The Katz Files – Arnie Katz
The February Smackdown Report Card
The Kingfish Arnie Katz presents his February report card for the good folks at WWE’s RAW.
WrestleMania is a little more than a month away. Here’s how Smackdown enters the Big Event at a time when its own future is up for grabs after the divorce from the CW Network.
Talent Pool
The true extent of the Smackdown roster is not easy to figure, since a lot of ECW guys work this show as well as ECW on Sci Fi. In a sense, Smackdown has added John Morrison, the Miz and Big Daddy V. Only Morrison is a real plus – and he is wasted in a tag team with the Miz.
Rey Mysterio’s injury is the biggest subtraction from Smackdown — and it is a big one. The Masked Marvel would probably be a better fit on SAW or even ECW, where his size would be less of a disadvantage, but he always works hard and delivers in-ring excitement. Those are qualities already in short supply on Smackdown
Grade: C
In-Ring Action
Smackdown delivered a good Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out. That was a welcome achievement, because Smackdown is still having trouble putting together programs for its wrestlers that shine in the ring.
The roster has some guys who can generate excitement, but it also has Great Khali, Mark Henry and Big Daddy V. This is definitely the show for fans who insists on super-heavyweights.
Grade: C+
Dramatics
Smackdown has staked everything on one major plot: the Edge-Vickie Guerrero story. It has gotten a lot of air time and even spawned a couple of side stories that included Chavo Guerrero and Rey Mysterio.
With Rey out of action and Chavo likely headed to some storyline involving the ECW championship, it may be time to bring this Harold-and-Maude love story to some kind of conclusion. Meanwhile, it has gone very well.
There aren’t enough interesting stories on Smackdown and its action can’t sustain a wrestling show for two hours. Maybe the program needs to add a writer with a fresh outlook to inject the excitement the show has lacked, by and large, for the last several months.
Grade: C+
Announcing
Coach is still on the mic. H’s not bad, but I think Michael Cole needs someone a bit more colorful and assertive. Perhaps Coach should switch places with Tazz.
Grade: C+
Star Power
Undertaker, Edge and Batista are the only fannies-in-the-seats kind of guys right now, though Undertaker can always enliven a main event even without terrific story support.
MVP is still improving, but he is not really becoming a star. He doesn’t have a strong storyline. On the heels of a spotty program with now-injured Matt Hardy, this is not enhancing either Porter or the United States title he holds.
With Shelton Benjamin ever become a star? He drifts from character to character, but he doesn’t seem to commit sufficiently to any of the roles in which WWE has cast him. WWE must still have high hopes for him, because he is still getting those new characters, so he may yet show himself to be a main eventer,
Grade: C+
Overall
Can the knowledge that the show will soon switch TV outlets be subduing Smackdown? The show just doesn’t pack the same punch it did a year ago.
Smackdown needs a shake-up. Some new faces in the ring and behind the scenes might inject some needed life in a show that now has much too much filler material.
Grade: C+
That’s it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with another installment of the Internet’s fastest-rising daily wrestling column.
– Arnie Katz
Crossfire4@cox.net
(2/25/08)
This is column number 40 in a row in the current daily series.
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