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WRESTLING COLUMNS

In Support of the Smackdown! Champion
July 23, 2004 by Jasper


I'm having a difficult issue understanding why people insist on not liking JBL. As far as I can see, JBL is a quality championship. My only issue was that he was pushed far too fast, from mid carder to top seed. That's where I guess where most people's issues are coming from. It seems that JBL was nearly tossed into the role, without having to earn his way. Well, by this point, I think he has clearly proven that he does deserve the title belt.

There's a couple of things you need to remember, JBL doesn't need to do wrestling; he's rich, to put it simply. And though I may not agree with his political views or thoughts; i think it's pretty clear that it doesn't really matter what I think about his views. He does this because he wants to, and if a person wants to and really gives it their all, I see no problem with them holding the title belt.

I guess another reason why people look down upon JBL is because he is a brawler. When was the last time we had a brawler for a champion? I'd say that it was when Big Show was holding the title, and that was quite a time period ago. Even then I can't fully consider Big Show so much a brawler as just a mass of big weight and power. So, let's say even further back and realize that the last one was probably the Undertaker who used the brawling style as a champion title holder. I think it's refreshing to see the change; while my favorite style may be technical, I have to give my admiration to those wrestlers who can make a brawling style look good. Clearly JBL does so. If you don't believe me, watch the cage match between Eddie and JBL and tell me that JBl did not do a good job. His moves were executed nicely, his power seemed to be right in place, and the pace of the match was definitely appropriate. Both Eddie and JBL did a hell of a job for that match, and I was not dissapointed. JBL implemented his various finishers just fine and he sold to Eddie's moves brilliantly. (I don't know if this televised on the TV, but when I was there at Smackdown, Eddie kept on pulling down JBL's tights...a bit excessive, but funny.)

Furthermore, I really dont mind if a mid carder becomes champion, as long as they are a wrestling champion. In other words, that champion had better be busting his balls day in and day out wrestling on every show, non televised or televised. I was really angry when there was a time period where HHH had gotten the title and had not wrestled one iota. In fact, in my mind, the guy who really had it hard was the Undertaker as the Undisputed Champion of the World. He was pulling double duty on Raw and Smackdown. I still remember when he had a ladder match against Jeff Hardy, and the very next day, he goes and wrestles again. I think that Bradshaw is doing a good job as a champion. He is wrestling every night and has not been taking it easy.

I've heard some people complain about the fact that it was Eddie who lost the title to this nobody. Well pay attention people, they put on a good match together. They know how to keep things going and keep things alive.

Another damn good thing about JBL is this new character. I haven't seen a character like this in awhile, or at least not this extreme and I like it. It annoys people, it gets people angry, and evidently JBL is learning as weeks go by, because he seems to be gaining more and more skill on the mic. Every week he is able to build on the crowd and knows how to get them mad. Excellent character.

Like I said, the only major downfall I can see with the character is that he was tossed into the role much too quickly. Too sudden, didn't lend itself to credibility and the fact that he didnt have to wrestle his way up. However, he has proven it now that he is there.

With this in mind, it seems to me that Smackdown is beginning a new path. I think Smackdown is rising in it's quality. Just a general note, but the promos are getting better, they're actually putting effort with the titles, and they're improving the general story lines. I think London and Kidman with the tag team titles are brilliant; its a perfect way to gain respect for the cruiserweights, push Paul London, and bring respect back to the tag team titles. Before, they would've sat with the Dudleyz and because there was no real tension like the TLC matches a few years back, the Dudleyz were beginning to lose character. To actually see the Dudleyz have to feud with people and build up a storyline just for the titles makes me happy to see that clearly, respect is being given to the titles. Look on Raw, do you know where the tag team titles are? Do you care where they are on Raw? I sadly admit, that I really am not interested. Look at the cruiserweight title on Smackdown, I'm hoping for a title run by

Spike Dudley. That little bugger deserves that belt for the amount of bumps he's taken alone. Not to cast a shadow on his wrestling skill, Spike is indeed one of the best.

Face it people, Smackdown is a pheonix reborn. It's coming back up again with JBL in the lead.

by Jasper..


Steve Love writes:
I disagree with you jasper. bradshaw was never a good wrestler by any means, all he had was size and power. he has no personality, very little skill and is nothing but a second rate Ted Dibiase, no wait scratch that, I shouldn't even utter his name in the same sentence with Ted Dibiase, who was entertaining, and at least made the crowd angry because he was a decent character. Wrestling has evolved past the point where just being big can get you the WWE title (I hope). The reason JBL is so hated is not because he's doing his job, it's because he can't wrestle a lick, was wrestling on Velocity six months ago and suddenly gets pushed into a WWE title feud. Bradshaw was only ever entertaining in the APA, and that's during the APA's heyday in 2000, when Bradshaw was actually worth something.

There can't be that many people that when they heard that Bradshaw was going to start feuding with Eddie said "Wow, about time, Bradshaw is SO worthy of a main event push!". Smackdown has a very deep roster of performers who deserve the title more than Bradshaw, let's go down the list: 1. Booker T - Still very over, even though WWE tried to turn him into Booker Shango. 2. Rob Van Dam - Very few performers get the reaction that RVD gets, which is pretty much everybody cheering at the top of their lungs when he appears. 3. Rey Mysterio - The amount of bad matches Rey's had since coming to WWE can be counted on one hand, for heavens sake he can have a good match with Shannon Moore!

My point is, saying that Bradshaw can have good matches with Eddie is not enough; almost everybody can have a good match with Eddie Guerrero. Nothing Bradshaw has ever done has ever made me think he is worthy of the WWE title, a title guys like Billy Graham, Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and countless other big names have made famous. JBL should not be champion, and the sooner he loses it the better.
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