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Welcome to the Raw Factor, where I report and I decide about your favorite Monday night wrestling show. My name is Pat McNeill, and not even Vince McMahon can kill my love of professional wrestling.

Impact Segment of the Night: It's good that WWE was feeling competitive last night, and that they took shots at other shows, like "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Monday Night Football". But in their haste to bash Monday Night Football, they overlooked the best way to keep people from flipping the channel. Jim Ross should have just given out the score to the Monday Night Football game during Raw.

I can already hear the fury of Jason Powell at the idea of WWE spoiling his Monday Night Football tape, but think about it. Three of the four Monday Night games have been complete dogs. If JR had just said that Baltimore was pounding Denver 31-3 at halftime, do you really think anyone would have bothered to switch over to ABC?

In the future, maybe we could have Coach cut in with a "Game Break" every so often, so we don't feel like we're missing too much sports on television. Maybe we could even get them to show clips of highlights from "Everybody Loves Raymond" (which is also on Viacom) so our wives and girlfriends don't feel like they're missing out on anything.

Talking Points Memo: As the duly designated PWTorch Legal Correspondent, I've been following the sexual harassment suit by Nicole Bass against WWE. A lot has been made of the fact that WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt was trying to establish Nicole Bass as a poor wrestler by showing video tapes of good wrestling matches featuring good workers. The judge, of course, would have none of this.

That's a shame, because a competent attorney with a background in professional wrestling could drive a truck through that opening. Don't believe me? Let's show you a sample cross-examination of WWE owner Vince McMahon, with me playing the role of Nicole Bass's attorney.

Me: Mr. McMahon, you have testified that Nicole Bass was let go by your company because she wasn't a good wrestler. Is that correct?

VKM: Absolutely.

McNeill: She was unable to put on an entertaining wrestling match?

VKM: That's right.

McNeill: And that's important, in order to remain employed by your company?

VKM: Yes.

McNeill: Very well. I'm going to hand you the following box, which is labeled "Plaintiff's Exhibit #12". Could you identify that for me?

(McNeill hands McMahon a copy of the "WWE King of The Ring 2002" DVD.)

McDevitt: Objection!

Judge: Overruled.

(Mr. McNeill forces the jury and Mr. McMahon to sit through the twenty-three minute King of the Ring main event between Triple H and The Undertaker, followed by some Mark Henry matches, some Big Show matches, a Mark Henry vs. Big Show match if he can find one, and maybe some of Chyna's promos.)

McNeill: Now, will you admit that it's entirely possible that your company has allowed some people who are not good wrestlers to remain on your roster?

VKM: You want answers?

McNeill: I want the truth!

VKM: You can't handle the truth!

(Ron Killings stands up in the gallery.)

McNeill: Not yet, Ron.

VKM: Pally, we live in a world that has sports entertainment. And sports entertainment has to be run by McMahons. Who's gonna do it? You?

Judge: Didn't somebody in the Torch Lounge already run this joke into the ground?

McNeill: Oh, like I've been paying attention. Besides, I'm using it in context.

VKM: ...I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Nicole and you curse the road agents. You have that luxury...

Judge: Can we at least rip off a different courtroom movie or something? You have anything from "To Kill a Mockingbird?"

McNeill: Er...

VKM: ...We use words like screwjob, angle, storyline...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline.

Judge: Speaking of a punchline, don't you have one yet, Mr. McNeill?

McNeill: No. Look, all I'm saying is that even though Vince McMahon is a wrestling promoter in a family-run business, he's as subject to cronyism and bad management as any other company in America. It's not fair for wrestling fans to sit there and smugly write off Nicole's case just because she couldn't wrestle and she's hideously unattractive. This case has to be judged on the totality of the evidence presented, not just on Ms. Bass's lack of talent and ability. The WWE's not above the law. If someone sexually harrassed Nicole Bass, and it cost her a job with WWE, she's entitled to damages.

Judge: You're right.

McNeill: But man, Nicole Bass was a really bad wrestler.

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