Well considering NXT is on the night b4 Smackdown (storyline wise), how would they know Hardy was gonna get the flick on Smackdown
And what if they plan on having Justin Gabriel win? just cause Hardy isn't there doesn't mean the rookie has to suffer. Also the Miz was on the panel last week despite Danielson being eliminated and Punk would have been but that would've required giving a sneek preview of his new look.
Anyway storylines obviously don't have to make any sense in wrestling and haven't had to in years, not to mention the constant false commentary where someone will say oh so and so never faced this situation when that person did only a few years b4, jsut for an example. or supposed "rules" change on a show by show basis.
It's NXT who cares, you know when it all comes down to it all the final 8 are gonna be on RAW or Smackdown at some point or at the very least they'll go back to developmental. It happened with Diva Search, happened with Tough Enough, the winners in most cases weren't the ones that went onto breaking through the glass ceiling
The Miz/John Morrison for instance both were eliminated from Tough Enough and yet the winners of both those series got the sack pretty quick same goes with Diva Search
Lastly the final 8 guys were all competing in WWE developemental terrortories b4 they came onto NXT so they are not new recruits taken fresh off the INDY circuit. Danielson is the only one that is relatively new to WWE in any form.
Barrett - WWE development since 2007
Otunga - May 2009 (FCW)
Tarver - May 2008 (FCW)
Skip Sheffield - WWE development since 2005 was in Tough Enough LOL
Darren Young - May 2009 (tryout matches between 2005-2006 on Heat/Velocity)
Heath Slater - December 2006 Deep South Wrestling
Justin Gabriel - 2009 WWE Developmental
Daniel Bryan - end of 2009 - Debuted on Raw dark match January 2010