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Following in the footsteps of Randy Orton, it seems like second- and third-generation talent is popping up on WWE like new coffee franchises in a mega-mall. And to be honest, I love the trend.

Last Monday’s RAW gave me my first live (as opposed to watching it on TIVO-delayed recording) performance by Sim Snuka, who has joined the ranks of Cody Rhodes, Manu and Ted DiBiase Jr. as the latest sons of former superstars to make their WWE debut.

Add ECW’s Ricky Ortiz to the list, by the way.

While these young talents will need to prove themselves just as their fathers (and grandfathers, in some cases) did, these prodigies have been quite bankable for WWE over the years; folks such as The Rock and Randy Orton are proof that sometimes, pro wrestling runs in the blood.

Shane McMahon is the exception, by the way, that proves the rule.

Although he’s at least “a year away” from his WWE debut, according to his father, Reid Flair may eventually become the newest member of the Second Generation faction that currently includes Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase Jr., and Manu.

While it’s a ways off, if he matures and develops properly, adding Reid Flair to that group could become WWE gold: can anyone say “the second coming of the Four Horsemen?” Having a young Flair join a slightly older faction that includes Rhodes, DiBiase and Manu would certainly be a step toward having son Reid follow in his father’s legendary footsteps.

While it’s far to early to know if Reid can be successful as a professional wrestler, you have to believe that it is the potential of something like this which has WWE talent scouts watching Reid Flair’s development with more than a casual interest, even if it means swapping Mexican recipes with Flair family members.

Although Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes are perhaps some of the most promising next-generation wrestlers to debut in WWE since Randy Orton, their match with Cryme Tyme was disappointing. The match went a decent eleven minutes, but Cryme Tyme simply is not over with the crowd enough to make the victory seem very significant.

Of course, you could throw an anonymous Briggs and Riley team in against DiBiase Jr and Rhodes and the match would be watchable, but what tonight’s match should teach WWE is that they need to build up their tag division more effectively if DiBiase Jr and Rhodes are ever to become as legendary as Edge and Christian, or the Hardy Boyz. After all, those two teams even had the Dudley Boys to feud with.

If Cryme Tyme is the best WWE can do to challenge DiBiase Jr. and Rhodes, the company is missing a huge opportunity to make the tag division a “money spot” in future PPVs.

I’ll admit this right up front: I’m not a huge fan of Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch.

Sure, they became more entertaining after their “Gee, we’ve reformed, we wanna be good guys” routine they played out in their program against The Hardys, but really all that did is make me long for an extended reunion of Matt and Jeff as tag champs, rather than the short program to puff Cade and Murdoch. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Hardcore Holly does nothing for me, though, and he certainly does nothing for the young and promising Cody Rhodes. While he’s enjoying an extended babyface run, though, I think long-term, Cody needs to follow the Randy Orton path to truly become successful.

By which I mean, when he’s starting to become decently popular and over with the crowd, give him a shocking betrayal to play out and become absolutely HATED! But in the good, “I’m a bad guy and you’d just love to see me defeated but it ain’t happening” sort of way. The Triple H way, basically.

As for the match, even home theater chairs wouldn’t have made it a comfortable experience. A few years ago, the Hardys were doing TLC matches to defend their tag titles against Edge and Christian. This is a noticeable step down. Really noticeable.

WINNER: Cade and Murdoch to retain the tag titles
RATING: 5.5 (out of 10; just a very average tag match - nothing special.)

OK, in reality, we know that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon are husband and wife, initially drawn together by an in-ring fictional story that cast them as a couple. Now they have their first child and no one questions it.

But the new storyline in the McMahon Family Saga is that Vince fathered an illegitimate child in the past and he or she is now the “missing McMahon,” who’s probably pretty pissed off about missing out on the chance to share bunk beds with Steph and Shane, Vinny Mac’s two real-life kids.

Is this tacky? Sure. But is it better and safer than a fictional murder storyline when a real-life WWE superstar committed a double-murder then took his own life?

You bet.

The current storyline on WWE Monday Night Raw, involving the “Legend Killer,” Randy Orton versus “the American Dream,” Dusty Rhodes and his son, Cody, has some interest value in terms of generational wrestling.

Dusty is an original, a first generation wrestler who was part of the pre-Hulk Hogan / post-Verne Gagne generation of pro wrestlers. He’s survived longer than most, and is right up there with Ric Flair as a veteran superstar. It’s amazing the man is even in a ring anymore, especially when he could be enjoying time in an Orlando vacation home instead of taking a pounding at the Great American Bash in a WWE ring.

Cody Rhodes is a second-generation superstar, Dusty’s son, and just getting started in his career. But Cody’s younger than Randy Orton, his dad’s Great American Bash opponent; and Orton is a third-generation superstar.

With so many generations involved in this storyline, there’s a little something for nearly every generation of wrestling fan. The only question I really have is this.

WWE pretty much ruined the wrestling career of Dusty’s older son, Dustin Rhodes, when they linked him to that horrible Golddust gimmick. His career never really recovered.

So, why on earth would Big Daddy Dusty entrust Cody’s career to Vinnie Mac and crew?