In my opinion these shows don't garner enough posts to warrant separate threads. So I'm combining them.

Does anyone even watch Smackdown anymore?

I try to at times but I end up switching the channel the first time I hear Vickie Guerrero's voice.

I haven't seen much of it lately, but it's not uncommon for Plague and I to watch it together with our bored girlfriends.

I'm working tonight, so I'm going to miss it.

I watched Smackdown tonight. Two hours my life I'm not going to get back. At least I tried watching but it was just so bland I couldn't help but wonder why a few times during the night.

There were a few good things such as build up to some of the Rumble matches but I still think Vickie Guerrero should not be allowed on the microphone. The sound of her voice makes me wanna pull a Snitsky and punt babies.

Chavo won the ECW title! Yay!

...Except he's not elevated and Punk lost the ECW! Boo!

But it leaves room for a possibly Punk/Edge feud! Yay!

...But little will probably come of it! Boo!

http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/ecwreplay/

I must admit, I did like the GTS into the Gulf. I felt like a 12-year old watching abd enjoying the cheesy drama and overselling by Chavo to actually get into the water.

What a step down. Although UPN was practically in the same position as MyNetwork when it started

Yeah, this is a step down, though if they can go back to Thursday nights, that would be in their favor, IMHO.

MyNetwork is a step down because they generally don't pay SHIT for programming. I'm imagining that the WWE couldn't have gotten that great of a deal here. It must have been a last resort type deal for them.

I have no doubts that this was a last resort. MyNetworkTV would want WWE because it would help their ratings big time. But no other network can really say the same thing. Also, it seemed that WWE's cable options were limited as well, and they really wanted to keep Smackdown on network television, so there was no place else for them to go.

It will be neat to see if Smackdown can help boost MyNetworkTV the same way they helped UPN back in the day (though in 1999, WWE was much hotter, and UPN wasn't in shambles the way MyNetworkTV is now).

I'm also expecting this to be moved from Friday nights as well.

Yeah, I figured when the day came that I got used to Smackdown being on Fridays, it would be moved again.

I'd like to see it on Thursdays again.

I wouldn't be surprised if MyNetwork actually paid a hefty price for it. It's owned by FOX, after all, and when it started, Rupert Murdoch was wanting to make it equal to CW. From what I read, he was having problems with regulations and stations picking it up, and that's why it's been so shitty to start with.

This may be his way to start something for the network

MyNetwork doesn't pay shit for their programming. UFC airs a show on it every week and PAYS for the fucking slot and UFC is hotter than WWE programming right now so I wouldn't count on the WWE getting a good deal here. Plus, lets face it wrestling gets NO respect on TV.

does IFL pay for their spot on MyNetwork?

I've heard that they do.

ECW is on tonight. Just thought I'd put in a reminder.

:lol: I totally forgot... again!

I got caught up in a marathon of Smash Bros.

Mike Knox has returned in time so I can see him once again live.

...Grrreeeaaaaaatttt.

Lucky us.

And apparently, we're getting Undertaker vs. Festus, not Chavo/Edge vs. Taker/Kane (unless we get one of those spiffy dark match main events that is supposed to let the crowd go home happy).

Yeah, I saw that and thought "Crap. Lucky us."

It might be an interesting match. Festus' whole character is that he's fearless and aggressive once the bell rings, so he might actually surprise us with a strong performance against Undertaker. That's if, you know, it's booked right.

Festus isn't a bad wrestler for a guy his size. He doesn't have a lot in his repertoire, but till a good wrestler from what I've seen.

Maybe not for long.

I just read it was Knox's house where the steroids were found. In a box with paycheck stubs with his name on them no less.

I see the beginning of a new series:

Dumb wrestlers and how they got suspended. :rolleyes:

Yep, well Virus and I are off to Smackdown/ECW tonight. My expectations are set at us getting a decent show, nothing overly grand. I'll hopefully type up some fun spoilers for it tomorrow after work.

Ryan Clark was hostile about last night's Raw. He said it was the worst show he had ever seen.

Oops.

As long as we don't get TWO handicap matches, I don't think it'll get that bad.

I am a bit concerned that we'll be treated to two squash matches on ECW and another three on Smackdown, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Just make sure you don't take a sign on the WWE "you can't have that here!" list.

I know..make a sign that says "ROWE"...that has an arrow pointing down to yourself!! That'd be fresh!!

Or do like the late 90's and hold up a sign with Da' Site's URL. The old site "Scoops" used to get a lot of pub, that way.

I'm not expecting to be on camera, but otherwise I'd be down for that. If I ever buy something other than cheap seats again, I'll do that.

I just saw on SD last night (not because I was purposefully watching WWE programming, mind you...I was simply flipping through channels and saw this...) that Nattie Neidhart has (finally) debuted! Only, why are they calling her Natalia? Her name is Natalie. Anyone?

Haven't seen her or the show... but my guess is simply that "Natalia" sounds more exotic and memorable than "Natalie". Same reason they had someone named "Lita" instead of "Amy".

So from a marketing standpoint, it's a better move.

Oh, and I'm also speculating/hoping that she has a built-in catchphrase of "Yeah, baby! Hahahahaa!"

I think they are spelling it Natalya. I'm sure it has to do with her owning her birth name and WWE using a name that she will never be able to use outside of the WWE ring.

It's actually a pretty good name for her. I was afraid they'd totally change her name to something that had nothing to do with Neidhart, so I'm cool with Natalya.

Valid point about the birth name thing. I'm sad Nattie decided to go with the WWE instead of a promotion *coughtnacough* that will actually use her to the best of her ability.

Well, we can only assume that she's making better money working for the WWE. Though it is a bit puzzling why she'd be placed on Smackdown when she'd make a great contender for the women's title. I can only guess they're afraid we'd confuse her with Beth Phoenix.

I read somewhere before she showed up on Smackdown that WWE was trying to decide whether to use her or not because she looked like Phoenix. I'm surprised they didn't make her cut or dye her hair or both to change her look.