sek69

Don't forget that John Cena got his push because Steph heard him rapping backstage and decided it should be his gimmick.

I always assumed when Dave spoke about OVW divas having/not having the "look" WWE wants it was code for whether or not Vince wants to bang them. Not to mention I thought it was an open secret that women get pushed/depushed based on their willingness to play ball if you weeeeel.

Wasn't HBK sent home for "being in bad shape" until a combo of his kids, Kevin Nash, and Jesus got him to clean up? Also I seem to recall Dave mentioning Ron Simmons was "in bad shape" backstage at the 12/29 RAW which led him to check into rehab. Perhaps the WWE chain of drug abuse is first time you get sent home and the second time it's rehab or GTFO?

I think WWE is banking on a lot of HD owners wanting to waive their digital penis around to be able to buy a better looking show than the common folk. A lot of people will only watch programming in HD once they have the option. Is it a sound strategy? Probably not, but that's what WWE has decided to do. I'd wager that they probably will end up keeping HD PPV the same price as standard once HD becomes further entrenched as the future of TV. Hell, right now where I live doesn't even have a HD PPV channel.

What I'm saying is that people buy boxing PPVs all the time that are always $54.95 for big name fights, and they have parties where their friends all come over and everyone chips in. Compared to wrestling PPVs, which are no longer being shown by bars and restaurants because fans will come in and sit all night and spend no money. The HD price is probably excessive, but in most cases if someone can afford an HDTV they can probably afford to spend stupidly high prices for a 4 hour HD PPV show.

Oh please. Wrestlemania is always worth the price, even if John Cena is in the main event or they have a boxing guy on the card or whatever stupid reason the "hardcore" fans have for hating this show. UFC and boxing PPVs have always charged at least $10 more for HD PPV, so it's no shock WWE is following suit. Most people paying for HD PPV are going to have a party and split the cost with friends, which is another thing most "hardcore" fans can't relate to since the reason bars aren't showing WWE PPVs anymore is cheap ass wrestling fans who sit there for 4 hours with their bottomless glass of Sprite.

Someone should show Vince some tapes of Kimbo Slice in Elite XC, since they seem to be doing the Hulk Hogan in 1983 build with him.

Actually, there really wasn't an opinion among hardcores that Maggie was "great" in the 80s. I'd be surprised if he ever finished in the Top 10 in the annual WON Worker Polls (not the awards... the Worker Polls that Meltzer conducted). I'm not sure Maggie every even cracked the Top 20. Granted... those polls aren't perfect as can be seen how Jumbo rates. My point is more that the notion that Maggie was a great worker really isn't something that was out there at the time. Not like say a Bobby Eaton or a Ted DiBiase from the era. No doubt there are some individual fans who thought he was a good worker. But it didn't really make a dent. My vibe in reading the stuff was that he was thought of as being akin to Good Sting as a worker. From my watching him at the time before he crashed the car, he just didn't do much for me. When I started getting stuff later in the 80s and in the early 90s... he didn't do much for me. John How much weight should be put into the opinion of the "hardcores" when time and time again they are shown to the biggest marks in all of wrestling fandom? They're also some of the hardest to please as well, so not being considered a favorite of theirs is almost a plus when it comes to evaluating someone as a worker.

I think it's pretty hilarious that she's become the best writer on the site in a matter of weeks. All those guys who post heaps of badly formatted tl;dr essays on TEH BIZ must be going crazy.

I'm honestly surprised there is a negative opinion on Magnum TA. I thought it was just common knowledge he was a good wrestler. I'm not trying to pick a fight when I say anyone who brings "when does it get good" to the discussion almost sounds like a person trying to be willfully ignorant. I mean, had things worked out differently he was probably going to be the top babyface leading the NWA into the 80s and 90s.

Not to rehash that whole debate again, but Chris Benoit is officially back on WWE 24/7 with this week's Nitro. I guess the fact that I didn't see it mentioned anywhere is a sign that people are done freaking out over seeing him again.

Dave mentions in the new WON that since next year's WM is in Texas, it's the likely year for Austin and the Von Erichs to go into the HOF. Who else would you add considering their love for putting people in the HOF based on where the show is being held? I'm thinking maybe the Freebirds can go in too, as well as perhaps Tully Blanchard. He has the Texas cred and also WWE 24/7 running the NWA shows reminding people how awesome he is. After that, who's left? Mick Foley's the only big name left who's retired and not in. Unless hell freezes over and they mend fences with Bruno, there's really no big names left until guys like Taker, HBK, etc hang it up.

Updated April Schedule:

Madonna's new CD cover:

Perhaps it was Kane. Well I think we just found the first program Jeff will be involved in when he gets back. "KANE, YA'LL KILT MAH DAWG"

Heh it's great living in a wrestling town sometimes. Tyler Kennedy just scored a goal in today's Penguins game and the sound guy at Mellon Arena played a clip of MIIIIIIIIIISTER KENNNNNNNNNNNNEDY.

Man, the Shorties section of WWE 24/7 has a Yoko/Jake/Ahmed vs Owen/Bulldog/Vader match up as part of the Wrestlemania Lost Classics theme. I totally forgot how awesome Yoko's face run was. He got the hot tag and the crowd went nuts for it. Even though he was getting ridiculously large by that point, he was still surprisingly fast and hitting moves. The only other superheavyweight style wrestler I can think of who was even somewhat close as a worker was Viscera, but the Big Daddy V gimmick has him just as a generic brawler now (albeit a 500 pound one).

Just my two cents, until the brawl with Dragon at the last ROH PPV I saw nothing in Morishima. In fact, I'm wondering how much being in the ring with one of the best in the biz had to do with me finally seeing what the fuss was about. I think it's more of "The guy booking Morishima obviously has Dave's ear" thing. Pretty much everything. That's not a knock btw, Gordy was the best big man of all time in a lot of people's minds.

Holy shit, in the span of a couple days he went from future WWE champ to the subject of a country song.

I don't doubt that he came up with the Gordy comparison on his own, but Gabe sure seems to be the one putting it in Dave's mind that Morishima is a great worker.

As part 1 of a multi-part piece it was good, as a standalone bio it was like only seeing the first 1/4th of a movie. As I recall it seemed to focus mainly on his football career. with most of the wrestling portion centered on how he wouldn't take shit from promoters. Speaking of the WON, is it time to reconsider the concept that Dave is above being influenced by Gabe? Every week brings another hilarious ROH talking point that obviously came directly from Big Daddy G. Who would have thought there would be a time where Dave would suggest someone like Morishima is a better worker than Gordy?

There's an Old School show up now, 12/11/87 from Houston. Who the hell thought Pete Doherty would make a good color commentator? He sounds like Gilbert Gottfried with a Boston accent.

So much for all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over WWE not putting the belt on him. You know they figured this was going to happen. Looks like Jeff is on his way to being this generation's Jake Roberts.

I just want to add how much I'm liking the new doctrine of having the announcers lay out during big moments. I really hope someone from TNA notices that not every highspot needs constant screaming.

Didn't Cole get beat up by Austin at one point? I seem to remember him getting his shirt ripped off and laughing at the fact that he of all people had a tattoo.