LIVE Raw thoughts - August 26, 2013

11:06 - Fun ending and absolutely awesome booking of Daniel Bryan.  Absolutely atrocious booking of the rest of the roster.

11:01 - Absolutely awesome first match.  Too bad the damn monkeys in the trunk missed the finishing move.

10:50 - See that, for example, was a bad way to get Dolph Ziggler over as a top face.  I'm not saying everybody has to be as rebellious and tough talking as Stone Cold and the Rock, but could you ever imagine Mankind being afraid to speak?  None of the top stars would do that.  Not Shawn Michaels.  Not Bret Hart.  Not Randy Savage.  Not Undertaker.  I mean, c'mon....

10:47 - Still miss the Daniel Bryan ring jacket.  I said this on Twitter earlier, but constantly saying putting your entire roster on the stage and telling them they can't help a super popular face if he's in an unfair situation at the risk of getting fired just puts many of their top babyfaces in a situation where they might come across as cowardly to the fans.

10:25 - So wait, they have to stand on the ramp and watch the match, but they can't turn their head to look at the ring?

10:14 - Fun match between Christian and Orton.  Really liked that spear sequence.  Also like their established chemistry of knowing each other's movements and avoidign them accordingly.

9:58 - I'm actually curious to see this match.  We've seen a face Christian vs. a face Orton, a heel Christian vs. a face Orton, but never a face Christian vs. a heel Orton.  Should be an interesting dynamic.

9:48 - Curtis Axel and Alberto Del Rio have both lost clean already.  And logic dictates that at least two (and certainly one) more champions will lose as well (in the gauntlet match).  Way to sell Night of Champions!

9:42 - Ah yes, that booking strategy I just love:  Have the champion lose to somebody in order to -- presto! -- make that person #1 contender!

9:24 - This is my definition of a massive AJ Lee face turn.

9:21 - It makes me sad that AJ is being dragged into this Total Divas nonsense.  Especially since it probably means that she's dropping the title to one of them so that the show can have the title, too.  Unless this is leading to AJ vs. JoJo.  Then it's okay.

9:17 - There's something about JoJo that I find absolutely adorable.  The ONLY good thing that has come out of Total Divas.  For me, anyway.

9:11 - Are the fans chanting "Boring"?  Never thought I'd see that for a Heyman/Punk segment.

8:34 - These VMA references are painful.

8:26 - I still miss Cody's mustache but I also can't help but wonder why they wasted the moment of it being shaved for.....the JBL/Cole Show???  Considering he's got a fairly high profile feud with Sandow, why not do a beard vs. mustache match?  Or a mustache vs. briefcase match?  Seems so wasted.

8:19 - I enjoy how WWE is cleverly getting heat on Randy Orton and Triple H by having Triple H give Randy Orton all of the credit for WWE's surge in popularity.  We ALL know how that feels -- when somebody (perhaps it's you) accomplishes something great, only for a "golden boy" to get all of the credit.  This is very relate-able issue and it's a great way for them to rile up the audience.  And not for nothing, but this was the PERFECT time for John Cena to take time off.  It's great that the spotlight is squarely on Daniel Bryan, which is something that they never did for CM Punk.

8:02 - Still love the Shield acting as hired guns for Triple H.  For one, it's refreshing seeing Triple H putting himself in a situation that he seems vulnerable enough that he NEEDS back up.  As an added bonus, it makes Daniel Bryan seem like a threatening individual.  And finally, it keeps the Shield in the main event picture.  I approve.