Featuring Many Current and Past OO Columnists 
Ratings Compiled by Rick Scaia

OOficial Brand of the Week:
RAW
RAW: 3.93  --/-- SD!: 3.18

RATING SYSTEM: Rather than go with the standard 1-10 integer scale for rating shows, OO has selected a 0.0-5.0 rating scheme.  Not only does this allow the reviewer to more precisely award points, but more importantly, it is our belief that our ratings will, in a way, be comparable to the weekly Nielsen Ratings.  Our ratings are based on show quality, however, whereas Nielsen's are based on eyeballs.  Just as WWE hasn't reached the real world 5.0 mark in a long, long time, it will take a monumental effort for a show to earn the highest OO World ratings...  but piss us off in a given week, and we'll be rating you like you're Nitro and it's 2001. 

RAW (4/19/04) vs. SMACKDOWN! (4/22/04)  
OOFICIAL RATINGS

Canadian Bulldog 
RAW: 4.0
Raw Is Benoit

The good: Another solid main event, which even departed slightly from the tried and true "face rivals who are about to fight each other win tag team titles for no apparent reason" storyline. I'm assuming Ric Flair and Batista get back the titles soon (not that THEY'RE the best pair to hold it, either), because it doesn't make a lot of sense to give Benoit another title right now. Shelton Benjamin could have just as easily been Edge's tag team partner, but that's nitpicking. A really good match.... FINALLY, the writers give Matt Hardy something interesting to do, and even though it was obvious to anyone watching what was about to happen, it was still the right move. Now all they need to do is sign Jeff Hardy back and Raw may just have one legitimate tag team in its ranks.... Heaven help me, Eugene was actually entertaining this week. Chris Jericho Vs. Christian was another decent outing in their feud.

The bad: I'm baffled by the push for Garrison Cade. The guy does absolutely nothing for me. Oh, well, at least they're not pushing a Japanese dictator character or anything.... what? Aw, crap.

SmackDown!: 3.5 
SmackDown Is Heyman

The good: Paul Heyman's return to television. He has the innate ability to turn a bad show good and a good show great. It was just what SmackDown needed to start turning things around. To wit, the following table:

Hopefully, they've learned their lesson this time around and will keep Heyman around, either as a GM, manager or some other permanent character... His mere presence turned The Dudleyz into a fresh act overnight... The Rico-Charlie Haas team was a silly, stereotypical concept, but at least it's giving them both something high-profile to do. Besides, anyone who can dethrone Too Phat is all right by me... Bradshaw, give him a bit of credit, looks like he's having a blast in the ring with this new character... Eddy Guerrero Vs. The Dudleyz was a fun main event.... Overall note: this is the first time since the era of brand-specific PPV's last year that SmackDown may actually be prepared for their PPV. Already, we've got a well-built main event (even if it IS featuring fucking Bradshaw), the possibility of Booker T-Undertaker and some other things in the works. Keep up the good work; best all-around SmackDown in well over a month.

The bad: El Gran Luchador? Could they have not come up with a less generic name? And how'd a guy with a moniker like that get to be the champion of Mexico, anyways?.... Although its been around in wrestling forever, I was appalled by the lame and ultra-homophobic stereotypes projected by virtually everyone (including Michael Cole) during the tag team title match. Hey Rico: Goldust called, he wants his gimmick back... While I have no problem with them leading up to a Rene Dupree-John Cena program, could they stop turning up the John Cena wuss-o-meter to 11? The guy was (and still is) one of the most over guys the company has; why keep making him look like a sissy week after week? A real thug wouldn't run out to save a damsel in distress (even if it is Torrie), leave that to guys like Matt Hardy.

Bulldog's battle-to-date averages: RAW (3.2), SD! (2.9).

 
Big Danny T 
RAW: 3.9
Wow, Raw! You just got finished with a PPV. You've got 2 months to coast. You didn't have to give us this gem of a show but you did anyway! Thank you. I'll be sure to keep you at the top of my christmas list.

SmackDown!: 3.0
They're trying, and they'll get there, just not this week. Check the Recap!

Danny's battle-to-date averages: RAW (3.4), SD! (3.4).
 

Matt Hocking 
RAW: 3.8
JR:  By GAWD BENOIT AND EDGE WON THE TITLES!
JL:  I know!  How lame is that!
JR:  What do you mean, King?
JL:  Some tag team division WE have.  Look it's the kings of charisma!
JR:  Yeah.  I hope I can sign Jeff Hardy, again!  That'll fix things.
JL:  I thought you quit as the head signer guy.
JR:  NOT UNTIL I SIGN JEFF HARDY BY GAWD!
EG:  You think you know me?  You know what I allow you to know!
JL:  Well, let me "know" when you're "interesting" again.
EG:  Dammit.  Shut up, King.
JR:  I give this week's RAW a 3.8.  Decent...everything...nothing special.
JL:  5!!  I LOVE PUPPIES!
EG:  I'm depressed.  I'm going to go spear the wall until I break my neck
again.  0.

SmackDown!: 3.1 
MC:  ECDUB!  ECDUB!
TZ:  What the hell are you doing, Cole?
MC:  I'm chanting for ECW, to come back!  Didn't you hear Paul Heyman?!
TZ:  NO!  No!  I'm not going back to work there!  NO!
MC:  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!
TZ:  Yeah...so...uh...Rico...bad acting...that was pretty much i....
MC:  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!
TZ:  Shut up!  SHUT UP!  SHUT UUUUUUUUP!!!
RVD:  Hey, Tazz, did you hear we're getting the band back together.
TZ:  No, we are NOT!
RVD:  Yeah!  All Right!
UD:  I'd just like to clear up a few rumors.  No, that was not me fighting Bradshaw, that was somebody less than Dragonriffic.  Secondly, yes, I am taking time off to film a movie and try to have a baby with Step...I mean "work in Japan".  It's going to be Dragontastic.  See you all in the fall.
RVD:  Duuuuude...Did you see that guy?  That totally looked like Shannon Moore.
TZ:  I don't know how to start telling you how wrong you are, so I won't. 3.2.  I'm leaving.
RVD:  Woah, dude.  What's his problem.
MC:  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!  ECDUB!
RVD:  Shut up, already.  Geez.  Now you ruined my buzz.  4.20.
MC:  E.CW

Matt's battle-to-date averages: RAW (3.7), SD! (3.3).

 
Rick Scaia  
RAW: 4.0
What to say that hasn't been said already?  Wrestling-wise, RAW was a definite hit, with two matches -- the opener and the main event -- clocking in at around 15 minutes of solid action.  Storywise, they did effective comedy with Eugene, effective resuscitation of Molly Holly, jacked up the intensity between Michaels/Benoit, and also inserted Edge into a curious spot as Benoit's partner and co-tag champ.  If this is how RAW intends to coast through it's "free-per-view" month, then I'm sold.  They did more good on Monday night than SD! had done the entire previous month. 

SmackDown!: 3.1 
Signs of life, at last!  Or more accurately: signs of not sucking.  SD! still had its limited talent roster to work with, but seemingly found a comfort zone where they could have those characters doing what they have to do in a sensible way, instead of it feeling really forced and phony.  Paul Heyman showing up as a one-night GM provided a real nice spark of energy, and his presence also provided the impetus for a Dudleys heel turn, which is something they've needed to try for a while.  They're still working with what feels like half a roster, and that hurts the "sizzle factor," but they put everybody to decent use this week.  Best SD! in a month.  But still not good enough to unseat RAW.

Rick's battle-to-date averages: RAW (3.4), SD! (3.6).

FINAL OO RATINGS, WEEK ENDING 4/23/04

RAW average: 3.93
Actual Nielsen Rating: 3.3 (converted to broadcast rating)  
RAW OVERdelivers versus actual rating this week.

SmackDown! average: 3.18 
Actual Nielsen Rating:  3.1  
SD! OVERdelivers versus actual rating this week.

BATTLE TO DATE TALLIES

Average OO Rating for RAW:  3.27 
Average Nielsen Rating for RAW: 3.16 
RAW is OVERdelivering, on average, versus actual ratings since the start of the Battle.

Average OO Rating for SD: 3.31 
Average Nielsen Rating for SD:  3.33 
SD! is UNDERdelivering, on average, versus actual ratings since the start of the Battle.

Rounds Won by RAW: 21 
Rounds Won by SD!: 23  
Current Streak: 5 by RAW (Since 3/26/04) 
Longest Streak: 7 by SD! (6/27/03 thru 8/08/03)

BROWSE PAST WEEK'S BATTLES OF THE BRANDS  

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