If you don't think the Daniel Bryan push isn't because of the Total Divas show you are out to lunch. Why do you think they are going to do him vs. Cena in a Bella Boyfriend vs. Bella Boyfriend match.

Poor Tyson Kidd. If only he wasn't injured.

New tag team feud for Rollins/Regins? The Usos! I like those guys and think they deserve a shot, but if this isn't the ultimate backburner spot for The Shield I don't know what is. Maybe they'll feud Ambrose with Justin Gabriel

I figured Ambrose would feud with Christian next after Smackdown. That might actually be worse than Gabriel.

I kind of like the Usos getting the Faces of Fear vs the NWO push. Of course, they're really not the Faces of Fear. And Christian/Ambrose is one of the most fun match-ups WWE could give us right now, so I'd be perfectly okay with that, long-term booking be damned.

New tag team feud for Rollins/Regins? The Usos! I like those guys and think they deserve a shot, but if this isn't the ultimate backburner spot for The Shield I don't know what is. Maybe they'll feud Ambrose with Justin Gabriel

The Observer is saying that The Shield is wrestling Undertaker and Kane at SummerSlam if Taker wants to wrestle, which would be a pretty high spot on the card for them. This feels like a placeholder feud, and with the WWE's tag scene the way it is, the Usos were probably the best team for that spot.

I figured Ambrose would feud with Christian next after Smackdown. That might actually be worse than Gabriel.

What's wrong with Christian? He may not be a rising star that gets fans excited for a program with Ambrose, but he's sure as hell better than Justin Gabriel. Plus with Ambrose's apparent reputation for being a good match layout guy, and Christian being the all-pro he is... it could be a work of art in the ring.

The SD spoilers...ugh. It's beginning.

You have to build up the Usos and Christian as legit contenders or else you have a PPV with two matches that no one would pay to see. Well, maybe not Christian as much but definitely the Usos.

You have to build up the Usos and Christian as legit contenders or else you have a PPV with two matches that no one would pay to see. Well, maybe not Christian as much but definitely the Usos.

This is all well and good and I like all parties, but no serious person can debate that The Shield push has leveled off at best

Well how many times can you have them run in and destroy everyone? Then it becomes as boring and annoying as the NWO became

Well how many times can you have them run in and destroy everyone? Then it becomes as boring and annoying as the NWO became

This is an odd statement since this is precisely what they did to Christian last week and not very much of what they were doing in the weeks prior to that. Invoking NWO is a serviceable strawman though

They have already run through all the top guys except Punk which I'm sure is coming soon, Del Rio, and Trips which I hope never happens so once you have beaten all the top guys you have to start facing guys below them. Kane is in a holding pattern waiting for Taker to come back for the Summerslam match and I think it won't be too long after that that we will either see the Shield split or go babyface to feud with the Wyatts.

Well how many times can you have them run in and destroy everyone? Then it becomes as boring and annoying as the NWO became

This is an odd statement since this is precisely what they did to Christian last week and not very much of what they were doing in the weeks prior to that. Invoking NWO is a serviceable strawman though

 

 

Yeah, and Christian now is facing them because of it and got a measure of revenge leading to the PPV. I'm not saying get rid of the Shield run ins, it's an over gimmick. But eventually they can't always dominate. And don't give me that straw man bullshit. It's a fair comparison and "straw man" is one those worn out expressions that's fucking annoying.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd cheer the Wyatt Family over the Shield.

I was pretty okay with the Bryan thing but this? Yikes. I mean I think Ambrose is winning the world title MITB match and Reigns and Rollins will obviously go over at the PPV, but still...

 

Christian got the pinfall on Ambrose. Still questionable but I guess could have been worse

Yeah, I try to see the positive side of things, but there's no reason at all for the Shield to lose. I like the face team and all, but if they wanted to build to the match...don't have them wrestle at all. Have the Usos beat 3MB or the Prime Time Players or the Shield beat Tons of Funk or something while their opponents scouts them. Christian can wrestle virtually anyone on the roster in a singles match or, hell, have Christian beat Ambrose via DQ or count-out to set up a PPV match for the title. Hurting one of the few things fans took seriously to build up some placeholder matches is very short sighted.

Well how many times can you have them run in and destroy everyone? Then it becomes as boring and annoying as the NWO became

This is an odd statement since this is precisely what they did to Christian last week and not very much of what they were doing in the weeks prior to that. Invoking NWO is a serviceable strawman though

 

 

Yeah, and Christian now is facing them because of it and got a measure of revenge leading to the PPV. I'm not saying get rid of the Shield run ins, it's an over gimmick. But eventually they can't always dominate. And don't give me that straw man bullshit. It's a fair comparison and "straw man" is one those worn out expressions that's fucking annoying.

 

Where did I call for The Shield to dominate anyone in that post? They were an over act, easily the most "special" thing in the WWE since Henry's heel run (if not before then in some ways) and now they are losing to the fucking Uso's and Christian on a random episode of Smackdown. This is a thread about how the "boys in the back" would bring them down and whether or not this has anything to do with backstage politics, it's pretty fucking difficult to argue that this isn't a pretty massive demotion.

 

Your post didn't even make sense. You bitch about how The Shield can't run in and destroy everyone because that's just as boring and annoying as the NWO......except the very booking you are defending was predicated on The Shield destroying a guy, and in weeks prior to the big focus of their push has been in actually matches where they worked the numbers game/team work to their advantage.

 

As for the straw man stuff, well if you don't want to be given that "bullshit" don't making straw man arguments. If the NWO comparison is so "fair" why don't you make it, instead of setting up a transparently obvious false dichotomy where if The Shield isn't feuding/losing to The Usos/Christian in an unpromoted, random , SD match, then they must be out destroying people 3-on-1 and somehow being exactly the same as the NWO in doing so (because lord knows three guys called up from developmental less than a year ago, are the exact same as Hogan and co.). I'm sorry if you find the term worn out and annoying, but I find your WWE apologistia gimmick worn out and fucking annoying to, though I still try and engage on the points.

For whatever it is worth Christian/Uso vs The Shield got over hugely with the crowd.

 

I think their appeal is based on exciting matches as much as being supposedly unstoppable.

If you don't think the Daniel Bryan push isn't because of the Total Divas show you are out to lunch. Why do you think they are going to do him vs. Cena in a Bella Boyfriend vs. Bella Boyfriend match.

 

Pretty sure Cena's not dating whatever Bella that was anymore. Also if they gave any thought to Total Divas when planning storylines they would have broken up Natalia and Khali since the Bellas tweeted photos of going to her batchelorette party as part of the show.

John & Nikki are still together and they have been filming scenes together for that show.

Yep. Cena just tweeted this a few minutes ago:

 

Thanks again to @ENews @eonline for spending time with my family and a very #specialsomeone does this make me a #totaldiva?

Christian going over Ambrose sounds like it makes the most sense to me.

 

A. Both the Usos and Tag Champions are protected going into the PPV, without having any wins over each other. Nobody gives the Usos a prayer of winning, look who they beat to earn the title shot. So they'll all the help they can get to be seen as possible title threats. Conversely, Rollins and Reigns can't be laying down left and right as the tag champions. So Ambrose drops a fall in a meaningless six man to give the Usos a perceived edge. The Shield can turn around and win a return six man tag on RAW, or do some big DDQ to keep the fans excited.

 

B. Christian beats the U.S. Champion, and thus, sets up a possible program over the title. The World Title MITB match isn't exactly filled with guys you can picture lifting the title. Much as I love Cesaro right now, he's not at that level. Swagger had the chance and blew it. Rhodes or Sandow? So it seems like it's pretty much down to Barrett or Ambrose. Ambrose can win MITB, drop the U.S. Strap to Christian, and then cash in and move to the next level. It worked for the Miz a couple of years back.

Part of me thinks Cesaro gets it. He has the manager. He just survived the depush. He's got the buzz. He'll be super over in Philly.

I just watched the six-man on Youtube. I don't know if the international feed is different from the American version but the match as aired lasted a full four minutes. Christian pinning Ambrose did get over big, but I wonder if the Shield is in the "depush them to see how they handle it" stage of their careers now. I do, however, think Dean is winning the MITB match and will be champion next year, but he's going to do a lot of jobs before he gets that belt.

I think it's pretty clear after watching it that The Shield as a hot, special act is over. They aren't devoid of value, but you don't lose matches like that in that fashion if the goal is to continue to treat you as main eventers (which is effectively what they have been their entire time in the WWE). In hindsight Tim was right when he noted the winning of the titles was a way to slide them into solid mid-card slots.