Another 3-Hour Raw Next Week?

So last night was a 3-hour All Star Raw - Ari and I will talk about it in detail later this week but it was quiet entertaining on some respects - the Miz and Roddy Piper in the same ring was definitely promising, I enjoyed Steve Austin as guest General Manager (and as always, his heavy-vehicle ridin' ... in this case, right over the obnoxious anonymous GM's computer). Of course some weaker stuff - the Diva's Can Can? R Truth's beatdown on Hornswoggle? (OK - I guess this enhanced the R Truth character, but not even by much, as I don't know what it would prove for any wrestler on the roster to manhandle the leprechaun). And a decent job, both on Friday and today, of getting Christian some heat off the fans - recognizing the risk that his heel turn could have taken fans with him who sympathized with the quick turnover in his title reign. I've even warmed up to some of the Barack Obama press conference promos since they've started using wrest ... excuse me, Superstars ... in them - R Truth last week, Christian, Sheamus, etc. this week. And at LEAST they started actually putting some attention and thought on matchmaking and promoting Capitol Punishment for real (6 days out). Again - a more detailed discussion on Thursday/Friday, but those being my initial thoughts.

What kind of annoyed me at the end of yesterday's Raw though was the announcement of another 3-hour Raw next week. They have, I believe it's 4 of these a year, and when spaced out to one every 3 months or so, that's great. It makes a nice treat that WWE (usually) tries a bit harder for. But having two 3-hour Raws back to back (with a PPV in between!), I find myself wondering if WWE is asking a bit much of some peoples' time; especially 'wasting' for lack of a better term, a 3-hour special in the summer months when people's TV watching is winding down for the season. I mean, there's already a LOT of WWE on my TV - Monday Night Raw, Smackdown, and - including webcasts, NXT and Superstars, as well as a monthly pay per view. As a big fan, i don't mind. But I can see some who are busier or poorer starting to have issues.

When something is done all the time, it isn't special anymore. Rariry lends value. These are marketing principles that really, a promotional genius like Vince McMahon MUST be aware of. He'd be wise to perhaps employ these concepts a bit - probably the biggest mistake he makes on a consistent basis being to ride any horse that seems to have the slightest bit of momentum, into the ground (see Cena, John; H, Triple; his own character at times). I can tell you from my own reaction, I was excited about a 3-hour All Star Raw last night; folks from both brands in the same place, a few faces from the past, a good healthy dose of wrestling after a few busy off-and-on weeks ... I'm nowhere near as psyched about next week's (although that might also have to do with the theme; other than the first Taboo Tuesday or two ,the 'Power to the People' concept has really failed, despite its promising premise, largely due to the WWE's lack of willingness to REALLY cede control in any significant or meaningful way).

Another 3 hours of wrestling after a big 3 hour show and PPV this week, where we get to pretend the fans are calling the shots while being asked to put together stupid matches guided by leading questions and set ups (which, if I were more of a conspiracy theorist, by the way, I would suspect they offer such lousy options and have us vote on such stupid matches JUST to tweek the nose of the armchair bookers to say 'See you don't know what you're doing any more than you accuse us of!') ... yeah. I'll watch - and might even be pleasantly surprised (heck; that happens often when I go into a wrestilng event with low expectations) ... but I can tell you right now, my skeptical people's eyebrow is already way up. Just sayin' ...