Tha Keys To A "SmackDown!" Rebound

I mentioned in "Friday Night Fallout" this past Friday that several things could and should be done to steer Tha Friday Night Brand back in the right direction. I didn’t do an adequate job of that, because I had to recap the show. Here however, I will be able to do that, and over the next few paragraphs you'll get my opinions on what things could be done to help the struggling brand, that just over a year ago was the number one wrestling show on television.

As much of a fall from grace as we all like to consider it, it really wasn't a big fall. They were head and shoulders above the competition, now they're eye-level. Considering where they were it seems terrible, but is it?

A Show status isn't too far out of reach for Michael Hayes and his writers, but the problem doesn't start at the bottom or the top of the card, though those need improvement, it starts right in the middle of the card. That's right, the mid-card guys, or lack thereof is where the problem starts.

Develop Mid-Card talent! Finlay, MVP, and Matt Hardy are the mid-card talent on "SmackDown!" I think nearly everyone has elevated MVP from a mid-carder to a main event guy, at least in their respective opinions. If you build a brand roster, it would make sense to have a solid foundation, but you can't sit the top right on the foundation, you have to have something in the middle holding it up. It wouldn't make sense to see Colin Delaney come out and work a match at 8:01pm, and then Batista and Edge wrestle for the World Championship at 8:13 would it? Both work, just not back to back.

Take Jamie Noble, make him a mid-carder, take Chuck Palumbo, put him in FCW and give him one more shot at developing. When Gregory Helms returns, take him, make him a mid-carder. He isn't a Cruiserweight guy. He's a mid-card and a possible top tier mid-carder down the line. Split Miz’n’Morrison and make John Morrison a top mid-carder on "SmackDown!" We all know ECW is FCW on TV, and I don't have a problem with that. Their main-event guys, with the exception of CM Punk and Big Daddy V can immediately step in to a solid mid-card role on "Raw" and "SmackDown!" The latter two are solid for main events. If not in ability, then in the way they are over.

Move Batista down to the mid-card. It's a stretch and he may not accept it, but he doesn't belong in the main event anywhere except ECW. Move him to the mid-card, give him a solid worker that can carry him, or at least make him look good. Batista needs all the help he can get, because he's too exposed in the main event. The last guy I think that should have a mid-card spot would be a repackaged Boogeyman. Bring him back as The Boogeyman if you want, just bring him back, don't make him a joke, and put him in a spot where he's in the mid-card with the chance to climb the ladder.

Utilize the 2008 Draft! The writers have to know that they don't have the adequate talent to make a roster on "SmackDown!" Therefore, they should have the roster beefed up come Draft time. I don't think there has been a WWE Draft that had as much of an impact as the 2005 Draft that saw Cena and Batista swap shows. Orton going to "SmackDown!" Carlito going to "Raw." There were several moves that came out of that one that made BOTH rosters better and changed the faces of both as well. Do that this year. Here's a list of guys that need to go to "SmackDown!" CM Punk, Ken Kennedy, Shelton Benjamin, Big Daddy V and Matt Striker, and Santino Marella.

I know that Santino is a bright spot on "Raw," but he could be better utilized on "SmackDown!" It ties directly back in with developing mid-carders. Santino can work. We have taken that from what little we've already seen on Monday nights. Kennedy is being lost in the shuffle on "Raw," and the once promising push is now just a stagnant set of lateral moves. I don't know if the E has big plans for Santino on "Raw," but I think they'd be better served to put those plans to use on "SmackDown!"

I think the results of a good Draft for "SmackDown!" could be seen within a month. A strong under card, a strong and deep mid-card with the possibility of pushing those guys to the main event, and an already strong main event. With guys like Edge and Taker at the top, and the acquisition of CM Punk and Big Daddy V you have a face and a heel joining a face and a heel at the top of the card. Punk feuding with Edge will be money. Big Daddy V feuding with Taker on a short term basis can be and will be money...again.

Make the US Championship mean something/No More Cruiserweight Championship! As big of an MVP mark as I am, the title has grown stagnant around his waist. With hopefully several new mid-card guys being established over the next few months, the US Championship would give them something to fight for, and restore a value to the US title that it hasn't really had since it's been brought into the E. MVP and Matt Hardy are likely to go at it for the US Championship at WrestleMania, and immediately after, have Matt Hardy win, and start defending against the new "SmackDown!" mid-carders.

MVP could immediately transition into the main event. He's basically already there anyway. You could have Santino Marella, Shelton Benjamin, Johnny Morrison, Finlay, Jamie Noble and Gregory Helms fighting for the US Championship at any time, with the possibility of adding Rey Mysterio, Ken Kennedy, CM Punk and Big Daddy V to that at any time. My reasoning for keeping the Cruiserweight Championship dead is the stigma that it puts on wrestlers. Some guys never shake that cruiserweight stigma and are never taken seriously as main event guys. Eddie, Jericho and Rey are the exceptions that prove that rule, and even then some dont accept it.

I think that the preceding moves would go a long way in elevating "SmackDown!" back to where it was a few months ago. I doubt that all of them will happen, but either of the first two would help tremendously, and the pushing the US title could do alot to develop the mid-card talent. Only time will tell, but I don't think "SmackDown!" is as far away as people seem to think.

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