The Burial of Kevin Nash: A Lesson in Poetic Justice

I caught this week's episode of TNA Impact on Thursday night. It was a solid show. The matches were entertaining. Each segment helped move storylines along in a way that left the audience wanting more. A lot of the top performers worked matches. No complaints. Thumbs up.

There was one brief segment that involved Kevin Nash, and if I had blinked, I would have missed him. Upon seeing the gray-haired Nash, I took a quick drive down memory lane. Remember him? A big star in the 90's, Nash had successful runs in both WWE (known back then as the WWF) and WCW. He had numerous title runs and became a fixture in main events and money matches. His biggest claim to fame is the NWO storyline, in which he teamed with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall to form a heel faction of "outsiders coming to WCW to take over the company." To date, it is arguably one of the best storylines in the history of the wrestling business.

These days, Nash isn't making the same impact. In fact, he has become buried. He's barely on TV. The moments when he makes it on camera, his segments are largely filler, and his matches are squash matches. When it comes to the fans, you can hear the crickets when he comes to the ring. The TNA creative team recently attempted to modestly push Nash by giving his new faction, "The Band" (consisting of Nash, former NWO colleague Scott Hall, and mid-carder Eric Young) a run with the tag team belts. This came to an end due to the recent firing of Scott Hall from TNA, and Nash has reverted back to his ghost presence.

This is a textbook example of poetic justice. For a time in WCW, Nash was a booker. During his tenure booking shows, he either pushed older wrestlers or anyone who was a buddy of his behind the scenes. In the process, he buried many wrestlers, most of whom were, at the time, young, near their prime, and still looking for a taste of triumph in wrestling. Some of these wrestlers were able to recover from this burial. Among them are Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, and the late Eddie Guerrero, all of whom went on to enjoy great success in WWE. Other in-ring performers were not so lucky, and many careers were hurt due to Nash's shoddy booking.

Look, don't get me wrong. Nash has already had success in this business. Additionally, he is past his prime. His situation is not that severe. However, when Ric Flair, Sting, and Jeff Jarrett are on TV regularly, it has to be a bit demoralizing to Nash that he can't find a role these days.

How does the crow taste, Kevin?

College Coaches Who Need a Big Year or Else (cue scary music)

The College Football season is coming up (Thank Goodness!!!). This is the time of year when there's all this excitement and anticipation. Players and fans are getting pumped up about the season. There are hopes of winning campaigns, hopefully conference championships, bowl games, and if things go the right way, a "National Championship." This is a great time because anything can happen. However, there are a select few who are feeling some pressure these days. Those would be coaches. When you're a coach, your job security is non-existent, no matter which sport it is.

In college football, due to the increased involvement of business, coaches can be hired and friend at the snap of the fingers. With the salaries that coaches makes these days, schools cannot afford to wait it out and see if a head coach will turn around a losing team or if their rebuilding project will yield results. They need results now!

Below, I've come up with a list of head coaches whose teams need to have a strong season or they will be getting the Marsellus Wallace speech from their respective athletic directors. "You leave town tonight, right now. And when you're gone, you stay gone, or you be gone. You lost all your [insert school name here] privileges."

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan - After a few so-so seasons and an embarrassing loss to Appalachian State (an FCS team), the time had come for long-time Michigan man Lloyd Carr to hang it up. In an effort to get with the times and modernize Michigan Football, The school hired Rich Rodriquez away from West Virginia. Considered an expert in the hot, new, trendy Spread Option offense, Rodriguez has had success at each stop during his career as an offensive coordinator or head coach. At West Virginia, he had the program ranked among the elite in college football. In 2007, the Mountaineers were thisclose to being in the"National Championship Game."

His tenure in Ann Arbor so far has been a nightmare, on and off the field. When he took the job, there was a nasty public fight with West Virginia over the buyout penalty in his contract, which was set a $4 Million. The case went to court, and received a lot of media attention. The case eventually got settled, but brought a ton of negative attention on Rodriguez. Then there were allegations of NCAA violations, stemming from players on the team (!) anonymously taddling on RichRod for making them practice too much (there is a set amount of hours that NCAA athletes can practice).

Now, let's talk about the football stuff. So far, Michigan under Rodriguez has not been the best. A pair of losing seasons is all there is to show for it. Most were anticipating an adjustment period for the current athletes to acclimate to the new offense and RichRod's way of doing things. Wait a second........ this is Michigan!!! This is one of the most storied programs in the sport, where some of the best athletes in the country go. In fact, Rodriguez and his staff inherited a team coming off a 9-4 season, including an emotional win over Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day. The cupboard wasn't exactly bare. The program should be making bowl games at the very least, even if everything isn't exactly in place the way RichRod wants. In 2009, team ranked 59th among all Division 1-A teams in total offense. Offense is RichRod's specialty. That's a bad sign.

There have been some good recruits so far in the RichRod era (see Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson), but if there aren't more wins, there may be another coaching staff in place when they graduate. Rodriquez makes about $2.5 Million annually. The school simply can't afford another non-bowl season. Michigan needs to make a bowl game, any bowl game, or else RichRod will be updating his resume by Christmas.

Ron Zook, Illinois - The Zooker was a questionable hire from the start. Fresh off being fired by Florida after 3 relatively average seasons (by Florida's standards), Zook was brought in to rebuild Illinois after a period of non-competitiveness under Ron Turner. Zook's strong suit is his eye for talent. An ace recruiter, the man can sell ice to an Eskimo. In fact, the 2006 "National Champion" Florida Gators was largely made up of players he recruited while he was at Florida.

Save for the 2007 season, when the Illini won 9 games and played in The Rose Bowl, Zook's time in Champagne has been mediocre at best. Zook's Illini teams have been known for their blowout losses and inept offense. Using his recruiting magic, he has attracted top talent to campus. Unfortunately, that hasn't translated into wins.

Zook's current contract, which was extended twice, pays him $1.5 Million a season through 2014. Whether the school has enough cheese to buy him out is anyone's guess, but at that salary, I'm sure the Board of Trustees expect the program to at least be in a bowl game each year. The Zooker needs a bowl, or else he won't be welcome back at Kam's or any other place in Champagne.

Todd Dodge, North Texas - When a program plays in a non-BCS league, winning a conference championship and going to a bowl game is as good as life gets. In the early part of the aughts, life was awesome for North Texas, a member of the Sun Belt Conference. For four straight seasons, from 2001-2004, the program won the conference title, each time earning a spot in The New Orleans Bowl, one of the Sun Belt's two bowl tie-ins. The magic faded, and two losing seasons followed, costing then-head coach Darrell Dickey his job.

In comes in Todd Dodge. Dodge made his bones in Texas high school football, leading Southlake Carroll High School to a record of 98-11 over 7 seasons, winning four Texas 5A State Championships. Hired for his connection to the local high school programs and his high-scoring Air Raid offense, the expectation was to have a team full of Texas talent, all the while passing the ball on traditionally mediocre-at-best Sun Belt defensive backs. In the process, a return to competitiveness was expected.

Things haven't exactly turned out that way. While his offensive scheme has worked (see UNT v. Western Kentucky, October 31, 2009), there has been little defense. In 2009, the defense gave up an average of 36.4 points per game. To date, the program has not had a winning season under Dodge. While his salary ($265,000 per season) is relatively small when you compare it to other FBS coaches, the concern is fan interest. Fouts Field, North Texas' home stadium, has a capacity of 30,500 seats. The average attendance for home games in 2009 was about 18,228 people. That means the house was about 40% empty when they played. That's not good when the program isn't going to bowl games and getting the payouts. Dodge needs some wins, or else the stars at night won't be shining too bright :::clap, clap, clap::: deep in the heart of wherever Todd Dodge is standing.

Paul Wulff, Washington State - This year, the Pac-10 conference screams parity. Even before USC got punched in the face by the NCAA, a case could be made for almost each program about why they had a shot at winning the conference. All except for one. Washington State.

Hired before the 2008 season, Wulff, a Wazzu alumnus and former letterwinner in football, was brought in to rejuvenate the program after a slew of non-winning seasons. While he had a successful 8-season run at nearby Eastern Washington, a big reason for his selection as coach was his knowledge of the recruiting trail in-state. Plus, who better to steer the program and sell it to 18-year-old kids than a former player?

So far, the program has gone nowhere. Wulff's Cougar teams have have a combined record of 3-22 over two seasons. One of those wins came against an FCS team. It's not just that the team has lost, but most of their games are blowouts. Talent-wise, there isn't a player on Wazzu's roster who could dress for another Pac-10 team. That's not good when you play talent-rich teams like Oregon, USC, and Cal every year.

I'm a big proponent of giving newly-hired college football coaches four seasons to get the program going. This is different. There has not been anything to hang your hat on during Wulff's tenure. He needs to win now, and show that there is promise.

Utah Gets Invited to the Big Boy Table

More stuff happened in the conference realignment saga. It was announced that Utah accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 Conference (or whatever it will be called once Utah and fellow Pac-10 invitee Colorado begin conference play). Utah will begin conference play during the the 2011 season.

The Winners

Utah - This was a no-brainer for the school. Year after year, Utah has proven that they are a solid program good for a bowl game each year. Twice in the aughts, they grabbed an at-large BCS bid, winning both games and capping off undefeated seasons. However, since they played in the Mountain West, which does not have a seat at the big boy table, they were not voted "National Champions" after those undefeated seasons.

Utah will now have a chance to showcase their ability on a regular basis against BCS teams, which will also give Utah a chance to play for "The National Championship" in the current selection system. The team will also have a shot at landing elite talent from the recruiting trail. The roster is full of solid athletes now, but with an automatic BCS bid in their back pockets, the coaching staff can attract some more elite talent to campus. Business-wise, this gives Utah access to much more opportunities, such as nationally televised games, BCS payouts, and better conference payouts. It also gives the school a chance to market itself in California, which is a big market, and could help grab some fans while they participate in Pac-10 play.


The Pac-10 - Once again, the conference has grabbed another TV market. Similar to the acquisition of Colorado, this gives the Pac-10 exposure in another timezone. This will help when the time comes for BCS bids. As previously noted on this blog, due to the fact that all current Pac-10 teams play in the Pacific Time Zone, their games are usually played later in the day. If a big win happens, it usually plays second fiddle to anything that might have happened on the East Coast or in the Midwest. Having teams outside the timezone will help combat this issue of exposure.

Competition-wise, this adds a great program to the conference, As noted above, Utah has proved that they are legit. Thsi will make conference play much more exciting.


The Losers

Boise State - If the school had held out a little longer, we could be talking about them finally getting a chance to play for "The National Championship." Instead, they took a lateral step and joined a conference that will not help them get into the BCS every year.




We'll see what happens next.

Bands/Artists Who Should Consider Throwing In the Towel

Recently, I heard a new song by one of my favorite bands, Iron Maiden. I got wind that new material from their forthcoming album could be streamed online, so of course, I was interested. I had a listen, and found the song to be very underwhelming and lacking the teeth that their older material had. My first thought after hearing the song was 'these guys need to retire.'

I began thinking about other bands and artists who I think have hung around too long.

Here, I have compiled a list of bands and artists who, based on musical content, touring activity, and gaps between albums, should disband or retire.


Iron Maiden - The group that got the juices flowing for this one. Iron Maiden have been around for over 30 years. One of the original members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, they went on to have huge worldwide success (one of the few bands from that scene to do so). They made their bones in the 80's, making album after album full of fierce riffs, operatic vocals, clever songwriting, and top-notch musicianship.

In the new millennium, their music has sounded exactly like what it is....old men playing metal. The material lacks freshness, energy, and doesn't have the same sharp riffs that their older material had. The band remains a huge touring attraction, but the best parts of their shows are the classics. No mas.


AC/DC - Formed in Australia by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young in 1973, AC/DC have written some of the greatest songs in rock n' roll. With the help of producer Mutt Lange, the band made on of the greatest records of all time, Back in Black. This record vaulted them to the moon, and went on to become the second best selling record in history.

The case I will make here is similar to the one I made for Iron Maiden. The recent albums don't have the bite of their golden era.

What makes this case different is the time between new records. Black Ice, released in 2008, was the band's first offering of new material in eight years. Connected to this is their lack of activity on the touring circuit during the sabbatical. Were they protesting the Bush Presidency? This time frame says two things. One, they are out of ideas. Two (and I hope like hell this isn't the case), their hearts are just not into making music anymore. I think it's time to retire the schoolboy outfit, Angus.

Ozzy Osbourne - At one time, this guy was a god in the metal business. One of the original members of Black Sabbath, he helped create heavy metal with his dark lyrical content on the band's first few records. Kicked out for partying too much in the late 70's, he went on to have a successful solo career, writing some of the greatest numbers in the the history of the genre.

This is a trifecta of terrible. Artistically, his music has become too generic-sounding. The new material simply isn't special or memorable. Activity-wise, he takes a long time between records, and has dramatically scaled back the touring. For his upcoming record, the plans are for him to do a regular tour. If my years of going to Ozzfest have taught me anything, it's that even if he's booked, he may cancel if he's not feeling well. Ozzy is in his 60's. I anticipate a lot of unhappy fans.

What separates this case is his public image. Ozzy used to be looked at as this bad-ass hell hound. The reality show he was in with his family killed that image, showing sides of him that made him look cuddly and cute. His wife/manager strategically did this to make him more accessible to non-metal fans. Ozzy Osbourne is not for everybody, and that's why he is unconditionally loved by his fans. He's our guy, the flag-bearer for rebellion in a world full of prim and proper squares.

Another image killer is the lawsuit he brought against former Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. Iommi, who owns the Black Sabbath name, was sued for 50% interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with profits he made from use of the name. Ozzy Osbourne, in addition to being a symbol of rebellion, is a bit f a working class hero. Growing up in Birmingham, England, he came from a meager upbringing. Osbourne himself feels that his background is partly why fans love him, because he knows what it's like to live from paycheck to paycheck, and sometimes on a prayer. Ozzy is extremely wealthy. Why does he need more money? While the suit was settled, this kills any image of him being a working class hero. Instead, it makes him look like a money-grubbing vulture who filed this suit only after Black Sabbath became a big-time attraction again.



In conclusion, I realize that the men in these bands are older now. I realize people change over the years. These men are in a different place in their lives now. Most have families, and have grown past the whole'18 and Angry' shtick. That doesn't mean the music has to stink.

Another Old Wrestler Joins TNA

Last Night, TNA held their Slammiversary Pay-Per-View. In the weeks leading up to the show, TNA President Dixie Carter made an announcement that during the show, there would be a little surprise. After much speculation, it turned out to be the debut long-time ring veteran Tommy Dreamer.

Before I cut loose, I would like mention that fans (that includes me) still love Dreamer, which was made clear during the show when he came out and he received a good pop, followed by the crowd chanting 'ECW.' One of the original ECW wrestlers, Dreamer gave fans lots of great memories during his time with the company. Every match he wrestled, he left everything in the ring, giving fans their money's worth. He was the backbone of ECW, staying loyal to the company through thick and thin.

Now that that's out of the way, this is a bad idea, bringing in Dreamer.

TNA already has a very full roster. Not only that, they already have a lot of older wrestlers who are past their prime. Dreamer, known for wrestling hardcore matches, has to be pretty banged up at this point in his career. I just don't see what sort of impact he can make right now.

A bigger issue, one that should concern TNA management, is the message that is being sent with all these older wrestlers being brought in. The company is brimming with young talent. These young wrestlers can't be too excited that all of these old-timers are being brought in and potentially stealing their opportunity for airtime. If management isn't careful, they could lose this core of young talent to WWE, where young, talented wrestlers who are in/close to the prime of their career (AJ Styles, Abyss, Desmond Wolfe) are coveted.

It is also worth mentioning that there has been a lot of press on TNA's financial woes. Some of the on-air talent are paid in peanuts, and some have to take a second job to make ends meet. How does it look when there's all this talk of cutting back to save money, but they bring in another big name wrestler? None of this can be good for locker room morale.

This was a poor decision. Flat out.

Reggie Bush? Both Sides of the Issue

There have been two stories that have dominated the headlines in college football. The first being the realignment of the conferences. The second has been the NCAA's punishment of USC. Last Thursday, The NCAA stated that due to the improper benefits received by Reggie Bush (football) and O.J. Mayo (basketball), the athletic program would lose 30 football scholarships over three years, be banned from the postseason for 2 years, and must vacate 14 wins in which Bush participated from December 2004 through the 2005 season.

These sanctions are warranted. The NCAA was quick to punish Florida State and Alabama for their infractions. It was about time the blinders were taken off.

The issue that falls into a gray area is this: Should Reggie Bush be stripped of his Heisman Trophy? In the entire history of the award, no football player has been stripped of the honor. In my opinion, I think the award is the most prestigious individual award in college football, and the classiest individual award given out in all of sports. Every year, a few of the best players from the season are invited to New York City, wear suits, and gather with some of the best players in the history of the sport. At the end of the night, one player wins the award, and from that moment on, his name will live through the years as one of the best to have ever played college football.

I will present both sides of the argument.

Bush should be stripped of the award because...he cheated, and he was caught. Secondarily, the Heisman Trophy is a symbol of integrity. Bush violated the rules of the NCAA. If he keeps the award, what does that say about the trophy? If the Heisman Trust continues to recognize him as a winner, the integrity that the award stands for will be compromised.

Look, there is no questioning Bush's talent. However, when voters make their decision, sometimes they consider what each candidate meant to their team. In the end, he was a detriment. The program had to vacate the wins in which he was apart of. How do you give out an award to a player if the games in which he made his name are not even recognized by the NCAA?





Bush should keep the trophy because...It's very possible that in the entire history of the award, other past winners have also done things that were against the rules. There was a time when college football was dirty. Players may have been given a few bucks from boosters, there may have been some "help" with their grades, etc. Not to pile it on, but knowing what we now know about steroids, and how you can't always tell who's on it and who's not, it very possible that a few past winners may have taken the drug. While I don't condone cheating, and I'm not trying to sully the good name of the award, stripping one player may break down a barrier for other past Heisman contests to be investigated and more decisions to be overturned. If the award is to remain special, the Heisman Trust should stand behind their winners.




There's a lot to consider here. At some point, We will see what the Heisman Trust decides.

When It Rains, It Pours

For some time now, there has been talk about conference realignment in college sports. I was of the mindset that until something happens, all this talk about who was going where was cream cheese. It meant nothing because nothing actually had happened.

Well, this week, stuff actually happened. First, there was news that Colorado would leave the Big 12 Conference to join the Pac-10 Conference, starting play in 2012. Then, the Big 12 was gashed again, this time by Nebraska, announcing that they would join the Big Ten, starting play in 2011. Now, Boise State has announced that they will leave the Western Athletic Conference (The WAC) for the Mountain West, starting conference play in 2011.

Who it benefits

Nebraska - From a business/money standpoint, the payout from The Big Ten is going to be bigger, allowing the program to upgrade the facilities and put money toward recruiting, which in turn, will hopefully put Nebraska back in the conversation about "National Championship" contenders. Geographically, it makes better sense. Nebraska is more of a Midwestern school, closer to Iowa and Wisconsin than it is to Oklahoma and Texas. Speaking of which, in the Big XII, four of the 12 schools are located in Texas. The league office is located in Dallas. To top it all off, the conference picked Cowboys Stadium to host the next three championship games, potentially leaving Nebraska fans holding their corn if The Huskers made it to the game. The Big 12 is a Good Ol' Boy Conference.


The Big Ten - More schools may be added to the conference, but regardless of that, the conference now can have a championship game. With that, league play will extend into December, keeping the conference in the minds of BCS voters when picking participants for the "National Championship Game."




The Mountain West - Thanks to that 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Boise State is a household name, making it an attractive choice for nationally televised games. On top of that, the team is one of the elite in college football. The Mountain West already had a sound reputation with solid programs like TCU, Brigham Young, Utah, and Air Force. Adding the Broncos makes it concrete.




The Pac 10 - The Buffaloes may not strike fear in the hearts of its opponents like they did in decades past, but getting Colorado grabs the Denver TV market. The Pac-10 has always struggled to gain the same kind of exposure that eastern schools have received. Due to the time zone that most of the schools play in, most of the conference's games are played later in the day, sometimes making any big win an afterthought if an eastern school has already had one. It may seem small, but getting a market outside the timezone is big.






Who it Hurts


The Big XII - This spells the end for the conference. Colorado leaving is not a big deal, but Nebraska is a charter member going back to the days of the Big 8. What kind of message does that send to the other member schools? This has opened the flood gates.


Boise State - This realignment could have really helped the Broncos. They've played well enough to attract interest from BCS schools. The Mountain West is not a BCS conference. Their chances of playing in a "National Championship" game are still slim. This offers no benefit competition-wise and does not help their credibility in trying to break into the BCS year after year.



Colorado - Above, I talked about how the Big XII is really a Good Ol' Boy conference with the focus being on the Texas area, and leaving the northern member schools holding their you-know-whats . This applies to Buffalo, but competition-wise, in plain English, they're gonna get creamed. Forget about conference play, last year, the team had trouble with Toledo and Colorado State, both non-BCS schools. While a lot of players in the Big XII come from talent-rich Texas, California has just as much talent, and a lot of players in the Pac 10 come from there. They don't start conference play until 2012, so they have some time to try and beef up the team with players who will help them compete with some of the Pac-10's elite. If not, they better bring Ralphie the Buffalo along on road games and have the handlers lead him over the opposite teams best player.



I'm sure there will be more realignment, but so far, this is how it looks. Stay tuned.

My Pro Wrestling Project

Growing up, I was a huge wrestling fan. I remember "The Golden Era," with Hulk Hogan, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Andre The Giant, and Ric Flair (when he was a fresh face). Then there was the Late 90's, when wrestling had edgier characters and story lines, highlighted by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, NWO, and ECW. Then, Vince McMahon bought up all the quality competition, the product got boring, and I stopped watching. Since my college days ended in the Spring of '04, with the exception of a curious gander every once in a while, I hadn't really followed it. I recently had a curiosity about what wrestling was like these days, so I made a little project for myself. I decided to watch every wrestling show on TV(Monday Night Raw, Smackdown, and TNA Impact), then make an educated decision as whether I was missing anything.





WWE




The only company to survive the Monday Night War era, and the oldest, I had watched their shows previously, so I had some idea of what I'd be getting into.

The Good:



Fresh Faces - I knew going in, there'd be a few names I wouldn't know, but when I first turned on WWE's shows, I think I could count on one hand the number of wrestlers I recognized. It made the shows hard to follow at first, but this is a good thing. In the wrestling business, to a degree, the future is always now. The WWE has stocked the rosters of both Raw and Smackdown with fresh, young talent who the company can market and build up for the future.

Cleaner Product- As much as I do enjoy hardcore matches with lots of blood and violence, the concept was beat to death. So were the corny Jerry Springer story lines. It looks as thought the WWE has moved away from these themes and and gone back to a more basic booking style with more actual wrestling and ring psychology. This newer style is actually more watchable and believable. And pretty entertaining.

The Bad:


Slow-Paced Matches - As I mentioned above, WWE has moved on from the blood and guts of years past. While there is an emphasis on doing more wrestling moves, which is great, the matches are slow and sometimes, lack excitement. I do understand a need to save each wrestler from getting too much physical wear and tear, majority of the match doesn't have to be wrest holds.



Too many Squash matches - Again, I enjoy the return to wrestling-based matches. And again, I know that wrestling almost every day of the year takes its toll. With that said, there needs to be better match-ups. I feel as though there is too much filler with matches nobody wants to see.




Weak Storylines - The feuds have weak/little motivation. (By the way, I'm sorry I had no witty picture to go with this paragraph).

TNA
Other than some Youtube footage, I wasn't too familiar with this company. At first, TNA (Total Nonstop Action) had weekly Pay-Per-Views, no weekly TV show when it started back in 2002. Since then it has landed a TV deal with Spike, and Hulk Hogan has been brought on board as some kind of consultant to advise the powers-that-be in TNA on making the company a competitive player in the business.

The Good


Great Roster - The roster is full of great wrestlers. There's a nice mix of established names (Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, Team 3D aka The Dudleys, Kurt Angle) and fresh, younger talent (AJ Styles, Abyss, Desmond Wolfe).

Southern Booking style - On each show I've seen, there have been Pay-Per-View quality matchups that have been exciting. Each match places an emphasis on wrestling, and the matches are fast-paced.

Fan-Friendly- I have a DVR, but if you miss their show, you can watch it online a few days later, either on iTunes or on the TNA website. The company also has some sort of agreement in place with Youtube in which segments and matches from past shows can be seen online.

The Bad

Wheel Chair Wrestling II - I really like this product. I didn't find a lot of flaws, but this was big in my eyes. If TNA is going to compete with WWE, having some older, more established stars is a necessary evil in order to steal some fans. However, the focus needs to be more on the younger talent, and less on the older wrestlers. Sting, Ric Flair, Jeff Jarrett, RVD, Hall and Nash.....all great wrestlers. But they're all past their prime, and offer little in the ways of long term drawing power.


In conclusion, wrestling these days isn't anything special. There isn't any one wrestler who is worth tuning in for, and the storylines aren't great. However, the joke was on me, because I got sucked back into it. Watching wrestling did make me remember how entertaining it can be when a show is booked well, and the talent is above average.

Welcome

These days, it seems like everyone has something to say about everything. Frankly, I thought that if everyone else can have a platform, then I feel like I am entitled to one, too.

Here, I'll talk about a bunch of stuff. Some sports, some guy stuff, some social stuff....whatever. So, here it is. 'Hope you like it.