A 3.9 rating for the post-Wrestlemania edition of â<80><9c>Rawâ<80> represents the proverbial good news-bad news situation. First the bad news. While there was a bump in the number (God help them if it had actually gone down), the bump was only back to where they had been a year or two previously. So the Wrestlemania hype, the Flair go-home, the casual viewers brought in by the auto-accident prurient interest of seeing yet another pyro malfunction – none of that popped a huge number. But the good news. Wrestlemania set every record known to man for a live wrestling event. It seems that core WWE fans are becoming even more willing to plop down their hard earned funds for swag and broadcasts from their favorite group. And as long as they buying Cheesy Bacon Wraps at BK.
That being said, â<80><9c>Rawâ<80> was quite the roller coaster. From the roller coaster emotions of the Flair send-off to the roller coaster booking of everything except the Flair send-off, this edition of â<80><9c>Rawâ<80> was truly a park hopper pass on steroids. But, as always, some nagging questions remain:
Cryme Tyme looked terrific and showed great fire in their return. But whose corn flakes did Cade and Murdoch piss in? No ring entrance and buried to a team they helped receive their â<80><9c>best wishesâ<80> a couple of months ago? Is it possible that whatever allegations Cade and/or Murdoch (and/or whoever) made against Cryme Tyme were bogus? So Cryme Tyme is brought back in and put over strong against their alleged accusers? Someones are in the dog house and it ainâ<80><99>t Snoop Droopy Dizzle.
Why were the Horsemen treated so shabbily (at least on camera)? Ric Flairâ<80><99>s 36 year career included only 8 in the WWF/E (including the mostly forgettable last 5). So why did Chris Jericho and John Cena (John Cena!) get ring hugs? (I mean other than the obvious.) Flair is as smart as they come so I believe fully that he was okay with Hunter hosting the segment (would you tell the bossâ<80><99> son-in-law â<80><9c>no?â<80>) But my God.
Seriously. Jericho? Cena? But no Dusty and no Terry Funk? I know Sting could not reasonably be expected to be there but we got Greg Valentine instead? Batista?! Really?! Where was Blackjack Mulligan? Iâ<80><99>m sure Barry Windham has his number. Piper? Paul Roma?
Great Lines From Matt Hardy (Part 13 in an Ongoing Series): to William Regal – â<80><9c>You know what he did? He kicked me in my appendix when it was gone.â<80> Jesus, sign him up!
I could have sworn that, during his promo, it looked like Shawn Michaels (Wrestler of the Year so far) had lost his smile again.
Good to see the boys in continuity remembered the Paul London / Bryan Kendrick break-up from 3 weeks ago. Youâ<80><99>re doing a great job, Brownie. Maybe the continuity gang got transferred to the pyro division?
Am I alone in thinking that Snoop Dog would show up on â<80><9c>Rawâ<80> with a returning Rob Van Dam? And, in a Wrestlemania throwback question, when they were handing out brains, Kim Kardashian said, â<80><9c>Screw that, just give me extra ass…oh, with extra ass.â<80>
When Flairâ<80><99>s family came out, did anyone else have trouble figuring out which one was his wife?
Extra sadness about the great Gary Hartâ<80><99>s passing: It prevented the Yamazaki Corporation reunion.
And what the hell happened to David Flair?! And whoâ<80><99>s the father?!
In all seriousness, the tribute to Ric Flair at the end of the night was well-done and especially well-deserved. He was the last one. The last one of those early 70’s debuts that drove hundreds of miles for small paydays to still be on the main stage. There will never be another wrestler like Ric Flair. In many ways thatâ<80><99>s both a good thing and a bad thing. Those of us over 40 got a great deal older Monday night. Thanks, Naitch.
