The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks 10.16.09
Posted by John Meehan on 10.16.2009
Memo to TNA: You wanna' see a hard sell for Bound For Glory? Come inside.
Howdy, folks. And welcome back to your weekly dose of intrawebz rasslin' optimism. It's Bound For Glory week for TNA, which means we've got plenty to discuss. And as usual, we're taking the biggest stories of the week (plus the PPV preview), cutting through the typical barrage of knee-jerk pessimism, and searching for silver linings wherever they may be in order to bring you a fresh and insightful perspective on what is and what all may be.
Oh yeah, and there's a PPV this weekend! We should probably talk about that one, too.
Sound like a plan?
Rock & Roll.
The SELL of the week goes to Jillian Hall. Sure, the Divas Championship (aka "the Butterfly Belt") isn't exactly a prized possession among the WWE ranks. But you sure wouldn't know it buy the way that Miss Jillian celebrated like crazy once she managed to pick up the momentary victory and claim the championship as her own this past Monday night on RAW. From the second her hand was raised, Jillian went out of her way to fawn all over her newly won prize as if it were her very reason for being. And when Melina was announced as an immediate challenger to the title, Jillian totally hammered home just how much the belt actually meant to her by desperately trying to strap it around her waist before the title defense began. It was almost as if her character *knew* she was doomed, but wanted once -- just once -- to wear the belt if even only for a moment so as to claim her rightful place as Divas Champion. Really, really, well done.
The TELL of the week goes to Melina, whose guillotine-split legdrop on Jillian Hall was about as botched as a move can get on national television without anyone ending up seriously injured as a result. I'm not sure whether the fault lies with Melina, Jillian, or a simple communication breakdown between the two ladies... but the bottom line is that the botched legdrop made Melina look just as flukey and ameteurish as a champion as Jillian did just seconds before. The only problem, of course, is that we're all wise to the fact that Jillian's character is mere comic relief, while wrestling fans are actually supposed to take Melina *seriously*.
None - Despite a three-branded trade of WWE Divas earlier this week, there are no "new" performers to debut in the past seven days.
Captain Lou Albano - Obviously the biggest news of the week came late on Wednesday morning, when wrestling fans the world over learned of the passing of the legendary Captain Lou Albano, who died of natural causes on Oct. 14 while under hospice care at the age of 76.
As a lifelong wrestling fan, I can remember most vividly how Captain Lou was truly an icon in the early landscape of Vince McMahon's early 1980's World Wrestling Federation. Years before Hulkamania's heyday, Captain Lou had already begun to transform himself into one of the loudest, most brash ringside characters in all of Vince McMahon's traveling circus, and his colorful personality and managerial abilities made him a bona-fide "larger than life" superstar long before such a term became commonplace.
Bobby Heenan may have been "The Brain," and Jimmy Hart was unquestionably "The Mouth" -- but Captain Lou was, without question, a full-blown cartoon come to life. And his gimmick was an unmitigated success far beyond the mere realm of professional wrestling as a result.
Most famously, Captain Lou is best remembered among professional wrestling fans as the lynchpin to the famed "Rock 'N Wrestling" Connection between what was then the burgeoning World Wrestling Federation and a little-known startup cable network known as MTv. Long story short, Captain Lou was on a plane to Puerto Rico when he happened to run into then-megastarlett Cyndi Lauper. The two quickly forged a friendship over their shared love of "colorful" personalities and "larger than life" performance art, and Lauper invited Albano to play the role of her father in her "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
Flash forward to 1983, and Albano's boss (Vince McMahon) decided to cross-promote the hell out of Albano's MTv tie-in. Whereas previous "wrestlers" had been disciplined, fined and fired for "breaking kayfabe" by appearing in such non-wrestling ventures (Hulk Hogan, for example, was pink-slipped by Vince McMahon, Sr., for appearing in Rocky III), Albano's crossover project was greeted and promoted with open arms (and open wallets), and the professional wrestling business would never be the same as a result.
Breaking from their "closed business," treat-it-like-its-real roots, the World Wrestling Federation saw a real potential in cranking up the showmanship and loaning out their performers to mainstream projects. And since MTv was really becoming something of a hit with the key demographics, McMahon decided to throw caution to the wind, admit that his business was more "show" than "sport," and partner with fellow showbusiness outlets in order to broaden the appeal of his young wrestling promotion. A full-on cross promotion followed, and Cyndi Lauper and her MTv ilk did wonders to help boost the national profile of the World Wrestling Federation as both companies made serious inroads with all sorts of mainstream media and celebrities as a result.
In fact, you might even argue that the mainstream success and marketability of concepts like celebrity appearances at WrestleMania and the RAW Guest Host program would never have been possible were it not for the early efforts of guys like Captain Lou. Love him or hate him, his impact on the landscape of professional wrestling is undeniable.
None - In a welcome development, there are no new injuries to report over the past seven days' time.
In this segment, I'll be firing off a handful of micro-commentaries at some of the industry's biggest stars and stories. For those of y'all who aren't familiar with Twitter-style posting, the format is simple:
@Recipient's Name - 140 character message goes here. #MessageTopic
And before you ask: No, these aren't actual tweets.
FAKE TWEETS OF THE WEEK
@Captain Lou - RIP, Cap'n. The rubber band industry always bounces back, but it will never be the same. #TooSoon
@Kurt Angle - aNOTHER $30,000 bounty angle? What's next -- a pull-apart brawl? #ThisIsTNA #Redundant #Redundant
@Amazing Red - Lashley helps you steal a belt from a Samoan? Might wanna' brush up on your Italiano. #SantinoRedux
@Rey Mysterio - Tag title shot. Heavyweight title shot. Learned your lesson yet? #WellnessFailureFail
@Shawn Michaels - "Missed the show cuz my kid is throwing up." I can see the jokes now. #Benoit
@Michael Cole - "Cena wants to eliminate one member of Legacy to make this a two-on-two match!" #VintageMath
@Maria Menounos - Watching the "acting" efforts in "Serial Buddies" makes me long for the days of Val Venis. #SavingRyansPrivates
@The Miz - Taking fashion advice from Mr. Schuster, I see. #Glee
@John Cena - Next week's your "last week on RAW," eh? Funny, I remember Chris Jericho "leaving" RAW, too. #ICantSeeYou
Mick Foley - Word out of TNA this week is that Mick Foley lobbied to have the finish of one of his matches changed during the most recent taping of TNA iMPACT!, but the match came off so poorly that they had to re-shoot the show on the following night.
Here's the scoop --
The Plan:
Mick Foley is booked into a tag team match alongside Kurt Angle and pitted against Abyss and Matt Morgan. When the match is announced, Foley is told that he'll be taking the fall. Foley says "that's not a bad idea, but how about..." (whereupon he proposes an alternate ending), and the finish of the match is changed accordingly.
The (First) TV Taping:
Foley participates in the match as scheduled, but TNA agrees to go along with his plan for an alternate ending to the bout. Midway through the match, Foley steps out of the contest, grabs the house mic, and announces that Stevie Richards will be taking his place. Stevie then eats the pinfall in Foley's place.
The (First) Outcome:
Foley is protected in the loss, but the match comes across as terribly convoluted, and the crowd craps all over it. TNA officials decide that the bout is simply not worth airing on television, and they decide to re-shoot it all over again the following evening using the original finish.
The (Second) TV Taping:
Foley competes throughout the match as scheduled, and eats the pinfall to close out the broadcast as was initially planned.
The (Second) Outcome:
The match is much better received by the live audience, even if Foley's onscreen stock fades a wee bit, as his character gets beaten fair and square just two weeks prior to TNA's biggest PPV event of the year.
MeeThinks?
On one hand, I can totally see where Mick Foley is coming from. Much like Chris Jericho's famed longstanding "non-feud" with Bill Goldberg, Foley is playing the role of the antagonist here, and it makes perfect sense (from a storyline perspective, at least) that his character would do everything in his power to avoid any actual in-ring confrontation with the guy he's supposed to be building to this giant showdown against in just a few short days. By looking like a weasel, Foley gets the fans to turn against him all the more, and they can't wait to see (read: PAY to see) him finally get his comeuppance one-on-one against Abyss at the Monster's Ball at Bound For Glory.
It's actually a really smart booking approach.
That said --
Foley rolled the dice on this one, but the gambit didn't quite pay off when the actual match ended up looking more confused than controversial. As a result, TNA was pretty much booked into a corner. And since they needed the strongest television product possible going into the Bound For Glory PPV, they decided to reshoot the contest and move ahead with the original ending -- even if it came at the expense of a clean loss for one of their main PPV draws.
Had this one come out the other way, Foley would probably have won the fans ire as intended. So it's really no harm in trying -- especially if the end result sees Mick eating a decisive loss at the PPV when all is said and done.
Since it DIDN'T, however...
Foley looks "political" and "sneaky," and it casts a certain degree of doubt as to whether or not he really is "in it for the good of the company" in the long run or if he is just another veteran performer looking to keep his spot and his star-power intact, even if it hurts the larger momentum of the promotion in the long run.
Hopefully, the payoff to this feud will see Abyss getting that much-needed win over his de-facto "mentor." By so doing, fans will see that Foley's only goal in meddling in match outcomes before the big dance was simply to help tell the story of a power-drunk authority figure in serious need of an ass-whuppin. In which case? No harm, no foul.
But stay tuned.
Mickie James - rumors are swirling all over the place that recently unseated Divas Champion Mickie James has grown increasingly frustrated with her position within the World Wrestling Entertainment ranks and the broader state of the WWE Divas. According to a number of "insider" reports, the company has apparently been making note of Mickie's weight in recent weeks (a tell-tale sign that a Diva is in the hot seat), and Mickie has returned in kind with an increasingly vocal critique of what appears to be the lackluster direction of her onscreen push and the relative state of women's wrestling on the whole.
MeeThinks?
This one has all the makings of "Drama" with a capital "D," as Mickie James is arguably the last remaining female performer on a WWE roster with any real discernible connection to the last time WWE's women's division was anywhere *near* credible. The problem is? Mickie is not now -- nor really has she ever been -- the flagbearer of this division, and that makes it awfully hard to side with her in an argument as to where, exactly, the state of women's wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment appears to be headed.
Here's why:
After Trish Stratus bid the WWE Universe farewell, there was really no female performer left to carry the torch for the company's best attempt at women's wrestling. But Mickie was there, and so she was given the role as torchbearer by default. Now sure, women's wrestling wasn't ever really a priority in the WWF/E ranks, but the performers who fit the bill really helped keep the division alive thanks to some really well-crafted gimmicks. Before Trish there were starlets like Sunny and Sable, neither of whom could wrestle worth a lick -- but both who sure did fit the bill for "T&A." And while onetime diva standouts like Lita Chyna weren't conventional blonde-haired beauties, they most certainly more than held their own in the ring.
Not so much with Mickie James.
"Cute" in the looks department, but not drop-dead gorgeous. "Passable" in the ring, but nowhere near amazing. And not exactly the type of "conventional beauty" WWE would be so quick to trot out on posters, magazines, and Playboy crossovers. As such -- Mickie remained (and remains) largely at the front and center of the women's division, but she never really assumes the role as the face of women's wrestling.
End result?
The "poster girl" expectations are divided between performers, and everyone pretty much blends together as a result. Some divas are "smart" (ala Vickie Guerrero or Tiffany), others are "sexy" (pure eye candy, like the Bellas), while others still are "powerful" (Beth Phoenix, Natalya Neidhart)... but no one performer really embodies all three of these traits, and thus the division suffers overall.
Bottom line --
Mickie James is no Trish Stratus, and hearing that she's unhappy about her role in a division that's she's really doing little to keep alive sounds kind of shady, to say the least. Sure, you can't really wrestle your way out of crappy booking (just ask Nick Dinsmore), but Mickie really hasn't done *anything* to give fans a reason to care about her onscreen character or her in-ring abilities since she stopped playing the role of Trish Stratus' crazy lesbian stalker. If she were making a difference in the women's ranks, then by all means, she would most definitely have a legitimate argument. But until then -- she's merely campaigning for a spot that she hasn't really done much of anything to deserve.
So four weeks ago, I compiled a season-long guide to the Monday Night Football matchups and attempted to venture an educated guess as to how WWE's ratings would likely fare against each game accordingly. Sure, things can change as the season wears on. But basically, I tried to size up the relative appeal of each Monday Night Football offering and anticipate what sort of effect it might have on WWE's audience as a result.
I've found that this helps us set reasonable, positive expectations for each new week's broadcast. And for five weeks running, the predictions have been dead-on. The goal is to give wrestling fans a good idea of what they're up against (based on the strength of the competition), and the hope is to save us from the typical "sky is falling" knee-jerk pessimism that is often so rampant among internet wrestling fans.
LAST WEEK'S PREDICTION:
WEEK 5 (Oct. 12): New York Jets at Miami | An AFC East division rivalry should be plenty of invitation for fans to keep a close eye on this week's MNF broadcast. Whether or not this week's RAW rating will increase, however, has a lot more to do with the previous week's rating than anything else. Expect a better RAW rating than the 9 o'clock quarter hour from Oct. 5.
ACTUAL RESULT:
WWE Monday Night Raw scored a 3.4 rating -- up from last week's broadcast, which scored a 3.3. Raw's main competition, Monday Night Football, scored a respectable 9.74 rating -- the largest EVER in cable television history -- and an obvious decrease from the previous week's broadcast of the record-setting 15.3.
BOTTOM LINE:
We suspected a rating that would hold steady if not uptick throughout the night, and RAW's audience delivered exactly that. Love it or hate it, the guest host gimmick seems to be keeping the ratings exactly where they should be, and RAW continues to see solid ratings throughout the NFL season, with audiences growing (even if ever-so-slightly) when Monday Night Football competition is weak, and shrinking (but again, only slightly) when games are more nationally appealing.
THIS WEEK'S PREDICTION: (Excerpted from my September 11 column)
WEEK 6 (Oct. 19): Denver at San Diego | Western conference football on Monday night? No thanks. The NFL has had some real trouble attracting nationwide audiences when both teams hail from the western US in the past, and I can't see an also-ran clash in week six doing much to change that. RAW's rating will probably hold steady here, if not improve.
This weekend, TNA Wrestling will present their annual "Bound For Glory" PPV -- basically, the company's megashow superspectacle answer to WrestleMania. As such, and in light of this most important of shows, rather than recapping the week that was, we'll be taking this section to shed a bit of light on the upcoming TNA pay-per-view.
Because -- on paper, at least -- it has some SERIOUS potential.
A minor note to the TNA folks before we get started: The Bound For Glory website doesn't actually feature a match-by-match listing of the bouts that are scheduled for this year's card. While this might seem like a nitpicky point (after all, you're basically trying to sell the show on the basis of the BFG name alone, plus the pending retirement of Sting) -- it would really go a long way in hyping your program if you actually took the time to announce which matches would be transpiring at the event itself.
But anyhow --
TNA's Bound For Glory PPV is this weekend, and website omissions not withstanding -- the card really appears to be packed with all sorts of showdowns that could radically change the landscape of wrestling's number two promotion. The long and short of the past year in TNA has seen a "generation war" between the old guard and the newer performers, and most of the matches on the card play off of this roster-wide conflict nicely in order to inject an "old versus new" feel to the better part of the program.
Now then, to the matches themselves:
Sarita and Taylor Wilde defend their TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship belts against The Beautiful People, represented by Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky.
The Beautiful People have found themselves at the center of most of the TNA women's division storylines over the past 365 days, but numerous personnel changes and a discernable lack of actual "wrestling ability" could mean that their best days as an active trio of in-ring competition could indeed be behind them once the TNA booking cycle starts anew following the Bound For Glory PPV.
Sarita and Taylor Wilde are two solid hands and two fine additions to the TNA Knockouts division, but neither woman seems ready at this stage in her career to make the jump to the "main event" of women's wrestling against the likes of Tara or Awesome Kong (yet). As such, it seems to make a lot more sense to keep the belts on the champions here so as to allow them to develop as individual wrestlers worth caring about before throwing them back into singles' competition against far-better established opponents.
Besides, TNA recently debuted the ubertalented mix of Alyssa Flash and Hamada. Do you really think the company will be shuffling the babyface ladies out of the tag title mix so quickly when there really aren't any other babyface ladies to take their place?
Kevin Nash squares off against Hernandez and Eric Young in a match to determine the TNA Legends Champion. And regardless of who walks away from this match with the belt in his posession, there really is no way that TNA can book a "loser" here unless Big Daddy Cool manages to bury both of his opponents by the time the final bell has sounded.
Hernandez seems to be TNA's next big "hot prospect" singles star on the make. The company has thrown themselves into making him the breakout star of LAX with tremendous enthusiasm, and it seems like only a matter of time before SuperMex finally captures a singles championship to solidify his position as a force to be reckoned with among the TNA heavyweights. He's got plenty of unfinished business with Eric Young AND Homicide, and a run as TNA Legends Champion (even if the belt is something of a sham) would be tailor-made for two instantly marketable feuds to kick off TNA's new booking cycle.
And let's not forget Eric Young, who has done wonders to restore the better part of a career's worth of squandered potential as an undercard comedy act thanks to his recent heel turn and ascent to the leadership role of TNA's biggest (if not "strongest") stable. Are the World Elite anywhere near the level of "Main Event Mafia" credibility? Hardly. But that has little to do with the booking and the interviews that either side has given -- as the TNA creative team has really gone out of their way to convince us that "Super Eric" is no more and his international band of assasins could really put the hurting on the TNA locker room if given the opportunity.
Of course, we're all too smart to take guys like Shiek Abdul Bashir and Rob Terry seriously. But a high-profile-PPV win by Eric Young could be the first step in rebuilding his stable's credibility from the top down. And that could mean that the World Elite is in for some serious "streamlining" and fat-trimming in the weeks to come (I'm looking at YOU, Kiyoshi), which could only help everyone involved when all is said and done, when you think about it.
In X Division action, Suicide takes to the famed Ultimate X against D'Angelo Dinero, Daniels and Homicide in a bout to determine the number one contender for a future title shot.
As a diehard TNA fan dating back to the glory days of AJ versus Daniels and Samoa Joe, I was thrilled to see the X Division's signature match added to the company's biggest PPV offering of the year.
However -- two major problems with this match?
One, the Suicide gimmick is played out, and should have come to its logical payoff with an unmasking of Frankie Kazarian from the moment he first won (or lost) the TNA X Division gold. Failing that, it should most definitely happen at the company's biggest show of the year. But given the fact that Kaz/Suicide is thrown into a match with not one, not two, but THREE other competitors at this stage of the game -- will anyone even care if and when he finally reveals himself?
Problem number two:
The X Division championship (as of this writing) has still not been announced for a title defense at Bound For Glory -- the biggest show of the TNA booking year. While it is great to see the Ultimate X match being dusted off for a "grandest stage" spectacular, this does little to inspire hope that the actual X Division belt itself (or indeed the division on the whole) will receive much in the way of high-profile exposure in the months to come.
Solution (even if it is this late in the game)?
Throw Amazing Red into the match and make it a five-way, put the X Division Championship on the line instead of a "future title shot," and have Suicide take it all and unmask himself as the returning hero to close out the contest. Sure it's fantasy booking, but it's hardly any worse than what all we've got scheduled at this stage of the game, no?
Besides, it always looks way cooler to be fighting over a belt than a giant red X, wouldn't you agree?
ODB will defend her TNA Knockouts Title against Awesome Kong and Tara, which pretty much places three of the most talented TNA ladies into one big match to really hammer home just how prestigious the Knockouts Championship can be (well, as "prestigious" as a belt that spent the better part of the last two months around the waist of a 'rasslin redneck and his manbeast of a girlfriend can be, of course).
But I digress --
ODB has a definite charisma about her, and the TNA faithful have embraced her accordingly. Awesome Kong was once the most dominant force in all of TNA (and that includes the fellas!), but she's been spinning her wheels with no real direction ever since dropping the belt and mixing it up with a confused array of midcard bouts (and what of Raisha Saeed!). Tara, of course, is a WWE fanboy's crush and a solid addition to the TNA roster -- but one can't help but wonder if the company pretty much squandered the drama that could have been her "first ever" TNA Knockouts championship reign by giving the exact same outcome away on free television just a few months back.
So what happens?
Ideally, this match will be used to demonstrate that the TNA ladies are more than just "T&A" and can most definitely hold their own on a PPV stage when given the proper opportunity to shine. The other women's match on the card won't likely hold a candle to this one in terms of actual in-ring quality, and so it will be essential that whatever woman emerges from this bout with the title looks like the unquestioned "Queen of the Mountain" when it comes to female performers on the TNA roster who can actually put together a proper wrestling match.
My gut says Kong and Tara have unfinished business, while ODB has been pretty much tacked on as a sometimes-comedic afterthought. As such, I've got to believe that one of the challengers will walk away with the gold here -- if only to put a decisive end to the last year's booking cycle of mistakes and give the TNA ladies a fresh start going into 2010 with a belt that looks at least the slightest bit credible.
Samoa Joe is set to square off in singles competition against Bobby Lashley in a submission match. With the pending departure of Scott Steiner and Booker T, Joe's Main Event Mafia days may soon be numbered. And while Bobby Lashley is unbeaten in the TNA ranks, his burgeoning MMA career and recent backstage discussions seem to indicate that the TNA management has all but decided that "The Boss" is not exactly the future of their promotion.
What does this mean, exactly?
In short, Joe should get the win in a manner that establishes him as his own man, or he should get the loss in a fashion that makes it clear that his journey to "the dark side" was but a momentary distraction as he resets his sights on higher goals than being a mere flunky to Kurt Angle and company. Bobby Lashley isn't nearly as good a professional wrestler (or mixed martial artist, actually) as his record implies, but the guy most definitely has a buzz about him and so it's hard to believe that fans will be seeing Joe making too short of work out of his opponent in "The God of Thunder" (man, what a lousy string of nicknames this guy has).
Ideally, a hard-fought contest shows that both guys can go in the ring. And win, lose, or draw, the feud is settled and each man walks away looking like a credible main-event talent regardless of which side of the heel/face spectrum he may happen to end up on by night's end. Joe doesn't need to be a pushover babyface (AJ seems to have that role down just fine, thanks) -- but he most certainly needs to prove that he can go it alone without the Main Event Mafia to keep him looking like a relevant top-level threat. Because failing that, it's back to the freakishly oversized tribal knife... and nobody wants to see that.
Two sets of TNA Tag Team Titles are on the line, as The Main Event Mafia (TNA Tag Team Champions) will do battle with The British Invasion (IWGP Tag Team Champions), Beer Money, Inc., and Team 3D.
Here's what I like about this match:
Steiner's heart is in the right place, but his body is nowhere near in the shape where it used to be. Booker T, meanwhile, has all but checked out of his TNA contract -- and so it is hard to imagine EITHER of these men putting on a "five star classic" title defense, let alone putting over an opponent cleanly if it means that they'll be leaving the show with the loser's end of the purse.
Solution: throw 'em in a multi-team gimmick match to hide their shortcomings. Smart move here by TNA.
The three remaining teams have been scrapping with one another in all sorts of combinations and contests over the past year's time, and so it seems only logical to place all three of these duos into a "war to settle the score" and let the chips fall where they may. Only problem, of course, is that there are not just one but TWO sets of tag straps on the line in this one... which kind of takes the wind out of the sails of a singular, "one ring to rule them all"-style victory to cement one team as *THE* definitive tandem in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Obviously, the smartest move here is to have ONE team claim BOTH sets of tag straps to emerge from the PPV looking like the undisputed best that TNA has to offer. But given the fact that there are two sets of belts, four teams, and eight egos involved, perhaps we shouldn't go getting our hopes up over an undisputed winner.
Matt Morgan will finally get his hands on Kurt Angle in a long-overdue singles encounter which could end up being the sleeper match of the night. Morgan and Angle have one of the longest documented "frenemy" storylines in TNA today, and fans have been waiting a long, long time to see if The Blueprint has what it takes to prove himself as a stand-alone superstar among the company's best.
For Matt Morgan, "Bound For Glory" is his chance to prove it.
Is "The DNA of TNA" ready for the TNA main event? That remains to be seen. He most definitely has the size and swagger of a main eventer, but a good number of detractors have sounded off against his in-ring abilities and habit for overtalking his promos. Promo work not withstanding, however, Morgan will certainly have no better chance at proving he can make it as a singles headliner than Bound For Glory, as Kurt Angle is (arguably) the single best active professional wrestler in all of Total Nonstop Action.
Regardless of the match's outcome, fans (and TNA management) need to walk away from this one feeling like The Blueprint can actually hold up his end of a singles encounter. If Kurt Angle just spends the better part of 20 minutes "wrestling himself," it will do little to boost the staying power of his much younger opponent -- which doesn't bode well for Morgan's future as a TNA standout. If, on the other hand, Matt Morgan can step up his game and deliver even a remotely "impressive" performance (as I most certainly believe that he -- perhaps more than many other performers -- clearly WANTS to do), then there could seriously be big things in store for The Blueprint come 2010 and beyond.
Morgan just inked a long-term contract extension with TNA, so there's no doubt that he'll be around for a good, long while to come. The question, of course, is just how, exactly, the company plans on using him in that time. And on Sunday night, we might just learn the answer.
Abyss and Mick Foley will go toe-to-toe in a no-holds barred Monster's Ball match, which is already shaping up to be one of the most violent encounters in recent TNA memory. While Foley is years past his in-ring prime, the "hardcore" environment has always been one of his greatest assets (what with being a "Glorified Stuntman," and all that) -- and a good number of his most critically acclaimed matches have actually come in the years SINCE he first retired as a full-time competitor.
Abyss has long made a living out of being the "Modern Day Mick Foley," with blood, masks, and barbed wire doing the better part of his gimmick's heavy lifting in order to compensate for his relatively standard big-man arsenal of offense. That said, The Monster is probably one of the best (if not *the* best) "big men" currently signed with a major North American wrestling promotion today, and so he might just have a few new tricks up his sleeve at Bound For Glory to help offset the typical array of bloodshed and carnage that fans are all but guaranteed to see.
Would this match have been infinitely more relevant (and perhaps infinitely more entertaining) had it transpired, say, five years ago or longer? Perhaps. But we need to remember that Bound For Glory is TNA's answer to WrestleMania -- and some of the most memorable matches in professional wrestling history have been contested on "the grandest stage" despite the fact that at least one of the competitors involved was (like Mick Foley) years past their in-ring prime.
Shawn Michaels versus Ric Flair.
Hulk Hogan versus The Rock.
Heck -- there was even that one time when we saw...
Edge versus Mick Foley.
Might history repeat itself? It's a longshot, I know. But never say "never."
In the main event of the evening, AJ Styles will defend the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against The Icon, Sting. In addition to being a bout to determine the rightful "top dog" in the TNA ranks, this match is also significant as many are anticipating that it will be the final match of Sting's long and storied career.
MeeThinks?
Growing up as a WWF-first fan, I didn't know all that much about Sting or WCW until a number of years later in life (like around age 8 or so, when we got our first WCW action figure -- you know, "no movable limbs" Sting in the blue pants). As such, it was always hard for Mee to take the guy seriously as anything more than WCW's cheap attempt at blending the best parts of Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior into one "super good guy." (Little did I know how similar the Warrior and The Stinger were).
That said --
As a teenager during the famed "Monday Night Wars" era, I was instantly hooked by the Stinger's transformation from the blonde-haired babyface to the rafter-lurking vigilante. And even though his in-ring bouts were hardly technical classics during this phase of his career (heck, the guy spent the better part of 12 months merely smacking guys with baseball bats) -- it was hard not to find myself sucked in to the mystique and allure of this storied "comic book-esque" professional wrestling hero.
Why the extended introduction, you ask?
Because Sting, like any other great comic book hero, is really only as strong a character as his rich and colorful backstory. Sure the battles were epic, but Batman is classic because of his tortured past. Wolverine's rage could turn heads, but the character is legendary for his long-lost history. And Sting? Likewise built of a legacy that is just as much storyline as it is actual combat. He's not the best wrestler in the world by a longshot... but then again, he never had to be. For over a decade, fans have hung on the every move of this greasepainted crusader simply for what his character has stood for.
Justice, heroism, and respect -- even if it ends up costing him dearly at times.
This Sunday at Bound For Glory, Sting finds himself across the ring from the most obvious and deserving of successors -- a hard-working young talent who's spent the better part of his career fighting precisely for those very same virtues that Sting had so long espoused. Even better -- AJ Styles can actually back them up with a real technical mastery to boot.
Will the match be a five-star technical classic? At this stage of Sting's career, that is asking for a lot. But the storyline alone seems like more than enough reason to tune in for this most fitting of swansongs: one, final showdown between the beacons of two generations solely on the basis of a shared respect.
You might even say that this is the kind of stuff that comic books are made of.
In a week where the wrestling world lost a veritable icon of its earliest crossover appeal, there really is no excuse not to mention the late, great Captain Lou Albano in this week's Random Rasslin' Reference. After all, the guy helped bring professional wrestling (and professional wrestlERS) well into the mainstream, and -- with the possible exception of Hulk Hogan and Sergeant Slaughter -- there really aren't any 80s wrestling stars with the same level of crossover success and celebrity as was seen by wrestling's dearly departed Cap'n.
This Mario's for you!
And With That, I'm Outta' Here
And so ends another week of professional wrestling wrap-up-dom. This weekend is TNA's Bound For Glory PPV, which should deliver some MAJOR shakeups in the landscape of pro wrestling's number two promotion once all is said and done. Of course, if you'd rather skip the inflated PPV price but still throw some attention the way of TNA's hometown, you can always tune in to see the glorious return of Junior Seau as my beloved New England Patriots take the turf against the Tennessee Titans.
Whatever you decide to do, have a great week and always stay positive -- and I'll see you back here in seven.
I know almost everybody wants AJ to win Sunday, but I will be rooting for Sting. Let Sting keep a 'Taker - Mania type' streak alive. Plus, he signed a 6 month extension, so he isn't even retiring.
Posted By: WATRYYYY (Guest) on October 15, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Amazing Red has already been added to the Ultimate X match, and it is now for the championship.
Posted By: irfan (Guest) on October 15, 2009 at 11:41 PM
I think the minor weight gain makes Mickey even hotter.
Posted By: Guest#1596 (Guest) on October 15, 2009 at 11:54 PM
How can you say Mickie can't complain about how she is being booked? She is not in the driver's seat when it comes to "creating an interesting on-screen character." She does what Creative tells her to do. If they cared, they would turn her heel and freshen up her gimmick. But it's quite obvious that WWE Creative shows no signs of caring about the Divas, and at this point I doubt they ever will. And her in-ring work dropping off is a reflection of the overall ability of the diva roster. It takes two to tango, and when one cannot tango, the pairing suffers. Mickie is in the right on this one.
Posted By: panik (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:00 AM
"@Shawn Michaels - "Missed the show cuz my kid is throwing up." I can see the jokes now. #Benoit"
I can't see the jokes. Perhaps you can explain them.
I don't understand your complaints about Mick Foley. If he was just looking out for himself, he could have just pulled a Nash or Booker and -not- redone the match. After all, the previous match was already filmed, so he could have just said to use that no matter how bad it was. But no, he redid the match and took the pinfall. Seems like you spent an awful long time to rant about something that's not even an issue.
Ignore all that I just said if Foley wins decisively at BFG.
And what's the obsession with seeing Suicide unmasked? Having him do it in the middle of the ring with no build up would be dumb.
Posted By: August (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:07 AM
I bet DDP's ribs are still taped up.
Posted By: Squid Vicious (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Mickie James - rumors are swirling all over the place that recently unseated Divas Champion Mickie James has grown increasingly frustrated with her position within the World Wrestling Entertainment ranks and the broader state of the WWE Divas. According to a number of "insider" reports, the company has apparently been making note of Mickie's weight in recent weeks (a tell-tale sign that a Diva is in the hot seat), and Mickie has returned in kind with an increasingly vocal critique of what appears to be the lackluster direction of her onscreen push and the relative state of women's wrestling on the whole.
Her WEIGHT?! See, this is why many women have eating disorders. I guess going from anorexic to normal is too much for Vince's Alzheimer's riddled brain.
Screw the WWE.
Posted By: MissyNEVERWearssocksWithShoes (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 01:11 AM
Foley should use popcorn instead of tacks....
Posted By: ICON (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 01:15 AM
turn Mick lesbian heel on the Bellas. Total W
Posted By: ICON (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 01:17 AM
Mr. Meehan - I have to say first, love the column. Ofall the 411wrestling news reports, yours is always the most entertaining.
My one complaint? Since I'm apparantly known for complaining?
Drop the Twitter segment. It took the Benoit gag for me to notice it, because honestly? I usually scroll past the whole Twitter thing. I hate Twitter (almost) more than I've ever hated anything.
I don't know where I'm going with this. But fuck Twitter.
I bet nobody even remembers me.
Posted By: ElmoMachete (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 02:20 AM
Mickie is hotter than ever.
And Trish Stratus is the most overrated performer in wrestling history. Without a good opponent to sell her crappy, spot-based, unbelievable offense...she would be nothing.
Posted By: Guest#1302 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 02:23 AM
I kinda agree with your analysis of Sting and the Warrior being very close,IF we are talking about everything pre-1997 character wise, and NONE of the in ring ablilities. I agree that Sting isn't the best in-ring performer, but comparing him to the Warrior in that aspect is a slap in the face.
Posted By: JWestmoreland (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 02:54 AM
Wow...why all the Meehan hate? He's telling it like it is...Mickie HAS gained a few pounds, and it's noticeable. She used to rock a six pack, now she has a slight gut. He didn't call her a tank, he just said "weight issue." She's not fat, but she's gone from six pack to gut and you can't deny that.
And he's also right about Suicide. That character is SO dull that I legit hope he'll get injured so I don't have to see them. He's based on a video game...a video game that flopped. Unmask him, give us back Kaz, and let Suicide and Curry Man RIP for good.
Posted By: Jadd (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 07:39 AM
"I think the minor weight gain makes Mickey even hotter.
Posted By: Guest#1596 (Guest) on October 15, 2009 at 11:54 PM"
Yep. It made her ass nice and plump..definitely made for backshots. I'm tired of the beanpole chicks on the screen.
Posted By: Karatgold24 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 08:33 AM
Sting beating AJ would be sickening.
I respect the hell out of Sting, and him beating Joe was necessary last year to launch the MME angle, but if Sting takes away AJ's gold after one month, I'm giving up on TNA.
After a year of looking like fools the young guns need to shine on Sunday, and that means Sting needs to count the lights for the good of the company.
Posted By: Quimby (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 08:47 AM
One thing about Vince is, he doesn't take crap from Diva's, all a Diva has to do to get unceremoniously fired is ask for a raise or complain to Vince. It doesn't matter if your Sunny, Sable or Chyna, all dumped at high points in their careers because they thought they deserved more than they were getting. If Mickie had any level of smarts at all she would take a deep breath, push all those feelings to the back of her mind and zip it. Or she can go talk to Vince and get her "future endeavors". Diva's truly are a dime a dozen. Especially with WWE's "no athletic ability required" hiring policy.
Posted By: Cashman (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 09:41 AM
Mickie is a fat slob. Get her off my tv and into my bedroom.
Posted By: Matt Dawson (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 09:50 AM
'Her WEIGHT?! See, this is why many women have eating disorders. I guess going from anorexic to normal is too much for Vince's Alzheimer's riddled brain.'
Personally I think her size is sexy as hell but when the pooch starts hanging over you belt each time you bend forward it might be time to loose the skin tight belly shirt and hip huggers
Posted By: BoredtoTears (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 10:06 AM
How can you say Mickie can't complain about how she is being booked? She is not in the driver's seat when it comes to "creating an interesting on-screen character." She does what Creative tells her to do. If they cared, they would turn her heel and freshen up her gimmick. But it's quite obvious that WWE Creative shows no signs of caring about the Divas, and at this point I doubt they ever will. And her in-ring work dropping off is a reflection of the overall ability of the diva roster. It takes two to tango, and when one cannot tango, the pairing suffers. Mickie is in the right on this one.
Posted By: panik (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:00 AM
I have to agree with this guy. Everyone keeps going on and on about Trish and how she was the perfect example of looks and talent. I loved Trish too it wasn't her looks or her in ring talent that made her so big…She had the one thing that none of the current divas have…"Good Stories"…and lots of them. AND.. She was NEVER put on the back burner the way they do with all of the current divas...she on TV every week and was always involved in some sort of story line.. be it kissing Jeff Hardy, picking on Lita.. interfearing in HHH & Steph's marrage.. she was always there... if the creative team had given Mickie or ANY Diva that kind of dedication..any one of them could have taken on her role..but they didn't.. so now we are left with a Women's division that is nothing but a damn joke...and talented femail wrestlers who appear lost, because they are.
Posted By: Nicole (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 10:40 AM
A lot of the wwe divas are just too thin and talentless.I think a wrestler male/female needs an extra 10 to 15 pounds to absorb the bumps that come with the work.nattie neidhart is built like the oldschool female wrestlers trish was very petite but was such a one of a kind over-all performer its tough to fill her shoes. mcool is too thin and she gets no pop. I think mickie is a very polished performer who has a slight weight issue it wouldnt hurt her to drop 15 20 lbs.I guess she is smackdown bound but would have really enjoyed a mickie melina program as both have what they used to call ruthless aggression.Sometimes you can only be as good as your opponent allows you to be.
Posted By: mr x. (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Here's a reason to use Mickie as the "torchbearer" for women's wrestling. Ever notice how the crowd actually REACTS when she comes out. I swear to god if it wasn't for entrance music, you could hear crickets in the arenas when most of the other ladies come out. While she's not great at any of the catagories you laid out, she is better than average at all three.
Posted By: jr (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:07 PM
I will be more than happy to console Mickie James.
Posted By: Jim Rome (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Mickie James: more cushion for the pushin'
Posted By: AngryTas (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Even all the usual IWC TNA haters have to admit not only did TNA just put on a damn good Impact last night, but that BFG looks like a stacked card and that they've been on the upswing lately.
And yeah, Mickie's looked really lazy and unmotivated on TV lately. You can tell she's aggrevated and just going through the motions.
Posted By: lilwayne1 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 12:40 PM
"'no movable limbs' Sting in the blue pants"
Oh hell yeah! I remember my brother picking this up just a few scant years ago at a garage sale. At least he didn't vibrate.
Posted By: neverAcquiesce (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 02:11 PM
Do The Mario lol that vid ruled rip Captain Lou Albano
Posted By: jeff (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 02:39 PM
I usually agree with you Meehan, but I gotta say you're way off with your Mickie assessment. Mickie is easily the most over Diva that the WWE has right now.
During her feud with Trish, where Trish was supposed to be the face, she got loudly cheered over Trish. And then when she turned face, she got the type of pops that Trish or Lita received during their most popular days.
But then the booking team screwed her over and started making her lose to much less talented divas. She became a middling act and as a result, lost a lot of her momentum. Even with that lost momentum, she is still the most popular diva with only maybe Maria or Kelly Kelly rivaling her popularity.
If the WWE actually put some effort behind Mickie, she would be tremendously over. She had a title reign with no significant feuds and then lost the title on a fluke pin after 1 minute. And the fans are supposed to care?? They should have given her a meaningful feud that featured matches longer than 6 minutes. The Mickie/Beth match a few weeks ago on Raw was a perfect example of what they SHOULD be doing. But of course, after Beth lost they shoved her off to the side and made Mickie face Alicia Fox of all people. Alicia is a beautiful girl and she's improving week by week, but she should NOT be fighting for a title if she is still in the process of learning.
Honestly, they should just put all of the Divas that are horrible on Raw. Let them compete for the Butterfly belt and hopefully get better along the way. Honestly, nobody is going to care how bad the matches are because Raw is the "Sports Entertainment" show. So having horrible 3 minute Diva matches every week won't be a big deal.
All of the female wrestlers that are only good for eye candy should be placed on ECW to be managers/valets.
All of the decent to great female wrestlers should be placed on Smackdown. A lineup of Mickie, Beth, Melina, McCool, Gail, Jillian and Natalya would be perfect. Give them 10 minutes a week on SD and then we could actually see some good female wrestling. And then if any of the ladies on Raw considerably improve, they could go over to SD to add to the division.
Anyway, the point of that long rant is to say that the blame shouldnt be placed on Mickie. It falls squarely on creative. Trish and Lita got so popular because the writers wrote angles and created matches that made the fans interested in them. Mickie was over hugely, but the booking cut her off at the knees. There is only so much a wrestler can do if they are handcuffed by creative.
Posted By: Monty (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 03:27 PM
The funny thing is that the crowd still pops more for Mickie than any of the other divas. She's a little bigger than most of the other girls? Who gives a shit. I almost hope she ends up in TNA in the Knockouts division where she'd have competent competition and wouldn't be treated like a joke.
Posted By: Guest#1506 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 04:01 PM
I think that Mickie James is absolutely gorgeous and a very entertaining wrestler. That's my two cents on that issue
Posted By: Guest#1875 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 05:06 PM
Who hasn't Trish kissed?!
Posted By: Insane Snake (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 05:47 PM
Nice job on the Captain Lou write up.
Posted By: poffo316 (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 07:32 PM
Meehan is totally right about Mickie James, although he's actually being nicer than he probaly should be. Notice that he put "cute" in quotation marks. That's because he didn't want to come out and say what he probaly really feels.
Mickie is an ugly whore, and anybody that doesn't get caught up in her hype can see that. She's getting fat, and she either has a mannish face or a horse face, depends on the day. And he's also right about the reason she has no room to complain. The women division, with Mickie at or near the top the past few years, has died. What a great flag bearer.
Trish and Lita were not always given great opponents or great storylines, but they made the best of it. The guy that compared Mickie's pops to theirs is an idiot. She isn't even 1/5 as popular as either one of them were. Her music starts. It gets a one second recognition pop(and it always sounds like the same four or five girls screaming, hmmmm). Then she skips down to the ring like a retard, to complete silence. OMG, she is so popular!!! Just another case of Mickie marks pretending everybody loves her as much as they do.
Her matches have been brutal for the past couple of years, and it's time to place the blame where it belongs. She's as much at fault as her "inferior" opponents. A good worker could carry lesser people once in awhile, but she fails every single time. Trish might have not been the most technically sound wrestler ever, but she had good matches with everyone, and every feud that people remember from the peak of the division involved her. She brought a sparkle, that special charisma, to everything she did, and that was on display again when she hosted last month. Real stars never lose that.
The sooner WWE dumps Mickie the better. I was indiffrent to her for a long time, but her pathetic fans made my hate for her grow and grow. Let her go stink up the ring in TNA. Maybe her "legion" of fans can get them an extra .1 in the ratings
Posted By: Guest#9315 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Oh great, another excuse to talk about whether or not Mickie James is fat. She's overweight by diva/model standards, that's undeniable. If she gets injured, I fully expect her to get the Candice Michelle treatment. She's not ugly, but far from pretty. She has lost much of her in-ring ability. I have tried to keep my comments respectful, but I'm sure they will be criticised by both sides of the argument anyway.
I wonder how long before she just quits. I have no idea why she is so upset, they still push her well. Maybe she just buys into her own hype, who knows. But even she must know she's on borrowed time, if WWE thinks she's fat. That, much more than her bad matches, puts her on notice. Or maybe she's just sick of the IWC. Reaction to her seems to be split into two camps. She's either this popular chick that is the only decent thing left in the division, or she's an obese slut that should have been released years ago. Doesn't seem to be any in between. You know what? She had four good years in the E. That's about the average life span for divas, outside of the huge names like Trish. If she is getting fed up with being "disrespected", she might as well just part ways with them.
Posted By: Guest#2232 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 06:46 PM
You know what Mickie James looks like? A younger Vickie Guerrero. If you want to picture what Mickie will look like in her mid 30's, just look at Vickie. That should kill alot of fantasies.
Posted By: Guest#5999 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Who hasn't Trish kissed?!
Posted By: Insane Snake (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 05:47 PM
Me, unfortunatly. I could kiss her beautiful face forever.
Posted By: Guest#3586 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 07:39 PM
Who hasn't Trish kissed?!
Posted By: Insane Snake (Guest) on October 16, 2009 at 05:47 PM
Wow, Trish kissed a bunch of wrestlers. Big deal. It sure as hell beats this:
Who hasn't Lita or Mickie James fucked?
Posted By: Guest#4860 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 07:41 PM
I agree about Melina being a thumbs down. What the hell has she done to justify coming to Raw and becoming top diva? She's not that over(not that anybody is), and she's HIDEOUS. Ugliest diva in history. Shitty wrestler too. Must give Vince good head, can't be any other reason she keeps getting pushed.
Posted By: Guest#4458 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 08:03 PM
A good worker could carry lesser people once in awhile, but she fails every single time. Trish might have not been the most technically sound wrestler ever, but she had good matches with everyone
Posted By: Guest#9315 (Guest) on October 17, 2009 at 06:20 PM
I don't usually post this stuff but this comment is a complete lie. Look at Mickie's match at the last PPV against Alicia Fox if you want to see her not "fail every single time." And you don't need to look much further then the Trish/Christy Hemme Wrestlemania match to know that Trich doesn't have "good matches with everyone." Infact I actually think she put on some pretty terrible ones against Victoria and Jazz as well. She is a great wrestler but she isn't amazing. She has off nights just like Mickie. also about the weight gain stuff:
http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/rawphotos/divastitlematch/
if you can honestly tell me she looks fat in any of those pics you are an idiot.
Posted By: Miz fan (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 02:50 AM
I don't usually post this stuff but this comment is a complete lie. Look at Mickie's match at the last PPV against Alicia Fox if you want to see her not "fail every single time." And you don't need to look much further then the Trish/Christy Hemme Wrestlemania match to know that Trich doesn't have "good matches with everyone." Infact I actually think she put on some pretty terrible ones against Victoria and Jazz as well.
Posted By: Miz fan (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 02:50 AM
Mickie/Alicia. You mean that match that not only recieved no cheers, but actually got boring chants? You mean the match where Mickie almost killed Alicia with the DDT? Bad example my friend.
The Trish/Christy match was pretty bad, but that can be blamed entirely on Christy, who had less experience than Alicia has now. Oh yeah, and that match had two things going for it: Trish, wearing freaking suspenders mind you, still looked gorgeous. And she was such a great heel at that time that she made the match watchable. Mickie can't make anybody care about her matches, because she just goes through the motions and has no real charisma in the ring, unless "yelling like an idiot" counts as charisma. And as much as her fans might pretend she is, Mickie is not some amazing beauty that can keep you watching with her looks alone. She hasn't been on one magazine cover for WWE in her entire career, and there's a good reason for that.
And your going to bring up Trish/Jazz and Trish/Victoria? Two of the more intense, physical matchups from the diva heyday. Umm, how about no. I'm sure not every match they had was great, but even one of their stinkers was more fun to watch than any diva match post-2006.
I don't care about Mickie gaining weight. She clearly has. That doesn't mean she is fat, but it DOES mean she is out of shape. She seems to get winded about one minute into every match. You can try and defend her all you want, I know what I see. The solution is simple. Stop pushing her, make her get her head on straight. If she can't or won't do that, show her the door.
Posted By: Guest#2838 (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 11:16 AM
True,true,Guest #4860,at least about Lita anyway.
Didn't know Mickie was slutty however.
Posted By: Insane Snake (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 12:08 PM
True,true,Guest #4860,at least about Lita anyway.
Didn't know Mickie was slutty however.
Posted By: Insane Snake (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Kenny Dykstra, CM Punk, John Cena, and now possibly Big Show. Could be more that we don't know about. Cena was engaged, Show is married. And let's not forget Mickie's appearance on Jenny Jones, and her photo shoot from around 2003, where she left nothing to the imagination. The girl has the same skanky cheapness about her that Lita always did. You know the joke about putting lipstick on a pig? That's how I would describe both of them.
But this is wrestling we are talking about. Classy woman don't have much of a place in the business. Elisabeth never looked like she belonged. And Trish, despite the way WWE made her look sometimes, is a beautiful, classy young woman in real life, and you can see that in any non-WWE appearance she has ever made.
Posted By: Guest #4860 (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 04:47 PM
No mention of Shane McMahon = fail.
Posted By: Epic Fail (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 07:58 PM
AJ v Sting would have been that muich more epic had Sting won the title the ppv before so that AJ would win the title here and have that celebration
Posted By: Guest#9575 (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 09:00 PM
AJ v Sting would have been that muich more epic had Sting won the title the ppv before so that AJ would win the title here and have that celebration
Posted By: Guest#9575 (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 09:00 PM
Agreed. But I guess it's a little less predictable if Sting is the challenger, considering he has won the title at three straight BFG.
Posted By: Guest#8385 (Guest) on October 18, 2009 at 10:40 PM
First of all, Guest #4860, you're kind of a dumbass. Apparently you didn't know men and women can be friends. And yeah Meehan, you hit a lot of points on the head here but you were pretty far off on Mickie. She's the most over woman in the WWE, even with her lost a step she's better than half of what they got. And Nicole and Panic are dead on. If/when Mickie leaves to go somewhere where she'll get more respect, I'll gladly turn off WWE TV for the last time and watch wherever she goes. Screw Vince and his "every diva has to be thinner than a nail" policy. Mickie looks spectacular, and since she's not skinny as a nail it actually sets her apart kind of. Why is is the most talented women get underused though for real? Jillian, Burchill, Neidhart, Beth, now Mickie's headed that way! Terrible >
Posted By: cowboysmb3dw28 (Guest) on October 23, 2009 at 06:11 AM
