Tables, Ladders, & Podcast - Current episode: #74 (October 22, 2014)

**Nowhere Man** · 06-05-2013, 01:38 AM

I don't buy that Orton is a good 'psychologist' either.

"Psychology" is one of the most infuriatingly nebulous terms in the entire wrestling lexicon, and I've never seen anyone come to any sort of consensus on what it actually is.

Going by my personal definition of it, psychology is being able to come up with moves and spots specifically in response to whatever is happening in the course of the match, and the larger storyline. Y'know, doing what the match demands rather than what your 'signature' movelist prescribes.

Orton just kinda has the same match every night, going along the traditional 'main event' style formula. Sell for a little bit, then completely stop selling, hit some limp-armed clotheslines and then the falling powerslam (which admittedly is nice, but Goldust and Punk both did/do it better), hit that horrifically contrived and unconvincing elevated DDT, setup for the RKO, miss it, sell for maybe thirty more seconds, then hit the RKO. Every goddamn match. That's not 'psychology,' that's just a checklist.

So no, I really don't see Orton as a good ring psychologist.

06-05-2013, 01:38 AM	#10
Nowhere Man Now. Here. Man. Posts: 8,370	I don't buy that Orton is a good 'psychologist' either. "Psychology" is one of the most infuriatingly nebulous terms in the entire wrestling lexicon, and I've never seen anyone come to any sort of consensus on what it actually is. Going by my personal definition of it, psychology is being able to come up with moves and spots specifically in response to whatever is happening in the course of the match, and the larger storyline. Y'know, doing what the match demands rather than what your 'signature' movelist prescribes. Orton just kinda has the same match every night, going along the traditional 'main event' style formula. Sell for a little bit, then completely stop selling, hit some limp-armed clotheslines and then the falling powerslam (which admittedly is nice, but Goldust and Punk both did/do it better), hit that horrifically contrived and unconvincing elevated DDT, setup for the RKO, miss it, sell for maybe thirty more seconds, then hit the RKO. Every goddamn match. That's not 'psychology,' that's just a checklist. So no, I really don't see Orton as a good ring psychologist.