Raw 1001 Generates Major Heat?

WWE fans probably didn't have high expectations heading into episode #1001 of WWE Raw on Monday.  The show, set for the new 3-hour format, had to follow-up a major extravaganza complete with reunions of DX as well as major returns by Lita, The Rock, and The Undertaker.  However, Raw 1001 still managed to generate some "heat," and probably not in the way fans anticipated.

The first moment was the fire that started up pre-Raw.  It was actually made into a big deal on the air, and TMZ covered the news.  That's just what WWE wants, even if it was a minor problem, as there's no bad publicity really.

However, another moment during the show has to make fans wonder.  That was when Abraham Washington made his remark about Titus O'Neil or his team being "unstoppable like Kobe Bryant in Colorado."  The remark was in reference to Kobe's previous rape trial, where Bryant had been accused of sexual assault with a Colorado hotel employee.  The charges were dropped after the accuser refused to testify.  It ended up being settled out of court in a civil suit.

Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler appeared to be doing damage control as they offered apologies for Abraham Washington's remarks during the show.  However, it makes you wonder: was this a planned line to generate more attention, or was AW simply allowed to do his improv schtick?

It's a curious situation, and it wouldn't be beneath writers to have stuck a line like that in there to see which major gossip sites picked up on it (or hoping Kobe, or the Lakers would).  Remember, SummerSlam is in Los Angeles in August.  They've already got Charlie Sheen lined up for it in some capacity, so why not go for another big star or two?

Other big moments from Raw included the return of Randy Orton to defeat Heath Slater in the ring.  Damien Sandow started up a new feud against Brodus Clay, while Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho continued theirs.  Also, later in the night it was revealed that there will be a Triple Threat match at SummerSlam with John Cena vs. Big Show vs. CM Punk for the WWE Title.

In all, it wasn't a bad show, but the 3-hour format makes for a tough sales pitch for WWE right now.  It appears what they want to do is start dominating social media and the world wide web, and the longer they're on air, the better the chances for trending, or getting their apps to hit #1.  So it may seem like a smart move, but will the 3 hours end up hurting WWE in the long run?

It's quite possible, especially if moments like the fire and Abraham Washington's line sneak their way into these 3-hour live events on TV.

What did you think of the latest 3-hour episode of Raw?  Should Raw stick with 2 hour shows?