The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks: 08.14.09

Posted by John Meehan on 08.14.2009

Civil War breaks out in TNA, and SummerSlam takes shape. Come inside, won't you?

Welcome back, all! And a special thanks to everyone who took the time to send an e-mail, YouTube comment or note of feedback my way regarding last week's kickass trip down memory lane as we recounted my week-long adventure to Tampa, Florida. And if you were one of the select few readers who *didn't* so happen to enjoy the video recap of the week that was, we've got two words for ya...

"Skip it."

Seriously. Rather than "forcing" yourself to sit through tangential video interludes next time, do yourself the favor and just stick to reading the actual wrestling-related news and opinions in the column itself. Nobody's twisting your arm, ya' know.

Say, that reminds Mee -- WRESTLING NEWS!

Rock & Roll.

The SELL of the week goes to CM Punk, who cemented his turn to the "dark side" of the WWE Universe this week by laying an absolutely brutal beatdown on Jeff Hardy following their singles encounter on Smackdown! After the match, the only thing more vicious than Punk's actions was his mouth, as he stood in the way of ringside paramedics and forced them to "go the long way" around the squared circle before tending to a fallen Jeff Hardy. And if THAT wasn't enough to hammer home just how big a jerk the guy has become, Punk even went the extra mile and instructed the EMTs to "fix [Hardy] so I can break him again." Well done, Straightedge Wrestling Superstar.

The TELL of the week goes to Brother Devon, who peppered The British Invasion's Doug Williams with a phantom flurry of forearms so lame that Shane McMahon probably couldn't help but blush. TNA's roster-wide brawl was tremendously entertaining, mind you... but Brother Devon's weak sauce offense did little to remind fans that the IN-RING action was actually worth their attention. Sorry, Reverend D-Von... but I calls 'em like I sees 'em.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan - the seldom-seen Hacksaw Jim Duggan made a surprising one-time appearance with World Wrestling Entertainment on this week's RAW. Though Duggan was last seen as a full-time member of the RAW roster, he had recently transitioned into a "special attraction" role that basically meant that he would be used sparingly and wouldn't have to travel with the company on a full time basis (meaning that he was free to appear at non-WWE events). Obviously, this week was precisely one of those rare and "special" appearances, though it is not known whether or not Duggan will continue to appear on WWE programming in the immediate future.

Speaking of special...


Eugene - recently re-hired WWE developmental trainer Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore made a surprise appearance on this week's RAW, where he competed in a losing effort against The Calgary Kid to determine which of the two men would secure a spot as the newest addition to the WWE's flagship roster. Dinsmore's hiring was covered in close detail several weeks ago.


The Calgary Kid - this masked Canadian superstar made his first appearance on WWE programming this week when he defeated fellow (not-so)newcomer Eugene to win himself a spot as the newest Superstar addition to the WWE RAW roster. Immediately after the match, The Calgary kid removed his mask to reveal that he was none other than The Miz, who was re-hired to the RAW roster (in kayfabe terms), thus circumventing his "ban for all eternity" from RAW as stipulated in the result of last week's loss to John Cena.

In other words?

The Miz is back on RAW -- so all of those arguments, theories, and suspicions that he might be headed to one of WWE's two *other* brands of sports entertainment can now be silenced. From an outside perspective, this isn't the worst thing in the world, either -- as a move to ECW (while GREAT for The Miz) would have clogged up an already congested Tuesday night roster, and a jump to Smackdown! (while GREAT for the brand) probably would have resulted in Miz spinning his wheels in the exact same position as he was in on RAW (or worse) prior to the ban.

We covered this one in pretty close detail last week, but WWE threw us a curve ball by keeping The Chick Magnet in the EXACT same spot as he was in before the onscreen shenanigans of last week's lumberjack match. Hopefully, this is a sign that the red brand's creative team actually has faith in and a direction FOR this young superstar (rather than a mere case of "look-before-you-leap" booking that'll see him spin his wheels with no real direction whatsoever). Unfortunately, the red brand has had a real problem with creating new stars in the past -- and so I've gotta believe that Mizanin's chances don't look all that good at this stage of the game.

But then again (as last week's Miz-take proved), I *have* been wrong before.


Shawn Michaels - the Heart Break Kid made his onscreen return to WWE programming this week, where he was lost in Cleveland found while working as a short-order cook in San Antonio, Texas. Michaels reunited with Triple H, and is headed for a showdown against Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam on Aug. 21. We'll discuss the broader implications of HBK's return in "the developments" section below.


Kevin Brooks - local talent Kevin Brooks made his one-off debut with World Wrestling Entertainment on Tuesday's ECW on SyFy broadcast in a losing effort against Vladimir Koslov. Brooks is not believed to have signed a long-term WWE contract at this time. After the match, Brooks received a series of finishing maneuvers from ECW's resident Russian and his giant-sized nemesis, Ezekiel Jackson.

For what it's worth, fans appear to be growing increasingly restless (apathetic?) toward this whole Jackson/Koslov program. For the better part of a month now, the two behemoths have run roughshod over local jobbers and engaged in a "cold war" of sorts (see what I did there?). Sadly, their momentum appears to be a simple case of "rinse and repeat" booking -- with each new week's ECW on SyFy broadcast feeling more and more like the last.

Though this week's "squash-off" finisher-fest seemed to indicate an escalation of the tension between these two competitors, it seems that WWE would be well-served to pull the trigger on this rivalry sooner than later. Because as it stands now, both men are running perilously close to the point of overexposure with no real end or direction in sight.


Tom James - local talent Tom James made his one-off debut with World Wrestling Entertainment on Tuesday's ECW on SyFy broadcast in a losing effort against Tyler Reks. James is not believed to have signed a long-term WWE contract at this time.




Ricky Ortiz - World Wrestling Entertainment came to terms with the release of Smackdown! superstar Ricky Ortiz this week, which puts a merciful end to a lackluster WWE tenure for the rally towel-waving XFL alumnus.

Truth be told, this move was probably the best decision for all parties involved. Though Ortiz had a small (but vocal) contingent of supporters to champion his "wacky charisma" (ala Diamond Dallas Page), the simple fact of the matter is that Ortiz was never really all that good in the ring, and even a TV-PG audience could tell you that a big dumb goofy guy waving a dinky scrap of terrycloth didn't quite inspire audience support.

If Ortiz is serious about the pro wrestling craft (as he appears to be, since he's already booking appearances with independent promotions), he'd be well-served to spend this opportunity away from the WWE ranks improving his in-ring abilities. While he's at it, WWE fans will have the chance to wash the taste of that towel-twisting afro'ed goofball out of their mouths, thus allowing them to welcome a "new and improved" Ricky Ortiz back into the fold with a better moveset, a better gimmick, and a better HAIRCUT several months (or years) down the line.

Some have complained that Ricky should have been shipped back down to WWE's developmental system to hone his craft instead of being issued a pink slip -- but I have to disagree. Simply put: at this stage of the game, Ortiz is no loss. Why pay the guy to improve when he's perfectly willing to hone his craft AT HIS OWN COST and there are a ton of guys right behind him who might benefit from some newfound television exposure all the same? In the mean time, WWE can give his TV spot to another new talent and see if they can't get lucky with somebody else. And when the time is right, WWE will have the option to give the guy a second look.




None - Though WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan recently underwent laser surgery on his spine and former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro is headed for a major back surgery of her own, there are no major injuries to report regarding currently active wrestlers over the past seven days.



Here's what you missed on Twitter this week:

@thisisourcityau
Why did you look like a cherry tomato on smackdown? Too much time on the tanning bed?

@MattHardyBrand
Funny story-I found out morning of I was going to SD & was pale from being off & hurt-so I used spray tan. A bad can, HA!

@JeffHardyBrand
Spray tan runs & looks messy at times..Like I care...it's all in confidence within ones self.

Boy, are YOU missing out on the fun!

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Kevin Nash - made some waves this week when he discussed the backstage goings-on in TNA Wrestling and his decision to continue wrestling in spite of the fact that he's 50 years old. In addition to praising Kurt Angle for helping to rejuvinate his career, Nash also took the opportunity to shed some light on his future in the professional wrestling business, saying:

"People ask me when I'm gonna stop, and I say this, if you stood in front of an ATM machine, and it was spitting out 20 dollar bills, when would you walk away? I think you would walk away when it stops spitting out 20 dollar bills."

What a great, great quote. Notice how Big Kev equates his career to walking up to an ATM machine that's spitting out cash? And notice how he says he'll stand there until the well runs dry? While you're at it -- notice how Nash doesn't ever mention that there are a ton of guys waiting in line behind him to grab those twenties after he's had his fill?

This is hardly an accident.

Nash makes a fantastic point -- because there's really no secret that he and so many other performers are in the business for the money. He's not looking to be a booker, he's looking to make the most bank possible. And if Big Kev is right about the business being a "me-first" kind of game (hint: yup), then it's no wonder why he and other veteran stars extend their careers well beyond their physical prime.

Like Nash says -- "keep going as long as the money keeps rolling in." Or like we said last week, backstage agents don't make NEARLY the same kind of money as onscreen talent."


Alissa Flash - TNA Knockout Alissa Flash (a.k.a. Raisha Saeed, a.k.a. Cheerleader Melissa) made some minor waves among the internet wrestling community this week when she announced an open invitation for wrestling fans to join her (and fellow TNA Knockout Awesome Kong) at her birthday party next Friday, August 21. Admission is only $5 before 9 p.m. ($10 after 11 p.m.), and the party will be held at:

Town Danceboutique
2009 8th Street, NW (at the corner of 8th and U Streets NW)
Washington, DC 20009

So what's on tap for Cheerleader Melissa's big birthday bash, you ask?

Well DJ Seth Gold will be spinning disks all night long, and the famed Town Danceboutique Drag Show kicks off at 10 p.m.

Whoah whoah whoah -- did that just say "Drag show?"

Why of COURSE it said "drag show," silly. That's because Town Danceboutique is (and I quote, directly from their website) "a new venue for Washington's gay community... the first new gay danceclub to open in Washington DC in decades. It is a combination of a cabaret performance space, a plush lounge, and a high energy danceclub."

Well I'll be. You learn something new every day.

So for those of y'all fantasizing about some hot Knockout-on-Knockout action, now is your chance to make your dream a reality! Stop on down to Town next Friday evening and join Alissa Flash and Awesome Kong as they take to the floor at DC's hottest new home of lesbian action.




TNA's Battle Lines Intensify
Main Event Mafia and World Elite Join Forces

This week, an unholy alliance was born as the World Elite got in bed with the Main Event Mafia to found one uberstable of rulebreakers to put the final nail in the coffin of the TNA Originals and their associates.

Though the Main Event Mafia had undoubtedly glommed up more than its fair share of television time, you do have to give the stable credit for their "must be a former world champion to become a member" proviso. Instead of balooning their ranks with a bunch of "B-team" talent (ala Horace Hogan, Stevie Ray, and Virgil Vincent) -- the Main Event Mafia has kept their group small and elite, and has pretty much been able to call the shots and rack up the wins accordingly.

Needless to say, TNA's booking team finally decided that it was high time the group began eating a few losses in order to level the playing field. And thus The Mafia conscripted the services of the World Elite -- TNA's newest faction of international curtain-jerkers who've managed to piss off just about every babyface on the TNA undercard despite the fact that they have only managed to amass just about one dozen televised wins between them (if that) in the past year's time.

And whereas the previous status quo saw The Mafia exerting strength in numbers, this alliance pretty much divides the TNA roster squarely in half (save for outliers like Rhino & Jesse Neal, and Abyss & Dr. Stevie). Let's draw the battle lines, yes? On the HEEL side (in rough order of relative importance), you've got:

Kurt Angle
Kevin Nash
Samoa Joe (and Taz)
Booker T
Scott Steiner
Matt Morgan
Eric Young (and Kiyoshi / Shiek Abdul Bashir)
Brutus Magnus (and Doug Williams / Rob Terry)

And on the FACE side, you've got:

Sting
AJ Styles
Mick Foley
Bobby Lashley
Beer Money, Inc.
Hernandez
Team 3D
The Motor City Machine Guns
Homicide
Daniels
Suicide

Give or take, this gives TNA's main (male) roster about a dozen performers on either side of the heel/face spectrum. Instantly, top level feuds and midcard feuds join together seamlessly -- and there are just as many fan favorites as villains in the mix. This gives EVERYONE the chance to mix things up with different opponents up and down the card. And in the end (provided backstage ego wars don't get out of control), this is great news for everyone involved.

For the "bad guys" -- the younger talent gets the rub simply by hanging out alongside their rulebreaking main-event peers (provided they're used for more than just the MEM job squad duties, of course). Along the way guys like Matt Morgan, Brutus Magnus, and Eric Young come across as young, hungry and dead-set on making a name for themselves as the rightful heirs to the Main Event Mafia's top-baddie throne.

For the "good guys" -- while the TNA's "good guys" have typically ended up on the receiving end of the beatdowns in previous months, the promotion's resident crop of fan favorites suddenly find themselves in one big (if unlikely) alliance with one another by default. This means that the heroes might actually stand a chance at turning the tide, since the "bad guys" aren't the only ones with the numbers advantage anymore.

This is absolutely necessary, since the promotion will need a strong new crop of heroes to help carry it when its veteran performers finally call it a career. Mick Foley won't be around forever, Sting will likely be out for good by October, Jeff Jarrett could be gone any day now, and Bobby Lashley probably won't even be around by next September.

Hopefully, TNA will follow through with this model to phase out the Main Event Mafia storyline while using this civil war to generate some new stars.

Then again -- we might just be biding time for the inevitable "new free agent" debut, in which case all of the promotion's momentum could just as easily go right back out the window.

(... window).

("... Anderson").

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SummerSlam Card Takes Shape
WWE Books Top-Level Bouts from All Three Brands

This week, World Wrestling Entertainment solidified their slate of offerings for this year's SummerSlam card. Other rumored showdowns will likely include some combination of Kofi Kingston, MVP, Jack Swagger, Kane and The Great Khali -- but for the sake of this week's article (and for the ease of reading), we'll take a quick look at each of the already confirmed contests on a case-by-case basis below:

John Cena vs. Randy Orton (c)
WWE Championship

Another RAW main event, another clash between John Cena and Randy Orton. This feud was once thought to be WWE's torchbearer of a "new era" (remember Smackdown vs. RAW for the PS2?), but injuries and a countless string of rematches has pretty much left WWE fans begging for anything BUT another go-round of 'Da Champ and The Legend Killer. Hopefully, SummerSlam will put an end to their increasingly stale rivalry (sorry guys, but it's getting old), which will leave one (or both!) men free to seek other feuds and challengers in the very near future.

Unfortunately for the WWE Universe, there is really no place for EITHER Orton OR Cena to go but down if they come out on the losing end of the SummerSlam title match. Cena took a momentary detour through RAW's upper midcard over the past few months with a blink-and-you-miss-it feud against The Miz, but fans (and the WWE brass) were unwilling to let the company's poster boy drop too far out of sight from the all-important heavyweight gold. As a result, he's right back to challenging for the championship, and there isn't an upper midcarder in sight who's been booked in a strong enough manner that fans will believe that he's even worthy to carry Cena's jockstrap.

Orton, meanwhile, has accomplished a sum total of ZERO with Legacy by his side. Cody and Ted were supposed to be getting the rub by virtue of their association with The Legend Killer, but Legacy has done little to strike fear into the hearts of RAW's main eventers, and the former Priceless pals are just one decisive loss away from being 2009's answer to The Spirit Squad. What's worse, Randy Orton's title reign has been so consistently underwhelming that the guy rarely gets to perform in the final match on a PPV card -- and so a clean loss for The Legend Killer would pretty much cement the notion that his stable is an out-and-out failure.

Bottom line?

WWE needs to get "CREATIVE" on this one (in more ways than one!) in a hurry. If they have any surprise superstars set for a return, now would be a great time to throw them into the mix to help mask the fact that neither Cena nor Orton could really afford to eat a clean pinfall loss on the second biggest show of the year. But since SummerSlam pretty much demands clean finishes whenever possible (it is, after all, "The Biggest Party of the Summer") -- WWE will need to pull out all the stops in this contest if they're going to move either man away from the red brand's title picture for any real amount of time.

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CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy (c)
TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

WWE's booking between shows has really been a tale of feast or famine. On RAW, the creative team has a crop of established main eventers who just won't go away no matter how hard the company tries to write them out of the title hunt. Over on Smackdown!, WWE's hottest performer is all but guaranteed to be taking an indefinite hiatus from the show immediately after the SummerSlam card is in the books -- and the next nearest contenders haven't earned so much as one single's main event contest in all of their WWE tenure. Obviously then, the stakes are high for CM Punk to walk away from SummerSlam looking strong if Jeff Hardy really is headed for some time away from a WWE ring.

All that said -- the booking that has led fans to this juncture of the Hardy/Punk feud has been nothing short of pitch-perfect. Jeff Hardy's soaring tale of rebellion and redemption culminated with a thrilling title victory several months ago, while CM Punk's clean-living opportunism made him the natural foil for WWE's favorite underdog story. Week after week, Punk was driven further to "the dark side" through no fault of his own, and wrestling fans are at a fever pitch to watch the Straightedge Superstar square off against The Charismatic Enigma in a war that should go a long way in cementing Smackdown!'s top heel through the end of the calendar year. Simply put, Edge's injury has left Smackdown! in serious need of an uberbaddie -- and there was no better opponent to execute a CM Punk heel turn than Jeff Hardy.

Ideally, Jeff Hardy will bust out all the stops in what could well be his last WWE match for quite some time (the TLC gimmick certainly won't hurt his case). Smackdown! fans have already seen the seeds of a possible transition into a Matt Hardy vs. CM Punk feud to follow, and a high-profile (and high-impact) swansong would be a great way to light the fuse for a Matt Hardy Revenge Tour 2.o angle to pull WWE's blue brand through Survivor Series, if done right.


Chris Jericho and The Big Show vs. Cryme Tyme
WWE Unified Tag Team Championship

The Big Show's shocking addition to fill the shoes left vacant by Chris Jericho's Unified Tag Team Championship partner was a great move for all parties involved. Y2J nabbed a certifiable monster to help him defend the gold on all three brands, while Show found something to do other than beat up guys who barely stand at half of his weight on over in the RAW midcard while he was at it. In addition, Jericho played on Edge's onscreen history against The World's Largest Athlete to add insult to The Rated R Superstar's injury, and a feud between these three performers seems as volatile as it does probable once Edge finally makes his WWE return in 2010.

But champions don't just exist in a void, you know -- and any pair of titleholders are only ever as credible and dominant as their challengers are hungry and motivated.

Thankfully, RAW's Guest Host gimmick helped Smackdown!'s Cryme Tyme get Shaq-attacked into the spotlight, and Shad Gaspard and JTG look as believable to be challenging for the straps as they ever have in their (two) stints through the WWE tag team division. Despite the fact that Cryme Tyme has been in and out of WWE's ranks for the better part of THREE YEARS, the Brooklyn boys have never once managed to gain rightful control of the tag team championships.

(And when past champions in that timeframe have included such lame-ducks as Cade & Murdoch, Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes, Deuce 'n Domino, and Ryder & Hawkins -- that's saying something).

Come SummerSlam, WWE audiences will have the rare opportunity to witness a credible pair of challengers who have never actually held a title belt. Do Shad and JTG stand all that much of a chance? Probably not -- but the possibility of a return appearance by Shaq himself has got to be a vote in favor of the NBA star's favorite tag team duo nonetheless. And if a Big Show/Shaq program really is in the offing for September, WWE might just surprise us and throw the belts around Cryme Tyme's waists at SummerSlam.

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Shawn Michaels and Triple H vs. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
degeneration-X takes on Legacy

We talked about this one in pretty close detail last week, so I'll just recap a high-level look at the feud thus far and why it doesn't necessarily spell disaster in spite of all the critical disdain it has inspired thus far. To make it even easier, we'll do this by numbers:

1) It keeps Michaels and HHH away from the title picture for a bit.
2) It can be stretched out over several months to give Legacy the rub.
3) It sets the stage for one final HBK vs. HHH showdown -- say, at WrestleMania 26?

Of course, this only works if Legacy actually manages to look like a credible threat to dX during the SummerSlam contest. Chalk it up to HBK's "ring rust" or what have you -- but the WWE audience NEEDS to believe that Cody and Ted are a serious threat to Hunter and Shawn if WWE is going to get any real mileage out of this feud (and the larger dX reunion tour) whatsoever. I'm not even saying that Legacy has to win (necessarily) -- but if dX goes over too convincingly, then EVERYONE's momentum is shot.

The WWE title picture is fresher without Hunter and Shawn in it (for now).

Legacy looks stronger if Cody and Ted are fighting dX than if they're just carrying Orton's bags and fighting one another (for now).

And WWE's flagship broadcast is infinitely more entertaining when four guys are actually given an ongoing storyline with some real momentum and the potential for some long-term onscreen implications for all parties involved. For everyone's sake, let's hope this match doesn't end up with Legacy getting shipped in a packaging crate to Florida Championship Wrestling.

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Dolph Ziggler vs. Rey Mysterio (c)
Intercontinental Championship

Don't look now, but a former Spirit Squadder just so happens to be the fastest-rising superstar in all of World Wrestling Entertainment ('sup, Kenny Dykstra?). In spite of his inauspicious start (or perhaps because of it), Dolph Ziggler has been nothing short of sensational since jumping to Smackdown! and making the most of his latest gimmick. He's got the look, the swagger, and the in-ring ability -- and he might just be the the best thing to come out of the Smackdown! midcard since John Cena spit his first freestyle rap.

(Yes, I realize that's pretty high praise. But really now -- what better breakout SINGLES star has Smackdown! produced exclusively from its midcard since 2002?)

On the other side of the ring is Rey Mysterio, who's been busting out a string of show-stealing MVP performances spanning through his war with Chris Jericho and dating all the way back to his breathtaking display in the Elimination Chamber at No Way Out. That's some serious skill -- especially since the guy has been plagued with all sorts of knee injuries in recent years.

Put these two back into a one-on-one encounter at SummerSlam (some weeks after Mysterio's successful -- if politically-influenced -- defense at Night of Champions), and it looks like the WWE faithful could be in for a real treat.

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William Regal vs. Christian (c)
ECW Championship

Rounding out WWE's SummerSlam card (for now) is the budding ECW Championship battle between William Regal and Christian. Christian's second run with the ECW Championship has already started out in thunderous fashion, and "Captain Charisma" was certainly no slouch the last time he made the ECW gold (silver?) look like a top-level title that was actually worth fighting for.

Of course --

There's a running joke that the ECW Championship has effectively been reduced to a "consolation prize" for longtime WWE employees (e.g. Chavo Guerrero, Mark Henry, Tommy Dreamer, Kane), and by that token, William Regal is probably the one guy left who's earned a run with the belt simply by virtue of his longstanding tenure alone. Unfortunately, this is just about all that Regal currently has going for him, since he's pretty much been relegated to the sidelines since making the jump to ECW just a few short months ago.

Of all the title programs that are likely to come to a head at SummerSlam, this bout is probably the one that will need the most escalation before fans are actually willing to pay any real attention. Make no mistake about it, Christian rarely brings anything but his "A-Game" to championship matches, and Regal is consistently one of the best workers in all of professional wrestling today -- but their feud is still in its infancy, and Regal has been all but forgotten by the ECW "new superstar initiative" machine as he waits out his chance to challenge for the brand's top prize in just a few short weeks.

For Regal's sake (since I think he's certainly earned a run with a "top" belt, and he'd really make one hell of a champion), here's hoping that WWE uses the precious television time they have left to make this number one contender seem like a worthy opponent to a white-hot ECW Champion. There isn't much time for this, mind you -- but Regal is as good a performer as they come, and it'd be a real shame if fans filedd out toward the concession stands during the ECW Championship match at SummerSlam simply because the number one contender is still too "new" to the title picture to be taken seriously.



Stumbled across this one on the heels of the latest GI Joe movie. While it's only tangentially related to our beloved pseudo-sport of kings, it does feature a pretty funny cameo appearance by RAW's latest guest host.

Atten-hut!

The Ballad of G.I. Joe from Olivia Wilde

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And With That, I'm Outta' Here

That'll do it for Mee this week. We're creeping into those famed "dog days" of summer, so enjoy the sunshine while it lasts and sneak off to the beach for one last weekend if you've got the chance, eh? 'Till next week, I'm off to visit the folks, friends, and fam in Philly (and my beloved Garden State) -- so have a great weekend wherever you are, enjoy Hard Justice, and always stay positive.

- Meehan

The National Domestic Violence Hotline : [phone]-SAFE.