- I am a sports entertainment domestic abuse victim.
- Osama Bin Laden was terrible. But, was he really as bad as LeBron James?
- Boxing and horse racing are not dead. They are just no longer household sports.
- And, I’m Aaron Goins. All my thoughts on these topics and more (including May 21st, 2011)… in The Highlight Reel!
NEWS and NOTES
**At Extreme Rules on May 1st, WWE finally gave fans something that they are been yearning for since 2005 as Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder match to become World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in the ’E. Regardless of the fact that the title reign was nothing more than a sympathy reign in the same vein of Rey Mysterio’s first title reign in 2006, fans were excited to see a guy they love break through the glass ceiling and join the upper echelon. Then, Vince McMahon gave the fans a cold dose of reality and let Christian know that 17 years in the business, being a tremendous in-ring talent, and being over with the fans still doesn’t mean a thing to him.
On May 3rd at the SmackDown taping in Orlando, Florida, Randy Orton pinned Christian to become an eight-time World Champion. While Orton is also one of the most over faces (fan favorite) in the company, the audience booed the sudden title change and the internet wrestling community revolted in the wake of the title change.
In the aftermath of the title change, I agreed with the majority. Christian is one of the top guys in the business today. He was already a two-time World Champion before winning the World Heavyweight Championship in the WWE stemming from his days in TNA Wrestling. Also, Christian has two ECW Championship reigns and brought credibility to a belt that has lacked it at times during both the original ECW and WWE-ran ECW days. Plus, Christian has been one of the most beloved guys in the locker room by his peers and cheered guys in the ring by fans for over a decade. But, Vince McMahon has never seen anything in him and so Christian has never gotten the fair shake in the WWE that he’s deserved over countless others that Vince has shoved down fans’ throats.
Personally, I believe that Jay Reso should give WWE a piece of his mind and walk out of the company. At least in TNA Wrestling, he was a big fish in a small pond and was treated with the respect he deserves because he’s earned it. Vince knows Christian is over and the fans love the guy. So, he constantly de-pushes him, buries him, and pisses on his potential and his legacy with every turn because Vince loves to abuse the fans who line his pocket. Christian Cage (yeah, I added the last name WWE won’t allow him to have) needs to return to where he was building a legacy: TNA Wrestling.
More importantly though, I have realized with this move that WWE has finally devolved to simply two men - Super Cena and Super Orton. There is no one else. For years, I have bashed World Wrestling Entertainment for pushing the same five to seven guys in the title picture: John Cena, Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Edge, Triple H, and Batista with sprinklings of Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, and Kane thrown into the mix. Mysterio and Kane have never been established enough to be looked at as “the guy” in the company so they still don’t matter today in the grand scheme of things. Batista, Chris Jericho, and Edge have officially retired (at least for the moment) while Triple H and The Undertaker have essentially retired because of injuries. Instead of adding new faces to the picture, the current champions are John Cena and Randy Orton. The Miz had a five-month reign that has already been forgotten after three weeks, Christian had a reign of two days, Sheamus’ two reigns have been forgotten, and guys like Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, and John Morrison have hit the glass ceiling so hard that their grandchildren will have sore necks. John Cena and Randy Orton are what WWE’s title picture is all about and will be all about until they retire and the fans will have to like it or leave it.
But, will we, the wrestling fans, really leave it? Will we really be smart enough to know we’re going to get the same old garbage so we’ll leave the product and watch wrestling somewhere else? No. You know why? It is because we, the long-time World Wrestling Entertainment fans, are the sports entertainment equivalent of domestic abuse victims.
The majority of victims in domestic abuse cases don't press charges, say that “it’ll never happen again” or “it’ll get better,” and then continue to be beaten and humiliated by the spouse they give power to. Every time we watch and see the BS, we're slapped in the face. Then, instead of walking away, we say “it’ll get better” and allow ourselves to be beaten again by Vince McMahon and his horrendous decisions. As a fan who’s followed WWE religiously from 1988-2010 and continued to follow even when my faith was shaken in 2010, I understand this theory personally. I can’t believe that, even though I know I’m going to be abused and kicked around by my wrestling Daddy, I keep coming back because I think “it’s gonna get better.” I can’t help but laugh really because I’m smart enough to end the relationship. Yet, I keep coming back.
**Also at Extreme Rules, Michelle McCool wrestled her final match (for the time being) as she lost a Loser Leaves WWE match to former LayCool teammate Layla El. In a sudden move, Michelle McCool has left the wrestling business with the realization that her husband, The Undertaker, is about to hang it up for good because of injuries in order to begin a new time in her life as a wife and possible mother.
While I respect her motives for retiring, I still have to celebrate the retirement of one of the most overrated people ever in the history of professional wrestling. Michelle McCool retires with four Women’s title reigns (two Women’s Championships and two Divas Championships). But, without her relationship with The Undertaker, I seriously doubt she’d have any of those reigns. She was charisma-less, boring and limited in the ring, and the poster-child of everything wrong with a WWE Diva. McCool was NOT a women’s wrestler like Mickie James, Lita, Trish Stratus, or Tara. Michelle McCool was a Diva who shacked up with the right guy who had the right amount of stroke to make her a star. I’m glad she’s gone from the ring and hope her retirement is permanent.
**On May 1st at around 10:30PM, I was watching FOX 8 news with Melissa Painter when I heard that President Barrack Obama was going to have an announcement momentarily. The first thing I thought was that Obama was going on the air to interrupt the final minutes of his rival Donald Trump’s NBC show Celebrity Apprentice. Instead, it was a major announcement that shook the world: American troops finally caught and killed Osama Bin Laden.
By now, everybody knows the story of how Navy Seals entered the home where Bin Laden was staying in Pakistan and killed the Taliban leader. What we don’t know yet, and won’t know for some time, is just what this will mean for America. While millions (including yours truly) celebrated the destruction of one of the world’s greatest evils, I also predicted that we would know the Taliban’s revenge within the next 90 days because Bin Laden was only one man in a group of terrorists who hate America and freedom. So far, we have remained safe. But, with every day of safety comes another day where our security gets a little more slack and the potential for disaster is a little more great. I hope I am wrong but fear that I am right.
One thing is pure truth though: the death of Osama Bin Laden is a positive for the world.
**While Osama Bin Laden is gone, there are still plenty of evils left in the world. One of the biggest examples of evil has been thriving in Miami: LeBron “the Ego” James.
Yeah, I compared Bin Laden to LeBron. I stand by that statement too because that is how much I loathe LeBron. The Miami Heat are currently playing the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals after the Heat finished what Boston GM Danny Ainge started on February 4th and dismantled the Celtics, four games to one, to advance in the NBA Playoffs. However, as the Heat celebrated the big win, LeBron couldn’t go an hour without turning a wonderful moment for his team into a moment all about himself as LeBron said during the post-game press conference that he apologized to the city of Cleveland for leaving in the manner which he left. Once again, LeBron has to bring up Cleveland and rip at old wounds.
LeBron James’ apology was ridiculous, petty, and LeBron’s latest attempt at trying to revitalize his image because he can not stand not being loved. Cleveland fans didn’t accept it or care for it. Sports fans who have an objective mind and have morals could see right through the façade. But, the masses of fans who jump on bandwagons ate the apology up with a spoon. As Michelle Beadle said to the countless Miami front-runner fans who barraged her on Twitter, they can continue with the insults and cheap comments. They can enjoy “their” moment. They can run to Champs and pick up Heat jerseys now to celebrate like they have been lifelong fans. After all, isn’t that the way of the Heatles?
I am pulling for Chicago to finish what they started Sunday night with Game One and defeat the Miami Heat. But, as long as someone is able to humble this egotistical prick and keep him from getting an NBA Championship, I don’t care who they are. I just know that I will be a fan of them for doing what nobody has been able to do thus far in the Playoffs: stop the NBA’s Evil Egotistical Empire.
**The NBA Playoffs have been exciting, nerve-wracking, and are down to the Final Four teams. Two of them were supposed to be here and two of them were definitely were not. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are dueling for a birth in the Finals. Chicago is currently leading the series 1-0. In the Western Conference Finals, the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder are facing the perennial underachieving Dallas Mavericks.
I am pulling so hard right now for the Chicago Bulls to take out the Heat. But, I still fear evil overcoming good and Miami winning it all. But, at least I can say that this is a Conference Finals that people expected. In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City could have made it but Dallas was not expected to sweep the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The West has been anything but predictable for the first time in a long time. The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers (along with the Boston Celtics in the East) got old quickly and at the wrong time as these perennial playoff powers were little-to-nothing in terms of being roadblocks for their younger and hotter opposition.
With the age showing on these three teams, the easy question being asked is: Are their dynasties over? The short answer, in my opinion, is yes. The long answer is YEEEESSSS. The San Antonio Spurs have aged dramatically in the last quarter of the season. Some of their key players (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili) have been in the league over a decade and simply can not keep up with the pace of the more-powerful and explosive younger stars. The Boston Celtics were hurt and had their routine (a key positive for aged teams to maintain) disrupted with the Kendrick Perkins trade. And, the Los Angeles Lakers simply showed that their age could not had with a similarly experienced team who had one thing going for them: a lack of distractions. Lamar Odom has reality shows, Pau Gasol has a domestic situation, and coach Phil Jackson simply had a lack of fire going into what was his final series as a head coach. Kobe Bryant, also in his 15th season, simply could not carry the load alone. Age, more than anything, is what has helped make this year’s NBA Playoffs become such an unpredictable experience.
**On May 19th, season seven of The Office will conclude with a one hour special to determine the new Regional Manager at Dunder-Mifflin after the departure of Michael Scott. While I doubt any of the big name stars doing guest spots on the episode will indeed be the future Regional Manager, I’m sure that it will be a great episode and a fitting finale to one of the most interesting seasons of my favorite show.
Still, after watching two episodes without Steve Carell’s genius, I find myself missing Michael Scott on The Office. I miss him though, not because I was such a tremendous fan of the character, because his finale was one of the most picture-perfect performances I have ever seen on any television show ever. The episode “Goodbye. Michael” was 50 minutes of humor, sweetness, tears, and pure magic that should have already earned Steve Carell an Emmy when those awards are handed out in the Fall. Whoever joins the cast has big shoes to fill. But, if there is any show with a cast big enough to carry on with the loss of such a tremendous talent, it is the cast of The Office.
**TNA Wrestling is changing things up as their ninth anniversary draws closer. While I have known this for over a year, TNA officially made it clear to the television audience that “Wrestling Matters” with the rechristening of TNA Impact as Impact Wrestling. While a small gesture, the announcement shows that TNA Wrestling is proud of being professional wrestling instead of being ashamed of it like World Wrestling Entertainment is at the moment.
With Impact Wrestling now coming on Thursday nights to give wrestling fans an option, hopefully fans will open their eyes and give a chance to a company currently offering the best professional wrestling on TV today. Coming out of the Sacrifice pay-per-view event, the company has solid champions and familiar faces blending with exciting fresh faces to make for an incredible option for wrestling fans.
Sting is still TNA World Champion but has a date with former champion Mr. Anderson at Slammiversary in June after Anderson won a 25-man battle royal to earn the shot. Mickie James is still Knockouts Champion after defeating Madison Rayne in their re-match and finally getting back to 100% from her separated shoulder. Beer Money are still TNA Tag Team Champions and Kazarian is still the X-Division champion after successful defenses while the young Gunner is currently the TV Champion. Mick Foley has returned in the role of the spokesman for Spike TV (and essential the fans) to counterbalance the TNA leadership from Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan on-camera. AJ Styles and Bully Ray have an outstanding feud currently going on between the old guard and new guard in pro wrestling while Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett’s feud continues to drag on but at least offers great action every time these two meet (something the equally length and unnecessary Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler feud from WWE has not done).
I still do not believe TNA will ever compete with WWE in terms of ratings and other measuring sticks that WWE sycophants use to justify the company. But, in terms of professional wrestling, TNA Wrestling offers the best wrestling in the country today. TNA = Wrestling Matters. So far, it really seems to be true.
**Since the last edition of The Highlight Reel, the NFL Draft occurred and the Carolina Panthers took Auburn QB Cam Newton with the #1 pick. Frankly, I still think that this will go down as a complete waste by the Panthers. Newton’s character issues are the least of his concerns as Newton also is a “run first, pass second” quarterback who will be manhandled by the much stronger and experienced defenses in the National Football League.
Other than the pick of Newton, Carolina really grabbed nobody in the draft of any college acclaim. My QB of choice, TCU’s Andy Dalton, went in the second round to Cincinnati. For the most part, this year’s draft didn’t have any of the impact playmakers of the Drafts in past years. But, I think some other picks that will be important in the future included RB Mark Ingram going to New Orleans, DE Nick Fairley going to Detroit, QB Blaine Gabbert going to Jacksonville, and DE Adrian Clayborn going to Tampa Bay.
**On May 25th, the Oprah Winfrey Show will air a new episode for the last time as Oprah prepares to end her 25 year reign as the queen of daytime television. Millions of women all over the world are going to be like lost puppies without the world of their leader to guide them to what devices to buy, books to read, television shows and movies to watch, and food to eat while millions of men everywhere will look at the day as a Wednesday.
Personally, I have never liked Oprah. I just don’t get the appeal. She’s rich, famous, and has a personality with about as much genuine kindness for those beneath her as LeBron James has for the people in Cleveland. But, I respect the fact that she has worked hard to convert all of her fans into mindless sheep. Vaya con Dios, Oprah. I’m sure you’ll find another way to get in the spotlight when you feel the slightest slip on your grip over the minds of the millions of sheep who have made you a billionaire.
CHEERS and JEERS
Superstar of the Week: Big Winners in Long Forgotten Sports
Two of the biggest winners the last few weeks have been Manny Pacquiao and Animal Kingdom. While they are neither participants in sports that are household sports anymore, there was a time when both boxing and horse racing were the sports of kings. And, on May 7th, both were the talks of the sports world again as the efforts of both outshined all others in the sporting world.
Manny Pacquiao continued to show that he is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world today (and possibly of all-time) with a 12-round unanimous decision win over “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Pacquiao dominated from the opening bell and defeated Mosley, a man who is far from being a push over, to retain his WBO Welterweight Championship. Earlier in the day, Animal Kingdom won the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby in front of a Churchill Downs record 164,858 in attendance. A long-shot, at 20-1 odds, Animal Kingdom passed three horses in the final 300 feet to pick up the win.
May say that horse racing and boxing are both dead. However, May 7th was a perfect example of how both sports are still alive. While they are not looked at in the same glance as the NFL, NBA, baseball, hockey, or many other sports, horse racing and boxing can still draw the eyes and capture the imaginations of the nation when the lights are on bright and the stage is huge.
Jerk of the Week: Andrew Bynum
On May 8th, the Los Angeles Lakers’ season ended with a Game Four loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs. The game was a blowout with Dallas winning 122-86. While the sweep was impressive, the most memorable moment of the sweep came from LA’s Bynum as he committed one of the most heinous acts in NBA history. As 6’ guard JJ Barea drove to the basket and was in mid-air, the 7’ Bynum drove a forearm into the ribs of Barea and sent him crashing hard to the court. There is physical basketball and there is thuggish basketball. Andrew Bynum’s play was the act of a sore loser in desperate need of an attitude adjustment.
Andrew Bynum will be suspended for the first five games of next season and stands to lose $700,000 for the terrible foul. But, that was much too light of a punishment for an unprovoked move that could have seriously damaged Dallas’ future in the playoffs and, more importantly, injured JJ Barea. This punk should be gone at least ten games and should be fined heavily for one of basketball’s ugliest moments in recent memory.
POWER RANKINGS - Top 5 Sports Films of All-Time
5. Miracle
4. Raging Bull / The Wrestler (TIE)
3. The Fighter
2. Million Dollar Baby
1. Remember The Titans
BIG A RECOMMENDS…
Greensboro Grasshoppers baseball - currently going on through August 30th at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, NC
After attending the May 9th Greensboro Grasshoppers-Lakewood Blue Claws game (which Greensboro won 5-4 in 10 innings) with my friend Doug, I finally can say I have set foot inside the NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, NC. After my experience at the game, I can not recommend going to a game enough because it was a fun and cheap way to get out of the house and spend a wonderful time outside. NewBridge Bank Park is an incredible stadium located in downtown Greensboro. Beautiful field, great concessions, very affordable prices and deals every night of the week, and some great minor league baseball to boot. I recommend attending a Grasshoppers game. It’s fun!
WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK…
May 21st, 2011. That is the day that a church in Oakland, California has announced as being the date of the Rapture. In essence, they are saying that May 21st, this Saturday, is the end of the world as we know it.
I am not a very spiritual person. I think about it a lot but I’m not one of those guys who openly comes out with my spirituality and my beliefs. Mainly, I’m that way because I’m very unsure what to believe in life’s greatest mystery. However, I do know that the Bible says that we will not know when the Rapture is coming and we will not know when the end of time is upon us. For centuries, people have been calling for the end of time and it has not came yet. I don’t believe that it will come this Saturday either. But, if it does, then there will be some positives and negatives that will come from the end of the world as we know it.
Positive - LeBron James won’t win an NBA Championship
Negative - The Hangover II starts on May 26th.
Positive - Kyle Busch will never be a Cup Champion.
Negative - I’ll never get to meet Michelle Beadle and convince her to let me be her longtime lover and companion.
Positive - I’ll have run out the clock on my student loans.
Negative - I will never get to see Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, or Lady Antebellum in concert.
Positive - I hope that I’ll be one of those who ascend to meet Christ and be home.
Negative - The Hangover II starts May 26th and I really want to see that in theaters!
Whatever comes, I hope you all know that I love you all. Without you my readers, I wouldn’t have a reason to write these blogs and attempt to keep this dream of being a writer alive. Thank you.
Until next time…
- Aaron Goins
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