10 Ways WWE Could Rebuild SmackDown
9. Stop F*ckshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which the events of the story are indicated or threatened in order to build tension ahead of the climax.
The word "f*ck" in wrestling is synonymous with deflation, ironically enough; a "f*ck finish" is one in which the match doesn't conclude, but is loaded with interference or chicanery as an excuse to prolong a given rivalry.
What WWE has done to mar SmackDown throughout the post-brand extension era is f*ckshadowing: indicating a finish to a storyline that is not forthcoming. What's worse, other than the pure lack of delivery, catharsis, anything, is that this f*ckshadowing promises a better, impossible reality. The Miz and Daniel Bryan contested the best feud of 2016, one which WWE knew all along was impossible to settle in the squared circle: WWE's Medical Director, Joseph Maroon, has refused to clear Bryan for physical activity. The long-term implications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are unknown. The risk is inherent and clear. WWE refuses to externalise this internal decision and, naturally, fans can't help but hope.
On last week's episode, Shane McMahon again dangled the carrot. SmackDown is often tedious enough as it is. Obviously, it's not at all helpful that Daniel Bryan, the most popular wrestler of the decade, is constantly teased.