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ECW Reax #1: "The quality of ECW is taking a horrendous nosedive and WWE seems oblivious."
May 7, 2008 - 4:41:16 AM |
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Shane McKinley of Danville, Calif. (0.5): Best Match: Main Event. Worst Match: Opening. What a mess. Just sad. The downward spiral for ECW started somewhere back a month ago. Used to be a time where Raw and ECW were reliable shows. Now they are just duds and the pendlum has swung towards Smackdown and Impact (help me) as shows I look forward to. There is a "yin/yang" in wrestling, in that for every excellent moment, there are abysmal ones. They call these times "The Lean Times," when fans are strugg-a-ling trying to stay emotionally involved, the feuds are barely lukewarm, and watching shows seem more like a test of endurance. At first I gave "Bad Mic" Mike Adalme a chance. Some hiccups, but maybe he could grow. I thought that on Raw showing him as a joke would be the nail in the coffin. I gave him a month, and after a month (especially after the last Raw), I thought, "Well, he's gone." So when ECW opened up with the "voice of ECW" Adalme bathering on about how he announced football games and American Gladiators, well, whoopee doo. Adalme is not a wrestling announcer. Mick Foley is light years ahead of Adalme. Nothing against Adalme, but alone he makes ECW not at all fun to watch anymore. During this opening I was expecting Sandman to pop up and cane him silly. But I guess I'm supposed to take him seriously. I would rather not spend my Tuesday nights listening to wrestlers mocking their announcer (boy, that's really productive for your show). The quality of ECW is taking a horrendous nosedive and WWE seems oblivious. Listening to this show was bad. This was comedy hour, but it was sad that it was trying to be respectable. The most remarkable thing of the night was when they showed a video package of RVD vs. Hardcore Holly, with all of the pain, injury, and blood. Then right after that "up next is Kofi Kingston vs. Matt Striker!" Right. I gave up and started to watch ECW on mute, which I'm thinking of doing when I watch this show now. I guess ECW nowadays is good for if you want to do voice-overs in your living room.
Eric Gall of Bridgeport, Conn. (7.0): Best Match: Colin Delaney vs. Estrada, Dreamer vs. Knox. Worst Match: Nothing to speak of. The story of underdog Colin Delaney is infinitely more watchable than supermen main-eventers destroying the rest of the card. The pre-match scene with the locker room encouraging Colin was a great moment. It might not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but this is my wrestling TV moment of the year - a five-foot-nothing, one-hundred-and-nothing "Rudy" who's fighting just to get a spot on the roster. For a one-hour program, there seemed to be something for everyone on the roster. Nobody was buried, storylines were advanced, and nothing made me want to kick in the screen of the TV. It's these little things that ECW does that still makes it my favorite WWE show. I know it's the trendy thing to do to diss ECW, but because it's mostly left to itself to put on a wrestling show and not to force storylines and "superstars" down our throats, but I still say it's the best show coming out of Titan Tower these days.
Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (7.0): Best: Tommy Dreamer vs. Mike Knox; Colin Delaney post-match Worst: Chuck Palumbo promo ECW did all right for Number 100. The replays from the vaults will probably want fans to want RVD, Sabu, and the other Originals back, but that's not likely gonna happen. Kofi-Striker moved along the Kofi-Shelton feud without the two going a full match, Shelton did well cn commentary, too; works better with others versus going alone. Speaking of commentary, who knew Stevie Richards could do so well? He helped to put over the opening Extreme Rules match and Dreamer's ECW experience very well. Colin finally got his win, and it was received by the crowd as a big enough deal, but WWE didn't give it the treatment it deserved. Armando Estrada looked very good in there body-wise, but didn't bring much to the table in terms of repertoire (but it fits his character). Colin put over his big-deal win like a pro. There's a starstruck quality to his promo which really added a nce touch. Kelly's Expose was repetitve in moves, but unlike the other dance-offs, there were smooth transitions between "look at me... no, look at me." The brawl that followed was nicely done. Those two should go to Smackdown as there really is no one else there to move them along. Lena Yada, however, should be sent away as she couldn't put two words together, which badly effected Palumbo's promo. The fact there was no followup didn't help, either. The main event was blah, but furthered something along that everyone so failed to look at as performance. More proof that "Mike Adamle" is a work after Raw last night is the very stiff delivery of his promo. In character he's been under serious pressure and this promo showed it. No further explanation was given to his losing his cool, but that may come into play soon enough. In the opening match, with Stevie Richards at commentary, Adamle was much more relaxed and less prone to make mistakes. In the main event, Miz and Morrison were at the comm, and Adamle was summarily trashed and buried throughout the match. Tazz did clearly try to support Mike, but got caught up a little. Am I the only one seeing a Tim White-esque or "gone postal" storyline on the horizon?
We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "ECW Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on ECW, click here.
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LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1033 - JULY 12, 2008

This issue includes a Cover Story and Keller BBL editorial on WWE Raw falling right back into a pre-draft mode with some odd booking and scripting choices, with a particular focus in the Cover Story on John Cena's oddball performance on Raw with use of the word "poopy" and references to his own toilet visits... Jason Powell's "Page 2 Buzz" provides a special insider commentary on Vince McMahon acting like a bully toward his announcers... Sean Radican reviews the Sixth Anniversary Show taped May 23 in Manhattan, N.Y... James Caldwell's feature column reviews the new Ted DiBiase book... Pat McNeill's feature column takes a look at the C.M. Punk-Vince McMahon "Odd Couple" relationship... Bruce Mitchell's "Memo" breaks down the brilliance of the Shawn Michaels-Chris Jericho promo from Raw... Also detailed coverage of Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, plus the Torch Newswire, Raw Reader Reax, and a WWE Arena Spotlight...
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| Articles Grouped by Category |
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| Torch Today |
| TORCH NEWS TICKER 7/20: Bash PPV preview, CW prez upsets critics, Punk interview, title belt process detailed |
| New Volunteer Contributors Wanted: Apply this week to be part of PWTorch.com! |
| TORCH NEWS TICKER 7/12: TNA PPV preview and notes for tonight, Mark Henry interview, Keibler at Comic-Con |
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| WWE News |
| Interview Highlights: Ted DiBiase talks about his book, business philosophy, trainers, JBL comparisons, Ultimate Warrior |
| 7/15 WWE in Charlotte, N.C.: Complete Smackdown taping report including tag partners facing off |
| Ratings News: ECW ratings hold steady, headlined with the Hardys, up against Major League Baseball All-Star Game (w/Keller's Analysis) |
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| TNA News |
| 7/15 TNA Impact tapings in Orlando, Fla.: Victory Road follow-up, Cornette addresses Booker-Joe controversy |
| TNA Impact Ratings: Final Impact before Victory Road draws strong final 30 minute rating for final PPV hype (w/Keller Analysis) |
| Interview Highlights: Booker T discusses his time in TNA, Sunday's PPV main event, retirement thoughts, more |
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| ROH News |
| ROH News: Lance Storm interview on working with ROH wrestlers and injuries in pro wrestling |
| ROH News: ROH to continue on PPV, Lance Storm returns to ROH, KOCH DVD update |
| Torch Indy Weekend Report: Balls vs. Abyss, Lynn, Strong & Evans in PWG, Danny Havoc in CZW |
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| Other News |
| Interview Highlights: Jesse Ventura announces whether he will run for Senate this year on CNN's Larry King Live tonight (w/Keller Analysis) |
| Torch Indy Weekend Report: Black over Lynn in AAW, Castagnoli, Delirious in Chikara, Basham, ODB |
| Torch Indy Weekend Report: Hero wins PWG title, Moose breaks leg, Shimmer taping, Briscoe fired |
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| PPV Reports |
| KELLER'S TNA VICTORY ROAD PPV REPORT 7/13: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live event from Houston |
| CALDWELL'S TNA VICTORY ROAD PPV REPORT 7/13: Live on-site coverage from Houston |
| KELLER'S WWE NIGHT OF THE CHAMPIONS PPV REPORT 6/29: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of event |
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| TV Reports |
| KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/17: A ruling on the ownership and possession of the TNA World Championship, 10-Woman Gauntlet |
| KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 7/18: Edge and Vickie get married, then Triple H presents them with a devastating surprise video |
| 7/18 WWE SMACKDOWN: Parks's Ongoing "Real-Time" Coverage of the Edge-Vickie Wedding Show |
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| Arena Reports |
| 7/19 TNA in Monroe: Machismo vs. Dutt, Petey vs. Kaz, LAX vs. Guns, Styles vs. Angle, Tomko vs. Christian |
| 7/14 WWE Smackdown in Ashville, N.C.: Michelle McCool & Cherry vs. Victoria & Maryse, Jeff Hardy vs. Edge, Khali vs. Bourne |
| 7/15 TNA Impact tapings in Orlando, Fla.: Victory Road follow-up, Cornette addresses Booker-Joe controversy |
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| MMA / UFC Coverage |
| Torch MMA Rankings, California's MMA Rules, Vera Makes Claim, Victor Belford, Machida, UFC PPV |
| Torch coverage of Rampage Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin, plus Brandon Vera Exclusive Interview, more! |
| UFC News: Dana White reveals major announcement regarding UFC - full story and analysis |
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| KELLER'S TAKE |
| KELLER: An overhaul is in order for Raw before ratings drop further - several specific suggestions |
| KELLER: McMahon Returns for That? Nothing Funnier than a DUI! Let Me Shift So You Can Hit Me! |
| A KELLER SHORT: Should Mr. Kennedy be a babyface; coffee shop eavesdropping |
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| MITCHELL'S TAKE |
| MITCHELL'S MEMO: A Prayer For The Business - Michaels delivers profound message during Jericho promo |
| A MITCHELL SHORT: More Important Info Regarding The WWE McMahon Million Dollar Giveaway |
| MITCHELL: TNA's Grass Roots Approach To House Shows |
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| MCNEILL'S TAKE |
| Move To The Music: McNEILL previews WWE's Great American Bash! |
| Fans' Revenge: McNEILL previews TNA Victory Road! |
| Paul, I Can't Feel My Legs: McNEILL previews Night of Champions! |
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| CALDWELL'S TAKE |
| CORNER CUBE THURSDAY 7/17 - "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" review: Most-important movie you'll see this year |
| CORNER CUBE WEDNESDAY 7/16 - ECW, Uggla, and Rampage make for an interesting night |
| CORNER CUBE MONDAY 7/14 - TNA booking way behind the rest of the company |
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| RADICAN'S TAKE |
| WEEKEND DVD SPOTLIGHT: SHIMMER Vol. 18 (Kong-Busic,Del Rey-MsChif) |
| TALES FROM THE PULPIT 7/18: Passionate reader feedback on Victory Road, mainstream perception of pro wrestling, and more! |
| TALES FROM THE PULPIT 7/17: Randazzo’s “Ring of Hell” offers up all of the problems within wrestling, but ultimately offers no solutions |
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| The Specialists |
| ECW Storylines and Feuds - More on Mark Henry's and Tony Atlas's characters, plus the Chavo-Bourne feud |
| Raw Storylines and Feuds - Complete overview of the feuds including Punk-Batista, Cena-JBL, and Y2J-HBK |
| PARKER'S PENNY THOUGHTS: FRIDAY: 7/18: Is Ric Flair the Savior of wwe.com? |
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| Guest Editorials |
| EDITORIAL: The latest TNA PPV is probably a prime example of why I don't buy their PPVs |
| EDITORIAL: John Cena Needs to Turn Heel - A.S.A.P. |
| WWE Raw Reax #2: "Why wasn't Triple H a little upset for McMahon throwing Flair out the building?" |
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| Torch Feedback |
| TNA Impact Reax #1: "TNA continues to shoot itself in the foot with the overemphasis on gimmick matches thus burning out the novelty." |
| WWE Raw Reax #5: "C.M. Punk is not being booked effectively. No World Champion should have to wrestle during the first hour." |
| WWE ECW Reax #1: "Philadelphia, I know ECW probably has disappointed you a lot this past year, but please give them a chance." |
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| Ask the Editor |
| Ask the Editor: Wouldn't incorporating MMA-style holds into pro wrestling matches just be trying to be something it's not? |
| ASK THE EDITOR: Have the Michaels-Batista promos crossed a line with use of insider terms, references to "jobs"? |
| ASK THE EDITOR: Why do wrestlers in WWE refer to wrestling as "the business" and not "the sport"? |
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| DVDs - VGames - Books |
| WEEKEND DVD SPOTLIGHT: SHIMMER Vol. 18 (Kong-Busic,Del Rey-MsChif) |
| RADICAN: Al Snow discusses his wrestling career, philosophy, time in OVW, and more in new interview |
| DVD Review: ROH "Glory By Honor VI, N2" with Kenta vs. Misawa, 110307 |
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| Torch Flashbacks |
| KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 5 YRS. AGO (7-17-08): Cena attacks Taker, plus Benoit, Angle, Eddie, Rhyno, Lesnar, Zach Gowen, Sable |
| FREE - PWTORCH NEWSLETTER BACK ISSUE (PDF Format): Foley Torch Talk, Kane mess, Cornette compliments, Bret on Montreal |
| KELLER'S TNA REPORT 5 YRS. AGO (7-16-03): Russo vs. D-Lo main events show, plus Raven, Sabin, Jarrett, Justin, Kaz, Sting |
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| VIP Exclusive Features |
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| Mitchell Audio Show, pt. 2: Listener questions on Dallas Page's Rep, Dark Journey-Dick Slater, Black Scorpion (45 min.) |
| Mitchell Audio Show, pt. 1: JBL tries to kill Cena on Raw, Samoa Joe-Booker, Bash PPV Preview (58 min.) |
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| Torch Trivia |
| Torch Trivia: How much do you know about wrestling's vehicular assaults? |
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| Torch Trivia: How much do you know about short title reigns? |
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| Torch Instant Polls |
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| PWTorch Free Podcast |
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| FREE PODCAST: UFC PPV Analysis (Rampage vs. Forrest) in-depth with MMATorch's Shawn Ennis and John Taylor |
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| Annual Obituaries |
| SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 1999 - Muchnick, Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Renegade... |
| SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2000 - Solie, Albright, Duncum, Tsuruta, Blue Demon, Al Costello |
| SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2001: Johnny Valentine, Terry Gordy, Chris Adams, Bertha Faye, Helen Hart |
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