Nov 28 2008
Michelle McCool Heel Turn
Michelle McCool’s heel turn seems imminent. Someone had to turn in the McCool-Maria feud, and Maria would probably be a crappy heel. They had been teasing McCool to turn anyway, since she was acting a little arrogant against Maria and not seeing her as a threat. It seems like Maria will win the Diva’s title somewhere down the road, unless backstage powers arise again.
What does McCool’s heel turn mean for the face and heel divas of Smackdown? The faces now have Maria, Eve, and the Bellas. Exactly where in that group is an experienced veteran who actually knows what she is doing? No offense to the Bellas, but they are still very new and not that spectacular. No offense to Eve, but she has not done anything yet. As far as Maria goes, and she will be the star of the faces, what a horrible choice. She got a huge push when she posed for Playboy, did not show extraordinary skill then, and has not improved that much since.
The heel divas will include Maryse, Victoria, Natalya, and McCool, when she officially turns. The weakest link on this list is Maryse, and even she is improving better than some of the Smackdown face divas and has been booked to look better than she is. Nevertheless that push may be ending now too. That impressive booking she got at Survivor Series may have been her “gold watch” before she is slowly phased out. Three Raw divas had to be eliminated in vain? I could be wrong, however. Maybe McCool will take Maryse on as a sidekick, so Maryse can still be able to show what she can do fully, learn from McCool, and pick up a few wins. But the WWE rarely has the desire to push two face or heel divas at the same time, and when they do, it is usually done with little effort, given not enough time, and sometimes dropped without much notice. Moreover, McCool does not seem to be the type who will train her possible replacement. Mickie James may have helped the Raw inexperienced face divas, who the WWE then hopes will replace her, but McCool is too greedy for that, based on reports I have read. Maryse may also turn face, growing off a storyline where her own arrogance will not allow her to work with McCool, but then the face divas will have five members, if Eve actually will wrestle, and the heel divas will have only three, and then there is the rumor Victoria may retire soon.
McCool turning heel simple unbalances the divas in terms of quality. Looking at quantity, it is even at four each, if no other switches happen. It may also damage continuity, as Maryse has plot problems, and real backstage issues, with McCool. All of a sudden they will be on the same team, and with McCool as leader? As I continuously say with Mickie James, no diva has to be in the title picture all the time, but they should be given something meaningful to do. For some reason, I see Michelle McCool as a diva that must have that spotlight on her always. She wants the “Trish Stratus” treatment. If she has to job, it does not matter as long as she has her title. When she does lose the title, she will probably either win it back within two to four months, or be given some angle to keep attention on her. And now she has a good argument to say she should keep the title longer, as no face diva on Smackdown is really at her league. Maria will get the push, but that will be a slap in the face of the quality of women’s wrestling in the WWE. What can save Smackdown? If you ask me, bring Gail Kim to Smackdown as a face.
