ST,

That's weird, because it would make a lot more sense for it to be a low blow. Jericho going over clean just seems wrong.

Also

Isn't "some reason" basically "because he is black"? I always here people talk about how Sheldon never gets over, but given the WWE audience, the reason seems really obvious.

Dids,

It doesn't really help Shelton's case that he apparently can't talk, he had that horrible angle with his "momma" and he's relegated to SmackDown where he never gets any true push. When he had the US Title it was almost completely forgotten about, it seems, except for his nickname being the "Gold Standard" and him dying his hair, well, gold...

This is prob. true, but I expect some decent spots out of MITB (which they'll run early).

I know it will never, ever happen, but Edge/Orton to win one time?

Shelton doesn't get pushed because he's turrible on the mic. If you've ever listened to a promo of his, you'd cringe. WHICH IS WHY WWE NEEDS MANAGERS HYACHACHACHA MANAGERS DO NOT EQUAL "WRASSLIN'" VINCE YOU POS. WWE needs a Bobby Heenan in the worst ****ing way.

Also just read that Tazz is leaving the company because he can't deal with Vince in his ear all the time. Why can't Michael Cole do this? God I run bad.

Oh yeah, and Santino's line about talking with WWE President Jack Tunney was awesome. Like 95% of the audience had no clue but I lol'ed pretty hard.

I caught it and said 'wtf he's dead' but my roommates both said 'who the **** is jack tunney?' fkn noobs.

IMO this is a pretty solid card. I'm not a huge fan of the fact that in the Orton/HHH storyline, the belt is a secondary reason why the two are fighting at Mania'.

The storyline of HHH avenging his family and Orton feeling he was wronged before by HHH is good enough to stand on it's own. They don't need the world title as well to sell it. Plus, world title matches at Mania' are traditionally about the belt. Pretty basic booking - guy is chasing the title and either gets or wins a title shot, wants to become champion. Fights champ at WM. Simple, right? I sometimes forget in the Orton/HHH match that the belt is on the line.

Taker' and Shawn can still put on awesome matches when they need to and Hardy vs. Hardy could tear the house down if they let the two go balls out which Vince traditionally does at Mania'.

My concern is with the World Heavyweight Title match. The booking has been kinda goofy and while I understand why Big Show was thrown into the match (b/c Edge vs. Cena has been done 49343893843 times), the whole storyline seems kind of silly to me. I see this one as being a potential letdown.

I'd like to see Steph screwing over HHH and joining/running Legacy.

Russ, I routinely get pissed over the no managers/stables in the WWE. One heel manager with a stable would be awesome.

Most thought this was logical at the outset but it seems relatively impossible now that she's taken an RKO and elevated DDT.

Yes, I thought they were grooming Armando Estrada for such a faction but I guess he was too successful in getting Umaga over so he got ****canned to ECW then released. Vince needs to realize that managers and valets can be used today and not look "wrasslin'" and they can get people like Shelton over. Also managers and valets add another element to a match/feud that can help get them over as well. What's weird is that Vince is so anti-manager yet Mark Henry has Tony Atlas in his corner and he does absolutely nothing whatsoever.

Jericho is portrayed as being in the prime of his career and Lawler is nearly 60 and to the WWE audience retired. It would be an insult to Batista, HBK, Punk, Kofi and all the other guys that have put Jericho over clean in the last year for Jericho to have to cheat to beat Lawler.

This is very hard to do, but you're underestimating the WWE audience. Kofi Kingston gets big pops despite having no character at all, Cryme Tyme are hugely over even though they barely get on television, Booker T was very over, and there's countless other examples. Shelton has had the biggest and best matches of any black wrestler currently in the WWE, yet is the second to least over with the crowd, ahead of only R-Truth.

Tiger,

There is little funnier than watching R-Truth do his entrance through the crowd, just rappin' along, and listening to about 20 people in the stadium play along with the whole "what's up" bit.

Also, what's up with Orton pulling the old "if you don't sit down and shut up I'll kick all your asses" this past week? I guess his promo was getting less heat than Rikishi when they said he was the guy who ran over Stone Cold, but really? Like it was said earlier, I wish they could have made HHH/Orton more about the title, but I do like the fact that they should have a killer match, probably one of the top 2 on the card.

I'm still not excited about anything on this card besides Matt vs. Jeff, HBK vs. Taker and MAYBE MITB. Tag Title match should be good, but I kinda wish there were some kind of stipulation for the match. Title vs. title is good enough for me though.

Any word on where the upcoming draft is going to lead? I have a hard time seeing any of the top stars (or even really any mid-carder) going to ECW to help their show. I figure Christian will end up on Raw or Smackdown to pair up with Edge in some way, but beyond that I have no idea.

I have been saying for years they need to **** the draft and go back to the WWE just being one entity. With wrestlers constantly appearing on the other show and the tag titles being unified could this be happening soon?

Yea, It looks like they are edging closer to stopping the Brand Seperation. Which is fine. They don't do it right anyways, so they might as well end it.

They do really need a good manager or two and some Factions in the WWE. I don't know why they don't. They worked really well for years. They don't have to be huge like nWo or Corporate Ministry, something like Evolution would be sick.

Also with Wrestlemania coming up has anyone else been re-reading Scott Keith's Wrestlemania rants? http://www.rspwfaq.com/

Unlikely maybe, but I don't think its even close to impossible, what's stopping Vince from firing RO/Legacy after WM25? Taking into account that it's already obvious that Legacy is gonna go skynet on the WWE after WM25. They need to have power from somewhere. Steph fits the bill perfectly, but maybe too perfectly to happen.

I personally would like to see HHH on the bench for a while, they cant just keep having Orton/HHH feuding, its already getting boring, so id like to see him get (kayfabe, lol)injured at WM25 and on the sidelines for a while. That way it leaves a nice vacuum waiting to be filled by the likes of Jeff hardy, John Morrison, CM Punk etc. I have a feeling Morrison is gonna turn face soon, possibly team up with Jeff hardy and CM punk and others in a rival stable to Legacy, then they can turn Morrison back to heel and set up a Hardy/Morrison rivalry for the ages.

Anyway enough of my pie in the sky, i'd be happy to hear others ideas on the directions you'd like to see WWE go after WM25.

PS. It was nice to Big Show win clean over Cena imo.

No way that they scrap the brand separation. People have switched back and forth lately because of WM, and will again during Survivor Series, but the main events would be too overcrowded and no new stars would get pushed if they went back to having one World Champion, 1 Divas Champion, etc.

I do agree that it'd be nice to see some more managers and factions. It's rumored the Colons or Miz and Morrison will be getting a manager after WM. I don't see any actual wrestling factions opposing Legacy, though. I would like to see some sort of ECW faction to give people a reason to watch it, and they could invade other shows like the ECW originals did various times in the 90's.

I'm hoping Steph turns on HHH at WM, citing all he's done is get her hurt by Orton and that he couldn't protect her, so she accepted Legacy and wanted the protection of Randy Orton. If Orton does win, I'd strongly suspect he holds the belt until Batista returns in early summer.

Sure does seem with everything I've seen that SOMEBODY from the McMahons is turning tomorrow to allow Orton to win. Saw an ad tonight featuring Orton and "everything is going to change" talk.

Also bump for HoF show.

Still cant believe they are inducting kobo b ware


also if this show doesnt end with beer then this is a fail by my standard.

solid bump guys, forgot after getting back from bar. replay at 1 am too for anyone who misses it. even though i've been meh about this card I have to say I'm getting really excited for tomorrow.

Seriously contemplating buying this tomorrow.

you should man, its friggin wrestlemania.


makes me sad sometimes to see steve, and thinking about his career ending way too soon. just thinking about heel austin and kurt angle makes me really wonder what could have been.


****ing awesome "thank you austin" chant

win

see what I did there

Bump for Mania day:

Really looking forward to HBK/Taker now, but they've written it so heavily favoring Michaels that I think we're looking at a Taker win. Not that this match really leads to a whole lot for either of them. Beyond that I'm just hoping for competent matches and a good solid finish for MITB, Orton/HHH, and Hardys.

Anybody else going to be watching this? I'm gonna have to flip back and forth between this and the Braves/Phils game (read: ignoring Kid Rock's performances).

One of the best predictors of WWE PPV matches I've seen in recent years is: whoever is getting the most promos/pushing before the match will be the loser. Also, it only makes sense that they will be saving a Taker WM loss for an opponent who they want to give a major push to. Michaels doesn't need such a push at this point in his career.

Regarding the two big title matches, I hope at least one heel pulls it off (Edge or Orton). Big Show seems like he's been reduced to rare appearances these days (kind of like Taker) and the WWE would have no reason to have him win here.

I'm about to head to my buddies and start drinking.

Orton + Edge, one time?

MITB sick spots, one time?

Don't let me down, WWE. Please?