It's all over for another year!
Here are a few points I would like to make about the entire WrestleMania weekend.
- I can't believe the WWE wrestler known as 'Robbie McCallister' was naive enough to attend the TNA Impact taping on Thursday night. He was shown on camera and the TNA even refered to him under his real name. This was bad on both counts. TNA should have been professional enough to know this could cost him his job yet, he should also have known it would result in trouble from his employers. He was sent home from the WrestleMania festivities for going against an order telling the wrestlers not to be seen with friends from the rival organisation during the weekend.
- Speaking of TNA, can you believe they had the audacity to hire a plane and have it circle the Citrus Bowl advertising their television show? I don't know if it made them look like a second-rate outfit (which they are) or great promoters for taking up a great advertising opportunity. (EDIT: I just found out that the plane wasn't advertising TNA wrestling but a local strip club. There were rumours in the days leading up to Mania that the TNA was planning on flying a plane over the stadium. Instead, a strip club decided to advertise T & A!)
- Ric Flair's career is finally over. The end where Shawn Michaels said, 'I'm sorry, I love you,' before he super-kicked him was one of the most emotional moments I have seen in wrestling. Flair walking back to the dressing room in tears and getting a standing ovation from the crowd was a good, yet heartbreaking, visual. It's going to be strange not having Flair as an active performer in pro wrestling.
- There's a lot of debate about how many stars the Flair vs Michaels match deserves. Wade Keller at the Pro Wrestling Torch gave it five stars which is the maximum any match can be rated. I'm not sure whether it was that 'great'. It was an excellent match with good storytelling and I would rate it highly but I just cannot see how it could be given five stars. Anyone who knows me is aware I am a massive Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair fan so I am not being negative for the sake of it. It was a brilliant match but not great. I give it four stars. I can't wait until June to see it again.
- I preordered the DVD yesterday afternoon. I wasn't going to spend £15 watching it on TV when I can get the original DVD for £20! I watched the event live over the Net.
- Mayweather vs Big Show was the shock match of the night. I didn't think it would work out as well as it did. A lot of people in the chat room I watched it in were angry at the match but they need to understand that Floyd Mayweather isn't a wrestler. It was his first match in pro wrestling and he did what was asked. Did you really think he was going to be involved with the WWE and WrestleMania if he was going to tarnish his name by losing?
- I am glad Randy Orton managed to retain the WWE title in his match against Triple H and John Cena. I was angry at the way he had been booked to look weak in the build-up to the event and I guess the plan all along was for him to walk away the winner.
- The Undertaker against Edge match was a good finish to the show. The Undertaker's entrance is always a spectacle and last night was no exception. I don't think the company should ever have him lose at WrestleMania.
- WrestleMania XXV takes place in three hundred and seventy days!
-
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
WrestleMania Predictions
The day has finally arrived.
WrestleMania will begin at 11:30pm UK time when there is a 24-man battle royal exclusive to the WWE website. The winner of this match will then face ECW champion, Chavo Guerrero somewhere on the main show which begins at 12am.
I think the final match will be the WWE title match pitting Randy Orton, Triple H and John Cena in a triple threat match.
The match I am looking forward to the most is the career threatening match between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. I saw the Nature Boy's Hall of Fame induction last night and it's clear to everyone that tonight will be the night he retires from wrestling even if he did play up that it might not be. I just hope Shawn Michaels' career won't be tarnished as the person who ended Flair's career. Only time will tell whether there is any kind of backlash from the fans - many people may have wanted a young up-and-comer to have the spot because it makes the most sense to create a star. Michaels winning will not do much considering he has already achieved a lot in this business.
Below are a list of the matches with my predictions on the outcome:
24-Man Battle Royal Where The Winner Faces Chavo Guerrero
I haven't been watching ECW so I wouldn't like to guess. I hope the belt doesn't change, though. The way the show is looking, we will already have two title changes.
Belfast Brawl Between John 'Bradshaw' Layfield and Finlay
I think JBL will win. Expect Hornswoggle to be involved somewhere.
Playboy BunnyMania LumberJack Match
This match is a tag-team match featuring Ashley and Maria against Beth Phoenix and Melina. I am going with the heels in this one even though Snoop Dogg is involved and the photo opportunity will call for Snoop to be celebrating with the Playboy centrefolds.
Brand Supremacy Match - Batista (Smackdown) vs Umaga (Raw)
The plan is for Umaga to headline SummerSlam against Smackdown's Undertaker. I think the seeds will be planted here and we'll see him move over to Smackdown with a bit of heat in a few weeks.
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
The winner wins a contract to wrestle any world champion at any time. As this stipulation suits an opportunistic heel rather than a babyface, I pick MVP to win.
Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels
Match of the night. Michaels to win.
World Championship - Edge vs The Undertaker
Do you really think the WWE would end a great gimmick in having Undertaker being undefeated at Wrestlemania? At the end of the night his record will stand at 16-0.
Floyd Mayweather vs Big Show
The mainstream match. Will it bring in curiosity buyers? Mayweather will win, of course.
WWE Title Triple Threat Match - Randy Orton vs John Cena vs Triple H
Triple H missed last year's WrestleMania through injury and has lost the last three WrestleMania main events he has been in (which is XX to XXII) . I think it is time he won the main event but I seem to recall saying that two years ago and being proved wrong.
There is a betting website based in America that are taking bets on WrestleMania, I am so tempted to put my money where my mouth is but can't understand how their odds system works. There are funny numbers with plus and minus signs next then. What the hell does that mean?!
WrestleMania will begin at 11:30pm UK time when there is a 24-man battle royal exclusive to the WWE website. The winner of this match will then face ECW champion, Chavo Guerrero somewhere on the main show which begins at 12am.
I think the final match will be the WWE title match pitting Randy Orton, Triple H and John Cena in a triple threat match.
The match I am looking forward to the most is the career threatening match between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. I saw the Nature Boy's Hall of Fame induction last night and it's clear to everyone that tonight will be the night he retires from wrestling even if he did play up that it might not be. I just hope Shawn Michaels' career won't be tarnished as the person who ended Flair's career. Only time will tell whether there is any kind of backlash from the fans - many people may have wanted a young up-and-comer to have the spot because it makes the most sense to create a star. Michaels winning will not do much considering he has already achieved a lot in this business.
Below are a list of the matches with my predictions on the outcome:
24-Man Battle Royal Where The Winner Faces Chavo Guerrero
I haven't been watching ECW so I wouldn't like to guess. I hope the belt doesn't change, though. The way the show is looking, we will already have two title changes.
Belfast Brawl Between John 'Bradshaw' Layfield and Finlay
I think JBL will win. Expect Hornswoggle to be involved somewhere.
Playboy BunnyMania LumberJack Match
This match is a tag-team match featuring Ashley and Maria against Beth Phoenix and Melina. I am going with the heels in this one even though Snoop Dogg is involved and the photo opportunity will call for Snoop to be celebrating with the Playboy centrefolds.
Brand Supremacy Match - Batista (Smackdown) vs Umaga (Raw)
The plan is for Umaga to headline SummerSlam against Smackdown's Undertaker. I think the seeds will be planted here and we'll see him move over to Smackdown with a bit of heat in a few weeks.
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
The winner wins a contract to wrestle any world champion at any time. As this stipulation suits an opportunistic heel rather than a babyface, I pick MVP to win.
Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels
Match of the night. Michaels to win.
World Championship - Edge vs The Undertaker
Do you really think the WWE would end a great gimmick in having Undertaker being undefeated at Wrestlemania? At the end of the night his record will stand at 16-0.
Floyd Mayweather vs Big Show
The mainstream match. Will it bring in curiosity buyers? Mayweather will win, of course.
WWE Title Triple Threat Match - Randy Orton vs John Cena vs Triple H
Triple H missed last year's WrestleMania through injury and has lost the last three WrestleMania main events he has been in (which is XX to XXII) . I think it is time he won the main event but I seem to recall saying that two years ago and being proved wrong.
There is a betting website based in America that are taking bets on WrestleMania, I am so tempted to put my money where my mouth is but can't understand how their odds system works. There are funny numbers with plus and minus signs next then. What the hell does that mean?!
Class Of 2008
The WWE will induct eight more names into their Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Orlando tonight.
The Hall of Fame ceremonies take place on the eve of WrestleMania each year. For the last three years, I have done write-ups on each inductee.
I haven't got a great knowledge of some of this year's list of people as most of them are names from the Florida territory and were around long before I became a fan. I will hope to be as accurate in their histories as I have been in previous 'Class Of' posts.
Eddie Graham
Eddie Graham was a legendary wrestler who became an even legendary promoter in Florida. His success in the State led to him becoming the head of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) which was the ruling board of all wrestling territories during the territory days of professional wrestling.
I recall a comment made on the Vince McMahon DVD where McMahon claimed that Graham was one of his favourite wrestlers and that the future owner of the WWF had even bleached his hair blonde just to look like him.
Graham passed away in 1985 which ironically was the year that the WWF expanded and started to work outside of their territorial restrictions.
The Brisco Brothers
Gerald and Jack Brisco were a popular tag-team during the 70's and 80's. They became NWA tag team champions in 1983 and 1984.
Jack reached a greater height as a solo wrestler when he won the NWA world championship. His brother became a well-known face on WWF TV during the latest boom period when he was seen as one of Mr. McMahon's stooges. The stooge character was a play on his real-life job as being one of Vince McMahon's right hand men.
'High Chief' Peter Maivia
Maivia is the Grandfather of Dwayne Johnson (The Rock). He was a popular wrestler during the 1970's and had even toured on the British circuit. He won NWA tag team titles before he died at the age of forty-five in 1982.
Rocky Johnson
Johnson is the son-in-law of Peter Maivia and Father of The Rock. One of his major accomplishments during his career was that he and his tag team partner, Tony Atlas, became the first black tag team to become world champions. This all happened in 1983 which shows how behind the times wrestling was in promoting black stars.
Mae Young
Current fans of professional wrestler will know Mae Young as the old woman who was always beside the Fabulous Moolah in countless skits on WWE television. There is more to this lady than meets the eye, though.
Mae has been in the business since 1939 and has wrestled in eight separate decades.
She will be the third woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her long-time friend, Moolah and Sensational Sherri Martel are already in the Hall although both passed away last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Mae's acceptance speech mentions Moolah, it seems to me that the WWE have included Young in this year's ceremony as a way to celebrate Moolah's life as well as Mae's career.
Gordon Solie
Gordon Solie was the 'Dean of Professional Wrestling'. He is the commentator that a lot of current play-by-play announcers have attempted to emulate. Jim Ross is one of Solie's biggest fans and he has apparently been lobbying for his former mentor to be honoured.
Solie's career started in Championship Wrestling Florida and when the CWF closed down he moved on to the NWA which later became WCW.
One of his most popular terms was the 'chrimson mask' which he used to describe a wrestler whose face was bloodied. Jim Ross has been known to say it from time to time thus proving how the commentators of today have learnt from those of yesteryear.
He passed away in 2000 after losing his battle with throat cancer.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair has had a thirty-six year career and has held countless world championships. I call them 'countless' because there has been arguments from wrestling historians that the 'sixteen-time world champion' moniker is inaccurate and that there are far more title reigns unaccounted for.
Ric will be retiring this year. The story is the next time he loses he must end his career was started late last year and it's looking highly likely that tomorrow night will be the last time we see Ric Flair in the ring. I know he will be going out in style as he will be facing Shawn Michaels - a man who grew up idolising Flair.
It wasn't just Shawn Michaels who grew up wanting to be like Flair. There are many people in the business today who claim that the Nature Boy was their influence to get into wrestling.
I believe Ric Flair deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame more than any wrestler in the history of pro wrestling. He is one of the sport's living legends.
Woooooooooooooooo!
The Hall of Fame ceremonies take place on the eve of WrestleMania each year. For the last three years, I have done write-ups on each inductee.
I haven't got a great knowledge of some of this year's list of people as most of them are names from the Florida territory and were around long before I became a fan. I will hope to be as accurate in their histories as I have been in previous 'Class Of' posts.
Eddie Graham
Eddie Graham was a legendary wrestler who became an even legendary promoter in Florida. His success in the State led to him becoming the head of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) which was the ruling board of all wrestling territories during the territory days of professional wrestling.
I recall a comment made on the Vince McMahon DVD where McMahon claimed that Graham was one of his favourite wrestlers and that the future owner of the WWF had even bleached his hair blonde just to look like him.
Graham passed away in 1985 which ironically was the year that the WWF expanded and started to work outside of their territorial restrictions.
The Brisco Brothers
Gerald and Jack Brisco were a popular tag-team during the 70's and 80's. They became NWA tag team champions in 1983 and 1984.
Jack reached a greater height as a solo wrestler when he won the NWA world championship. His brother became a well-known face on WWF TV during the latest boom period when he was seen as one of Mr. McMahon's stooges. The stooge character was a play on his real-life job as being one of Vince McMahon's right hand men.
'High Chief' Peter Maivia
Maivia is the Grandfather of Dwayne Johnson (The Rock). He was a popular wrestler during the 1970's and had even toured on the British circuit. He won NWA tag team titles before he died at the age of forty-five in 1982.
Rocky Johnson
Johnson is the son-in-law of Peter Maivia and Father of The Rock. One of his major accomplishments during his career was that he and his tag team partner, Tony Atlas, became the first black tag team to become world champions. This all happened in 1983 which shows how behind the times wrestling was in promoting black stars.
Mae Young
Current fans of professional wrestler will know Mae Young as the old woman who was always beside the Fabulous Moolah in countless skits on WWE television. There is more to this lady than meets the eye, though.
Mae has been in the business since 1939 and has wrestled in eight separate decades.
She will be the third woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her long-time friend, Moolah and Sensational Sherri Martel are already in the Hall although both passed away last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Mae's acceptance speech mentions Moolah, it seems to me that the WWE have included Young in this year's ceremony as a way to celebrate Moolah's life as well as Mae's career.
Gordon Solie
Gordon Solie was the 'Dean of Professional Wrestling'. He is the commentator that a lot of current play-by-play announcers have attempted to emulate. Jim Ross is one of Solie's biggest fans and he has apparently been lobbying for his former mentor to be honoured.
Solie's career started in Championship Wrestling Florida and when the CWF closed down he moved on to the NWA which later became WCW.
One of his most popular terms was the 'chrimson mask' which he used to describe a wrestler whose face was bloodied. Jim Ross has been known to say it from time to time thus proving how the commentators of today have learnt from those of yesteryear.
He passed away in 2000 after losing his battle with throat cancer.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair has had a thirty-six year career and has held countless world championships. I call them 'countless' because there has been arguments from wrestling historians that the 'sixteen-time world champion' moniker is inaccurate and that there are far more title reigns unaccounted for.
Ric will be retiring this year. The story is the next time he loses he must end his career was started late last year and it's looking highly likely that tomorrow night will be the last time we see Ric Flair in the ring. I know he will be going out in style as he will be facing Shawn Michaels - a man who grew up idolising Flair.
It wasn't just Shawn Michaels who grew up wanting to be like Flair. There are many people in the business today who claim that the Nature Boy was their influence to get into wrestling.
I believe Ric Flair deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame more than any wrestler in the history of pro wrestling. He is one of the sport's living legends.
Woooooooooooooooo!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Mania Matches
I was going to create a list of my top ten matches in the history of WrestleMania but - when I opened the browser and began thinking what to put in - I realised it would be hard to do.
Professional wrestling has changed a lot since the birth of WrestleMania in 1985 and the definition of a good match has too.
The best approach I could do is list all the WrestleManias in order and name one match from each card that was either great or historically significant. There are a few events where two matches are listed.
I-Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
II-NFL and WWF wrestlers in a battle royal that was won by Andre the Giant.
III-Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat, Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant
IV-Randy Savage winning world title in tournament final against Ted Dibiase
V-Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
VI-Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior
VII-Randy Savage vs Ultimate Warrior
VIII-Bret Hart vs Roddy Piper, Ric Flair vs Randy Savage
IX-Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna
X-Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels ladder match
XI-Lawrence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow
XII-Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
XIII-Bret Hart vs Steve Austin
XIV-Shawn Michaels vs Steve Austin
XV-The Rock vs Steve Austin
XVI-Mick Foley vs Big Show vs The Rock vs Triple H
XVII-The Rock vs Steve Austin
XVIII-Hulk Hogan vs The Rock
XIX-Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
XX-Triple H vs Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels
XXI-Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle vs Randy Orton
XXII-John Cena vs Triple H
XXIII-The Undertaker vs Batista
Professional wrestling has changed a lot since the birth of WrestleMania in 1985 and the definition of a good match has too.
The best approach I could do is list all the WrestleManias in order and name one match from each card that was either great or historically significant. There are a few events where two matches are listed.
I-Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
II-NFL and WWF wrestlers in a battle royal that was won by Andre the Giant.
III-Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat, Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant
IV-Randy Savage winning world title in tournament final against Ted Dibiase
V-Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
VI-Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior
VII-Randy Savage vs Ultimate Warrior
VIII-Bret Hart vs Roddy Piper, Ric Flair vs Randy Savage
IX-Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna
X-Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels ladder match
XI-Lawrence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow
XII-Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
XIII-Bret Hart vs Steve Austin
XIV-Shawn Michaels vs Steve Austin
XV-The Rock vs Steve Austin
XVI-Mick Foley vs Big Show vs The Rock vs Triple H
XVII-The Rock vs Steve Austin
XVIII-Hulk Hogan vs The Rock
XIX-Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
XX-Triple H vs Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels
XXI-Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle vs Randy Orton
XXII-John Cena vs Triple H
XXIII-The Undertaker vs Batista
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The WrestleMania XXIV Set
I found these pictures yesterday. They are from the Citrus Bowl in Orlando where there is a major operation going on in preparing the set for WrestleMania XXIV. There are some interesting designs that will make the event look spectacular for the home viewer.
I am assuming the above picture is taken from the entrance area from the dressing room which will highlight the main performers at the event. 
The stadium from the sky. It shows how exposed the place could be to poor weather. Do you see the ring?
Here is the cover for the ring. This looks good but I somehow doubt a lot of people in the cheap seats will agree with me after spending four hours sitting in the stadium and having to watch all the action from the giant screen because this is in the way.
I am assuming the above picture is taken from the entrance area from the dressing room which will highlight the main performers at the event. The stadium from the sky. It shows how exposed the place could be to poor weather. Do you see the ring?
Here is the cover for the ring. This looks good but I somehow doubt a lot of people in the cheap seats will agree with me after spending four hours sitting in the stadium and having to watch all the action from the giant screen because this is in the way.Wednesday, March 26, 2008
'Who Is Ric Flair?'
I'll never forget the first time I was introduced to the name 'Ric Flair'.
We were at my Father's friends house in the late Summer of 1991 and his son asked me what I thought of Ric Flair joining the WWF.
My response was a simple, 'Who is Ric Flair?'
But it wasn't so simple - it was an ignorant reply in hindsight.
I was brought up a staunch WWF fan. Any other wrestling company paled in comparison to the gigantic stars on show in Vince McMahon's Federation.
For years, the ultimate dream match between fans of wrestling was a bout between the WWF's top star, Hulk Hogan, and his NWA/WCW counterpart, Ric Flair.
In the Summer of 1991 Flair and the WCW had a massive row and he left the company. It opened up the way for him to join the WWF and the dream feud was to become a reality.
What made Flair's arrival in the WWF even more spectacular was the fact that he was still recognised as WCW World champion. He even brought the big gold belt with him.
Within weeks of his debut, WCW filed a lawsuit against the WWF because they claimed the belt was their property. The WWF and Flair stopped using the belt for his appearances but they got around it by having The Nature Boy walk around with a WWF tag team belt and then the people in editing digitised the belt to distort it and the WWF claimed they were censoring the belt as it was promoting the other side. It was a great way of getting around the legalities.
Flair won the WWF's version of the World title after winning the Royal Rumble of 1992. That Royal Rumble match still is my favourite in the history of the event.
The win at the Rumble was meant to lead to the big match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VIII. It didn't end up happening, though. Hogan was moved into a feud with Sid Justice because he was on his way out of the company for a year. Flair began a rivalry with 'Macho Man' Randy Savage in a feud that would last until the end of 1992.
Flair left the WWF in early 1993 after Vince McMahon gave him an early release. The two had had an agreement that if Flair was ever unhappy with his time in the Federation then he would allow him to leave.
Flair re-signed with WCW a few months later, and he was a babyface. I was a bit naive back then, I cheered the goodies and booed the heels. Coming back as the hero gave me an excuse to cheer him.
And I haven't stopped since.
If it wasn't for that short run in the WWF I doubt I would have enjoyed WCW when I started watching it religiously in 1993. Flair was the wrestler who made me appreciate that not all top stars had to be Hogan lookalikes.
I only caught Ric Flair from 1991 to today. His career spans back even further than that. Luckily for me, I managed to catch up with videotapes and DVDs. There are still hundreds of things I haven't seen, though.
Flair will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this Saturday night. It is also likely that he will wrestle his last match as an active wrestler when he faces one of his biggest fans, Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV.
I am glad I did finally find out who Ric Flair is.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Go Home Show
Last night's Raw did a fair job building up this Sunday's WrestleMania.
The final television tapings before a pay-per-view are referred to by those within the industry as 'go home shows'.
The term 'go home' is said by the referee during a wrestling match to prompt the performers to finish off the match. Therefore, the saying can be applied to the final television recordings because the entire show puts the finishing touches in a lead-in to a PPV.
The main event on Raw featured a four-on-four match and was called a 'WrestleMania showcase match'. The teams consisted of eight of the main performers at this Sunday's event.
The show ended with Ric Flair forcing the WWE Champion, Randy Orton to submit to the figure four leg-lock.
I am a big Ric Flair fan but I felt this was not the way they should have ended the show. A world champion should never be seen weak six days before a major event.
I'm not saying Flair didn't deserve to end the show on top, I'm just saying it could have been done with any other wrestler on the opposing team being forced to cry 'uncle' to the man who may be retired by this time next week.
The final television tapings before a pay-per-view are referred to by those within the industry as 'go home shows'.
The term 'go home' is said by the referee during a wrestling match to prompt the performers to finish off the match. Therefore, the saying can be applied to the final television recordings because the entire show puts the finishing touches in a lead-in to a PPV.
The main event on Raw featured a four-on-four match and was called a 'WrestleMania showcase match'. The teams consisted of eight of the main performers at this Sunday's event.
The show ended with Ric Flair forcing the WWE Champion, Randy Orton to submit to the figure four leg-lock.
I am a big Ric Flair fan but I felt this was not the way they should have ended the show. A world champion should never be seen weak six days before a major event.
I'm not saying Flair didn't deserve to end the show on top, I'm just saying it could have been done with any other wrestler on the opposing team being forced to cry 'uncle' to the man who may be retired by this time next week.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Rain Or Shine?
When it was announced that the 2008 WrestleMania was to be held in Florida at the outdoor Citrus Bowl one of the first thoughts I had was how the WWE would handle the event with a possible threat of a tropical storm.
The reason why I thought this was because the 2007 Super Bowl was played in Florida rain and a lot of bigwigs at the NFL were upset that their biggest game of the year was exposed to the weather.
WrestleMania is to the WWE what the Super Bowl is to the NFL and I had a bad feeling that the wrestling show would be held in the rain.
The company has apparently made the ring safe from the threat of rain by having a cover over it. The fans in attendance won't be as lucky, though.
Latest weather reports have given Orlando a sixty percent chance of rain on March 30th. It's not looking good is it?
I have read a lot of views on what the event would be like in the rain, a number of people who are going said they want it to rain.
Yes, they want it to rain!
They really need to step back and see it from the bigger picture.
A lot of people have spent the last year or more saving up to attend the event and the majority of these people would be families. They should be able to walk away from WrestleMania with fond memories that will live with them for years to come. I just can't see everyone walking away happy if their evening were to be ruined by rain and possibly storms.
We still have six days to go, Let's hope that the forty percent chance wins out. Shame on the WWE for not taking their fans into account on this one.
The reason why I thought this was because the 2007 Super Bowl was played in Florida rain and a lot of bigwigs at the NFL were upset that their biggest game of the year was exposed to the weather.
WrestleMania is to the WWE what the Super Bowl is to the NFL and I had a bad feeling that the wrestling show would be held in the rain.
The company has apparently made the ring safe from the threat of rain by having a cover over it. The fans in attendance won't be as lucky, though.
Latest weather reports have given Orlando a sixty percent chance of rain on March 30th. It's not looking good is it?
I have read a lot of views on what the event would be like in the rain, a number of people who are going said they want it to rain.
Yes, they want it to rain!
They really need to step back and see it from the bigger picture.
A lot of people have spent the last year or more saving up to attend the event and the majority of these people would be families. They should be able to walk away from WrestleMania with fond memories that will live with them for years to come. I just can't see everyone walking away happy if their evening were to be ruined by rain and possibly storms.
We still have six days to go, Let's hope that the forty percent chance wins out. Shame on the WWE for not taking their fans into account on this one.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Not Long To Go
Join me from Monday for a week of build-up to the Super Bowl of wrestling, WrestleMania XXIV.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Fighting Back
Most of you will be aware that I have a fantasy football team on the Premier League's website and that it is part of a mini-league with a bunch of people I know on a chat program.
Last year my team 'Equinoxxx All Stars' was obliterated by a team called 'Sex God United'. For months I was subject to ribbing from the manager (turbo_chef) and I vowed that this year would be when I gained revenge.
I had a great start and by the last quarter of 2007 I was way ahead of him. He started clawing his way back earlier this year and we have been exchanging places on the league table for weeks.
Until midweek.
Christiano Ronaldo has been his key player and - as he scores double points as the team captain - he made nearly one hundred points for him in the last two series of games.
I am now fifty points adrift and I admit that it's not looking too good for me now.
Each season you are given a wild card to make unlimited substitutions in the case of injury. You can only use this card once in a season and I had been saving it. During one of my conversations with Nigel earlier this year, I vowed I wouldn't use the wild card to show how confident I was that my team would be successful this season.
I even made the same promise last night.
But I was lying!
I had no other option but to change my entire team. He had a lot of the same players as myself and I needed a chance to at least fight back and lose with a respectable point difference. I realised that I had no chance getting back into the race if we were getting points from the same players. His signing of Christiano Ronaldo was the only factor in the difference between his team and mine. So, to make this signing as effective as one -egged man in an ass kicking contest, I had to do it too.
I signed Ronaldo.
I should have done it a week ago but I didn't expect the Portuguese player to have made so many points in his last game.
It may be too late for me and I am reminding myself of how Kevin Keegan threw away a big lead in the 1995/6 Premier League season. I'll tell you what, though - I'd luv it, luv it if I beat him.
Last year my team 'Equinoxxx All Stars' was obliterated by a team called 'Sex God United'. For months I was subject to ribbing from the manager (turbo_chef) and I vowed that this year would be when I gained revenge.
I had a great start and by the last quarter of 2007 I was way ahead of him. He started clawing his way back earlier this year and we have been exchanging places on the league table for weeks.
Until midweek.
Christiano Ronaldo has been his key player and - as he scores double points as the team captain - he made nearly one hundred points for him in the last two series of games.
I am now fifty points adrift and I admit that it's not looking too good for me now.
Each season you are given a wild card to make unlimited substitutions in the case of injury. You can only use this card once in a season and I had been saving it. During one of my conversations with Nigel earlier this year, I vowed I wouldn't use the wild card to show how confident I was that my team would be successful this season.
I even made the same promise last night.
But I was lying!
I had no other option but to change my entire team. He had a lot of the same players as myself and I needed a chance to at least fight back and lose with a respectable point difference. I realised that I had no chance getting back into the race if we were getting points from the same players. His signing of Christiano Ronaldo was the only factor in the difference between his team and mine. So, to make this signing as effective as one -egged man in an ass kicking contest, I had to do it too.
I signed Ronaldo.
I should have done it a week ago but I didn't expect the Portuguese player to have made so many points in his last game.
It may be too late for me and I am reminding myself of how Kevin Keegan threw away a big lead in the 1995/6 Premier League season. I'll tell you what, though - I'd luv it, luv it if I beat him.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Bad Friday
I hate Good Friday.
I have had a lot of bad Good Fridays over the years so I detest the day.
It is the most boring day on the calendar, it's like a Sunday but worse. A lot worse.
I have had a lot of bad Good Fridays over the years so I detest the day.
It is the most boring day on the calendar, it's like a Sunday but worse. A lot worse.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
WrestleMania Week Is Coming
I have been thinking about dedicating all of next week's posts to wrestling as a lead in to WrestleMania XIV on Sunday March 31st.
I've got a lot of ideas running through my mind and hope that the content will be interesting to the non-fans out there.
Stay tuned.
I've got a lot of ideas running through my mind and hope that the content will be interesting to the non-fans out there.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Triumph And Tragedy Of WCCW
'Cursed?'
That would be the question on your lips if you were knowledgeable of the history World Class Championship Wrestling. The WWE has recently released a DVD chronicling the story of WCCW in The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling.
WCCW was the wrestling promotion owned and ran in the Texas territory by Jack Adkisson also known as Fritz Von Erich.
Von Erich played the role of a German Nazi in a time when America and the rest of the World were getting over World War II. The stage-name stuck with him for the rest of his life and by the late 70's and early eighties he had a dynasty of sons ready to become stars in the wrestling industry.
With the help of their father, the Von Erich Brothers became local heroes in and around Texas. Their popularity wouldn't end there, though. They were well-known around the world because of stories about them making the pages of wrestling publications.
There were six sons born to Doris and Jack Adkisson. Jack Jr died as an infant when he was electrocuted and drowned in a puddle.
In 1984, David Von Erich was found dead in his hotel room in Japan. The DVD explains that there was controversy over the cause of death. The doctor's report states that he died of acute enteritis although there has been countless stories circulating that he had died of a drug overdose. Ric Flair claims, in his autobiography, that when David's body was found a few wrestlers got rid of the drugs from the hotel room to protect the industry.
As David was well-liked by the people of Texas it came as no surprise that the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions event held in his memory was a sold out show. The main event featured Kerry Von Erich winning the NWA World title from Ric Flair in dedication to his brother.
David's death wasn't the end of the tragedy. By 1993, after WCCW had bitten the dust, Kevin Von Erich was the surviving sibling.
Mike took an overdose in 1987 after he failed to return to the best of his ability following toxic shock syndrome after an operation when he injured himself while on a tour of Israel.
Chris Von Erich was the youngest of the Von Erichs. He didn't have the skills of his brothers due to troubles with asthma and became depressed that he couldn't became a star like the other people in his family. He shot himself dead in the Summer of 1991 at the age of just twenty-one.
Kerry Von Erich also shot himself. He did so in 1993 after he was caught with drugs whilst already on probation. The most famous of the Von Erich brothers couldn't handle the threat of going to prison so went to his Father's ranch and put a bullet in his heart.
Kevin is interviewed throughout the documentary.
The thing I took away from this DVD is that it seems the triumph and tragedy often walked hand-in-hand. The best example I can use to highlight this is with David's death bringing in the people for the memorial show a few months later. In a sick way of thinking, the death brought in the money.
The most tragic thing that also stands out from me is the fact that these boys may have been pushed too hard by their father. They evidently felt the most comfort when they were inside the wrestling ring and struggled with their lives outside of it. It reminds me of that character in the Shawshank Redemption who failed to make it on the outside once he was released.
It wasn't just the Von Erich's that were part of the tragic story of WCCW. There are many more wrestlers that have died that were part of the company during its peak.
The best answer given as to whether there was a curse on the company was made by Triple H when he comments that the story of the WCCW should be regarded as an infomercial about the dangers of doing drugs and not of it being cursed.
It's certainly a tragic story nonetheless.
That would be the question on your lips if you were knowledgeable of the history World Class Championship Wrestling. The WWE has recently released a DVD chronicling the story of WCCW in The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling.
WCCW was the wrestling promotion owned and ran in the Texas territory by Jack Adkisson also known as Fritz Von Erich.
Von Erich played the role of a German Nazi in a time when America and the rest of the World were getting over World War II. The stage-name stuck with him for the rest of his life and by the late 70's and early eighties he had a dynasty of sons ready to become stars in the wrestling industry.
With the help of their father, the Von Erich Brothers became local heroes in and around Texas. Their popularity wouldn't end there, though. They were well-known around the world because of stories about them making the pages of wrestling publications.
There were six sons born to Doris and Jack Adkisson. Jack Jr died as an infant when he was electrocuted and drowned in a puddle.
In 1984, David Von Erich was found dead in his hotel room in Japan. The DVD explains that there was controversy over the cause of death. The doctor's report states that he died of acute enteritis although there has been countless stories circulating that he had died of a drug overdose. Ric Flair claims, in his autobiography, that when David's body was found a few wrestlers got rid of the drugs from the hotel room to protect the industry.
As David was well-liked by the people of Texas it came as no surprise that the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions event held in his memory was a sold out show. The main event featured Kerry Von Erich winning the NWA World title from Ric Flair in dedication to his brother.
David's death wasn't the end of the tragedy. By 1993, after WCCW had bitten the dust, Kevin Von Erich was the surviving sibling.
Mike took an overdose in 1987 after he failed to return to the best of his ability following toxic shock syndrome after an operation when he injured himself while on a tour of Israel.
Chris Von Erich was the youngest of the Von Erichs. He didn't have the skills of his brothers due to troubles with asthma and became depressed that he couldn't became a star like the other people in his family. He shot himself dead in the Summer of 1991 at the age of just twenty-one.
Kerry Von Erich also shot himself. He did so in 1993 after he was caught with drugs whilst already on probation. The most famous of the Von Erich brothers couldn't handle the threat of going to prison so went to his Father's ranch and put a bullet in his heart.
Kevin is interviewed throughout the documentary.
The thing I took away from this DVD is that it seems the triumph and tragedy often walked hand-in-hand. The best example I can use to highlight this is with David's death bringing in the people for the memorial show a few months later. In a sick way of thinking, the death brought in the money.
The most tragic thing that also stands out from me is the fact that these boys may have been pushed too hard by their father. They evidently felt the most comfort when they were inside the wrestling ring and struggled with their lives outside of it. It reminds me of that character in the Shawshank Redemption who failed to make it on the outside once he was released.
It wasn't just the Von Erich's that were part of the tragic story of WCCW. There are many more wrestlers that have died that were part of the company during its peak.
The best answer given as to whether there was a curse on the company was made by Triple H when he comments that the story of the WCCW should be regarded as an infomercial about the dangers of doing drugs and not of it being cursed.
It's certainly a tragic story nonetheless.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Gary Hart
Gary Hart died over the weekend at the age of sixty-six.
He featured heavily on a wrestling DVD I watched a number of days ago. His thoughts on the theme of the documentary were interesting and informative.
Hart was a well-known heel manager in wrestling. I didn't follow a company when he was employed by them, the only time I did see his work was when I would buy videotapes of old WCW shows and he would be on them.
The first time I saw him was on a video of WCW Starrcade '89.
There was a time in the Spring of 1994 when I would send off my weekly paper-round money to a company called Turnbuckles UK and get a WCW cassette. I timed it well, too. If I sent off the cheque (my Mother wrote it and I would give her the money) on the Monday the goods would get to me on the Friday or Saturday so I would have something to look forward to on the weekends.
It was during 1994 that I started looking to Japan and Mexico for more wrestling styles and one of my favourites was the Great Muta. On the tape of Starrcade 1989 the Japanese star was managed by Gary Hart.
When I first heard his name I thought he may have been related to the Hart family but I did my research and realised it was just a coincidence that there was another Hart involved with wrestling.
His stint in WCW was the only work I saw of him until a few weeks ago when I saw the WWE's DVD about World Class Championship Wrestling. He was in some of the most famous angles associated with the Texas-based company. As it seems appropriate and because Gary Hart played an important part in telling the story on the DVD, I will review it tomorrow.
He featured heavily on a wrestling DVD I watched a number of days ago. His thoughts on the theme of the documentary were interesting and informative.
Hart was a well-known heel manager in wrestling. I didn't follow a company when he was employed by them, the only time I did see his work was when I would buy videotapes of old WCW shows and he would be on them.
The first time I saw him was on a video of WCW Starrcade '89.
There was a time in the Spring of 1994 when I would send off my weekly paper-round money to a company called Turnbuckles UK and get a WCW cassette. I timed it well, too. If I sent off the cheque (my Mother wrote it and I would give her the money) on the Monday the goods would get to me on the Friday or Saturday so I would have something to look forward to on the weekends.
It was during 1994 that I started looking to Japan and Mexico for more wrestling styles and one of my favourites was the Great Muta. On the tape of Starrcade 1989 the Japanese star was managed by Gary Hart.
When I first heard his name I thought he may have been related to the Hart family but I did my research and realised it was just a coincidence that there was another Hart involved with wrestling.
His stint in WCW was the only work I saw of him until a few weeks ago when I saw the WWE's DVD about World Class Championship Wrestling. He was in some of the most famous angles associated with the Texas-based company. As it seems appropriate and because Gary Hart played an important part in telling the story on the DVD, I will review it tomorrow.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Mini-Season
The next few weeks will be the most important in the history of Newcastle United.
That isn't a far-fetched comment made by myself to open today's post, it's an assessment made by many of the players at the club.
Newcastle haven't won a league game since December 15th and have only earned two points since Kevin Keegan took charge of the club in the middle of January. They are now hovering over the relegation zone and it is important for them to get some points to ease their way out of treacherous waters.
The team play Birmingham City tonight. They too are facing relegation from the Premier League and will be looking for nothing other than a win to aid their season.
Kevin Keegan has admitted that his current vision is for the remaining games to be played like a mini-season that they need to win. It isn't long before the end of the real season and he needs to make the points to secure Premier League football for 2008/9.
I am feeling confident that the Magpies will win tonight, don't ask me why - I just have this feeling. I can also see them beating Fulham on Saturday as well.
That's six points towards safety.
That isn't a far-fetched comment made by myself to open today's post, it's an assessment made by many of the players at the club.
Newcastle haven't won a league game since December 15th and have only earned two points since Kevin Keegan took charge of the club in the middle of January. They are now hovering over the relegation zone and it is important for them to get some points to ease their way out of treacherous waters.
The team play Birmingham City tonight. They too are facing relegation from the Premier League and will be looking for nothing other than a win to aid their season.
Kevin Keegan has admitted that his current vision is for the remaining games to be played like a mini-season that they need to win. It isn't long before the end of the real season and he needs to make the points to secure Premier League football for 2008/9.
I am feeling confident that the Magpies will win tonight, don't ask me why - I just have this feeling. I can also see them beating Fulham on Saturday as well.
That's six points towards safety.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday Stuff
Just a few random things to mention today.
-Good job to Wales who won the Grand Slam in the Six Nations.
-More bad luck for Jeff Hardy. His house burnt to the ground on Friday night. He wasn't there at the time but his pet dog perished in the blaze.
-I played a game of poker on William Hill last night. I was the receiver of two bad beats within the first twenty minutes. The first took a lot out of my chip-stack, the second took what was left of it thus ending my night.
-I fell down my stairs at 5 this morning. My right hand is a bit sore but the rest of me is feeling okay. I'd like to thank Mick Foley for training me!
-Corey Haim is in Lost Boys 2 after all. I saw the trailer for it yesterday and it looks like it has potential to ruin the movie name. Lost Boys, as I have said countless times, is a classic.
-Good job to Wales who won the Grand Slam in the Six Nations.
-More bad luck for Jeff Hardy. His house burnt to the ground on Friday night. He wasn't there at the time but his pet dog perished in the blaze.
-I played a game of poker on William Hill last night. I was the receiver of two bad beats within the first twenty minutes. The first took a lot out of my chip-stack, the second took what was left of it thus ending my night.
-I fell down my stairs at 5 this morning. My right hand is a bit sore but the rest of me is feeling okay. I'd like to thank Mick Foley for training me!
-Corey Haim is in Lost Boys 2 after all. I saw the trailer for it yesterday and it looks like it has potential to ruin the movie name. Lost Boys, as I have said countless times, is a classic.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The End Of A Run
I finally ended my subscription to Inside Poker magazine.
It just became too much the last few months when I was getting both Inside Poker and Poker Player delivered on the same day. I just wasn't finding enough time to read them both so I thought one had to go.
I won't really miss it - I prefer Poker Player magazine. There are more freerolls in there.
I started reading the IP from late 2004 when it was a gambling magazine entitled Inside Edge. The content of the magazine format changed to one hundred percent poker in the late Summer of 2006 and I was a little soured on it because I already subscribed to World Poker Tour and Poker Player magazines.
Two out of these three subscriptions have now been closed. It certainly looks like I am getting even closer to the end of my personal poker boom.
It just became too much the last few months when I was getting both Inside Poker and Poker Player delivered on the same day. I just wasn't finding enough time to read them both so I thought one had to go.
I won't really miss it - I prefer Poker Player magazine. There are more freerolls in there.
I started reading the IP from late 2004 when it was a gambling magazine entitled Inside Edge. The content of the magazine format changed to one hundred percent poker in the late Summer of 2006 and I was a little soured on it because I already subscribed to World Poker Tour and Poker Player magazines.
Two out of these three subscriptions have now been closed. It certainly looks like I am getting even closer to the end of my personal poker boom.
Friday, March 14, 2008
All In A Name - The Lesson
I thought I would look back at how the horses I picked out for the remaining two days of the Cheltenham Festival fared.
I had two victories (even though I never made the bets).
I had a winner in the 1:05 in Alberta's Run at 4/1 and another in the 5:20 when Cousin Vinny won at a price of 12/1.
If I had put one pound on each horse I selected I would have only walked away with three pounds profit. But, then again and considering my past luck at horse racing, these wouldn't have won had I picked them!
The lesson to be learnt from betting on horses just because of a name is simple - for every instance when you hear of a person winning by backing horses because of a name, there are thousands of other instances where it never happened.
And this is one of the thousand other cases.
I had two victories (even though I never made the bets).
I had a winner in the 1:05 in Alberta's Run at 4/1 and another in the 5:20 when Cousin Vinny won at a price of 12/1.
If I had put one pound on each horse I selected I would have only walked away with three pounds profit. But, then again and considering my past luck at horse racing, these wouldn't have won had I picked them!
The lesson to be learnt from betting on horses just because of a name is simple - for every instance when you hear of a person winning by backing horses because of a name, there are thousands of other instances where it never happened.
And this is one of the thousand other cases.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
All In A Name
I thought I would do something a mug punter would do and pick out horses with names that mean something. I am not betting on them - just having a bit of fun seeing as there are ten races at Cheltenham today.
You probably won't get why some of the names mean anything to me but that's the fun of it.
12.30 - Peter O'Sullevan NH Chase - Back On Line
1.05 - Royal & SunAlliance Chase - Alberta's Run
1.40 - Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase Handicap - Gold Medallist
2.20 - Queen Mother Champion Chase - Twist Magic
2.55 - Ryanair Chase - Knight Legend
3.30 - Ladbrokes World Hurdle - Hardy Eustace
4.05 - Racing Post Plate Handicap - Limited Edition
4.40 - Pertemps Final Handicap - Hennessy
5.15 - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase Handicap - Run For Paddy
5.50 - Weatherbys Champion Bumper - Cousin Vinny
I might as well do the names for tomorrow as well:
Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle - Hold Em
Coral Cup - Whispered Promises
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup - Iron Man
You probably won't get why some of the names mean anything to me but that's the fun of it.
12.30 - Peter O'Sullevan NH Chase - Back On Line
1.05 - Royal & SunAlliance Chase - Alberta's Run
1.40 - Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase Handicap - Gold Medallist
2.20 - Queen Mother Champion Chase - Twist Magic
2.55 - Ryanair Chase - Knight Legend
3.30 - Ladbrokes World Hurdle - Hardy Eustace
4.05 - Racing Post Plate Handicap - Limited Edition
4.40 - Pertemps Final Handicap - Hennessy
5.15 - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase Handicap - Run For Paddy
5.50 - Weatherbys Champion Bumper - Cousin Vinny
I might as well do the names for tomorrow as well:
Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle - Hold Em
Coral Cup - Whispered Promises
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup - Iron Man
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Another Fine Mess For Hardy
Jeff Hardy was hit with a sixty day suspension on Monday night - his second drug violation within a year.
The wrestler will now miss a massive payday at WrestleMania where he was meant to be featured in the Money in the Bank Match. His previous suspension kept him off the SummerSlam card in August.
The WWE's Wellness Policy suspends people for thirty days for its first offence, a second violation is a sixty day suspension and a third strike ends with termination of employment.
To say Jeff Hardy has been given chance upon chance would be an understatement. In 2003 - before the introduction of the Wellness Policy - Hardy was given an ultimatum, He had to go to rehab to battle his addiction or leave the company.
He walked.
He returned three years later without having done the program that the WWE had ordered him to go on before he left. What kind of a message did that send to other people who may face similar propositions?
I think he should never come back unless he seeks the help he obviously needs. There are millions of children out there who look up to him. It would be wrong of the company to bring him back after the sixty days without attending a rehabilitation course of some sort to prove he is at least attempting to battle his demons.
As I mentioned earlier, third strike will end in termination. If nothing is done to help him - it might end in a hotel room like others before him.
The wrestler will now miss a massive payday at WrestleMania where he was meant to be featured in the Money in the Bank Match. His previous suspension kept him off the SummerSlam card in August.
The WWE's Wellness Policy suspends people for thirty days for its first offence, a second violation is a sixty day suspension and a third strike ends with termination of employment.
To say Jeff Hardy has been given chance upon chance would be an understatement. In 2003 - before the introduction of the Wellness Policy - Hardy was given an ultimatum, He had to go to rehab to battle his addiction or leave the company.
He walked.
He returned three years later without having done the program that the WWE had ordered him to go on before he left. What kind of a message did that send to other people who may face similar propositions?
I think he should never come back unless he seeks the help he obviously needs. There are millions of children out there who look up to him. It would be wrong of the company to bring him back after the sixty days without attending a rehabilitation course of some sort to prove he is at least attempting to battle his demons.
As I mentioned earlier, third strike will end in termination. If nothing is done to help him - it might end in a hotel room like others before him.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I Did
A few days ago I added a post titled 'If I Were' naming seven teams I would have bet on had I been inclined to gamble over the weekend.
Well, later that evening, I decided I would follow my picks.
I was sitting here and thought I would kick myself if all these teams had won so I did a Super Heinz at 10p.
I had a few losses, wins and one void but ended up with eleven pounds and seventy three pence profit.
Better than a kick in the teeth.
Well, later that evening, I decided I would follow my picks.
I was sitting here and thought I would kick myself if all these teams had won so I did a Super Heinz at 10p.
I had a few losses, wins and one void but ended up with eleven pounds and seventy three pence profit.
Better than a kick in the teeth.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Weekend Of The Underdogs
What a weekend it was for the underdogs left in the FA Cup.
When Manchester United and Chelsea were knocked out of the tournament on Saturday I had a feeling that the favourites would win on Sunday meaning Middlesbrough would beat Cardiff City.
How wrong I was!
Barnsley, Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion now join Cardiff in the draw for the semi-finals at Wembley.
I think I would rather have Barnsley next. Yes, they beat Liverpool and Chelsea already but I think the Bluebirds would have a better chance against them to make it to the final in May.
One thing I do know is this is the closest Cardiff will ever get to winning the FA Cup in my lifetime.
Afternoon Update - Cardiff City did draw Barnsley in the next round. I am now reminding myself of that famous saying about being careful what you wish for.
When Manchester United and Chelsea were knocked out of the tournament on Saturday I had a feeling that the favourites would win on Sunday meaning Middlesbrough would beat Cardiff City.
How wrong I was!
Barnsley, Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion now join Cardiff in the draw for the semi-finals at Wembley.
I think I would rather have Barnsley next. Yes, they beat Liverpool and Chelsea already but I think the Bluebirds would have a better chance against them to make it to the final in May.
One thing I do know is this is the closest Cardiff will ever get to winning the FA Cup in my lifetime.
Afternoon Update - Cardiff City did draw Barnsley in the next round. I am now reminding myself of that famous saying about being careful what you wish for.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
An '80's Commercial
I saw this commercial on the Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen DVD the other day and thought it was interesting.
In the 1980's the NWA marketed vitamin pills to children with the Four Horsemen logo on them. It seems to be quite peculiar that the company would use heels to sell a product.
Don't get me wrong - the Horsemen were cool baddies but this was during a period in wrestling where there was a major schism between heels and babyfaces and the faces were often used to endorse products.
In the 1980's the NWA marketed vitamin pills to children with the Four Horsemen logo on them. It seems to be quite peculiar that the company would use heels to sell a product.
Don't get me wrong - the Horsemen were cool baddies but this was during a period in wrestling where there was a major schism between heels and babyfaces and the faces were often used to endorse products.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Cheltenham 2008
I doubt I will be doing any betting on the Cheltenham Festival next week.
I usually post my picks for the races on here and have a flutter but I haven't been bothered reading up about any of the races and I doubt I will for 2008.
The main reason is I have lost interest in horse betting but, when thinking about it, I never really did have a passion for it. It was just a bit of fun.
In 2006 I did have a successful run with my picks. Last year was a different story, though.
Betfair have tried coaxing me back to their site with a free ten pound bet on the Festival but - to get this free stake - I need to place a five pound bet on another market.
I usually post my picks for the races on here and have a flutter but I haven't been bothered reading up about any of the races and I doubt I will for 2008.
The main reason is I have lost interest in horse betting but, when thinking about it, I never really did have a passion for it. It was just a bit of fun.
In 2006 I did have a successful run with my picks. Last year was a different story, though.
Betfair have tried coaxing me back to their site with a free ten pound bet on the Festival but - to get this free stake - I need to place a five pound bet on another market.
Friday, March 07, 2008
If I Were
If I were to have a bet on this weekend's football then these would be my picks:
Blackpool
Coventry City
Leyton Orient
Thurrock
Dumbarton
West Bromwich Albion
Cardiff City
Blackpool
Coventry City
Leyton Orient
Thurrock
Dumbarton
West Bromwich Albion
Cardiff City
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Benoit Debate : Part II
As a follow-up to Tuesday's post, I am adding the entire dialogue from the Youtube message board. I have added the initial post as well as the exchange between myself and someone called Beanz. Additional insight is offered in red. I also kept the spelling and grammar as it appears on the site.
Original Poster: Benoit was so mentally unstable by this time, he was paranoid and depressed. What could of triggered him to snap? This may sound crazy, but I think that "McMahon Death" storyline definetly contributed to it, made him sick in his mind. His best friend died, and a few years later WWE is making death story lines. Maybe WWE will think twice next time before taking advantage of death and using it as there product.
Me:I have thought the death angle may have been a contributing factor as well but nobody seems to have used it as a possible reason.
Beanz:That is just plain stupid how could that ever be classed as a reason?? Thats possibly one of the stupidest youtube comments i have ever read.
Me:It isn't that stupid. Nobody knows what was going through his mind that weekend - so I guess your response was just as stupid.
Beanz:Yes im sure the fake death angle angered him so much, that when he got home from work he decided to take his rage out on his family. Stupid argument.
Me:When your best friend dies and you have a breakdown live on TV during a tribute show in his memory and then 18 months later the company you work for mocks these real-life feelings with a worked angle and it plays on your already disturbed and depressed state you can get back to me. Until then, you must acknowledge that there was something that sent him over the edge mentally. GP says it may have been a contributing factor and I agree. Are you a doctor or PI who knows for sure? No, thought not.
GP is the name of the original poster (GamingPalooza).
Beanz:NO but i am a qualified social worker and I know the basic workings of the human mind. This angle played no factor in the chris benoit story, rey mysterio didnt go killing his family after this angle, he who was equally close to eddie.
I don't believe the 'I am a qualified social worker' line.
Me:if you are what you claim to be then you will be aware that different people act in different ways and you will therefore know that what happened with Benoit will never be explained. A 'qualified' social worker would understand that
Beanz:Yes it will never be explained, I know that. But i also know your assumption was wrong.
Me:How can my assumption be wrong? Do you know what happened that night? You cannot dismiss anything in a case like this.
Beanz:The obscure and unrealistic can be dismissed, which is what you have suggested
Me:You really haven't been following the Benoit story and how he was the final 18 months of his life. Go and read up and then get back to me.
Beanz:I know how he was but again most of that is assumptions from chris nowinkski.
He/she is referring to the study carried out on Chris Benoit's brain by a sports injury group headed by former college football player and professional Wrestler, Chris Nowinski. The examination found that Benoit's brain had severely damaged due to the concussions he suffered throughout his career.
Me:Chris Nowinski has nothing to do with what I am referring to. I'm talking about the way he was with his family, friends and colleagues in the last year and a bit of his life.
Beanz:He was quiet as usual the reason the killings came as such a shock. Not many knew about his personal life and those who did didn't expect it.
Me:No offence, but you really don't know the story. I don't even know why I am wasting my time arguing about this with someone who has only heard the 'we didn't think he would do this' spin on the tragedy. There has been A LOT of coverage and evidence to show that Benoit was mentally unstable during late 2005 until that weekend.
At this point I offer some evidence but am unable to type it all in to the box as there is a limit to the number of characters for each post.
Me:Here are a few examples:1. He was paranoid that people were following him and would always take different routes home.2. He wouldn't like Nancy and Daniel leave the house3. William Regal came over to his house once to watch wrestling DVDs after Benoit had invited him. Regal got to the house and Benoit refused to let him in.4. Benoit had started writing to Eddie which is fine but it became more than a comfort according to some.
Me:5. Nancy had told people she was worried for her safety and that she had told at least one friend that 'if anything happens to me it was Chris'6. He had told some people that he needed to get out of the WWE because he was uncomfortable with the direction of the company due to the Rey/Vicki/Chavo stuff.
Me:These are examples to show he was emotionally unstable, add deaths of Sherri Martel and Beef Wellington around the time of Vince's angle and the argument that the mocking of a real-life situation may have caused him to have a mental breakdown seems plausible. I never said it was the sole reason, i maintain my opinion that it was a contributing factor that should never be overlooked when debating what could have happened that weekend.
Original Poster: Benoit was so mentally unstable by this time, he was paranoid and depressed. What could of triggered him to snap? This may sound crazy, but I think that "McMahon Death" storyline definetly contributed to it, made him sick in his mind. His best friend died, and a few years later WWE is making death story lines. Maybe WWE will think twice next time before taking advantage of death and using it as there product.
Me:I have thought the death angle may have been a contributing factor as well but nobody seems to have used it as a possible reason.
Beanz:That is just plain stupid how could that ever be classed as a reason?? Thats possibly one of the stupidest youtube comments i have ever read.
Me:It isn't that stupid. Nobody knows what was going through his mind that weekend - so I guess your response was just as stupid.
Beanz:Yes im sure the fake death angle angered him so much, that when he got home from work he decided to take his rage out on his family. Stupid argument.
Me:When your best friend dies and you have a breakdown live on TV during a tribute show in his memory and then 18 months later the company you work for mocks these real-life feelings with a worked angle and it plays on your already disturbed and depressed state you can get back to me. Until then, you must acknowledge that there was something that sent him over the edge mentally. GP says it may have been a contributing factor and I agree. Are you a doctor or PI who knows for sure? No, thought not.
GP is the name of the original poster (GamingPalooza).
Beanz:NO but i am a qualified social worker and I know the basic workings of the human mind. This angle played no factor in the chris benoit story, rey mysterio didnt go killing his family after this angle, he who was equally close to eddie.
I don't believe the 'I am a qualified social worker' line.
Me:if you are what you claim to be then you will be aware that different people act in different ways and you will therefore know that what happened with Benoit will never be explained. A 'qualified' social worker would understand that
Beanz:Yes it will never be explained, I know that. But i also know your assumption was wrong.
Me:How can my assumption be wrong? Do you know what happened that night? You cannot dismiss anything in a case like this.
Beanz:The obscure and unrealistic can be dismissed, which is what you have suggested
Me:You really haven't been following the Benoit story and how he was the final 18 months of his life. Go and read up and then get back to me.
Beanz:I know how he was but again most of that is assumptions from chris nowinkski.
He/she is referring to the study carried out on Chris Benoit's brain by a sports injury group headed by former college football player and professional Wrestler, Chris Nowinski. The examination found that Benoit's brain had severely damaged due to the concussions he suffered throughout his career.
Me:Chris Nowinski has nothing to do with what I am referring to. I'm talking about the way he was with his family, friends and colleagues in the last year and a bit of his life.
Beanz:He was quiet as usual the reason the killings came as such a shock. Not many knew about his personal life and those who did didn't expect it.
Me:No offence, but you really don't know the story. I don't even know why I am wasting my time arguing about this with someone who has only heard the 'we didn't think he would do this' spin on the tragedy. There has been A LOT of coverage and evidence to show that Benoit was mentally unstable during late 2005 until that weekend.
At this point I offer some evidence but am unable to type it all in to the box as there is a limit to the number of characters for each post.
Me:Here are a few examples:1. He was paranoid that people were following him and would always take different routes home.2. He wouldn't like Nancy and Daniel leave the house3. William Regal came over to his house once to watch wrestling DVDs after Benoit had invited him. Regal got to the house and Benoit refused to let him in.4. Benoit had started writing to Eddie which is fine but it became more than a comfort according to some.
Me:5. Nancy had told people she was worried for her safety and that she had told at least one friend that 'if anything happens to me it was Chris'6. He had told some people that he needed to get out of the WWE because he was uncomfortable with the direction of the company due to the Rey/Vicki/Chavo stuff.
Me:These are examples to show he was emotionally unstable, add deaths of Sherri Martel and Beef Wellington around the time of Vince's angle and the argument that the mocking of a real-life situation may have caused him to have a mental breakdown seems plausible. I never said it was the sole reason, i maintain my opinion that it was a contributing factor that should never be overlooked when debating what could have happened that weekend.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Favre And Away
I have made posts on here in the past where I speculated on Brett Favre retiring as a player in the NFL.
Well, yesterday the day finally arrived.
Favre announced his retirement from American Football and I'll tell you what - this time I didn't see it coming.
He had a great season last year and I thought he would have one more go at winning a second Super Bowl ring.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Benoit Debate : Part I
Yes, we are here again.
I was looking through Youtube a number of days ago and I saw a link to one of Chris Benoit's final matches so I clicked on it to read the messages that were left on the site. I have encountered a lot of Benoit sympathisers claiming that he was murdered and framed to look like he had killed his wife and child and then hung himself.
Of course I don't believe that was the case but I am intrigued with those who fight their opinion on what happened.
I have an opinion on what may have caused the mental breakdown that weekend and I saw someone had posted a similar theory to mine so I replied to his message saying I believed what he thought may have been a contributing factor to what happened.
The feeling I have is that the Vince McMahon death storyline may have sent Benoit over the edge.
Benoit had lost a lot of friends over the years. The most notable being Eddie Guerrero. Benoit broke down on the episode of Raw filmed on the night that his best friend passed away.
In the months following Guerrero's death, Benoit went through major depression. He had been writing constant messages to Guerrero in a diary to deal with the loss and had become paranoid.
I believe the fake death of Vince McMahon and the subsequent television shows following this 'death' where they played on the emotions that were shown on real tribute shows may have caused Benoit to relive the pain and torture he had gone through with the death of Guerrero.
He was already mentally fragile if you take into account the things he had been doing in the last eighteen months of his life. I think the angle may have brought up a lot of terrible feelings that played on his state of mind.
I know this is a wild assumption on my part and I admit that there was a lot of other factors that led to the deaths. It's impossible to know for sure what was going through the mind of a murderer and there will never be an answer, but I will always think the despicable angle may have preyed on the dark mind of Benoit during his final days.
I was called out on this opinion despite me saying it may have been one of many contributing factors. It's not as outlandish as those theories claiming that Kevin Sullivan arrived at the Benoit house and murdered the whole family.
I've made it known from the get-go that I don't think this is the only reason behind the murders and suicide. I'm just saying it could be one of the responses to the question without an answer.
I was looking through Youtube a number of days ago and I saw a link to one of Chris Benoit's final matches so I clicked on it to read the messages that were left on the site. I have encountered a lot of Benoit sympathisers claiming that he was murdered and framed to look like he had killed his wife and child and then hung himself.
Of course I don't believe that was the case but I am intrigued with those who fight their opinion on what happened.
I have an opinion on what may have caused the mental breakdown that weekend and I saw someone had posted a similar theory to mine so I replied to his message saying I believed what he thought may have been a contributing factor to what happened.
The feeling I have is that the Vince McMahon death storyline may have sent Benoit over the edge.
Benoit had lost a lot of friends over the years. The most notable being Eddie Guerrero. Benoit broke down on the episode of Raw filmed on the night that his best friend passed away.
In the months following Guerrero's death, Benoit went through major depression. He had been writing constant messages to Guerrero in a diary to deal with the loss and had become paranoid.
I believe the fake death of Vince McMahon and the subsequent television shows following this 'death' where they played on the emotions that were shown on real tribute shows may have caused Benoit to relive the pain and torture he had gone through with the death of Guerrero.
He was already mentally fragile if you take into account the things he had been doing in the last eighteen months of his life. I think the angle may have brought up a lot of terrible feelings that played on his state of mind.
I know this is a wild assumption on my part and I admit that there was a lot of other factors that led to the deaths. It's impossible to know for sure what was going through the mind of a murderer and there will never be an answer, but I will always think the despicable angle may have preyed on the dark mind of Benoit during his final days.
I was called out on this opinion despite me saying it may have been one of many contributing factors. It's not as outlandish as those theories claiming that Kevin Sullivan arrived at the Benoit house and murdered the whole family.
I've made it known from the get-go that I don't think this is the only reason behind the murders and suicide. I'm just saying it could be one of the responses to the question without an answer.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles
I don't watch as much TV as I used to but I have become a fan of a new drama series that has started on Virgin One.
It is called Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles and it is a spin-off from the Terminator movies.
It seems to be based around the time where the second movie ended and somewhere before the third part of the story because the character of Sarah Connor isn't alive during the events of film three.
The writers did a good job of explaining why Connor manages to be alive and well in 2007 by having the first episode start in 1999 and then having her, John and the protector travel forward in time eight years to escape the Terminator.
I've seen the first two episodes so far and am hoping the remaining ten episodes are just as good. I do have the tendency to enjoy programmes that only last one series, though!
It is called Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles and it is a spin-off from the Terminator movies.
It seems to be based around the time where the second movie ended and somewhere before the third part of the story because the character of Sarah Connor isn't alive during the events of film three.
The writers did a good job of explaining why Connor manages to be alive and well in 2007 by having the first episode start in 1999 and then having her, John and the protector travel forward in time eight years to escape the Terminator.
I've seen the first two episodes so far and am hoping the remaining ten episodes are just as good. I do have the tendency to enjoy programmes that only last one series, though!
Sunday, March 02, 2008
As You Would Expect
I took part in APAT's Portugese Open last night and, as you would expect, I lost.
I hadn't played poker in a while and, as I was home alone with nothing better to do, I thought I would have a game so I paid the ten dollars entry ready to win myself a second medal.
There were seventy-six players in the tournament and, as you would expect, I lasted the first break.
Things started going wrong after the first hour. You would have already expected that though, right?
As you would expect, it was a bad beat that ended my night. I had a pair of aces and called the big blind, a player a few seats down raised me (which is what I had anticipated), I went all-in with the four thousand chips I had and he called me.
The player turned over AK. A king came out on the flop and then the killer blow came on the river when another king came out.
How many times do I get screwed like that?
I was about to type 'nice hand' in the chat-box to him before I closed the program but I deleted it before I hit enter. A 'nh' in text would have been unexpected.
I'm a sore loser. Wouldn't you be if you encountered as many bad beats as me?
I hadn't played poker in a while and, as I was home alone with nothing better to do, I thought I would have a game so I paid the ten dollars entry ready to win myself a second medal.
There were seventy-six players in the tournament and, as you would expect, I lasted the first break.
Things started going wrong after the first hour. You would have already expected that though, right?
As you would expect, it was a bad beat that ended my night. I had a pair of aces and called the big blind, a player a few seats down raised me (which is what I had anticipated), I went all-in with the four thousand chips I had and he called me.
The player turned over AK. A king came out on the flop and then the killer blow came on the river when another king came out.
How many times do I get screwed like that?
I was about to type 'nice hand' in the chat-box to him before I closed the program but I deleted it before I hit enter. A 'nh' in text would have been unexpected.
I'm a sore loser. Wouldn't you be if you encountered as many bad beats as me?
Saturday, March 01, 2008
St. David's Hall
As it is St. David's Day I thought I would write about Wales' National concert hall as it is currently celebrating its twenty-fifth birthday.
St. David's Hall is based in the centre of Cardiff and has hosted many concerts since it was opened back in 1982.
I must have been there a handful of times during my childhood as my primary school would take us there to see concerts.
I'll always remember the first and last times I went there, though.
I must have been four years old and my Father took me to see Crackerjack there. I'm not sure if it was just a show or whether this was taped for television but it was at a time when Stu Francis hosted the series.
It was a fun day out from what I remember. My best friend's older Brother, Tom, even got to participate which made it all the more memorable.
The last time I went there was in 2001 when I went to see a wrestling show. It was run by a dodgy British promoter who advertised the British Bulldog and Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart but when it came show-time the Bulldog wasn't there. The excuse given was that he had a family emergency.
A week later I found out from the Wrestling Observer that he hadn't even been booked to appear in the first place so I was ripped off. I won't hold that against the Hall, though.
It is one of the most popular venues in Wales and deserves to be recognised today.
St. David's Hall is based in the centre of Cardiff and has hosted many concerts since it was opened back in 1982.
I must have been there a handful of times during my childhood as my primary school would take us there to see concerts.
I'll always remember the first and last times I went there, though.
I must have been four years old and my Father took me to see Crackerjack there. I'm not sure if it was just a show or whether this was taped for television but it was at a time when Stu Francis hosted the series.
It was a fun day out from what I remember. My best friend's older Brother, Tom, even got to participate which made it all the more memorable.
The last time I went there was in 2001 when I went to see a wrestling show. It was run by a dodgy British promoter who advertised the British Bulldog and Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart but when it came show-time the Bulldog wasn't there. The excuse given was that he had a family emergency.
A week later I found out from the Wrestling Observer that he hadn't even been booked to appear in the first place so I was ripped off. I won't hold that against the Hall, though.
It is one of the most popular venues in Wales and deserves to be recognised today.
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