News To Start Your Weekend 12.16.05
Posted by Nick Marsico on 12.16.2005
Settle in, folks -- this is a long one.
I guess I’m back for another week. No, I don’t have anything to say here. Really. Not today.
I WAS SERIOUS BECAUSE HERE IS THE NEWS!
Chris Jericho has a book!
Chris Jericho has inked a book deal with Warner Books. Here is a brief sysnopsis of the book: "Former WWE Champion and lead singer of "Fozzy" Chris Jericho's A LION'S TALE, about his formative years in the wrestling business, and how he went from being the only blonde Canadian in Mexico to a wrestling star." Marc Gerald, who is 50 Cent's literary agent, will be involved with the book.
I was excited. Then I read the last 12 words.
Shitty ticket sales
Tickets for Armageddon are not selling well. Only half of the building is sold and the show is on Sunday.
Wow, I’m soooo confused! I wonder why this is happening.
England? Not so far behind.
So says The Wrestling Channel:
The Wrestling Channel (TWC) has brought viewers the perfect Christmas gift by signing a deal to broadcast up-to-date TNA Wrestling shows just seven days after their original US airdates.
The deal takes effect from Saturday 21 January 2006 with TNA Impact, while the Final Resolution pay-per-view airs the following evening, both on just a one-week delay. All Impact shows and pay-per-views from that point on will continue to air just a week after their original US broadcast.
Although TNA programming currently airs on a five-week delay on TWC, viewers need not worry about missing any shows because of the new deal. TWC will broadcast a double-bill of Impact on Saturday 7 January, while the usual Sunday Supercard slot on Sunday 15 January will feature four episodes to bring viewers up to date.
Sean Herbert, director of programming at TWC, said viewer response was the driving force behind the deal. “When we ask viewers what changes they'd like to see at the channel, the most common response is up-to-date TNA. This deal means fans will now find it far easier to avoid reading results or reports from the shows before they air on TWC, meaning they can enjoy TNA programming with an 'as live' feel.”
TWC broadcasts on Sky Digital channel 427 and is available without charge to all satellite viewers, regardless of their viewing package.
The full timetable for the changeover to the new schedule is as follows:
Saturday 17th December 2005 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #107 (5-week delay from US).
Sunday 18th December 2005 @ 8pm: TNA Genesis Supercard (5-week delay from US).
Saturday 24th December 2005 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #108 (5-week delay from US).
Saturday 31st December 2005 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #109 (5-week delay from US).
Saturday 7th January 2006 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #110 & Ep #111 (2hr DOUBLE-BILL).
Sunday 8th January 2006 @ 8pm: TNA Turning Point Supercard (4-week delay from US).
Saturday 14th January 2006 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #112 (4-week delay from US).
Sunday 15th January 2006 @ 8pm: TNA iMPACT Episodes #112, #113, #114, #115 - 4hr "Catch-Up" Marathon Special
Saturday 21st January 2006 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #116 (1-week delay from US).
Sunday 22nd January 2006 @ 8pm: TNA Final Resolution Supercard (1-week delay from US).
Saturday 28th January 2006 @ 9pm: TNA iMPACT Ep #117 (1-week delay from US).
Well that’s nice for them Brits. I would have felt sorry for you, but you get all sorts of free pay-per-views on TV. And now a TV show that’s almost completely caught up with us world-helping, money-paying AMERICANS? You should feel very lucky, you mooching sons of bitches.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Thy whiter jubilee INDEED.
Will Ashley do Playboy?
WWE.com has an interview up with Ashley talking about her potentially posing for Playboy (even though she has posed for Playboy before she started working for WWE). Check out the article here.
Really? Do a little search on Google. Search Ryan MacKenzie playboy. Go to images. Click the link. OOPS. Wasn’t one of the original stipulations of the Diva Search that the girls were not allowed to have done any nude modeling in the past? Well here’s a third on who has already been in Playboy, and now they’re teasing us with it again? Yeah. Okay. Jesus Christ, don’t treat us like children, would you? People know how to find things, and for the people who don’t, you have people like me who know people who have found things in the past, and I remember these things, and then you get these things.
I don’t know if that made sense.
I was gonna make a Eugene joke, but that wouldn’t have been funny
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Juventud suggested to the SmackDown writers that he has his own talk show on SD titled ‘The Juice Is Loose’. It doesn’t look like that one will be happening. He has also suggested a Mask vs. Mask program with Rey Mysterio and himself. When they brought up the fact that Juventud doesn’t even wear a mask, he said he could wear one just for that feud.
When it was brought up that all of his ideas were for himself and not the Mexicools, he said that Psicosis and Super Crazy aren’t in his league and he should be up with the top guys like Mysterio. This is obviously not helping cool off all of the heat he has been getting backstage. Nobody will travel with him anymore except Cowboy Bob Orton.
When talking about Juvi, JBL recently said “Don’t waste your time with him. He’s a retard. He’s hopeless.”
None of this really means anything, but I thought it was humorous. And now, maybe you do as well.
NO MORE OF THIS “NEWS”
Fun with WWE.com
So it seems WWE.com has asked its readers to weigh in on the GM situation, and it appears as though they have. And that brings us this little segment this week. Here’s what they wrote:
My responses will be in bold and what is written by WWE fans is in normal text.
This past Monday night on RAW, Mr. McMahon was approached by numerous people lobbying to become the new RAW General Manager, including Dusty Rhodes, Candice Michelle and Trevor Murdoch. Who do you think Mr. McMahon should hire to run RAW? Click here to send an e-mail to WWE.com, explaining who you think should be in charge. Here is a sampling of what has already been sent in:
From: Andres V.
I believe that the RAW General Manager position should be filled with Linda McMahon, it would be nice to see what Linda can do as a GM and also what type of matches she would make.
I take it this fellow doesn’t like JR much. Didn’t she kick him in the balls and fire him? God damn, this guy must be a Chris Masters fan, because other than his ring work, Linda’s talking might be the most boring thing in history.
From: Bobby
I think that Bret Hart or Brock Lesnar would be a good GM for Raw. They both have been gone for a while, and it would benefit the show, the fans, and the company to have them back in the ring.
Thanks for that, you fucking retard. What does them being General Manager have anything to do with them wrestling? Next time, read the damn question before you just randomly type whatever garbage pops into your head.
(Side note: Damn, I feel like I’m berating little children for their awful drawings)
From: Teresa
I think that Shawn Michaels be given a try at GM. He's got the experience and the wit, and if you could somehow team him up with SmackDown's Undertaker, there would be lots of competition and non-stop action on every broadcast of WWE!!! These two would really make a dream team!
This stupid bitch falls in the same category as Bobby. It started off well enough, but then she just randomly decided to talk about Shawn Michaels and Undertaker being a DREAM TEAM! She probably has never heard of the Michaels vs. Undertaker Hell in a Cell match, and she for God damn sure has no idea that at one time Michaels played the Commissioner of the WWF.
From: John
I think that Luna Vachon and Kurgan from the Oddities should be Co-GMs.
John, on the other hand, rules. That would totally own.
From: Dane
I would love to see Debra. She's a former Lt. Commissioner, looks the part in her sexy business suits, and is definitely fan friendly.
6 years ago, maybe.
From: Craig
Stone Cold should be general manager because he would be fair and would make RAW more cool and would stun people with his Stunner.
MAYBE HE COULD USE IT ON DEBRA! OH SNAP
(Side note: Yes, that’s the only reason I put the Debra one in there)
From: Peter
I think Hulk Hogan would make a good GM because he has such a vast knowledge of WWE, and a firmness of decision. No one will argue with his judgement, so he can make good matches without being threatened. Plus he's a fan favorite and everyone would enjoy seeing Hulk still running wild in WWE.
FUCK YOU
From: Jonathan M.
To me, it should Rowdy Roddy Piper because he has experience of knowing what it is like to make such big matches and big decisions. If you remember he one time acting as president back in 1996 when Monsoon was injured at the time. When piper was acting president he was afraid of nobody.
This guy should hang out with Teresa. He could teach her a thing or two.
From: Kevin N.
I'd love to see Stephanie McMahon become the new Raw General Manager. Stephanie was, in my honest opinion, the best GM that WWE has ever had. She was fair to the superstars, had a great ring persona, and didn't mind mixing it up in the ring once in a while. Her ideas were innovative and inspiring, and having a female lead a brand show was a good change in direction.
I was gonna say “stupid feminist bitch”. But then, I saw the name, and it was a guy.
?
WWE RAW Thoughts
I thought RAW was really good tonight, aside from a couple things (notably Chris Masters). Candice Michelle is easily the least sexy hot girl in history. She's plenty hot, but she's so bad at being sexy that it's almost laughable. Whenever she does that stupid friggin' GoDaddy.com spin dance, I just cringe. This woman lacks so much charisma, that you could take all of the charisma inside Christian, Chris Jericho, The Rock, Ric Flair and GOD HIMSELF (he's God, of course he has charisma), she still wouldn't be charismatic at all. Plus, no matter what she says, it just comes out as "blah blah blah I'm dumber than the character Maria plays".
Oh, and CHRIS MOTHEREFFING NOWINSKI! Mark out moment and a half for me! It's almost too bad that Striker's such a good talker, because Nowinski would be the perfect manager for him. It's also too bad Nowinski can never wrestle again and that Striker's on RAW, because they'd make an awesome tag team for SmackDown!. Striker was funny, though, and it reminded me a lot of the segments that introduced us originally to "William" Regal. Make this man Intercontinental Champion, and do it soon. Let Murdoch take the belt from Flair, then put Murdoch in a feud with Striker. They're both good micworkers, and they're polar opposites. It can be classic, if only for the promos.
Otherwise, things were decent. I like that they're keeping it very simple with the Triple H and Big Show feud. THAT is how a wrestling feud should be. Simple and to the point. No silly garbage, no "you killed Katie Vick and screwed her corpse", none of that stupidity. Just one gigantic asshole and one gigantic man who dislikes him, and the asshole's desperation to stay out of a physical confrontation with him.
As far as matches for the evening, Angle versus Flair was okayish, but not anywhere close to their near-classic from RAW months ago, and the ending was nonsensical. Shelton vs. Carlito was also decent, but a bit off. Plus, the crowd was about 65-35 for Carlito, but they are in the process of turning Shelton, so I guess that's not all bad. Plus, Carlito IS cool.
I loved Michaels vs. Big Show. It was one of those matches that was really short but felt longer, but in a good way. It was a very well put together match, and the finishing sequence (well, before the DQ ending -- although it was an angle advancement match to start with anyway) was really cool. The Sweet Chin Music staggers Show and puts him to a knee, but he blocks a second one, and with a lot of speed (!!), he grabs Shawn by the neck and chokeslams him while he falls to the canvas. It would have been an awesome finish for the match, but it's okay that it wasn't, I guess, considering the circumstances.
Masters vs. Viscera? I HATE HATE HATE Masters. Everybody knows he sucks. I hope he's one of the first two in the Chamber match, and Kane is the other, and Masters takes a chokeslam and is eliminated within 30 seconds. Mickie versus Victoria is a matchup that really wants to be good, but thus far it looks like these two just don't have very much chemistry in the ring together. I hope I'm wrong, but if such really is the case, then it's sad, since they're two really great talents otherwise. That DDT that finished the match looked bad, though; I thought Victoria was legit messed up by it.
Triple H vs. Kane will never be good, and I think that's the sentiment of everybody except for whoever made the match. It was slow, although I guess technically sound, but boring as hell. By the end, I was just calling for Big Show to come out, and then he did, and I was happy. I do like the Show vs. Triple H feud. This match sucked, though, and shouldn't have been allowed to be the longest of the night.
The fan interaction in the "You Can't See Me" match was good, but since it's obvious that Cena could absolutely see, it would have been HILARIOUS if the crowd would have messed with him and cheered when he pointed to where nobody was. That would have made for some good TV. Match, of course, was no good, but it was short and fairly inoffensive, I guess. Boring way to end the show, though.
Oh, and I HATE the way they're going with Angle. That just further shows the complete lack of creativity of the "creative" team. They're afraid that Angle is getting cheered and Cena isn't, so just make Angle disrespectful to America (and put down the troops, no less), and make Cena the gung-ho "I love the troops!" guy. Yeah, that's really an angle that should be happening in almost 2006.
TNA Turning Point Thoughts
I’ve only really watched the show once, and it was on Monday afternoon, so I’ve not gotten a great taste for it yet, so this will probably be a bit crude, but eh, whatever. How about I just make it short? Yeah, that works.
The Barbed Wire Massacre match was decent, but not as good as I anticipated. I guess the entire point was to just give the fans a brutal match based solely on two guys throwing each other into barbed wire and falling into barbed wire. It wasn’t as much a match as it was a spectacle, and I was a bit disappointed that they really didn’t play up the Abyss story whatsoever during the match. You don’t get over a lifelong deathly fear of something in 3 weeks, and that’s what seemed to happen here. The finish of the match was pretty cool, though, if not entirely predictable as soon as Abyss got caught in the first board.
The X Division tag team match was decent, but Bentley really brought it down. He’s fine, but he’s nowhere near the league of the other 3 guys, and the only person who should be using a superkick as their finish is Shawn Michaels. Bentley doesn’t even have a good superkick, for Christ’s sake. Come up with something new, please.
The Raven storyline is beginning to just stagnate, and they really are going to have to start doing things that matter if they don’t want it to just fizzle out and have no impact on anything whatsoever. It has been okay thus far, but something needs to start being shaken up, and this thing can’t stay just between Raven and Zbysko and whomever Larry throws at Raven.
I don’t care much for the whole 4LK angle, but Jay Lethal makes his iMPACT! debut this Saturday, and Homicide is rumored to be coming in, so I do look forward to that, and maybe a short NAO reunion. Match was there. Nothing good, nothing bad.
Heenan had some funny lines on commentary and Dutt pulled out some cool spots. The Pierzynski and Damon interference was decent, and Heenan’s distraction was funny. That’s really all there is to say about this match.
The Monty vs. Christian match was rather good, but it looked like they messed the finish up a bit. Something seemed off with the 3 count.
Tables match… eh. It happened, certainly. I had no idea it wasn’t for the belts until Team 3D put Harris through the table and there was no title change announcement. The match itself was very disjointed, and the finish came out of nowhere and was incredibly anticlimactic.
Joe vs. AJ was really good, but I’m going to have to watch it again to really properly enjoy it. I was distracted for one reason or another during some of the show. I did like the Daniels run in at the end, though, however I don’t have a fucking clue in the world as to where they intend to go with this whole mess. They’re trying to force things and just being confusing, but there’s little else I can say about all of this that hasn’t already been said.
Rhino vs. Jarrett was a garbage match. The match on the 2 hour special was much better. Uh… erm… I have nothing more to say about it. Shouldn’t have been the main event, certainly, but I guess they had to do the silly thing with Sting’s outfit at the end. I’ll tell you this: I’m not excited that they’re bringing Sting in, but I am curious as to what they plan to do.
I said I was going to make this short. I lied. Sorry.
WWE SmackDown! Preview
The Boogeyman vs. Nunzio
Kid Kash vs. Super Crazy
WWE Tag Team Championship
Champions MNM defend versus Rey Mysterio & Batista
Bobby Lashley vs. Paul Burchill
Matt Hardy vs. Booker T
I got spoiled for this show, and it annoys me. Death to NoDQ.com.
Also, no Armageddon preview since there are only 4 matches set and there are more to be made tonight on SmackDown!, certainly. Check WWE.com for the matches, okay?
TNA iMPACT! Preview
Team 3D vs. Diamonds in the Rough
Samoa Joe vs. Jay Lethal
Matt Bentley vs. Alex Shelley
Rhino in action
It’s sad that Lethal will be just fed to Joe. Very sad.
And now, time for EMAILS
No Assignment America this week, but I will start off with the responses I finally received for the one I’ve been trying to get a reaction to for weeks.
Tony Fioretti has a long one for us:
OK, personally, I loved the Benoit, Angle sequences where the crossface gets countered into the ankle lock and vice versa. Your vertical suplex idea might make for a pretty cool spot as well.
My spot would have to have some build to it. Angle would have to have a protege (say, once they've brought up Brent Albright) that emulates his style. His protege even takes his angle slam but names it after himself. They have a huge blowoff with an Iron Man Match at one of the big four. The sequece would go like this. With, 10 minutes to go, no
pinfalls have occurred. The protege goes for his Angle Slam, but Kurt arm drags out of it, Kurt swings at him, misses, and the kid goes for the AS again, Kurt reverses it into a DDT. Once they're both up, the kid goes for it AGAIN, this time Angle reverses to a sunset flip (I saw Michaels do it and it looked pretty cool) kicks out at two. The kid goes for it again, but Angle does the standard fly out and reverses into and Angle Slam of his own. Now they're both down, Angle moves into the cover, 2 1/2 count. Now he's
pissed. Straps are down, ankle lock. By this time in the match this is the third or fourth time he's had it in. The kid crawls around to the ropes but Angle keeps pulling him
back to the center of the ring. The kid finally makes the ropes and climbs up the ropes with his hands in the corner (see Angle/Nunzio after last years rumble) and Kurt just
yanks him off like he did to Nunzio but before the kid hits the ground he goes to roll through (the spot pulling him off the corner giving him enough momentum to do so). Kurt goes into the opposite turnbuckle hard. The kid is limping pretty bad but manages to spear ANgle inthe corner but falls down afterward. Kurt recovers and goes up top (slowly) for the moonsault. The kid makes it up (not the pop up that Angle
does, the ankle lock sequence makes this too unbelievable) and crotches angle. He then hits the top rope angle slam, but NO he doesn't cover, he pulls angle back towards the
corner and delivers (insert moonsault SSP, etc.) for the first pinfall. The kid staggers up and has this smug look on his face, he applies the sharpshooter to Angle as time winds
down to 2 minutes give or take. Kurt reaches back towards the kid's feet and picks the ankle, twists and he's got the ankle lock with the grapevine already there. The kid refuses
to tap as time winds down, he wins with one fall.
That would make the crowd go pretty nuts, I think.
Pretty good, but something they could have done with, you know, maybe Charlie Haas or Shelton Benjamin? Or even just anybody they have on the roster right now who just tries to emulate Angle. No need to bring up some kid who is barely older than I am and is no doubt not ready to be on WWE television, ya know.
Charles Sword replied to my Assignment America as well as what is coming up later. Here’s one part of his email:
I have been watching TNA for about 3-4 months now, and my opinion of Sonny Siaki is that he is like the Rock if the Rock were a failure.
I think you were a little too hard on Raw this week. I can see why you are down on it because you seem to like TNA and ROH, which means you most likely value wrestling over storylines as most people including me do. The problem is that alot of fans really dig the storylines so it scored a big rating. I'm just afraid they are going to eventually kill themselves if they keep having these "clip" shows rehashing the past.
Assignment America. I was really hoping you would have given up on this one by now. I hate calling spots. Here we go:
The match starts as two combatants square off. Despite his opponent being much larger, the bulk of a man is able to get some early rights in. Eventually the larger man's size starts to wear on our superstar. He uses his weight to crush the "face" in this situation. This continues with a beat down and some headlocks for the good portion of seven minutes with a few flurries from the hero. There's even a terrific spot where the "face" tries to slam the larger man, but alas, his back cannot withhold the weight. The large man puts one last headlock on our man, and his hand falls twice, readying to fall for the last time and a TKO in the wrestling world. Wait, his hand doesn't fall all the way. He starts shaking his fists. He starts shaking his head. He breaks the hold. A right hand by the large man and he gets a finger in the face. He tries another right. This time it is blocked and a flurry of rights by our now lively superstar. The face slams the man down. He
gets up slowly as the face plays to the crowd. He bounces off the ropes. Boot to the face of the big man and he goes down again. Off the ropes again, he soars into the air and lands a thunderous leg drop on the big man. 1, 2.......ahhh, on second thought, no one could make any money off that.
You bastard. And yeah, you’re about dead on with Siaki. As far as RAW goes, that’s not really the case at all. I like GOOD storylines, and Ring of Honor, as opposed to what some people may think, aren’t only around and doing business with random wrestling matches. They do storylines as well, and they’re just good, simple, easy to follow stories that people can get into, not silly garbage.
Will Bryant has one:
There's a sequence I've had in my head for years that I think would be cool to see. It's one I've already submitted for that EWR On 411 thing, though, so that's why I haven't sent it in. Since seem like you're practically begging for submissions, though...
Okay, I can't think of any specific wrestlers that this could work with, though I do imagine it as something two cruiserweights would do. Which, in that case, would probably work better in TNA's X Division. So, just for ease of explanation, I'm gonna use, say, AJ Styles and Petey Williams as examples. Anyway, the equence goes something like this.
AJ gets a powerbomb on Petey and floats over into a jackknife pin. Petey bridges out and tries for a powerbomb of his own in retaliation. AJ counters that with a hurricanrana, but Petey rolls through for a pin attempt. AJ rolls out to counter that in turn and just hits a seated dropkick.
Again, I'm not sure how well that would work with those two particular wrestlers, but it's just something that I've thought would be neat to see in action.
Nice and simple. That’s the kind of thing I was looking for, much more than what Tony Fioretti sent in. Just a spot during a match, not an entire bunch of minutes during a match.
Tim Burkland says:
Scotty 2 Hotty vs. The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman is prone is the ring and Scotty starts up the W - O - R - M. Right as he stands up at the end of the breakdancing a big puff of smoke goes off where the Boogeyman is. When the smoke clears the Boogeyman has disappeared and in his place is a pile of worms. Scotty shrugs his shoulders and does the WHO, WHO, WHO, and drops the dreaded chop on to the pile of worms and the ref counts the one, two, three.
Haha! I was actually expecting you to say that Scotty goes for the worm, but before he could get the chop, Boogeyman EATS him!
Good show, sir.
Amber Johnson weighed in on the Assignment as well as the McMahon dealy. First the Assignment America, though:
Ok, Mr. Nick I will take you up on your challenge.
My Ideal match will be with Batista. Now the reason for chosing Batista is
although he appears to be a physical beast and ass kicking machine, his
moves in the ring are predictable. So what I would love to see from him is a
match with a Kurt Angle/Iron Sheik caliber wrestler in which he is the
victor from raw tenacity and wrestling ability.
So we pick up 20 minutes into the match and Batista is down on the mat, his
devastating Batista bomb was botched by several punches to the skull by his
opponent followed by a necking breaking DDT. His opponet stands over him
ready for the submission move from hell THE CAMAL CLUTCH (my favorite
wrestling move). Batista is flat on his stomach. The opponent squats and
prepares to pull the arms of Batista when Batista counters, grabbing the
ankle and flipping the opponent over sending him crashing face first into
the top rop. Batista smells the finish, the grabs the opponent already for
the Brock Lock bearhug He has him in, and all hope is lost but no the
opponent finds a way out and nails Batista with the Geman Suplex, one and
then two dazed and bewildered, Batista up in the air for number 3 and is
down the opponent is ready for the pin, but Batista knips up, clothesline
from hell, the rope shake and the animal is in kill mode, now he's on the
top rop, flying leg drop to the throat and its all over.....1...2...3 Winner
and STILLLLLL WHC
Now in any venue, this type of action from the animal will draw a pop like
no other, only time will tell if someone helps him find a devastating
submission move other than the Batista Bomb and if he could do it lookin so
fine, fresh and clean with the camal colored gator boots and matching
belt....Ohhhh wee what a treat..
Now this may not be what you wanted, but hey atleast I took you up on the
challenge.
Well I certainly don’t see Batista every being able to do that, let alone actually doing it, but thank you for spending the time to write to me.
Unrelated to Assignment America, Rich has something to say about Randy Orton:
I’ll make this short and not at all sweet. I think you and the mongrel race that comprise your readership (name that reference) are way off when you detract from one Mr. Randy Orton. While even I am not a huge fan of the legend killer, it is beyond me to ignore everything that he is and nitpick over aspects of the character you don’t like. To hell with how he’s being used; watch his entrance as a fan, for once, and recognize the fact that he has a ‘presence’ that not many other people in the company can match. Name one dude who can come off as arrogant and look more smug than Randy, I dare you. It won’t happen. He can talk, too, listen to him without the need to hate.
I do watch as a fan, and he still stinks. His promos generally tend to be hit or miss, but mostly miss because he doesn’t understand the art of the dramatic pause. He understands the pause part, most certainly, but not the part of that phrase that matters. He's way higher on the card than he should be. He's a fine wrestler and serviceable on the mic, but not worthy of the praise he gets from some people.
Oh, and how dare you call my readership a mulatta, MONGREL CLASS OF PEOPLE -- I don't think that BOTH RACES WILL BE DESTROYED
Yeah, this gets its own special section inside of the Email section.
And now for that other little thing that caused such an uproar last week, Vince McMahon and his use of the word “nigga”. First, some positive responses from the rational people who took my side.
Joseph Curnow weighed in:
I just read your article tonight. I have to say to those people over Vince saying nigga, get over it. If you really want to talk about racism, let's talk about my heritage, being a jew. We were almost eliminated during world war two, the african american people were made slaves. So really, if you want to go use the racism card, then please just don't leave your house. Lord knows, you might run into at least one racist person during your day, let alone your lifetime. Jokes are jokes, get over it everyone.
Certainly.
jake_and_weshelle, while seemingly schizophrenic, makes a good point:
Just got though reading your column and had a couple of thoughts on it. The comments made by Kolt Legette has some merit to it but I agree with you in that he may have read too much into it. As a black man myself, I totally understand why Kolt was pissed about Vince's "nigga" referance. However, was Kolt failed to realize is that the Vince we see on Monday nights is an on-air character, not the real deal. Now, if he would've said it in a real-life setting such as an radio talk show, then Vince would be up shit's creek for sure. Any wrestling fan will tell you that Raw & Smackdown is like Bizarrio world where nothing is "real"( Smackdown's Undertaker/Orton segments is proof of that). I noticed that when Kolt was firing off various black WWE wrestlers, he left out Booker T, who in his career went though some major shit ( the slave gimmick, G.I. Bro) that the average black man would contact the NAACP. Anyway, my point is that while I understand his anger, Kolt needs to calm down and take things in perspective
Charles Sword says:
I decided I should note that this part is in response to an email you posted, not your comments. Who's Pall Wall? Vince's comments are more in tune with him being "uncool" and not knowing what's going on. I don't want you to respond to this because it
seems like more wasting of time on a stupid subject....And Cena's not getting his character over??? I'll write Shopzone and tell them to get that stuff off there that's just wasting space.
Nick, you don't have to publish this part if you don't want to, it's just to you personally.
Wow, I'm writing this as I'm reading your column and that email went on forever. First off, I live in the South...well Virginia, but the poorer part, so that counts. Now, I've met racist people and the point about racism today is that it is considered dumb. People that are racist are considered idiots and "rednecks". They are not put on a pedestal, and that is what is different about today.
Finally on this point, take a fucking joke. Watch an old episode of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn if you want to see racist jokes. The funny thing about that show is that everybody got made fun of. Damn, I miss that show although Colbert is pretty funny too.
I think Paul Wall is some white rapper. I think that was the point he was trying to make. I don’t know.
Paul Markham tells me that there are more rappers with color names than just Redman!:
Not to beat a dead horse but, would anybody have a problem with the word "nigga" being used by a blackman? I don't think so. People complain about a whiteman useing the word and then sit by with out an opinion when someone of color throws the word around. The interesting thing about double standerds, is the fact that those who live by them, are usually the most guilty of the thing they protest. If your of the opinion that it's o.k for one to use the word and not the other, than you my friend, are racist. Take a look in the mirror, what do you see?
Christopher Alden is on the money:
Hey, reading your column, and I was glad to read your reasoned, well-thought-out response to Mr. Legette's letter. I think that what most of these people fail to realize is that "nigga" is a slang term. If you're going to turn something like that into a slang term, you have to expect other people to appropriate it. It's going to happen, period. Crying out "racism" just because somebody without the proper melanin content uses a word that people who do have the proper melanin content use all the time is... well, racist.
Heck, the racial connotations are supposed to be part of the joke here! "Ha ha, Vince is so clueless and out-of-touch that he didn't even realize that he said something terribly offensive!"
As for slavery and Jim Crow being the worst atrocity in US history... well, it's definitely in the top 3, I'll give you that, but I think Manifest Destiny and the accompanying genocide of the native peoples trumps it. Just my opinion, not trying to compare misery dicks here (heck, I'm not even a native; I'm part Greek, part Irish, and part Hungarian), but I think Mr. Legette is just a little too centered on his own view of things.
Keep up the good work.
Well of course he's centered on that. He's black, so obviously he saw these atrocities and experienced them first hand. The moron isn't even personally affected by slavery one single fucking bit, yet he's talking as if he was writing this email to me in between his time spent picking cotton and being whipped.
Amber Johnson, as I believe I already mentioned, has something to say about this as well:
Now as far as the response to VKM using the word Nigga.....so what. I am a
black woman, and yes hearing the word nigger and or nigga rubs me the wrong
way but people and I mean black people in particular need to save that same
HE SAID THE N WORD speech for the ignorant ass rappers and people who use
the word on one another on a daily basis. My father always told me you can
begin to change other people's behavior until you change your own.
Now for the segment of the show where I’m just confused.
Resident NSYW crazy person rusty nailz probably said something interesting here:
Hey man, usually I dont get involved with the whole "is wrestling racist?" discussion because it obviously at one time was, and probably still is, just on a smaller scale...I have no problem with u not taking offense to what Vince said, that is expected...I myself did not see the PPV, but I read the results and some of the reactions...I fully understand that it was intended as a joke and to make Vince look stupid, even if I still find it stupid and unfunny...However, I dont understand how u can get so fired up and so quickly come to the defense of Vince for using this word..Now, before u start cursing ur computer screen and feeling tough, let me explain...Obviously, you are not of African American descent, so I would expect ur view on this situation to be different..That is fine...However, who are u to tell someone wether or not to be offended? WTF? Are u Vince's lawyer or something? Without full understanding and compassion, how can u just write off this guy's emotions as "overreacting"? He obviously feels very strong about this issue and in your almighty state of awesomeness, u feel compelled to immediately shoot it down as a conspiracy theory...I myself am of mixed descent, so I see both sides of the fence..But segregation was not all THAT long ago, and just cuz u live comfy in ur (I'm guessing) sheltered suburban life and are not exposed to this type of thing, racism DOES exist in society, wether u'd like to believe it or not...so I wouldn't say it would be a stretch to think that some people would take this the wrong way...overreacting? maybe, but that's not the issue...For all the bullshit black people (and yes I know, they're not the only ethnic group that was persecuted) went thru and had to deal with, due to WHITE people in HIGH positions with MONEY (I think that applies to Vince?), and their prejudice, I think it is completely justified for some people to take offense to this...No doubt, there are a lot of young white kids running around saying the N word, and most of them live in the 'burbs, FAR AWAY from black neighborhoods where they would get hurt for this...and yes this country was founded by WHITE SLAVE OWNERS who preached "freedom of speech", (well, only if you were a WHITE MALE WITH $, at the time), and just as much as Vince may feel he has the right to say this, the Black community has a right to be offended...As dude said, in real life, most white kids are getting their ass kicked for saying this...I for one have learned to accept it in some context, as I usually only here it from white people without the negative connations, unless I'm at the bar sometimes, and then it becomes a problem...But with Vince, there's obviously nothing anyone can do about it except change the channel...To sum it all up, I dont think Vince intended it to be offensive, but it came off to me as lame instead of funny...My issue is with u going out of ur way to attack a member of an ethnic community that has to deal with this word in everyday life, while u dont...And if you're really feeling like it's ok to say, just go to whatever big mall is close by, or any place populated by black people, say "nigga" a few times, and then tell all your "loyal" readers what happened next week...I'll be waiting...I know you're probably gonna prepare a little retort and that's fine, I can't wait to see what u got for me.........NIGGA!~
People really do love to go to incredible extremes when trying to defend an opinion that really is just complete sensationalism, don’t they? Yeah, they do.
And finally, kolt legette himself (just to note, the bold is him quoting what I said last week):
"Overreacting? Yeah, that’s what you’re doing. Conspiracy theorist? Yeah, that’s what you are. Racist? It quite well seems that way.
- wow, you really know how to name call huh, you should be a politician, maybe even run for president or something.
Look, Im not labeling Vinnie Mac a racist for using the N-word so freely, but I find it irresponsible of him to do that.
I want to see where your comming from, and its interesting that you believe that the US is beyond all those racial tensions of 40 some of years ago. Now just because its almost 2006, should it be acceptale that a 60 year old white man use the word nigga like its a joke????
I wouldnt say I'm neccessarily offended by white people using the N-word in the connotation that Vince Mcmahon did, rather I'm annoyed that a particular term used to degrade people like me for 400 years in this country, all of a sudden, in just 1/10 the time, now is being used as a joke. Its exploitation of black people all over again, (what? do you think Im exagerating, blowing this all out of proportion?) . I would agree that as a nation, WE are a lot like "Virginia Slims" and have "come a long way baby" - but we havent come along that far. Having white folks throw around the N-word like a frisbe just rubs me the wrong way.
It's not fair... for 400 years, blacks are tormented in a country that won its independence on the promise that all men are equal, then enslaved and denied said rights because of our skin color, and now you wanna say its okay to make a mockery of the whole situation when billionaire Vinnie Mac wants to profit on the use of the word nigga? As soon as you said: “McMahon saying ‘nigga’ was relatively funny. And that’s all that needs to be said. No uproar, no controversy, no racism discussion, none of that garbage. To everybody who had a problem with this, please get over yourselves.”
you prove my point exactly, and acknowledge that Vinnie Mac is treading the line on a ultra-sensitive issue.
people may find offense to Vinnie Mac's coment wether you or Vince like it or not. Its funny how you felt it was neccessary to address critics before anyone raised an issue with you, clearly demonstrating that Vince saying nigga is pregnant with problems. and thus proves my point exactly, (nigger is an offensive word, and you cant control someone from being offended by it, just like "wigger" is an offensive word and because I likend John Cena to that term, you now wish to speculate that I am a racist, once again you help emphasize my point about the power of these words even when used in a joking manner, these terms shouldnt be socially acceptble as inter-racial gargin)
SO if we are beyond making a big deal outta this, then why are people getting offended? so you argue that Vince offends us on a regular basis, and this should be treated as no different? but NO other word carries the power that the n-word dose, and for us as americans to allow the white population to re-adopt the nigger word as an anecdote will only make matters worse. (and I want to emphasize that I say this statement as an American) Imagine going through history books, reading about how blacks have been historically treated by the government and social norms of local communities, reading about how whites trashed blacks with racial slurs with the penicle of them all being the word "nigger" for over 400 years, and then, in the blink of a 40year period, whites give up the word as a racial slur [congratulations to the civil rights movement], then re-adopt it as a comedic reference tool?? - that just isnt right
I do not need to get over myself, it is this segment of white america that believes the N-word is "cool" that needs to get over itself. Just stop it, period. White people, (including the most niggerish ones) need to leave that word alone, just the fact... let me repeat FACT that "nigger" is offensive to black people when comming from a white person should be enough.
you may not want to believe it, you may not like to believe it, but you are way ahead of your time if you find it acceptable to think white people should be bringing the nigger word back into the mainstream as a joke.
by the way...
I find John Cena very entertaining, and use to really like hearing his free style raps, at first i thought it was just a gimmick that creative perscribed to Cena, but he's writting his own material, and I'm buying that he is representing himself ginuenly and I respect him for that, I HATE the FACT a lot of people, (white/black/other alike) view him as "fake" or a "wigger" because John Cena anything but. He is what he is, and that my friends is a wrestler/rapper...
As for me, Im no racist, just a man who wants to remind us all that Nigger/Nigga/Nigra, or any pronunciation of that word is offensive when comming from white people, plain and simple. I feel like i weakend my argument by going into such detail, but before you rebute my argument, put the shoe on the other foot and think about it from the black perspective. you might find that after getting the joke Vince is making, you may realize the joke is on you...
You’re saying all of this as if Vince used the word “nigger”. Vince said “nigga”, a slang term that black people created and adopted for themselves. The difference is pretty big, and the context, as I have said over and over again, also matters. Beyond that, please, for the love of God and all that is Holy, don’t tread out all of the slavery stuff and all of your sensationalizing remarks, please. Ever heard of American Indians? It personally doesn’t bother me (even being a small bit Native American myself), that there are sports teams using names and logos that could possibly be seen as racist against those people, and yeah, people who get in a huff about that (white people, by the way, not Native Americans, ironically enough) are fucking foolish.
In any event, in the end, it’s just a word, and not even the word you continue to cite as the word used in the “incident” that occurred. Nobody said “nigger”, and if black people didn’t, as I already mentioned, adopt the word “nigga” as a part of a warm greeting and as a slang term, Vince would never have even thought to use the word that you keep throwing around.
And by the way, I didn’t just bring this up out of the blue. There had already been a bit of an uproar elsewhere on the internet that had to do with this subject, and I was responding to that.
As a closer, I just want to say that sensationalism and ignorance really annoy the shit out of me, and that is why this thing has become such a big deal in this news column.
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