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Updated throughout the day, Torch columnist James Caldwell's new weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and issues from around wrestling. Caldwell writes from his corner cubicle after a sudden department re-location to the other side of the office. It's law firm office politics.
Updated Monday, November 19
In approximately 5 hours, Chris Jericho is expected to Save Us from whatever needs saving on Raw. (Hey, maybe it's Lashley returning and we're all being had.) In any event, the intrigue for tonight concerns how Jericho returns. Is it a solo promo? Does he interrupt a match? Does he interrupt someone's promo? Does he interrupt a Vince McMahon anti-government speech?
Mick Foley wrote an entire book about the program he had in mind for Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer for last year's ECW PPV. Nothing quite went according to plan with creative disagreements along the way, which is probably what Chris Jericho fears about his grand return. If he interrupts a tag team match and cuts a promo on the already castrated tag division, it wouldn't exactly be the monumental return everyone is expecting. Regardless, it will be good to have Jericho back on TV.
I'm expecting a babyface return, so here's my top four heels and babyfaces on the Raw brand. This is according to how I believe the TV time, important matches, and overall hype will shake out following Jericho's return leading to the December PPV.
Top Four babyfaces
(1) Triple H - the inevitable Orton vs. Hunter feud could be set up tonight to get a PPV main event out of the way at Armageddon. It wouldn't surprise me, though, to see Hunter remain in the shadows with a Kennedy program.
(2) Chris Jericho - strong initial push for Jericho. Could go either way in a month after fans get reacquainted with Jericho and WWE determines how much of a reaction he's getting.
(3) Jeff Hardy - his push starts, then stops, then starts again. Jeff picking up the win at Survivor Series and standing tall with Hunter was a sign of it starting again, but he could lose to clean to someone like Big Daddy V on Raw tonight based on how things go for him.
(4) Shawn Michaels - takes a breather from the main event after running out of title matches against Randy Orton. Still a very strong no. 4 if he slips down the ladder for the time being.
Top Four heels
(1) Randy Orton - the champion benefited from the Michaels program to develop a serious heel side to his character that was missing a month ago.
(2) Umaga - no matter how many times Hunter beats him, he still comes across like a guy who can rip an opponent's head off at any given time.
(3) Mr. Kennedy - see Hardy, Jeff. He's up one week, then down another week. He had a very good match against Rey Mysterio on Smackdown this week, but he didn't fare too well at Survivor Series. WWE doesn't seem to know what to do with him on TV these days. A program with Hunter would at least give him some stability.
(4) Santino - hopefully more promo time and less in-ring time. I'm holding out for a Jericho vs. Santino promo exchange.
***
Scanning my email this afternoon, we already have record response to the Question of the Week on Shawn Michaels using the crossface hold last night at Survivor Series. The opinions are very passionate in both directions on using the hold vs. not using the hold. Keep sending in your feedback and make your voice known! I'll be posting many of the responses tonight after Raw.
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- WWE sent out a press release with the formal announcement of the Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territory in Tampa that will be fully functional by the end of the year. The promotion, headed by Steve Keirn, has been running since June with shows in Tampa. They sound more dedicated to this project than the former Deep South promotion in Georgia, as they plan to increase the number of students training at the facility from 35 to 60. FCW is expanding the training facility to include a 300-seat arena for live TV tapings, with the TV show broadcast weekly in the region.
- Media Daily News has a report on NBC and CBS looking to add MMA programming during the writer's strike. Nothing new to the story, but NBC might be looking to add MMA programming as opposed to another WWE Saturday Night's Main Event episode in the SNL timeslot.
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During the course of a WWE show, there are moments when Vince McMahon's messages, strategies, offensive power plays, etc. are evident through the stories of matches and storylines. When interviewed in the CNN documentary, McMahon said they are reducing the number of chair shots to the head. Well, there were more than several during the Hell in a Cell battle between Batista and Undertaker.
Chris Benoit had taken the role of chief pariah ever since McMahon's "apology" on ECW TV the night after they aired a two-hour tribute to him. Shawn Michaels then applied Benoit's signature finishing hold last night, which came across to me as WWE trying to make Benoit a non-issue following the CNN documentary by placing their stamp of ownership on the story. I'd be shocked to find out that Shawn Michaels called for that move without it being mapped out by the agents ahead of time.
Then, there was the typical "rallying cry" promo from McMahon to Hornswoggle. See, the Hornswoggle role was necessary for Vince. He needs a sounding board to cut promos about the defiant nature of his family. He needs to remind himself that he "defeated" the federal government over a decade ago. He needs to remind himself that he doesn't lose.
It's part reminder for McMahon and part reminder to the rest of the company that WWE simply doesn't lose. The message comes the day after a Baltimore Sun report that Congress will finally hold those hearings in early 2008 and the day before a USA Today special report checks off WWE's report card on the Wellness policy after the media coverage slowed down.
Right now, WWE is on the offensive. They were forcing the ball down the field after the CNN piece by railing on one of the leading news networks in the country. They turned up the heat at Survivor Series with the Cell match. McMahon doesn't buy into the old adage that a strong defense is a good offense. It's not within his nature, but WWE will be tested soon enough. Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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