C.S.

Glad I'm not the only one who sees the potential in Danny Burch. He definitely has an awesome Jason Statham/Vinnie Jones/soccer hooligan vibe to him. I can't wait for him to get a repackage and a push. I hope it's soon. Eva Marie has a better character than 90% of WWE/NXT. There, I said it. #RedArmy, baby

They're definitely exclusive to Walmart. It's even mentioned in the ad.

Thank you, victory and Sidebottom. And agreed, Blehschmidt. I could be wrong, but I don't think specifically. I believe there was just a brief mention made of charity cards in Kamala's name where he didn't see a dime of the money.

I was going to post that Evan Bourne came across as a sleazy dickbag "player" on Total Divas, but that was actually Justin Gabriel. Can't tell these flippity-floppity guys apart.

Double post. Please delete. Actual post here: http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32974-kamala-speaks-wrestling-book-is-spectacular/

The ebook version of Kamala Speaks recently landed on the Kindle store, so I decided to treat myself to it as a Christmas present. After reading Backlund's book, I dived right into Kamala's. I am a huge Kamala fan from childhood, so I was really excited to finally be able to devour this. As a kid, I knew I couldn't ever be Hulk Hogan or Ultimate Warrior, but maybe I could be Kamala... (I don't mean growing up to become an African savage - kind of hard for a white kid to aspire to, haha - and I definitely don't mean becoming a bodyguard for Idi Amin. I mostly mean the belly. I could rub my belly with the best of them!) I knew I'd have fun with this, of course, but I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. What really makes Kamala Speaks stand out is that James Harris (and/or Kenny Casanova, who is listed as the book's co-author) is not afraid to dig deep, show his emotions, and lay his soul bare for the reader - anger, sadness, regret, longing, fear, and those sweet but fleeting moments of happiness. Whether it's losing his legs or headlining Madison Square Garden with Hulk Hogan, all of his feelings are described powerfully. One of the most impactful moments of the book, for me, was when a retired Kamala returned to one of the arenas he headlined - this time as a truck driver making a delivery - and ran into his old wrestling co-workers. And Kamala definitely has some strong opinions about those co-workers - particularly Vince McMahon and Andre the Giant. He also goes into his low payoffs, racism in wrestling, the creation of the gimmick in Memphis with Lawler and Jerry Jarrett, Friday/Kim Chee, Mid-South, his WWF runs and eventual face turn there, his brief stint in WCW, his one remaining friend from the wrestling business, and all of the other topics you'd expect from his career. Occasionally, the book will slip off into weird side-tangents. In one instance, former WWF ring announcer Mel Phillips' foot fetish and accompanying scandal is mentioned - possibly to parallel Kamala's own foot amputation issues? There are also a bunch of Pat Patterson and "Brooklyn Brawler" Steve Lombardi stories. Kamala addresses those rumors head-on, apologizes for his part in them, and then goes on to make fun of Lombardi several more times anyway. It's all a bit bizarre, but it does make for strangely compelling reading. Oddly enough, Lombardi, Harvey Wippleman, and pretty much anyone from the WWE apparently refused to be quoted for Kamala Speaks - "out of fear," according to the author(s). I can believe it, because the book is pretty hard-hitting. But still, to me, it only makes everyone currently in the WWE look petty for not contributing their own thoughts to a former colleague's life story. What harm would that have really done? Kamala was going to write whatever he was going to write anyway - and he did! WWE didn't really do itself any favors by distancing itself for no reason, if you ask me. The foreword is written by Jim Ross, but the ebook version contains several unused forewords at the end and other extra material that didn't make it into the print version. There was nothing wrong with J.R.'s foreword - it was fine - but I have no idea why they didn't use Koko B. Ware's instead. It was far more personal and heartfelt. My only guess is that J.R.'s version was ultimately chosen because he's a "bigger name." There are a couple of minor errors in the ebook edition (not sure if they're also present in the print book). There are two instances where a sentence is cut off. I believe this happens in Chapters 1 and 7, but I'll have to double-check. Hopefully I can find a way to contact the authors so these tiny gaffes are corrected (easy enough in a ebook, since existing buyers can get updated versions automatically). Other than that, this is clean, polished, and professional. Overall, Kamala Speaks is fantastic - definitely up there with the best wrestling books I've ever read, and I've read most of them. Link to the ebook: http://www.amazon.com/Kamala-Speaks-eBook-Editors-Autobiography-ebook/dp/B019JJR59Q/

Patera was in the Giants documentary, on behalf of Big John Studd.

Isn't he injured?

On that note, all of the Vicki Guerrero fat shaming comments, especially by who is quickly becoming the patron saint of this thread, Jerry "King Scumbag" Lawler.

Jerry Lawler ranting about Jake the Snake's alcoholism during their feud, which culminated in Lawler hitting Jake with a bottle of whiskey and pouring it all over him. (Heck, you could probably devote an entire podcast to scummy Lawler angles that didn't draw money!) Jake, during the same angle, exploiting religion by acting like a Born Again Christian, which he wasn't and isn't. Stone Cold pouring beer down alcoholic Scott Hall's throat. Shawn Michaels vs. God. The Raven crucifix angle. (At least the Undertaker angle really did use a ridiculous UT symbol, so even though the intent was obviously the same, it was too cartoonish to be taken seriously.) The elderly Stu Hart, who was clearly out of it, being paraded around in the front row of a Raw episode in Calgary (along with the rest of the dopey dead-weight Hart clan) - which I believe ended with yet another recreation of the Montreal Screwjob. Most of the Harts were greedy, selfish, spoiled, useless, money-grubbing attention whores, but a badly-aging Stu didn't deserve to be carted out for that. Any miscarriage or spousal abuse angle (Terri Runnels miscarrying and Chaz giving his girlfriend a black eye immediately come to mind in the Attitude Era).

Why wasn't Boss Man suspended/fired when he made fun of Big Show's dead daddy? The injustice and hypocrisy of the WWE brings me to tears.

Same with George Steele. (Paraphrasing) "You could only have one kind of match with him, but he was such an intelligent guy and the fans came out in droves to see him."

I just finished the book. Got the hardcover for Christmas. (The ebook price is the same or close, which is just nuts and I can't see that version selling many copies.) It's awesome. Backlund is very honest about everything, a straight-shooter, but never vindictive and always classy. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book is finding out which wrestlers he respects (I was surprised by a few of the people he named). If he's critical of anyone, it's never in a nasty, petty way - he's always very fair and just. If you're looking for salacious dirt or bitter axe-grinding, you won't find it here. He also goes into detail about his relationship with Vince Sr. and every major match and feud he had - including his title loss and who came up with the "throw in the towel" booking. Maybe I bought too much into the straight arrow character and narrative they built for Backlund over the years, but I was genuinely shocked that he ever took a sip of beer, LOL - especially with Andre. To be fair, he is still the clean, sober, hard-working "All American Boy" we know him to be. If you're looking for a lot of detail about his '90s comeback, there isn't much (as Ricky Jackson pointed out too). Backlund doesn't even cover anything past the Diesel loss. He acts almost as if his career ended right then and there, followed by his Hall of Fame induction a few years later. As cool as the Diesel surprise switch was at the time to my kid self, I really wished, both then and now, that Backlund had gotten a longer run with the title. I would've loved more about oddities like clash of styles WM match with Razor, his disappointing WM rematch with Bret, and his bizarre feud with Man Mountain Rock (one of the rare instances of WCW using a wrestler better than the WWF did). Overall, it's a great book - marred only by some formatting issues (all of the quotes are surrounded by a grey border, but some of the quotes inexplicably begin or end outside that border) and minor inaccuracies (for example, the Backlund heel turn was incorrectly identified as happening on Raw when it actually took place on Superstars). Still, those are minor nitpicks, especially considering the length and depth of this book. I don't think there's a more detailed account anywhere of the WWWF/WWF and its players and personalities (especially Vince Sr.) in the late-'70s and early '80s.

If you don't mind ebooks, it's $5 on Kindle last time I checked. I believe it was even formatted and uploaded by someone here, but I could be wrong on that.

Cena vs. Undertaker would've meant infinitely more if the Streak were involved, but if Taker announces ahead of time that this will be his final match, I think it will still create enough doubt over the outcome and feel like an "epic" last ride. Am I the only one who would want to see Reigns vs. Rock? Rock would have to play the asshole Hollywood heel who resents Reigns for getting him booed at the Rumble last year, and I'm not sure that's something he'd go for at this stage of the game, but it would be fun. Even better if Nia Jax comes in as Rock's badass female bodyguard. Miz as Rock's supporting actor lackey would be cool too. But all of that negates the Rock-Trips build we got last year, so it won't happen. I don't see why Trips has to wrestle at Mania. I think the show would be just fine if he sat it out and concentrated on his executive duties.

If the heatless Sheamus can get a World Title push after being an irrelevant joke on and off most of the year, I don't see why Miz can't be equally rehabbed.

I remember H bragging on Byte This (the old WWE.com internet show) that he had to lead Rock through parts of the match. He also said (either in that same appearance or another one) that watching Flair and Hogan in WCW made him embarrassed to be in the same industry. Kind of ironic, considering his later bromance with Naitch.

Okay, this obviously isn't the WON Awards, but it's a bit of harmless fun and possibly good insight into how the WWE thinks, so don't be shy - post your ballots! My picks are in bold with reasons listed below each category. Superstar of the Year Every Superstar on the roster is eligible (per WWE.com). Seth Rollins - Like him or hate him, he made the biggest impact. WWE stayed the course with his push and booking, until injuries forced them to go in a different direction. Diva of the Year Nikki Bella Naomi Paige Sasha Banks Charlotte - I don't give a fuck that NXT "doesn't count" and I also don't care that Nikki Bella broke the record just so AJ Lee couldn't have it anymore. This was The Boss's year, and she owned it - like a boss! Breakout Star of the Year Kevin Owens Neville Charlotte Tyler Breeze Braun Strowman - Is this even close? Charlotte might've had an outside chance if her main roster stint had gotten off on better footing. Time will tell on that, I guess. Tag Team of the Year The New Day The Usos The Prime Time Players Tyson Kidd & Cesaro The Lucha Dragons - As tempting as it is to vote for Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, because they rule, you can't deny the impact and much wider appeal of The New Day. And considering the obstacles Kofi, Big E, and Xavier had to overcome, their accomplishments are even more impressive. Match of the Year John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble) Sting vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 31) John Cena vs. Kevin Owens (Elimination Chamber) Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens vs. Alberto Del Rio (Raw) Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker (Hell in a Cell) - My MOTY - Charlotte vs. Sasha vs. Becky vs. Bayley - isn't listed. Out of the choices given, Cena vs. Lesnar vs. Rollins is an easy one for me. Cena vs. Owens is a solid #2 though. Rivalry of the Year Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar John Cena vs. Rusev Team Bella vs. Team BAD vs. PCB Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins - I'm pretty "meh" about all of these, to be honest. I guess I'll go with Cena vs. Rusev because I was always interested in the next phase of it, even if the overall result ended up being possibly counterproductive for Rusev's career. WWE Network Show of the Year Breaking Ground Table for 3 Stone Cold Podcast WWE 24 Swerved - Stone Cold Podcast is the easy choice for me. But it won't win this award (or any other) next year if the taped format is a permanent thing going forward. Poor Jericho and Foley, both of whom should've been nominated over crap like Swerved. I'm sure we can all think of other omissions, which shows you how strong the WWE Network's original lineup is. Double-Cross of the Year Jon Stewart attacks John Cena Randy Orton turns on The Authority Paige attacks Charlotte and Becky Lynch Stardust betrays Goldust Damien Mizdow eliminates The Miz - Another heaping tablespoon of big fat "meh." I picked Jon Stewart, because - hey - it genuinely surprised me. Surprise Return of the Year Jericho teams up with Reigns and Ambrose The Dudley Boyz return to confront The New Day Sting ambushes Rollins and Triple H Del Rio answers Cena's US open challenge Demon Kane prevents Sheamus' Money in the Bank cash-in - The Dudleys and Del Rio were probably more surprising, but Sting had the bigger impact - even in defeat. Hashtag of the Year #GiveDivasAChance #SaveTheTables #AxelMania #RKOOUTTANOWHERE #SuplexCity - #GiveDivasAChance made an actual impact. #AxelMania affected the product too, I guess, but lol. Celebrity Moment of the Year Stephen Amell dives onto Stardust The cast of Entourage introduces Zack Ryder Kevin Owens powerbombs Machine Gun Kelly off the stage Jon Stewart gets on Cena's bad side Wayne Rooney slaps King Barrett - I'll go with Stewart again, because why not. I don't watch Arrow or Flash or whatever show Stephen Amell is on, so his presence made no difference to me, but I do give him credit for looking good in his match. "Tell Me You Didn't Just Say That" Moment of the Year Ambrose calls Rollins "Justin Bieber" Rollins calls Johnny Manziel "Johnny Idiot Face" Lesnar introduces "Suplex City" to the world Rollins says Kane was just "there" at WrestleMania Paige spoils Charlotte's Divas title celebration - Paige delivered a killer speech. The rest of this is fluff. Best John Cena US open challenge Cena vs. Cesaro Cena vs. Ziggler Cena vs. Zayn Cena vs. Ambrose Cena vs. Neville - The Zayn match felt like the anointing of a new star, especially with Bret being the one who introduced him. It reminded me of Cena's first match against Angle all those years ago. LOL Moment of the Year Edge and Christian battle New Day The Bushwhackers Hall of Fame speech The Miz and Damien Mizdow commercial The Authority dance with The New Day R-Truth thinks he's in the Money in the Bank ladder match - Did anything else even compare to that awesome speech by The Bushwhackers? "This is Awesome" Moment of the Year Brock Lesnar destroys J&J Security's car Randy Orton's RKO to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31 Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks are called up to the main roster The Shield give Randy Orton a triple powerbomb The Rock and Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 31 - I'm not a Randy Orton fan by any means, but that was one pretty sweet lookin' RKO. "OMG!" Shocking Moment of the Year Seth Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 31 Brock Lesnar destroys everyone Kalisto hits Salida Del Sol off a ladder through another ladder Undertaker is abducted by The Wyatt Family Sheamus cashes in Money in the Bank contract at Survivor Series - I talked myself out of thinking that Rollins would cash in at Mania, so it was a genuine shock to me at least. Extreme Moment of the Year Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker have a pull apart brawl Dean Ambrose is powerbombed through a ladder at WrestleMania 31 by Luke Harper Seth Rollins breaks John Cena's nose Roman Reigns snaps, destroys everyone at TLC Neville hits a splash off a ladder onto a group of stars - Maybe because it's the one freshest in my memory, but Roman's post-match actions at TLC were - in a word - awesome.

Virgil was pretty well-liked and effective as a babyface. I don't want to overuse words like "hot" and "popular" because that would be exaggerating his status at the time, but he was far from some sad little jabroni sitting at a table all alone. He was "over" in his role. How is that any different from the way she usually looks?

Are people really trying to apply logic to the "wrestlers with second jobs" look and formula of the '90s? Some things can't be explained away. With that said, IRS and Duke the Dumpster Drose looked perfectly acceptable for what they were trying to portray.

I disagree that Roku won't be around in ten years. They were the first to market and still have a loyal following. Apple TV is popular but lacks access to Amazon and VUDU apps, which are major. As for Amazon itself, I'm not sure how successful its own streaming boxes and sticks have been - only moderately successful, from what I gather. Google is one great product away from domination, probably, but Chromecast sucks right now. And let's not forget about the video game systems, which have quietly established their own niche in this crowded marketplace. It's possible Roku gets bought out, as JvK speculates, but wouldn't that have happened already? In the meantime, Roku is actually built into certain "Smart" TVs now. In any case, suggesting that NWA Classics shouldn't be on Roku because of something that might be the case in ten years is absolutely absurd advice.

Is this you? From J.R.'s Q&A section: Kind of an evasive non-answer IMO, but maybe J.R. genuinely doesn't know why JBL supposedly dislikes him?

Agreed. It actually could've been a golden opportunity to really make some other people, and maybe they tried, but it was all mostly shitty and generic.

I don't care about the title not being defended on TV. But it wasn't defended on multiple PPVs either! And no one became a star in Brock's absence - which isn't his fault, obviously, so don't think I'm blaming Brock for the shitty booking that took place between his appearances. In the '80s, the champion was on every PPV (I know, I know...less PPVs then) and also on SNME. You can absolutely compare different eras, but in ways that are relevant and make sense. The twin refs angle was awesome, but let's not act like people suddenly thought Andre and DiBiase were on Hogan's level because of it. And neither of them ended up winning the vacant title. You made the comparison between Andre and Brock as special attractions, but Andre "beating" Hogan is hardly on the same level as Brock breaking The Streak, and Andre's "reign" is hardly on the same level as Lesnar's. Reigns beating Brock is too little too late now because Roman was already built and made - in Lesnar's absence. Yeah, the WM match between them was cool and all, but that was more Seth Rollins' coming out party. Even if you can argue that going toe-to-toe with "The Beast" helped Reigns' aura, did it really? The fans still shit on him for months afterward, and it's not as if Reigns beat Lesnar in that match anyway. I want to isolate this statement you made: Because I disagree with his reign, his breaking of The Streak, and the way he was booked, I "personally" don't like him? Come on, that's absurd. He's not my favorite, I will admit - I think he's incredibly overrated - but that being said, I can also recognize his value as a monster and badass. He does bring something unique to the show. Just didn't like the title being held hostage. If that warrants another dramatic and overly theatrical "Whatever" from you, so be it.

I don't even know how you could make that comparison, honestly. 1. It was the 1970s and '80s. Are we really comparing that to current WWE? Come on. 2. Andre was never the World Champion (not counting the DiBiase/evil "twin" ref angle). 3. Andre did not beat Hulk Hogan (again, not counting SNME). Brock, however, did the equivalent by breaking the Streak. Andre was a special attraction who was used like one. Brock, however, held the WWE World Heavyweight Title hostage for months and has not built a single new star. If and when Roman does beat him, it won't matter and won't mean anything.