This Week in ‘E – Future Endeavored…Endeavored

Mr. Kennedy gets future endeavored…endeavored, the original “Coach” passes away and WWE looks to reach the “Breaking Point.”

Opening Witty Banter
Got my first sunburn of the season today. I’m glad it’s finally summertime in my Midwestern parts. Other than that I’ve got nothing. I’m sure glad Mr. Kennedy got released so I’d actually have something to write about this week. No I’m actually bummed he got releasd as I think this could have been the run that put him to the top. Shout out to my favorite New York schoolteacher Mr. G and hope things work out for him at the end of the school year.

Let’s take some ‘E…

The News of the Week
On Friday came down from high that Mr. Kennedy was released from his WWE contract. No real reason has been announced for his dismissal but naturally rumors have already surfaced.

His official website ken-kennedy.com released the following statement:

“Ken is physically 100 percent healthy, and very optimistic about his future in the business. More details will follow.”

Then on his website he posted a video, proving that its wrist wasn’t injured during the ten-man tag on RAW. In the 20-second video he doesn’t speak, but just makes a bunch of goofy hand gestures to show his range of motion.

After the ten-man tag Kennedy and Randy Orton had a minor backstage altercation. Orton was angry at Kennedy for dropping him on his shoulder during a back suplex, which was the same shoulder that Orton broke during his Last Man Standing match with Triple H last year. Apparently Kennedy had also been working rather stiff with the other people on Orton’s team, which led to Orton warning Kennedy.

After three injuries, a break for some filmmaking, and a suspension for essentially putting his foot in his mouth, this is really could have been Kennedy’s last chance at superstardom. He’s had more chances than many and it shows that the company has faith in him and his skills. I feel this could have been Kennedy’s big chance to make something of him and catapult himself into the company’s stratosphere.

Here’s hoping “Mr. Anderson” gets a chance in TNA come September. I don’t really consider him a WWE castoff and if TNA can cultivate young stars like Elijah Burke, Shawn Spears, Jethro Holliday and Matt Morgan into a new breed of main eventer for themselves. I’m sure it won’t happen but I guy can dream.

It has been reported that long-time wrestler and manager John Tolos has passed away. No official cause of death has been released for the 70-something year old performer.

He formed a very successful tag team with his brother Chris Tolos through the ’50s and ‘60s, and the pair won tag team championships all across the country. The Tolos Brothers were often called The Canadian Wrecking Crew (or the Hamilton Wrecking Crew) if working in their native Canada.

As a singles wrestler John was nicknamed “The Golden Greek” and spent considerable time wrestling in California, winning numerous singles championships and feuding against men like the legendary Classy Freddie Blassie.

In 1991 he briefly worked in the World Wrestling Federation as a manager simply known as “Coach” and worked with the late “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and The Beverly Brothers. His last exposure in the wrestling business was in the early ‘90s as part of Herb Adams’ ill-fated Universal Wrestling Federation.

It’s always sad to see another of the wrestling fraternity pass on but at least Mr. Tolos had a long fulfilling life.

According to nypost.com, MVP escorted Sherri Shepherd from The View to the prom at her alma mater, Hoffman Estates HS in Chicago. Neither went to their own prom while in high school, so it will be a first for both.

That’s some cool fluff news and some fun PR for WWE to exploit.

The eleven year tradition of the “Unforgiven” pay per view is dead as apparently that pay per view slot will now become “Breaking Point,” a submission-themed pay per view where the main event matches will be presented under submission rules.

I’m all for WWE branding their pay per views so that each one helps them stand out in the very crowded pay per view market. Now if they just bring back King of the Ring as a standalone pay per view, put a WarGames match on “The Bash” and for the love of God bring back BattleBowl.

Ric Flair is stepping down as Ring of Honor commissioner to apparently go back to WWE full-time.

I’ve already got my rant written for the minute he steps back into the ring as an active wrestler. I’ll save anything else I have to say until the inevitable.

The Road to…Extreme Rules
WWE Championship Steel Cage Match
Batista v. Randy Orton (c)

World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match
Jeff Hardy v. Edge (c)

ECW Championship Hardcore Rules Match
Christian (c) v. “All-American American” Jack Swagger v. Tommy Dreamer

Submission Match
John Cena v. The Big Show

Samoan Strap Match
CM Punk v. Umaga

Intercontinental Championship No Holds Barred Match
Rey Mysterio v. Chris Jericho

Miss WrestleMania Hog Pen Match
Santina Marella v. Vickie Guerrero

Wrestler of the Week
Week of May 25 – 31: Jack Swagger
“The All-American American” looked like a star on ECW this past week with his show opening sit-down that kept him in the ECW Title picture. Later on in the main event he and those pesky Hart kids stood tall over Christian and Tommy Dreamer. Then two nights later on Superstars he made Finlay his bitch and pretty much destroyed him a four-minute squash match. When Matt Striker calls Swagger “The 21st Century Athlete” that isn’t hyperbole. The company actually looks like it might be in capable hands in the future with guys like Swagger, John Morrison, Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, MVP, Kofi Kingston and CM Punk growing up before our eyes.

RAW’s On Tonight!
With only a week to go before Extreme Rules it is expected that RAW will feature one last push for its big matches (you know, all the rematches from Judgment Day). Seriously, enough with a new pay per view every three weeks. As for the show, expect more boring Big Show-John Cena interaction, more severely underwhelming Batista-Randy Orton conflict and the “comedy” of Santina Marella and Vickie Guerrero. Plus will The Bian Kendrick find the “perfect” partner this week? I’m seriously hoping this is the angle that introduces Joe Hennig to the world. Oh and Montel Vontavious Porter will defend his United States Championship against Kofi Kingston that I’m sure will see interaction from William Regal and Matt Hardy as well.

On Last Week’s Episode…
SmackDown

ECW

RAW thoughts and
live coverage.

How They Rated
Superstars (5.21.09) – .8

SmackDown! (5.22.09) – 1.6

A.M. RAW (5.24.09) – .8

RAW (5.25.09) – 3.2

ECW (5.26.09) – 1.0

This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wiswell has a great piece up about the double edged sword of being injured on the indy circuit.

Marshall covers TNA. I’m actually getting excited for the company again as they build momentum with new stars and angles that actually make a little sense.

For more relevant, interesting and exciting wrestling information from your truly, check out my gig as the Pro Wrestling Examiner over at Examiner.com.