wrestling / Columns

Sports Entertainment 720 News Report 02.20.14

February 20, 2014 | Posted by Jarrod Atkinson

Welcome once again to Sports Entertainment 720, I’m your favorite independent blogger and now defeated MMA Fact or Fiction participant Jarrod Atkinson. It was a close battle, but in the end I lost to Alex Watt by 2 votes. I extended my congratulations and then threw out as many Tito Oritz excuses as I could. I’ll see you again very soon, Watt. Back to wrestling. This week, a former WWE wrestler passes away, the WWE Network is coming, Joey Ryan talks about the WWE Developmental system, and I question the logic of TNA. SE720 starts right now!

Unfortunately, we start this week’s column off with some sad news. Nelson Frazier, Jr, aka Mabel, Viscera, and Big Daddy V passed away this week at the age of 43, reportedly of a heart attack. Frazier was a former King of the Ring winner, tag team champion, and Hardcore Champion during his tenure in WWE. I remember first seeing him as part of Undertaker’s Ministry, but he had a great run as The World’s Largest Love Machine, with his storyline with Lilian Garcia and his awkward moment with Shelton Benjamin’s mom being the highlights. It’s always unfortunate when there’s a death in wrestling, and our condolences go out to Frazier’s family.

The WWE Network is coming. Monday marks the launch of the network, and WWE has provided some of the programming it will provide on day one. You can check out the link here. This list doesn’t get me excited at all. I could give two craps about Legend’s House, and I want more uncut programming, not retrospectives. Stop packaging the past and let me watch old shit.

Speaking of WWE past, Triple H is claiming in a new WWE.com article that he came up with the idea for the Elimination Chamber. He recalls scribbling out a design and then seeing the end result being twice as big as he imagined it would be. This would explain why he called it the Evolution Chamber several years back, but the timing of this claim is a bit suspect. I’m calling kayfabe BS. But what do I know? If Chris Jericho can get credit for Money In The Bank, maybe Trips is the legit creator of EC.

Joey Ryan has some choice words for the WWE Developmental system. Ryan revealed some comments on Twitter that were reportedly voiced by Bill DeMott and Big Johnny Laurinaitis. Highlights include comments about how WWE had to retrain Daniel Bryan, whom they couldn’t draw a dime with, that nobody is as good in the indies as a NXT wrestler, and that he should wrestle the way DeMott teaches him to. That is my problem with NXT. If everyone is taught the same way to wrestle, how do you create unique individuals? Ryan then sent an email to a Senior Director of Talent Development and basically told him to suck it.

Before I get to the preview for tonight’s Impact, let me say this: It must be time for contract negotiations with Jeff Hardy. Last year they put the belt on him, this year we get this crap:

Good lord. We get to watch Jeff play dress up as his old OMEGA character Willow The Whisp. Willow was the gimmick Hardy used in ROH after his WWE release when they booed his ass out of the building. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt for now, but if he shows up as Itchweeed, I’m out.

This week absolutely not live on Impact, Mr Excitement Gunner cashes in his Money In The Bank Feast or Fired briefcase for a World Championship match against Magnus. Okay. This isn’t getting me to tune in. Dixie Carter will answer MVP challenge for Lethal Lockdown, The Wolves battle Bad Influence in what will probably be the highlight of the night, Gail Kim and Madison Rayne battle in a Street Fight, and Samoa Joe probably yells at the camera in a promo. I’m really trying to like you TNA, but you’re not making it easy.


Each week I filter through all the self promotion, Q and A’s, retweets, and TV references to bring you the best of Twitter in the Sports Entertainment world.

Sometimes the Divas make it too easy to do the Twitter Roundup. Thanks Nattie. And in case you weren’t paying attention, Big Daddy Cool makes a good point about TNA. As always, follow 411mania on Twitter and follow me if you want to hear about wrestling, MMA, vegan stuff, and the crap that goes on in Oklahoma. Click the links below.

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That’s it for this week. We get to look forward to Elimination Chamber and the Road to Wrestlemania getting some direction. I’m sure Hulk Hogan will make some appearance soon and CM Punk will stay out of sight and continue to add fuel to the fire that he’s on the way out the door. Two videos this week. First off, the always entertaining Kevin Steen, and then Big Dave Batista in the new Guardians of the Galaxy trailer. Enjoy.

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Jarrod Atkinson