So - back in the game and so was Raw! I actually enjoyed tonight's show, there were only a few segments that didn't entirely 'fit in', so to speak. For example, Coach telling Cody Rhodes he was going to protect him and not let him get involved with Randy Orton tonight - what? Isn't Coach supposed to be a heel-ish, if not outright heel, GM? So why would he want to protect the kid who's the definition of white-meat babyface? And giving him a quasi-squash match with Daivari, who I can't even remember the last time I saw him? This was one of two jobber-type matches on Raw tonight, which is probably my biggest complaint ... but more on that later. Again, overall a solid show.

The opening promo with John Cena, Carlito and Ken Kennedy was REALLY good,  one of the best promos I've seen in a very, VERY long time actually ... it actually feels like awhile since I've seen Raw start with one of its oldschool 15-minute vignettes ... and probably an even longer time since one of them was good, lol. Anyway, the three guys were all on their A-game. Personally I don't mind Cena's comedy when he doesn't stray too much into gay/sex/bodily functions-type territory. And he played funny-aggressive-cocky, which is a good way to play for his character.

They built up the destructiveness of Randy Orton - his new 'concussion'-inducing gimmick is disturbing and cold, and really makes you feel uncomfortable with his sinisterness - which means he's doing an incredible job.

Speaking of uncomfortable though - what da hellz up with Santino Marella? I mean, dude is creepy, hangs out with all the face divas, cheats on their behalf in a tag team match last week, and then complains about incompetent officiating this week? He comes across almost heelish, telling the ref that he's yelling at after the diva tag match that no ref can control him and he's going to get his thoughts out ...

And who comes out to the ref's aide but ... UMAGA? And then the ref separates them and declares an impromptu match? Who's bad here? Who's good? Are we supposed to root against Santino because he was bullying the ref? Against Umaga because he's clearly a monster heel? The ref for playing into Santino's fears about corrupt officiating? ... Dubba-you-tee-eff?

Awesome Kennedy beating Bobby Lashley, provided Lashley gets some back in the next bit - getting the win back or beating some other established star, or such. I was excited with both KK and Carlito's wins, actually. Kennedy has not had a really big win since hitting Raw, and Carlito's been job-boy since losing the I-C belt to ... Shelton Benjamin? Chris Masters? Can't even remember who he traded it with last. It was good to see them both pushed - and in Carlito's case it didn't even damage Cena, as he was sneak-attacked by Randy Orton.

However, the WWE folks need to be very careful with Bobby Lashley now as he lost to Cena going after the big belt, and he's now ratcheted up a loss to the definitive upper-mid-card guy, Ken Kennedy - they need to give him a big win back, and *I* for one am afraid it's going to be against Carlito, who really can't risk being squashed anymore, and should be allowed to go with the momentum he just got with his win over Cena. Perhaps Lashley beating Randy Orton, even by DQ or such, before Orton wins the world title would be good? Just thinking aloud.

The King vs. King match would have been awesome if Triple H came out - I understand his 'in-ring' return is at Summerslam but presumably that means a match, presumably with King Booker. And they've done a good job so far building that feud up without seeing Trips onscreen. I can't imagine them continuing another 4 weeks worth of buildup without Mr. Gamey-pants. I figured tonight would be his return to save the Jerry-atric king (who didn't look half bad, for the record), but obviously they're saving it (while still taking up time with promo videos ... cool :P).

The Cryme Tyme guys dispatching a couple jobbers and auctioning off a pair of signed boots for $40 - take it or leave it I guess. I think with the talent WWE has, there's no room for pure, all-out, weekend-wrestling-from-seventeen-years-ago jobber matches on Raw; however, as JG pointed out over at http://www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com, the crowd was into it, a fan got a memento (even if it IS of a couple lower-midcard guys at best), and it was a fun way to kill a few minutes (airtime, as JG also correctly pointed out, that TNA would give eyeteeth for right about now).

Either way, a Raw *I* enjoyed, although perhaps wrestling purists would not so much have - the Kennedy-Lashley match and Cena-Carlito were okay, and arguably, wow, the divas match was perhaps match of the night. Check that out, and definitely check out the opening banter between John-Boy, Carly and Kenny, and you'll get the gist of the show.