The Measure Of A Superman

Cena-less Smackdown actually got a better rating than the previous week's episode, which featured the WWE's top man. Let me put that in more professional terms. The second episode of Smackdown on its new home got a slightly higher rating than the premiere episode, which was live and hyped such wrestlers as John Cena, Undertaker, and Nexus members. If I remember correctly, it was a 1.78, which people will like to round up. Do be a bit more specific, don't round up and compare it to the 1.74 the previous episode got. Higher, but not by much. Smackdown on cable is still in the same ratings neighborhood as it was getting on network TV for the last few months. Why was there a small boost? Probably due to people wanting to see the fallout from the PPV. People wanted to see what would happen between Kane and Taker now. Rey Mysterio may have helped, but weren't they advertising him previously too? Although it was not a huge difference, is it a bit amazing that the man the WWE has created to be their face could not do too much for the ratings? They did say Cena would be there. It was no surprise appearance. There were no spoilers posted on sites for people to just read what would happen. In the end, that first episode of Smackdown on cable may just go down as a glorified attempt to pump Hell in a Cell more for buys, since the WWE Championship match was also hyped on this show in addition to Cena/Nexus. If PPV buys turn out to be bad, what did the WWE really accomplish? They didn't get a great rating for the show, they didn't convince a large number of people to order, and mediocrity lives on.

Speaking of Cena, he is still the centerpiece and main attraction of Raw. Randy Orton, who is WWE Champion and can arguably get an even better reaction than Cena on some nights in the last few months, is getting the short end of the stick. For the entire broadcast of Raw last week, you only saw Orton once. All he did was come out and hold the title in front of Wade Barrett. How many segments involved Cena? Nexus promo to start show, tag match, backstage interview and encounter with Nexus, segment with Otunga, and the main event. Am I missing any? I think my point is proven either way. This week? Orton gets a match against Gabriel. Final match of the televised show? Nope. Final match and segment goes to Cena. I'm not even going to bother listing what else he did in the show this time. This just illustrates the fact that you do not even need a title to be treated as the top guy of a show, division, or whole company. Not just speaking as an Orton fan, I think this is stupid. Fans who want to see less of a superhero and more action and attitude would appreciate Randy Orton over Cena. That is the direction the WWE should try heading now. Am I calling for the end to PG, like so many other fans? Not necessarily. If WWE can make Orton work in PG, while depushing Cena in a way that kids still like him, fine with me. Cena comes out there every week like a politician or some guy faced with a moral dilemma. Would Orton fail as "face" of the company? Everyone brings up that his first face run in the main event was horrible. Two things. First, his face character then was way different from what he is now. I believe that what he is now can work if done right. Second, the true "face", or centerpiece of the WWE, at this time was heel Triple H. He didn't really give it up until he left in 2005, a year after Orton won his first World title. Orton was not getting too fair a deal in terms of being somewhat held back then and not having developed the character he has now. He has the character now, but face Cena is still centerpiece. It could be true that the WWE will turn Cena into a true heel soon, possibly freeing the space for Orton, but I have my doubts. WWE definitely needs to develop Cena better than simply putting up a challenge before him and eventually having him overcome. Is it really that nice and fresh a story for kids? Too bad the product is sucking and a Jeff Hardy heel turn may do more for TNA than whatever WWE is trying for itself. Maybe.