What's Up
Last Friday's Smack Down was a solid show as the card was filled with entertaining matches up and down still establishing a good showing since the move to My Network. But the one aspect that stuck out most in my mind was the current character development that is taking place. To quote the immortal lines of R-Truth, "what's up"? There are certain members of the roster that are being hot shot into major roles without really paying their dues, while other solid performers are taking a backseat. I understand the need to inject fresh talent into the roster, but to do so at the expense of established guys makes no sense to me.
The first guy that I question is Vladimir Kozlov as he now finds himself entangled in the biggest program going right now of Triple H and Jeff Hardy. Hardy and H are both well established stars and are clearly in the top five of fan favorites. Some how the WWE has deemed Kozlov worthy of being in the same program as them? I don't get this, especially since Kozlov hasn't even taken on many of the mid card guys to show what he is made of. He is way to much of an unknown commodity to thrust him in the spotlight now. As of right now you can even vote to include him in a title match at Cyber Sunday. I could be wrong, but I see it ending in a disaster and really hurting Kozlov's chances of making a name for himself.
The other guy who is getting a big push is the aformationed R-Truth. There has been talk he will become the big large African American talent on Smack Down. Again this would thrust a unestablished talent into a big time role without really proving himself. All we really know about this guy is he can sing and dance and frankly the angle is not good at all. Right now it's looking like he will be the US Champ pretty soon taking it from Shelton Benjamin. This again is a recipe
for disator as it takes another unproven talent and puts him in a major role.
This angle will most likely put an end to Benjamin's days at the top and that is a shame. They wanted this guy to work his butt off and he has responded. He had some great matches including a solid showing one on one with Triple H. Now his reward will be losing his title to a gimmicky song and dance man in Truth. I can only see this sending a poor message to the rest of the locker room. No matter how hard you try, if your not one of the chosen few in the WWE you really have no chance of making it.
Another guy who falls into this category is MVP. Who knows what the plans for this guy are anymore. He has supposedly been in the dog house, but the guy has too much talent to let go to waste. Ever since Wrestle Mania 23 he has shown he has the skills to role with the big dogs. I was hoping to see him in a program with Hardy or Benjamin to help establish his resume. Right now it looks like neither will happen, especially considering you have Umaga and Edge coming back soon and the Undertaker and Big Show looming around. It looks like MVP is going doe the same path as Mr. Kennedy, plenty of talent, but forever unable to get over the hump.
The first guy that I question is Vladimir Kozlov as he now finds himself entangled in the biggest program going right now of Triple H and Jeff Hardy. Hardy and H are both well established stars and are clearly in the top five of fan favorites. Some how the WWE has deemed Kozlov worthy of being in the same program as them? I don't get this, especially since Kozlov hasn't even taken on many of the mid card guys to show what he is made of. He is way to much of an unknown commodity to thrust him in the spotlight now. As of right now you can even vote to include him in a title match at Cyber Sunday. I could be wrong, but I see it ending in a disaster and really hurting Kozlov's chances of making a name for himself.
The other guy who is getting a big push is the aformationed R-Truth. There has been talk he will become the big large African American talent on Smack Down. Again this would thrust a unestablished talent into a big time role without really proving himself. All we really know about this guy is he can sing and dance and frankly the angle is not good at all. Right now it's looking like he will be the US Champ pretty soon taking it from Shelton Benjamin. This again is a recipe
for disator as it takes another unproven talent and puts him in a major role.
This angle will most likely put an end to Benjamin's days at the top and that is a shame. They wanted this guy to work his butt off and he has responded. He had some great matches including a solid showing one on one with Triple H. Now his reward will be losing his title to a gimmicky song and dance man in Truth. I can only see this sending a poor message to the rest of the locker room. No matter how hard you try, if your not one of the chosen few in the WWE you really have no chance of making it.
Another guy who falls into this category is MVP. Who knows what the plans for this guy are anymore. He has supposedly been in the dog house, but the guy has too much talent to let go to waste. Ever since Wrestle Mania 23 he has shown he has the skills to role with the big dogs. I was hoping to see him in a program with Hardy or Benjamin to help establish his resume. Right now it looks like neither will happen, especially considering you have Umaga and Edge coming back soon and the Undertaker and Big Show looming around. It looks like MVP is going doe the same path as Mr. Kennedy, plenty of talent, but forever unable to get over the hump.
"All we really know about this guy is he can sing and dance and frankly the angle is not good at all."
You need to do your homework, brother. The man, Ron "The Truth" Killings was the first ever African American NWA World Heavyweight Champion during his run in TNA. He has proven himself everywhere outside the bounds of WWE which seemed to be enough for the likes of Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Ken Shamrock, Bobby Lashley, you get the picture. Naturally WWE didn't plug Killings' past with TNA as to not draw any attention to its only competitor; so fans without cable and Internet access may not be aware of this but I have a feeling that every smark outside of the age 50+ and living in a cave demographic is wise to Truth's past. Most of us probably remember his first run in WWE as "K-Kwik" which I find it funny that both Truth and WWE are playing as if he just blew in off the streets. I agree that the gimmick is cheesy but it's amusingly cheesy and very 1992. Rapping and dancing (if you want to call it that) have always kind of been the Truth's trademark.
I do find it unfortuante that WWE seems to want only one African American star to shine instead of a heated feud between two superb talents such as Truth and Benjamin or even a stable to include the two.
Posted by
Zed Eh-Kay |
10:54 AM
I knew of his past, but now he is R-Truth in the WWE. And as of now he has shown nothing in the big time. I'm sorry, but anything coming out of a garbage product like TNA doesn't not register on my radar. It would be like predicting big things for the MVP of the CFL coming to the NFL. Two different classes. So I'll stick to my guns and say he has to prove himself in the WWE first before we hand him anything.
Posted by
JSX |
9:10 PM
LOL @ you referring to TNA as WWE's CFL. I know you can't be serious, after all why would such NFL (WWE stars) as Angle, Foley, Booker and Cage all with the exception of the latter holding World Titles (MVPs) in the WWE (NFL) defect to the CFL (TNA). In the rare case that you are serious, let's just say that you would be comparing apples to oranges, my friend. Again, Goldberg had shown nothing in the "Big Time" (WCW) prior to appearing out of nowhere and receiving a push but maybe WCW is more like the WLAF or Arena Football so let's use Bobby Lashley or maybe even Brock Lesnar as an example. So where's the problem with R-Truth's push? Have you seen the man perform? I can't remember the last time someone with such a goofy gimmick was so fun to watch in the ring!
I'm just saying ;)
Posted by
Zed Eh-Kay |
5:29 PM