The Highlight Reel presents This Week's Recap for March 26th

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The Highlight Reel presents Sports Movie Madness!

Every March, the sports world revolves around college basketball and March Madness. For three weeks, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament becomes the end all, be all of sports. People watch intensely as the field of 68 is dwindled down to the Sweet 16 and then the Final Four. It is one of the most exciting times in the entire year. Sports fans love a good tournament. Sports fans also love a good movie.

Recently on The Crossover with Michelle Beadle and Dave Briggs, they held a tournament in which viewers selected the greatest sports movie of all-time. Miracle was ultimately the tournament victor. While it is a great film, I found myself disappointed in the bracket itself as many great sports films were missing from their 32-film bracket. So, with March Madness here, I felt it a perfect time for another sports tournament to occur.

It is time for The Highlight Reel to present Sports Movie Madness! 

Over the next three weeks, fans and Highlight Reel readers will be able to vote in a tournament to determine the greatest sports movie of all-time. Will it be a comedy or a drama? With it occur on the gridiron, the baseball diamond, or the hardwood? Will it be an inspiring true story or an amazing work of fiction? That is for you all to decide.

You can find the tournament bracket here.  
Voting for the opening round begins on Thursday, March 21st at 12:00PM EST. Voting for each subsequent round will begin at 12:00PM EST three days later. Voting on the Final Four will begin on Tuesday, April 2nd at 12:00PM EST with the winner announced at 5:00PM EST on Monday, April 8th -- hours before the NCAA Championship Game.

Please vote and participate. I think this will be a fun endeavor and I hope you all do as well. 

The Highlight Reel presents This Week's Recap for March 18th

THIS WEEK’S RECAP…

Superstar of the Week: Jorge Mario Bergoglio - a.k.a. Pope Francis I

On March 13th, cardinal electors voted Jorge Mario Bergoglio the new Pope of the Catholic Church at the papal conclave of the 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28th. Elected after the second day of the conclave, the church announced the election of Bergoglio at 7:06PM local time. Before his time as Pope, Bergoglio was a Cardinal from Argentina and Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In his first address, Bergoglio took the name Pope Francis I.

I am not a Catholic. In fact, I am such a poorly educated individual when it comes to religion that I really cannot say what I am. I mean, I am a Christian person. However, I could not tell you if I am a Southern Baptist, a Lutheran, a Presbyterian, or whatever other denomination is out there. My beliefs may not fall into any of those categories. What I am though is a believer in a Higher Power, a believer in God’s son dying for my sins on the cross, and a believer in everybody being a decent human being and treating everyone else with kindness. The words and beliefs expressed by Pope Francis I are sentiments I agree with 100 percent. He is a good man pushing a message of goodness and kindness - a message that should be universal for all of humanity regardless of religious affiliation. 

The election of a new pope is a huge news story globally. There have only been 266 Popes in the history of the Catholic Church. While not a religious man, I am a fan of current news and global events. This is one of the biggest stories possible. Congratulations Pope Francis I and good luck in your Holy endeavors. With the world gong to Hell in a hand basket, you will need all the luck you can get.

Jerk of the Week: Justin Bieber 

This would be an awesome internet meme is somebody knew how to spell "from."

As much as I stress the importance of being a good person and not wishing ill of others, some people just bring ill will upon themselves. Justin Bieber is one of those people. 

In the last two weeks, Bieber has finally shown cracks in his armor and signs of an impending meltdown as the teenage pop star embarrassed himself repeatedly during his European tour. Bouncers ejected Bieber from some and rejected him from other nightclubs in London while the pop star celebrating his 19th birthday. Bieber showed up two hours late for his own concert and received a chorus of boos from fans and parents alike in the aftermath of his unprofessional and uncaring behavior. The following night, Bieber followed that tardiness with a staged display of heroics as he collapsed on-stage, “received medical attention,” and then returned to finish his performance. Bieber got into an altercation with paparazzi, as seen in the above images. Then, upon hearing that his second concert in Portugal was not a sell out, Bieber canceled the show in a display of pure egotism.

I hate Justin Bieber’s music. I hate Justin Bieber’s style. I hate everything about this punk. The last two weeks have shown millions of Bieber fans a glimpse of the egotistical jerk lurking behind his autotuned vocals and young lesbian Ellen DeGeneres impersonator appearance. I hope that this is the beginning of a nice, long descent into mediocrity and eventually obscurity. 

Babe of the Week: Mila Kunis



A Melancholy Happy Trails to…
- Jack Greene, 83 - American country singer (March 15th)
- Claude King, 90 - American country singer (March 7th)
- William Moody, 58 - Professional wrestling manager best known as Paul Bearer or Percy Pringle, III (March 5th)
- Hugo Chavez, 58 - President of Venezuela and “friend” of America (March 5th)

A Very Special Finger Wag of Shame to… Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's "shocked face" - a tradition unlike any other.

I know, Taylor, I know. I am as shocked as you are. However, after some of your recent comments, I have to do it. Taylor Swift, you deserve a finger wag of shame. 

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Swift responded to a question about Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s jokes about her troubled love life at the Golden Globe Awards by saying, “there’s a special place in Hell for women who don’t help other women.” Swift was paraphrasing Katie Couric - who was paraphrasing another woman when offering Swift some support after the incident. While I agree with the sentiments of the statement, Swift showed in this instance that she could not take a joke - a problem becoming repetitive for the singer. In November 2012, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood joked about Taylor Swift’s love life with a punch line quoting “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Not only did Swift not find the joke funny, it apparently sparked a feud between Swift and Underwood.

Taylor Swift is a great role model for young girls. She is successful, smart, talented, and does not get into trouble. Her main flaw is that she is a serial dater. Most girls her age are though so that really is not a major issue either, in my opinion. However, Swift makes it a point of contingency with every publicized relationship, break-up, and autobiographic break-up song. Swift thrives on this vicious cycle so much that it has created an image of her as a boy crazy songwriting opportunist. That image is one easy to make the butt of jokes. As comediennes hosting an awards show, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, did just that with one joke and nothing more. Swift overreacted and looked awful in the aftermath of her comments.

Taylor Swift is at a crossroads of sorts with her career. Still arguably the most successful artist in the world today, Taylor Swift reminds me of Shania Twain more with every accomplishment and every performance. Both started as country artists. Both quickly found crossover success with the pop world. Both saw their music become more pop than country to a point where country radio is no longer playing certain songs. Shania Twain, for all the success she has now, never reclaimed her career heights once she ventured too far into the pop waters. The same is true for Faith Hill. I fear that Swift may be following their career path too. While I am still a fan, I am not as big of a fan of this new pop princess Taylor Swift as I was of the country girl who charmed me the first time I heard her sing “You said the way my blue eyes shined put those Georgia stars to shame that night, I said that’s a lie.” 

I think that Taylor Swift needs to remember the country side of her artistry that won her so many fans so long ago. In addition, more importantly, Swift needs to develop a sense of humor. There is a difference between derogatory remarks or harassing remarks and a simple, innocent joke. Come on, Taylor. You are better than wishing eternal damnation on Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

Wrestling Wednesday - Thoughts on Lockdown 2013 & WWE's "Tribute" to Paul Bearer

Wrestling Wednesday…

TNA Wrestling - Lockdown 2013 and the Era of Bully Ray



Lockdown 2012 was one of the best pay-per-view events of 2012. The main event between Bobby Roode and James Storm was spectacular. Lethal Lockdown was tremendous. From top to bottom, the card was outstanding with only one true low point in the Knockouts Tag Team Championship match. 

Lockdown 2013, in front of the biggest audience in TNA history, was one of the worst pay-per-view events in TNA history from top to bottom. Lazy, uninspired, and illogical, Lockdown 2013 provided one of the most lackluster events from TNA Wrestling in the last four years. The most memorable moment from the night -- the crowning of Bully Ray as TNA World Heavyweight Champion and revelation of Bully Ray as the President of Aces and Eights -- stands out of the prime example of everything wrong with this event. I hate saying that too because I am really, really thrilled for Mark LoMonaco and the culmination of a 22-year journey to the top.

Bully Ray defeated Jeff Hardy for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a surprisingly weak main event at Lockdown in which both men went through the proverbial motions with a couple of spots thrown in to break up the monotony. In the end, Bully Ray struck Hardy with a hammer tossed to him by Devon and scored the cheap victory. Then, Ray cut a vicious promo on Hulk Hogan and Brooke Hogan before revealing himself as the President of Aces and Eights. 

Six months too late in my opinion.

I would have loved this in October 2012. I called for this in October 2012. However, Bully Ray turned face and sided with TNA in the war against Aces and Eights. For months, he fought with Aces and Eights only to then reveal himself as the leader of the group in March 2013. To me, that booking decision was nothing more than TNA running out of ideas for who would make a good leader for the enemy faction and “throwing crap at the wall” booking most often seen in World Wrestling Entertainment. It almost makes me question if Jeff Jarrett, my selection for Aces and Eights President, did not turn down the opportunity to lead the group and this was TNA’s next option after missing the chance when the iron was hot in October. 

As for the rest of Lockdown, the only match worth note was an outstanding Triple Threat match for the TNA World Tag team Championships where Austin Aries and Bobby Roode defeated both Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez and Bad Influence - Christopher Daniels and Kazarian. Lethal Lockdown was a bloodless, mediocre affair while Kurt Angle’s loss to Wes Brisco was an upset but an unimpressive outing from Brisco. Velvet Sky retained the Knockouts Championship over Gail Kim in a solid match where Kim’s interaction with referee Taryn Terrell was more exciting than the championship match itself. Robbie T over Robbie E, Joseph Park over Joey Ryan, and Kenny King’s X-Division title defense were all forgettable filler in a night of mediocrity from TNA.

TNA Wrestling had the chance to take a massive step forward at Lockdown in front of 10,000 fans at the Alamodome, a massive step forward on the eve of taking Impact Wrestling on the road weekly. However, TNA took a massive step backwards instead as they ran like a Kenyan running from a hungry lion with that effort.

It is a shame too because I am so happy that Bully Ray is finally a world champion. Bully Ray showed in 2002 as Bubba Ray Dudley in WWE that he could be a main event solo star. However, Triple H used political stroke to squash his momentum. Nearly a decade later, TNA finally gave Bully Ray the chance to shine on his own as a solo star. Now, two years after going solo and a year after being ready for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Bully Ray finally has the gold he deserves. I just hate that it came as the result of a horrible booking decision six months too late for my tastes or on one of the worst pay-per-views produced by TNA in a long, long time. I hope that Bully Ray and TNA can rebound from the misfire that was Lockdown 2013. I would hate to think that the Bully Ray Era in TNA is going to be a complete failure.

Of course, I would be remiss if I did not touch on another shining example of the tasteless, classless, and downright disgusting antics of World Wrestling Entertainment.



William Moody, known the wrestling world as Percy Pringle, III and Paul Bearer, passed away last week at the age of 58. As the wrestling world mourned, I posted a tweet that initially garnered a lot of backlash because it was deemed insensitive and because people thought I was wrong, plain and simple. 

As the wrestling world mourns Paul Bearer, @WWE writers, @CMPunk, & @HeymanHustle smile knowing they have promo material for RAW & UTaker. - March 6th at 2:07AM.

Within moments of the post, I received comments from fans saying that WWE would not stoop to that level. I received comments about how CM Punk would never do anything of that nature because he is “respectful of the business” and therefore Punk would “refuse to take part in anything that distasteful.” Despite countless examples contrary to that belief -- namely Punk’s participation in the mockery of Jerry Lawler’s 2012 heart attack or Punk’s mockery of religion for cheap heat on social media, fans continue to wear rose-colored glasses and give both World Wrestling Entertainment and CM Punk the benefit of a doubt time and time again. 



After reading about this Monday’s RAW (because God knows I am not tuning into that mess as long as the part-time players are the main event scene), I was saddened but thrilled to see I was right once again. Not once but twice did Punk disrupt tributes to Paul Bearer in order to garner more heel heat for himself in this current WrestleMania feud with The Undertaker. The disrespect was subtle. However, it happened and that cannot be denied unless you merely want to sound like another one of the many WWE sheep who “bah, bah, baaaah” with every justification of their heinous actions. After the showed opened with a video package and The Undertaker paid homage to his former manager, CM Punk interrupted and cut a promo on The Undertaker. Later, in a match with Kane, Punk lost and then assaulted Kane with an urn before ending the night with a mockery of The Undertaker’s trademark gesture -- a gesture made in remembrance of Paul Bearer throughout the night. 

The most offensive part of all of it, in my eyes, was how lazy it came off. People justifying the segment can say if Paul Bearer had not passed, there would not have been an urn in play. That is my point exactly. Simply because Paul Bearer passed away, did that mean WWE’s brain trust had to scrap whatever plans they had in favor of disrespectful antics using the memory of Paul Bearer for CM Punk’s heel heat? No. The Undertaker and Kane could have both paid tribute to Bearer, without interruption, and Punk could have later in the night cut a promo on The Undertaker without ever alluding to the passing of Bearer or the usage of the urn. Lord knows the show was missing the antics of the WWE Champion since Dwayne “Hollywood” Johnson was off in South Korea promoting his upcoming movie.

I know that I am in the minority when it comes to calling World Wrestling Entertainment out on their disrespectful antics. I am in even more of a minority when it comes to calling out CM Punk on his disrespectful antics. After all, Punk is “the best in the world” and the adult masses love living vicariously through their glorified mid-card hero. However, I will gladly stay in the minority and stand by what I feel is right than justify antics I deem reprehensible simply because I am a fan of a person or because I cannot stop watching a product and need to justify putting myself through six hours of it weekly. 

This week’s RAW was another example of WWE in 2013. It was tasteless, hypocritical, disgusting, and most of all -- lazy. 

Lockdown 2013 Preview

TNA Wrestling - Lockdown 2013 Preview

On Sunday night, one of the biggest pay-per-view events of the wrestling year takes place when Lockdown 2013 emanates from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. One of the staples on the TNA pay-per-view calendar, Lockdown is the second event of the 2013 PPV year under the new “less is more” pay-per-view schedule TNA revealed earlier this year.

Heading into Lockdown 2013, TNA is at a crossroads. The company changed their pay-per-view format to have four spectaculars and eight monthly One Night Only specials. TNA is finally leaving the Impact Zone permanently with a bi-weekly live schedule that will have TNA Impact Wrestling coming from all over the country starting this upcoming Thursday in Chicago, Illinois. TNA Wrestling continues to produce one of the best wrestling products around on a weekly basis and, at least from what I have noticed through social media, wrestling fans disgusted with World Wrestling Entertainment are finally starting to take notice in companies outside of Vince McMahon’s dog and pony show. Lockdown must deliver and must deliver on a major level. The eyes of the wrestling world are on TNA Wrestling.

In this edition of The Highlight Reel, I am going to preview the eight matches signed for this Sunday’s huge event. Who will win? Who should win? All of that and more in the Lockdown 2013 preview.



Lethal Lockdown - Team TNA - “The Icon“ Sting, “Cowboy” James Storm, Magnus, Samoa Joe, and Eric Young vs. Team Aces and Eights - Devon, Mr. Anderson, DOC, Knox, and Garret Bischoff - The longest-running rivalry in TNA Wrestling today comes to a head at Lockdown inside a Lethal Lockdown match. With the majority of the players in Aces and Eights now revealed, I think Lockdown is the night where the main man - the President of Aces and Eights - is finally revealed. The timing will never be better. Not only does it need to happen, it needs to happen in this match. If the reveal occurs in the main event and involves either a Jeff Hardy, Bully Ray, Hulk Hogan or Brooke Hogan heel turn, TNA will officially have ruined this angle beyond repair. While I believe the TNA booking staff could have booked Aces and Eights as a stronger faction, the truth is the group has a lot of momentum heading into this Sunday’s event. A reveal of anyone other than Jeff Jarrett as the leader completely kills that momentum and ruins almost nine months of solid storytelling. 

As far as the match itself, Lethal Lockdown rarely disappoints. I think this year’s Lethal Lockdown will be fantastic. In an environment involving less wrestling and more brawling, even the worst wrestler in TNA can thrive and entertain. Yes, even Eric Young can entertain inside the steel cage. I believe Team Aces and Eights need the win in this match with an assist from Aces and Eights President Jeff Jarrett. Anything short of that will be a disappointment, in terms of both storytelling and personal wishes. I believe it but I will not be surprised at all to see TNA pull off the victory or the reveal of the Aces and Eights President involve a Hogan in some form or fashion just to screw up a good thing.



Austin Aries and Bobby Roode (champion) vs. Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez vs. Christopher Daniels and Kazarian for the TNA World Tag Team Championships - This match should steal the show. However, I also question why this match is even happening in the first place. Austin Aries and Bobby Roode, in their quest to own every title in TNA Wrestling, started by winning the World Tag Team titles from Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez in February. Instead of a rematch between both teams happening at Lockdown, the TNA booking staff added Christopher Daniels and Kazarian to the mix for no reason other than there was nothing else for Daniels and Kazarian to do at Lockdown. Personally, I think Daniels belongs in the World Championship main event but that is another story. We have a Triple Threat for the World Tag Team Championships at Lockdown. These six men will bring it in a big way. Since joining forces with Guerrero, Hernandez has shown development in his in-ring game to a point where I do not question his worth anymore. Aries, Roode, Daniels, and Kazarian are four of the best heels in the entire wrestling business. I expect this to be nothing short of a competitive and exciting match. Ultimately, I see Aries and Roode continuing their winning ways as this egotistic pairing is too good to drop the gold and go their separate ways yet.  



Kenny King (champion) vs. Zema Ion vs. Christian York in a Triple Threat match for the TNA X-Division Championship - After defeating Rob Van Dam for the X-Division title two weeks ago, Kenny King will defend his newly won title at Lockdown in another match where I am scratching my head. Instead of RVD receiving his rematch, King is defending the gold against Zema Ion and Christian York in a Triple Threat. King has the athletic ability and the charisma to carry a weakened X-Division for a long time, perhaps into a new era of greatness. After RVD’s initial boost for the division in late 2012 quickly petered out, the X-Division grew more stagnant with each additional RVD squash victory before King won the title and breathed fresh life into it. At Lockdown, King wins a competitive match between three individuals hungry for the spotlight. Unless TNA does something to booster the X-Division roster though, this could be the last great match for the X-Division anytime in the near future.



Joseph Park vs. Joey Ryan - Joseph Park is one of the best characters in the entire business. As the lawyer-turned-wrestler brother of Abyss, Chris Park has taken what could have been a horrible gimmick and turned it into one of the most entertaining gimmicks in ages. He is green, new to the business, and seemingly nervous about every move he makes yet also endearing enough to make the fans pull for him. Instead of bad comedy, this is great comedy inside the wrestling ring. I do not know what Park is facing Joey Ryan, other than for Ryan to get an appearance on the card and perhaps Matt Morgan to have an outlet to interfere and continue his raging against Hulk Hogan and TNA Management. I see Park winning, Morgan beating down Park afterwards, and Morgan even assaulting Ryan to end their connection. 



Robbie T vs. Robbie E - The Mega-Bros collide at Lockdown as Robbie E battles former bro and bodyguard Robbie T. Since working on his in-ring work at Ohio Valley Wrestling, the massive Robbie T has improved rapidly. He is getting over with the fans through his horrible dancing and “serious man with a fun side” gimmick that stole the spotlight from Robbie E in the first place. I see this match as a squash victory for Robbie T. He is the one with the most to gain from an impressive outing at Lockdown and I do not believe TNA will waste this opportunity. Now, if a squash lost would mean Robbie E would develop a new edge and even a new gimmick, then I would say this match could be a win-win for all involved. 

    

Velvet Sky (champion) vs. Gail Kim for the TNA Knockouts Championship - In another case of the TNA booking staff making me scratch my head, Velvet Sky is defending her newly won TNA Knockouts Championship against Gail Kim and not the former champion Tara. Instead, Kim gets a chance on the Lockdown stage while Tara’s rematch occurred on Impact two weeks ago. If anything, a Triple Threat match would make better sense to me. However, that is not the case as Velvet Sky will defend against Gail Kim. Now, before I go farther, I have to say I like Velvet Sky. She is a beautiful woman and fun to watch in the ring. However, I look at her current title reign as a gift from management to welcome her back to TNA after a contract dispute last summer led to Velvet leaving TNA for almost six months. Velvet is currently dominating a Knockouts division with many women more deserving of the spotlight than Velvet. Sadly, Mickie James, Madison Rayne, Brooke Tessmacher, and Tara are wasting away on the sidelines. At Lockdown, Gail Kim will become another victim of Velvet Sky‘s reign of terror as Velvet wins at Lockdown. 



Kurt Angle vs. Wes Brisco inside a Steel Cage - At Lockdown, it will be teacher vs. student in this battle between TNA and Aces and Eights when the Olympic Gold Medallist goes one-on-one with the second-generation superstar. Kurt Angle invested a lot of time and effort into helping Wes Brisco improve his game enough to become a TNA star. Brisco ultimately showed his appreciation by stabbing Angle in the back and revealing himself as a member of Aces and Eights in January. These two finally meet inside the steel cage in a huge match in the career of Brisco. Injured, broken, and a shell of his former glory, Kurt Angle is still in the Top 3% of professional wrestlers in the world today. The man knows how to bring in inside the ring and brings the best out of his opponents. Brisco is working with one of the best and has to show himself worthy of this spot on the roster with a great effort at Lockdown. I believe Angle wins. However, I also believe Brisco will prove himself worthy of this spot and opportunity with a great outing against one of the all-time greats. 



Jeff Hardy (champion) vs. Bully Ray inside a Steel Cage for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship - In the main event of Lockdown 2013, Jeff Hardy defends the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Bully Ray. Since Bound for Glory, Jeff Hardy has fought and defeated all challengers while defending the World Heavyweight Championship. Meanwhile, the metamorphosis of Bully Ray since Bound for Glory has saw one of the best heels in the business turn into one of the weakest and most annoying faces in the business. Married to Brooke Hogan and using that connection to get a World Heavyweight Championship match, Bully Ray has become the gimmick equivalent of the real-life Triple H. A part of me would love watching Bully Ray finally win the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his 20+-year career. A part of me would love to see Jeff Hardy retain and continue a very successful and entertaining title reign. Whatever happens, I just want to see Hardy and Bully go without any involvement from Aces and Eights at all. This match does not need a drastic heel turn. These two men need to simply go inside the steel cage and put on the kind of exciting, chaotic, intense battle that they are capable of doing and have done since 2000. When the final bell rings in San Antonio, I believe Bully Ray will leave Lockdown with his first TNA World Heavyweight Championship. I can only hope that he is not leaving as a member of Aces and Eights (that ship has long passed) or feuding with his father-in-law or wife after they joined Aces and Eights. We need a title match - nothing more and nothing less.

Lockdown 2013 is this Sunday night on pay-per-view. If you call yourself a professional wrestling fan, you will find a way to watch this show. Three big matches inside the steel cage. Four championships on the line. The largest American audience in TNA Wrestling’s history. Lockdown 2013 has the potential to be one of the biggest nights in TNA history. If the performers bring their A game and the booking staff does not make an Aces and Eights mistake, Lockdown could easily outshine that other show with the Hollywood actor and part-timers next month. It would not be the first time TNA outshined that mess.

Wrestling Wednesday - RIP Paul Bearer

Wrestling Wednesday – Rest in Peace, William Moody



William Moody, better known the world over as Paul Bearer or Percy Pringle III, passed away on March 5th at the age of 58. In a career spanning 36 years, Moody wrestled briefly before becoming one of the most recognizable managers in the history of professional wrestling. 

Moody’s journey in the world of professional wrestling started as a ringside photographer when he was a teenager. While serving in the United States Air Force, he wrestled during off-duty hours for Indian Coast independent promotions. In 1979, Moody debuted as his first legendary managerial character – Percival “Percy” Pringle, III – in the southeastern United States. It was also during this time where Moody obtained his degree in mortuary science and earned certification as a funeral director and embalmer. 

Moody, as Percy Pringle, III, alongside Rick Rude in WCCW

Percy Pringle, III was a fixture of wrestling in the southeastern United States. Over six years, Pringle managed such men as Rick Rude, Eric Embry, Lex Luger, the Dingo Warrior, The Missing Link, Buzz Sawyer, Jack Victory, and then-unknowns Steve Austin and Mark Callaway throughout stints in the original Florida Championship Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association. However, in 1990, Percy Pringle, III moved to the World Wrestling Federation and became the character which he was most associated.

WWF owner Vince McMahon brought in moody to manage a new superstar, The Undertaker, after then-superstar “Ravishing” Rick Rude mentioned his former manager. Playing off his background in the funeral industry, WWF rechristened Moody as Paul Bearer. From February 1991 through August 1996, the two were inseparable, as they became one of the most recognizable manager-superstar combinations in the history of the World Wrestling Federation. At SummerSlam 1996, Bearer turned on The Undertaker and joined forces with Mankind (Mick Foley). Later, Bearer managed Vader and The Executioner (the late Terry Gordy) before siding with The Undertaker’s brother – Kane. Throughout the Attitude Era, Bearer was a fixture of WWF television as his involvement in the constant feuding between The Undertaker, Kane, and Mankind led to some of the more memorable moments for wrestling fans of that era. Moody retired from full-time managing in 2000 after WrestleMania 2000.

Moody briefly worked with TNA Wrestling in 2002 and 2003 as Percy Pringle, III before returning to the WWE in 2004 alongside the returning Deadman gimmick of The Undertaker as Paul Bearer. WWE wrote off Bearer’s character when The Undertaker buried him alive in cement at the June 2004 Great American Bash. Bearer returned for a final run in 2010, this time alongside Kane, in his rivalries with both The Undertaker and Edge on SmackDown. WWE wrote Bearer off television after suffering injuries from a great fall accidentally at the hands of Kane. His final appearance with the company was in 2012 when both Randy Orton and later Kane locked Bearer inside a storage freezer while strapped to a wheelchair. 

Moody, as Paul Bearer, alongside The Undertaker in WWF

When I think of Paul Bearer, I do not like to think of the crash test dummy that WWE turned his character into in the final years of his career. I love to think of the manager I grew up watching; the ghoulish and macabre man in black clutching an urn while screaming “Ohhhhhh Yes!”. It was over-the-top and campy but in a fun way not insulting to my intelligence then as a child or now as an adult. I loved it. 

In the last 24 hours, I have only read comments that mirror what I heard over 20 years regarding William Moody. He was a kind, generous, funny, caring man with a love for his family, friends, and the wrestling business. Under the monikers of Percy Pringle, III and Paul Bearer, Moody achieved something in 58 years that most of us only dream of – immortality. Rest in Peace, Mr. Moody, and thank you for everything. 

The Return of The Highlight Reel -or- The "So, that's what I missed in February" Edition

I have been extremely busy with the college life over the last month that I completely neglected The Highlight Reel. I know. Real life responsibilities are no excuse for denying you all the rants and commentaries on the world of sports, entertainment, and pop culture you come to expect. For that, I apologize. At least it was only February so I did not miss much, right?

**Super Bowl XLVII, known in some circles as the HarBowl, took place in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 3rd. In a game not soon to be forgotten, the Baltimore Ravens withstood a second-half charge from the San Francisco 49ers and won their second Lombardi Trophy with a 34-31 victory. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco earned MVP honors – even though I would have given the honor wide receiver / kick returner Jacoby Jones – with his 22 of 33 passing day for 287 yards and three touchdowns. 

The game itself appeared to be a blowout in the making with Baltimore leading 21-6 at halftime and 28-6 early in the third quarter after a 108-yard kickoff return from Jones. Then, the blackout happened. An issue with the generators at the Mercedes Benz Superdome led to a 34-minute delay in play after a 22-minute power outage for a portion of the stadium. It was an insane moment that served as the moment when 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh finally lit a fire under his team’s rear end before the 49ers made a game out of Super Bowl XLVII upon the return of the lights. With 9:57 left in the fourth quarter, the 49ers actually pulled to within two at 31-29 after a Colin Kaepernick touchdown run. However, the 49ers never got closer and the Ravens won the game.

Before the season, I predicted the Baltimore Ravens to lose in the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers. The day before the game, I predicted the Ravens would fall to the 49ers. However, I was thrilled in witnessing the Ravens win their second Lombardi Trophy. The Ravens are my AFC team of choice. In addition, I really liked seeing Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis retire as a Super Bowl Champion. I do not care what the anti-Lewis camp says about the man. The courts in Atlanta found Lewis innocent of murder in 2000 and Lewis did not conduct himself in any further thuggish behavior after that controversial night. In most cases, I believe the phrase “where there is smoke, there is fire.” In the case of Lewis, there was smoke but 13 years later, we have not seen a flame. I was happy for Lewis, Ed Reed, Joe Flacco, coach John Harbaugh, and all of the other Ravens robbed of their rightful spot in the big game a year earlier by Billy Cundiff’s lack of a clutch gene. Congratulations go out to the Baltimore Ravens – Super Bowl XLVII Champions!

**Oh, and this happened…

Ride on a rocket ship to the moon! Behold the destrucity of the ULTIMATE Beyoncé!!!

Some say she was incredible. Others, including myself, say it was mediocre at best. However, Beyoncé’s halftime performance gave us some unflattering images of the singer that the internet has had a lot of fun with over the last month. The Ultimate Beyoncé is my favorite of these images by a mile.

**Awards season hit its peak in February with both the Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards taking center stage on their respective nights. In both cases, lengthy award ceremonies and celebrities congratulating themselves for being celebrities with trophies were the norm. Also, in both cases, I was thrilled that some awesome people received honors they truly deserved.

At the Grammy Awards on February 10th, the big winners were Gotye and Kimbra (Record of the Year for “Somebody That I Used to Know”), Mumford and Sons (Album of the Year for Babel) and Fun (Song of the Year for “We Are Young”). I loved watching Kelly Clarkson’s happy and slightly drunken victory speech for Best Pop Vocal Album for Stronger, Carrie Underwood’s victories for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Blown Away”, and Taylor Swift’s victory alongside the Civil Wars for Best Song for a Visual Media for “Safe and Sound” off The Hunger Games soundtrack. In addition, Carrie Underwood’s colorful and exciting performance of “Blown Away” and “Two Black Cadillacs” made the night for me.

That dress was a better show than 2/3's of the acts at the Grammy Awards.

Meanwhile at the Academy Awards, I was thrilled watching America’s Sweetheart (of the moment) Jennifer Lawrence win the first of what should be many Best Actress statuettes as she won for Silver Linings Playbook. Even though she fell on the way to accept her award, Lawrence never lost a bit of the grace, beauty, and charm fans have come to expect from her. 

Hey haters! Yeah! Right here!

Ben Affleck’s victory speech as Argo won Best Picture and Daniel Day Lewis’ victory speech as he won Best Actor for Lincoln were both endearing and memorable moments on the Oscar stage. Christoph Waltz’s victory in the Best Supporting Actor category for Django Unchained and Anne Hathaway’s victory as Best Supporting Actress for The Dark Knight Rises, I mean Les Misérables, may have been anticlimactic but were also just victories. 

In fact, the only complaints I really had with either show revolved around the hosts. LL Cool J went to the WWE School of Social Media Shilling with a Grammy performance that more annoying than endearing. However, the criticisms seemed to fall onto Seth MacFarlane for his controversial hosting job at the Academy Awards. I thought he was terrific in what I saw of his performance. Many did not however as his one-liners and shots at many of Hollywood’s elite were too mean or inappropriate for the occasion. The uptight suits of the Academy seemed shocked by MacFarlane’s jokes as if they did not know whom they hired to host the ceremony. Their issue with MacFarlane seems to be theirs alone though as the majority of America seemed to enjoy his dark, sometimes off-putting brand of humor.

**On January 31st, TNA owner Dixie Carter finally made a major announcement on TNA Impact Wrestling that truly lived up to the hype. During this taped broadcast from the United Kingdom, Carter announced life that TNA Impact was officially going on the road beginning with the March 14th episode of Impact Wrestling. The first episode after the Lockdown pay-per-view will emanate from the Sears Center in Chicago, Illinois.

After years of saying TNA needed to break free from their dependence on Orlando, Florida and the Impact Zone, TNA listened. Impact will air live on Thursday nights with the following week’s episode taped on Friday night in a bi-weekly live schedule that will see Impact finally cross the country while giving wrestling fans all over America a chance to enjoy the action that Orlando has taken for granted with unenthusiastic crowds for years. Pay-per-views from all over the country and February’s four Impact Wrestling shows from the United Kingdom show the wrestling world that TNA fans are out there and are excited for the product. It is now up to TNA to maintain their high standard of in-ring product and up to the fans who have cried for the product to be on the road for years to show up when TNA is in their town. After years of teasing it, TNA is finally making the move to reach another level of success. It is about time and I cannot wait for Impact to air live from North Carolina.

**Another major deal announced by TNA Wrestling during the month was the resigning of current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy to a long-term contract extension. I know many who trash Jeff Hardy for his past drug abuse. I have done it also. However, Hardy has shown himself to be a top draw for the company and a solid in-ring worker since he returned in December 2011. In addition, Hardy appears to be clean and sober finally. I know some will think I am just falling for Hardy’s act again. However, without giving a man the benefit of a doubt, would Eddie Guerrero’s sobriety the last four years of his life count? Would we truly believe in the work Diamond Dallas Page is doing to help Jake “the Snake” Roberts or Scott Hall become sober? Jeff Hardy has not given me a single reason to doubt his sobriety this time around. Perhaps he needed to hit rock bottom – something he did at March 2011’s Victory Road event.

Jeff Hardy would get more money from World Wrestling Entertainment. He would also get a heavier work schedule more likely to push him back into the drug culture for survival than his current TNA schedule. I am glad to see Jeff resign with TNA. Now, I just hope that I never have to read about another drug issue for Hardy. He has come a long way from the drug-fueled joke he once was and does not need to return to that level. 

**In February, Michelle Beadle returned to daily sports television with the debut of The Crossover on NBC Sports Network. Alongside co-host Dave Briggs, Beadle returns to the format she is most comfortable with as sports, entertainment, and a low-key vibe of nonchalance make each half-hour feel like a broadcast with friends debating the hot stories of the day in a local bar, club, or message board. The Crossover reminds me of the early days of ESPN SportsNation in the sense that the show is about two different perspectives on the big stories in sports – The Crossover featuring Beadle and Briggs the way SportsNation featured Beadle and Colin Cowherd – without anybody taking the sports stories so serious that it appears life or death. The major difference comes in how Beadle and Briggs actually seem to agree a lot more than she did with Cowherd. In addition, Dave Briggs does not come off (yet, anyway) as the elitist blowhard Colin Cowherd does every time he speaks.

While the numbers have been less than stellar to start, The Crossover also has to deal with being on a network most people do not even know they have on their television. ESPN has 30+ years of brand recognition and associations with the National Football League, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, all of the major college conferences, and the National Basketball Association while NBCSN has associations with the Olympics, the National Hockey League, IndyCar Series, and Major League Soccer. That should not be an issue but it clearly will be as NBCSN uses The Crossover to help their network grow. I look at The Crossover the way I look at TNA Wrestling or Ring of Honor Wrestling – fans would see it to be superior to the borderline racist ESPN First Take or the overly dramatic Pardon the Interruption if they would tune in. However, much like TNA and ROH are not WWE, NBCSN is not ESPN so the masses will not give anything on the network a chance. 

One month in and I think The Crossover has great potential to become the next great sports television show. Then again, it is associated with one of the biggest stars in sports television today – Michelle Beadle. As long as NBCSN does not try to make Beadle into someone she is not, she will carry any hot dumpster fire into a status of respectability. I mean, she does make Billy Bush and Access Hollywood entertaining.

**NASCAR opened the 2013 season with one of the most exciting and noteworthy Daytona Speedweeks in recent memory thanks to one of the most horrific accidents in stock car history and the achievements of Danica Patrick. 

Starting her first full-time season at the Cup level, Danica Patrick won the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500 – becoming the first female to win a pole at the highest level of NASCAR. Danica then followed up that performance with a stellar run in the race itself. Never falling lower than 11th, Patrick remained in the Top 3 for over half of the event – more than any other driver did. An unwise decision to stick with Greg Biffle as a drafting partner proved erroneous late as Patrick fell on the final lap from 3rd to an 8th place finish. Still, the finish proved history as Patrick scored the best career finish for a female in a Cup Series event. 

Jimmie Johnson led 17 laps and won the Daytona 500 for a second time in his career. The victory was Johnson’s 61st career win in his 400th start – an impressive feat for a driver currently in the midst of one of the greatest careers in stock car racing history.

The events of Sunday occurred with a cloud overhead because of a brutal, horrific accident the day before in the Nationwide Series event. On the final lap, Brad Keselowski turned Regan Smith as Smith attempted to block him. This set off a chain reaction of carnage that ultimately sent Kyle Larson’s Chevrolet into the catch fence. Portions of his car, including the motor and front tires sheared off the car and littered the grandstands with debris. Ultimately, the accident injured 33 spectators, two seriously. 

I believe that a part of the civility and high quality racing action on Sunday – yes, I actually tuned in and watched half of the race – came because of this accident. The eyes of the sporting world were upon NASCAR because of Danica Patrick’s success during qualifying as well as the new Generation 6 racecars. The drivers needed to show what racing was about – competition – and not provide another day showing the sport as a real-life incarnation of the Roger Corman film Death Race 2000. So, other than Kyle Busch – in another example of Kyle being NASCAR’s biggest tool – turning Kasey Kahne into traffic and eliminating Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick in the process, the accidents in the 500 were not because of the usual overly aggressive driving that comes from restrictor plate racing. Drivers were on their best behavior and it provided for some good racing. Well, good as you will ever see while restrictor plates are still in existence. While I know that restrictor plate racing will never leave NASCAR – because the brain trust believe a pack of cars running 185-190 MPH with restricted motors is safer than cars running unrestricted motors at 205-220 MPH with the ability to get away from one another – I hope this accident will ultimately get NASCAR to move fans off the wall at these events. Besides the increased danger of debris flying into the stands, the intensified noise and fumes that come with sitting that close are also dangers alleviated with spectator seating moved back off the track. However, there is money to come from those seats and nobody died in this accident so safety will take a backseat to profit once again when this accident becomes a distant memory.

**One of the most shocking stories of the month was the Valentine’s Day murder of model Reeva Steenkamp at the hands of her boyfriend – South African track and field star Oscar Pistorius. Known as the Blade Runner, Pistorius became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics in 2012 when the double-amputee competed in the men’s 400 meter and the 4x400 meter relay. His story was one of strength and courage that made him a hero to the physically disabled globally.

In the early morning of February 14th, Pistorius fired four shots into the locked bathroom door of his Pretoria home, hitting Steenkamp three times. Authorities believe the murder was premeditated while Pistorius has said multiple times that he believed he was shooting at an intruder in his home. 

This story is one the sporting world will keep an eye on for a long time. The 2012 Summer Olympics were the birthplace of Pistorius as an international star. Watching interviews with the man, I would never believe him capable of the cold-blooded murder he is now accused. Still, anything is possible. Pistorius’ athletic achievements are living proof of that.

**February 2013 will go down as the most exciting month in the history of Jack Swagger. Swagger received more recognition - both good and bad - this month than any other time in his professional wrestling career. After years of mediocrity (at best) and months of not even appearing to job on television, Swagger returned on the February 4th episode of RAW with a new racist manager in Zeb Coulter - a delightful parody of a Tea Party follower portrayed by Dutch Mantell. Since then, Swagger has emerged as a main event performer in a matter of weeks and has a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania against Alberto Del Rio scheduled. Then, this happened.

I'm Jackth Swathgah and I like reether!

After the February 19th SmackDown taping in Mississippi, police stopped Swagger for speeding. Authorities arrested Swagger for reckless driving, DUI, and marijuana possession. Picked up by TMZ, this arrest and the character of Zeb Coulter getting national attention from Tea Party-biased media like Glenn Beck (in what I believe is a working relationship between the two parties) have caused a buzz for World Wrestling Entertainment that no amount of part-timers coming in for a WrestleMania paycheck can create. That is why I think anybody who believes WWE will punish Swagger for this arrest is a complete and utter buffoon.

Swagger will be another in a long list of current WWE Superstars with a mugshot, from either a DUI or some sort of possession charge, to add to their portfolio. This list includes current Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, current Divas Champion Kaitlyn, Santino Marella, Cameron of the Funkadactyls, Bo Dallas, Jay Uso, Ted DiBiase, Alex Riley, and even part-time player Chris Jericho. While most have never seen the main event, Chris Jericho has and still does. His arrest never derailed his run at the top for a moment. 

Jack Swagger is going to be another example of the hypocrisy that fuels World Wrestling Entertainment. While Cody Rhodes, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Christian, and countless others waste away in the mid-card or on the sidelines because creative has nothing for them, Jack Swagger will take weed possession, a DUI, and the WWE’s dependence on part-timers who will not be around in May as rocket fuel on his push to the moon. Of course, he also really benefited from Linda McMahon finally no longer in the running for any form of office. Without trying to impress the government anymore, anything goes in the WWE.

**On February 15th, an asteroid entered the Earth’s atmosphere over Russia and exploded around 15 miles above the ground. The powerful shockwave and subsequent falling meteorite debris created a panic captured on phones in Russia by citizens apparently ready to record everything on video (even themselves driving).

Coming this summer. Butterflies. Birds. Asteroids. Michael Bay presents Nature and Science. Rated PG-13.

Entitled Nature and Science and directed by Michael Bay, this incident - actually known as the Chelyabinsk meteor - was the largest object to enter the Earth’s atmosphere since the 1908 Tunguska incident. Flying debris injured over 1,500 people as the shock wave damaged over 4,300 buildings in six cities. There were no fatalities though.  

All of these years, we have believed the upcoming zombie apocalypse to begin in either America or England (if you put stock in the 28 Days Later storyline). All of the movies lied to us. The zombie apocalypse is actually a Russian-centered plague.

**All hail the Upton Dynasty!

In the immortal words on Ronald J. Simmons, "Damn!"

For a second consecutive year, Sports Illustrated named Kate Upton cover girl of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Upton joins Christie Brinkley (1979-1981), Paulina Porizkova (1984-1985), Elle Macpherson (1986-1988), Tyra Banks (1996-1997), and Carolyn Murphy (2005-2006) as the only models to grace the prestigious cover in consecutive years and is one of only 14 models to grace the cover more than once in the magazine’s 49-year history. Nice!

**On February 15th, I joined a friend of mine – Gwen Grogan – and made new friends in Carrie Woods and her daughter Brianna as we all attended the Rascal Flatts / The Band Perry concert at the Greensboro Coliseum. It was an outstanding concert. 

Enjoying our seats before the show
 L to R: me, Gwen, Carrie, Brianna

Kimberly and the boys creeping down the stairs to start their set.

The Band Perry brought nothing but energy to the stage for their 50-minute set. Despite singing while battling an illness, Kimberly Perry showed why she is one of the premiere front-women in music today with vocals second to none and a beauty simple intoxicating. I really loved the sound of the new songs of their upcoming sophomore album Pioneer, including their new single “Done” and the number one song in country music on the day of the show “Better Dig Two.” In addition, it is not a true concert experience for me without finding myself moved by the music. When the crowd joined Kimberly in singing “If I Die Young,” I found myself with those familiar misty eyes that let me know I am alive.

Rascal Flatts rocked the stage in an entertaining set that did not disappoint yet lacked many big hits. That is a testament to their legendary career. They put on an outstanding show full of hits and still lacked many terrific songs because they could not play all night. For many, the highlight of the show was when the Wake Forest Marching Band joined the trio on “Life is a Highway.” For me, the highlight of their set was “These Days” and the show-ending ode to the fans “Here’s to You.”

**On February 22nd, I went to my first CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling show in Gibsonville, NC. Joined by my friend Doug, we went to the show many to see the stars from Ring of Honor advertised to appear. However, by the end of the night, we both came away saying that CWF Mid-Atlantic was an Indy show worthy of seeing on their own merits.

The event, held in conjunction with PWX Wrestling out of Charlotte, NC, featured appearances from Ring of Honor World Champion Kevin Steen, ROH Television Champion Adam Cole, former ROH Triple Crown winners Eddie Edwards and Roderick Strong, and ROH up-and-coming talent Cedric Alexander and Grizzly Redwood. I knew they would bring the best professional wrestling action possible to the ring. However, the CWF Mid-Atlantic and PWX talent on the show matched their efforts. A local talent named Chiva Kid defeated Eddie Edwards in a match better than anything on television in months. Kevin Steen and CWF Mid-Atlantic Champion Arik Royal had a wild brawl throughout the CWF Sportatorium ending with a Steen package piledriver to the referee equivalent of Danny Bonaduce.

Not only was the wrestling action great, I loved my experience meeting the Ring of Honor talent. All of the guys were wonderful. Kevin Steen was extremely friendly and fun to talk with while Roderick Strong could not be a more polar opposite from the douche bag he portrays inside the ring. Adam Cole and Eddie Edwards both were gracious with fans too. In addition, it was fun to see Grizzly Redwood appear both confused and slightly annoyed when Doug asked why Lumberjack Joe Le Duc was on his t-shirts. That said, all of these guys made the fans feel like friends - something that comes in encounters with true class acts. Some guys (Raven, Ole Anderson) could learn a lot from their younger counterparts.

THIS MONTH’S AWARDS
Superstar of the Week: Chicks, man.

February 2013 was definitely a month full of Girl Power. Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway collected awards left and right for their performances in Silver Linings Playbook and Les Misérables respectively. Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Kelly Clarkson all walked away with Grammy Awards. Danica Patrick won the pole for the Daytona 500 and backed up that qualifying lap with a historic run and 8th place finish in the Great American Race. Jessica Chastain won awards for Zero Dark Thirty and saw both that film and Mama do extremely well at the box office. Beyoncé crushed life at the Super Bowl and gave us a meme we all adore.

She'll break your heart and your arm.

Then, there was “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey. On February 23rd, Rousey became the first woman to headline a UFC event when she, alongside Liz Carmouche, headlined UFC 157. Rousey defeated Carmouche via armbar submission in the first round of a competitive fight to retain her Women’s Bantamweight Championship. The fight brought more attention to the rising UFC and showed that interest does exist in women’s mixed martial arts. If UFC promoter Dana White can find more competition for Rousey - maybe convince Gina Carano to return to the fight game - Ronda Rousey’s epic night in Anaheim will be the first of many epic nights for women’s MMA.

Yes, many men did have a great February. However, February 2013 was certainly a month where “Chicks Rules” was not just a catchphrase. 

Jerk of the Week: The International Olympic Committee 

I love the Olympics. I make no secret of that. However, I find myself annoyed by the decisions of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) more and more with every decision they announce. On February 12th, the IOC made their latest blunder with an announcement regarding the 2020 Summer Games - wrestling would no longer be an Olympic sport. 

One of the oldest sports in the history of time and one of the pillars of the Olympic Games alongside track and field is no longer an Olympic sport. Yet, badminton remains. Table tennis remains. Trampoline is an Olympic sport. It is painful enough that baseball and softball are no longer Olympic sports. However, now wrestling is no longer an Olympic sport?!? What is next? Removing track and field in favor of air guitar?!?

If the IOC does not quickly rectify this problem and return wrestling to its rightful place among the sports of the 2020 Olympiad, I think the IOC will realize their blunder in 2020 when many turn a blind eye towards an Olympics without one of the pillars of the games.

A Melancholy Happy Trails to… 
- Bonnie Franklin, 69 - American actress best known for One Day at a Time (March 1st)
- C. Everett Coop, 96 - American surgeon and Surgeon General of the United States from 1982-1989 (February 25th)
- Lou Myers, 77 - American actor best known for A Different World (February 19th)
- Jerry Buss, 80 - American entrepreneur and owner of the Los Angeles Lakers (February 18th)
- Mindy McCready, 37 - Country singer best known for “Ten Thousand Angels” and “Guys Do It All the Time” (February 17th)
- Reeva Steenkamp, 29 - South African model and murder victim of Oscar Pistorius (February 14th) 
- Barney, 12 - American Scottish Terrier owned by President George W. Bush (February 1st)
- Ed Koch, 88 - American politician best known as Mayor of New York from 1978-1989 and judge on The People’s Court (February 1st)
- Caleb Moore, 25 - American snowmobile competitor (January 31st)