Tha A List Analysis

With the dawn of a new school semester, my schedule has now relegated me to covering ECW, and let me say first off that Jack Swagger is entertaining as all hell in the ring. He's incredibly athletic and he's got a lot of upside to him. If used right, he could be a prime time player in WWE for years to come. That being said, he should never be allowed to talk again. Holy freaking Jesus, him on the mic is more ridiculous than a 10-2 hockey score. Sorry, but this is my column now; Buffalo Sabres references will pop up now and then.

Donnie has mentioned in the past that it's hard to take a heel seriously when their hair looks silly. Well, it's equally challenging to take a heel seriously when they have a high voice and a very prominent lisp. Is the art of the valet really that far gone in WWE that they can't find a mouthpiece for this guy?

The worst part is, Swagger can cut a solid heel promo. He did a great job of heeling on Teddy Long and later Finlay, but he falls into the category where his genes put him at a disadvantage from the word go.

I'm looking forward to a feud between Swagger and Finlay. It's the obvious choice since there aren't many wrestlers on the ECW roster, and it's also obvious because Finlay is both a face and a skilled veteran, both of which will help to give Swagger rub. I feel kind of silly giving props for something so blatant, and more than likely inevitable, but hey, good booking is good booking, regardless of the situation.

The Boogeyman is apparently back on TV. He's still not the greatest worker, but he can work his gimmick like nobody's business, and in a business that is supposed to be emotion driven, that counts for something. I don't want him main eventing pay-per-views, but there's certainly a place in a wrestling company for a guy who can work his gimmick. Just ask Goldust or Santino Marella.

The aforementioned Finlay took on Paul Burchill. I'm glad in a way that Burchill was spared during WWE's recent firing sprees. Part of me thinks that with the word being that the spree is not yet over, that Burchill's time in the company may be numbered, but then again, I mentioned that back in August too, and five months later, he's still here.

Mark Henry and Tommy Dreamer had a solid match. Henry's really stepped up his game ever since he was put into a top spot on ECW; it's good to see that he's been able to stay healthy and be an entertaining part of the show, because God knows that for a long time, neither of those were true. Henry has turned it around, and the fans are benefiting because of it.

Dreamer, conversely, is more than likely near the end of his run after having given much to the business; he's been contemplating hanging up the boots for quite some time now, so his deadline angle is the perfect way to not only do that, but also get a ton of heat and rub for whatever heel is able to run him come June. I wonder if maybe Dreamer might just perhaps be a sleeper to win Money In The Bank this year. It's not likely, and there are other ways that they can get more bang out of the MITB gimmick, but it's a possibility.

Swagger vs. Finlay seems the likely ECW offering for the upcoming pay-per-view, which will be a solid match, no doubt. It may very well be more entertaining than the "Raw" Elimination Chamber to boot.

Go Steelers.

Tha Results:
*The Boogeyman vs. Ricky Ortiz (No Contest)
*Finlay def. Paul Burchill
*Mark Henry def. Tommy Dreamer

Share |