wrestling / Columns

The Wrestling 5&1 4.06.13: Trish Stratus vs Sunny!

April 6, 2013 | Posted by Tony Acero

It’s the final 5&1 before Mania, and you are most likely doing what you can to catch this just prior to the show. For that, I thank you. Because of Mania, we’ll be doing things just a little bit differently. I’m bringing in a good friend of mine and the Greg DeMarco Show, Patrick O’Dowd, to give us his take on the Undertaker/Punk match, I have a special message for fans everywhere, and of course….the ladies!

BRING ON THE GIRLS!

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With Tony Acero

INTRODUCE BANG/UPDATE

Well, The Bellas put a hell of a hurtin on the Funkadactyls. Is this a sign of things to come?

In honor of this Wrestlemania weekend, how about we choose two blonde bombshells that embody the definition of Diva before “Diva” was a word needing definition!

VOTE NOW!

The poll expires Tuesday night, and you can vote once every 12 hours. Now get voting!

Last week in The Wrestling 5&1…

COMMENTARY FEEDBACK WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK!

I’m Okay with the WWE Using Paul Bearer’s Death in an Angle…and You Can Be Too: Part 1
– By Patrick O’Dowd

On March 5, 2013, the wrestling world learned of the death of William “Paul Bearer” Moody. I immediately knew the WWE would be unable to resist using Paul’s death as part of the Undertaker’s feud with CM Punk leading to Wrestlemania 29. The only question was how. Over the past month I received my answer as Punk mocked Paul Bearer, stole Undertaker/Bearer’s famous urn, and concluded when Punk and Paul Heyman interrupted Taker’s go home promo at the April 1st Raw. That interruption will be most famous for CM Punk attacking The Undertaker with the Urn and emptying its contents over Taker’s prone body. There has been a ton of reaction from fans and writers alike decrying the direction of the angle. It’s been described as crass, tasteless and disrespectful to the memory of Paul Bearer.

I am not one of those fans or writers. I’ll admit it. In fact I’m quite comfortable with the angle. Now I’m not going to sit at this keyboard and tell you that you need to be comfortable with the WWE using Paul Bearer’s death. People have a right to their feelings. I am however going to give you four reasons why this angle doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

1. William Moody’s sons were approached by the WWE for permission to run this angle. They gave the WWE their blessing. As I am writing this Moody’s sons have reportedly commented that what happened on Raw April 1st is not what they were presented by the WWE. It is impossible not to take that into account. However, I am also interested in hearing some more context. If what occurred on Raw is different than what they understood would happen, then what was presented to them? Michael’s statement reads in part, “Seeing it on screen was a different story” Maybe they were led to believe Undertaker would only be hit with the urn. Maybe they were told exactly what would happen, but didn’t register how it would look on television.

Regardless, when they were approached a month ago, and presumably a few days ago both Michael and Daniel Moody not only gave the go ahead, they indicated that their father would have appreciated the idea. I repeat: the two people who know more than anyone else William Moody’s mind said he would have approved of the angle. While I understand that something may have changed, right now I still believe that the WWE did what they should have done before moving forward.

2. The WWE has run with angles just as tasteless if not more tasteless than this one. A great deal has been made about the tasteless nature of Punk mocking Paul Bearer. People have been expressing their discomfort from the moment Punk interrupted the Undertaker’s tribute to Paul immediately following his death. Things hit a fever pitch after this week’s Raw as people have fallen themselves to decry last night as the most tasteless thing in the history of ever. Look, this is the wrestling company that saw a senior citizen give birth to a hand. This is the company that ran a necrophilia story. This is the company that blew up the boss as an angle.

I can hear the counter to this point right now, “But, Patrick, all of those angles were regarded as awful, tasteless and inappropriate.” But then there is one of the most beloved WWE heels of all time. Roddy Piper. Roddy Piper, the man who painted half his body black prior to a match against Bad News Brown. Sugar coat it any way you want the man did a black face schtick at Wrestlemania 6. Roddy Piper, the man who basically called Jimmy Snuka a monkey prior to smashing the coconut over Snuka’s head. Now for some of you maybe racism in the context of a story is ok, and disrespecting the dead are apples versus oranges. I don’t see it that way. For me viewing someone as less than human is no worse than disrespecting the dead. We celebrate Piper. We celebrate both of those angles and call them daring and provocative. CM Punk is taking a risk here, but it’s not like these risks are unheard of, and in 20 years I wonder if this angle will be viewed as provocative and daring.

See The Three for Part Two

You Decide: Do you think the ashes being spilled was the worst the WWE has done?

I wanted to take the time to calm down just a bit on the analysis side of things. Since taking over the 5&1, it has become less and less an actual News Report, and more and more an opinion based column. We (both as reader and writer) have really organically grown into critics of the product moreso than reports of the news. The 5&1 model requires “top stories” be chosen then talked about in length to a degree of opinion, while focusing on the NEWS. I honestly can’t recall the last time I mentioned any one news story, and instead tend to focus on a critical standpoint of this beloved pseudo-sport we know and love. With all that being said, I thought it important for us to – at least for this weekend – to drop the act of critic and put on the fuzzy coat that is fandom. Yes, we are all truly fans, but it seems this year in particular, we have become very fickle and annoyed to the point of exhaustion. Of course, this all comes with reason. The WWE simply has been doin the job, and like a boyfriend who pays the bills for his stay at home girlfriend with no kids, it feels like it’s almost time to cut the cord.

BUT

I want you to hold off just a bit. This is Wrestlemania weekend, y’all, and if now isn’t the time for you to fall in love again with that boisterous and bubbly company you once knew and loved, then I don’t know what is. So, come Mania, watch it with the eyes of a child. Enjoy the fandom you possess, fall in love all over again with the characters you have missed, BOO the heels, CHEER the faces, be a kid again. I say this all the time on the radio show, and numerous times in the column, but I have not meant it perhaps nearly as much as I do now.

Be a fan.

You Decide: Will Wrestlemania alter your perception, even if just for the weekend?

3. While the WWE is using Bearer’s death for a storyline, it not the first nor worst way the WWE has used a performer’s death. It remains to be seen if the WWE makes use or mention of Paul Bearer’s name after Wrestlemania 29. I don’t think they will. There is only one dead wrestler that the WWE seems content to exploit whenever possible and that is Eddie Guerrero. Don’t get me wrong, I love Eddie Guerrero. I was saddened by his death and I remember him fondly. I was ok with the initial tribute to Eddie by WWE programming.

But it never ended. At some point a man’s memory is no longer just being honored. It is being exploited for gain. The WWE takes every opportunity to remind fans of Eddie. His memory was used to try and put not one, not two, but three performers over. Just about any documentary the WWE produces that includes Eddie uses him as a marketing point. Bear in mind the WWE has been taking advantage of Eddie’s memory for nearly eight years now. This moves beyond something as simple as an angle. In Paul Bearer’s case, the WWE will move on and we won’t hear of Bearer again until his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. Which brings me to…

4. The Undertaker/CM Punk angle is an angle, a fictional story. And the end of that angle/story will honor William Moody. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that at the end of the day, wrestling is a form of storytelling. Often events in the real world play a part of wrestling angles. When you look at what Punk, and to a lesser extent Heyman did in regards to Paul Bearer, it really is just mocking the man. It has never once been stated that Paul Bearer’s remains were in the Urn. In fact, the Urn has been opened and ashes, light, and smoke have all poured out at some point. Why is it all of a sudden that Bearer’s remains are in the urn? The urn has been a part of the Undertaker/Paul Bearer mystique. It may have well been a vital part of the angle from the beginning. As fans we will probably never know. What I do know is that Punk has a beating coming, and it is going to be one he deserves. He has mocked all that the Undertaker holds dear. Punk has destroyed the Undertaker’s source of power. Punk has insulted the memory of one of Taker’s best friends. The Undertaker and CM Punk will have an epic battle and in the end Punk will be looking at the lights. The Undertaker will be on one knee in victory and I am sure that he will be paying homage to William Moody. And that image will ultimately provide me with a satisfying end to the story.

You Decide: Was the final segment of RAW distasteful?

WWE Championship Match:
John Cena vs The Rock

Prediction: John Cena

Reason: Because The Rock is the hero we deserve, but not the one we need right now.

World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Alberto Del Rio vs Jack Swagger

Prediction: Alberto Del Rio

Reason: Because ‘Murica wouldn’t allow Dolph to beat Mr. We The People.

The Undertaker vs CM Punk

Prediction: The Undertaker

Reason: Because It’s The Undertaker

No Holds Barred:
Triple H vs Brock Lesnar

Prediction: Brock Lesnar

Reason: Triple H was already retired…he came out of a match to be in a match with…his retirement on the line.

The Shield vs. Randy Orton, Sheamus, and The Big Show

Prediction: The Shield

Reason: Because The Big Show will have ate a bad burrito prior to the show.

Ryback vs Mark Henry

Prediction: Ryback

Reason: He’s younger than Mark Henry, and The Big Show will have stolen his burrito before the show.

Chris Jericho vs Fandango

Prediction: Fandango

Reason: Because Diddy is there, and he taught him how to Harlem Shake.

World Tag Team Championship Match:
Team Hell No vs Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston

Prediction: Team Hell No

Reason: Ziggler will be thinking about his aftermatch activities with AJ and his World Title

Wade Barrett vs The Miz

Prediction: The Miz

Reason: Who cares?

Team Rhodes Scholars and The Bellas vs The Phat Boyz and The Funkadactyls

Prediction: The Phat Boyz and Funkadactyls

Reason: So the kiddies are happy.

You Decide: What are your predictions?!

Listen here!

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About The Greg DeMarco Show:
Greg DeMarco isn’t just a must-read wrestling analyst (via http://www.411wrestling.com and http://www.bleacherreport.com) with a copious amount of sound bites on his show. Greg brings several years of experience within the wrestling business—as well as eight years of stand-up and improvisational comedy experience—to the masses each week.

He’s joined each week by best friend “The Wrestling Realist” Patrick O’Dowd. Not just another sidekick, Patrick balances hard-hitting commentary with an innate ability to provoke Greg in ways that very few can. These two best friends collaborate to provide the most entertaining wrestling program on the planet, and do so while breaking down the product in ways that no one else can.

The Greg DeMarco Show is streams LIVE each Tuesday night at 10 pm eastern/7 pm pacific at SmashWrestling.com or on the show’s Blog Talk Radio channel blogtalkradio.com/gregdemarco.

You can reach the show via e-mail at [email protected] and on Facebook by searching for “Greg DeMarco Show.”