Word on the sheets is the reason Goldberg’s show-closing promo from this week’s Raw referred to comments Drew McIntyre hadn’t made was due to a timing issue that prevented the WWE champion from being able to make them.
Producing live television is hard, and stuff happens. Problem is, even if McIntyre had said some things about the Legends on hand for Legends Night so Goldberg could say he didn’t believe he meant them, it would still be illogical, and untrue to what makes Bill an attraction.
As many have pointed out, if Goldberg was concerned about active wrestlers disrespecting Legends, there was another guy who spent the entire night doing it. Randy Orton not only walked around backstage on Monday insulting Ric Flair, Big Show and Mark Henry, for decades he’s been known as the Legend Killer. I guess killing is more respectful than… whatever it is Bill thinks Drew was doing?
We also watched McIntyre stand up for the veterans repeatedly during his feud with Orton last year.
The explanation the promo the champ was supposed to cut before Goldberg came would have provided, I guess, is that the Hall of Famer’s speech was supposed to throw McIntyre off his game. Drew holds those that came before him in such high regard that having a Legend question his sincerity would be devastating. That was the big Scot’s theory/save during Jan. 4’s closing segment.
But why though?
Must be because everyone associates Goldberg feuds with how he uses his mic skills to twist his opponent’s minds, leading to intricate psychological warfare between him and his rivals. Oh wait, NO ONE WANTS THAT FROM A GOLDBERG PROGRAM.
He may be a 54 year old who almost broke Undertaker’s neck while concussed on a propaganda cash grab for a despotic regime, but Goldberg still has appeal. That appeal remains pretty simple, though: “You’re next!”, spear, jackhammer, repeat.
Monday’s scene gets there, too! There wouldn’t have been any timing issues with the episode if he just comes out, points at the belt with “me want” in his eyes. Drew says “maybe in your prime, old man, but not now,” Goldberg shoves him down, they smash their heads together and circle like a couple of bulls as the show goes off the air. Easy peasy.
There would still be complaints, but folks who don’t want to see a Goldberg title match in 2021 (a group of fans I count myself among) aren’t likely to be swayed no matter what. Trying to justify his request just complicates things without changing anyone’s mind. I’d be interested in seeing an in-depth character arc about the aging former headliner trying new tricks in a desperate bid to prove he can still hang at the top of the card, but it’s not like WWE is going to pull that off in a month.
Book the thing, see if his mystique brings back some old fans or entices some new ones, and hope the match doesn’t suck.
Fingers crossed Bill only has one more date in his contract for this feud, and WWE scripts that to go more like the first and last 30 seconds of this one without the two minutes in between.
Then we can start worrying about the outcome of Royal Rumble’s WWE title match…