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HOW TO GET THE BRIEFCASE OFF OF OTIS, DISSING KOFI, OMEGA IN NEW JAPAN VS. AEW AND MORE

By Dave Scherer on 2020-08-31 10:00:00

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I am familiar with Abyss from the early TNA days, but am unfamiliar with the Joseph/Chris Park backstory, other than the fact that Chris Park is his real name.  Can you explain the whole Joseph Park/Chris Park dynamic?

In a nutshell, "Joseph" was a cowardly lawyer, who was the "brother" of Chris. He debuted looking to find his missing brother and then stayed around as a character for a while.

Given how Otis has been presented mainly as a comedy character, it seems unlikely that they would put the Universal title on him within the next year.  If we assume he isn't going to win, how would you go about him cashing in the money in the bank briefcase without looking weak?

That is the problem with putting it on a comedy character, what do you do next?  If it's me, I go one of three ways.  I would do an angle where Otis decides his partnership with Tucker is more important than anything, so he uses the briefcase to challenge, in advance, for the tag titles when they are held by heels.  Secondary ideas?  You could have him challenge against a heel and have him lose, but turn in a yeoman effort to try to elevate him.  I don't love that since he is more comedy than anything.  Or, they could always have him give Mandy the briefcase and get her a Title shot.

Been a fan since the 80's and one of the things that really bothers me, in my opinion, is WWE's revisionist history. Case in point, I was shocked while watching Kofi Kingston's Photo Shoot on the WWE Network, that they did a retrospective on his career and did not mention his championship victory. A feel good story that inspired so many young people, including my own. My kids were surprised that nothing was mentioned and were quite saddened. Why do you think WWE is just "forgetting" his championship journey and reign? A simple picture and his comments would have made the Photo Shoot episode so much meaningful. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when that episode wrapped up filming. Such disrespect to him and his fans. Your thoughts?

I totally agree with you.  They don’t treat Kofi like a former champion and I have no idea why.  They do that kind of thing all the time and it makes no sense to me.  Their talents are their best assets, but they think that the brand is. Kofi being a former champ should be part of pretty much every story but it’s not.  It’s why so many of their talents are interchangeable.  But in this case, the program you reference was done before he won the Title.

Has the term "lumberjill" been banned from the WWE due to the fact that it is sexist just like the term "Diva?"

I don’t know if it was banned but last week they did a “lumberjack” match for Asuka and Sasha.  Personally, I don’t see it as sexist.  If a male woodcutter is a lumberjack, I am ok with a female being a lumber jill.  Diva, on the other hand, is insulting to call a top tier athlete (unless it’s someone that actually displays diva like behavior).  

Recently a question was asked about Kenny Omega not being quite what he was in NJPW compared to AEW, with you agreeing.  But don't you think being an EVP might have something to do with it?  In New Japan he was doing everything he could to steal the show every night to get to the top.  As an EVP maybe he's holding back on purpose in order to help get other wrestlers over?  The Bucks have done a good job putting over other tag teams.  Maybe he's doing the same?

I don’t think that’s it.  I think in New Japan Gedo just booked him better than he is being booked now.  If the issue were putting over talents, beating The Cleaner, or even staying in a match with him, would mean a lot more than beating overacting Kenny.  I would love to see New Japan Kenny in AEW.

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