LIVE Raw thoughts

11:05 - I have to say, that was one of the most incredible endings to Raw I've seen in recent memory. Probably since the initial Nexus introduction. It was just exhilarating stuff, and it really felt like a big deal. And I loved the way in which each person was introduced, first with Edge to really give the visual of enemies standing together to take down this common threat. And it all pretty much made perfect sense, especially with guys like Morrison frequently standing up to the group. However, I don't really recall R-Truth being a victim. The most curious inclusion, however, is Great Khali. He's basically a comedy act and isn't even threatening. And has he been involved in a single Nexus segment? Honestly, Mark Henry would've made a better choice! Odd that they didn't just ditch Truth and Khali in favor of the Hart Dynasty.

Anyway, great ending to Raw....and I'm legitimately looking forward to SummerSlam.

10:40 - Just as a sidenote, it seems like everybody who fantasy books something for Nexus, it involves somebody being revealed as their leader, whether it's Chris Jericho or Triple H or Sheamus or Miz. I don't see why this is necessary. The angle has been working. Really well. And a huge reason for that is because these guys genuinely do come off as outsiders -- they're a group of people that barely anybody knows anything about, and they're just trying to make an impact. They're united, and we understand their common history. And while Barrett is clearly the "leader," none of these guys outshine the others. If any of the names above were revealed as the leader behind it all, they'd completely dominate the spotlight.

10:35 - So what's the story behind Zack Ryder wearing normal trunks now? They took away the one thing that sets him apart from everybody else.

10:19 - I have to admit that I've grown a tad tired of Miz's act over the past few months -- although I think he's a great breath of fresh air -- but did you hear the way the crowd exploded when they thought Miz was going to cash in the briefcase? Man, the place blew up! I think this little story of Miz "stalking" the champion in hopes of picking him off has some real legs.

10:11 - Fun little dynamic between Miz and Sheamus. Come to think of it, all night they've been doing a great job developing some tension between heel characters.

9:34 - The Edge/Jericho/Nexus segment was absolute gold. Edge and Jericho are always great together, but Nexus was icing on the cake. Part of what makes the Nexus segments work so great and what helps them avoid the repetitive feeling are the little touches. I love the way the Nexus slowly begins to surround their prey so that there's no chance of escape. And I love when the hapless victim comes to the realization that they're completely screwed. And the fact that this mega heel group attacked the two biggest heels on the roster -- yet it worked -- is quite remarkable.

9:20 - Okay the triple clothesline was awesome.

9:16 - Randy Orton dominating this match has REALLY shown how limited his moveset is. How many times has he gone for or done that DDT second rope move?

9:08 - Based solely on the face/heel dynamic, Orton has to be a heavy favorite here. Truth be told, I'd like to see either of the other two guys take it.

Well, thanks to my softball playoffs game getting cut short due to rain, I'm back in time for Raw. Albeit five minuets late. So why not provide my live thoughts again?