10 Times WWE Was Categorically Worse Than It Is Right Now
6. SmackDown 2004 - 2005
2004's Draft Lottery - the first of its kind following the original 2002 roster split - wasn't particularly kind to SmackDown as a brand but nonetheless furnished it with enough talent still to thrive.
In a clear case of writers tapping into the real lives of their characters, Triple H was scripted to perform an almighty spit-take at the prospect of working on the blue brand before Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff made a late emergency trade of three red brand stars just to win him back. The insulting jibe at least afforded the show Booker T and The Dudley Boyz' services though, unlike the raiding the brand experienced a year later.
2005's shake-up saw WWE Champion John Cena, Kurt Angle, The Big Show, Rob Van Dam and then-hot prospect Carlito all make the switch to the flagship, with an injury-plagued Randy Orton and World Champion Batista sent the other way in reparation for the massive loss of headline life - though a move for Angle at snapped him out of his "beastiality sex" story with Booker's wife Sharmell.
The chasm widened later in the year as the pay-per-views became insultingly reliant on Big Dave's World Title matches, with creative on television particularly switched to auto-pilot following the tragic November death of Eddie Guerrero.