Let's give them a hand. Okay, it's really ring psychology(Raw and SmackDown spoilers)

[FourFifty]

Ya know, I gotta be honest. I was impressed with The Big Show. Triple H and The Big Show put on a main event quality match. I have never been on the edge of my seat during a match with The Big Show, and I don’t think Triple H was carrying him. There was some excellent ring psychology and that spear at the end “bah gawd literally” made me jump out of my seat. I have never marked out for The Big Show and I haven’t marked out for Hunter Hearst Helmsley since the days of DX. That match was fucking awesome.
There is one small problem with that match… I didn’t think the rest of the show could top it. RVD vs Chris Masters should have been booked first, followed up with Shelton VS Eugene (and what made that match happen). Do the divas match that no one gives a damn about, the bit with Mickie James (damn she’s hot) THEN the HHH/Show match.
I have a whole new world of respect for The Big Show and Triple H. I would love to see RVD win the triple threat match just so we could see HHH vs The Big Show in a hardcore match at Wrestle Mania.

I digress, my apologizes. This isn’t “How I would have booked Raw.” It’s all about the hand. Now what does this match have to do with SmackDown? The JBL & Finlay vs Benoit & Lashley… It looked like they were going after Benoit’s hand. Okay, I could see them working the shoulder, cranking the neck, or going after the knee. I saw JBL and Finlay go after the hand and I thought, “Well what the shit is this? Why are they going after his hand?” I didn’t understand the reasoning. Now maybe if Cole or Tazz said something like “Benoit isn’t going to be able to lock in that cross face if his hand is broken!” I just…
There wasn’t any point to going after Benoit’s hand. No one in the ring that night broke Benoit’s hand before, and no one said, “If you don’t shake my hand, I’ll break yours.”

Watching these two matches and understanding why the hand is a vital part would be a great way to introduce the idea of ring psychology to anyone who isn’t a fan. I watched Raw and SmackDown with someone who normally doesn’t watch wrestling.

I'm just ranting. Feel free to discuss Raw, SmackDown, or ring psychology.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Reasons for going to the hand (granted, I haven't watched smackdown yet.)

1. Makes it hard to lock in the cross face ) even thought not stated)
2. Makes it hard to chop someone.
3. BAsically makes any move where you have to grip your opponent, or lock your hands, hard to do (Snap suplex/german, etc.

I've seen Findlay do the hand thing before. If you think about it, it works well. How much could someone actually do w/ a broken hand?

[Kane Knight]

Ummm...Cole specifcally did say that with only one hand it'd be harder to lock in the crossface.

Of course, that ignores that his other finisher, the Sharpshooter, is far less intense on the hand.

[Kane Knight]

So I think that just killed the entire second half of your rant.

[FourFifty]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight Ummm...Cole specifcally did say that with only one hand it'd be harder to lock in the crossface.

Well, I didn't hear it. But seriously, after seeing The Big Show go after HHH's hand I just couldn't take Benoit's hand seriously. They could have played it up more than just droping it once or twice.

Maybe this shows that some fans just don't give a damn about Cole as an announcer. I'll listen to Taz because I've seen him in the ring and I know what he's about. Same thing with Jerry Lawler. He has had more than his fair share of time in the ring.
What about Styles and The Coach? I see The Coach as a persona, and I dig it. A cocky heel that kisses every heel's ass. He can't do a damn thing in the ring, and I like that. When I hear Joey Styles I hear by far one of the best announcers of our time. I have never seen him in the ring unless he was interviewing someone. However there's something about hearing him scream "OH MY GOD" is just wonderful.

As of Cole... uhhh... whatever.
I'd like to see Jim Ross take over Cole's spot. Someone who has been in the game for so long knows what he's talking about (for the most part).

[master]

kane knight corect again

[Kane Knight]

TBH, it's a miracle I give a fuck about anything any of them are saying. The prgramming's so shitty I barely watch a full night of Raw/Smackdown.

[V]

i hate when there's a good match with no interferences and no bullshit, and then they do something stupid like end it in a double count out

[FourFifty]

Originally Posted by Gohan3k i hate when there's a good match with no interferences and no bullshit, and then they do something stupid like end it in a double count out

That's why I'd like to see The Big Show vs HHH in a hardcore match. No one won the match, but I'll be damned if The Big Show didn't win the fight. Okay, maybe not at Mania because I don't think RVD is ready for a world title match. Give him a few more months to set up a fued with whomever the champion is after Mania, and then give him that shot.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by FourFifty That's why I'd like to see The Big Show vs HHH in a hardcore match. No one won the match, but I'll be damned if The Big Show didn't win the fight. Okay, maybe not at Mania because I don't think RVD is ready for a world title match. Give him a few more months to set up a fued with whomever the champion is after Mania, and then give him that shot.

They should have either solved it the same night (A rematch, continuation, street fight, whatever), or had a separater match next week and the winner fought RVD. That could have worked really well for Triple H the winner, as Triple H he could then bich about how shit was stacked against him, how he had to win two matches (One particuarly gruelling) in a night and proved just how damn good he really is. The cop-out draw turning into a Triple Thread just fucked all that IMO. Too bad, because I think I was more into it than the crowd.

[FourFifty]

Albeit I think you're right, for the most part on this subject, I don't think the triple threat match is too bad of an idea. Yes, it's still a bad idea, but let's work with what we have here.
The ref gets knocked down somehow, bump to the outside of the ring or something. The Big Show hits the Show Stopper on HHH, goes for the pin. 1-2-3, but there's no ref. RVD comes in, Triple H rolls out of the ring. A little staredown between The Show and RVD, no one falls back. The Show outpowers RVD, but RVD gets a few good kicks it. Let's say one of them knocks the Big Show on his ass. We see Triple H on the outside, he grabs a chair, slides it into the ring, but doesn't go in himself. RVD sees the chair, grabs it, throws it at the Big Show... and if you don't know what's going to happen next then you really need to learn more about Mr. Monday Night.
Triple H rolls into the ring, RVD goes to the top, ref comes into the ring. Nobody gets higher than Rob Van Dam!!! We see the classicly oversold Five Star that looks like it takes more out of RVD than anyone else. Before RVD could go for the pin HHH hits RVD with the Pedigree and score the pin over RVD. The Big Show talks about how Triple H didn't pin him, show footage of The Big Show pinning HHH without a ref, and after WrestleMania, HHH vs The Big Show in a hardcore match for the title.

I think that'll work.

[Kane Knight]

That's a pretty optimistic scenario, but it'd work. Now if only the guys booking would do it.

Still, it's more the best of a bad situation IMO.

[FourFifty]

M'eh, work with what you have.
The Big Show's first title run was a joke, in my eyes. Let him win the title off of Triple H, let The Show hold it for around three months and see where it goes from there.

[Kane Knight]

Hey, if Edge deserved 3 weeks, I can live with 3 months of Show.

[Dorkchop]

I think they went after Benoit's because when Benoit got stuck in between the ring and the apron, JBL and Finlay had to react quickly, so one of them (I think JBL) slammed his hand into the steps. I guess they just went on that from there.

[Kane Knight]

I thought it was a pretty cool deal, myself. I mean, it doesn't need much explanation. People used to do this shit all the time. It's "oldschool" in a way that should have never become oldschool. It makes for some great heel work, IMO.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Originally Posted by Dorkchop I think they went after Benoit's because when Benoit got stuck in between the ring and the apron, JBL and Finlay had to react quickly, so one of them (I think JBL) slammed his hand into the steps. I guess they just went on that from there.

I don't think it got stuck, as much as Finlay pulled his "Lift up the apron defense." That he does a lot.

[McLegend]

which is pretty cool btw

[FourFifty]

He's a fighting Irish Bastard, and I'll tell that to him that to his face.
(but don't tell Somebody's Gotta Die that )

Seriously, the ring apron thing is cool, but he's 30 years too late to make anything of himself.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Originally Posted by FourFifty He's a fighting Irish Bastard, and I'll tell that to him that to his face. (but don't tell Somebody's Gotta Die that ) Seriously, the ring apron thing is cool, but he's 30 years too late to make anything of himself.

Nah, between Him, Regal, Burchill, Kennedy and Benoit, I think they could do some damage, especially around the US title.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by FourFifty He's a fighting Irish Bastard, and I'll tell that to him that to his face. (but don't tell Somebody's Gotta Die that ) Seriously, the ring apron thing is cool, but he's 30 years too late to make anything of himself.

I see the guy as a solid midcarder.