- Despite the air of change in World Wrestling Entertainment, nothing is going to change.
- Lady Antebellum and Ring of Honor Wrestling are worth the price of admission.
- Tebowmania has no end in sight.
- And, I’m Aaron Goins. All my thoughts on these topics and so much more (including the end of the NBA Lockout)… in The Highlight Reel!
NEWS and NOTES
**The final two pay-per-view events of 2011 have occurred for World Wrestling Entertainment as the Survivor Series emanated from the historic Madison Square Garden in New York City while TLC took place in Baltimore, Maryland.
The 2011 Survivor Series came and went with history made in a new WWE Champion while a relic from the WWE’s past outshined the present in a main event that did more damage to the current product than the powers that be could imagine. Of course, it is World Wrestling Entertainment so they will never see that because the company does not look at anything in terms of “long term.” If the company booked in the 1980s as they book currently, the 2011 Survivor Series would not have been the 25th Anniversary (24th Anniversary for the rest of us who can do math) of the Thanksgiving tradition.
The most memorable moment of the 2011 Survivor Series for me will be the crowning of CM Punk as WWE Champion for a second time. CM Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio in a terrific 15+ minute match via Anaconda Vice to win the gold in front of a packed Madison Square Garden that worshiped at the altar of Punk. While this should have been a major high point in the show and in 2011 as a whole, the match was overshadowed by a main event that pushed a Hollywood action star over three current WWE Superstars.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena defeated The Miz and R-Truth in a tag team match when Johnson pinned Miz after hitting the Awesome One with all his familiar moves last seen regularly in 2002. After the match, Johnson caught his tag team partner for the night and WrestleMania XXVIII opponent Cena with a Rock Bottom to send the New York City fans home happy. This was the second marquee event of 2011 to end with Dwayne Johnson standing tall before heading off to a movie set the following afternoon.
While this adds a hint of long-term booking in terms of Cena and Johnson having a hot feud heading into WrestleMania, it completely shows a lack of long-term booking in terms of the future after WrestleMania XXVIII. After WrestleMania, Dwayne Johnson will be gone. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. So, who is going to be there for fans to watch regularly? Who are the stars who will put butts in the seats? Management would have you believe that the other three men in the Survivor Series main event are among those stars. Other than Cena though, do the other two really have that kind of power? No.
I have a constant tug-of-war regarding my feelings on John Cena. I like John Cena when he is a main event star who sells and puts over his opponents. I like Cena when he is not booked as the unstoppable machine known as Super Cena. However, John Cena is decked out in Super Cena gear and crushing every adversary in sight more times than not. I hate that John Cena with every fiber of my being. All of that said, John Cena is an established main event star. On the other hand, The Miz and R-Truth are not main event stars. The Miz may have a WWE Championship reign under his belt but he is not a draw. R-Truth definitely is not a draw. Truth was over with fans for months as a crazy heel, got a WWE title chance, and had his momentum crushed by the aforementioned Super Cena. The Miz and R-Truth both could have benefited from a win over John Cena and Dwayne Johnson. Instead, Dwayne Johnson received both Miz and Truth on a silver platter. Then, Truth received a 30-day vacation for smoking fake marijuana.
Dwayne “The Action Star” Johnson could not put over a single professional wrestler in his Survivor Series appearance in much the same way he will not put over a professional wrestler at WrestleMania XXVIII. What does this get the WWE ultimately? Money on April 1st, 2012 followed by a lack of star power and drawing power on April 2nd, 2012. I just do not see the logic in appealing to fans who left in 2002 when The Rock left for Hollywood by pushing him over the stars of today knowing full well Dwayne will be gone along with these fans’ money after WrestleMania XXVIII. Instead of building for the future and creating a better product, WWE is killing the long-term gains in favor of a short-term score. That is stupidity at its finest and another example of how Vince McMahon is a millionaire when he could be a billionaire.
As for the rest of the Survivor Series, the card sounded like an okay event. The Big Show defeated World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry by disqualification after a low blow in a match that screamed fast-paced action the likes of which we have not seen since Rey Mysterio-Eddie Guerrero. Beth Phoenix beat Eve Torres to retain the Divas Championship and Dolph Ziggler defeated John Morrison to retain the United States title. In addition, Team Barrett (Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, and Hunico) defeated Team Orton (Randy Orton, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Mason Ryan, and Sin Cara) when Barrett and Rhodes survived a match that saw Sin Cara continue to earn the name Botch Cara by injuring his knee. Also, my girlfriend (only she doesn’t know it) Michelle Beadle had front row seats for the event. Therefore, the audience offered something wonderful to watch when the booking failed to deliver.
Michelle Beadle on WhoSay
Meanwhile, people will remember the 2011 edition of TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs for two things: Zack Ryder’s biggest victory ever and Ring of Honor Wrestling’s greatest night ever.
TLC 2011, from all accounts, was a tremendous pay-per-view event. It went alongside Money in the Bank in terms of praise and popularity from wrestling fans all over the internet. Real wrestling fans too and not mere sports entertainment fans. After Money in the Bank, I showed a tremendous amount of cynicism towards the notion that World Wrestling Entertainment was making a move for the better. WWE proved me correct. Therefore, that is why I have the same message to every fan overreacting to this event too: this means nothing.
I hate being the buzz kill. I do. I hate the buzz kills and Debbie Downers of the world as much as the next person does. However, I have a dose of truth for all the fans losing their minds with excitement: the 2011 TLC event sounded like a great show. However, so was Money in the Bank in July. What happened next? TLC was a glimmer of hope, a taste of what could happen weekly, followed with four months of GARBAGE called the Road to WrestleMania. Enjoy it now, kids. This was the ’E throwing you a bone before you are bludgeoned with Cena-Dwayne and Undertaker-Triple H III crap! It happened when the Summer of Punk turned into the Summer of Triple H and Kevin Nash while John Cena got another title reign. It will happen now when Daniel Bryan drops the title to Randy Orton and Zack Ryder’s title win means he will hold a strap while working matches on Superstars.
At TLC, CM Punk retained the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat TLC match over Alberto Del Rio and The Miz. Meanwhile, The Big Show defeated Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship before Daniel Bryan cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win his first World Heavyweight Championship. More on Bryan’s big win in a moment. Also at TLC, Triple H defeated Kevin Nash in a Sledgehammer Ladder match. Randy Orton defeated Wade Barrett in a Tables match. Cody Rhodes retained the Intercontinental title against Booker T (yeah, Booker T). Zack Ryder won the United States Championship from Dolph Ziggler in a title change that should have occurred two months ago. Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne (the Mid-Card Express) retained the Tag Team titles over Primo and Epico (Puerto Rican America). Beth Phoenix avoided Kelly Kelly’s “roll-up of doom” to retain the Divas title. Plus, Sheamus pinned Jack Swagger in a match we have seen 45 times in three months. After summing the event up, it does not sound anywhere near as good as people say it was. Maybe the absence of John Cena made it enjoyable. Who knows?
As for the new World Heavyweight Champion, let me start by saying I like Daniel Bryan. I do. However, this reeks of panic by the WWE booking staff. You see, Bryan could not cash in Money in the Bank on Mark Henry when he was down a month ago on SmackDown yet, in the same predicament at TLC, Bryan can cash it in on Big Show. Why? It is because the booking team needed to get the Money in the Bank option away from Bryan before WrestleMania rolled around and his promise of cashing in at WrestleMania might become a realistic expectation from fans. If Daniel Bryan were a serious and legit world champion in the WWE’s eyes, he would not have spent the last four months as a constant jobber to Mark Henry, Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Christian, or even Sin Cara.
I know that fans are excited. In World Wrestling Entertainment right now, the two world champions are CM Punk and Daniel Bryan: two of the greatest professional wrestlers ever to come from Ring of Honor. However, while Punk has remained true to form even with all of his career-elevating and business-changing momentum destroyed, Daniel Bryan is not the same man who set the world on fire in Ring of Honor. I am in the minority in this belief but Daniel Bryan DOES NOT belong as a World Champion in even the WWE today. He has been a jobber the likes of which we have not seen since Duane Gill and is now World Heavyweight Champion because of the Money in the Bank gimmick that grows staler with every new, undeserving champion. Everyone is celebrating Bryan Danielson, the American Dragon of Ring of Honor, winning the strap in WWE. Bryan Danielson did not win. He was replaced with a joke more undeserving to hold a world championship than Tommy “Wildfire” Rich was in 1981. This all makes for a heart-warming story but the truth is that Daniel Bryan will not hold that title six weeks and will not be in a marquee match at WrestleMania XXVIII in April. It is sad but true.
**There are two weeks left in the 2011 NFL season and we have a logjam at the top of both the NFC and AFC standings. Also, in true NFL fashion, we have many teams battling for the final Wild Card spots in the upcoming playoffs. As Green Bay showed last season, it does not matter how you get into the playoffs. It is all about how you play once you’re in the postseason.
In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers had their quest for perfection come up short with a 19-14 loss at Kansas City. The Packers still appear to be the team to beat in the NFC though with their 13-1 record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers are battling for the #2 seed in the NFC. The NFC East is a three-team fight with the Dallas Cowboys leading the New York Giants by a game with the disappointing Philadelphia Eagles still having an outside chance despite a 6-8 record. The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions own the wild card spots currently but have pressure from the NFC East teams and the 7-7 Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals who all have long shot chances.
Meanwhile, the AFC is loaded at the top. The New England Patriots appear primed for one more run as they sit atop the conference with an 11-3 record. The Houston Texans will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and are fighting with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens of the AFC North for the #2 seed. Tebowmania has the Denver Broncos now leading the AFC West with both the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers still in the hunt for the division. The AFC wild card picture is a little less crowded as only one spot is available. The New York Jets currently hold the spot but have the Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and AFC West teams all in the fight for that spot.
As the playoff picture becomes clearer, I think that it is easy in saying Green Bay and New England will be the top seeds. In the NFC, I see Green Bay joined by San Francisco in receiving first round byes. New Orleans and the New York Giants will receive home games for the first round while Atlanta and Detroit will be the wild card representatives. In the AFC, Baltimore will join New England in receiving first round byes. Houston and Denver will play at home in the opening round while Pittsburgh and… the Cincinnati Bengals. Sorry, Michelle Beadle. The New York Jets cannot win games that matter in 2011. I think they will lose out and the AFC North will send three representatives to the postseason. One thing that I am sure of though regarding the NFL Playoffs is that I believe these playoffs have an air of unpredictability about them that will lead to a lot of spectacular football.
**In the last edition of The Highlight Reel, the Penn State sex scandal was just beginning to unravel. As I feared, the truth came out that Joe Paterno indeed knew more than he let on. Joe Paterno fulfilled his legal obligations by reporting the sexual abuse committed by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky to superiors at Penn State. However, when Paterno failed to report these crimes to the police after seeing that nothing was did in the first place, Joe Pa failed his moral obligations and became an accessory to these heinous crimes. Penn State removed the winningest coach in college football history from his position on November 9th while Penn State students lost their minds with riots and demonstrations that occurred in the aftermath of Paterno’s firing. Even weeks later, these supporters still are putting football first over the safety of children and consider anybody who does not follow that mindset to be an enemy. That is extremely sad considering the graphic, unsettling, and disturbing testimony released about what Mike McQueary reported to Joe Paterno in 2002. Sadly, this is not the only major sexual abuse story in college athletics.
A similar scandal has rocked college basketball as accusations of sexual abuse committed by Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine have emerged. Fine, an assistant under head coach Jim Boeheim for 36 years, was fired on November 27th after allegations came out that Fine had sexually abused Syracuse ball boys from the 1970s through the 1990s. Just as with the Penn State scandal, Jim Boeheim has denied knowledge of Fine’s wrongdoings at Syracuse. Thus far, no evidence has surfaced stating Boeheim knew anything. However, Paterno destroyed my faith in the innocent and naive head coach completely. I doubt that Boeheim did not know what his friend and assistant coach was doing all these years. Transcripts of taped phone calls between one of the accusers and Fine’s wife have shown that this sex scandal involves elements of blackmail and prostitution too. Without a doubt, this story is just as heinous and ugly as the Penn State scandal.
I just do not understand it. There are so many beautiful adults, women and men, in the world. Somewhere out there is an adult willing to participate in the most lewd, depraved sexual acts one can imagine. So, why would someone do these things to children? It’s just mind-boggling and stomach turning that a grown-up, especially one in such a position of power in a community, would do this to children. Alas, we have watched this story unfold for years as church officials, public school teachers, and elected officials were involved in sexual situations with minors. The arena is now college athletics. I do not understand why. I just only hope that these allegations end soon as I hope that world runs out of despicable and evil deviants stealing the innocence of children. My hopes will not come to fruition. We are more likely to have another university join Penn State and Syracuse. It is just disgusting to see these stories unfold time and time again.
**December 25th is not just Christmas Day in America; it is also Opening Day for the NBA after owners and players agreed to end their petty squabbling over millions with the end of the NBA Lockout. Lasting over five months, the 2011 NBA Lockout resulted in the regular season reduced from 82 games to 66. Sadly, there was no elimination of a month of the seemingly endless NBA postseason.
I will be glad to see the NBA return to my television and my stream of consciousness in April when I start following pro basketball again. I used to love basketball when I was younger. However, as I got older, an 82 game schedule just wore me out. The NBA has the same problem going against it that Major League Baseball has regarding the schedule: less is more. I may sound like an NFL sycophant but 16 games is a lot easier to watch than 82 or 162. Less is more. When the season does kick off though, I am pretty sure that barring a major We Are Marshall type of tragedy, the NBA Playoff picture will be set in stone by January 30th so I will have missed nothing when I finally tune into the NBA after March Madness. At least the NBA is getting part of the season in though since I was sure they would be stupid enough to lose an entire year over greed. Nice job proving me wrong there, NBA.
One major change in the NBA upon their return is guard Chris Paul taking his talents to Lob City. After having David Stern attempt to create the New York Knicks “dream team” he wanted by disallowing a trade that sent Paul from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a three team and eight player deal, Paul was traded from the Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers last week. This pairs Paul with Blake Griffin in LA. Meanwhile, the Lakers lost Lamar Odom to Dallas, coach Phil Jackson to retirement, and have Kobe Bryant’s life falling apart in front of his eyes (Divorce + No Pre-nup = DISASTER!). We could be on the verge of a changing of the guard in Staples Center.
Dwight Howard is still in Orlando despite his wishes to play for a championship contender (sorry Magic fans, it’s not happening). The New York Knicks did not land Chris Paul but have added Tyson Chandler from Dallas as the defending champion Mavericks have also lost JJ Barea (to Minnesota) and Caron Butler (to the Clippers) while gaining Odom from the Lakers and Vince Carter, Delonte West, and Brendan Wright through free agency. Throughout the brief but furious free agency period, I think a couple of teams have improved themselves greatly. I think the Chicago Bulls are going to do well again in 2011-12 after adding Richard Hamilton (from Detroit) despite losing Keith Bogans (released) and Kurt Thomas (to Portland). The rich get richer in Miami as I like the additions of Eddy Curry and Shane Battier (from Memphis) and the re-signings of Mario Chalmers and James Jones. The losses of Mike Bibby (to New York) and Jamaal Magloire (to Toronto) will not hurt the Heat much.
With Opening Day a little under a week away, I still think some big moves may occur. Outside of the Chris Paul transaction, many little moves have occurred but only one landscape-changing move has happened. I believe the landscape will change again before the abbreviated 2011-12 season tips off on Christmas.
**The final pay-per-view of the 2011 for TNA Wrestling occurred on December 11th when Final Resolution emanated from Orlando. In an outstanding 30-minute Ironman match, TNA world Champion Bobby Roode continued to establish himself as a premiere heel in the business today by milking the clock and taking a 3-3 draw against AJ Styles. Meanwhile, Jeff Hardy continued his comeback with a victory inside a Steel Cage match over Jeff Jarrett that earned Hardy the number one contendership and got both Jeff and Karen Jarrett fired. In other action, James Storm defeated Kurt Angle while Rob Van Dam defeated Christopher Daniels. Gail Kim successfully defended the Knockouts Championship against Mickie James with help from Madison Rayne while Robbie E retained the TV title over Eric Young. Crimson and Matt Morgan retained the Tag Team Championships successfully over Devon and D’Angelo Dinero and Austin Aries defeated Kid Kash to retain the X-Division title.
Final Resolution was a fantastic event full of high quality wrestling action featuring many fresh faces. I continue to enjoy the metamorphosis of Bobby Roode as a cutthroat heel obsessed with retaining the World Championship. As long as Roode defeats Hardy at January’s Genesis PPV, I have no problem with Jeff Hardy getting a title shot. I believe Hardy has the name recognition to put Roode over more even though Jeff still lacks the trust needed to warrant actually getting a chance with the strap again. Also, I love the removal of Jeff and Karen Jarrett from television for the time being. Karen Jarrett was horrible as the Knockouts VP while Jeff Jarrett was actually too good to be doing what he was doing: nothing. I am a fan of Jeff’s in-ring work and persona. I believe he still has a lot of good years in him. He needs more than just Immortal fodder to do in TNA. The time away from television can allow both, but especially Jeff, to create an idea worthy of a return.
Heading into 2012, I know most of the Internet Wrestling Community are still calling the death of TNA as “three months away, tops.” I see a lot of the future of the business working alongside some of the premiere talents in the wrestling business not currently in the WWE or Ring of Honor. In addition, I see some veterans proving that you can give back to the business without having to be the focal point of the show (I am looking at you, Dwayne; Undertaker; Triple H). Hulk Hogan is off-screen, which is a huge plus, while Ric Flair is in a managerial role doing wonders for Gunner in the same way he gave a young Randy Orton and Dave Batista a rub almost a decade ago. Kurt Angle still brings a ton to the table while making James Storm look like a star. I feel like Ken Anderson and Bully Ray are currently treading water but 2012 will give both men chances to shine. The X-Division is loaded with talent as Austin Aries leads a brigade including young talents like Jesse Sorenson, Zema Ion, Anthony Nese and veterans like Shannon Moore and Kid Kash. The Knockouts are still the best women’s wrestling in the world today with a rejuvenated Gail Kim showing great chops as a heel. Mickie James, Tara, Madison Rayne, ODB, Sarita, Winter, and Angelina Love are all stellar while Brooke Tessmacher, Rosita, and Velvet Sky are still developing their craft (and are already overqualified to be mere WWE Divas). The possible addition of Melina in the near future only improves an already stellar group of women. I think 2012 is going to be a huge year for the “little wrestling company that could.”
**On January 9th, 2012, the BCS National Championship Game will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. This game is usually one of the most exciting nights of the sporting year for me. I will not be watching the BCS National Championship Game though because I have already watched this SEC match-up once and it stunk to high heaven. The #1 ranked LSU Tigers (13-0) will face the #2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) in a rematch from their over-hyped 9-6 overtime stinker on November 5th. I am a firm believer that the #3 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1) should be in the National Championship Game and LSU should prove their worthiness of the title “Champion” by defeating all comers and not merely beating Alabama for a second time.
The main event of the upcoming BCS Bowl season is the epitome of a college football season that was boring and uneventful for the most part. I believe a few of the BCS games will deliver on the entertainment level. The Rose Bowl between Wisconsin and Oregon (both 11-2) looks like a great match-up on paper. The Fiesta Bowl match-up between Oklahoma State and Stanford (both 11-1) also looks like it will an outstanding game. The Sugar Bowl between Virginia Tech (11-2) and Michigan (10-2) could be a very well played game also. I hate the National Championship match-up though and I loathe the Orange Bowl match-up between West Virginia (9-3) and Clemson (10-2). Those two schools do not belong on one of the biggest stages in all of college football’s bowl season as Arkansas, Kansas State, South Carolina, Houston and Boise State sit on the sidelines in lesser games.
I hope that college football will give us a playoff format before the end of my lifetime. I hope for many things though and they rarely come true. Alas, I believe that is to be the case with my yearnings for an end to the BCS system. I hope that next year will not be an SEC rematch though because that is lame to an unwatchable proportion.
**Baseball normally does not make headlines after the World Series. This year was different thought because one move shook the world of baseball. The landscape of the American and National League was shook. The heads of fans and journalist were shook… well, more like shaking in disbelief. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols signed a 10-year, $254 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Long Beach of Southern California.
Albert Pujols is one of the greatest baseball players of all-time. In 11 years in St. Louis, Pujols has earned three Most Valuable Player awards and two World Series rings with the Cardinals. Also, he earned an All-Star appearance nine times. Pujols is currently 37th all-time on the home run lists and leads all active players in career batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. Pujols earned Player of the Decade (2000-09) from ESPN. Fans, journalists, and athletes consider Pujols one of the most elite athletes in all of athletics. With all of those accomplishments, the deal Pujols signed with the Angels shocked most because of the amount of years and money. Considering Pujols has began to show signs of wear and tear because of age (he is 31), the Angels signed a first baseman for three years and a designated hitter for seven. It just does not make sense to give Pujols that much money for what little they will get in return overall. Good for Pujols though. A man who has accomplished so much in the game and, seemingly, is clean in an age of HGH and PEDs is a man I have no problem seeing get paid.
**The 2011 NASCAR season is over. I witnessed through Facebook and Twitter that the Chase for the Championship came down to a thrilling finish between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards in Homestead. In fact, Stewart and Edwards ended the season tied in points with Stewart claiming the title on a tiebreaker (five wins compared to Edwards’ one win).
On paper, that sounds like the recipe for excitement. I loved watching in 2006 when Sam Hornish, Jr. and Dan Wheldon ended the season tied in points with Hornish winning the tiebreaker (four wins to two). Also, close championship finishes in NASCAR history have excited me over the years. I remember vividly following every lap of the 1997 season finale where Jeff Gordon beat Dale Jarrett by 14 points and Mark Martin by 29 points. More importantly, I remember the greatest championship finish of all-time when Alan Kulwicki outlasted five other drivers to claim the 1992 Championship from Bill Elliott by 10 points. What made these three championship races different from the 2011 championship race? Every race counted.
It is a tired argument, I know. However, I refuse to acknowledge that NASCAR currently crowns a champion on par with champions before 2003. NASCAR went the route of other sports and created a postseason to determine their champion: the Chase for the Championship. That is cool. However, NASCAR needs to acknowledge how champions before 2003 represented the entire season and not a 10-race stretch. I’m not even going to call for the abolishment of the playoffs because it will never happen. I just want the officials to call a spade a spade and admit that the Chase winners won the playoffs to become champion. Acknowledge the difference between Winston Cup Champions and Chase for the Championship winners. Until that happens, NASCAR can have more dogfights like the one between Stewart and Edwards that will go without acknowledgement by traditionalists.
Oh, congrats to Tony Stewart for winning the Chase for the Championship. Stewart had a great ten-race performance.
**On October 16th, Dan Wheldon died in an accident during the season finale of the IndyCar Series at Las Vegas. The IndyCar Series announced a few weeks ago that they would not return to race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012. I personally believe that should have just said they were not going to return to the speedway ever in the aftermath of the tragic accident. Also, I believe this is a major overreaction to a tragic accident that could have occurred anywhere.
The official at IndyCar need to realize that many factors created “the perfect storm” that ultimately ended Dan Wheldon’s life. First, there were too many cars on the track. A typical IndyCar event consists of 26-28 cars. Las Vegas had 34 cars on the track. Second, it was early in the event. The crash happened on Lap 11 with the field still bunched up from the start. You have that kind of racing on road courses as well as ovals. It is simply unavoidable. Third, it was just his time. We all come with an expiration date. In the case of Dan Wheldon, his date read October 16th, 2011.
The loss of Dan Wheldon was tragic. That said, this is an overreaction bordering on ridiculous. What will IndyCar do when the next on-track death happens at a road course? Do we start removing them from the schedule too? Obviously, I do not like this move. Many variables, not just the track, led to the passing of Dan Wheldon.
**Kurt Busch made headlines on December 5th when the 2004 NASCAR Chase for the Championship winner was “wished well in his future endeavors” by Roger Penske. Busch saw his tumultuous tenure at Penske come to an end after a verbal beatdown on Dr. Jerry Punch and obscene gestures to fans (and allegedly Michelle Obama) at the season finale at Homestead. These were the final straws for Busch at the organization. He had already run crew chief Steve Addington, a survivor of another Busch temper tantrum at Gibbs Racing with Kyle Busch, to Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2012 season. Rumor is that Busch had no crew chiefs anxious to join him for 2012 and Pennzoil rumbling about wanting a better representative for their brand so Roger Penske let the elder Busch go.
I think NASCAR would be a better sport without either Kurt or Kyle Busch. Both men have immense amounts of talent. However, both men are also poster-children for selfish, egotistic, petulant crybabies everywhere. If the NBA owners had NASCAR drivers, the Busch brothers would be the owners’ choice. Both men are symbols of everything wrong in sports, entertainment, and life in the 21st century. Talent may win accolades but it never wins fans or respect. Kyle Busch lost that respect from me a long time ago. Kurt Busch has, with his second “future endeavorment” from a marquee NASCAR organization, lost every iota of respect from me also. I wonder how long it will be before he wares out his welcome wherever he lands next.
**Since the last edition of The Highlight Reel, we have lost some tremendous talents in the world of entertainment.
Rapper and actor Heavy D, real name Dwight Myers, passed away on November 8th after a bout with pneumonia. Patrice O’Neal, a tremendously funny stand-up comedian, passed away on November 29th at the age of 41 after complications from a stroke. Harry Morgan, of MASH and Dragnet fame, died at the age of 96 on December 7th from pneumonia. On December 17th, one of the greatest golfers in the world passed away as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il died of a heart attack at the age of 69. Jong-Il shot an 18 under with five hole-in-ones in one of the first rounds he ever played. If only he did not have the responsibility of holding down a nation, Kim Jong-Il could have gave Tiger Woods competition in the prime of Tiger’s career. The Highlight Reel wishes all four figures a melancholy Happy Trails.
CHEERS and JEERS
Superstar of the Week: Tim Tebow
Ignoring the loss on Sunday to the New England Patriots, it is safe to say that Tim Tebow has been the face of the National Football League over the last two months. Without the flash of 400+ yard passing performances or the sizzle of exciting on-field play, Tim Tebow has captivated America through his character, his person, and his polarizing nature. Tim Tebow is a devout Christian and the closest thing to Ned Flanders in this world currently. He is also starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos despite having a coach (John Fox) and management (namely John Elway) who hate every success the kid achieves. He wins football games and is clutch more times than not yet critics constantly criticize his unique, uncharacteristic playing style. With that said, Tim Tebow is more than just a mere football player. Tim Tebow is a pop culture phenomenon.
Tebowmania has captured the imaginations of America and the world. Some of his come-from-behind victories have crashed Twitter. The act of Tebowing (taking a knee and saying a quick prayer like Tebow on the sidelines) replaced planking as the newest social media trend. Michelle Beadle joined John Parr in performing “Man in Motion (Tim Tebow’s Fire)” on SportsNation while DJ Steve Porter created a music video based on Skip Bayless’ love of Tebow. Shows like 60 Minutes featured his story while Saturday Night Live parodied him. Tim Tebow has been everywhere.
I am a fan of Tim Tebow. He is not a prototypical quarterback. However, regardless of what his critics say, Tebow is also not a horrible quarterback. Tebow is 7-2 this season as a starter for the Denver Broncos. He took a team 1-4 under Kyle Orton from the cellar to the top of the AFC West. He is a football player in every sense of the word. Moreover, for the time being, Tim Tebow is a pop culture phenomenon the likes of which have not occurred in the NFL or sports in ages. That is awesome.
Jerk of the Week: Ndamukong Suh
I am a fan of the Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle and his style of play. Suh is a beast on the field. He is a throwback to the glory days of football when defensive players were headhunters who crushed quarterbacks. Despite being a fan of Suh on the field, I am growing tired of his attitude. Over the last month, Ndamukong Suh’s actions have hurt his career, his team, and his image in ways I believe are not easily repairable.
On Thanksgiving Day, Suh slammed offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith’s head into the turf three times and stomped the Packers’ lineman in front of a national television audience. Suh earned an ejection from the game and two-game suspension without pay because of the action. This was the latest in a long line of plays viewed by some as old-school football and some as overly aggressive and dirty. While I think the stomping of Dietrich-Smith was ridiculous, Suh’s actions later that week were far louder in screaming that Suh is a jerk. While returning home from an Oregon Ducks football game, Suh crashed his vintage 1970 Dodge into three parked vehicles and a tree. Alcohol was not involved. However, two women in the car who were injured in the accident refuted Suh’s claims that he swerved to avoid a cab. Both women said that speed and recklessness were the cause of Suh’s accident.
Ndamukong Suh is a great young football player. Sadly, he appears to have the maturity of a stereotypical young jock also. He is reckless, carefree, and believes in all of the hype telling him that he is unstoppable. I hope that a suspension will be enough to deter this streak in Suh’s on-field aggression and a car accident with no fatalities will serve as a wake-up call to Suh that he is indeed a mortal. Ndamukong Suh is a talent player but he is also a major league jerk in need of a serious attitude adjustment.
POWER RANKINGS - Top NBA Championship Contenders
5. Boston Celtics
4. Dallas Mavericks
3. Chicago Bulls
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
1. Miami Heat
BIG A RECOMMENDS…
Attending Ring of Honor Wrestling and Lady Antebellum in Concert
Over the last couple of weeks, I have enjoyed two of the most incredible live event experiences I have ever had in the form of Ring of Honor Wrestling and Lady Antebellum’s Own the Night Tour.
On December 4th, I ventured out alone for my first Ring of Honor Wrestling experience. Without a doubt, it was one of the best experiences of my life. The card itself was one of those events that make me proud to be such a diehard fan of professional wrestling. The six-match card saw some of the brightest young stars in the business tear the house down inside the Special Events Center of the Greensboro Coliseum (a.k.a. the basement). Mike Bennett pinned TJ Perkins in a hot opening contest. The All-Night Express defeated Eden, North Carolina’s contribution to ROH, Harlem and Lancelot Bravado in the only weak match of the night. ROH Television Champion Jay Lethal pinned Adam Cole in a Proving Ground match. Nick and Matt Jackson defeated North Carolina natives Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander in an outstanding match. Andy Ridge defeated a lummox named Samson. The main event saw history made when “Diehard” Eddie Edwards, El Generico, and ROH Tag Team Champions Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin defeated Roderick Strong, Michael Elgin, and Mark and Jay Briscoe in an elimination tag team match that lasted for a record one hour, 20 minutes, and 33 seconds. I was in person to witness the longest match in the history of the historic Greensboro Coliseum.
However, the great wrestling action is not the only reason I loved Ring of Honor. The people were so nice to every fan they encountered. When I walked in the door, I saw commentator Kevin Kelly. I called to him and just wanted to shake hands when Kelly pulled me out for a fan interview. It was awesome on so many levels. I did not get any autographs (way too pricey) but shook hands with El Generico, Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas, Eddie Edwards, and ROH producer Jim Cornette. In the case of Edwards and Haas, I became a fan for life as they did not have to take time from their busy day to speak with me but did. I appreciate kind gestures like that. I cannot recommend attending a Ring of Honor show enough.
On December 17th, I ventured up to the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia for Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night Tour with the Beavis. As a major, diehard Lady A fanatic, I was excited to get to see Hillary, Dave, Hillary, Charles, and Hillary live. I love Hillary Scott. I was not disappointed either.
Opening for Lady Antebellum, new country trio Edens Edge blew me away. The trio from Arkansas, whose hit “Amen” has climbed the charts since April, have a bright future ahead of them. I had low expectations for Josh Kelley. His set showed that he was not on the tour simply because he’s Charles Kelley’s brother. Kelley’s “Georgia Clay” and “Gone Like That” were among the highlights of the night. In addition, his prank during Lady Antebellum’s show made him unforgettable as he arrived during a group medley dressed as a whoopee cushion.
Lady Antebellum’s set was outstanding. No, not outstanding. Amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. Their set was one of the greatest concert experiences I have ever had the privilege of enjoying. The sold-out Roanoke Civic Center was full of screaming fans of all ages and genders enjoying the hits that have made Lady A one of the most successful acts in the last five years. I felt myself getting chills during “Hello World” and lost my mind with excitement during the performances of “We Owned the Night,” “Stars Tonight,” “Our Kind of Love,” and “Lookin’ For A Good Time.” Hillary absolutely stole my heart with her performance of “As You Turn Away.” The set closed with “Need You Now” and 6,000 fans joining Lady A in singing their biggest hit.
It was an amazing show. I recommend anybody who loves great music and a great show check out Lady Antebellum when they roll into your town.
WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK…
There is a reason why it has been over a month since I wrote an edition of The Highlight Reel: school, School, SCHOOL! I recently finished my first semester back at Greensboro College. I did fairly well in my classes: one class with a 99 while the other class has yet to reveal my grade. I am not worried though because I brought nothing but awesome to that class on a weekly basis.
I learned a lot over the course of the semester. The sad truth is that a majority of my lessons learned were not from textbooks, lectures, or in-class assignments. I learn from observing people. I learned things not to do to students when I am in control of a classroom like scoff at their suggestions and ideas because I am not familiar with the text. I learned that, despite your best intentions, having an open-mind and a desire for change makes you an outcast among your peers. I learned that there is far more bureaucracy and promotion of technology over basic teaching when basic teaching would work so much better. Most important of all, I learned that the journey to obtaining a teaching license is far harder than I imagined because the journey is full of obstacles, challenges, and challenging people. I think that it is a challenge I am ready to step up and face though. One semester down, one year to go. I can’t quit now.
Can’t quit. Won’t quit. My chance to shake up the future is waiting.
- Goins… OUT!
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