Throwing away Harper vs Wyatt on Smackdown

[mrbananagrabber]

No hype. No fanfare. No build up, not even a "and on Smackdown this Friday, for the first time EVER.." bit on Raw.

I'm not expecting Wrestlemania build or anything, but at least reference the fact two former partners/friends who have never faced off are now about to have a match. But f*** it, let's watch the Uso's and Stardust again. That's way more interesting.

[Deleted]

Well, they blew Bray / Rowan, but Bray / Harper's still on the table.

[Thaal Sinestro]

They fought on some Raw after Harper won the IC title I believe.

[Boshek]

Next week the Usos will face off and not even get an enterance. Plus the whole match the announce team will promote how cheap the network is and how stupid you are for buying the pay-per-view.

[Deleted]

WWE doesn't care about Erick Rowan

[Mozenrath]

It is very odd booking, to say the least.

[mysterydriver]

You can almost see the WWE jumping off the Erick Rowan boat.

They had the 'release' and began building him as this big man who they could use for comedy segments. The punchline supposedly being him replacing his mask. Mask up. One liner. Mask down. But that didn't click, lock.

The Grumpy Cat "I want that kitty" bit...pure silence.

They stick him in with Cena's team. Small pop because Harper is involved...but it didn't really garner much. Suddenly, we're doing Rubic Cube comedy. Just messing around with it in the back, showing off a child-like nature that has been hyped.

So, he's a child-like monster in a sheep mask.

Then, we drop things again and Rowan is solving a cube in like 20 seconds and MAKES WINE IN HIS SPARE TIME. WWE essentially ignoring the concent of "show don't tell" begins raving about how Rowan is actually a bonafide genius. We hype it on commentary. We talk about his IQ.\

So, he's a child-like, super genius with a sheep mask.

Now, he's feuding with Big Show because, quote, "I hate bullies." This leads to a stair match because WWE is just throwing crap at the wall. He loses. Cleanly. The next night he's in a tag match against Show. He loses. Cleanly. Later that week on Superstars he main events against Kane. He loses. Cleanly.

So, he's a stair-wielding, child-like, super genius who hates bullies but can't do anything about it besides wearing a sheep mask.

And now, within that, Titus O'Neill hates him from another comedy segment that died a horrible death in front of a crowd. So, he's slowly seeping down the midcard at an alarming rate, getting moved into a "Hey, he's big, that means he's intimidating" role usually reserved for random tag match and "Tonight, you're facing..." announcements but at the same time is available for horrible comedy segments.

So,....he's the Great Khali with a sheep mask?!

...I may have talked myself back onto the boat.

[Deleted]

I actually thought the ending of the match was really neat. Rowan apologizing to Bray and embracing him, Bray winning but looking genuinely remorseful for playing on Rowan's sympathies, and then cutting a promo in near tears about giving up "his only begotten son." It's nice to see characters not automatically be mortal enemies just because of the heel/face divide.

But yeah, the lack of build-up was extremely dumb.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

All Wyatt Family members look the same.

[A Platypus Rave]

Jan 4, 2015 12:53:05 GMT -5 mysterydriver said:

Now, he's feuding with Big Show because, quote, "I hate bullies." This leads to a stair match because WWE is just throwing crap at the wall. He loses. Cleanly. The next night he's in a tag match against Show. He loses. Cleanly.

On this note...

At the House show I went to December 27th, Big Show came out and threatened Santino... Rowan came out to stand up to him.

Big show then spent liek 5 minutes running him down saying that Rowan wasn't in his league and stuff along those lines...

this lead to a match where Rowan spent a lot of time trying to body slam the Big show and failing... he finally did to a minor pop and got a two count...

almost immediately following this Big Show punched Rowan in the face and pinned him clean.... I guess proving Big Show's pre-match spiel correct.

[Session Moth is over]

No suprise. WWE have often given away matches without fanfair or storyline before. They shouldn't but they do.

[wcc2]

Jan 4, 2015 12:53:05 GMT -5 mysterydriver said:

You can almost see the WWE jumping off the Erick Rowan boat.

They had the 'release' and began building him as this big man who they could use for comedy segments. The punchline supposedly being him replacing his mask. Mask up. One liner. Mask down. But that didn't click, lock.

The Grumpy Cat "I want that kitty" bit...pure silence.

They stick him in with Cena's team. Small pop because Harper is involved...but it didn't really garner much. Suddenly, we're doing Rubic Cube comedy. Just messing around with it in the back, showing off a child-like nature that has been hyped.

So, he's a child-like monster in a sheep mask.

Then, we drop things again and Rowan is solving a cube in like 20 seconds and MAKES WINE IN HIS SPARE TIME. WWE essentially ignoring the concent of "show don't tell" begins raving about how Rowan is actually a bonafide genius. We hype it on commentary. We talk about his IQ.\

So, he's a child-like, super genius with a sheep mask.

Now, he's feuding with Big Show because, quote, "I hate bullies." This leads to a stair match because WWE is just throwing crap at the wall. He loses. Cleanly. The next night he's in a tag match against Show. He loses. Cleanly. Later that week on Superstars he main events against Kane. He loses. Cleanly.

So, he's a stair-wielding, child-like, super genius who hates bullies but can't do anything about it besides wearing a sheep mask.

And now, within that, Titus O'Neill hates him from another comedy segment that died a horrible death in front of a crowd. So, he's slowly seeping down the midcard at an alarming rate, getting moved into a "Hey, he's big, that means he's intimidating" role usually reserved for random tag match and "Tonight, you're facing..." announcements but at the same time is available for horrible comedy segments.

So,....he's the Great Khali with a sheep mask?!

...I may have talked myself back onto the boat.

Wow, with that negativity it's almost like the crowd haven't been popping for Rowan (as much as a mid-carder about a month into his singles run can reasonably expect) and haven't been solidly getting behind him in his matches. 

[Deleted]

Jan 4, 2015 17:58:31 GMT -5 wcc2 said:

Jan 4, 2015 12:53:05 GMT -5 mysterydriver said:

You can almost see the WWE jumping off the Erick Rowan boat.

They had the 'release' and began building him as this big man who they could use for comedy segments. The punchline supposedly being him replacing his mask. Mask up. One liner. Mask down. But that didn't click, lock.

The Grumpy Cat "I want that kitty" bit...pure silence.

They stick him in with Cena's team. Small pop because Harper is involved...but it didn't really garner much. Suddenly, we're doing Rubic Cube comedy. Just messing around with it in the back, showing off a child-like nature that has been hyped.

So, he's a child-like monster in a sheep mask.

Then, we drop things again and Rowan is solving a cube in like 20 seconds and MAKES WINE IN HIS SPARE TIME. WWE essentially ignoring the concent of "show don't tell" begins raving about how Rowan is actually a bonafide genius. We hype it on commentary. We talk about his IQ.\

So, he's a child-like, super genius with a sheep mask.

Now, he's feuding with Big Show because, quote, "I hate bullies." This leads to a stair match because WWE is just throwing crap at the wall. He loses. Cleanly. The next night he's in a tag match against Show. He loses. Cleanly. Later that week on Superstars he main events against Kane. He loses. Cleanly.

So, he's a stair-wielding, child-like, super genius who hates bullies but can't do anything about it besides wearing a sheep mask.

And now, within that, Titus O'Neill hates him from another comedy segment that died a horrible death in front of a crowd. So, he's slowly seeping down the midcard at an alarming rate, getting moved into a "Hey, he's big, that means he's intimidating" role usually reserved for random tag match and "Tonight, you're facing..." announcements but at the same time is available for horrible comedy segments.

So,....he's the Great Khali with a sheep mask?!

...I may have talked myself back onto the boat.

Wow, with that negativity it's almost like the crowd haven't been popping for Rowan (as much as a mid-carder about a month into his singles run can reasonably expect) and haven't been solidly getting behind him in his matches. 

I notice you keep bringing up this, "The crowd goes wild for him!" thing, but keep glossing over times when he's barely gotten a reaction, or when on Raw the match managed to actively turn them against him after initially rooting for him.

Jan 4, 2015 12:53:05 GMT -5 mysterydriver said:

You can almost see the WWE jumping off the Erick Rowan boat.

They had the 'release' and began building him as this big man who they could use for comedy segments. The punchline supposedly being him replacing his mask. Mask up. One liner. Mask down. But that didn't click, lock.

The Grumpy Cat "I want that kitty" bit...pure silence.

They stick him in with Cena's team. Small pop because Harper is involved...but it didn't really garner much. Suddenly, we're doing Rubic Cube comedy. Just messing around with it in the back, showing off a child-like nature that has been hyped.

So, he's a child-like monster in a sheep mask.

Then, we drop things again and Rowan is solving a cube in like 20 seconds and MAKES WINE IN HIS SPARE TIME. WWE essentially ignoring the concent of "show don't tell" begins raving about how Rowan is actually a bonafide genius. We hype it on commentary. We talk about his IQ.\

So, he's a child-like, super genius with a sheep mask.

Now, he's feuding with Big Show because, quote, "I hate bullies." This leads to a stair match because WWE is just throwing crap at the wall. He loses. Cleanly. The next night he's in a tag match against Show. He loses. Cleanly. Later that week on Superstars he main events against Kane. He loses. Cleanly.

So, he's a stair-wielding, child-like, super genius who hates bullies but can't do anything about it besides wearing a sheep mask.

And now, within that, Titus O'Neill hates him from another comedy segment that died a horrible death in front of a crowd. So, he's slowly seeping down the midcard at an alarming rate, getting moved into a "Hey, he's big, that means he's intimidating" role usually reserved for random tag match and "Tonight, you're facing..." announcements but at the same time is available for horrible comedy segments.

So,....he's the Great Khali with a sheep mask?!

...I may have talked myself back onto the boat.

Which, while I think it's a waste of Rowan in a sense, is kind of funny to me because from day one of the stable I've been saying he'd eventually turn into the new Khali.

[Hit Girl]

I just don't see the logic of breaking them away from Bray Wyatt

It's made all three guys look weaker.

[spagett]

Jan 4, 2015 19:09:53 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

I just don't see the logic of breaking them away from Bray Wyatt

It's made all three guys look weaker.

It's been such a stupid mistake. The fact it came out of nowhere and with no real storyline too, they just quietly broke up. I was gutted when they broke up the Shield too but at least that was done in a big storyline. This has been like how the JOB squad or the Cabinet disbanded

I expect we'll see Bray vs Harper on Main event at some point in 2015.

[Deleted]

Jan 4, 2015 20:02:39 GMT -5 spagett said:

Jan 4, 2015 19:09:53 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

I just don't see the logic of breaking them away from Bray Wyatt

It's made all three guys look weaker.

It's been such a stupid mistake. The fact it came out of nowhere and with no real storyline too, they just quietly broke up. I was gutted when they broke up the Shield too but at least that was done in a big storyline. This has been like how the JOB squad or the Cabinet disbanded

I expect we'll see Bray vs Harper on Main event at some point in 2015.

Hell, the JOB Squad did see some semblance of a storyline come out of its break-up and the Cabinet at least broke up on air.

[Deleted]

With Rowan as my new WWE bear (TM), should I be worried?

(Holds my Erick Rowan and Kevin Owens plushees close)

[Macho Pichu]

Is it safe to say that being the Erick Rowan of a team is worse than being the Jannetty?

[Nic Nemeth]

That really pissed me off, like why couldn't this be a PPV match or hell at the least, a RAW match?

You gave it away on Smackdown!

[wildchair]

These men are not working well in singles. It's time to reform the Wyatt family. WWE has basically given up on these men as the proof is giving away these matches cause they don't see any real money in them anymore.

They kept Bray too cryptic for too long and no one cares about him.