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Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 17 May 2016, 20:36
by Graham
Adam & Graham cover episodes of RAW since Wrestlemania, all leading up to Payback 2016.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 00:54
by theycallmejokke
Really loved this episode, I found the moment where you both when oh uh are we getting to negative already super endearing, and I for one don't feel you where. You're passionate and call out bull honky when you see it, but your criticism comes of as legit and from a place of love.

My headcannon for Roman Reigns after seeing the pictur of him drinking from a cup labeled smark tears, is that he's a heel target directly at smarks, he knows that you know and just like the dudley's withholding their tables to work up the crowd, he's withholding a clear character and story line to work up all the smarks. :D

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 02:03
by The E
I realize I am in the minority here, but I really wish you guys would go back to breaking down everything into storylines rather than recapping Raws and PPVs. The main reason I felt comfortable jumping into wrestling in the first place was that with the help of Sidewalk Slam ep 1, I had a good idea of who everyone was and what everyone's general story arc was.

Now, granted, it's not that hard to follow along; anyone who's watching modern serialized TV is probably used to having to deal with several more or less unconnected storylines running in parallel and occasionally crossing over each other, but it's still nice to get a high-level overview of where everyone is and how they got there once in a while.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 02:31
by MagisterMystax
The League breaking up was something that happened on Smackdown. They were facing some other team (can't remember who), and all wanted to go first, so got their feathers in a ruffle over that. Then, throughout the match, they kept sort of one-upping each other, trying to get into the ring and not tag in the others. Eventually this led to (I think) Rusev getting into the ring while Del Rio hadn't tagged him in and them having a stare-down. Rusev eventually backed down, but then Del Rio missed his opponent and accidentally hit Rusev instead. So Rusev throws a hissy fit and walks off. Del Rio and Sheamus tried to work together, but something similar happened and pissed off Del Rio, who also walked off, so Sheamus got his butt kicked by the entire team. Then there was a behind the scenes promo where they were all angry at each other and blaming one another for walking out on them and declared the League finished.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 03:02
by Duckay
The League were facing Kalisto, Sami Zayn and Cesaro when that happened. SmackDown is weird.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 04:39
by Moussefilledkitten
Is anyone else confused about where the stuff at around 13:30?

They were talking about Enzo and Cass and then Adam asks "How did you feel about that turn for Bray?" and Graham says "Yeah" and Adam says "That's what I mean." I'm sitting here wondering "What turn? Please explain?". Did we suddenly shift to a different conversation and I missed it? I feel like something accidentally got edited out and we were dropped into the middle of the conversation without context, because they are normally really good at that.

Otherwise really enjoyable episode. It felt rushed, but that's understandable given how much they had to cover.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 06:14
by DennyR
I can't say I was confused, but I follow wrestling pretty closely so I generally know what they mean even if they don't go in depth on points.

On the subject of the League of Nations, I like that WWE kept true to history and that their incarnation of the League of Nations was exactly as effective as the post-WW1 LON. They existed, they didn't do much, they disbanded.

Still don't like Roman. Tweener or not, I just find him thoroughly disinteresting, and would rather him not be there. Similar feelings about McMahon power struggle, take 20.

I'm hoping that we get a Gallows and Anderson tag run at some point. I'd also like if they changed the belts, cause the ones they have now are easily the worst looking ones now that the Divas belt is gone. It's also nice that right out of the gate the two NXT tag teams had a match for the #1 contendership, even if that match ended in an unfortunate way.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 10:12
by Solomon-Kain
You have to disconnect Charity/PSA work from a Wrestlers Character, I really don't wee why Heels can't do good things for other people, especially if they are popular. Heels only screw over other wrestlers, not the public. I think the idea is that these people fight dirty, not that they are sociopaths.

That's my view of it, but I don't watch wrestling, just this podcast. Basically, there is a difference between being a Tool and being Evil. Wrestling wants Bad guys, but they don't want them to be too Bad...

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 18:38
by Master Gunner
The E wrote:I realize I am in the minority here, but I really wish you guys would go back to breaking down everything into storylines rather than recapping Raws and PPVs. The main reason I felt comfortable jumping into wrestling in the first place was that with the help of Sidewalk Slam ep 1, I had a good idea of who everyone was and what everyone's general story arc was.

Now, granted, it's not that hard to follow along; anyone who's watching modern serialized TV is probably used to having to deal with several more or less unconnected storylines running in parallel and occasionally crossing over each other, but it's still nice to get a high-level overview of where everyone is and how they got there once in a while.

I'd very much prefer to recap storyline-by-storyline, rather than episode-by-episode. I can see it getting a bit difficult when aspects of multiple storylines intersect, but overall (especially when recapping a month's worth of Wrestling) it's easier to follow that way.


Solomon-Kain wrote:You have to disconnect Charity/PSA work from a Wrestlers Character, I really don't wee why Heels can't do good things for other people, especially if they are popular. Heels only screw over other wrestlers, not the public. I think the idea is that these people fight dirty, not that they are sociopaths.

That's my view of it, but I don't watch wrestling, just this podcast. Basically, there is a difference between being a Tool and being Evil. Wrestling wants Bad guys, but they don't want them to be too Bad...

Well the "point" of a heel is to be the bad guy in order to work up the crowd to cheer for the good guy - a Face vs Heel battle being more palatable as entertainment rather than just watching a pair of ok guys beating the shit out of each other. The heel doing "good stuff" in the middle of the show makes it more difficult to mentally cast them as "the bad guy" they're supposed to be for the purposes of the show, so the heel has to rebuild their heel momentum.

As Graham and Adam said, it's great that Roman is doing it and that the WWE is so involved in this kind of charity work - it's just when they advertise it with a heel in the middle of the show that it's awkward. Save it until the end of the show or the preshow when it won't break the momentum as much for their characterizations.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 18 May 2016, 20:08
by Solomon-Kain
See the takeaway I get from the Charity/PSA promos are that the WWE thinks it's important enough that Everyone does it regardless of characterization, because there is a minimum baseline for everyone's Character such that they will all do this type of work. I actually appreciate that, so while you and Graham and Adam might feel it breaks Character I don't see it that way, and I doubt I am alone in this. I just wanted to point out the counter-argument to their criticism since it's not the first time I've heard it, and I do disagree on this point.

Re: Sidewalk Slam Ep7 - Payback 2016

Posted: 02 Jun 2016, 06:32
by Lysander
Really enjoying your show.

I don't know if this is something that fits with what you guys talk about, but I just learned that Nextflix is producing a series about the backstage antics of a wrestling show. It's being made by the folks behind "Orange is the New Black," and is based on/inspired by "Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling" from the eighties.

http://deadline.com/2016/05/glow-netfli ... 201764622/

Graham had been saying in a few of the episodes he wanted a show similar to 30Rock but with wrestling. I hope this does well. And that it's actually a comedy instead of a gritty grim drama of the the seedy underbelly of Hollywood in the eighties.