Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Jan 6, 2014 4:20:03 GMT -5
Jan 5, 2014 10:14:04 GMT -5 @sandman said:
You'll have to realize that in the WWE Encyclopedia, they list guys by gimmick/character and rarely acknowledge that some are actually the same guy - even if there's pictures that prove it is indeed the same guy. (I think Diesel got a pass and they admit that is Kevin Nash, but some of the others just have me shaking my head. For example, Justin Hawk Bradshaw, Ministry/APA Bradshaw and JBL are different guys.)I'm just surprised they haven't tried a Royal Rumble that incorporates just different gimmicks yet uses roughly only 10 people.
The general reaction of the time, was the people marked because he WAS Diesel rather than billed as Nash, because it was a huge nostalgia pop rather than just lazy Nash coming out and being all lazy-Nash like. Nobody wanted to see Kevin as a full time roster member, but people were pretty happy when they got to see Diesel for one night only. Not to mention if you were following TNA at the time, it was an even bigger surprise, as they were building for a Main Event Mafia return on their TV shows, and not only Booker but Nash turn up at the Rumble. And I also remember on the day that everyone pretty much knew before the event that Booker was going to be an entrant because he had been seen at the airport that day, so when Diesel came out it was a legit surprise. I remember sitting there thinking "Oh great here comes Booker T eventually, Yawn" and then Big Daddy Cool comes out.
About the list, it can't be taken seriously if it doesn't include Haku, he was a champion in WCW at the time! The killed the hardcore division in WCW after he showed up at that year's rumble.
And on Cena's return, I can't speak for others, but the reason I turned on him after the initial shock, was that when he was rumoured to be out past Mania, it was a time for other people to step up and have the main spot that year, so after the huge shock of Cena being back, it set in that "Oh crap Cena is going to actually win this thing and he's going to headline Mania." I know it didn't work out like that by WM24 but I would of booed by lungs out when that thought came into my head.
The Rumble use to feel like the match to elevate a guy into his first title win or first headline of Mania, so when it gets wasted for a cheap storyline reason to have long time established guy into the Main Event it leaves the event with a sour taste. It will be the same if the do it with Batista this year. Ok yeah it's an easy way to put Batista in the Main Event without people asking too many questions, but I still feel that the Rumble win has so much power it can legit make a guy's career if booked right.
The thing is the only other storyline was Batista/Triple H. When Cena entered the people still left with any potential of winning were Trips, Batista, and if you were delusional enough to believe maybe Kennedy, but few people entertained that idea. There was no momentum or build toward Kennedy-Orton. Cena was actually the freshest one of the options. The rumor was already out that Taker was getting Edge so it was looking like another Evolution rehash heading into Mania.
There wasn't going to be anything new or fresh and it felt very very unimportant until Cena showed up. Batista-Triple H does it matter who wins? The fact John Cena made MSG get to their feet in sheer excitement says how great this moment was.