) and welcomed back to the WWE with open arms (and bar tabs). And with daughter Ashley now signed to a developmental deal, we'll have all Flair all the time in the WWE once more. Woooooo! Russell - FACT: Ric Flair has no business bein in TNA period...He needs to leave TNA & return to the WWE in a non-wrestling gig of some kind... Diamonds are forever and so is Ric Flair. Wooooooooo!! (6-4) And there you go. Questions and comments can be sent to Doug28352@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading. We do appreciate it! I'm Doug and speaking on behalf of both myself and Russell, have a great week and don't forget, wrestling is real! Life is what's fake! Take it light. Ubuntu!