News to Start Your Weekend 8.10.07
Posted by Nick Marsico on 08.10.2007
I got punched in the face while writing this. It's a true story that I'm telling you.
I don't really have much to talk about up here at the top this week. A-Rod hit his 500th home run, Glavine got his 300th career win and Bonds finally broke Hank Aaron's all time home run record. I was really hoping Rodriguez would go on a homer-less slump for the rest of his career. That would have ruled beyond all. He stinks. I like Barry Bonds more than A-Rod. I could also tell you about the material used to build the space shuttle Endeavor, but I'm too lazy to get into the details. Um…
==================== we talkin' the news *swoosh*
- So now it appears that Jeff Hardy isn't taking some time off to rest from the fall he took in his match with Kennedy a couple weeks back, but rather because he violated some part of the Wellness Policy. He'll be gone until some time in September. Ya know, I just watched the RF Video Kevin Nash shoot interview and found out that back in the mid 90s, the drug policy was a $1500 fine, $3000, $5000 and then termination. I was not aware of that, but it's a relevant little bit of information these days.
- I'm reading that Lashley is beginning to get a big head, and people are apparently comparing him to how Brock Lesnar started acting toward the end of his WWE run. I saw that Kristal Marshall, his real life chick, may have something to do with this. Speaking of him, it seems that his surgery isn't going to keep him out for 8 months, but he'll probably be gone 2 or 3 I'd imagine.
- In some AWESOME news, Moolah and Mae Young are scheduled to appear at SummerSlam this year. I just don't get it.
- There's a new promotion starting up that may have a TV deal with Ion, the network that airs the Bodog Fight stuff. That's gonna be awesome. A network with Who's the Boss, The Wonder Years, Mama's Family, Diagnosis Murder, Mixed Martial Arts and Pro Wrestling. Pro wrestling with Rosey, the Shane Twins (Gymini), Heidenreich, Vito, D'Lo and the Heart Throbs among others. Riveting stuff.
- SmackDown this week is being pre-empted in PADUCAH! Not Paducah!
- WWE signed Lacey Adkisson, daughter of Kerry Von Erich. She's 21 and hot. They signed a couple of pretty hot latina twins, too. I don't get the point.
- Saturday Night's Main Event is going to be taped this Monday before RAW and will air a week from tomorrow on NBC. Chances are it will suck.
- Pacman Jones will in fact be wrestling in TNA even though it is apparently against his contract with the Titans. TNA set up a ring in Pacman's back yard and he's going to be trained there by Jarrett, Chris Harris, James Storm and Jerry Lynn. TNA really doesn't get it.
- Speaking of TNA, their videos are back up on YouTube.
- Ken Kennedy is probably going to end up being Vince McMahon's illegitimate son. Joy.
- Undertaker is going to return for Unforgiven. I may have reported this last week. I dunno.
- No more X Division Title soon? Stay tuned.
==================== ring of honor
- Is Misawa coming to Ring of Honor? Some rumors are going around that the current GHC Heavyweight Champion will be coming to the US in November to possibly defend the title in ROH, only the second time it would be defended outside of Japan. Naomichi Marufuji defended it against Nigel McGuinness in New York City in September of 2006 before losing it to Misawa a short time later.
- The Live in Tokyo and Osaka DVDs will be released using the production from the Japanese television networks they aired on over there. They will thus look much different from any other ROH DVD releases featuring many more angles and much higher production overall. I've seen some of it, and it looks great.
- Kevin Steen and El Generico have been signed to Ring of Honor contracts.
- For some reason, Adam Pearce has challenged BJ Whitmer to a match at Caged Rage on August 24 in Hartford. BJ has accepted his challenge and the match will happen.
- This weekend is one of ROH's biggest weekends of the year, Death Before Dishonor V. The cards for the Friday and Saturday night shows are as follows:
Death Before Dishonor V Night 1 Friday, August 10, 2007 – Roxbury, MA
- Jay & Mark Briscoe v. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Non-Sanctioned Street Fight)
- Takeshi Morishima v. Claudio Castagnoli (ROH World Title)
- Austin Aries & Erick Stevens v. Roderick Strong & Rocky Romero
- Nigel McGuinness v. Chris Hero (Pure Wrestling Rules)
- Bryan Danielson v. Matt Sydal
- Jack Evans v. Davey Richards
- Lacey v. Daizee Haze (SHIMMER Title #1 Contender's Match)
- Delirious v. Brent Albright v. Matt Cross v. Eddie Edwards v. Pelle Primeau v. Jigsaw (Six Man Mayhem)
Death Before Dishonor V Night 2 Saturday, August 11, 2007 – Philadelphia, PA
- Roderick Strong, Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Matt Sydal v. Austin Aries, Matt Cross, Erick Stevens & Delirious (Non-Sanctioned Street Fight)
- Takeshi Morishima v. Brent Albright (ROH World Title)
- Bryan Danielson v. Mike Quackenbush
- Sara Del Rey v. Winner of Lacey/Daizee (SHIMMER Championship)
- Mark Briscoe v. El Generico (Falls Count Anywhere)
- Jay Briscoe v. Kevin Steen (Lights Out Match)
- Claudio Castagnoli & Nigel McGuinness v. Chris Hero & Jigsaw
- Jack Evans v. Deranged
==================== i got an email
Long time reader Manu Bumb had something to say about wrestlers working hurt:
here's what I'm not so sure about - wrestlers get monetary incentives for working (ppv bonuses, increased merchandise sales by being on tv, etc), so its in their best interest to work through the pain (even though it results in them being gone even longer). Do you think anything less than a massive change in pay structure (higher downsides, lower incentives) would help? and could WWE be forced to restructure their pay? and would it even help the lower card guys? id imagine people like paul london wouldnt get much of a higher guarantee.
With my job, I get a salary and a yearly bonus, and the bonus is pretty small comparatively speaking, so if I get sick, I can take time off without losing much. granted, i still have to meet my deadlines, so I usually work no matter what so I get things done in time. hell, im taking 7 business days off later this month for my best friend's wedding and bachelor party, and I'll still be working every day of that "vacation" because we have schedules and deadlines.
Your proposition for restructuring the pay may work as far as lower card guys, but for someone like Lashley, his downside is certainly more than big enough that he can take a few weeks or a month off to heal an injury. Some of these guys are guaranteed 300,000 to a million bucks a year, so there's really no problem with taking that time off. You lose out on your part of the gate for the shows you're on, but in the long run you're better off taking less time out of your schedule early rather than continuing to work and then having to stay out even longer because of it.
So therefore it wouldn't be in their best interest to stay on and work injured, because as you said, it is often at the expense of them taking off more time than they would have. How does that work out in their favor? All they have to do is write a good injury angle for them, and then when they make their big return, even more money is in it for them, and they had to take off less time.
==================== other random bullshit
- RAW stunk. THAT is how Vince reacts to what he thought was a 2.5 rating? My god man.
- ECW is the best show on national TV right now. Punk and Morrison had the best match they've had against each other, and it continues the streak of really good main events on ECW. The show has direction and some good WRESTLING style storylines. It's wonderful. Even the Big Daddy V squashes are fun.
- So TNA has a match coming up this Sunday in which every title in the company as well as one from another country is on the line. Yet somehow it isn't the main event of the PPV. It's going to take second stage to a 6 man cage match where you can't be pinned until you are bleeding. I'll let that sink in.
QUICK ‘N DIRTY PPV PREDICTIONS
GUEST PREDICTION
Shit will happen. Nobody will care. Because it's TNA. – Some fat dude sitting next to me. Ouch.
