Something that confuses me.

[blak23]

So as I was watching Smackdown's AJ vs Naomi match I noticed that Natalya came off like a heel in her promo work at the table. I think the whole total divas vs. AJ storyline is like the female Cena vs. Punk during the summer of Punk but this time they are trying to get you to cheer cena (the total divas cast)

Thoughts?

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GstKz3SHuZM

Also how does one embed a video?

[Curd]

Your observations are correct, although I think it's just an oversight on the part of Vince McMahon. I'm sure Creative wrote up something more coherent but was vetoed as usual.

To embed a video, click the "embed" link under the video itself. Code should appear. It will be something like [left bracket]embed[right bracket]STUFF[left bracket]/embed[right bracket]<embed.... [bunch="" of="" stuff="" automatically="" put="" here]="">. Copy and paste that right into your TPWW message window.</embed....>

[Theo Dious]

...I think it's just an oversight on the part of Vince McMahon. I'm sure Creative wrote up something more coherent but was vetoed as usual.

...wtf?

[Razzamajazz]

exactly

[Black Widow]

These Whores are Bimbos and AJ deserves way better!!!!

[Anybody Thrilla]

AJ's disposition has never been completely clear. That's why they call HER "crazy", I think.

[Anybody Thrilla]

If you think about it, the AJ approach is pretty much the entire thought process behind the Divas division, but barring possibly Victoria or Mickie James, AJ Lee is the first one to be addressed so heavily in public. Alicia Fox is a tacit, more private agreement.

[Fignuts]

Because its Divas, and nobody cares, and they know nobody cares, so they don't bother putting effort into the story lines.

[Theo Dious]

Because its Divas, and nobody cares, and they know nobody cares, so they don't bother putting effort into the story lines.

People care when they take steps to make them care. People cared about Trish vs Victoria, Trish vs Lita, Trish vs Mickie. Oh, is there a common thread here? Yeah, see they actually worked to make Trish into someone that people cared about and who could actually wrestle. They could make more people care by continuing in the same vein, but they keep getting lazy and giving up rather than putting effort into it. The biggest obstacle WWE has to getting people behind wrestling women is their track record of getting distracted by something shiny. Saying "nobody cares" gives WWE an excuse not to try when it comes to women, but the fact is that people don't care because WWE doesn't try, not the other way around.

[Ultra Mantis]

Natalya didn't strike me as a heel during that segment, just a really bland babyface with nothing to say.

[Shisen Kopf]

Should prob bring back Jackie Gayda. **** matches abound.

[Rammsteinmad]

To be fair, I never really cared about Trish vs. whoever back in the day. Some of the matches were alright, but it was really a case of "if we're gonna have a divas match anyway, at least these two can put on a good match". Generally though, nobody gives a shit about the Divas division, and they probably never will.

[Volare]

I'll care for sure when the day comes that...

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34300000/Paige-nxt-divas-34387803-533-800.jpg

http://www.wwe.com/f/wysiwyg/image/2013/08/20130807_642xvariable_NXT-SSpg-template_bailey.jpg

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34200000/Emma-wwe-divas-34234989-1284-722.jpg

Show up.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think what's awkward about this feud is that AJ came off so passionate and cool in her first promo and yet the program hasn't accommodated it. It was her "Summer of Punk" moment, and instead of riding the momentum and letting her be this character who believes the Divas Championship is more important than a TV show, that wrestling is more important than modelling and being real is better than being fake -- she's been called "crazy" and they've tried to heel her up and have thrown other girls into the program just because.

I'm not saying that AJ Lee should have been a babyface instantly, but they could have at least gone with the momentum and explored that route. Natalya could have fired back that she's the real deal as well, and the two could have a great match where AJ is technically the heel. It's felt like a unique and potentially hot program has been attacked with a cookie-cutter template.

[scatterbrain28]

To hell with the Diva's and their crappy reality show, AJ's f***n hot.

[The Condor]

This feud only serves to show how much more advanced AJ is with a microphone in her hand and how incompetent the diva's come off trying to keep up with her verbally.

[Theo Dious]

I think what's awkward about this feud is that AJ came off so passionate and cool in her first promo and yet the program hasn't accommodated it. It was her "Summer of Punk" moment, and instead of riding the momentum and letting her be this character who believes the Divas Championship is more important than a TV show, that wrestling is more important than modelling and being real is better than being fake -- she's been called "crazy" and they've tried to heel her up and have thrown other girls into the program just because.

I've been thinking about this and I have a feeling that the weirdness of the situation is due to the fact that WWE programming and Total Divas have entirely different target audiences. The realization after AJ's big promo was that they just buried the TV show they're trying to push, as evidenced by the babyface reaction her comments got. Kind of like when Cornette did those "WWF & WCW sucks, NWA forever" promos that were supposed to be heelish but ended up getting a pop for his efforts.

Seriously, does anybody routinely watch both Raw AND TD?

[Anybody Thrilla]

I do, but I'm a psychopath.

[Mr. Nerfect]

The audience gap between RAW and Total Divas is a good point. People also react to those shoot-style promos. They carry with their a sharpness and edginess that just hasn't been present anywhere else in the feud.

[Fignuts]

There is also the problem with in ring talent. People cared during the Trish/Lita/Molly/Victoria era because the matches were good. At times really good. Good enough where they even main evented a Raw.

Natalya is the only one there right now that's on their level. Maybe AJ too.

[Fignuts]

I'm assuming AJ changed her finisher because Natalya was the only person she could put the widows bite on, without them botching it up.

Shame, as that was IMO the coolest looking finisher in the WWE right now.

[glanville6]

I'll care for sure when the day comes that...

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34300000/Paige-nxt-divas-34387803-533-800.jpg

http://www.wwe.com/f/wysiwyg/image/2013/08/20130807_642xvariable_NXT-SSpg-template_bailey.jpg

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34200000/Emma-wwe-divas-34234989-1284-722.jpg

Show up.


I met her at Victoria's restaurant in Chicago. She is adorable. Hope she makes it.

[scatterbrain28]

Sara Del Rey would wipe the floor with the whole Divas division.

[Nark Order]

Yeah. We talked about his on the podcast.t he whole face/heel dynamic for this AJ vs Total Divas feud is fucking weird.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Sara Del Rey getting one run on the main roster would be tremendous.