Monday Night Football Update: Terrell Owens, Where are you?
September 14, 2009 by MarkM · Leave a Comment
After one half of Monday Night Football, I am wondering where T.O. has been…
I know this guy is still a playmaker regardless of what the Media thinks. He is currently drawing double teams and rollup safeties during this game. Regardless, For the second Half I would still expect him to get started early.
Also where is the “Real” Tom Brady. I bet all those people who picked him this year in thier leagues 1st rounds are kicking themselves for not taking Drew Brees! Brady just doesn’t not look the same, and maybe this superstar is going to fall back down to earth this season!
Well Monday Night Football at half remains 14-10 in favor of the Bills, who would have thought it!
WWE Superstars Keeps the Balance
Probably the main benefit that comes out of this show is the chance to see what you typically only got on special occasions (usually three hour specials of Monday Night RAW) or during the WWE draft… mixed brand wrestling. Although that is obviously the marketed benefit, it is still quite a perk for any WWE fan and deserves some stressing.
One night you might get matchups mixed with inter-brand bouts, or you might even get an occasional Number One Contender’s match as was the case a while back between Christian and Finlay. In this respect it is kind of cool and I view it like the show for those who see pro wrestling as their past time; you’re just going to get a good, random mix of entertainment with the occasional contest that has something at stake.
I would not expect to see Super Card type matchups on this show but you’ll definitely have a Super Card player here and there in the ring with someone else (see John Cena versus Ted DiBiase Jr.).
And aside from what the show does for the fans it also helps out those superstars that aren’t scheduled to see action quite as often as others would on Monday Night Raw, Friday Night Smackdown and ECW. So for that, WWE Superstars is pretty interesting television.
Cena – Triple H: Set to Square off in No. 1 Contenders Match
Next week July 6th on Monday Night Raw John Cena and Triple H will face off against one another for the third time in their history. The difference this time is that they won’t be facing each other for a title, but rather, for an opportunity to face Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. When Triple H defeated MVP and Cena defeated the Mix the first round of this Number One Contenders tournament, they earned the right to fight next week.
The first time these two fought was at one of the Wrestlemanias when Cena was defending the coveted WWE Championship. He forced the Game to tap out and defended his title. The second time they fought it was Triple H who defended his title successfully. Now what will happen this time? It’s simple. Cena will win or there will be a Triple Threat.
I don’t see the WWE having another match between H and Orton, because that has just gotten exhausting. So, in that case, the Triple threat seems like the most likely matchup if the WWE is trying to wrap the belt around Triple H’s waist once again as it seems is the case. So don’t be surprised when I’m right!
RAW’s Response to the Pepsi Center Booking Conflict
As you all should know, there was a recent scheduling conflict between the WWE and Denver Nuggets. Monday Night RAW’s May 25th edition was supposed to be held in the Denver Nuggets Pepsi Center until the Denver Nuggets managed to make it to the NBA’s Western Conference Finals. Here are my thoughts on the WWE’s response.
The first part of the response was in the opening when Vince McMahon stepped in the ring with another gentleman dressed as Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke. This included McMahon letting off some steam in the form of some live air time where he made fun of Kroenke’s middle name, Enos, and rhymed it with words like “Venus “ and “Genius.” He of course eluded the obvious “penis” but made sure to reference to it in other words. He also criticized the Denver Nuggets’ staff (probably for not having the balls to step up to Kroenke and tell him “You’re wrong.).
Finally, McMahon said something about the NBA or Nuggets “pushing” the WWE and its fans and McMahon said “We push back!” and snuffed the hell out of that would-be Stan “Enos” Kroenke. I have to say, that push was thunderous and I think McMahon really wanted to Let Kroenke know what would happen if the two weren’t separated by the professional fine line and the restrictions of potential tort law penalties.
Finally, the main event featured five superstars in Lakers jerseys, John Cena, Batista, MVP, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and surprise return superstar Ken Kennedy versus five men in Nuggets jerseys (all bad guys) Randy Orton, Ted Dibiase Jr., Cody Rhodes, The Miz, and Big Show. This was no more than the standard tag team match that Monday Night Raw loves to have seemingly every week, but with the stars wearing NBA jerseys.
So, all in all, the first part was decent while the second was lacking any punch.
WWE Monday Night RAW & Pepsi Center Madness
Make things Interesting – Have CM Punk Lose after Cashing in Money in The Bank
May 4, 2009 by AlexV · 2 Comments
Looks like the Pepsi logo tattoo laden CM Punk, aka Money in the Punk, is so eager to live up to his name one more year by becoming champion like a punk. Last year, Punk capitalized on Batista’s beat down of Edge on the opening segment of an episode of Monday Night RAW the night after a Pay-Per-View which saw Edge cheat like a mother heffer just to beat him. At the time, World Heavyweight Champion Edge was “incapacitated.” Then out came the biggest Punk of all… CM Punk, cashing his Money In The Bank, administering a GTS, and scoring the pin fall to become one of the lightest Heavyweight Champions in recent WWE history. What a crock, and what a punk.
This past Friday on Smackdown, CM Punk was looking to cash in his briefcase again. The night’s matchup card already had Punk facing Edge in an exhibition contest in the main event. Punk then made a stipulation where if he won the match, he was going to instantly cash in his Money In The Bank, hit a GTS, and then pin that punk (not himself). However, shortly after CM Punk got Edge to go to sleep, Umaga came in and pummeled him before the referee cold ring the bell to start the match.
Here’s the thing. I don’t mind it too often when wrestlers slime their way into title opportunities and reigns. In fact, I think it’s quite hilarious. However, when the man being dubbed the Straight Edge Superstar keeps doing it, I just don’t see how it helps his reputation. CM Punk is a pretty big fan favorite, but when he keeps weaseling his way into titles like this, I feel his character loses respect. Because of this, I hope that when he finally does cash in his opportunity that he screws it up. I hope whoever he attempts to pin counters his GTS with their own finisher, and lays him out cold for a quick pin. And no matter what anyone thinks, that probably will happen eventually to one of the Money In The Bank winners just to keep things unpredictable. I just hope it happens to CM Punk.
New Champ Randy Orton Defends WWE Championship against Batista at Judgment Day
May 1, 2009 by AlexV · 4 Comments
After Dave Batista practically cost Triple H his WEE Championship at Backlash on April 26th when he nearly got his team disqualified by raising a chair and prompting Triple H to stop him, Batista now gets a chance to face off against Mr. Randy Orton . Perhaps causing this chain of events was the best thing that could have happened to Batista, as it earned him a Number One Contender’s match against the Big Show on the most recent Monday Night RAW which he won (thanks to John Cena). Now Batista has an instant opportunity to regain the belt he so to loses once again… but will he? Probably not.
It is much too early for Orton to lose his title, and I feel that a few month stretch of supremacy is in store for him. Orton’s character has been built up too highly for him to enter into a transitional phase. Truth be told, I think this saga ends with one last match against Triple H somewhere down the road.
All in all, it should be a decent match. I don’t think these two guys have duked it out too many times and perhaps never. Expect to see many thunderous counter moves and an appearance by team Legacy (Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase).
WWE Is Serving Up Hot Titles
April 28, 2009 by AlexV · 2 Comments
In the last year the two main titles of the WWE, the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship have been changing hands quite frequently turning everyone into transitional champions. It’s almost maddening.
Last year on Smackdown the WWE title went back and forth between Edge, Triple H, and even Jeff Hardy had a brief stint as champion. And you know that would be ok if the other show (Monday Night RAW) had a little bit more of a consistent champion. But ever since Chris Jericho yanked the World Heavyweight Championship off Batista, who only held the title for a week, even that title has been bounced around like a hot potato; First, Cena came back from injury and got the belt off of Jericho. He held it for a good two or three months, then lost it again to Edge in the Elimination Chamber. Then, about a month or so later, Cena wins it back off Edge at Wrestlemania 25 only to lose it again last Sunday at Backlash.
Although a lot of these title changes have made for some interesting Pay-Per Views, one key question (at least to me) is raised. What is the point of Wrestlemania? Wrestlemania is supposed to be “the grandest stage” as the WWE likes to put it. But if you have two competitors, Cena and Triple H, winning and defending their titles respectively on the “grandest stage, only to lose the titles a month later to the same guys they faced at Wrestlemania… then what is the point? I would think of the Mecca of all WWE Pay-Per Views to be the end-all-be-all. However, when Cena wins the title and the WWE makes a big deal of how he took out the Big Show and Edge at the same time then loses 30 days later, and the Triple H and Orton feud is not resolved at the final showdown of the WWE season, then it’s almost like winning at Wrestlemania has no finality to it.
And perhaps that’s not what it is meant to be. But if this keeps up, at least in my mind, it makes Wrestlemania look like just another WWE Pay-Per View.
Thoughts on This Year’s WWE Draft
April 14, 2009 by AlexV · 3 Comments
Last night on Monday Night RAW the WWE “shook things up” as they’ve been calling it by holding a draft wherein any random wrestler can end up being drafted between the three brands of RAW, Smackdown and ECW (in order of significance of course). Even though the draft is a complete crock where you almost always see big names come back to RAW like Batista and Rey Mysterio did last year, and chump jobbers like Vladimir Koslov (ECW’s only draft pick) go to the land of extreme, it is still interesting.
I thought it was a great idea to get Jericho and Mysterio over to Smackdown now that Triple H is back on RAW because of one simple great reason; every championship contender on Smackdown now actually looks like they matchup. In fact, the only guy that doesn’t match up other than the other true superstars (Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, Edge, and perhaps a few others) is Kane who also was drafted from RAW to Smackdown. None of those guys would be much more than transitional champions as long as Triple H were around. Plus, Kane is a bum and can be used to create some awesome “David vs. Goliath” type matches. And honestly, let’s not get started on Great Khali. He could be thrown in to stir some ratings, but no title for him. I also think that the moves make way for guys like Shelton Benjamin and R Truth.
Another thing I liked was the switch between the middle titles; Rey Mysterio takes his Intercontinental Title to Smackdown, and MVP takes his US Championship to RAW as he was drafted from Smackdown last night. In all truth, I think that US title is the sweetest looking belt of all the WWE and will look much better on RAW than on Smackdown. Finally, you got that chip off the big chin block Vladimir Koslov over on Sci-Fi where he can scrap it up a few matches and make others like Christian, Jack Swagger, and Finlay look good. I wouldn’t mind seeing Koslov go at it with Tommy Dreamer either.
All in all, I think it was a decent draft, and there weren’t really many head scratchers. Pretty good job WWE.
Randy Orton is a Bad Man
Randy Orton is pushing his character’s envelope. On this past Monday Night Raw he DDT’d Stephanie McMahon, which was awesome. Not only does he knock her out once with an RKO, but he comes back again and shows Triple H that he’s not messing around by putting her out of commission with another hard move.
Even whenever he was just hovering above her while she was laid out on the canvas was in a way borderline. But to be truthful, I’m glad someone’s got the stuff to pull something like that off. It seems like every time this Wrestlemania starts feeling like it’s going to be bland that the matchup between Triple H and Randy Orton is keeping things interesting.
I guess one of the main reasons for that is this is one of the first times in a long time that a grudge match is for the WWE Championship. It’s the most coveted title in all of the WWE, and yet its match is based more on the tumultuous relationship of the two characters embodied by Hunter Helmsley and Randal Orton.
Think about it.
Neither of the two has bickered over who is the strongest man, and who will be holding onto the title for a long time to come. The only thing this storyline is about is who the better man is. And that… “that’s cool.”
Money in the Bank Just got a Whole lot More Predictable
March 11, 2009 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
If you take a quick look at the contestants for this year’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match at Wrestlemania then that’s all you’ll need. The entrants are CM Punk, last year’s winner, Mark Henry, Kane, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Kofi Kingston, and Christian Cage. Time to round out the “definitely-nots,” the “maybes,” and the one “should be.”
The first and easiest definitely not would have to be Mark Henry. I don’t know how a 400+ pound fat man is going to climb a ladder whose steps might just break under his weight. And to be purely analytical, there is just no luster in The World’s Strongest Man’s game anymore.
Number two would have to be Kane. He is nothing more than a freak show like the Great Khali, where at best, they have one, maybe two championship reigns in the early-goings of their careers when their limited array of wrestling moves and ugly mugs still have some selling power.
A “middle maybe” could be MVP since it’s been a while since he’s won, and that would be a huge surprise. He hasn’t been able to draw much attention on Smackdown like the WWE intended, but perhaps a Money In The Bank victory might be a last ditch effort for the people booking his matches.
The “maybes” are Shelton Benjamin, CM Punk, and Kofi Kingston. Since Shelton’s move to Smackdown he has beaten Matt Hardy for the US Title and held it for about three quarters of a year. What’s even more is that he has notably been bulking up and expanding his arsenal of wrestling moves with a little extra mic time to boot. He could be a superstar that the WWE is grooming, and with his increased size, he would be a more believable WWE or World Heavyweight Champion at this point in his career.
Speaking of champions, CM Punk, who won the brief case last year could have a chance to repeat. Eventually, someone will have to win this event twice which is a gimmick that the WWE likes to use to create history (i.e. Stone Cold wining three Royal Rumbles, and Undertaker’s 16-0 record at Wrestlemania). Punk would not be a bad choice for this page in wrestling history, even if his title reign as champion was used as a tool to bring back a title to Monday Night RAW.
As for Kingston, he is a showman and people like him. But perhaps as time goes on, he’ll be nothing more than that and a consistent Intercontinental Title holder.
Now for mister “should be”… Christian Cage. Even though he has only been back for around two months, he is easily the biggest superstar of all those in this contest. If the WWE wants to continue to make this match intriguing, he probably should win. But the main reason he is the favorite is that most likely the WWE made an agreement with him that he would become a champion within the first year of his contract.
And that’s a lot more than he’s had for a good while on TNA!
Thoughts on Big Show vs. Edge’s for World Heavyweight Championship Title at Wrestlemania
March 3, 2009 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
Last night on Monday Night RAW, Vickie Guerrero finally honored Cena’s contractual obligations by giving him his rematch against Edge. However, Edge did what he’s always done, what he’s done since he got to Smackdown, and what he did in his first feud with Cena… cheat.
I’m all for cheating in the WWE. It’s kniving, clever, and keeps stories interesting. You can’t wait until that guy finally gets caught, or he defends his title with stipulations where the title changes hands on disqualifications. And a lot of the time I even like seeing a guy get screwed over by some cheating too. But this time it was too obvious and so unoriginal it was a slap in the face to the so-called WWE Universe.
Edge didn’t cheat in any special way. He did what many champion cheaters do and that’s use their belt as a weapon. It just puzzles me. Why would the WWE restart a feud that lasted quite a long time already the first time around, and rehash the same tricks as the last time?
Now the bookers are trying to fool us by having Vickie Guerrero, acting RAW General manager, name Big Show as number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. That’s crap. Nobody is going to believe that outside of the little kids who still think it’s real. If this Wrestlemania matchup does not get altered somehow by the time it goes live, I will be astounded. And if it actually does end up being the Big Show and Edge, I will be forced to predict something unprecedented to happen.
For now though, my prediction will be that Cena somehow will qualify for the match and it will be a Triple Threat. We’ll see though.
Undertaker Goes For 17-0
February 21, 2009 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
On April 5th one thing is for sure at Wrestlemania. Undertaker will be fighting to stay undefeated. As many people already know, the Undertaker, aka the Phenom, is undefeated at Wrestlemanias with a perfect record of 16-0. On the next edition of Monday Night Raw, JBL and Shawn Michaels will be facing off for the chance to end that streak.
All I can say is the Undertaker is most likely going to stay undefeated. But please God do not let him stay so against JBL. He has absolutely no chance to pull something like this off. And I mean that in real life or by story line.
First of all, even Shawn Michaels is a stretch to just abruptly beat this record, and then JBL… c’mon. He will go down so hard with a choke slam, a tombstone, and whatever else the Undertaker can do.
Now, if his opponent does happen to be Shawn Michaels, who it should be, there is still some doubt for the Undertaker. As long as it’s Michaels and ‘Taker, the match should be intriguing even though it’s almost certain that either of the two would lose to Undertaker. We’ll see.
Ric Flair Makes an Appearance on Monday Night RAW
February 9, 2009 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
What’s up with Ric Flair stepping back into the ring for an episode of Monday Night RAW? I wonder if there’s some sort of storyline they are trying to develop, but if so, it can’t be that good. It kind of also means that some of what Chris Jericho was getting on him about tonight is true.
To open up RAW Ric Flair got into the ring and started riling up the crowd. Nothing really memorable was said here, and nothing that hinted at a possible storyline for the future or Wrestlemania. He just kept assuring the crowd that he would not return to the ring but that he still loved the business. Then comes in Jericho, bashing him about being a sellout and contemplating how long it would take Flair to return to the ring.
Jericho also went as far as to accuse Flair of living the life of the character that Mickey Rourke portrayed in the move “The Wrestler.” Finally, Flair couldn’t take it anymore and he cold-clocked Jericho in the face and onto the canvas.
Whatever Flair’s “return” means, I still don’t see the point of it. Even if he says he’s no sellout, does his “storyline story” really mean anything? But it probably does comes down to just a 50+ living cash cow coming back to do his thing.
John Cena Defends World Heavyweight Title at Royal Rumble vs. JBL
January 20, 2009 by AlexV · 2 Comments
It’s time for some rivalry renewal this year at the Royal Rumble. These two have fought already in 2008, but not for any titles like they did when Cena won his first ever WWE Championship. They had their New York Parkling Lot Brawl match, and a few other scuffles in the summer of 2008. Now the tides have turned and JBL’s got a lot more than swagger in his corner. He has his newest “employee” in Shawn Michaels.
Having Michaels playing puppet for JBL certainly heightens the intrigue of this match. If it had just been JBL by himself going up against John Cena, the obvious outcome would be Cena holding his title. Now with Shawn Michaels in the fray, things could definitely be interesting.
One would certainly have to think that a late Sweet Chin Music by HBK toward the end of the match could end up costing Cena his title, especially after what transpired during the contract signing on Monday Night Raw this week.
John Cena was trying to explain to Michaels that he still saw the good in him. Michaels didn’t even flinch, showing no hint that maybe he’ll change his ways at the Rumble, and then followed that attitude up with a tough punch to Cena’s face. This then resulted in a super clothesline, or “Clothesline From Hell” as JBL likes to call it, from the Texas, excuse me, New York redneck.
Now for prediction time. I look for a bunch of momentum changes to occur in this match as usual. Cena may even take a Super Kick from HBK, but it’ll be while JBL is on the mat, giving Cena just enough time to regain his strength and kick out. After that, with a little more fighting, I see Michaels going for another Super Kick, Cena getting out of the way somehow, and then Cena capitalizing on this good fortune by picking up the pinfall.
It’s a great storyline, but I still think it’s too early for Cena to lose his belt this early in his title reign.
Jeff Hardy Supplants the Big Show on Friday Night Smackdown in Non-Title Action
December 28, 2008 by AlexV · 2 Comments
On last Friday Night Smackdown, it appeared that a feud might be brewing between Jeff Hardy and Big Show. The kind of feud that starts off with the champion, Hardy, losing a few times to the Big Show, but inevitably ends with Jeff Hardy retaining his title to further build up the drama of the moment when he actually does.
But to my surprise, Smackdown did things a little different this time. They had Hardy actually beat the Big Show. Although the victory wasn’t without question as Hardy won by count-out, it still makes things fairly interesting for the next few episodes of Smackdown as we still do not know who will be Hardy’s opponent for the Royal Rumble.
Another interesting tidbit is the fact that there may be three Divas matches at the Rumble. First, there is the obvious Monday Night Raw, Women’s Championship match that may take place. Second, Maryse just beat Michelle McCool on Friday night to become Divas Champion, so she too could be defending her title at the Royal Rumble. Third, in the match that Maryse won, Maria was the guest referee, and Michelle McCool decided to take out her frustrations of losing on Maria.
So the WWE is attempting to create a somewhat “gripping” women’s feud, and surprisingly, this one isn’t all that bad. And I mean, that’s pretty cool but then again not really. Don’t get me wrong. The Divas are really hot and they are truly great eye-candy, but most of the time as soon as one their matches begins, the “God please let this end” woes ensue. Tune in to see what the hell unfolds!
Predictions for John Cena’s Opponent at the 2009 Royal Rumble
December 23, 2008 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
After the December 22nd edition of Monday Night Raw, the pool of possible opponents to challenge for John Cena’s World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble dwindled down to four. Shawn Michaels Super Kicked Kane in the face and got the pin. Then JBL was about to be 619’ed before his newest “employee” Shawn Michaels pulled him out of the ring and slapped him in the face to get JBL the win by having his opponent Rey Mysterio disqualified for interference. Then the douche bag, Randy Orton advanced by default because apparently his punt on Batista on the last Raw was too much for him to handle. After that, Chris Jericho advanced by way of a mid-air Code Breaker on CM Punk.
Now the four winners will meet next week on Monday Night Raw in a Fatal Four Way match where the winner will face John Cena at the Rumble. Of the possible four, you have to eliminate first and foremost, Shawn Michaels. He has been relegated to the role of puppet to JBL, and will be forced by his new master to do everything in his power to help JBL win. The next man out is Chris Jericho. He has already had the opportunity to beat Cena in the last two Pay-Per Views, Armageddon and Survivor Series. The WWE Universe does not want to be subjected to the obvious outcome of a Jericho loss again.
Finally, we have two men left. JBL and Randy Orton. This is so tough to call. First of all, the Randy Orton and Cena feud was never able to come to fruition as Cena suffered his first of two pure injuries prior to last year’s No Mercy, where he was set to face Orton in a Last Man Standing Match. However, Orton wouldn’t be a bad pick to win the Rumble for that same reason so that he could face Cena at WrestleMania (Truth be told, I think Batista will win it).
JBL on the other hand is a good option because we know he’s not going to win the Rumble, and he would obviously lose to Cena if they fought because there is no way the bookers would let Cena put JBL over. At least not yet. Furthermore, the Royal Rumble is the king of all WWE Pay-Per Views where the title-holders retain their belts.
So for me, I am going to say that the big-talking New Yorker from Texas will be coming out victorious on next week’s edition of Monday Night Raw. Then after that it will be some showman trash talking mic skills being spewed from JBL’s mouth on John Cena for almost an entire month as the Royal Rumble won’t take place until January 25th, where he will eventually, and undoubtedly, lose.
Two Hardys and a Hardass!
December 16, 2008 by AlexV · 2 Comments
How about those three champions in the WWE! On ECW we have Matt Hardy holding the ECW Championship. This guy had been jobbing pretty hard perhaps a year, and then some, or so ago on Smackdown before MVP made his debut and they began their feud and Tag Team Championship reign. The enigmatic Jeff Hardy gained his first main title by winning the WWE Championship this past Sunday at Armageddon with his lights-out performance. And then we have the ultimate hardass… John Cena. And I don’t mean hardass in the sense that he’s a jerk. If anything, Cena is one of the prime examples of a face player… and he has the World Heavyweight Championship. I’m talking about an unbreakable good guy hardass.
Speaking of faces, all three of these guys are face characters for the WWE. I just think it’s a little different and interesting to see them all with the titles of the brand they wrestle for. For guys like the Hardys, this type of success was a long time coming. The Hardy boys were constantly subjected to drawing “Oohs” and “Ahhs” from the crowds purely on wrestling ability, and both had a history of coming up short as singles competitors whenever they weren’t tagging it up.
However, in that time that Matt Hardy began to rise on Smackdown in the time of the MVP feud, the Smackdown brand did a decent job of giving him some mic time so that the fans could get a feel for the personality of the guy who had always played second fiddle to his brother Jeff.
Similarly, Jeff began to voice himself up when he returned to the WWE on Monday Night RAW. He came out and had a plenty of title matches, held the Intercontinental Championship a few times, had big battles with the likes of Umaga, and once again, had been coming up short in championship opportunities. The only difference in his second stint has been the sense that his time would eventually come to be a brand champ.
Then we have Cena. I already did my story on “The Champ.” (See ‘John Cena… A Man to Be’). He looks like he’ll be hanging onto his belt for quite a while. But with the recent heightened frequency of titles changing hands on RAW and Smackdown, perhaps neither of the three is a lock to hold onto their belts for an extended period of time. Either way, all three reigns have the potential to be very exciting.
WWE Seems to Only Sell its Title Matches
December 11, 2008 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
What’s up with the WWE these days? I remember a time when almost every match and storyline was worth watching or following respectively. This was a time where Pay-Per Views didn’t have to lean on having nearly every match be a title match, and start mixing brands. Nowadays you have the RAW title holder, Smackdown title holder, ECW title holder, and whatever Womens/Divas champion all defending their belts on the same night at almost every Pay-Per View.
There are good aspects of this and bad. The bad is that it has to suggest that separate Pay-Per Views for each brand (RAW, Smackdown, ECW) were not enough to draw TV purchases. But the good is that those matches sucked besides the title matches were starting to be all that anyone really cared about. I mean, when you had one Pay-Per view that was just Smackdown feuds, the only stuff that really mattered was a U.S. Title match, the main event for the World Heavyweight Championship (now on RAW), and perhaps one pretty good grudge match like Undertaker and Great Khali. Other than that, every other match would be a bunch of filler for the most part. Stuff that the kids will enjoy.
However, now with the Supercards having mostly title matches or actually intriguing grudge matches, the Pay-Per Views really have become more purchase-worthy. But don’t put some new marketing changes past the WWE anytime soon. For any of those who have been watching lately, I’m sure you’ve noticed the blatant exposure that Monday Night Raw has been trying to create for their Intercontinental Title with their 8-man tournament for the title against William Regal.
All in all, any real wrestling fan will not let this stop them from at least keeping up with the goings-on of their beloved program. The WWE may seem to be in a rut (especially when Vince McMahon has to give away millions of his own money to fans) but in truth, nobody gets more down and dirty than Pro Wrestling at its finest, and for those of you who already watch, you know what I’m talking about!
Three Full Hours of Monday Night Raw for Your Sports Entertainment Enjoyment
December 6, 2008 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
The three hour special of RAW looks like it will be pretty good. They’ve got three Pay-Per View worthy matchups and a three hour time slot for the WWE Universe’s enjoyment. But if you ask me, the most entertaining stuff will be whatever gimmicks and comedic skits they come up with because I have a strong feeling that the three top-flight bouts, Cena vs. Edge, Batista vs. Triple H, and Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy won’t end in “one-two-threes” or tap outs.
First up, we have John Cena vs. Edge in a champion against champion match. Chris Jericho will most likely have already had his match against Jeff Hardy as well as Batista and Randy Orton. I am more than certain they all will interfere in this match as all six fighters have in one way or another between themselves at Armageddon.
I can see it now. Cena and Edge duking it out in what so far will have been an entertaining struggle. Then comes Jericho who faces Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship at Armageddon, and Orton, who faces Batista for no reason at Armageddon, interfering by beating up Cena. After that it’ll be Batista taking out Orton who he faces at Armageddon, and then Triple H and Jeff Hardy running to the ring and messing with Edge, who they both face in a Triple Threat.
Even so, the show should not be missed as most three hour RAW specials are usually high quality.
NFL Game Picks for Week 12 (no point spread)
November 18, 2008 by MarkM · Leave a Comment
Thursday, Nov. 20
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m.
My Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers
This should be a lock for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This team has been playing way below average the entire season. The Steelers recent success has been due to its dominate defense. Pittsburgh is awful offensively, and are struggling to run the ball. I would not be surprised at all, if the Bengals pull out a win on this struggling Steelers team, because the Bengals are explosive and if they can put points up they may be able to take the struggling Steelers Offense out. Also the Bengals have a reemerging RB in Cedric Benson. I can’t pick against the Steelers in Hines Field however against this rival team. STEELERS WIN!
Sunday, Nov. 23
Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Texans
Cleveland with have their hands full this week from a defensive standpoint. They will have to deal with the Rookie sensation Steve Slaton, whom is one of the fastest RB in the league. I feel to combat Slaton’s raw speed they may gameplan to leave more defenders in the box or even have a player shadow him, which will in turn leave Owen Daneils as well as Andre Johnson with more room to make the big play. Sorry Brady Quinn I don’t think Sunday is your day. Rogers should be ineffective on Slaton, because The Texans should and will test the edges of this Cleveland Defense. The Texans have lost a lot of close ones this season and their record is really not representative of their talent. I give this game to Houston without any doubts.
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Atlanta Falcons
After last weeks performance how could you pick against these guys. They are at home, they are rolling over teams with “After Burner” Turner leading the way. Carolina had a great week last week, and have 2 top teir atheletes at RB, but I believe the better line in this one will be the Atlanta falcons. They should win the war on both sides of the field. I realize that the Panthers have a great D-line, but this week in ATL it sure won’t look like it. I am doing the dirty bird all night long as the Falcons win.
San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys have a lot to prove after they have looks like a bunch of children among men. Tony Romo is back in the saddle of the cowboys offense, and Jerry Jones must be happy he has the greatest team in the history of the league on paper. Dallas should roll over the 49ers, but if Mike Singletary message is starting to take, we could be in for a great game. The 49ers best chance at success is being more physical then the soft cowboys team. If he lets Frank Gore punch the cowboys Defense in the mouth for at least 28 carries they will have their best chance to win. If you play tougher than the cowboys they usually fold. I will be rooting for Mike Singletary’s 49ers but this game should be all Dallas all day !
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers have already won this game. Thier will be no need to even predict it’s outcome because it has already happened. The Headline read, “Bucs win big and Jump-start the Caddy”
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Kansas City Chiefs
With the improving play of Thigpen, and Bradley the chiefs offense have more ability to score. Buffalo laid a egg on Monday night, and have a shorter week to prepare for this road game. I believe that KC will have their work cut out for them, because they may get dominated by the Bill’s defensive line. I however am going to go with the hotter team at the moment, who just so happens to be the home team. Trust me this might be the new KC masterpiece.
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Tennessee Titans
This will be the best game of the week without a doubt. Anytime a team makes it to week 12 during the NFL season, while remaining undefeated, everyone has an interest in them. The Titans have been so successful because of their attitude. The Titans are a tough team that will wear you down as the game goes on with their tenacious defense and their violent rushing attack. If the Jets can contain their rushing attack due to the acquisition of superstar tackle Chris Jenkins, they may have a shot. They Jets however cannot turn the ball over if they really want to have a chance so Brett Farve is going to need to be extra careful. I don’t believe the Jets will be able to run on this D-line so expect Brett to have to make some plays. This is why I don’t see the Jets pulling out the win.Defensively the Jets should be able to stop the Titans Offense yet I think the Jets offense is going to get mauled. Expect a multi interception game for Farve. Regardless the ending still is the same Titans win.
Chicago Bears at St. Louis Rams, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Chicago Bears
Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears. Mike Ditka knows that Forte goes nutz this week and the Rams waive the white flag by the 3rd quarter.
Minnesota Vikings at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Minnesota Vikings
The only reason that Minnesota wins this game is because they will man handle the Jags on the defensive side of the ball by winning the battle in the trenches. The Jags are a very bad team, when their Rushing attack is shut down and they are forced to pass. Expect to see this in Week 12. The Jags are living proof how different a team can be when you are missing key lineman. They were a top team in the NFL last year and now look at them. Minnesota wins in Florida. oh yeah, wouldn’t it be great to see Tavares Jackson again?
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m.
My Pick: Miami Dolphins
Honestly this is Bill’s game to win or lose. He controls the outcome. The Dolphins are not as good of a team unit as the Patriots and I might be picking with my heart on this one and not my brain. The Dolphins I feel are ready to jump the hurdle of the Patriots this year and this is the week. I don’t have any idea on how this could pan out, but expect Joey Porter to be involved on defense at making some huge momentum impacting hits and some turnovers. Rickey and Ronnie will have a tough time running but maybe they together will be able to wear down that good D-line that the Patriots have. I wonder how many times the Patriots are going to film, “The Wildcat Formation” during Dolphins team practice? Haha, screw cheaters I’ll take the FInS!!
(Isn’t it ironic that before “spy-gate” was leaked Bill was winning a lot more games than his is now?)
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
My Pick: Eagles
This game is going to be ugly, with both Offenses struggling. Expect a good amount of pressure to be placed on Joe Flacco and for that reason we may see more rushes called that normal. Ray Rice could become a big factor in this game. Regardless the eagles are in a must win situation, and now that Mcnabb knows that you can tie, maybe they will finish this one up before the final whistle. Don’t expect many rushing yards for Westbrook because the Ravens are not going to let another 100 yard rusher for a while, you just know Ray Lewis is still pissed about last weeks GMEN game.
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m.
My Pick: Denver Broncos
Yeah if they loose, I think Shanahan should retire!
Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks, 4:15 p.m.
My Pick: Washington Redskins
After blowing a game against the cowboys last week, they can not afford to screw this game up. Expect Zorn to be on the top of his game. They will not allow themselves to lose this game, and will stop at nothing to win. The Redskins defense will produce at least 2 turnovers in this game, that’s a guarantee. We all know that Seattle is one of the hardest places to play in for opposing teams, so expect silent counts and less shotgun formations and no empty sets for the Redskins. Clinton Portis literally will be the game breaker for the skins this week. Skins win in a close game in Seattle.
New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m.
My Pick:New York Giants
The New York Giants have a history of ending QB’s careers, and I would not be surprised to see Kurt hold on the ball 1 second to long in this game. Kurt has not gone against a team that can rush the passer as well as the Giants can, and it has showed in his statistics. Expect the Superbowl Champs to dominate the Cardinals from the first whistle physically. They will pound the Cardinals back into their nests, sending them migrating home for the rest of the winter. Giants Win, and Kurt gets hit. Hit a lot.
Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers, 8:15 p.m.
My Pick: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are finally healthy and are playing up to their potential. This San Diego team is over rated in my book and I refuse to take them as a real contender. They have top tier players whom look great on paper still have yet to prove that they win big games as a team. I just don’t think will be able to pull out the W this week. The Colts are just the better team, and come Sunday night everyone will see it. Peyton cuts up the charges and scores 2+ TD’s. Colts win.
Monday, Nov. 24
Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 p.m.
My Pick: Green Bay Packers
This should be a really excited game, involving Drew Brees dropping back for over 50 to 60 attempts. I have a pretty good feeling that the Packer’s Rushing attack will be the thing that wins this game. Ryan Grant will have a big day pounding and punishing Saints defenders. Expect a great & Exciting game, but still this game should end with the Pack on top.
Team Michaels vs. Team JBL is Pure… Feudery?
November 12, 2008 by AlexV · 4 Comments
Well, the WWE has finally set up its first traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match with just under two weeks before the Pay-Per View, pitting Team Michaels against Team JBL. The fact that the participants on each team have been feuding with their opponents is still not enough to make this an intriguing matchup.
Here is the lowdown. Shawn Michaels has a mini-feud with JBL that stems from Cyber Sunday when Michaels was the guest referee and did not give the three count in Chris Jericho’s favor who promised JBL a title match if he beat Batista, and Monday Night Raw in London when JBL took Michaels down with a chair in his Last Man Standing Match with Chris Jericho. Cryme Tyme has been feuding with The Miz and John Morrison over bragging rights for “Word Up” and “The Dirt Sheet,” Kane has been feuding with Rey Mysterio over the whole “unmasking” deal, and MVP would like to have it in for The Great Khali after he interrupted his “MVP Lounge” on Friday Night Smackdown. To this I say… who cares.
The last few Survivor Series Pay-Per Views have been all about the title matches. When is the next time the WWE will put a more meaningful traditional Survivor match like team Stone Cold against Team Bischoff, or team WCW against team WWE (WWF back in the heyday)?
Hopefully the other traditional matchup(s) the WWE creates will have some kind of meaning to it. Until that happens, Survivor Series is going to be all about John Cena versus Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship, and whoever Triple H defends his title against, and that is just a shame for long time pro wrestling fans.
Chris Jericho set to Defend World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena at Survivor Series
On November 23rd, John Cena makes his return from injury to do battle with Chris Jericho in an attempt to regain what he had lost in his first of two injuries in just under a year… the top spot on Monday Night Raw with the World Heavyweight Championship. What makes this match so intriguing is that it will take place in the hometown of John Cena in Boston Massachusetts.
It may seem a little surprising that Cena’s first scheduled match after his injury is for the title already, but that’s what Cena has earned being one of the WWE’s practical poster-boys. Even during his injury he was regularly attending promotional charity events for the WWE, as well as appearing as a guest on television shows for Nickelodeon.
As for the match itself, I can only see one possible outcome… John Cena regains the title. I do not see anytime available for the WWE to build up a Cena-Jericho feud, nor do I see Cena losing his first match back from the injury, and especially in his hometown.
And if you’re thinking about the possibility of a bitter Batista interfering and causing a disqualification, there would be no advantage for him in doing this as his personality fears nobody. His character simply does not care who is holding the title at a certain time because he always feels he should win. Plus, the WWE has yet to set up any actual Survivor matches for Survivor Series, and I’m pretty sure that’s where we’ll be seeing our beloved “Animal” for the Pay-Per View.
So for now, I’d say “the time is here” and “the time is now” for John Cena to be back on top on Monday Night Raw.
Feud Brewing between Mysterio/Bourne Combo and Kane/Henry Duo
On the latest installment of Monday Night Raw, the WWE showcased the high-flying talents of Evan Bourne and his childhood wrestling hero Rey Mysterio when the two faced off on the canvas. The two “little engines” that can went volley for volley when Mysterio finally reversed a roll up and got the three-count for the win. The two shook hands and showed that there were no hard feelings.
The same could not be said for Kane, who lost to Mysterio in the no-holds barred match at Cyber Sunday, and Mark Henry, Bourne’s ECW roster mate. Shortly after the Mysterio and Bourne match, the two oafs came down to the ring and put a hurting on both competitors. This could mean that an intriguing tag team match up will be booked between both would be tandems at Survivor Series. If that happens, it could shape up to be a very compelling match.
To witness two wrestlers under feet and five inches tall going against two 300 plus pound behemoths, one over 7 foot tall (Kane), and the other a former World’s Strongest Man Champion (Henry), in a ring is usually a good draw for ratings. It would be a classic of two “Davids” going against two “Goliaths,” and the choreography for this kind of contest has a lot of promise.
Batista set to Defend Title in Steel Cage vs. Chris Jericho in RAW’s 800th Episode
October 28, 2008 by AlexV · Leave a Comment
The time and the day has come for WWE’s Monday Night Raw 800th episode. And boy have the WWE bookers created a great one in pitting Chris Jericho against Dave Batista in a Cyber Sunday rematch next Monday night. Chris Jericho invoked his rematch clause this past Monday assuming he would get to face Batista in a traditional match. However, General Manager Mike Adamle came up with another one of his “Adamle Originals” and declared that the match be staged in a steel cage and it should be a good one.
This time, Jericho won’t be playing keep-away to save his title from a clearly superior opponent in Batista. He will have to scratch and claw for it, especially in the steel cage, so expect for Jericho to launch a spirited assault on the Champion. Do not be surprised if Batista is caught off guard in the early going by whatever strategy Jericho will employ in their rematch next week.
Now, with that being said, the main title will rarely change hands on television. That is a scenario that is typically delegated to the Supercards (aka Pay-Per View). Either way, the match should, for sure, feature much excitement. The WWE should never be counted out to deliver when they are celebrating one of their benchmark achievements, and I would say that the three hour special 800th episode of RAW should not disappoint.
Magic Gone for Indy
October 28, 2008 by MadisonMadnuff · 2 Comments
In watching the Colts play on Monday it is official that they are not the same team that they used to be. After being the dominant team in the league for 5 years they are on the down turn. Usually Peyton finds a way to win games like the one played on Monday night. He calls some of his assistants to help him conjure up some magic and lead his team to victory. This time they started off with a view tricks that impressed the crowd, but then, yes my friends the magic died. Peyton reached into his hat but came out with nothing, no help from his supporting cast no nothing. He was on stage by himself the second act of the show and it showed, Peyton is still the same he can still read the defense and make the throws, but his assistants not so much. The Colts need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what they need to do change the way they are playing, it starts with figuring out a way to bring back the magic. I suggest a call to David Blaine.
WWE Cyber Sunday Chris Jericho vs. Dave Batista – Referee?
October 9, 2008 by AlexV · 3 Comments
Furthermore, Chris Jericho just won his title, and this isn’t CM Punk, so I think it’s still too early for him to lose it. But, everyone knows that Jericho doesn’t have the power to pin Batista straight up or win convincingly. So what will the WWE do?
With all that being said, I can’t wait to see what Vince McMahon, Shane, Stephanie, or Mike Adamle have planned for this. I am going to predict the following. Anyone should know that Chris Jericho will retain his title. But how?
I predict that on one of the Monday Night RAW shows before the Pay-Per View that Stone Cold will get into it with Batista, prompting Austin to screw Batista over in the match.
Or…
Some kind of a crazy disqualification involving either of the three during the match. Maybe one of them bumps into Steve Austin and he gives them a Stunner? Perhaps Lance Cade gets involved? We’ll see.