I couldn't handle watching The Bash on Sunday night. I started watching it and became tired so turned it off half-way through and finished viewing when I awoke.
I've noticed a good trick to get through Triple H and Randy Orton matches. Watch them on fast forward. It's so much quicker. It's a shame you can't fast forward live TV, I would have enjoyed the main event of WrestleMania XXV slightly better had I the option of an FF button.
As for last night's Raw - I think the guest general manager idea is good. If I recall correctly, the last time they did weekly guest hosts was in the Autumn of 2004 and I believe the ratings were good.
I'm not expecting the ratings to be good this week. Last week's strong rating should be credited to the show running with no commercial breaks. As this week's show returned to the regular format, I'll bet the ratings are back to where they were.
I read the spoilers for next week's Raw. Ted Dibiase as the guest GM looks fun. That's all I'm going to say.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
NFL Regular Season Wins
I know there are still a few months to go until the kick-off the NFL season but it hasn't stopped me from eyeing up bets.
One of the most interesting markets available is on regular season wins.
In these bets, the bookmaker has all the teams listed and they are given a number. This number represents the amount of games the bookie thinks the team will win in the sixteen games of the regular season. You can then bet on whether you think it will be over or under that figure.
I thought the best way to tackle this bet was to write out all the teams onto a piece of paper and then I looked at the entire NFL schedule and picked the winner in each game. I then put a mark next to the team on the bit of paper to tally up the amount of games I predicted they would win in 2009.
It's the best approach to do this because, this way, you are guaranteeing that there are two hundred and fifty-six wins. If I did it by looking at each team individually, I could have accidentally picked two teams to win the same game!
After compiling my tally and comparing the lines published by the bookmakers, the two teams I believe could win more games than the bookies projected is the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions.
Both teams had a terrible 2008 season and I am predicting positive things for them in 2009. It was because of their poor 2008 that the odds-makers have assigned them low numbers.
I have placed £5 on each. I suggest you follow suit as it's possible that these lines may change in the coming weeks.
The lines are:
Cincinnati OVER 6.5 wins
Detroit OVER 5 wins
There are a few more teams I am contemplating but these two are the ones that are the best on the list. I may return to this topic before September if I decide to place another bet.
Or more.
One of the most interesting markets available is on regular season wins.
In these bets, the bookmaker has all the teams listed and they are given a number. This number represents the amount of games the bookie thinks the team will win in the sixteen games of the regular season. You can then bet on whether you think it will be over or under that figure.
I thought the best way to tackle this bet was to write out all the teams onto a piece of paper and then I looked at the entire NFL schedule and picked the winner in each game. I then put a mark next to the team on the bit of paper to tally up the amount of games I predicted they would win in 2009.
It's the best approach to do this because, this way, you are guaranteeing that there are two hundred and fifty-six wins. If I did it by looking at each team individually, I could have accidentally picked two teams to win the same game!
After compiling my tally and comparing the lines published by the bookmakers, the two teams I believe could win more games than the bookies projected is the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions.
Both teams had a terrible 2008 season and I am predicting positive things for them in 2009. It was because of their poor 2008 that the odds-makers have assigned them low numbers.
I have placed £5 on each. I suggest you follow suit as it's possible that these lines may change in the coming weeks.
The lines are:
Cincinnati OVER 6.5 wins
Detroit OVER 5 wins
There are a few more teams I am contemplating but these two are the ones that are the best on the list. I may return to this topic before September if I decide to place another bet.
Or more.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Meeting Evan
I finally got to meet my new nephew today.
He is so small and cute.
It's been years since I held a newborn. I was worried I was going to squash him because he was so little and delicate in my arms.
I'm glad I managed to catch him hours before he reached the one week anniversary of his birthday. I had been looking forward to seeing him all week.
He is so small and cute.
It's been years since I held a newborn. I was worried I was going to squash him because he was so little and delicate in my arms.
I'm glad I managed to catch him hours before he reached the one week anniversary of his birthday. I had been looking forward to seeing him all week.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
More On Michael Jackson
I spent Thursday night and most of Friday watching the television coverage of Michael Jackson's passing. Here are a few observations.
- Lionel Blair, the people who work on This Morning or both are fools! They had Blair on the phone saying he was a 'friend of Michael Jackson'. They bring him on the line and ask him has he ever met him, Blair says 'no'. We were assured his wife has, though.
- If Lionel Blair being dragged out to talk about Michael Jackson was bad enough, Peter Andre and Katie Price getting coverage by 'being united in grief' is going a bit too far. It was a PR move to ride the Jackson stories and ensure they still had paper. Waste of ink if you ask me.
- Michael Jackson's lawyer made an inane comment, too. He said something along the lines of 'I warned people that if Michael woke up dead one morning,I wouldn't be surprised'. I don't think 'waking up dead' has happened since Lazarus.
- EastEnders did a cool edit. They added a new scene where Michael Jackson's death was mentioned. I also noticed there was a moment in the Vic where Thriller was being played. It's not the first time they tried to make things seem up to date. They referenced Barack Obama and swine flu recently.
- Both CNN and Sky News did an impeccable job of covering the death.
- ITV's documentary on Jackson was good. You can tell this was made in preparation for the London shows and not because he had died.
- Due to a load of purchases of his music, Michael Jackson may be in the charts again this weekend. I've already got all his CDs so I won't be assisting his sales. Actually, I haven't got the HIStory album as my sister bought it and I didn't see a point in getting my own copy. She doesn't live here anymore, though. Hmmm...
- Lionel Blair, the people who work on This Morning or both are fools! They had Blair on the phone saying he was a 'friend of Michael Jackson'. They bring him on the line and ask him has he ever met him, Blair says 'no'. We were assured his wife has, though.
- If Lionel Blair being dragged out to talk about Michael Jackson was bad enough, Peter Andre and Katie Price getting coverage by 'being united in grief' is going a bit too far. It was a PR move to ride the Jackson stories and ensure they still had paper. Waste of ink if you ask me.
- Michael Jackson's lawyer made an inane comment, too. He said something along the lines of 'I warned people that if Michael woke up dead one morning,I wouldn't be surprised'. I don't think 'waking up dead' has happened since Lazarus.
- EastEnders did a cool edit. They added a new scene where Michael Jackson's death was mentioned. I also noticed there was a moment in the Vic where Thriller was being played. It's not the first time they tried to make things seem up to date. They referenced Barack Obama and swine flu recently.
- Both CNN and Sky News did an impeccable job of covering the death.
- ITV's documentary on Jackson was good. You can tell this was made in preparation for the London shows and not because he had died.
- Due to a load of purchases of his music, Michael Jackson may be in the charts again this weekend. I've already got all his CDs so I won't be assisting his sales. Actually, I haven't got the HIStory album as my sister bought it and I didn't see a point in getting my own copy. She doesn't live here anymore, though. Hmmm...
Friday, June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson
Another legend.
It hasn't been confirmed yet but it appears that Michael Jackson has died following a cardiac arrest.
I last wrote about him a few months ago when it was announced that he was going to perform at the O2 Arena in London. In my mind, I had this feeling he wouldn't fulfill all those dates - I didn't think it would be because of this, though!
I first started liking Jackson when the Thriller video came out. My love of his music was multiplied with the Bad album was released in '87 or '88. I even had a Michael Jackson duvet and pillow set!
My appreciation of his music whithered with the release of Dangerous but I jumped back aboard the bandwagon when Invincible came out in 2001. That album wasn't in the same league as Bad or Thriller but there were a few tracks I liked.
Back in my childhood, Bad was my favourite Michael Jackson album but as I have grown up, Thriller has taken its place.
I bought the 25th Anniversary edition of it last year and I think I'll have a listen to it when I wake up.
It hasn't been confirmed yet but it appears that Michael Jackson has died following a cardiac arrest.
I last wrote about him a few months ago when it was announced that he was going to perform at the O2 Arena in London. In my mind, I had this feeling he wouldn't fulfill all those dates - I didn't think it would be because of this, though!
I first started liking Jackson when the Thriller video came out. My love of his music was multiplied with the Bad album was released in '87 or '88. I even had a Michael Jackson duvet and pillow set!
My appreciation of his music whithered with the release of Dangerous but I jumped back aboard the bandwagon when Invincible came out in 2001. That album wasn't in the same league as Bad or Thriller but there were a few tracks I liked.
Back in my childhood, Bad was my favourite Michael Jackson album but as I have grown up, Thriller has taken its place.
I bought the 25th Anniversary edition of it last year and I think I'll have a listen to it when I wake up.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A Picture From A 'Commercial-Free' Raw
Was the two-hour episode of Monday Night Raw - which contained absolutely no adverts - finger licking good?
Product placement at its very best!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The White Tiger
Slumdog Millionaire was great. I said so on this blog the day after I saw it. It opened my eyes to India. In fact, it made me realise just how much I didn't know about their culture.
The White Tiger - a book by Aravind Adiga - assisted this learning.
The novel won the Man Booker Prize last year and is about a boy who grows up in a small village in India and eventually becomes a servant working as a driver to a son of a rich family. By the end of the novel we find out about how Balram murders his master, changes his identity and becomes an entrepreneur of his own.
In Slumdog Millionaire, the hero gets out of the slums by winning a gameshow. In this book, it's hard to see Balram as a hero - especially at the end of the novel - as his actions to secure his release from poverty saw his boss murdered. His family were also killed because of this murderous act so it's hard to find sympathy with the character although you do up to that point in the story.
If anything, the novel can be seen as a social commentary of India. You read about the slums, the servants and the masters and how everything is accepted as routine in that country. Even corruption.
What was also made obvious is how globalisation is changing that country. Modern India is just as rugged as the slums. We see the main characters all change for the worse when living in the city.
As I said, I was ignorant of the Indian way of life before I saw Slumdog Millionaire and read The White Tiger.
There's nothing like a good film or story to open your eyes.
The White Tiger - a book by Aravind Adiga - assisted this learning.
The novel won the Man Booker Prize last year and is about a boy who grows up in a small village in India and eventually becomes a servant working as a driver to a son of a rich family. By the end of the novel we find out about how Balram murders his master, changes his identity and becomes an entrepreneur of his own.
In Slumdog Millionaire, the hero gets out of the slums by winning a gameshow. In this book, it's hard to see Balram as a hero - especially at the end of the novel - as his actions to secure his release from poverty saw his boss murdered. His family were also killed because of this murderous act so it's hard to find sympathy with the character although you do up to that point in the story.
If anything, the novel can be seen as a social commentary of India. You read about the slums, the servants and the masters and how everything is accepted as routine in that country. Even corruption.
What was also made obvious is how globalisation is changing that country. Modern India is just as rugged as the slums. We see the main characters all change for the worse when living in the city.
As I said, I was ignorant of the Indian way of life before I saw Slumdog Millionaire and read The White Tiger.
There's nothing like a good film or story to open your eyes.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Premier League Goes To Disneyland
I wasn't surprised to hear that ESPN, the Sport channel part-owned by Disney, has been successful in acquiring the Premier League games that Setanta lost a few days ago.
When there was talk that Setanta Sports was in financial peril and were seeking an assist from ESPN, I thought that that would have been a bad business move on the American company's part.
It was pretty obvious that the Premier League rights would be auctioned off if Setanta failed to pay up their debt. Why should ESPN ante-up for a badly run channel when they could invest in the failure of said channel by buying the contracts in a fire sale?
I'm not sure how I will get to watch these games now. ESPN American sports is the only channel on Virgin Media so I'm hoping that a deal is struck between the company and Virgin to get the channel they will air the live games on.
As for Setanta - it's a shame that they are in this mess.
UFC 100 is taking place in three weeks and it's not looking like I will be able to see it live now that all rescue plans to save the channel have been lost.
When there was talk that Setanta Sports was in financial peril and were seeking an assist from ESPN, I thought that that would have been a bad business move on the American company's part.
It was pretty obvious that the Premier League rights would be auctioned off if Setanta failed to pay up their debt. Why should ESPN ante-up for a badly run channel when they could invest in the failure of said channel by buying the contracts in a fire sale?
I'm not sure how I will get to watch these games now. ESPN American sports is the only channel on Virgin Media so I'm hoping that a deal is struck between the company and Virgin to get the channel they will air the live games on.
As for Setanta - it's a shame that they are in this mess.
UFC 100 is taking place in three weeks and it's not looking like I will be able to see it live now that all rescue plans to save the channel have been lost.
Monday, June 22, 2009
In Need Of A Remake? : Tron
In Saturday's post, I argued about why they shouldn't remake the Teen Wolf movie. Tonight, I am going to mention a film I think would be amazing if it were to be given a 21st Century face-lift and that would be Tron.
I remember seeing this film when I was really young. My Uncle owned a video shop and he let me loan it one night when I was three or four.
I watched it again in the late 1980's whilst staying with other family members in Germany and haven't seen it since.
It's been over twenty years since but the effects are still playing in my mind as I type this. Now that I am thirty, all I can remember from the film is blue.
Blue!
I don't know what happened in the film. I forgot the plot and how it begins and ends all I remember is they are inside a computer and everything is blue.
It can work in the 2000's. The movie industry has developed for the better and I think that Tron should be redone with all the contemporary computerised graphics that were unavailable when the movie was first launched.
Let the kids of today, the adults of tomorrow, remember all the animation and great effects rather than one colour.
Blue!
I remember seeing this film when I was really young. My Uncle owned a video shop and he let me loan it one night when I was three or four.
I watched it again in the late 1980's whilst staying with other family members in Germany and haven't seen it since.
It's been over twenty years since but the effects are still playing in my mind as I type this. Now that I am thirty, all I can remember from the film is blue.
Blue!
I don't know what happened in the film. I forgot the plot and how it begins and ends all I remember is they are inside a computer and everything is blue.
It can work in the 2000's. The movie industry has developed for the better and I think that Tron should be redone with all the contemporary computerised graphics that were unavailable when the movie was first launched.
Let the kids of today, the adults of tomorrow, remember all the animation and great effects rather than one colour.
Blue!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
It's A...
I'm an uncle again!
My Sister has just given birth to another boy - Evan.
Anyone who knows me will be aware of my other nephew, Josh. Seeing JT grow up is fun and I've always got a story to tell. These stories will be double the length now that there is another nephew to talk about.
It's such a good feeling knowing that there is a brand new member to the family. I cannot wait until I see him.
I'm too excited to write any more right now.
My Sister has just given birth to another boy - Evan.
Anyone who knows me will be aware of my other nephew, Josh. Seeing JT grow up is fun and I've always got a story to tell. These stories will be double the length now that there is another nephew to talk about.
It's such a good feeling knowing that there is a brand new member to the family. I cannot wait until I see him.
I'm too excited to write any more right now.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
In Need Of A Remake? : Teen Wolf
I've just read that there are plans to produce a new version of the Teen Wolf movies.
What the..?
Can't they just stop with all these remakes?
I loved Teen Wolf and hated its sequel, Teen Wolf Too.
It's pretty obvious why.
Michael J Fox is what made Teen Wolf. That's why the sequel - sans Fox - was like a silver bullet to the franchise.
The fact that there was no third installment, in an era where nearly every film required a sequel of its sequel, is evident of that.
What the..?
Can't they just stop with all these remakes?
I loved Teen Wolf and hated its sequel, Teen Wolf Too.
It's pretty obvious why.
Michael J Fox is what made Teen Wolf. That's why the sequel - sans Fox - was like a silver bullet to the franchise.
The fact that there was no third installment, in an era where nearly every film required a sequel of its sequel, is evident of that.
Friday, June 19, 2009
September 12th 2009
As soon as the football fixtures for next season was posted this past Wednesday, the first game I checked to see was the one where Newcastle United play Cardiff City.
The game will be played on September 12th.
Coincidentally, this is the same weekend the NFL season kicks off and will therefore be the date I relaunch the 'American Football & Soccer Betting' picks posts on this blog. I will have to make sure the first bet for the initial weekend will be on this game.
The game will be played on September 12th.
Coincidentally, this is the same weekend the NFL season kicks off and will therefore be the date I relaunch the 'American Football & Soccer Betting' picks posts on this blog. I will have to make sure the first bet for the initial weekend will be on this game.
I was by the new Cardiff City stadium today so I got out of the car and took a few pictures. I could see the pitch from the gap at the side and I also heard them testing the tannoy system.
So, I've seen the ground, now the question is who will I be cheering for?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bottom Trumps
WWE introduced a new storyline on Monday when it was announced that Donald Trump had purchased Monday Night Raw from Vince McMahon.
And then things went downhill from there.
The angle was done as a way to generate interest in the upcoming edition of Raw which will see the programme air without commercial breaks.
The storyline excuse for the lack of adverts on next week's show was that Trump wanted to prove he didn't need the money so would not make any profit from advertisers.
Those in the know are aware that WWE's current contract with the USA Network states that the company receives no revenue from the adverts aired during their show. Therefore, the Trump thing - on the bottom of the surface - looked stupid.
It was made even more ridiculous when you consider that this episode of Raw will feature a stipulated 'last man standing match' just six days before the next pay-per-view.
That's not all.
The most incredible thing to happen since the Donald Trump announcement was that WWE stock dropped by ten percent.
Ten percent!
There are either investors out there infuriated that the company would give away a main event match for free on the last Raw before a pay-per-view or there are a lot of people out there owning shares in World Wrestling Entertainment who believe what they see on TV.
I'd bet on the latter.
And then things went downhill from there.
The angle was done as a way to generate interest in the upcoming edition of Raw which will see the programme air without commercial breaks.
The storyline excuse for the lack of adverts on next week's show was that Trump wanted to prove he didn't need the money so would not make any profit from advertisers.
Those in the know are aware that WWE's current contract with the USA Network states that the company receives no revenue from the adverts aired during their show. Therefore, the Trump thing - on the bottom of the surface - looked stupid.
It was made even more ridiculous when you consider that this episode of Raw will feature a stipulated 'last man standing match' just six days before the next pay-per-view.
That's not all.
The most incredible thing to happen since the Donald Trump announcement was that WWE stock dropped by ten percent.
Ten percent!
There are either investors out there infuriated that the company would give away a main event match for free on the last Raw before a pay-per-view or there are a lot of people out there owning shares in World Wrestling Entertainment who believe what they see on TV.
I'd bet on the latter.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Shopping Around For The Season Bet
I've been looking around, both on and offline for a place which will allow me to do the season bet I'd like to do for the upcoming 2009/10 football league season.
I always do a season bet each year. It makes me enjoy the games all the more.
The amount I intend to lay out this time around is in the £80 region. I intend to pick twelve teams to win their leagues and do them in 1p each-way full cover bets. This will be about 4095 bets in one, I think.
There are only three betting firms in the running for this bet - Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill.
With Coral and Ladbrokes, I will only be able to place this bet offline as their online site only allows between five and ten pence minimum stakes. William Hill, on the other hand, may allow me to do the small stakes but I'm not sure if I can add twelve selections to the online betting slip so it means I may have to do it offline, too. William Hill are 'up in the air', if you will.
All other online and offline bookmakers priced themselves out of the bet due to them having maximum payouts between £200,000 and £500,000. The trio in my shortlist have set their payout at £1million.
I'm not being greedy nor am I being overconfident with this bet it is more for fun than anything. I just feel that if I am spending a large amount, it would be wise to go somewhere I can make the most from the wager. It would be a bittersweet win if all twelve of these teams won their leagues and I walked away with £200,000 when I could have made triple that elsewhere.
Out of the three on the list - Coral are the bookmakers that seem to be offering the better odds on what I want to do.
I don't intend to place the bet until late July so there is enough time to change my mind and look for other angles and approaches.
I'll post my selections once the bet has been placed.
I always do a season bet each year. It makes me enjoy the games all the more.
The amount I intend to lay out this time around is in the £80 region. I intend to pick twelve teams to win their leagues and do them in 1p each-way full cover bets. This will be about 4095 bets in one, I think.
There are only three betting firms in the running for this bet - Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill.
With Coral and Ladbrokes, I will only be able to place this bet offline as their online site only allows between five and ten pence minimum stakes. William Hill, on the other hand, may allow me to do the small stakes but I'm not sure if I can add twelve selections to the online betting slip so it means I may have to do it offline, too. William Hill are 'up in the air', if you will.
All other online and offline bookmakers priced themselves out of the bet due to them having maximum payouts between £200,000 and £500,000. The trio in my shortlist have set their payout at £1million.
I'm not being greedy nor am I being overconfident with this bet it is more for fun than anything. I just feel that if I am spending a large amount, it would be wise to go somewhere I can make the most from the wager. It would be a bittersweet win if all twelve of these teams won their leagues and I walked away with £200,000 when I could have made triple that elsewhere.
Out of the three on the list - Coral are the bookmakers that seem to be offering the better odds on what I want to do.
I don't intend to place the bet until late July so there is enough time to change my mind and look for other angles and approaches.
I'll post my selections once the bet has been placed.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Get Me Out Of Here
I've been watching the US version of I'm a celebrity, get me out of here. To say that this show is cringe-worthy would be a vast understatement.
As I've noted on here before, I like the concept of the show.
The British show.
This version is a Hollywood con.
It's supposed to be about a group of celebrities having to rough it out in a jungle camp and take part in activities to win food for the camp. In this US style, I've seen one star with a digital camera, another on a mobile to an NBC executive and I've lost count of the numerous times I have seen aerosol cans being sprayed on hair or other parts of the body.
It's not just this faux-camping that bothers me.
There are loudmouth performers who have been sent in there with the sole purpose to stir it up. Sure, you get that in every reality show, but how many times can these 'actors' leave and come back before their act becomes tiresome? In the case of the NBC executives - it's seems to be not often enough.
I know every reality show is edited in a way to get a reaction from the viewer either in a way to get compassion or anger. For me, the type of feeling this programme gives me is one of annoyance. It's not the reaction they should be making me feel because it makes me want to turn it off rather than continue watching.
America totally ruined this show for me. I hope the ratings were abysmal to the point that they refuse to do it next year.
That would make me very happy indeed.
As I've noted on here before, I like the concept of the show.
The British show.
This version is a Hollywood con.
It's supposed to be about a group of celebrities having to rough it out in a jungle camp and take part in activities to win food for the camp. In this US style, I've seen one star with a digital camera, another on a mobile to an NBC executive and I've lost count of the numerous times I have seen aerosol cans being sprayed on hair or other parts of the body.
It's not just this faux-camping that bothers me.
There are loudmouth performers who have been sent in there with the sole purpose to stir it up. Sure, you get that in every reality show, but how many times can these 'actors' leave and come back before their act becomes tiresome? In the case of the NBC executives - it's seems to be not often enough.
I know every reality show is edited in a way to get a reaction from the viewer either in a way to get compassion or anger. For me, the type of feeling this programme gives me is one of annoyance. It's not the reaction they should be making me feel because it makes me want to turn it off rather than continue watching.
America totally ruined this show for me. I hope the ratings were abysmal to the point that they refuse to do it next year.
That would make me very happy indeed.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Starrcade : The Essential Collection
If you are a collector of wrestling DVDs, you need to have Starrcade : The Essential Collection in youjr library.
As you're all probably aware, WWE owns all of the WCW back catalogue after purchasing what was left of the company back in 2001 so this three-disc set is produced by World Wrestling Entertainment.
The set features a documentary about the tradition of Starrcade which was the NWA then WCW's version of WrestleMania. There are also twenty-five matches on the discs. These matches were voted for inclusion by fans on WWE.com.
I wasn't that impressed with the documentary. It ran far too short, in my opinion. Had this been a documentary by WWE on the history of WrestleMania would we have been afforded more than an hour? I guess so. Here, we were given less than fifty minutes.
The matches on the disc were selected well and are worth the price of the DVDs alone.
I've only seen three Starrcade events. This was mainly due to me only getting access to WCW pay-per-views during the early-to-mid nineties via a German satellite channel. I lost the channel when we moved to cable. Having twenty-five of the best bouts from the entire history of the PPV makes up for it.
Without giving too much away, the match which made it to number one in the voting was one of the matches I had been looking out to appear on a WWE released DVD for years. I guess a lot of other people had the same feeling and voted for it in this online poll.
It would be cool if WWE released similar sets for events like the Great American Bash, SuperBrawl or Halloween Havoc.
As you're all probably aware, WWE owns all of the WCW back catalogue after purchasing what was left of the company back in 2001 so this three-disc set is produced by World Wrestling Entertainment.
The set features a documentary about the tradition of Starrcade which was the NWA then WCW's version of WrestleMania. There are also twenty-five matches on the discs. These matches were voted for inclusion by fans on WWE.com.
I wasn't that impressed with the documentary. It ran far too short, in my opinion. Had this been a documentary by WWE on the history of WrestleMania would we have been afforded more than an hour? I guess so. Here, we were given less than fifty minutes.
The matches on the disc were selected well and are worth the price of the DVDs alone.
I've only seen three Starrcade events. This was mainly due to me only getting access to WCW pay-per-views during the early-to-mid nineties via a German satellite channel. I lost the channel when we moved to cable. Having twenty-five of the best bouts from the entire history of the PPV makes up for it.
Without giving too much away, the match which made it to number one in the voting was one of the matches I had been looking out to appear on a WWE released DVD for years. I guess a lot of other people had the same feeling and voted for it in this online poll.
It would be cool if WWE released similar sets for events like the Great American Bash, SuperBrawl or Halloween Havoc.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Holding Back
From today, all posts for each day will be published at 11:59pm.
This will be the case for the next few days.
I need to keep the window open for a specific story on a specific day so the best way around it is to hold back publishing times.
All will become clear soon.
This will be the case for the next few days.
I need to keep the window open for a specific story on a specific day so the best way around it is to hold back publishing times.
All will become clear soon.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Mitsuharu Misawa
Incredible.
I am sitting here in total shock.
Before we get to today, we need to head back to 1994 for a few paragraphs:
As a teenager, I used to buy the underground wrestling newsletters and buy tapes from Japan. This was the only way I could keep up to date with wrestling other than what I was being fed by the WWF and WCW.
The sheets - as they were called - would mention a lot of Japanese stars and one of the names that would get glowing endorsements was Mitsuharu Misawa.
Misawa was up there back then. We had been on a diet of people like Hulk Hogan and his style was like a breath of fresh air to the underground fan. There were two Japanese stars I liked watching and they were Kenta Kobashi and Misawa.
Back to 2009:
Unfortunately, Mitsuharu Misawa died earlier today. He was in a match in Japan and took a backdrop and landed on his head.
There are conflicting stories that he died at hospital but this may have been a cover-up, it's possible he really passed away right in middle of the ring.
I'm lost for words.
I am sitting here in total shock.
Before we get to today, we need to head back to 1994 for a few paragraphs:
As a teenager, I used to buy the underground wrestling newsletters and buy tapes from Japan. This was the only way I could keep up to date with wrestling other than what I was being fed by the WWF and WCW.
The sheets - as they were called - would mention a lot of Japanese stars and one of the names that would get glowing endorsements was Mitsuharu Misawa.
Misawa was up there back then. We had been on a diet of people like Hulk Hogan and his style was like a breath of fresh air to the underground fan. There were two Japanese stars I liked watching and they were Kenta Kobashi and Misawa.
Back to 2009:
Unfortunately, Mitsuharu Misawa died earlier today. He was in a match in Japan and took a backdrop and landed on his head.
There are conflicting stories that he died at hospital but this may have been a cover-up, it's possible he really passed away right in middle of the ring.
I'm lost for words.
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Real Deal?
I wasn't surprised that Manchester United agreed an £80 million deal to send Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. I had been awaiting that transfer for years.
So, was it a good deal?
Ideally, a player shouldn't cost that much especially during the current economic climate. You can't fault Manchester United for accepting that price but I am worried for what this means for football in general.
A precedent has now been set on the valuation of players and the figures could get scary over the next decade or so.
Then again, this may be the last of the big sales until the worldwide recession is taken care of.
If it ever does.
So, was it a good deal?
Ideally, a player shouldn't cost that much especially during the current economic climate. You can't fault Manchester United for accepting that price but I am worried for what this means for football in general.
A precedent has now been set on the valuation of players and the figures could get scary over the next decade or so.
Then again, this may be the last of the big sales until the worldwide recession is taken care of.
If it ever does.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Mr Toppit
I've just finished reading Mr Toppit by Charles Elton and both my thumbs are in the middle.
I didn't love it nor did I hate it - I am just middling on it if there can be such an opinion on a book.
The main part of the story is set in the eighties but it does jump back and forward a few decades as the narrative tells its tale.
I don't really like giving too much away in these posts where I mention a book I have read so all I am willing to say on this one is that the novel is about an author who gets killed before his series of books become a worldwide hit. The story then centres around the family and other people who will become famous and rich from the popularity of these books.
I guess the overall theme of this novel is how fame can come and mess with people's lives in both a good and negative way. There's a lot of the latter in this one, though.
Regardless of how dark it gets at times, there are a few characters and moments that made me laugh out loud.
I didn't love it nor did I hate it - I am just middling on it if there can be such an opinion on a book.
The main part of the story is set in the eighties but it does jump back and forward a few decades as the narrative tells its tale.
I don't really like giving too much away in these posts where I mention a book I have read so all I am willing to say on this one is that the novel is about an author who gets killed before his series of books become a worldwide hit. The story then centres around the family and other people who will become famous and rich from the popularity of these books.
I guess the overall theme of this novel is how fame can come and mess with people's lives in both a good and negative way. There's a lot of the latter in this one, though.
Regardless of how dark it gets at times, there are a few characters and moments that made me laugh out loud.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Twittering
I signed up to Twitter yesterday.
No, I am not joining this 'social networking rubbish' as I have referred to it in the past. I'm just joining Twitter so that I can keep up to date with the NFL once the season gets up and running.
I certainly won't be doing those ridiculous tweets every time I sneeze or whatever. My life is boring enough, sharing it with the rest of the world in a blog is enough for me.
And for you.
No, I am not joining this 'social networking rubbish' as I have referred to it in the past. I'm just joining Twitter so that I can keep up to date with the NFL once the season gets up and running.
I certainly won't be doing those ridiculous tweets every time I sneeze or whatever. My life is boring enough, sharing it with the rest of the world in a blog is enough for me.
And for you.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Watching Extreme Rules
I enjoyed Extreme Rules on Sunday night.
It was the first time in ages that I had watched a pay-per-view in my living room. I had been watching them in my bedroom for the last few years but I thought I would go 'old school' this time and watch it on the bigger screen.
The end, which saw CM Punk cash in his 'money in the bank' briefcase and get a title shot against Jeff Hardy, came out of the blue.
I am usually sitting - or laying - there wondering whether Punk will cash in his contract near the end of each main event but this time I had subconsciously eradicated it from my thoughts as the PPV had gone on longer than they usually do.
If I were WWE, I would have Punk work as a heel now. This was the perfect opportunity to make him hated by having him rob Jeff Hardy of the title he had only won a minute earlier.
Brilliant stuff.
It was the first time in ages that I had watched a pay-per-view in my living room. I had been watching them in my bedroom for the last few years but I thought I would go 'old school' this time and watch it on the bigger screen.
The end, which saw CM Punk cash in his 'money in the bank' briefcase and get a title shot against Jeff Hardy, came out of the blue.
I am usually sitting - or laying - there wondering whether Punk will cash in his contract near the end of each main event but this time I had subconsciously eradicated it from my thoughts as the PPV had gone on longer than they usually do.
If I were WWE, I would have Punk work as a heel now. This was the perfect opportunity to make him hated by having him rob Jeff Hardy of the title he had only won a minute earlier.
Brilliant stuff.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Gangs II
A few weeks ago, I wrote that I had read Ross Kemp's book - Gangs. I have now read the sequel.
Gangs II is written in the same way to its predecessor. It is split up into chapters with each chapter detailing Kemp's interaction with gangs from a different place or country.
In this book, the author ventures to - Colombia, Poland, East Timor, Los Angeles, Kenya and Liverpool.
I was, once again, amazed at how Kemp managed to earn the gangs trust while carrying out his work. As I said in the other post, I haven't been able to see the television series that these books are based on so these books have been enlightening on gang culture.
Out of all these new chapters, the Kenyan visit was the once which the most shocking. It was such an eye-opener. Scary, too. In fact - some of the people Kemp meets on his travel in this country end up abducted and murdered by the time he has left.
The Liverpool chapter was also one of the most interesting considering it was a lot closer to home and is worrying for Britain and not just that part of Britain.
When I wrote about Gangs, I noted how I would try and seek out episodes of the series now that I had read the book. I still intend to carry out this promise to myself even though I'm sure a chapter in one of these books doesn't have content issues that you would expect from a one hour television episode.
Gangs II is written in the same way to its predecessor. It is split up into chapters with each chapter detailing Kemp's interaction with gangs from a different place or country.
In this book, the author ventures to - Colombia, Poland, East Timor, Los Angeles, Kenya and Liverpool.
I was, once again, amazed at how Kemp managed to earn the gangs trust while carrying out his work. As I said in the other post, I haven't been able to see the television series that these books are based on so these books have been enlightening on gang culture.
Out of all these new chapters, the Kenyan visit was the once which the most shocking. It was such an eye-opener. Scary, too. In fact - some of the people Kemp meets on his travel in this country end up abducted and murdered by the time he has left.
The Liverpool chapter was also one of the most interesting considering it was a lot closer to home and is worrying for Britain and not just that part of Britain.
When I wrote about Gangs, I noted how I would try and seek out episodes of the series now that I had read the book. I still intend to carry out this promise to myself even though I'm sure a chapter in one of these books doesn't have content issues that you would expect from a one hour television episode.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Extreme Rules
WWE Extreme Rules is on tonight and I will be watching as it's on Sky Sports.
I'm looking forward to a few of the matches on the card. There are, however, bouts I couldn't give a damn about but that's par for the course with WWE shows nowadays.
Not much of a preview from me, is it?
I'm looking forward to a few of the matches on the card. There are, however, bouts I couldn't give a damn about but that's par for the course with WWE shows nowadays.
Not much of a preview from me, is it?
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Another Chapter In The Brett Favre Saga
Each NFL off-season brings with it the Brett Favre saga.
This year, we are sitting in front of our TV screens or computer monitors wondering if the quarterback will come out of retirement once again.
This time to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
I can understand a lot of people having grown tired of Favre stories each year. It seems he was constantly mulling retirement with the Green Bay Packers during his latter years on that team. Then, last year - once he had officially retired - he changed his mind and tried getting back onto the team but was shipped off to the New York Jets.
Yes, it gets monotonous at times - I love it, though. It's a good build-up to the new season.
I hope Favre does come back.
He should make his mind up pronto, though. He needs to learn the Vikings' gameplan so he can go in and make a difference. Him joining the Jets late last season didn't help their season and I think he should have learnt from that.
This year, we are sitting in front of our TV screens or computer monitors wondering if the quarterback will come out of retirement once again.
This time to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
I can understand a lot of people having grown tired of Favre stories each year. It seems he was constantly mulling retirement with the Green Bay Packers during his latter years on that team. Then, last year - once he had officially retired - he changed his mind and tried getting back onto the team but was shipped off to the New York Jets.
Yes, it gets monotonous at times - I love it, though. It's a good build-up to the new season.
I hope Favre does come back.
He should make his mind up pronto, though. He needs to learn the Vikings' gameplan so he can go in and make a difference. Him joining the Jets late last season didn't help their season and I think he should have learnt from that.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thirty Seconds
I was watching television yesterday evening and I got a cold call.
I absolutely detest these marketing firms which phone out of the blue and, most of the time, I tell them to get lost.
Last night, I felt different.
Or so I thought.
The guy on the other end of the line said he was from 'Amazon Marketplace' - yes, anyone can claim to be from the 'Amazon Marketplace' if they sell their own stuff as a third party. Hell, I could even do that. In hindsight, I should have asked him a bit more about who he worked for but I wasn't on the ball.
He asked if it was possible for thirty seconds of my time.
'Thirty seconds only.' I responded.
He then asked question one and I answered immediately.
The second question was put to me and I responded to that one.
He then asked me the third and a thought crossed my mind - This is going to take longer than thirty seconds.
'Thirty seconds is up.'
The guy then went mad at me saying 'It's only been three'. His argument fell on deaf ears, or rather the dead phone tone.
Am I a jerk for doing this? I believe not.
My phone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service so I shouldn't have been cold called in the first place.
That's my argument and I'm sticking to it.
I absolutely detest these marketing firms which phone out of the blue and, most of the time, I tell them to get lost.
Last night, I felt different.
Or so I thought.
The guy on the other end of the line said he was from 'Amazon Marketplace' - yes, anyone can claim to be from the 'Amazon Marketplace' if they sell their own stuff as a third party. Hell, I could even do that. In hindsight, I should have asked him a bit more about who he worked for but I wasn't on the ball.
He asked if it was possible for thirty seconds of my time.
'Thirty seconds only.' I responded.
He then asked question one and I answered immediately.
The second question was put to me and I responded to that one.
He then asked me the third and a thought crossed my mind - This is going to take longer than thirty seconds.
'Thirty seconds is up.'
The guy then went mad at me saying 'It's only been three'. His argument fell on deaf ears, or rather the dead phone tone.
Am I a jerk for doing this? I believe not.
My phone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service so I shouldn't have been cold called in the first place.
That's my argument and I'm sticking to it.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Want Live TV Online? Fuhgeddaboudit!
In yesterday's post, I mentioned a con that I was coaxed into over a week ago but didn't want to reveal much as I was awaiting a refund and didn't want to jeopardise the payment getting to me.
I've now been paid back so it's time to shoot.
I was online looking for ways to watch television channels from America as I want somewhere to watch American college football in the Autumn and did a Google search to find some answers.
'Watch live college and NFL games' was one of many titles that appeared on the page once I had hit the search button so I clicked.
The site I was on was offering a program where I could watch three thousand live channels from around the world and at a fairly decent price.
I thought it was too good to be true so took a step back. A step back for me is a walk downstairs away from the PC because I knew I would hit 'Purchase'. It's an old trick I used to do back when I played roulette or other gambling games online, the short few minutes gave me some time to consider my options - gamble or walk away.
In this case - I gambled.
I paid for the item and was then passed over to another site which would accept the payment. This is when I started wondering whether what I was doing was above board. I decided to continue and used my Paypal account because I felt it was safer than using my Maestro card.
The site taking the payment was a company called ClickBank. They took my money as well an extra few pounds which I was not informed about at the point of sale. They conveniently hid the full balance when I was paying for the program (another thing which worried me, I ended up changing my Paypal password after this just to be sure).
The program downloaded fine. I installed it and it worked great.
Not so fast.
I tuned into the Tom & Jerry channel and watched that for about 2 minutes thinking 'what country is crazy enough to have a channel dedicated to these two?' I then ventured to a channel I was more aware of: Sky News. Worked fine.
As I mentioned earlier - I bought this program to watch the sport channels from other parts of the world so I typed 'Sport' into the search box on the screen and a number of channels showed up.
Great!
I clicked on Fox Sports: buffering non-stop, ESPN: green blob right in the middle of the screen, NFL Network: unavailable.
Not Great!
I was ripped off good and proper. I then picked a random news channel from Canada and they were playing the '6pm Evening News'. It was 11am for me so this wasn't live. Quickly, I checked the Sky News channel again and tuned into the channel onto my normal cable box and the program was not in sync with my television.
Not in sync, and then some. There were two different news shows on!
I emailed a complaint to the vendor that sold me the program (not ClickBank) and they emailed me back asking me to download something which will help me. I'm not sure what a download will do to make these channels appear live but I declined. I requested a refund.
A few hours later, I got another reply from them and they told me that I had to keep trying the NFL Network as it may not be on at the time I tried clicking on it. My response was a sarcastic 'The channel is 24/7 so go back and think of another lame excuse'.
They couldn't think of anything.
I then found ClickBank's site where they operate from and found a message to their vendors saying that they should offer a special service to their customers and when faults are evident they should interact with each one individually and not with automated email responses. I also saw a part where they claimed to refund everyone no questions asked.
Phew.
I filled out the complaint form and - just to make sure I was going to get all my money back - I filed a complaint with Paypal.
Within a day, ClickBank replied to my request and tried offering technical support. I replied saying that technical support was not what I wanted.
Ten minutes after my reply, a refund was granted. I had to wait nine days, though.
The moral of this story is - if something sounds too good to be true, that's probably because it is.
If you are reading this after searching for online sports, think again. This program is a waste of time and effort. All those sites out there saying how amazing it is are the ones which will profit from the sale.
I am not saying that ClickBank are a con, I feel that a lot of people are using this company to sell abysmal online products. If you have been ripped off by any of these vendors that are run by Clickbank, go to the ClickBank site and ask for a refund.
I learnt the hard way but fought for a refund. I feel for those that didn't think they had a chance of getting back what they shelled out.
I've now been paid back so it's time to shoot.
I was online looking for ways to watch television channels from America as I want somewhere to watch American college football in the Autumn and did a Google search to find some answers.
'Watch live college and NFL games' was one of many titles that appeared on the page once I had hit the search button so I clicked.
The site I was on was offering a program where I could watch three thousand live channels from around the world and at a fairly decent price.
I thought it was too good to be true so took a step back. A step back for me is a walk downstairs away from the PC because I knew I would hit 'Purchase'. It's an old trick I used to do back when I played roulette or other gambling games online, the short few minutes gave me some time to consider my options - gamble or walk away.
In this case - I gambled.
I paid for the item and was then passed over to another site which would accept the payment. This is when I started wondering whether what I was doing was above board. I decided to continue and used my Paypal account because I felt it was safer than using my Maestro card.
The site taking the payment was a company called ClickBank. They took my money as well an extra few pounds which I was not informed about at the point of sale. They conveniently hid the full balance when I was paying for the program (another thing which worried me, I ended up changing my Paypal password after this just to be sure).
The program downloaded fine. I installed it and it worked great.
Not so fast.
I tuned into the Tom & Jerry channel and watched that for about 2 minutes thinking 'what country is crazy enough to have a channel dedicated to these two?' I then ventured to a channel I was more aware of: Sky News. Worked fine.
As I mentioned earlier - I bought this program to watch the sport channels from other parts of the world so I typed 'Sport' into the search box on the screen and a number of channels showed up.
Great!
I clicked on Fox Sports: buffering non-stop, ESPN: green blob right in the middle of the screen, NFL Network: unavailable.
Not Great!
I was ripped off good and proper. I then picked a random news channel from Canada and they were playing the '6pm Evening News'. It was 11am for me so this wasn't live. Quickly, I checked the Sky News channel again and tuned into the channel onto my normal cable box and the program was not in sync with my television.
Not in sync, and then some. There were two different news shows on!
I emailed a complaint to the vendor that sold me the program (not ClickBank) and they emailed me back asking me to download something which will help me. I'm not sure what a download will do to make these channels appear live but I declined. I requested a refund.
A few hours later, I got another reply from them and they told me that I had to keep trying the NFL Network as it may not be on at the time I tried clicking on it. My response was a sarcastic 'The channel is 24/7 so go back and think of another lame excuse'.
They couldn't think of anything.
I then found ClickBank's site where they operate from and found a message to their vendors saying that they should offer a special service to their customers and when faults are evident they should interact with each one individually and not with automated email responses. I also saw a part where they claimed to refund everyone no questions asked.
Phew.
I filled out the complaint form and - just to make sure I was going to get all my money back - I filed a complaint with Paypal.
Within a day, ClickBank replied to my request and tried offering technical support. I replied saying that technical support was not what I wanted.
Ten minutes after my reply, a refund was granted. I had to wait nine days, though.
The moral of this story is - if something sounds too good to be true, that's probably because it is.
If you are reading this after searching for online sports, think again. This program is a waste of time and effort. All those sites out there saying how amazing it is are the ones which will profit from the sale.
I am not saying that ClickBank are a con, I feel that a lot of people are using this company to sell abysmal online products. If you have been ripped off by any of these vendors that are run by Clickbank, go to the ClickBank site and ask for a refund.
I learnt the hard way but fought for a refund. I feel for those that didn't think they had a chance of getting back what they shelled out.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
The Ninth Day
I was anticipating writing a post on here today detailing an online rip-off but have been holding off until I had a refund from it.
Paypal said that the money should have been refunded into my account within seven to nine days and today is the ninth day yet my account is still missing the funds. It's still in temporary hold apparently.
I will wait until I know for sure that my money is safe before I write about the company. All I will say in the meantime is stay away from websites which offer programs that allow you to watch television channels from around the world.
Once I get the refund, I'm going to name and shame these people.
Paypal said that the money should have been refunded into my account within seven to nine days and today is the ninth day yet my account is still missing the funds. It's still in temporary hold apparently.
I will wait until I know for sure that my money is safe before I write about the company. All I will say in the meantime is stay away from websites which offer programs that allow you to watch television channels from around the world.
Once I get the refund, I'm going to name and shame these people.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Sunburnt
I sat in my garden for most of yesterday and caught the sun.
But, I'm more burnt than tanned.
I spent the majority of the evening trying to cool myself off because my skin was on fire. It was a tough job trying to sleep in a comfortable position as well.
That's enough complaining from me.
But, I'm more burnt than tanned.
I spent the majority of the evening trying to cool myself off because my skin was on fire. It was a tough job trying to sleep in a comfortable position as well.
That's enough complaining from me.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Born Standing Up
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin wasn't a bad autobiography.
The book details the life of the comedian from when he was born all the way to when he quit as a stand-up comedian.
It was interesting to read that - as a child - he took a job working in Disneyland. I think this had the biggest influences on his career as he worked in a magic shop and he developed ideas for his performances through his work there.
His family life was also intriguing as he was born into what - on the surface - resembled an all American family. He had a loving mother but a hard father.
It seems the majority of Martin's career could be attributed to the lack of confidence his father had in the son's work. The final words between father and son while the former is on his death bed can be evidence of this.
I know that Martin's departure from stand-up was a suitable ending for the book as it was mainly about how his act developed and how he became a national star. I just felt that I would have liked to have read more about his film career. The final portion of the memoir centres on The Jerk but this is the only film he made while working full-time as a comedian.
Hopefully, there will be a sequel that includes memoirs from his time as an comedic actor.
The book details the life of the comedian from when he was born all the way to when he quit as a stand-up comedian.
It was interesting to read that - as a child - he took a job working in Disneyland. I think this had the biggest influences on his career as he worked in a magic shop and he developed ideas for his performances through his work there.
His family life was also intriguing as he was born into what - on the surface - resembled an all American family. He had a loving mother but a hard father.
It seems the majority of Martin's career could be attributed to the lack of confidence his father had in the son's work. The final words between father and son while the former is on his death bed can be evidence of this.
I know that Martin's departure from stand-up was a suitable ending for the book as it was mainly about how his act developed and how he became a national star. I just felt that I would have liked to have read more about his film career. The final portion of the memoir centres on The Jerk but this is the only film he made while working full-time as a comedian.
Hopefully, there will be a sequel that includes memoirs from his time as an comedic actor.
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