Watching ECW last night, you can definitely tell that the higher ups are quite high on Jack Swagger, the newly crowned ECW champion- However, after hearing him speak in no less than 3 separate segments, I'm not so sure why.
Now,mind you, Swagger is a good athlete, and surely isnt a bad wrestler, but hearing him speak last night reminded me of the episode of the Brady Bunch where Cindy was struggling with her speech due to losing here two front teeth. Not only does he have the lisp, but his voice even has the 8 year old girl pitch!
As far as a show goes, I enjoy ECW the best of the weeky WWE produced fare, due to the fact that they usually featuring more actual wrestling matches and less backstage segments. Last night had more backstage stuff than usual, but still had enough wrestling to keep me entertained.
The Boston Red Sox have given Captain Jason Varitek until friday to sign their 1 year, 5 million offer for the 2009 season.
I didnt realize that there was such a backlash against Tek in the Boston area, somewhat spurred by his alleged affair with NESN "sidelines" reporter Heidi Watney. Terms like "adulterer" has been" and " washed up" are the current pet phrases. Seems as though the Tekker filed for divorce last August, apparently coinciding with been seen frequently on the road in the company of Miss Watney.
Questions to fans and media: Is any of this any of your business? There are no angels out there ( except in Anaheim, of course) and to cast aspersions at anyone due to the state of their personal life is not only inappropriate, but low class. Yes, Tek has made his own bed, personal and professional, and has not only cost himself quite a chunk of change, but more importantly, his family as well. I'm sure he more than knows his current condition, and its not up to the fans or media to bash the man for those mistakes; on field, yes, have open season, but try to limit it to that, especially when a mans family is concerned.
ESPN Classics started showing UWF tapes in the 12midnight- 1 am time slot last night, replacing the AWA Championship Wrestling tapes that have been playing for the past year.
Before you get excited, Shawn, its not the Bill Watts UWF from the mid- late 80s that you so love, but the later Herb Abrams version, circa 1990-93.
Abrams was kind of a infamous character in the world of wrestling ( which should about say it all) and his death in 1996 in something of legend ( heart attack from a cocaine overdose; he was found running thru the office building in which he worked, with two women of questionable reputation, pulling fire alarms, naked and covered in baby oil ; when police arrived, he was already dead )
He also had quite the reputation for not paying the multitude of big name talent from the era whom worked his events, to the point that reportedly, when hearing of his death, several of them got together and threw quite the party, all on his yet to be canceled credit cards.
Only in wrestling,folks....
But in any event, last nights show was pretty decent, and you will get the opportunity to see alot of the top name wrestlers from that era, so dont forget to check it out.
Final Thought : If you kill an Actor/Singer, is that considered a Double Homicide?
Thank You-Good Night!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sox Fan Bids Updike Adieu, Etc
Kind of a thin news day, most notably by the death of Novelist John Updike at the age of 76.
While I can't say that I'm too familiar with most of Updike's work, rumored to be just slighty sexual in its nature ( I dont read the racy stuff....cough cough) I am quite familiar with one piece of his literary work, one that I encourage you all, especially the baseball fans in the readership ( all of you then) that was puplished in The New Yorker in 1960, which chronicles the late great Boston Red Sox slugger/ World War 2 7 korean war hero/ Ted Williams' last professional game at Fenway Park. You can access it at www.baseball-almanac.com
In another departure from our usual format here at www.sss-fromtheshadows.blogspot.com ( why am I plugging that to people already reading?) News swirling around the internet is that 1970s songtress/movie star/really hot in that leather outfit Olivia Newton John's ex boyfriend (no, not Danny Zucco) the mysteriously missing Patrick McDermott may still be alive and, in fact, staged his own death dissapearance back in 2005 in an effort to claim insurance money! Scandalous!
Apparently, McDermott was a bankrupted millionaire who, according to reports, followed the pattern in his disappearnce consistent with others of have tried such scams, and seemingly has visited a website frequently that secretly monitors those whom "check it out".
Id like to thank those of you who trudged thru this debacle of a blog; promotional considerations have been paid for by the following: Hot Pockets, Gain, & The Pan-American Institute of Motovated Peoples (PIMP)
Thank You- Good Night
Newton -John , according to friends, was shocked when McDermott ended their relationship the day before said disappearance. Reportedly, she told a former employee that she thought She & Patrick were "magic", and nothing could stand in their way.
However, she began to feel suspicious that it was just "summer lovin", because A) she had her a blast and it B) it happened so fast. A Former household employeef of ONJ overheard their conversation - And On the day of the break up, ONJ asked McDermott "so its over, thats where it ends?!" and McDermott asked her "we still be friends?" The pair then made what what the former employee referred to as their "true love vow".
Ultimately, ONJ gave up on McDermotts reappearance and assumed his death, possibly from a "heart attack", and decided that, although in many ways she was still "hopelessly devoted to him", she was still a young woman with a need to get "physical".
While I can't say that I'm too familiar with most of Updike's work, rumored to be just slighty sexual in its nature ( I dont read the racy stuff....cough cough) I am quite familiar with one piece of his literary work, one that I encourage you all, especially the baseball fans in the readership ( all of you then) that was puplished in The New Yorker in 1960, which chronicles the late great Boston Red Sox slugger/ World War 2 7 korean war hero/ Ted Williams' last professional game at Fenway Park. You can access it at www.baseball-almanac.com
In another departure from our usual format here at www.sss-fromtheshadows.blogspot.com ( why am I plugging that to people already reading?) News swirling around the internet is that 1970s songtress/movie star/really hot in that leather outfit Olivia Newton John's ex boyfriend (no, not Danny Zucco) the mysteriously missing Patrick McDermott may still be alive and, in fact, staged his own death dissapearance back in 2005 in an effort to claim insurance money! Scandalous!
Apparently, McDermott was a bankrupted millionaire who, according to reports, followed the pattern in his disappearnce consistent with others of have tried such scams, and seemingly has visited a website frequently that secretly monitors those whom "check it out".
Id like to thank those of you who trudged thru this debacle of a blog; promotional considerations have been paid for by the following: Hot Pockets, Gain, & The Pan-American Institute of Motovated Peoples (PIMP)
Thank You- Good Night
Newton -John , according to friends, was shocked when McDermott ended their relationship the day before said disappearance. Reportedly, she told a former employee that she thought She & Patrick were "magic", and nothing could stand in their way.
However, she began to feel suspicious that it was just "summer lovin", because A) she had her a blast and it B) it happened so fast. A Former household employeef of ONJ overheard their conversation - And On the day of the break up, ONJ asked McDermott "so its over, thats where it ends?!" and McDermott asked her "we still be friends?" The pair then made what what the former employee referred to as their "true love vow".
Ultimately, ONJ gave up on McDermotts reappearance and assumed his death, possibly from a "heart attack", and decided that, although in many ways she was still "hopelessly devoted to him", she was still a young woman with a need to get "physical".
Monday, January 26, 2009
Yanks Resign Pettite, Shane-O-Mac Lines Up for Mania Payoff
The very despised (at least in my house) New York Yankees continued their off season retooling, resigning veteran lefty Andy "Roger Who?" Pettite to what is reported as a 1 year, 5 million dollar deal loaded with incentives.
I can't fault NY for this one, and they actually broke from their off season ( and traditional) pattern of throw huge dollars at veteran ballplayers in an attempt to put themselves in the "drivers seat" in terms of not only the AL East, but the league as a whole.
Signing Pettite is a good security blanket, one they will most likely need whenever AJ Burnett goes on the DL with his latest shoulder strain, or when CC Sabathia finally follows the lead of his former Cleveland Indian teammate, Bartolo "more nachos please" Colon in eating his way out of professional respectability.
The Evil Empire continues to ignore its most glaring weaknesses, however, much to the delight of devout Red Sox fans, by ignoring the fact that they are subpar on the defensive side at virtually every position- and this off season has proved that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they will continue to do so.
Monday nights edition of RAW was kinda an "in and out" process for me- I watched the top of every hour, and then the final 15 minutes, which is traditionally where the main focal points of the promotion, at least leading up thru the next months pay-per-view, take place. The royal Rumble and its immediate aftermath, however, usually dictates the general direction the company is going in leading up to its showcase event, WrestleMania.
Randy Orton, fresh off his Royal Rumble victory Sunday night, continued on the "rocketship" as they say, as he was featured in the 9 pm segment, and then again in the final 15, where he was confronted by Stephanie McMahon regarding his treatment of her father Vince McMahon last week.
Orton essentially begged Steph to fire him so he could file a lawsuit for discrimination (which was covered at 9pm ; something about a anger problem caused by a chemical imbalance, which equals DISORDER) and Steph told him she felt that would be too easy; at this point, EVERYONE knew that someones music was about to hit (and that person will be the one to defend the McMahon honor)....the drama builds....and its ....Hulk.... no....Stone Cold Steve....nope...."Can you smell, what the....wrong again! "Time to play The GA....false start. Who can it be?
"HERE COMES THE MONEY!!!!!" Its SHANE MCMAHON!!!! YES! Wait, Really?!
The lockeroom of superstars that were causual observers to the Orton/Steph confrontation parted like the red sea, as Shane O Mac walked to the ring, and not only battered Orton, but his allies, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase, with what could be generously be called bad punches,kicks, and spears. Overall, a real disappointment it seemed for the live crowd, who seemingly wanted to see a real superstar.
No disrespect to Shane- in the past, he has proven to be a gutsy performer, taking risks that are very unnecessary for an heir to a "billion dollar corporation", and his efforts cannot be questioned when he is physically involved. But seriously, the guy isnt a "wrestler", and while I think it makes sense for him to want to avenge his father, wouldn't it be better, not only for tv but for business, for him to bring someone who could actually sell a ticket to face the cocky third generation star?
Well, maybe, but lets not forget that WrestleMania is the biggest payoff of the year, and instead of bringing back a former superstar to spike a buyrate or elevating one of the guys who work on the road 300 days a year, helping them & the company make money, lets put the owners son, the Executive Vice President of the company, who performs roughly 1-2 matches every other year, the slot where he can get a performer payoff, in addition to his salary and stock options, that might pay him 400-600k for one match.
Lest we forget Big Steph, who is also a VP in the company, who, without even the risks her older brother will undoubtably take, also stands to earn the same amount, all for interjecting herself into this match and its build up.
Moral of the Story: Wrestling isnt really that much different the real life after all.....the unqualified and undeserving often bear the fruits of others dedication and hard labor.
Final Thought: Whenever you are in the the grocery store, and you happen thru the pet food aisle, and you see a label that states "NEW AND IMPROVED FLAVOR", have you ever wondered who the lucky person is who gets to make that determination?
Thank YOU- Good Night!
I can't fault NY for this one, and they actually broke from their off season ( and traditional) pattern of throw huge dollars at veteran ballplayers in an attempt to put themselves in the "drivers seat" in terms of not only the AL East, but the league as a whole.
Signing Pettite is a good security blanket, one they will most likely need whenever AJ Burnett goes on the DL with his latest shoulder strain, or when CC Sabathia finally follows the lead of his former Cleveland Indian teammate, Bartolo "more nachos please" Colon in eating his way out of professional respectability.
The Evil Empire continues to ignore its most glaring weaknesses, however, much to the delight of devout Red Sox fans, by ignoring the fact that they are subpar on the defensive side at virtually every position- and this off season has proved that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they will continue to do so.
Monday nights edition of RAW was kinda an "in and out" process for me- I watched the top of every hour, and then the final 15 minutes, which is traditionally where the main focal points of the promotion, at least leading up thru the next months pay-per-view, take place. The royal Rumble and its immediate aftermath, however, usually dictates the general direction the company is going in leading up to its showcase event, WrestleMania.
Randy Orton, fresh off his Royal Rumble victory Sunday night, continued on the "rocketship" as they say, as he was featured in the 9 pm segment, and then again in the final 15, where he was confronted by Stephanie McMahon regarding his treatment of her father Vince McMahon last week.
Orton essentially begged Steph to fire him so he could file a lawsuit for discrimination (which was covered at 9pm ; something about a anger problem caused by a chemical imbalance, which equals DISORDER) and Steph told him she felt that would be too easy; at this point, EVERYONE knew that someones music was about to hit (and that person will be the one to defend the McMahon honor)....the drama builds....and its ....Hulk.... no....Stone Cold Steve....nope...."Can you smell, what the....wrong again! "Time to play The GA....false start. Who can it be?
"HERE COMES THE MONEY!!!!!" Its SHANE MCMAHON!!!! YES! Wait, Really?!
The lockeroom of superstars that were causual observers to the Orton/Steph confrontation parted like the red sea, as Shane O Mac walked to the ring, and not only battered Orton, but his allies, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase, with what could be generously be called bad punches,kicks, and spears. Overall, a real disappointment it seemed for the live crowd, who seemingly wanted to see a real superstar.
No disrespect to Shane- in the past, he has proven to be a gutsy performer, taking risks that are very unnecessary for an heir to a "billion dollar corporation", and his efforts cannot be questioned when he is physically involved. But seriously, the guy isnt a "wrestler", and while I think it makes sense for him to want to avenge his father, wouldn't it be better, not only for tv but for business, for him to bring someone who could actually sell a ticket to face the cocky third generation star?
Well, maybe, but lets not forget that WrestleMania is the biggest payoff of the year, and instead of bringing back a former superstar to spike a buyrate or elevating one of the guys who work on the road 300 days a year, helping them & the company make money, lets put the owners son, the Executive Vice President of the company, who performs roughly 1-2 matches every other year, the slot where he can get a performer payoff, in addition to his salary and stock options, that might pay him 400-600k for one match.
Lest we forget Big Steph, who is also a VP in the company, who, without even the risks her older brother will undoubtably take, also stands to earn the same amount, all for interjecting herself into this match and its build up.
Moral of the Story: Wrestling isnt really that much different the real life after all.....the unqualified and undeserving often bear the fruits of others dedication and hard labor.
Final Thought: Whenever you are in the the grocery store, and you happen thru the pet food aisle, and you see a label that states "NEW AND IMPROVED FLAVOR", have you ever wondered who the lucky person is who gets to make that determination?
Thank YOU- Good Night!
"Ah, I Missed It By...That Much", Let Me Be Your Matchmaker, Jose
Good Morning! Its approximately 730 am EST, and I am already up and "Adam", as they say, attempting to bring pithy observations and humor to the world, primarily thru my knowledge of professional wrestling and baseball.
For those of you who read yesterdays Royal Rumble Blog, and don't know nor care about the actual results, Randy Orton got the nod, winning this years edition of the event.
You may recall that I noted that this year truly only had 2 real candidates for victory, Orton being one, and Triple H being the other. So while I could technically take "credit" for being correct, I am going to decline doing so, since ultimately , I did select HHH for victory.
However, I am asking the gallery of readers ( up to 6- and before you know it, the readership here will far exceed other such notable publications such as Woodsmens Weekly, Beaver Hunt, and Utah's Monagamous Living Quarterly) if I am allowed any special bonus points for the fact that Orton & HHH were the last two men in the ring. The decision is in your hands!
Sorry I didnt get the opportunity over the weekend to witness firsthand former Oakland As/ Texas Rangers/Boston Red Sox/ Tampa Bay Rays/ Appalachian Squirelstompers/ETC/ ETC star Jose "Juiced" Canseco take on none other than Danny "Partridge /Long Break Between Jobs/ Talk Radio Star/ Transvestite "John"/ Reality Star " Bonaduce in a Celebrity Boxing Match in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, PA.
Bonaduce, who, while several years older and about a foot a a half shorter, hung in and not only lasted the duration, but managed a majority decision draw with his much more athletically gifted and stronger opponent. Bonaduce has a well earned rep as a "tough guy", being that he once beat the hell out a guy dressed as a woman whom he had picked up one drunken drug induced night in Chicago about 15 years ago, in addition to seemingly really having his wife scared shitless in his tv show about 3 years ago. Given his disadvantages in this battle, Bonaduce deserves whatever praise one might get for participating in such an endeavor.
Canseco, on the other hand, continues to disappoint those of us who thrive on manipulating a paying audience into watching former athletes take on manufactured villans, and thusly, exorcise their demons, by constantly allowing himself to put in the most precarious of positions by either his poor management or poor judgement ( he apparently does not have a lack of either)
From looking at the photos from the fight, a few things stand out:
1) Jose appeared to think the bout was for the "World Tattoo Title", as his whole torso and arms were covered in ink; given his experiences with needles, this probably didnt bother him as much as one might think ( and for the record, the look, design, and creativity of his ink pales in comparision to my friend Jimmy " Handsome/Boogie Woogie Man/WWE Hall of Famer" Valiant)
2) Bonaduce is a pretty serious athlete himself, as in photos, he was captured skipping rope with a bottle of what appeared to be a protein shake on the counter, plus a Marlboro in his mouth
3) Not alot of people in Philly, a "fight town", so to speak, a town reknown for being willing to pay to watch Longshoremen beat up Papal like figures on the parking lot of Veterans Stadium, appeared to care to witness the "sweet science" applied on this night.
Jose, it could have been SOOO much different!
If only Mr. Canseco would have chosen a different path, maybe made a few wiser choices ( as in, at least one wise choice) he could have wrote his own meal ticket. Instead, the man who once "dated" Madonna and was one half of the "Bash Brothers" has been reduced to fighting a man half his size who, 40 years ago, was most noted for the shenanigans he pulled on a multi colored bus, agitating his teen idol brother, his angst ridden teen sister, his pretty hot mother (hey,who didnt like Shirley Jones? Show of hands,please) and Rueben Kincade. What a pity.
Jose, you coulda beena ..... Contender!
Thats it for now- who knows what might happen later to inspire me to waste more time writing!
For those of you who read yesterdays Royal Rumble Blog, and don't know nor care about the actual results, Randy Orton got the nod, winning this years edition of the event.
You may recall that I noted that this year truly only had 2 real candidates for victory, Orton being one, and Triple H being the other. So while I could technically take "credit" for being correct, I am going to decline doing so, since ultimately , I did select HHH for victory.
However, I am asking the gallery of readers ( up to 6- and before you know it, the readership here will far exceed other such notable publications such as Woodsmens Weekly, Beaver Hunt, and Utah's Monagamous Living Quarterly) if I am allowed any special bonus points for the fact that Orton & HHH were the last two men in the ring. The decision is in your hands!
Sorry I didnt get the opportunity over the weekend to witness firsthand former Oakland As/ Texas Rangers/Boston Red Sox/ Tampa Bay Rays/ Appalachian Squirelstompers/ETC/ ETC star Jose "Juiced" Canseco take on none other than Danny "Partridge /Long Break Between Jobs/ Talk Radio Star/ Transvestite "John"/ Reality Star " Bonaduce in a Celebrity Boxing Match in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, PA.
Bonaduce, who, while several years older and about a foot a a half shorter, hung in and not only lasted the duration, but managed a majority decision draw with his much more athletically gifted and stronger opponent. Bonaduce has a well earned rep as a "tough guy", being that he once beat the hell out a guy dressed as a woman whom he had picked up one drunken drug induced night in Chicago about 15 years ago, in addition to seemingly really having his wife scared shitless in his tv show about 3 years ago. Given his disadvantages in this battle, Bonaduce deserves whatever praise one might get for participating in such an endeavor.
Canseco, on the other hand, continues to disappoint those of us who thrive on manipulating a paying audience into watching former athletes take on manufactured villans, and thusly, exorcise their demons, by constantly allowing himself to put in the most precarious of positions by either his poor management or poor judgement ( he apparently does not have a lack of either)
From looking at the photos from the fight, a few things stand out:
1) Jose appeared to think the bout was for the "World Tattoo Title", as his whole torso and arms were covered in ink; given his experiences with needles, this probably didnt bother him as much as one might think ( and for the record, the look, design, and creativity of his ink pales in comparision to my friend Jimmy " Handsome/Boogie Woogie Man/WWE Hall of Famer" Valiant)
2) Bonaduce is a pretty serious athlete himself, as in photos, he was captured skipping rope with a bottle of what appeared to be a protein shake on the counter, plus a Marlboro in his mouth
3) Not alot of people in Philly, a "fight town", so to speak, a town reknown for being willing to pay to watch Longshoremen beat up Papal like figures on the parking lot of Veterans Stadium, appeared to care to witness the "sweet science" applied on this night.
Jose, it could have been SOOO much different!
If only Mr. Canseco would have chosen a different path, maybe made a few wiser choices ( as in, at least one wise choice) he could have wrote his own meal ticket. Instead, the man who once "dated" Madonna and was one half of the "Bash Brothers" has been reduced to fighting a man half his size who, 40 years ago, was most noted for the shenanigans he pulled on a multi colored bus, agitating his teen idol brother, his angst ridden teen sister, his pretty hot mother (hey,who didnt like Shirley Jones? Show of hands,please) and Rueben Kincade. What a pity.
Jose, you coulda beena ..... Contender!
Thats it for now- who knows what might happen later to inspire me to waste more time writing!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Another Town, Another Place; Rumble Thoughts
Yesterday, I took a trip to the York County Fairgrounds in York, Pa to participate in
Pro Wrestling Entertainment's (PWE) "Dirt Trackin '09" event. PWE is one of my favorite places to go to wrestle, due my longstanding friendship with the two promoters and quality of the talent they use.
I had the pleasure of wrestling a gentleman that I wrestled all the way back in my rookie year (1993) and wrestled a very fun 17 minutes, and am proud to report that neither of us swung a chair, broke a table, did a moonsault, or sustained a serious injury ( I did, however, end up with a bruise on my nose and clown paint all over my arms and hands...quick, someone get me a medic!)
Wrestling is a strange and fascinating business, all the way from the top of Titan Towers to the smallest Independents- and, believe it or not, for the most part, the only differences in the "boys" is their a) the quality of their work and B) the size of their paychecks. And, like most businesses, the guys who are the best at their jobs arent always the best paid. Go figure.
Casual observers often believe that WWE stars must be the absolute very best wrestlers anywhere in the world, and that guys wrestling in front of 25 fans in a flea market in Tunica, MS ( " if anyone calls you Tony, you were with me in Tunica this weekend". priceless...) must not be very good- and they very well may be right, but at the same time, they'd be wrong.
Wrestling for the most part is about not only who you are, but who you know, in addition to how hard you push for the "spot", plus what you look like, what type of wrestling style you employ, and how that look and style fits within the current landscape of the business.
All this may seem a bit complex, and in its own way it is, but I guess what I'm really saying is this: the next time a small time card comes to your town, give it a try! You may like some of it, you may dislike all of it, you may be split on your thoughts; You could end up like 16 fans did a few years back in Morgantown ,Wv when EVERY single advertised wrestler were not only not there, but where never even booked to appear in the first place, or you could end up like 300+ fans did last night in York: enjoying a good fun night of wrestling.
***************************************************************
The 22nd annual Royal Rumble takes place tonight LIVE ON PAY PER VIEW, emenating from Detroit, MI , and will likely, as always, provide a few surprises on the undercard and deliver the goods in the main event.
I've always been a huge fan a battle royals, from which the RR concept was born, all the way back to my days of begging my Dadto take my brother Shawn and I to whatever high school or college gym WWF was coming to within a drive of our house.
I think the first one I saw live was at the Heigis Fieldhouse in Shippensburg,Pa in February 1985, when such luminaries as Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Cowboy Bob Orton, Mike Rotunda, Nikolai Volkoff, Former CFL star George "Master G" Wells, and others participated. I believe Barry Windham won that night, eliminating The Iron Sheik to earn the victory. (Shawn, can you back this up?)
In any event, the winner of the RR is on the fast track to the main event at this years Wrestlemania. Logic, of course dictates that the winner will always be a upper echelon performer, which limits the cast of potential winners.
This year, I honestly feel there are only two true candidates to earn the prize: Randy Orton and Triple H. Orton, on the heels of his stunning "punt" of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon this past monday, is the one guy in the business who has a real "buzz" about him, not only from the recent events, but the overall feeling I sense from the crowd dating back to his return from a shoulder injury a few months back.
Triple H, having lost his WWE Title a few months back, is in the position that most likely garners him the most sympathy: being maligned by current General MGR Vickie Guerrero,and being put in disadventageous positions constantly and winning regardless. A true underdog story ( cough cough)
It could go either way, and the WWE might throw in another candidate just to fool wiseasses like me, but if there is a betting line ( and why not?) put your money on HHH. Just dont tell them you heard it from me.
**********************************************
Final thought: Mark McGwire's younger brother has released a "tell all" book about the former sluggers alleged steriod use. Reports say that many members of the family are very upset, with the exception being older brother, and former Seattle Seahawk Quarterback Dan McGwire, who as proof of his indifference, continue all daily and weekly routines, capping off his week by throwing 5 interceptions in his weekly flag football game.
Thank YOU- Good Night!
Pro Wrestling Entertainment's (PWE) "Dirt Trackin '09" event. PWE is one of my favorite places to go to wrestle, due my longstanding friendship with the two promoters and quality of the talent they use.
I had the pleasure of wrestling a gentleman that I wrestled all the way back in my rookie year (1993) and wrestled a very fun 17 minutes, and am proud to report that neither of us swung a chair, broke a table, did a moonsault, or sustained a serious injury ( I did, however, end up with a bruise on my nose and clown paint all over my arms and hands...quick, someone get me a medic!)
Wrestling is a strange and fascinating business, all the way from the top of Titan Towers to the smallest Independents- and, believe it or not, for the most part, the only differences in the "boys" is their a) the quality of their work and B) the size of their paychecks. And, like most businesses, the guys who are the best at their jobs arent always the best paid. Go figure.
Casual observers often believe that WWE stars must be the absolute very best wrestlers anywhere in the world, and that guys wrestling in front of 25 fans in a flea market in Tunica, MS ( " if anyone calls you Tony, you were with me in Tunica this weekend". priceless...) must not be very good- and they very well may be right, but at the same time, they'd be wrong.
Wrestling for the most part is about not only who you are, but who you know, in addition to how hard you push for the "spot", plus what you look like, what type of wrestling style you employ, and how that look and style fits within the current landscape of the business.
All this may seem a bit complex, and in its own way it is, but I guess what I'm really saying is this: the next time a small time card comes to your town, give it a try! You may like some of it, you may dislike all of it, you may be split on your thoughts; You could end up like 16 fans did a few years back in Morgantown ,Wv when EVERY single advertised wrestler were not only not there, but where never even booked to appear in the first place, or you could end up like 300+ fans did last night in York: enjoying a good fun night of wrestling.
***************************************************************
The 22nd annual Royal Rumble takes place tonight LIVE ON PAY PER VIEW, emenating from Detroit, MI , and will likely, as always, provide a few surprises on the undercard and deliver the goods in the main event.
I've always been a huge fan a battle royals, from which the RR concept was born, all the way back to my days of begging my Dadto take my brother Shawn and I to whatever high school or college gym WWF was coming to within a drive of our house.
I think the first one I saw live was at the Heigis Fieldhouse in Shippensburg,Pa in February 1985, when such luminaries as Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Cowboy Bob Orton, Mike Rotunda, Nikolai Volkoff, Former CFL star George "Master G" Wells, and others participated. I believe Barry Windham won that night, eliminating The Iron Sheik to earn the victory. (Shawn, can you back this up?)
In any event, the winner of the RR is on the fast track to the main event at this years Wrestlemania. Logic, of course dictates that the winner will always be a upper echelon performer, which limits the cast of potential winners.
This year, I honestly feel there are only two true candidates to earn the prize: Randy Orton and Triple H. Orton, on the heels of his stunning "punt" of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon this past monday, is the one guy in the business who has a real "buzz" about him, not only from the recent events, but the overall feeling I sense from the crowd dating back to his return from a shoulder injury a few months back.
Triple H, having lost his WWE Title a few months back, is in the position that most likely garners him the most sympathy: being maligned by current General MGR Vickie Guerrero,and being put in disadventageous positions constantly and winning regardless. A true underdog story ( cough cough)
It could go either way, and the WWE might throw in another candidate just to fool wiseasses like me, but if there is a betting line ( and why not?) put your money on HHH. Just dont tell them you heard it from me.
**********************************************
Final thought: Mark McGwire's younger brother has released a "tell all" book about the former sluggers alleged steriod use. Reports say that many members of the family are very upset, with the exception being older brother, and former Seattle Seahawk Quarterback Dan McGwire, who as proof of his indifference, continue all daily and weekly routines, capping off his week by throwing 5 interceptions in his weekly flag football game.
Thank YOU- Good Night!
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Letter ( AND Sales Pitch) to TNA
To: Dixie Carter, President, TNA
Jeff Jarrett, VP, Head of Creative Dept, TNA
Greetings and Salutations,
Due to a desire to find new and exciting things to write about on my brand new Blog ( check me out http://sss-fromtheshadows.blogspot.com ) I watched your television program, IMPACT, Thursday night @ 9pm, only on SPIKE ( I like to give others plugs,too!) I thought I'd share some of my observations and opinions on what I watch, in an effort to critique, not critize, and to make you aware that I am unemployed, and would relish the opportunity to work in the creative end of your organization.
Mind you, despite my 17 years promoting and booking on the "Indies", I am making no claim to have more knowledge than the highly respected and reputable staff you currently employ; on the contrary, I would like to spend much more time in their company, to gain knowledge and understanding of a big time professional wrestling outfit.
I want it to be known that I, like just about everyone in wrestling, from friends I have in the Indies and friends I have in WWE, want TNA to succeed. There is plenty of room in the national landscape for two national touring wrestling companies, and more than enough talent to fill both those groups.
I dont think its exactly a secret that WWE was a MUCH better show when there was a real competitor for viewership, and I Think that void could be filled quite nicely by TNA- providing that some changes are made.
Talent- I feel TNA has an excellent mix of veteran "superstars" with the name value to draw viewers ( Angle,Sting,Booker,etc) and a quality selection of young upstarts hungry to prove their mettle and earn their way ( Samoa Joe, Alex Shelley,etc) Like anything else, changes could be made, additions and deletions, but overall, its a good crew of talent.
That said, with a multitude of "star power", TNA most weeks cannot surpass ECW, WWE's third tier "throw-away" show, on a third level cable natwork (SciFI) in terms of ratings or televsion viewership. QUESTION: Who would the average fan rather see, Olympic champion/WWE champion/Internationally reknown Kurt Angle, or 15 matches on national television/6 months out of developmental/ great teeth/ virtual unknown ECW champion Jack Swagger ? Well, according to the ratings, Swagger wins. But the real questions are- WHY? and HOW?
This past Monday, CM Punk ( a former TNA standout) faced the WWE Inter-Continental title holder William Regal in their third match in as many weeks. This bout, however had the proviso that, if Regal got himself disqualified, as he had in the previous two bouts, he would lose his title. After a careful build up and intriguing storytelling, that involved virtually no interviews or backstage vignettes, Punk snared the title in a fine bout that featured no blood, no weapons, and no gratuitous violence,with his trademark move, The GTS, in a bout that lasted approximately 10 minutes of tv time.
Contrastly, your Thursday program featured a First Blood Match ( 4 participants), A Table match (4 participants), an 4 man Elimination Tag, & a 4 way X Division title match- All that last a grand total of 14 minutes of tv time; A mere 13 hours since the show concluded, I cannot recall one single finish in ANY of the matches! QUESTION: Do fans react better (ie better ratings, louder responses,etc) to a simple yet logical feud that progresses over the course of a few weeks, or to a host a wild "gimmick" matches with no rhyme or reason?
Helpful Tip Time: Everyone likes to stay topical, and wrestling is no exception. Wrestling loves to parody political figures- its been commonplace for 20 years. However, remember two things: 1) theres a finite shelf life for any character that depicts a "real world" person and 2) it usually helps if the person doing the parody actually looks and sounds like the real deal.
That said, this ridiculous obsession with using "SARAH PALIN" on television is not only nonsensical and passe, it also isnt entertaining. If the goal was to get someone who had neither the look or voice to do this "imitation", than it succeeded; but may I ask, What was the point to begin with? Couldnt you have added another minute to each of the above matches instead?
Well, I think I've illustrated enough points to get to my actual "Sales Pitch" ( Tony, I need your help getting this message to JJ)
I would like for TNA to allow me to sit in on one of their "creative meetings" and allow me to present my points and ideas, from a professional point of view; to map out a logical plan that would help them build to a pay per view extravaganza; and help implement format changes to the current tv show to maximize the golden opportunity tv presents to help bring customers to the "turnstiles"
Heres what I ask in return: TNA pays me what would be the equivilent of "undercard" money-and pay for me to fly wherever it is they want me, for 6 months. I am willing to work on the "merit scale"- if what I do increases ratings, live gates, and pay per views, I get a contract. If I dont, and I turn out to be full of shit, you let me go. Its that simple.
I am more than willing to use whatever talent you wish for me to use, provided that said talent cannot block my effort to help TNA's progress.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough how badly I want to see TNA succeed; unfortunately, it will never reach a fraction of its potential without better attention to detail and stronger focus on wrestling, and less on script writing and nonsense.
Sincerely,
Shane Shadows
Jeff Jarrett, VP, Head of Creative Dept, TNA
Greetings and Salutations,
Due to a desire to find new and exciting things to write about on my brand new Blog ( check me out http://sss-fromtheshadows.blogspot.com ) I watched your television program, IMPACT, Thursday night @ 9pm, only on SPIKE ( I like to give others plugs,too!) I thought I'd share some of my observations and opinions on what I watch, in an effort to critique, not critize, and to make you aware that I am unemployed, and would relish the opportunity to work in the creative end of your organization.
Mind you, despite my 17 years promoting and booking on the "Indies", I am making no claim to have more knowledge than the highly respected and reputable staff you currently employ; on the contrary, I would like to spend much more time in their company, to gain knowledge and understanding of a big time professional wrestling outfit.
I want it to be known that I, like just about everyone in wrestling, from friends I have in the Indies and friends I have in WWE, want TNA to succeed. There is plenty of room in the national landscape for two national touring wrestling companies, and more than enough talent to fill both those groups.
I dont think its exactly a secret that WWE was a MUCH better show when there was a real competitor for viewership, and I Think that void could be filled quite nicely by TNA- providing that some changes are made.
Talent- I feel TNA has an excellent mix of veteran "superstars" with the name value to draw viewers ( Angle,Sting,Booker,etc) and a quality selection of young upstarts hungry to prove their mettle and earn their way ( Samoa Joe, Alex Shelley,etc) Like anything else, changes could be made, additions and deletions, but overall, its a good crew of talent.
That said, with a multitude of "star power", TNA most weeks cannot surpass ECW, WWE's third tier "throw-away" show, on a third level cable natwork (SciFI) in terms of ratings or televsion viewership. QUESTION: Who would the average fan rather see, Olympic champion/WWE champion/Internationally reknown Kurt Angle, or 15 matches on national television/6 months out of developmental/ great teeth/ virtual unknown ECW champion Jack Swagger ? Well, according to the ratings, Swagger wins. But the real questions are- WHY? and HOW?
This past Monday, CM Punk ( a former TNA standout) faced the WWE Inter-Continental title holder William Regal in their third match in as many weeks. This bout, however had the proviso that, if Regal got himself disqualified, as he had in the previous two bouts, he would lose his title. After a careful build up and intriguing storytelling, that involved virtually no interviews or backstage vignettes, Punk snared the title in a fine bout that featured no blood, no weapons, and no gratuitous violence,with his trademark move, The GTS, in a bout that lasted approximately 10 minutes of tv time.
Contrastly, your Thursday program featured a First Blood Match ( 4 participants), A Table match (4 participants), an 4 man Elimination Tag, & a 4 way X Division title match- All that last a grand total of 14 minutes of tv time; A mere 13 hours since the show concluded, I cannot recall one single finish in ANY of the matches! QUESTION: Do fans react better (ie better ratings, louder responses,etc) to a simple yet logical feud that progresses over the course of a few weeks, or to a host a wild "gimmick" matches with no rhyme or reason?
Helpful Tip Time: Everyone likes to stay topical, and wrestling is no exception. Wrestling loves to parody political figures- its been commonplace for 20 years. However, remember two things: 1) theres a finite shelf life for any character that depicts a "real world" person and 2) it usually helps if the person doing the parody actually looks and sounds like the real deal.
That said, this ridiculous obsession with using "SARAH PALIN" on television is not only nonsensical and passe, it also isnt entertaining. If the goal was to get someone who had neither the look or voice to do this "imitation", than it succeeded; but may I ask, What was the point to begin with? Couldnt you have added another minute to each of the above matches instead?
Well, I think I've illustrated enough points to get to my actual "Sales Pitch" ( Tony, I need your help getting this message to JJ)
I would like for TNA to allow me to sit in on one of their "creative meetings" and allow me to present my points and ideas, from a professional point of view; to map out a logical plan that would help them build to a pay per view extravaganza; and help implement format changes to the current tv show to maximize the golden opportunity tv presents to help bring customers to the "turnstiles"
Heres what I ask in return: TNA pays me what would be the equivilent of "undercard" money-and pay for me to fly wherever it is they want me, for 6 months. I am willing to work on the "merit scale"- if what I do increases ratings, live gates, and pay per views, I get a contract. If I dont, and I turn out to be full of shit, you let me go. Its that simple.
I am more than willing to use whatever talent you wish for me to use, provided that said talent cannot block my effort to help TNA's progress.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough how badly I want to see TNA succeed; unfortunately, it will never reach a fraction of its potential without better attention to detail and stronger focus on wrestling, and less on script writing and nonsense.
Sincerely,
Shane Shadows
Thursday, January 22, 2009
" Mr. Personality" retires
Veteran second baseman/clubhouse cancer Jeff Kent hung it up today, in what Fox Sports referred to as "leaving on his own terms", which must be Carny for " no one wanted to sign a 40 yr old second basemen with a history of attitude issues"
Carny-an old "language" that carnival workers and "con men" used to relay information to each other without tipping off their customers that they were exchanging information. It was used heavily in all of professional wrestling for better than 100 years, or at least until these dumbshit backyard wrestlers started "training" themselves and it was lost. But I digress.....
Anyway, almost immediately upon reading the news, my buddy TONY ( who may be the greatest sports mind since Ryan Leaf; happy you got mentioned now? The lawsuit is off now, correct? IDIOT) text me and immediately asked if I felt Kent is HoF worthy.
Looking at his numbers, which, as I said yesterday, is a sometimes a faulty way of determining a players value, he would be in undoubtably. He is the all time leader amongst second basemen in Home Runs (351, total of 377), a lifetime .290 hitter, with 1,518 RBI's ( second all time behind Nap Lajoie) and a .500 career slugging percentage.
He also spoke loudly against the use of performance enhancers, which either a) gives his numbers, in my opinion, much more credibility or b) puts him alongside Rafeal Palmiero in the hypocrite department. Since no credibile evidence exists that its "B", (although Kent has told a few whoppers himself) then I have to go with "A".
Kent also sports amongst the games worst reputations in regard to being a team player, in addition to be the type of guy who would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth ( remember his famous contract issue with the SF Giants, and his famous "washing my truck" injury?) However, anyone who is willing to, in his first spring training with SanFran, basically told Barry Bonds to F$*K himself, cant be all bad, either.
I say he will make it in, but not until his second or third ballot. Honestly, if Ryne Sandberg is in, Kent should be as well.
Gotta Go- and as I depart, allow me to quote one of my heroes, Mr Don Cornelius, as I wish you all "Peace, Love, And....SOUL!"
Carny-an old "language" that carnival workers and "con men" used to relay information to each other without tipping off their customers that they were exchanging information. It was used heavily in all of professional wrestling for better than 100 years, or at least until these dumbshit backyard wrestlers started "training" themselves and it was lost. But I digress.....
Anyway, almost immediately upon reading the news, my buddy TONY ( who may be the greatest sports mind since Ryan Leaf; happy you got mentioned now? The lawsuit is off now, correct? IDIOT) text me and immediately asked if I felt Kent is HoF worthy.
Looking at his numbers, which, as I said yesterday, is a sometimes a faulty way of determining a players value, he would be in undoubtably. He is the all time leader amongst second basemen in Home Runs (351, total of 377), a lifetime .290 hitter, with 1,518 RBI's ( second all time behind Nap Lajoie) and a .500 career slugging percentage.
He also spoke loudly against the use of performance enhancers, which either a) gives his numbers, in my opinion, much more credibility or b) puts him alongside Rafeal Palmiero in the hypocrite department. Since no credibile evidence exists that its "B", (although Kent has told a few whoppers himself) then I have to go with "A".
Kent also sports amongst the games worst reputations in regard to being a team player, in addition to be the type of guy who would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth ( remember his famous contract issue with the SF Giants, and his famous "washing my truck" injury?) However, anyone who is willing to, in his first spring training with SanFran, basically told Barry Bonds to F$*K himself, cant be all bad, either.
I say he will make it in, but not until his second or third ballot. Honestly, if Ryne Sandberg is in, Kent should be as well.
Gotta Go- and as I depart, allow me to quote one of my heroes, Mr Don Cornelius, as I wish you all "Peace, Love, And....SOUL!"
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Welcome to yet another addition of my twisted thoughts and meaningless opinions....so far, feedback has been positive...still in a struggle with the whole "downloading videos" things, but sooner or later, I'll either get it figured out or just give up on it entirely.
I've been thinking alot these past couple of hours about the entire premise of a " Hall of Fame", be it baseball, football, or professional wrestling. There has always been a "Mendoza Line", so to speak, when it comes to baseball players- and the questions are always the same: "did he hit 400 homers" , "did he have a .300 lifetime avg?", "did he win 300 games?" To simply gauge a players worth on strictly the basis of numbers is an totally faulty premise, especially now in the "post steroid" era, where mediocre to good players were made to look like giants due to their use of the gas.
(Gas- slang term for steroids)
As an aside, is it annoying to anyone when I use these "addendums" to define my choice of words? My older kids and Amy have told me maybe I should publish my own book of "Shane-speak" or "Shane-isms". I think they're joking, but sometimes Im not so sure....
Anyway,ever since Jim Rice finally got elected to the Baseball HoF, numerous friends have mentioned several names that they thought are serious candidates for the Hall, and asked my thoughts. Heres a short list, and as always, I'm am looking to inspire conversation and debate; you maybe able to sway my vote!
Bert Byleven, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Lee Smith, Rafael Palmiero.
Byleven- I say he should be in. 280+ career wins, 3,000+ strikeouts. I've heard the voters say he was a "compiler" of numbers and didnt make that much of an impact. I say bullshit!
I am also of the opinion that its much easier for a hitter to fudge his numbers over a career than a pitcher. Byleven is an oversight, in my opinion.
Dawson- "The Hawk" was as feared in the NL as Rice was in the AL during a similiar, but slightly longer span. A strong hitter and defender, with good basestealing abilities before his knees turned to shit. I will champion his cause, now that Rice has made it, until he receives induction. Realistically, I should only be tooting this horn until next January- I think he gets in next year.
Raines-I recall as a kid, when alot of baseball fans were kinda swept up in the gust of "Rickey-Mania", that Raines was trumpeted as the "New" Rickey- and for a few seasons, he was somewhat close. A quality player in his own right, no one did him any favors by comparing him to Rickey all those seasons. I also seem to remember his career taking a sour turn when he signed with the White Sox and asked to be referred to as "Rock". Really, the second half of his playing days were less than spectatacular- I say NO.
Smith- The all time Saves leader. A quality feared pitcher coming out of the pen for a series of teams. Not to minimize the importance of Saves, but Im not entirely sure that holding one record automatically makes the holder a HoF shoe-in. I'm not saying I'm against him all together, but right now, That vote would be NO.
Palmiero- I saved the best for last! Heres a guy with all the numbers that scream automatic inclusion- 3,000+hits, 500+ homers, .300 lifetime hitter. Pretty good glover too.
Frankly, I dont really care about the steroid use, by him or any other player; I've always kinda had the opinion that you still have to have the skill to hit the ball. Did it inflate alot of guys numbers? Absoulutely. Should they asteriks beside their records? No. Everything has to be relative to its time and place.
Palmiero, however, is a lying piece of shit! We all should have seen him coming during the Congressional hearings; I mean, this guy claimed that he had NEVER use Viagra, even when he was a Paid Endorser of the product,only to recant when there was a backlash towards his "lying impotence"! Beware of any guy who claims he just "endorsed the product because he heard good things"- Yeah Raffy, and while your at it, take your 3k hits and 500 hrs and brag about them to the next strumpet you pick up a that Salsa Dancing joint you're probably hanging out in, because there no way you belong amongst the elite. NO,NO, and once again NO!
I look forward to hearing similiar and contrasting opinions!
So until next time, to borrow from Murph and The MagicTones, "Don't you Go Changin'"
Thank You- Goodnight!
I've been thinking alot these past couple of hours about the entire premise of a " Hall of Fame", be it baseball, football, or professional wrestling. There has always been a "Mendoza Line", so to speak, when it comes to baseball players- and the questions are always the same: "did he hit 400 homers" , "did he have a .300 lifetime avg?", "did he win 300 games?" To simply gauge a players worth on strictly the basis of numbers is an totally faulty premise, especially now in the "post steroid" era, where mediocre to good players were made to look like giants due to their use of the gas.
(Gas- slang term for steroids)
As an aside, is it annoying to anyone when I use these "addendums" to define my choice of words? My older kids and Amy have told me maybe I should publish my own book of "Shane-speak" or "Shane-isms". I think they're joking, but sometimes Im not so sure....
Anyway,ever since Jim Rice finally got elected to the Baseball HoF, numerous friends have mentioned several names that they thought are serious candidates for the Hall, and asked my thoughts. Heres a short list, and as always, I'm am looking to inspire conversation and debate; you maybe able to sway my vote!
Bert Byleven, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Lee Smith, Rafael Palmiero.
Byleven- I say he should be in. 280+ career wins, 3,000+ strikeouts. I've heard the voters say he was a "compiler" of numbers and didnt make that much of an impact. I say bullshit!
I am also of the opinion that its much easier for a hitter to fudge his numbers over a career than a pitcher. Byleven is an oversight, in my opinion.
Dawson- "The Hawk" was as feared in the NL as Rice was in the AL during a similiar, but slightly longer span. A strong hitter and defender, with good basestealing abilities before his knees turned to shit. I will champion his cause, now that Rice has made it, until he receives induction. Realistically, I should only be tooting this horn until next January- I think he gets in next year.
Raines-I recall as a kid, when alot of baseball fans were kinda swept up in the gust of "Rickey-Mania", that Raines was trumpeted as the "New" Rickey- and for a few seasons, he was somewhat close. A quality player in his own right, no one did him any favors by comparing him to Rickey all those seasons. I also seem to remember his career taking a sour turn when he signed with the White Sox and asked to be referred to as "Rock". Really, the second half of his playing days were less than spectatacular- I say NO.
Smith- The all time Saves leader. A quality feared pitcher coming out of the pen for a series of teams. Not to minimize the importance of Saves, but Im not entirely sure that holding one record automatically makes the holder a HoF shoe-in. I'm not saying I'm against him all together, but right now, That vote would be NO.
Palmiero- I saved the best for last! Heres a guy with all the numbers that scream automatic inclusion- 3,000+hits, 500+ homers, .300 lifetime hitter. Pretty good glover too.
Frankly, I dont really care about the steroid use, by him or any other player; I've always kinda had the opinion that you still have to have the skill to hit the ball. Did it inflate alot of guys numbers? Absoulutely. Should they asteriks beside their records? No. Everything has to be relative to its time and place.
Palmiero, however, is a lying piece of shit! We all should have seen him coming during the Congressional hearings; I mean, this guy claimed that he had NEVER use Viagra, even when he was a Paid Endorser of the product,only to recant when there was a backlash towards his "lying impotence"! Beware of any guy who claims he just "endorsed the product because he heard good things"- Yeah Raffy, and while your at it, take your 3k hits and 500 hrs and brag about them to the next strumpet you pick up a that Salsa Dancing joint you're probably hanging out in, because there no way you belong amongst the elite. NO,NO, and once again NO!
I look forward to hearing similiar and contrasting opinions!
So until next time, to borrow from Murph and The MagicTones, "Don't you Go Changin'"
Thank You- Goodnight!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Varitek Thoughts, VinnieMac Returns~
Let me start off by saying thanks the two of you who commented, and actually had so little to do during your day to actually read the drivel I wrote!
I am so limited on what I can really do on this thing so far, so I have placed a call to Ryan to help teach me how to put youtube videos up on this blog. Once we get over that technological hurdle, this deal should get really fun!
Commentary: Jason Varitek IS the heart and soul of the Boston Red Sox, and despite his downright terrible season at the plate in '08, the brass need to bring him back- I have no faith at the present time in Kotteras or Bard to handle this veteran staff.
Tek looked downright lost at the plate most of last year, but, while a catchers skills erode much more quickly than other poisition players, I don't see any reason why he couldnt get into the .250-.260 range, with about 15 homers. Plus, his "lesser production" may flush itself when hes working everyday with the likes of DiceK, Beckett,Smoltz, et al.
I say 1 year @ 6 million, club option for '10 @ 8 million, with incentives. Honestly, is there a "name" catcher on the market that would mean as much to this team? I think not....
*****************************************************************************
Great to see Vincent Kennedy McMahon return to television after a 6 month furlough- VKM always gets himself back into the thick about this time of year, just to add interest to his product heading into Wrestlemania.....Actually, thats pure crap: Vince puts himself in these positions because it gives him the opportunity, based on the way his corporate business model is laid out, to give himself a HUGE payoff by participating in one the top spots at WrestleMania. In other words, in addition to earning a salary as CEO of a publicly traded company, and grabbing the lions share of the divedends every year, Vince stands to earn an additional 500-800K, based on where the final buyrates come in for the annual super bowl of wrestling, just by participating as a "talent" on the biggest card of the year.
Good to be King, huh?
That being said, I thought there was a tremendous dynamic between Vince and his cocky young "superpunk" star, third generation standout Randy Orton, enough so that the old cliche "boss vs. employee" angle they trot out far too often actually has possibilities.
For the uninitiated, Orton has for the past two years, used what is essentially a "punt" to the head to knock a variety of opponents out of action; Orton used said move on VKM last night, sending him out on a stretcher, with Randy acting throughly startled and stunned that he had done such a thing to his boss, the most famous and powerful wrestling promoter of all time.
The possibilities here are numerous-I personally like the idea of Vince continuing on the show as Co-Gm with daughter Steph, but with his faculties "severely diminished" from The Punt- THAT would likely make for good tv!
***********************************************************************************
Think Im right? Think Im full of shit? Give me your thoughts.....as you can see, I have nothing else to do! lol
Please pass this onto others as well.....it will make me feel important!
Closing Comment: In the words of famous DJ/ Hanna Barbera cartoon voiceman Casey Kasem, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reachin' for the stars!" ( like that'll help....)
I am so limited on what I can really do on this thing so far, so I have placed a call to Ryan to help teach me how to put youtube videos up on this blog. Once we get over that technological hurdle, this deal should get really fun!
Commentary: Jason Varitek IS the heart and soul of the Boston Red Sox, and despite his downright terrible season at the plate in '08, the brass need to bring him back- I have no faith at the present time in Kotteras or Bard to handle this veteran staff.
Tek looked downright lost at the plate most of last year, but, while a catchers skills erode much more quickly than other poisition players, I don't see any reason why he couldnt get into the .250-.260 range, with about 15 homers. Plus, his "lesser production" may flush itself when hes working everyday with the likes of DiceK, Beckett,Smoltz, et al.
I say 1 year @ 6 million, club option for '10 @ 8 million, with incentives. Honestly, is there a "name" catcher on the market that would mean as much to this team? I think not....
*****************************************************************************
Great to see Vincent Kennedy McMahon return to television after a 6 month furlough- VKM always gets himself back into the thick about this time of year, just to add interest to his product heading into Wrestlemania.....Actually, thats pure crap: Vince puts himself in these positions because it gives him the opportunity, based on the way his corporate business model is laid out, to give himself a HUGE payoff by participating in one the top spots at WrestleMania. In other words, in addition to earning a salary as CEO of a publicly traded company, and grabbing the lions share of the divedends every year, Vince stands to earn an additional 500-800K, based on where the final buyrates come in for the annual super bowl of wrestling, just by participating as a "talent" on the biggest card of the year.
Good to be King, huh?
That being said, I thought there was a tremendous dynamic between Vince and his cocky young "superpunk" star, third generation standout Randy Orton, enough so that the old cliche "boss vs. employee" angle they trot out far too often actually has possibilities.
For the uninitiated, Orton has for the past two years, used what is essentially a "punt" to the head to knock a variety of opponents out of action; Orton used said move on VKM last night, sending him out on a stretcher, with Randy acting throughly startled and stunned that he had done such a thing to his boss, the most famous and powerful wrestling promoter of all time.
The possibilities here are numerous-I personally like the idea of Vince continuing on the show as Co-Gm with daughter Steph, but with his faculties "severely diminished" from The Punt- THAT would likely make for good tv!
***********************************************************************************
Think Im right? Think Im full of shit? Give me your thoughts.....as you can see, I have nothing else to do! lol
Please pass this onto others as well.....it will make me feel important!
Closing Comment: In the words of famous DJ/ Hanna Barbera cartoon voiceman Casey Kasem, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reachin' for the stars!" ( like that'll help....)
Monday, January 19, 2009
My Thoughts on STARRCADE: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION
Purchased the new 3 disc Starrcade set with $30 bucks I found on the floor the other night ( fringe benefits of working as "Bar Security") so I decided to pick up this latest WWE Home Video release.
I havent watched all the bouts ( and likely won't for a few days at least) but as is customary when I purchase WWE DVDs, I immediately watch the documentary portion.
I largely liked what I saw, but one particular thought I had while watching was this: why didnt they cover the background better that lead to the inaugural Starrcade?
For example, Jim Crockett Promotions was a major wrestling promotional office for approximately 55 years (which was mentioned) However, for many years before the name Starrcade was attached to Thanksgiving night (and later Xmas season) the Crockett office promoted highly successful events, some years in as many as 3 different towns.
This information, with newspaper clips and results, are featured on a few websites, most prominently at www.midatlanticgateway.com
If you check out that sight, you will see a fascinating array of not only top name wrestling talent, but a few other "legitimate" sports figures as well-most notably, legendary heavyweight boxing champion "Brown Bomber" Joe Louis appeared almost annually during the late 60s-early 70s as a "special enforcer referee" for one of the circuits top "blowoff" matches.
("blow off"-the culmination of a wrestling feud; think the last 15 minutes of any action film- the "good guys" finally overcoming the "Bad Guys". Usually, the last match between the participants)
I thought adding that backstory alone would have improved the documentary tremendously.....
There was also no mention at all of the wrestling event which actually sparked the "Starrcade" concept- "The Final Battle"- the blow off of a tremendous feud which sold out the Greensboro Coliseum a mere 9 months earlier, when two excellent teams face off with consequences, as Sgt Slaughter & Don Kernodle took on Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood. Inside a steel cage, the Slaughter/Kernodle team put up the World Tag Team titles, and Steamboat/Youngblood put up their team- in other words, if they lost, they could never team again. Its on youtube, and its a classic-by all means watch it.
Match selection: instead of nitpicking the matches, Id rather hear from those of you who are familiar with the matches of Starrcade history, and send me 5 bouts that didnt make the cut.
Heres mine,in no particular order:
1) Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes, '84, Smokin Joe Frazier referees as "1 Million dollars" is on the line
2) Tully Blanchard vs. Ricky Steamboat, NWA Tv Title, '84
3)"Nature Boy" Buddy Landel vs Terry Taylor, National Title, '85
4)Tuxedo Street Fight: "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant & "Miss Atlanta Lively" (Ronnie Garvin in drag) vs. The Midnight Express ( Condrey/Eaton version) '85
5) Ric Flair vs. Ronnie Garvin- NWA World Title- '87
Come up with a few a hit me up- theres tons more Im sure would be worthy as well.
Closing thought: what would you do if you found the "hokey pokey" was really what it was all about?
Thank you- goddnight!
Purchased the new 3 disc Starrcade set with $30 bucks I found on the floor the other night ( fringe benefits of working as "Bar Security") so I decided to pick up this latest WWE Home Video release.
I havent watched all the bouts ( and likely won't for a few days at least) but as is customary when I purchase WWE DVDs, I immediately watch the documentary portion.
I largely liked what I saw, but one particular thought I had while watching was this: why didnt they cover the background better that lead to the inaugural Starrcade?
For example, Jim Crockett Promotions was a major wrestling promotional office for approximately 55 years (which was mentioned) However, for many years before the name Starrcade was attached to Thanksgiving night (and later Xmas season) the Crockett office promoted highly successful events, some years in as many as 3 different towns.
This information, with newspaper clips and results, are featured on a few websites, most prominently at www.midatlanticgateway.com
If you check out that sight, you will see a fascinating array of not only top name wrestling talent, but a few other "legitimate" sports figures as well-most notably, legendary heavyweight boxing champion "Brown Bomber" Joe Louis appeared almost annually during the late 60s-early 70s as a "special enforcer referee" for one of the circuits top "blowoff" matches.
("blow off"-the culmination of a wrestling feud; think the last 15 minutes of any action film- the "good guys" finally overcoming the "Bad Guys". Usually, the last match between the participants)
I thought adding that backstory alone would have improved the documentary tremendously.....
There was also no mention at all of the wrestling event which actually sparked the "Starrcade" concept- "The Final Battle"- the blow off of a tremendous feud which sold out the Greensboro Coliseum a mere 9 months earlier, when two excellent teams face off with consequences, as Sgt Slaughter & Don Kernodle took on Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood. Inside a steel cage, the Slaughter/Kernodle team put up the World Tag Team titles, and Steamboat/Youngblood put up their team- in other words, if they lost, they could never team again. Its on youtube, and its a classic-by all means watch it.
Match selection: instead of nitpicking the matches, Id rather hear from those of you who are familiar with the matches of Starrcade history, and send me 5 bouts that didnt make the cut.
Heres mine,in no particular order:
1) Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes, '84, Smokin Joe Frazier referees as "1 Million dollars" is on the line
2) Tully Blanchard vs. Ricky Steamboat, NWA Tv Title, '84
3)"Nature Boy" Buddy Landel vs Terry Taylor, National Title, '85
4)Tuxedo Street Fight: "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant & "Miss Atlanta Lively" (Ronnie Garvin in drag) vs. The Midnight Express ( Condrey/Eaton version) '85
5) Ric Flair vs. Ronnie Garvin- NWA World Title- '87
Come up with a few a hit me up- theres tons more Im sure would be worthy as well.
Closing thought: what would you do if you found the "hokey pokey" was really what it was all about?
Thank you- goddnight!
Introduction
Hello to anyone reading the meaningless ramblings of a borderline madman! I thought I would try this blogging deal, mainly from the inspiration of my brother Shawn, who I think has done such a nice job on his for the past few years.
Is the check in the mail yet, Shawn? LOL
I am also of the opinion that if there are five people in the world who give a shit what Battlin' Bob says, I have to be good for at least double that! (just teasing Bob, you're one of the funniest guys I've ever met! " Morning. Morning-A@# Hole!
Most of you whom are reading are likely familiar with me enough to know where my passsions lie- professional wrestling and baseball, particularly the Boston Red Sox. I have been involved in the professional wrestling business, as both a wrestler and as a promoter, albeit at the small level for the past 17 years. I have personally participating in nearly 1,000 matches, and have promoted or did the matchmaking for an additional 1,000. So now you know of my "expertise" (if there is such a thing)
I will likely write more about wrestling than anything else here, although once spring training kicks in, I will certainly have alot of thoughts on the upcoming season.
In regards to wrestling, I enjoy hearing the thoughts of anyone who can form an intelligent opinion based on what they personally have seen. I follow the current scene, but love the old days, when it was treated by its followers as a "sport", not "sports entertainment".
In closing, I would like to quote the late Ted Knight, from the book of CaddyShack, when I say, without fear of reprisal, that:
"Its easy to grin, when your ship comes in;
And you got the stock market beat
But the man who's worthwhile, is the man who can smile-
When his shorts are too tight in the seat"
Thank you and good night!
SSS
**********************************************************************
Is the check in the mail yet, Shawn? LOL
I am also of the opinion that if there are five people in the world who give a shit what Battlin' Bob says, I have to be good for at least double that! (just teasing Bob, you're one of the funniest guys I've ever met! " Morning. Morning-A@# Hole!
Most of you whom are reading are likely familiar with me enough to know where my passsions lie- professional wrestling and baseball, particularly the Boston Red Sox. I have been involved in the professional wrestling business, as both a wrestler and as a promoter, albeit at the small level for the past 17 years. I have personally participating in nearly 1,000 matches, and have promoted or did the matchmaking for an additional 1,000. So now you know of my "expertise" (if there is such a thing)
I will likely write more about wrestling than anything else here, although once spring training kicks in, I will certainly have alot of thoughts on the upcoming season.
In regards to wrestling, I enjoy hearing the thoughts of anyone who can form an intelligent opinion based on what they personally have seen. I follow the current scene, but love the old days, when it was treated by its followers as a "sport", not "sports entertainment".
In closing, I would like to quote the late Ted Knight, from the book of CaddyShack, when I say, without fear of reprisal, that:
"Its easy to grin, when your ship comes in;
And you got the stock market beat
But the man who's worthwhile, is the man who can smile-
When his shorts are too tight in the seat"
Thank you and good night!
SSS
**********************************************************************
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