LIVE Smackdown thoughts - November 6, 2012

9:59 - I'll be honest and say I don't even know if I can judge that match fairly because I find both Superstars so dreadfully boring.  The show seemed really phoned in.  Nothing big happened, and much of the show seemed to just recap what happened on Raw.  Give people a reason to watch Smackdown and they will (for a significant time of the early brand extension years, it was the preferred brand), but if you basically tell your audience that they can miss the show....they definitely will.

9:38 - By the way, side note:  I'm disappointed that WWE canceled their ticket sale party in Bryant Park this Friday.  I totally was planning on going!  Bryant Park is awesome and it's not far from my home.  It would've been a fun time.

9:25 - Brad Maddox looks like a less mutant (and better spoken) version of Matt Hardy.

9:12 - Souvenir Elbow is a MUCH better name than the Barrett Bullhammer.  Much better.

Also, Linda lost the Senate race in Connecticut.

9:00 - A while back in WWE Magazine, William Regal indicated that there's a red robe in the works.  Considering how rarely he wrestles -- and that this is in his home country -- I'm surprised he didn't break it out tonight.  I mean, that magazine was from several months ago.

8:54 - That Booker/Teddy Long segment was odd.  I know they were building some tension between them during Eve's feigned face turn, but was there anything to that scene?  Or was it just a poorly scripted "humorous" scene?  I usually miss Smackdown.

8:42 - The Prime Time Players fall into that start/stop push category that makes it difficult to get into them.  They were being pushed pretty strong, dating back to the Kofi/R-Truth title reign, but then they were put on the backburner when Team Hell No took (aha) fire.  And then when new teams like Rhodes/Sandow and Mysterio/Sandow needed to be established, they got pushed back even further.  So, yeah, it's a bit tough to get back into them now -- especially since it's the same push and same routine.

8:31 - For the moment, this is going to be a bit sporadic (family is over).  As far as the opening goes, if they're going to devote so much time to Sheamus vs. Barrett, I wish they'd just officially feud.  Barrett hasn't had an actual feud since his return, and Sheamus desperately needs an interesting feud.  These guys have fought so many times the past two weeks that it feels like a waste, since they're not feuding.

Glad to see Kofi get another clean win.  I was actually intrigued by the Miz handshake offer.  When he stuck around the ring, I wondered if he might turn face by joining Team Foley.  I was actually a bit surprised to see Kofi hit the dropkick.