Wrestling Wednesday…
World Wrestling Entertainment - Expectations for the 1000th Episode of Monday Night RAW
This upcoming Monday night, World Wrestling Entertainment will air the 1000th episode of Monday Night RAW. That is truly a hell of an accomplishment. Whether you like the current state of World Wrestling Entertainment or not, and we know I do not, the fact is that WWE did something right once upon a time to reach enough leeway where they can reach this magical number in TV history in spite of their current product. On July 23rd, RAW emanates from St. Louis, Missouri with a three-hour spectacular; the first of the permanent three-hour episodes of RAW that will air weekly on USA. In a way, not only is this episode of RAW a celebration of a tremendous accomplishment, this RAW is also potentially the beginning of a new era in World Wrestling Entertainment… potentially.
I believe the reality is that the 1000th episode of RAW is going to be a hot dumpster fire. In essence, this will be a three-hour version of what we have normally watched on Monday nights since 2009. For a three-hour broadcast, World Wrestling Entertainment has announced the following:
- John Cena cashes in his Money in the Bank contract to face WWE Champion CM Punk for the title
- The Wedding of Daniel Bryan and AJ
- The Return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
- A DX Reunion
- The return of Brock Lesnar to address Triple H’s SummerSlam challenge
- Christian will defend the Intercontinental Championship
- The announcement of a new General Manager
That is what we officially know will happen. In three hours, 180 minutes, or 10,800 seconds - however you want to look at it, fans will get two championship matches. They will also receive a wrestling wedding, a promo (more than likely via satellite) from a Hollywood actor who used to be a wrestler, and TWO Triple H-based promos. In addition, we get a new General Manager because that is SOOOOOOO important. Those are the selling points for this, the 1000th episode of Monday Night RAW.
While it is not official, I would bet good money that we will also see Heath Slater get humiliated by another WWE legend (or a series of legends) because this angle has carried on far too long without this ultimate payoff that no fan is yearning for. Rey Mysterio will face Alberto Del Rio in some shape or form. Hornswoggle or Santino Marella will be a part of some comedy segments, yes segments as in plural, which only Vince McMahon and the dimmest of dimwitted WWE Universe members will find enjoyable. There will be a multi-Diva tag team match that will last three minutes max. We will have multiple backstage segments showing AJ skip while showing off her hipster doofus (or is it doofette?) wedding dress and Chuck Taylor sneakers. The new social media idea that Vince McMahon invested in, Tout, will get shoved down out throats. Finally, I guarantee that Brodus Clay will dance, Ryback will continue his under-whelming Goldberg impression, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will appear and remind us all of why we loved RAW in the first place before soul-crushing reality hits as he walks off into retirement again.
I will watch the 1000th episode of RAW and celebrate the accomplishment. One thousand episodes of any show is a tremendous accomplishment. However, I will watch with low expectations. I know that this episode will be just another horrific WWE viewing experience with just enough quality moments to keep me tuned in throughout. That is the current approach I have every Monday night with my weekly ventures into the WWE Universe. I want to believe that one of these Monday nights will be the night a new era begins as World Wrestling Entertainment returns to a level of quality, excitement, and action that wrestling fans loved before. Sadly, that Monday night never comes. It certainly is not coming up this Monday night.
Congratulations to World Wrestling Entertainment on 1,000 episodes of Monday Night RAW. Now, go out there and… don’t suck. You do not have to be great. Hell, you do not have to be good. A mediocre viewing experience would be an outstanding viewing experience. You have three hours and a show set-up with the potential for success. Just don’t suck. I know. That is a tall order to ask from today’s World Wrestling Entertainment.
THIS WEEK’S RECAP…
Superstar of the Week: Katie Holmes
On June 29th, Katie Holmes filed for divorce from her husband Tom Cruise. Eleven days later, July 9th, New York courts finalized the divorce and Katie Holmes became a free woman. On November 18th, 2006, Holmes and Cruise wed in Italy. We all remember the early stages of this relationship when Cruise jumped on couches, professed his love for Holmes, and made a fool of himself on media outlets across the world. While it was fun to make jokes about Holmes being brainwashed into the Scientology lifestyle in order to remain Tom Cruise’s wife, it appears these jokes were closer to reality than we thought. While she has not publicly said why she left Cruise, all signs point to a struggle between Cruise’s Scientologist lifestyle and Holmes’ refusal to go along with the cult/religion as the reason for their divorce.
How does the finalization of a divorce make one a Superstar of the Week? This was not a mere divorce; this was an escape. Katie Holmes, and her six-year old daughter with Cruise - Suri, escaped the dangers of the cult known as Scientology. This escape ranks right up there with slaves escaping to the free North via the Underground Railroad or Andy Dufresne’s escape of Shawshank State Prison as one of the most inspiring escapes of all-time. Congratulations, Katie. Enjoy having your life back and stand tall as a spokesperson for those who have drank the kool-aid and lived to tell the tale.
Jerk of the Week: DirecTV
On July 10th at 11:59PM, 14 channels went black on DirecTV as a dispute between the satellite provider and media conglomerate Viacom reached a breaking point. DirecTV pulled Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, VH1, VH1 Classic, CMT, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, Teen Nick, TV Land, Spike TV, Logo, BET, and Centric from their lineup. According to DirecTV, Viacom pulled these channels after DirecTV refused to raise prices 30% on customers in order to pay for Viacom’s demands. Viacom committed a horrible act to the customers of DirecTV. DirecTV is doing everything in the best interest of the customer. So, why would I call DirecTV a jerk? Maybe because DirecTV is lying with every word they speak.
The expiring contract DirecTV had with Viacom saw DirecTV paying Viacom much less than every other major satellite and cable provider around. Viacom merely wanted DirecTV to begin paying the same amount as every other provider. Considering that DirecTV uses the majority of these networks as selling points to potential customers, it only sounds fair that DirecTV would pay the same rates as their competition for the rights to show these channels. DirecTV does not believe it is fair though and so they removed the channels from their packages. However, customers are still paying for these channels because DirecTV makes sure to put the classic “channel lineup subject to change” in small print of every contract alongside the list of fees that come with canceling service before the end of your contract with them. Jerk move, DirecTV.
The constant defense from DirecTV is that they do not want to raise prices on customers. I have had the same package with DirecTV since becoming a customer in 1999. My package has lost channels (G4 anyone?) while rising in price from $65.99 a month to a current charge of $74.99 a month. No notice. No warning. This was just DirecTV taking a quarter here, fifty cent there, throughout 13 years of loyalty. Loyalty that did not come with free NFL Sunday ticket at anytime because I was not a new customer. Loyalty that did not come with a free DVR upgrade or HD upgrade because I was not a new customer. DirecTV has simply offered a good service for 13 years with a little of little jabs here and there that finally cannot be ignored. It is true that DirecTV would have to price package prices in order to meet Viacom’s requests, a price increase of $0.02. That is considerably less than the unannounced price increases over the years. It feels very weird to defend a multi-billion dollar conglomerate but the reality is that Viacom is in the right. DirecTV has undercut this company for far too long and is now balking, at the expense of their own customers, when finally asked to pay what is fair.
With no end in sight regarding this matter, I think DirecTV is in the running for Jerk of the Week for the foreseeable future. As long as DirecTV is charging customers for channels no longer received without a semblance of remorse or, better yet, compensation, DirecTV can expect customers to find other providers with which to do business.
Babe of the Week: Hillary Scott
A Very Special Finger Wag of Shame to… the late Joe Paterno
On July 12th, former FBI director Louis Freeh revealed the findings of his investigation into Pen State University’s actions regarding the actions of Jerry Sandusky during the period where Sandusky was an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions football team and child rapist. We all know the sorted details of the Jerry Sandusky case. While associated with Penn State University, Sandusky molested and abused numerous children over at least a 15-year period (1994-2009). Sandusky is currently awaiting sentencing after being convicted of 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse with a potential 442 years behind bars awaiting him. The Freeh report offered nothing new regarding Sandusky’s actions or the cover-up conducted by Penn State President Graham Spanier, senior vice president Gary Schultz, or Athletic Director Tim Curley. However, the Freeh report finally offered clarity to legendary Penn State head coach Joe Paterno’s role in the case. With this revelation, Joe Paterno is officially on the same level as the scumbags not given the same benefit of a doubt.
In the report, Freeh concluded that Paterno, Spanier, Curley and Schultz were concerned that Sandusky be treated “humanely” without the same concern for the victims. Freeh and his firm found that Schultz, Spanier, Curley and Paterno “failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade.” The report concluded that the four “concealed Sandusky’s activities from the Board of Trustees, the University community and authorities.” In addition, the report said that the four men “exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky’s victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being.” They “empowered Sandusky to attract potential victims to the campus and football events by allowing him to have continued, unrestricted and unsupervised access to the University’s facilities and affiliation with the University’s prominent football program.” Instead of stopping a child molester from harming innocent victims, these four men all worked to protect the image of Penn Statue University in order to save the university from a public backlash that would affect enrollment at the university and recruitment of future Penn State athletes.
Now that Joe Paterno is officially as despicable as the other men involved in covering up Jerry Sandusky’s heinous actions are, Paterno deserves as much ridicule as Spanier, Schultz, and Curley. Of course, Paterno passed away in January so he escaped the ridicule, right? Wrong. While Joe Pa is no longer here on Earth, his legacy remains and it is now beyond repair. It is only a matter of time before Penn State removes the statue of Paterno in front of Beaver Stadium. The Big Ten Conference removed Paterno’s name from the conference championship trophy. The Maxwell Football Club discontinued the Joseph V. Paterno Award presented to the college football coach of the year. The media and those in power are quickly erasing Joe Paterno from the college football landscape because of his role within this scandal. While I agree with removing his name from prestigious awards and his image from the campus of Penn State’s most prolific spots, I disagree with the notion floating around of removing Joe Paterno completely from the record books. Joe Paterno did a lot of bad things in covering up this crime. However, that does not change that fact that Joe Paterno coached Penn State for 46 years and won 409 games. Joe Paterno does NOT deserve the Chris Benoit Treatment from college football. It is fair not to celebrate the man. However, it is completely unfair to ignore and erase his accomplishments.
Joe Paterno receives the Finger Wag of Shame from me for the official confirmation of his role in the Jerry Sandusky case. While his accomplishments should remain for the world to see, Joe Paterno’s image as a good and decent man is dead and gone without only the scars from a pedophile’s crimes and the horrendous cover-up left to remain.
Wrestling Wednesday…
Ring of Honor Wrestling and TNA Wrestling - The Kenny King Situation or How Ring of Honor is Running Without Honor
I would like to preface this blog entry by saying that I am a fan of Ring of Honor Wrestling. For my money, they are the second best professional wrestling organization in the United States today behind TNA Wrestling. The Ring of Honor show I attended in Greensboro, NC on December 4th was the best wrestling show I attended live in years and is among the highlights of my live show experiences. I have welcomed Ring of Honor into my home every Saturday night since their debut on the Sinclair Broadcast Network affiliate in the Piedmont Triad, WMYV-48, in September 2011. I love Ring of Honor Wrestling. That is why it pains me to write this: Ring of Honor is losing itself by running without honor.
Kenny King was one-half of the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions, the All-Night Express, alongside partner Rhett Titus. King and Titus won the ROH Tag titles at Best in the World 2012 from Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin on June 24th. While this was a huge accomplishment, Kenny King did not set the wrestling world abuzz until a July 5th appearance on TNA Wrestling. Unlike WWE Intercontinental Champion Christian’s appearance at TNA Wrestling’s Slammiversary pay-per-view in June, controversy came with the in-ring return of King to TNA Impact. King wrestled for TNA and Ring of Honor severed all ties with King in the aftermath. The Kenny King Situation became the biggest story in professional wrestling.
While the reality is that the truth will never come to light, this is the Kenny King Situation in a nutshell. Kenny King’s Ring of Honor contract expired in June 2012. While ROH officials and King did not come to an agreement on a new contract, they agreed to continue negotiations while King worked for the company on a pay-per-appearance deal. King also took interviews with other promotions during this time. King, along with Titus, won the ROH world Tag Team titles on June 24th despite King being without a contract. Over the July 4th holiday, King interviewed with TNA Wrestling and received an opportunity to compete in their X-Division title tournament on Impact and the Destination X pay-per-view. King took the opportunity and Ring of Honor announced that King would never work for their company again.
One term that I have read thrown around in this situation is that King and Ring of Honor had a “handshake agreement.” ROH says that King violated this while King says that ROH management wanted to hold him back in his career. In a business where everyone is working for the biggest paycheck and most exposure possible, ROH officials wanted King to honor a handshake instead of a chance at more money and exposure with TNA Wrestling because ROH did not want to pony up the money for a contract King deserved. In 2012, Ring of Honor expected a man to turn down the biggest chance of his career in order to return to a company that was undercutting him with every contract offer they made because of a simple handshake. I find that to be utterly ridiculous. Ring of Honor management looks like blithering idiots with this as their defense. Kenny King saw an opportunity to make more money and perform in front of a global audience weekly. He took it. If Ring of Honor wanted King bad enough, they would have made a contract offer that would have kept King from looking elsewhere instead of shaking his hand.
Ring of Honor now is looking at Kenny King as a Benedict Arnold of sorts because he left the company while one-half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions. King moved on and Ring of Honor will never benefit from King ever again. Kenny King is just another wrestler like current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries, current WWE Champion CM Punk, or current WWE superstar Daniel Bryan who left Ring of Honor for greener pastures without ROH getting anything in return.
Well, ROH is getting nothing at all except for the profits on these DVDs and dozens more. Ring of Honor owns a vast video library filled with matches featuring some of the biggest names in wrestling today because the majority of those men once called Ring of Honor home. Unlike WWE who refuses to acknowledge anyone not under contract to World Wrestling Entertainment or TNA who does not release DVD sets on former employees, Ring of Honor loves to profit off these men as soon as they become a big name somewhere other than ROH. It is not a bad idea. You have their old matches and own the rights to them. Why not make a profit off their fame in another promotion? It is not necessarily the most honorable practice but it is a successful business practice and that is all that matters. Of course, Ring of Honor is the company that bases itself on HONOR. They believe in a handshake deal in 2012. So, you would think they also believe in promoting their talents and cashing in on the talent they have instead of producing DVDs about people who used to be here, right? You would be wrong.
In 2012 alone, Ring of Honor released DVD sets on Austin Aries, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and even Chris Hero. Hero is currently wasting away in WWE’s developmental territory. ROH, however, saw an excellent opportunity to make some money and they took it. Meanwhile, the current ROH roster continues to go underpaid and under-appreciated. The Young Bucks - Matt and Nick Jackson, The Bravado Brothers - Harlem and Lancelot, and TJ Perkins are among the talents ROH have let stay at home because the company did not want use them. Paying for their appearance and work was not in the best interest of the company. Meanwhile, ROH gladly paid for former WWE and TNA talent like Rhino, Lance Storm, Fit Finlay, and the Headbangers to come into the company in the same time. In addition, Ring of Honor pays for DVD production and promotion for merchandise with the images of men who used to compete here as the future of ROH sits on the sidelines. Of course, as long as a wrestler shakes a member of ROH managements’ hand, these young talents should be thankful to work for ROH and never accept a better opportunity in another promotion. Ring of Honor wants a profit and do not care about their talents getting a profit too.
Ring of Honor is a great wrestling company. They offer some of the best in-ring action in the world. They have a roster second to none. However, Ring of Honor acts like a holier-than-thou company in an industry of charlatans. The reality is that Ring of Honor is just like WWE, TNA, and every other company when it comes to looking out for their own bottom line. Ring of Honor shook Kenny King’s hand and continued to lowball him because they did not believe he would jump ship. They missed keeping one of the most physically gifted in-ring performers today. Their loss is TNA Wrestling’s gain. I hope that Ring of Honor learned one thing from this experience. Honor is only as important as the contract it is wrote on, not the handshake that ended the conversation.
THIS WEEK’S RECAP…
Superstar of the Week: Austin Aries
At Destination X on July 8th, Austin Aries defeated Robert Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In one year, Aries went from earning a TNA contract at Destination X 2011 to the longest reign in X-Division Championship history to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Destination X 2012. This was the culmination of a dream that seemed improbable to wrestling fans and impossible to Aries himself when his TNA career started one year ago.
TNA Wrestling was the last chance for Aries’ wrestling career. In 2010, Ring of Honor released Aries from his contract after the two-time ROH World Champion was in a mere managerial role in ROH for the final four months of his career. Aries worked for Dragon Gate USA and Evolve in 2010 and early 2011. After he failed to earn a place on the latest incarnation of WWE Tough Enough or a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment, Aries sited a loss of motivation within the wrestling business as a reason why he started pursuing a career outside the ring. Then, TNA Wrestling called. Aries gave professional wrestling another chance and the rest is history.
This championship reign may only last a few weeks. It may even only last a few days. The stars still seem to align for a Robert Roode-James Storm rematch for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory in October. However, for one night in July 2012 in Orlando, Florida, wrestling fans all over the world united as one with elation and joy because the improbable actually occurred. Austin Aries, the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, proved himself the Best in the World when he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
Jerk of the Week: Chael Sonnen
In what was a slow week for jerks, Chael Sonnen tops my list for the Jerk of the Week not for what he did as much as what he did not do. In the biggest fight in UFC history on Saturday night, Sonnen failed miserably against his longtime rival Anderson Silva. Silva won the fight by knockout in the second round after a knee to Sonnen’s chest (or face according to some) followed by a fury of punches until the official stopped the fight.
Chael Sonnen used his mouth to sell many buys for the fight with epic trash talk bordering on levels of the greatest trash talking of all time. After his domination in the first fight of Silva, fight fans believed a new champion would occur in Las Vegas. Sonnen seemed to have all the momentum in his favor. Then, Sonnen whiffed on a strike in the second round and opened the door for Anderson Silva to beat him like a piñata. Chael Sonnen lifted the spirits of a nation only to crush our hopes and dreams. Thank you for nothing, Chael. Anderson Silva is still the Middleweight Champion of the world.
Babe of the Week: Brooke Tessmacher
A Melancholy Happy Trails to…
- Andy Griffith, 86 - North Carolina icon and actor known for The Andy Griffith Show, Matlock, and A Face in the Crowd (July 3rd)
- Ernest Borgnine, 95 - Actor known for McHale’s Navy, Escape from New York, and voiced Mermaid Man on Spongebob Squarepants (July 8th)
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen - The Fight of the Century… of the Week
On Saturday night, UFC 148 emanates from Las Vegas, Nevada. The eyes of the sporting world are on the MGM Grand Garden Arena for one of the most highly anticipated fights of the century when Anderson Silva defends the UFC Middleweight Championship against his fiercest rival Chael Sonnen. I know that people use the term “Fight of the Century” carelessly. However, in the case of this fight, I believe the term accurately fits Silva-Sonnen II.
This is the most anticipated rematch in sports since the New York Giants played the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. For UFC fans, this is the biggest fight of the year. Fans have yearned for this fight since the first bout between Silva and Sonnen in August 2010. In that fight, Sonnen dominated the first four rounds of the fight before succumbing to a triangle armbar from Silva in the final round. Despite submitting in the fight, Sonnen declared himself the winner of the fight because of his domination of Silva in the previous four rounds. In the aftermath of that fight, Silva has defended the title successfully in two fights over two years. Meanwhile, Sonnen’s time has been more colorful. Sonnen tested positive for PEDs with an elevated testosterone to epitestosterone ratio. Despite the California State Athletic Commissions stating that Sonnen’s levels were normal, the CSAC suspended Sonnen for a year, later overturned to six months when later evidence showed the elevated levels occurred as result of medical treatment. Sonnen also pled guilty to a charge of money laundering in connection with mortgage fraud during this time. Eventually returning to the octagon, Sonnen won two fights and resumed his quest to goad Silva into a rematch. Sonnen has carried a replica UFC Middleweight Championship belt and referred to himself as the real champion in a move straight out of professional wrestling. Sonnen has trashed Silva in interviews for almost two years while requesting a rematch. Finally, the rematch of the century is here.
I admit that I am a newcomer to following UFC regularly. I have loved watching fights all my life and enjoyed UFC from the very beginning of the promotion in 1993. That said, I never really followed the fight game seriously until the last six months. The main thing that made me become a UFC fan was the microphone work and charisma of Chael Sonnen. The charismatic enigma from Oregon helped my interest in the sport rise more than anyone else in the 19-year history of UFC did. With quotes like these regarding Anderson Silva, Silva’s wife, Silva’s friends and training partners, and Silva’s home nation of Brazil, how could I not love watching Sonnen?
“It’s a funeral of a career, man. This is coming to an end. On 7/7 at 7PM, 10PM in the East and only on pay-per-view. Chael Sonnen Promotions in conjunction with Zuffa, LLC. will bring to you Sonnen vs. Silva 2: The End. He will step aside and The Man will walk through.” - Sonnen on the upcoming fight.
“Chael P. Sonnen, true champion vs. Anderson Silva, the guy that wears 12 pounds of tin!” - Sonnen on the upcoming fight.
“Greetings from Sao Paulo! I’m learning the language: breakdancing in the Special Olympics is called Capoiera and cocaine is called brunch.” - Sonnen on Brazil’s native martial art.
“I picked my medium very carefully when I talked about Brazil. I went to the Internet. And if I had the foggiest idea that they had computers in Brazil, I wouldn’t have done that.” - Sonnen on Silva’s home country of Brazil.
“Anderson Silva, their big national hero, just put two million dollars down on a mansion in LOS ANGELES. Los Angeles is in America, for those of you that aren’t good at geography, it’s not in Brazil.” - Sonnen on Anderson Silva’s Brazilian pride and American residence.
“People ask me if I wanted to go to Brazil for the fight. Sure. It’d be neutral territory! Anderson lives in a mansion in Beverly Hills. Las Vegas, Nevada is closer to him than it is to West Linn, Oregon. He’s got home-court advantage.” - Sonnen on Anderson Silva’s Brazilian heritage and American residence.
“On the streets of West Linn, Oregon, if you lay on your back with your legs wrapped around a man’s head for eight seconds, that does not make you a winner. That makes… not a winner.” - Sonnen on the first fight between he and Silva.
“I’d beat up Machida on the way to the ring to beat up Anderson, and I’ll kick Nogueria’s ass in the parking lot on the way to my after party.” - Sonnen on Silva and his training partners/friends Lyoto Machida and Antonio Nogueria.
“You tell Anderson Silva I’m coming over and I’m kicking down his back door and patting his little lady on the ass, and I’m telling her to make me a steak, medium-rare, just how I like it.” - Sonnen on Anderson Silva’s wife.
I am among many fights fans salivating at the thought of this fight. The rest of the UFC 148 card does not matter. UFC Legend Tito Ortiz fights Forrest Griffin in a light heavyweight bout. Ortiz-Griffin III is the final fight in the 15-year UFC career of Ortiz. On any other card, this would be a highly anticipated main event. On this card, it is just one of ten obstacles we must endure before witnessing the fight of the century: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
I am rooting for Sonnen in the fight. After watching their first encounter, I believe wholeheartedly that Chael Sonnen was the better man on that night. Anderson Silva survived the beating and scored a fluke victory with his triangle armbar. Silva won the fight in the record books but Sonnen won the fight in the eyes of everyone watching. The fact that almost two years have passed in-between battles is a complete injustice to fight fans everywhere. I have never wanted to see a fight more in my time as a UFC fan and can honestly say my anticipation for this fight is right there with my anticipation for WrestleMania when WrestleMania actually mattered. On Saturday, July 7th, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will fight for the Middleweight Championship of the world. Unlike last time, I believe the better man will leave the octagon with the title. I am pulling for Sonnen… but my money will be on Anderson Silva to stop the trash talking from the best hype man in sports today. Sonnen’s mouth may have written a check that the American Gangster’s fists cannot cash.
