Blog Archives
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 1/31/17: Chamber Music
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/31/17)
Chamber Music
– Given that the Royal Rumble was won by a SmackDown guy (that’s Randy Orton, The Wyatt Family-Friendly version in case you didn’t know), the opening video gladly reminded us of all that jazz. WWE took it upon themselves to quote various media outlets with the most generic sentences on planet Earth. We’ll give an example. “That was a Rumble!” – Forbes. No kidding. You’d also be crazy if they didn’t sprinkle in footage of the epic rematch between WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena and AJ Styles where history was made and such. However, the Rumble madness is over and thanks to WWE’s killer Pay-Per-View schedule, we’ve got Elimination Chamber in a mere two weeks.
WWE Royal Rumble 2017 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
While January begins with a countdown from ten to one, wrestling fans most associate the month with the same countdown towards another festivity – the Royal Rumble.
Given the “Big Four” treatment, equivalent in 2017 to a NXT TakeOver event the day before, a two-hour pre-show and a five-and-a-half-hour Pay-Per-View, it was treated as a huge deal.
It probably also helped that it emanated from San Antonio’s Alamodome, with a house count of 52,020. It was practically WrestleMania without being it.
Given the Rumble’s star power of Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, The Big Show, Goldberg and The Undertaker, there was an unpredictability headed in that severely lacked the previous few years.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 1/17/17: Merch Stand Mayhem
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/17/17)
Merch Stand Mayhem
– The opening video hyped up the big Steel Cage Match main event for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship between Champion Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. Primarily, the focus was on Bliss’ repeated attempts to flee, but the bout’s basis would be that all paths were now closed off thanks to the cage. We were eager to give it a shot. Especially loved that this would be the closer.
Manopera! Episode 39: WrestleMania 33 Part 2 – DayShiftAMania Runs Wild
Image courtesy of The Bonesaw.
* Courtesy Of Bonesaw Entertainment*
Check out the latest episode of “Manopera! A Wrestling Symposium,” where PWO’s own Nick guest stars with Hosts Chris Butera and “Spaceman” Frank to discuss the thrills, chills and emotional spills that was WrestleMania 33, its aftermath and speculate on the “Superstar Shakeup” angle. Also included is a Spaceman Frank shoot on the JBL/Mauro Ranallo situation.
Donate To Their Patreon Here: www.patreon.com/thebonesaw.
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Top 20 Of 2016
Graphic by Salwinder Singh.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“It.” “Delete.” “Obsolete.” “The List.” “10.” “The Champ That Runs The Camp.” “Stupid Idiot.” “Glorious.” “Too Sweet.”
The list above describes a fiesta of phrases commonly found in pro wrestling jargon that made 2016 possibly its best year ever.
The one below describes select moments that help seal that argument and make us forget about things like The Titus Brand, The Cruiserweight Division, Raw’s Third Hour, WWE’s overloaded Pay-Per-View schedule, TNA’s X-Division and Matanza Cueto.
If you want to remember that bad stuff, check this out.
Worst 10 Of 2016
Graphics by Salwinder Singh.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
2016 was possibly professional wrestling’s most newsworthy year.
Whether it was “Broken” Matt Hardy, Chris Jericho’s transformation into a walking meme, Goldberg’s unexpected return or the Cruiserweight Classic, everywhere you looked, there was something to talk about.
For all those moments however, came some head shakers.
With the unenviable task to cover every single 2016 episode of Raw, SmackDown (even before it was “Live”), NXT, Impact Wrestling and Pay-Per-View/Live Specials (all 29), we’ve seen things that cannot be forgotten.
We’re here to bring them to light.
WWE Tribute To The Troops 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Genrally, WWE’s annual “Tribute To The Troops” is holiday filler with little storyline impact.
2016’s was somewhat different, as they took advantage of Raw’s Roadblock: End Of The Line Pay-Per-View four days away and shaped the main event around it, also in a way that allowed the “patriotic faithful” theme to stay relevant.
Did it need to be two hours though? Add to that Raw’s three hours, SmackDown Live’s two hours and 205 Live’s one hour just two days before, that was a lot to watch.
Either scenario, no going back now.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 12/13/16: Legendary Contendership
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/13/16)
Legendary Contendership
– The General Manager Daniel Bryan/Commissioner Shane McMahon/James Ellsworth opening backstage segment was good and bad news. We saw Ellsworth “sick” and it left Bryan/Shane no choice but to postpone his World Title shot and search for a new #1 Contender. Ellsworth was also reprimanded for his interference in last week’s WWE Intercontinental Championship match.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 11/22/16: Mountie-Bred Madness
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 11/22/16)
Mountie-Bred Madness
– The opening video highlighted Survivor Series, where Team Blue emerged victorious over Team Raw with the “stakes higher than ever.” We saw the bickering between WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose cost the team an elimination. Another highlight was James Ellsworth’s “revenge” against Braun Strowman as he held down the big man’s feet and prevented him from beating an in-ring count. Of course, Ellsworth was thrown off the stage and through a table, but it counted. The biggest story though – Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton were the sole survivors, as they defeated WWE United States Champion Roman Reigns.
WWE Survivor Series 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
If WWE in 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that content outweighs logic.
After an hour and 51 minute pre-show came a three hour and 26-minute Pay-Per-View for a total of five hours and 27 minutes of air time.
Nothing screamed “filler” like interbranded 10-man elimination tag matches, with little consequences. Three of them, to be exact.
It’s like watching the World Series between two teams you don’t like. There’s no emotional investment besides the ones who’re directly involved.
Luckily, the best build ironically went to Goldberg-Brock Lesnar, the personification of the overhyped “Fantasy Warfare Just Got Real” catchphrase.
In this case, some things should stay fantasy.
