My Two Centsss (Week 6)

[Super Chrisss]

Day 36

I can't take it anymore. I'm tired of waiting. It has been the same old shit for the last few months now, and I've reached my breaking point. Not just me, but maybe you have as well. We are forced to put up with the same garbage week in and week out and have no choice but to accept it. That's bullshit. That's not what I chose. I chose something else, something I believed in. Well, my beliefs are being shat over, and I'm not going to put up with it any longer.

I am not a patient man. I admit it. But, so what? Life is short, you can't wait forever, especially if you have no reasonable chance of getting what you want. What I want, or should I say, what we want is for the WWE to get their heads out of their asses already. Time to wake up and smell the coffee, Vince. No one, except maybe kids under the age of 15, is pleased with your actions. You gave us something to hope for, and just when you had us hooked, you took it away from us. Poof! Just like that, it was gone. And we were forced to start looking at the bright side all over again, praying to wake up from an endless nightmare.

But this is not a dream. Pinch yourself. Go ahead, do it. The past two months and twelve days actually have happened. We didn't make it up. The record books don't lie, and neither does WWE programming. Wrestling may be fake, but it doesn't lie. What we can see with our two eyes and what we can talk about with our friends is the truth. Maybe we exaggerate at times, but we know what is really going on beyond our confined walls. Don't we?

Is your name Vincent Kennedy McMahon? No? Is it Paul Levesque, then? Not even close? Fine. Are you somehow involved with backstage WWE politics? Not someone who posts columns on LOP where maybe, just maybe, Matt Hardy or some IWC-follower will read your stuff, but an active WWE employee involved with storylines and backstage politics? I'm going out on a limb here and saying NO, YOU'RE NOT. You have no idea what the hell is happening backstage at RAW or Smackdown! Sure, we have backstage correspondents who 'report' 'news' to the front-page of LOP, but can they honestly tell you what goes on in Vince or HHH's head? No, I think not.

Therefore, since you can do nothing to help me, I turn my attention back to the WWE. Please stop it. I don't know the full story, but I do know what you are doing is plain wrong. Maybe you're trying to use him as an example of an employee who steps out of line, but get it over with already. He's learned his lesson. We all have. Look at your product's quality. Now look at how it was three months ago. Do you see a difference? I certainly do, and it's not a pretty one.

Please Vince, I implore you to turn back time. Make things right again. Maybe you'll lose a few PPV buys but so what? When fans order a PPV, they want to see some quality wrestling matches, not shadows of matches. They want to be tempted to order your next PPV, because they were so thrilled with your last one. Sure, The Undertaker and Batista are big draws now, but what are you going to do when Taker's legs fall off and Batista pops a steroid too many? Who is going to sell your PPVs for you? Actually, you already know who can make you alot of money, and he did just that a few short months ago.

Why Vince, why would you throw away one of your future money-makes in favour of a gorilla or a zombie? Are you that senile? Or did he really piss you off? Well, you can still entertain fans with your presence so you can't be that old. If you were really angry, you would give him the Macho Man treatment and fire his ass. But, you didn't. He is still employed, and still making you money, but nowhere as much as he could. Maybe it's your fault to blame for that, or maybe it's his. I really don't.

I'm going to ask you one last time Vince. Put your ego and hard feelings aside. Look outside the box. Think about the future. Think about the mon-ey. For once in your life, think about the fans, particularly the internet ones. We have to put up with Cena and HHH for a few more years, yet we still watch your product. So throw us a bone here and kick off 2010 the right away. Have a heart, Vince. Look the other way. Even if it doesn't last, you can at least try. I know you won't be disappointed. Please, Vince. Push CM Punk back to the top. Once that's taken care of, you can fire Michael Cole. Is that really too much to ask for?

Day 37

It's time to bring back the referees. They have gone from being focal points of match-ups to nothing more than background props. Nowadays, we see these indivduals in every wrestling match, but about a year ago, these poor men lost their identity. They went from being referred to as "Senior Referee Charles Robinson" to simply "the official". That's awfully degrading if you ask me. When you watch wrestling, you spend the majority of the time watching three men in the ring: the two superstars, and the referee. To say that the "official" has no relevance to what goes on in the ring is an insult to every WWE referee, past and present.

Not that long ago, most wrestling fans knew the names of a large portion of the referees, if not all of them. Men like Charles Robinson, Scott Armstrong, and Earl Hebner would not go five minutes officiating a match without an announcer presenting him to the viewers (with Good Ol' J.R. usually delivering the goods). However, about a year ago, WWE instructed their announcers to not mention the names of the referees under any circumstance. Why this law was passed I do not know.

Every week on WWE television, we usually see six different types of people. There's the wrestler, the announcer, the in-ring announcer, the general manager (or Guest Host), the diva, and the referee. Most fans can name someone that fits into each category, except for maybe the last one. I don't understand why WWE fans know who Tony Chimel is, yet many have no idea who Charles Robinson is. Talk about bad delivery.

Earl Hebner, currently officiating for TNA Wrestling, played a major role in WWE matches for years. Not only did he bump more often than any other referee did, he took his job to the next level. He was not afraid to bend the rules in favour of the face, nor stop heels from cheating. Many superstars picked fights with Hebner, but he would not back down. As a result, whenever you saw Earl Hebner come down to referee a match, you knew that you were about to witness an epic encoutner. All because of the man assigned to officiate the match.

Nowadays, WWE referees are all but faceless. Sure, we have Charles Robinson and Scott Armstrong who have been around for many years, but the only reason we still remember their names is because of their activity in past storylines. Without those incidents, would you really be able to name the white-haired referee who looks like an old man but probably isn't? I doubt it. Take "Black Ref" for example. Many here in the IWC call him as such because he's the only coloured referee in the WWE at the moment. Well, I have a question for you. What is Black Ref's name? I haven't the slightest clue.

Then again, I suppose we have the WWE to blame for that, don't we? Vince McMahon seems to believe that the referee adds nothing to wrestling matches. He is there to count pinfalls, call a submission, and make sure the superstars abide by the rules. They have no effect on the product as a whole. Therefore, why should they even be muttered in the same breath as John Cena or The Undertaker?

I don't think that's fair. If the fans are able to identify the announcer and the in-ring announcer, why can't they name the referee as well? While there's little point in being acquainted with newer referees, every fan should know who is Scott Armstrong. Not because he 'screwed' The Undertaker at Breaking Point, but because he usually officiates main-event matches. Wrestling matches are exciting, and are supposed to tell a story. But how can you tell a story without one of the main characters?

Day 38

Prepare to enter the unknown. We've all heard someone say that at some point in our lives, haven't we? Maybe it was your science teacher from fifth grade, showing you how to dissect a dead frog. Or maybe that's what your best friend told you right before you went to your first party (with booze and girls and all that fun stuff). Maybe that's what your girlfriend said right before you...never mind, you get the point.

Tomorrow morning I shall enter the unknown and will have no chance to exit until 12:00. What is the unknown you ask? I call it my English exam. Many of you reading this right now know exactly what I'm talking about and are probably experiencing exam nerves yourself. Actually, I take that back. I'm not nervous. I'm not scared. I just don't know what to expect. Will there be three Shakespeare sonnets to analyze, or only one? Must I write an essay question, or simply fill in the blanks? I cannot answer either of these questions and that is what frightens me the most.

Every Monday night when you tune into RAW, you don't know what to expect. The days of Triple H kicking off the show with or without his World Heavyweight Championship are long gone. We don't know what will happen in the show's opening moments. Chances are something major and exciting will happen that will set the tone for the rest of the show, like a DX skit or a United States Championship match. Other times we are not so lucky, and must endure a Divas match, or even worse, a John Cena promo.

But that's what makes RAW so exciting. You don't know what's going to happen. Just because RAW was a load of crap last week, that doesn't mean tonight's show will be half as bad. For all we know, the Guest Host of the evening might be entertaining, and we may bare witness to a shocking WWE return or a well-executed heel turn. On live television, anything can happen, and that surprise factor puts the 'E' back in the WWE, especially when all else fails.

At the same time, you should not raise your expectations to an unreasonably high level. Whenever the annual Draft episode of Monday Night RAW is announced, many people get pumped up, and the WWE tends to deliver more often than not. Sometimes though, WWE over-hypes themselves, and many fans are left with a bad taste in their mouth. Take last year's King Of The Ring tournament for example. When WWE proclaimed that the event would take place entirely on an episode of RAW, a lot of irregular RAW viewers made sure not to miss the show. Unfortunately, the show was a complete bomb, and many fans found yet another reason not to watch WWE programming. They took a chance in trying something new, but did not prepare themselves for failure. That's where they went wrong.

WWE rarely offers the best wrestling product in the world. Their priority lies within the company's last letter rather than the first two. They wish to entertain the fans in any way possible, but if they are unable to win over crowds with gimmicks or comedy acts, wrestling must be used as the fall-back option. WWE officials are fully aware that the majority of their Smackdown! and ECW superstars are not five-star entertainers outside of the ring, so they give them more time in the ring to please the fans. Many have often wondered why WWE's "smaller shows" have been more wrestling-orientated than Mama RAW, and this is part of the reason why. Edge may be a phenomenal superstar, but comedy acts with guys like The Undertaker or Batista will simply not work. Undertaker and Batista are not fantastic in the ring, but at least they don't use a microphone every week.

I want to think positive heading into my exam tomorrow, but I am not a fool. Whenever you write a test, there are always two possible outcomes. Success and failure. Sometimes you win, but sometimes you lose. With WWE, it's pretty much the same thing. RAW can turn out to be a good show, but there's no guarantee that it will. As wrestling fans, we have to be prepared for that. Simply tuning into RAW one night and expecting a five-star show is ludicrous. I would love it if RAW was excellent every single week, but I know not to expect that from the WWE. They're the ones calling the shots, not me. All I have to worry about is passing my exam. Meanwhile, WWE has to worry about boosting ratings and earning a profit. You tell me which is more important.

Day 39

Stereos - Turn It Up

Christmas Break is finally here! For me, at least. I know alot of you have been off from school or work for at least a week, but better late than never, right? To commemorate the end of my first semester of University, I am introducing a new aspect of my dailies. It may sound cheesy, but it's my thing, so hate it love it. I'm in party mode right now, so here's the first-ever song of the day. Each song will have nothing to do with wrestling, you probably won't know it or you won't like it, but feel free to click on the link and listen to it. Who knows, you just might feel better!

Moving right along, I would like to talk about last night's Turning Point. Although I did not order the show, I did watch some live streams in-between studying. Most of what I saw was quite good, and may even have been worth the 35$ price-tag. Then again, the Motor City Machine Guns STILL aren't the TNA Tag-Team Champions, so no big loss.

Anyone who saw the PPV last night are well-aware that two matches stole the show: The Three Degrees of Pain match between Wolfe and Angle, and AJ Styles's World Title defense against another one of my favourite superstars, Daniels. I'm not as big of a fan of Angle and Wolfe's work as XanMan, so I'll save your time and let you read all about their phenomenal match in the MPer's blog. I will say that I wish Wolfe came out the overall winner. I know Angle has barely lost a match in recent months, but how many people has Wolfe gone over since his debut? Keep in kind that I don't consider Cody Deaner a wrestler. Wolfe can back up his talk in the ring, but it's time for the Brit to add some wins to his list of credentials.

I am quite pleased that Tara won the Knockout's Championship. ODB is exciting, but I don't buy into 'her' as champion. Hopefully Tara can hang onto her belt long enough for TNA to build-up some new heel challengers to feud with (Alissa Flash or Hamada, maybe?). Awesome Kong is great, but her dominance will turn her into the women's version of Jeff Jarrett before we know it. Time to look somewhere else.

I swear, if Team 3D, Rhino, and Wussie Neal went over the younggin's again last night, alot of people were going to be sick. Rhino's team represented the old and the crap that we're tired of seeing, while Hernandez's team represented new and exciting. Dixie Carter talks about the youth movement in TNA day-in and day-out, but at least her company took a step in the right direction by having Matt Morgan emerge as the sole survivor. Morgan's push has all but vanished since Bound For Glory, but it's good to see The Blueprint back in the picture.

Speaking of lost momentum, Samoa Joe won a TNA World Championship match briefcase in last night's Feast or Fired. Like his friend CM Punk in the WWE, Samoa Joe has gone from a cemented main-eventer to a man without direction. One night he's challenging for the World Title, the next he's fighting Amazing Red for the X-Division Championship. I don't know who's more confused about Joe's TNA status. The fans, TNA management, or Samoa Joe. Maybe we all are.

You already know my feelings about the tag-team championship match (sniff), but despite the outcome, the action was fantastic and the perfect way to kick off the evening. In fact, had Daniels/Styles not been so good, this would probably have battled Wolfe/Angle for MOTN honours. The British Invasion aren't my favourite wrestlers in TNA, but The Guns made them shine brighter than a toothpick last night. Kudos to Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin.

Finally, the main event was everything a wrestling fan could ask for. Once the camera stopped rolling, AJ Styles told the crowd, "You wanted wrestling? You got it!" Truer words were never spoken. This was the one match I watched in it's entirety, and man was it good. The spots, the reversals, the false finishes, the unpredictability! That, and so much more made the World Championship match a MOTY contender. It's a shame that we're in December, as most people will over-look this fantastic spectacle when making their MOTY nominations next year.

Then again, who cares about MOTY? Both guys went to work last night and did their job. They walked into Orlando to please their fans and give them what they wanted - a wrestling match. No gimmicks, no interference, just straight-up wrestling. I mentioned earlier that Daniels is one of my favourites on TNA, but I was not pissed at all when Styles picked up the hard-fought win. Both men gave it their all, and showed the world why they deserve to be main-eventing PPVs instead of guys like Sting and Mick Foley. Last night was a turning point for both Daniels and Styles' wrestling careers. I now consider them two of the best, young talents that TNA has to offer. Let's just hope Hogan feels the same way.

Day 40

Lifehouse - Halfway Gone

I was reading XanMan's blurb on the Wolfe/Angle match from TNA's Final Resolution PPV last Sunday, and he said something quite interesting. Specifically, Mr. Man said:

Yeah, they did their annoying dueling chant and a chant of "This is wrestling" broke out in the phenomenal second fall, but for the most part they appreciated what they were watching. A WWE crowd would have chanted boring for the work these two excellent wrestlers did.

I never thought of that. More importantly, I think XanMan's onto something with this statement. Today's WWE audience have become so accustomed to the same type of wrestling over the past few years that some of them don't know what is wrestling. If there isn't a spot or two, or any false finishes, many WWE fans would label a match as "boring".

Take Triple H vs Vladimir Koslov from Survivor Series 2008. Last week I mentioned how the majority of WWE fans considered this match to be one of the year's worst, yet others argued that both men put on a clinic. The fans simply did not know how to react to something they had not seen in ages - mat-wrestling.

Look at this year's WWE MOTY contenders. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels had some mat-based wrestling in the early stages of the match, and some fans consider those sequences to be the "low points of the match". CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy at TLC and in a Cage match had little to no mat-wrestling. The fans were interested in the high-spots, the brutality, and the story being told. John Cena vs Randy Orton in an IronMan match, well, that's a different story.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but during the 60 minutes these two men wrestled, both engaged in a fair amount of mat-wrestling. Nothing close to what we saw at Survivor Series last year or during Wolfe/Angle, but it was more than the average WWE fan was used to seeing. Having Orton tap out to the STFU mere minutes into the match was brilliant, as it added to the psychology involved. Still, the little mat-wrestling that was applied did not stop fans, both mark and smark alike, from considering their Bragging Rights encounter a contender for MOTY.

Often you hear WWE fans call TNA fans "dumb" or "stupid". But, are they really? Sure, they chant "This Is Awesome" more times than they should, and prematurely, but they have every right to do so. Most of TNA's main-eventers are better wrestlers than the majority of WWE's current headliners. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho are arguably three of WWE's best main-event caliber wrestlers, but none of them have ever wrestled inside a TNA ring. Jericho had some matches in WCW and ECW, so he can adapt his style, but both members of DX have been wrestling the same way for more than fifteen years.

Another thing that TNA's main-eventers have going for them is their age. Apart from Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, and Sting, none who are presently vying for the World Championship, all of TNA's major draws have youth on their side. AJ Styles, Daniels, Desmond Wolfe, Matt Morgan, Abyss, all of them have many years left in them. Compare that to guys like DX and Jericho who may not even be wrestling six or seven years from now. So whenever Daniels vs Styles is advertised, you are almost guaranteed a true wrestling match. Undertaker vs Batista? Not so much.

I'm really starting to believe Nigel McGuiness made the right choice by joining TNA, instead of sticking with the WWE. Maybe XanMan's right, maybe any WWE match involving McGuiness would have been ill-received by the fans. He would have to change his style to the WWE style of wrestling, much like CM Punk and Colt Cabana were forced to do. Is that really what we want? To see one of our beloved wrestlers being booed out of the building because he can't be as flippy and glamorous as John Morrison? Hardly. Before you go around calling TNA fans idiotic, watch any one of Desmond Wolfe and Kurt Angle's past battles, and tell me what you think. If you don't think any of those matches are entertaining, then maybe it's time for a reality check.

Day 41

3Oh!3 ft. Katy Perry - Starstrukk

There is no doubt that WWE had some hits and misses this past year. From new superstars to new gimmicks, some of these guys turned out successful. Others, not so much. You can't blame WWE for trying, because contrary to popular belief, they did attempt to create new stars. They just didn't know how. Fortunately, some were able to ignore WWE's stupidity and elevate themselves higher up the card, while others fell flat on their face.

2009 started off rough for Legacy. Although they were featured in several main-event tag-team matches against Triple H, John Cena, and Batista, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase were often made to look like Randy Orton's bitches. When WWE needed a fall guy to keep Orton looking strong, either Rhodes or DiBiase immediately did the job. That all changed in August, when Legacy began feuding with D-Generation X, and both teams had several fantastic matches at three back-to-back PPVs. Rhodes and DiBiase actually won one of those matches, believe it or not.

Once their feud with HHH and Michaels was over, Legacy looked primed to challenge for the WWE Championship, or engage in another high-profile feud. They had been given the rub, they had the skills, and momentum was on their side.

Enter John Cena.

In one night, WWE's Golden Boy destroyed all of Legacy and DX's work over the past few months. Not in a squash match, but in a squash promo. DX were attempting to put Legacy over as potential, must-see candidates as Cena's future opponent. Cena basically came out and said they were nowhere near his league. He said that no one wants to see either of them challenge him for the WWE Championship. The WWE Universe, being the kiss-ass bunch that they are, bought into their hero's words of wisdom and went back to referring to Rhodes and DiBiase as goofs or Orton's lackeys.

All of Legacy's build-up and momentum flew right out the window by the end of the night, and neither guy has yet to recover since. There's no question that WWE, and DX, tried to push Rhodes and DiBiase up the card, but they must have already decided that Sheamus would win the WWE Championship two months later. As a result, Legacy suffered the same fate as Jack Swagger, MVP, and Dolph Ziggler experienced themselves this year. They were simply forgotten about, pushed to the side. The old, "thanks for giving it your all in the ring, but we're not feeling you as main-event worthy. Maybe in a few months we'll give you another shot."

Why should Legacy and all the others wait for another chance at glory? They have performed superbly over the past few months and years, but because they're no longer the flavour of the month it's time to invest in someone else? Get serious. Anyone can connect with the audience, and anyone can get over (unless their name is Charlie Haas), All you need is some confidence, some support, the right push, and you have yourself a brand-new main-eventer. It's really not hard WWE, you just have to choose one or two guys and stick with them. Setbacks are inevitable, but dedication is what matters.

When you compare the guys who are being pushed now (Sheamus, R-Truth, Drew McIntyre), compared to those who were being pushed six months ago (CM Punk, John Morrison, Legacy), there's one big difference between the two groups. One has paid their dues, while the other has not. Can you guess which one I'm referring to? I'll give you a hint - the ones that have been preforming inside a WWE ring for longer than a year are probably the more experienced ones. The guys who have put others over, and have waited for their chance at a shot at the WWE or World Championship.

Punk, Morrison, and Legacy have been performing on WWE television for years now, yet none of them are presently in the World Title hunt. Instead, younger and older guys are hogging the spotlight. Punk and Morrison should be fighting for the World Title, rather than two guys who should have retired a few years ago. Similarly, either DiBiase or Rhodes should be the current WWE Champion, instead of a guy that wasn't even on the roster a year ago. No offense to Sheamus or McIntyre, but I don't think it's fair that they are higher on the card than other, more deserving superstars.

The year 2009 will be remembered for the Orton/Cena rivalry, Jeff Hardy leaving the WWE, and Sheamus shocking the world by winning the WWE Championship. I am glad that Sheamus and McIntyre have all but cemented their legacy as stars, but what about those who were there before them? Rhodes, DiBiase, and Morrison put on five-star matches all-year, but what do they have to show for their efforts? I'm positive that all of these men will recieve World Title shots in the future, and msot likely become WWE Champion before their careers are over, but I hope that WWE doesn't neglect them for too long. These guys may be young, but they're not getting any younger.

Day 42

Down With Webster - Rich Girl$

What's the best thing about Christmas? Obviously the presents, but what else? It's not the music, that's for sure. I'll take the classic "Jingle Bells" over Andrea Bocelli anyday, thank you very much. I see my friends and family 365 days a year, so I don't see much need in spending time with them. Being cooped up in a house with the same seven people for hours isn't my definition of fun. One thing I do like about Christmas is what they play on television. Charlie Brown and It's A Wonderful Life are two of my favourite specials, but the rest just doesn't do it for me. Fortunately, wrestling is still on.

Whether WWE is holding a Tribute To The Troops instead of RAW or Smackdown!, or simply a "Best Of" episode, you are guaranteed a new episode of wrestling programming, even though it's the holidays. While every other television series has been on re-runs for the past few weeks, and won't return until January, WWE and TNA continue to offer fresh programming every week. I think that's a nice little Christmas present from Vince & Dixie.

I've never been a fan of WWE's Tribute To The Troops because a) I don't support war and b) there is very little wrestling that goes on throughout the show. Nevertheless, I would still watch a semi-interesting WWE episode than a cheap Christmas special on FOX or ABC. At least I'm watching wrestling, even if there's not alot of it. Beggars can't be choosers.

I am a fan of WWE's "Best Of" episodes. Although I usually know which matches to expect, sometimes WWE throws us a curve ball by re-showing one of the year's over-looked matches. The matches may be shorter and edited, but the action is quality. Besides, there's no guarantee that you saw every one of these matches, so this special may offer some novelty for you after all. A Christmas Carol is cute, but you can watch that movie every year. How many times are you going to see John Cena wrestle Shawn Michaels for an hour on free television?

This year, TNA plans on holding a Knockouts-only special on New Years Eve. Some people think this a horrible idea, but I disagree. TNA did not have to air a new episode of iMPACT! next Thursday. They could have done a "Best Of" episode featuring nothing but old TNA matches for four hours, but they're trying something new. The Knockouts are often iMPACT!'s highest rated performers, so why not give them the honour of dedicating an entire show to them? Not only will fans get to watch attractive women for hours, but some of the year's best matches will also be highlighted. Women, wrestling, and entertainment. Sounds like a good way to ring in the New Year.

People often complain about what wrestling has to offer during the holidays. Old matches, little wrestling, and no new storylines. To those people I say be grateful for what you have. You really think WWE is going to fly DX into Smackdown! on the 23rd of December to have a 30-minute match with The Hart Dynasty, with the rest of the roster being forced to compete two days before Christmas? You're nuts if you do. WWE superstars already have a grueling schedule to deal with all-year long, so it's only fair they have a few days off for the holidays. Some of take our family for granted, but keep in mind that the majority of these men and women don't see their loved ones on a regular basis.

Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year. New Years is almost as exhilarating. Some of us dread having to spend time with our families, but not everybody feels the same way. WWE performers are rarely able to spend time with those they care about, but the holidays give them a chance to do so. I'm not a big fan of Tribute To The Troops, but that's irrelevant. I have the rest of the year to indulge into the WWE storylines and complain about their stupidity. For now, we should be grateful to have an alternative from Christmas repeats on every other network. WWE and TNA may not offer the best wrestling at this time of year, but at least they go out of their way to find some way of entertaining their viewers. If you're still not happy with the results, then go watch A Christmas Carol. You'll find that you and Scrooge have alot in common.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[Box Car Rocco]

Vintage Chrisss.

Well maybe not, and it was good to see a rant out of you. I'm kind of feeling the same way about TNA and Morgan right now. He should not be wasted on Jesse fucking Neal of all fucking people. Fuck.

[pringle100]

I enjoyed reading and totally agree with you. Punk is one of the best heels we've seen in years and to see him jobbing to R - Truth is an absolute crime. Although I think the Luke Gallows angle could work in some capacity.

[anonymous]

I'm only doing this because of your feedback to Pringle:

every fan should know who is Scott Armstrong

would read better as

every fan should know who Scott Armstrong is

As usual, the content was interesting. I like the referees as they are. In the attitude era, they were constantly bumping and getting destracted, and this detracted from what the wrestlers were doing. In an era of crappy match endings, the referees were at the centre. Now, it seems more matches end cleanly and I prefer that. Charles Robinson's a fag anyway.

[Jason Boy]

Hey it's great to see you are still writing. This wasn't bad at all and I times I was LOLing.

[Box Car Rocco]

Referees have been important in TNA for a while man. From Shane Sewell (no mtter how bad the eventual match was, and the fact EY got screwed out of the title!) and Bashir feuding to the new referees have more power thing, they have been pretty important as of late. Also, that Sewell storyline got one half of your boys the X Division title. Gotta be thankful for that.

[Super Chrisss]

Box Car Rocco (Part 1): When I read that he jobbed to Ray last week my heart sank. Hopefully Morgan's team is the winning one tonight!

pringle100: Oh I have nothing against the Luke Gallows angle at all. I've always been a fan of Festus's work and seeing him paired with Punk can do nothing but help the guy. As long as they don't become a full-time tag-team, I'm happy with their pairing.

anonymous - Eh, fair enough. I despise re-reading my own words and I tend to make mistakes like that. Thanks for pointing that out though.

As for the referees, they definitely over-bumped during The Attitude Era, but at least they didn't come off as pussies like they do now. Yeah, Charles Robinson does suck. Black Ref For The Win!

Jason Boy - Nice to see you haven't disappeared into thin air. Thanks for the feed, my boy!

Box Car Rocco (Take 2): I was talking about the WWE, dude. TNA Refs are awesome, and I'm sad the whole Shane Sewell thing didn't last longer than it did. The guy had a nice look. At the moment, Slick Johnson is my favourite to watch.

[Cult Icon]

overall, i really enjoyed this. i think part 1 couldve been a bit stronger. i didnt really think the approach you were using worked well for it, and for the most part i found myself skimming through it. once you got to part two and three though, it started to flow much better. i think it perhaps wouldve been wise to use the rant in a different setting rather than here, but never the less i thought all three were well written, there were some good points (especially the referee's section) and was very passionate. i just felt the beginning didnt match the flow of the rest of the column. good work once again chrisss.

[XanMan]

Originally Posted by S-cubed

All I have to worry about is passing my exam. Meanwhile, WWE has to worry about boosting ratings and earning a profit. You tell me which is more important.

That's relative, sir. I would hope your exam is more important to you.

You make some good points about RAW, but at the same time why should you, as a fan, have to lower your expectations? It's their job to get people to want to see their shows. Right now I don't, so I won't, and I'll be taking it off my DVR as soon as I remember, because they don't even deserve that portion of the ratings from me.

Do I expect every show to be 5 stars? Of course not, but what I see from WWE's flagship, for the most part, is a lack of originality, a surplus of childish humor, and more focus put on people that shouldn't matter, rather than those who should. As long as that's their modus operandi, I'll no longer continue to watch out of simple habit. Why? Because it gets me in the habit of being annoyed. Why would I want that to continue?

[SkittleZ]

Day 38 was a solid piece, homie. The '08 King of the Ring tourney was a big time clusterfuck with little to no payoff.

Especially because Regal, after being booked to win KOTR, wasn't done a justice following his big victory. WWE had two possible avenues to take: an extended program between Punk & Regal which spanned most of the summer or turn Sir William into the #1 Contender for Hunter's WWE Championship. Which would have saved us from yet another bunch of HHH/Orton bouts.

Meanwhile, Day 39 made me fear that you may in fact be a BCR clone in disguise.

Keep the streak going, Chrissstopher. It's obvious you've hit a nice little groove with the dailies so ride that shit until the wheels fall off.

[Box Car Rocco]

ODB losing the belt is disapointing to me. I talked about this in the TNA forum, but her new character is really refreshing and it was going somewhere. Now that Tara has the title, I don't know what they will do with ODB. A rematch between the two in a cage might work though at Lockdown.

You aren't giving those Brits enough credit by saying the Guns made them look good. Both Williams and Magnus are good tag team wrestlers in their own right and even though I haven't seen it yet, I'm positive they didn't get carried.

That last line on day 39 scares me though...

[LimeFlavored]

The fall of the official is following the same pattern as everything else Vince does. Take, for instance, the rise of the authority figure. When the first four or five WrestleManias were running, we only saw Jack Tunney on a blue moon and we almost NEVER heard about/from him. Today? A WWE show can't run 5 seconds without having something to do with a GM, executive share holder, or chairman having something directly to do with it. The authority figure, in my opinion, is way overplayed.

CM Punk isn't riding high because he isn't the prototypical main eventer, meaning that Vince still hasn't figured out how to build superstars anymore. He relies on happenstance, Triple H's opinion, and ability to kiss ass for years rather than sound and proven methods.

[anonymous]

I'm working every day over Christmas so I'd like to say a big "FUCK YOU" to anyone with time off. And Angle/Wolfe should have their own show where they just wrestle each other non-stop for an hour each week. I'd never get bored of it. Fuck it, give them two shows- it'd be awesome.


Yeh, was too tired to do a grammar check but I enjoyed the piece, as ever. I expect awesome pieces from you if you're off school though. Not one mistake.

[Super Chrisss]

Cult Icon - Keep in mind that I write these things on a daily basis. Sometimes I like changing up the format and experimenting with different styles to entertain myself and my readers. Other days I write according to my present mood. Still, I appreciate you letting me know it wasn't your cup of tea, I'll remember that for the future. I'm glad you enjoyed the rest though.

XanMan - When you study like a beast for days only to find out your exam is only worth 15% of your final grade, you feel totally shafted, trust me.

That's funny, I thought the exact same thing after I posted my piece. Why should we be expected to lower our expectations? I mean, 24 returns next month, and as of right now, I don't see any reason to watch the first hour of RAW over Jack Bauer. It's time for WWE to raise those expectations. You are completely right.

As far as I'm concerned, any segment/match involving Hornswoggle is an instant channel-changer, but many present-day fans don't see it that way. Still, they really need to kill the little bugger or at least let him speak English again!

Skittlez - The only problem is that Regal screwed himself over by failing a drug test and getting suspended. I can't really blame WWE for taking disciplinary measures against Regal and halting his rise to the top. I bet Regal spent a good portion of 2009 kicking himself in the nuts for that epic screw-up.

Haha, cute, but there's only one Box Car Rocco in the world (I think). I am pleased you're still along for the ride, dude, it's much appreciated.

Box Car Rocco - I like ODB's character, but she resembles a man way too much for me to get into her. Still, her work ethic is pretty good and the only way her program with Tara could last until Lockdown was if Tara won the title, and that she did. We'll see what happens.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the British Invasion, but like Beer Money, I still dig Shelley & Sabin much, much more. As a tag-team they are skilled in the ring, but cannot compare to the chemistry between the Guns. Maybe "carried" was the wrong word to use, but I stand by it.

You're scared of Hogan? Well, so am I...

LimeFlavored - Excellent point about the authority figure. I agree, they have become so over-used that their appearance means next to nothing nowadays.

HHH probably doesn't like CM Punk because Punk is a smaller, younger, more attractive version of himself, who never suffers any major injuries. Jealously can be such a bitch.

anonymous - Yeah, well, I work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Day, and I go back to school January 4th. So allow me to add in my own little FUCK YOU to the world.

The only problem with that is that Angle would either get a heart-attack and/or he would win every single encounter. Do the ends really justify the means?

Thanks for passing on the grammar test today. I despise anything school-related!

[Uncle Joe]

I don't think you have to lower your standard of viewing or expectations. You just have to realize that the WWE are catering to the audience who supports them the most, financially. If the IWC bought as many PPVs as we streamed, bought merch and all this shit, Im pretty damned sure they would tailor make their shows for us. But alas

[XanMan]

Oh, but Joseph, you've got it backwards. If they catered more to us fans, we'd buy more merch and events. That's the way it should be, right?

Chrisss, excellent expansion and interpretation on that "blurb" from yesterday's thought. Well said.

[Super Chrisss]

Uncle Joe - I think you're right and wrong. If WWE catered to the IWC, obviously we'd be more willing to buy their PPVs and DVDs because of the difference in quality and appeal. Unfortunately, WWE chose to target the younger audience, and they are hoping to find more revenue there. Maybe they'll re-think this decision in a few years and shift back to the older demographic. Hell, we could even have The Attidue Era v2.0. Sadly, that's not up to us decide, unless the IWC suddenly out-populates the young audience. I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening, though.

XanMan - Thanks man. I don't recall the last time I followed up my ideas the next day. It was different, but fun. I'm glad to hear that it worked!

[Box Car Rocco]

I don't think you realise how old Abyss is, he's 36 you know. If you add in that he's wasted over a year with Dr Stevie and all the punishment he has taken throughout his whole career, then surely he can't have to much longer in him either.

Even with one of TNA's older main eventers, Kurt Angle, he can still go almost better then anyone around. You metnioned how HHH and HBK have wrestled the same style for a while, Angle certainly doesn't do that. His match with Abyss at Turning Point was an all out war, and then 1 year later he had a wrestling clinic with Wolfe; big differences there. Speaking of Wolfe, you are right. There's no way on earth that he'd be debuting by kicking HHH's ass all over the arena or taking out The Undertaker with one of his lariats. There's also no chance that they'd be able to give him a match like he had with Angle.

I rambled again. Sorry.

[XanMan]

Well said again, Chrisss. I mentioned the Cena thing in today's thought, as well, and we both have the same thoughts on that. Cool. You're really bringing it lately. You hear that SkitZ?

[Super Chrisss]

Box Car Rocco - YES! Nice to see a fire lit under you Mr. Rocco. That's the kind of emotion you haven't included in your columns in ever so long. I know Abyss isn't young, but he still has a good seven or eight years left in him and he should be pushed back to the main event before it's too late. As for Angle, there's no doubt he's in a league of his own when it comes to wrestling, He can easily adapt styles, but can his peers do the same thing? My guess is no.

XanMan - That Cena promo was a disgrace. Like I said, I don't know if Cena is to blame or WWE creative for putting those words in his mouth. Either way, it was a slap in both guys' faces. Thanks man, I'm doing what I can. I'll never be as good as the best, but I'm never going to stop trying!

[XanMan]

Pssh!--modesty, who needs it?

As far as what you asked me a while back, I'm planning on typing up tomorrow's column at work tonight and then posting it tomorrow, but we're estimated to get up to 14 inches of snow between now and Saturday morning. Assuming that doesn't knock power or internet out, should be good to go for a Christmas posting. I haven't decided what I'm going to write about yet, though, so should be fun.

[SkittleZ]

Originally Posted by Xanamaniac

You hear that SkitZ?

I hear EVERYTHING.

Well mostly everything.

[Super Chrisss]

XanMan - Ok, cool. I work till 5 tomorrow evening, so I'll probably post something later on. We're expecting cold rather than snow. I'd rather take the snow. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Skittlez - Stop lying dude. Go eat a candy-cane. I have wait to receive my present, you know!