I’m kind of digging this new format. I was kind of stuck for a long time on the whole “Random thought columns are lazy” idea for way too long. Then it occurred to me that I don’t write for a column driven site anymore. I write for a blog.
Anyway, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts about the format. Comments are open.
1) I’m going to go ahead and join the club o’ geeks that think John Cena’s new NES cartridge shirt is the greatest thing since the original New World Order shirt and the HHH Wax Seal shirt. If I bought wrestling shirts anymore, I’d think about it.
2) The opening interview pretty well outlined why this Triple Threat match was a stupid idea. A Cena/HHH rematch is the match everyone wants to see. It’s not a mistake that Orton had to remind them that he was the champion. He had to remind me, too. Orton is an afterthought to this match who’s in it so one of them can win the title by pinning the other. There is no way Orton is going to come out of this match looking good.
3) For the people who think that Mayweather is not that big a deal, I direct you to the press conference. Mayweather knows how to sell his craft at a press conference and play the press better than anyone in the world. It still remains the first time one of the only times the WWE has managed a relevant celebrity who doesn’t tick half its fans off.
4) I haven’t watched a Jericho match in quite some time but I’m glad to see the hurricanrana reversal into the Walls of Jericho is still in his repertoire. Also, I presume, 14 different versions of the Armbar.
5) Lost in the 10 years of Jeff Hardy doing nothing but bat-sh*t crazy highspots, stupid booking on TNA, and steady stream of tag matches is the fact that he’s a really good wrestler. Even interrupted by a commercial break, Jericho and Hardy put on one of the better matches I’ve seen on Raw in a couple years*.
6) Thank GOD they are going in another direction with this Hornswaggle angle. The only really, truly annoying part of it now is apparently Vince is a very trusting soul who didn’t order a DNA test when he discovered he had a bastard son. Billionaires are often very trusting when it comes to accepting possible new heirs into their family. In fact, next time they swing by MSG, I think I might tell him I’m the fruit of grapefruit loins. Please, someone, at least mention a fake DNA test. I’m begging you. Even soaps tighten their storylines up that much.
7) The Samoan Bulldozers were the name of just about every fantasy sports team I had last year. Before that, it was The Bedbugs because, well, if I didn’t have a sense of humor about that, I probably would have killed myself. I was thinking of going with a Milkshake reference, but I feel that might be played out by the time baseball season starts. I’m thinking of going with something like “David Tyree is My Lord & Savior” but that could be creepy.
8) Line of the night: William Regal referring to Vickie Gurerro as a “cheeky cow.” She sent Regal a challenge where they would each select a superstar in a Raw vs. Smackdown exhibition match for brand superiority. I love British people. I wasn’t aware of this love until I started watching the Premier League. British commentary is where it’s at.
9) In the least possible surprising turn of events since Shawn Michaels announced he’d be inducting Ric Flair into the WWE Hall of Fame – Flair asks Michaels to do him the honor of wrestling him on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. I was unaware of the Vince McMahon edict of “the next match Ric Flair loses, he will be fired from the WWE.” Shawn says he would not want to be the guy who retires Flair before agreeing to the match. What are the odds that two guys at a combined 110 years old steal the show at Wrestlemania? I think the cash line is coming in right now at -550 but it’s subject to move if two of the best promo guys in history start to really get into it. There’s a possibility of that bet moving off the board.
10) Maria does her Playboy photo-shoot interview out of character, which makes me sad. This is the first wrestling-related Playboy I’ve been interested in since Sable. And by “interested in” I mean “Jesus Eff.”
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* – Full Disclosure: I haven’t watched Raw religiously in a couple years… but if not for the commercial break, I’d give this a solid 3.5 Widros.
