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WRESTLING COLUMNS

Getting Xtreme On Smackdown!
August 17, 2004 by Xtreme Falls


I have been sitting back and watching Smackdown sense its first night years ago, but I got to ask my self the same questions all the time. How did a show that 2 years ago had a great show and product completely deteriorate" It went from being close to Raw to be in a different league. In my 3rd Column I'm going to get hard on Smackdown and try and figure out its problem.

Cruiserweight Division: Ok I know what your thinking cruiserweight wrestling is awesome, and I am with you. The problem is how they have a good bunch of cruiserweights and decide to give it to a heel, and then have him lose it to Rey Mysterio. Yeah Mysterio is amazing but there are other faces, you have Kidman, London, and Scotty 2 Hottie. Give them a shot against Spike all of them would be nice change. The worst part about the division is how it is no longer putting together great matches, there slow and lame.

Tag Division: The Division is a joke it's not even entertaining. There are no tag teams besides 3, which aren't really that great, the Dudleys, Rico and Haas, and Bashams. Also they may not even keep Rico and Haas together so god knows. London and Kidman are a good team but I much rather watch Spanky and London.

United States Division: The problem with this division is they haven't changed it up its always been the same 5 contenders for the last couple of months. I mean its been Rene, Booker T, Cena, RVD, and Kenzo fighting for the belt over and over again. There only solution is changing it up.

Heavyweight Division: I'm not bashing JBL cause I'm warming up to him and he is one of the only people on Smackdown that I find entertaining. The problem is Raw has a lot of contenders but Smackdown doesn't. Angle is a heel, and Guerrero hasn't been able to handle the pressure, and Taker isn't an everyday wrestler anymore. People don't say Booker T is one cause if you ask me he is never going to get over the hill in the WWE.

Repetitive: Smackdown is so bad because the matches never change. In the last 5 months Cena has wrestled Booker T, Van Dam, and Rene Dupree in some form on every Smackdown and PPV if you ask me it's boring. The WWE title was in a feud that people found boring and stupid with Guerrero and JBL, they fought with no build really besides JBL not liking him being Mexican. I mean, we have been seeing the same matches for months and they don't change.

Rookies getting undeserved pushes: One of Smackdown major problem is they keep giving theses rookie's pushes. Yeah I want Rookies to get ahead but I don't want to see theses kids fall flat on there face. I mean look at the wrap sheet lately Matt Morgan, Nathan Jones, Mordecai, and now Heidenreich, none of theses people were ready and came up and fell flat. Heidenreich hasn't shown up yet, but we all saw the first time when he almost broke Steven Richards neck and from what I have heard he hasn't improved.

Miss using Talent: Why Smackdown has a roster of 47 people including personalities, but it seems like we only see 13 members of it. If you not one of them the only hope you have of seeing Smackdown time is getting jobbed off to someone. I mean we have all of these rookies struggling but they refused to use smart capable veterans like Billy Gunn and Hardcore Holly. That to me doesn't make sense especially when both are still popular with the crowds. You have half of the cruiserweights doing absolutely nothing, and have divas standing around. There Talent is in a huge hole.

Dudleys: Some say the best tag team ever if you ask me there really not. Yeah they have won tag team belts in ECW, WCW, and the WWE but if you ask me the team is stale. All of the great teams never got to the point were you dread seeing them on TV. I mean they aren't as over with the coward anymore and they still get the tag belts ok that stupid. Lets break them up and let them wrestle for them selves.

Kurt Angle: Yes this man is a great wrestler and tough but something needs to change. This Man isn't that funny anymore and if you ask me has lost a step or two in the ring. I'm not saying he is a big problem; him as GM was but there is bigger problems then him. I just think they need to change things up with Him.

Undertaker: The dead man used to scare me now his whole character is making me laugh. Taker was supposed to change into the dead man but if you ask me he is just American Badass with out the a shower and a haircut. I think the worst part of Taker is he only shows up once in a while which if he was on Raw yeah that make sense but he is on Smackdown, which needs him.

Commentary: I will be the first to admit Jerry Lawler and JR aren't the most entertaining team in the world but they are 10 times better than Cole and Tazz. Tazz isn't funny at all his jokes are lame and ruin the match. Cole tries to hard and unlike when JR does it he is horrible with getting emotion out. I will never forgive Tazz for ruining Undertaker for me when he said, "Taker isn't really dead but he is in a mind set". Not only did it screw up the build alive storyline but also it completely ruined Taker's Character.

Good things: I can say I enjoy JBL as Champ he is funny and a good heel wrestle. To help his character he needs to wrestle more than 2 a month. Yeah the sad thing is this is about it if they're more there not coming to me.

How to fix: First they need to change up the line up stop repeating the same matches every week. Stop bringing up rookies who aren't ready, and use the vets that are still capable. If the rumor of X-Pac coming back is true then send him to Smackdown and also bring in maybe a clean Scott Hall, or DDP. I think all divisions need to be shuffled. If you follow some of these steps I think Smackdown's Product will improve.

Now that I got Xtreme on Smackdown, I want to address some of the feelings I got from you readers from my last column. First off I'm sorry if you feel that I went over the line, but they were my thoughts. Lastly Bret Hart and Hogan were who I got most of your E-mails about I just want to say I believe in what I say I like both wrestlers work but that's what I really think. Ok if you have thoughts on this column I will be glad to answer them ok thanks and until next time.

by Xtreme Falls..


Willis Smith wrote:
Oh man, you're kidding me...DDP...Scott Hall...X-Pac...SCOTTY 2 HOTTIE! Have you not seen the work these guys have done lately, or the lack thereof. There have been some recent tweaks on Smackdown, and some more need to happen, but putting old-let me repeat-old spares on TV just really doesn't solve the problem. With a returning Angle and Big Show, that's a start. I think they should let Show run rampant, bring back Paul Heyman in a more prominent role, and maybe move Eugene or Shawn Michaels over-or both. I have grown tired of HHH versus HBK, and HBK versus Angle would be interesting. As far as the Dudley's, when were they at their best" When they were really extreme-ECW! They need to be let loose for a little while, cause some real pain and destruction, maybe use a little more hardware on their opponents. Make fans really dislike them. Isn't that what HHH is doing right now" I think all of these things will help the UPN flagship. Also-please take a grammar class or something, it would help us all.
Demonic Jester wrote:
To start off Tazz and Micole Cole are WAY better than J.R and Jerry! Sure Tazz shouldn't of said that stuff about Taker, but still he's better than Jerry. People don't get me wrong I like Jerry Lawler but he is not better than Tazz.

Don't get me started on J.R, he sounds like he get was at the dentist and his gums were numbed. Sure he does do emotion better than Micole Cole but I don't care. Even Though he shows emotion it's the most annoying emotion I've ever heard, especially when Stone Cold Steve Austin Wins A match "STONE COLD STONE COLD STONE COLD STONE COLD ...!". I can't stand it, not just because of J.R but because I HATE Stone Cold! He Sucks ,and I'm happy he's gone from WWE, I hope he never comes back ever!

Now back to J.R, Almost EVERY time He anounces I mute the T.V and me and brother's anounce the matches are selves. Well I wen't off topic but Tazz and Cole are better in my opinion they should fire J.R and make the Coach and Al Snow announce Raw with Jerry. because Coach and Al are awesome on heat there funny and they just have a good time and can call matches good.

I'm even talking about SmackDown! anymore Still Tazz, Cole, Coach, and Al are the best announce teams out of the four they got. Bill Demott and Josh Mathews are also Better than J.R, but the King still rules. The best team is Al and Coach.

You mentioned that they should bring back Hall and DDP I agree completly There some of my favourite wrestler's. You didn't mention something though even I will admit Tazz isn't the best announcer and that's hard for me to say because he is my favourite wrestler. WWE needs to get a new announcer to work with Cole, and Then Bring Tazz back with his Thug thing because he ruled well doing that whole thing. I Think if WWE let him Tazz could have been a great world heavyweight champion! and I think he'd jump at the chance to come back.

Sure his gimmick got stale but if Tazz did come back he could rival with that stupid ass whip John Cena because John Cena is no Thug Tazz is the real Thug. I also think If he did come back his gimmick would work, and it wouldn't be stale anymore. Also WWE needs a champion Who's hardcore. I know Tazz isn't the most hardcore but he is still the greatest wrestler of all time and I don't care what you or anybody else thinks, he is the best and that's final!
meatballs manson wrote:
I am very pleased to read that someone agrees with me on tazz's bad commentary skills. I was a big fan of tazz for the longest time I can remember him in ecw strangling judge jeff jones and throwing him into the trunk of his car! Now thats wild stuff. Tazz should leave the table and get back in the ring. I usted to anticapate J.R leaving raw and replacing taz on smackdown...during the J.R. coach/bischoff fued. Of course that would have sent tazz on a wild unemployed rampage, which would have made great tv. However I agree bringing in established stars like x-pac, scott hall. I always felt ddp would be a GREAT commentator,,, replacment for tazz. Overall I think the best thing smackdown could do is hire xpw's Pogo the clown,,,would that be controversial and turn heads or what!
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