The Katz Files – Arnie Katz
My Smackdown (4/21) Notebook
The Kingfish Arnie Katz delves into the Flair retirement, the new Big Show angle and other issues raised by the 4/18 edition of Smackdown!
Chris Jericho, Wrestling’s Iago
Chris Jericho continued his outstanding promotion of the Batista-Michaels feud on Smackdown. In the week’s second edition of “The Highlight Reel,” Jericho dredged up all sorts of dark motives for The Animal, which led to a physical confrontation similar to the one Jericho had with HBK on Monday.
He has become WWE’s Iago, pouring inciting words into receptive ears. (Check out Othello by William Shakespeare.) The feuded needed more heat, because the premise behind it is pretty weak, and Chris Jericho has done his best to ratchet up the antagonism.
Using Jericho in this fashion also avoids the need to make Batista and out-and-out heel. If it’s all a big misunderstanding and a conflict on a deeply personal level, it is not necessary for either combatant to take the villainous role.
Hornswoggle vs. Matt Stryker
Matt Stryker said he was embarrassed to have to fight Hornswoggle. I was embarrassed to have to watch it.
If this kind of match has any function beyond filling up time on the show, I can’t see it.
A Look at Vladimir Koslov
This is another MMA guy who probably won’t get over with wrestling fans. The way they are promoting him practically guarantees failure.
If there’s one thing that wrestling fans down through the years have not liked it’s guys who are described as “expressionless” and “robotic.” Fans want to see personality, color and excitement – not a guy who looks like he’s going through the motions.
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
(4/21/08)
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