There is nothing more American than a genuine hard worker. A guy that shows up early, leaves late and seems to always think about work. Constantly giving tireless effort to his duties and responsibility. That is the quality of America, the quality many people find admirable and companies across the globe search far and wide for. We call these individuals 'prototype' employees. In the world of sports, these types of players become team captains., the face of the franchise and are adored by fans for their passion and hard work.

If you are a wrestler and named John Cena, these seemingly absolutes in America do not apply to you. Your hard work is labeled 'ass kissing.' Your passion is misplaced because you only got the job because of your body, which is probably aided by steroids. If you are John Cena you can't really love wrestling if you only use your '5 moves of doom' and have the selling skill of a full-size smiling-blow-up-punching-bag clown.

Why does Cena get the finger for having the qualities any man could respect? It has been said that Cena is thought to be less than genuine as a superstar babyface. There is a sentiment that Cena bent over for Vince McMahon and that is what keeps him in the win column and other more deserving wrestlers -- like CM Punk -- on the outside of the main events. There is the feeling that guys like Punk and Daniel Bryan have earned more respect because they spent more years on the Independent Circuit honing their craft and that alone gives them the right to have the top spots in wrestling over Cena.

Now let me state exactly where I stand on John Cena. I don't hate that he wins or is the top star in WWE. I hate that WWE is still doing the same crap and he happens to be the one they lean on the most. However, WWE has failed John Cena.

Continue reading this post »

In another look into what continues to be a life headed towards an expected end, Scott Hall will appear in a story on ESPN about his life entitled "The Wrestler."

The title is taken, of course, from the infamous movie starring Mickey Rourke about a wrestler who was once on top of the world and is now a broken shell of a man trying to pick up the pieces of his life. Watching this play out in real life with Scott Hall is saddening and maddening all at the same time.

Eric Bischoff appears in the piece and likely many of Hall's family and friends will appear, as well. Wrestling fans have often debated why Vince McMahon and the friends of these performers can't save him when they know for a fact he's on a dark path.

After watching the 1:24 preview of this ESPN story you may have a clearer picture as to why that is so.

I feel nothing but sadness; it's as if Hall has already died and the funeral has yet to occur. Just look at his face -- that is not the "Bad Guy" I remember and loved as a child. Imagine what his family feels. I'm blown away.

The entire piece airs October 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Preview video after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

via upload.wikimedia.org

WWE.COM has posted this story on it's website;

STAMFORD, Conn. – In accordance with its Talent Wellness Program,  WWE has suspended Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde (Sin Cara) for 30 days for his first violation of the company’s policy.

This is a huge blow to WWE and to HHH, who hired Sin Cara and believes that the former Mistico is a potential star. Cara, was also in the midst of his push into the SmackDown upper Mid-Card having defeated Sheamus on last weeks SmackDown. In the past, Wellness failures haven't been a career killing mistake. However, in the case of Sin Cara, although HHH is his biggest supporter, he does reportedly have many detractors as well. It will be interesting to see how Cara is booked when he returns to TV in 30 days. Cara was stretchered out last night at the MITB PPV in what looks to be an injury angle to explain his absence.

TNA Wrestling is again trying to push the reset button and re-brand its product. TNA is a company that has shunned its wrestlers and wrestling for much of the past two years and yet the company has decided to take a stance against WWE's name change in branding its own product and identity. The problem for TNA and its shortsighted and uninformed decision makers is that WWE has over 60 years worth of wrestling promotion and branding behind them. Therefore WWE could change its name to Actors and Actresses in Entertainment and people all over the world would still know that they are a wrestling promotion.

The power of WWE is that the mainstream world knows exactly who and what they are but this name change has the small yet vocal internet wrestling community in an uproar. The idea that the initials WWE doesn't stand for wrestling is absolutely preposterous. WWE is wrestling in the eyes of the world no matter if the long form World Wrestling Entertainment is used or WWE, both names and it's logo is synonymous with wrestling. For WWE to allude that the initials will somehow benefit them and separate their identity from wrestling is a miscalculation. The same can be said of the IWC who takes this name change as a slap in the face as if the initials WWE doesn't mean World Wrestling Entertainment. Since WWF got the F out the WWF was re-branded WWE across the globe. This name change is negligible. Who would complain if the World Wrestling Federation changed its name to WWF?   

Columbia Broadcasting Systems changed it's name to CBS. Did viewers reject CBS because they rebranded their long form name? Does that mean they are no longer a broadcasting network? Did the name change alter the fundamental aspects of their product and business? Of course it didn't because Columbia Broadcasting Systems will still be a network of TV stations no matter the name and everyone in America already knew what they were just like World Wrestling Entertainment. Bottom line here is WWE is still wrestling and will be seen as wrestling so long as there are wrestlers that wrestle in their rings and on their TV.

The same cannot be said of TNA who launched a Wrestling Matters Again farce of a campaign aimed to lure the millions mainstream viewers WWE is going to lose by changing its company name to the three inititals it has branded since the change from WWF in 2002. TNA has produced 30 second spots featuring several wrestlers basically rehashing the same talking points TNA has always used in comparing themselves with WWE. Cliche's like "I am wrestling" and "this is my life" are tossed around with no real meaning or emotion behind it. RVD spews some line about "real athleticism with real emotion" when the IWC knows he's only in TNA because he can smoke weed without being fined for it and therein lies another problem for TNA.

Any campaign should be launched with the purpose of attracting the most casual fans and new viewers possible. TNA seems to have launched this campaign directly at those with the knowledge of the WWE name change and is offended by it. That is a very small segment of viewers. These viewers also know that TNA would be hard pressed to produce any evidence that they are a wrestling promotion in the past two years. These viewers know about Jeff Hardy, they know TNA took Kurt Angle, a wrestler that once had mainstream marketability, and turned him into a joke that can't draw a dime or cut a money promo anymore. By the end of the summer, more people in the world will know that Kharma is a bad ass Diva than people know that Kurt Angle still wrestles and he does for TNA. These are viewers that keep Kurt Angle on mute until the bell rings then cringe and worry with every bump while asking ourselves why is he still wrestling? TNA has helped turn Kurt Angle matches into witnessing very real pain which is not entertainment or wrestling.

TNA has no credit with any viewers anywhere on the planet and yet they actually think they can create a campaign to siphon WWE viewers. They have succeeded in creating a one last chance viewing for this coming Thursday Night. If this show fails to feature the X-Division, if it fails to put Hogan and Bischoff in the background, if it fails to feel fresh and new then this is just like January 4th 2010 and all the other restarts in this company's short history. This campaign feels like a joke and soon it either will be cemented as one or TNA will have departed from the only thing synonymous with it's three initials; FAILURE.

Poll

What do you think of TNA's Wrestling Matters campaign?

16%

Great, separates them from WWE

8 votes

20%

Meh, does nothing for me but I will watch

10 votes

64%

Epic Failure waiting to happen

32 votes

50 votes | Poll has closed

Rumors of Sting debuting on 2-21-11 to face Undertaker at WrestleMania 27 can now be put to rest apparently. Wrestlezone.com is reporting that HHH will face Undertaker at WM 27 seeking revenge for his friend and former leader of the infamous Kliq and DX, Shawn Michaels. The report states that HHH will put his career on the line in this match as HBK did last year. This is probably the best opponent to protect Undertaker's injuries. John Cena is not the kind of worker that would help Taker and Sting also needs to be carried in matches at this point in his career. HHH has slimmed down quite a bit and is still a top notch worker and this is the perfect spot and storyline to retire the Game character.

It has been speculated that HHH is ready to retire and he feels he can better serve the company in a corporate role rather than being an in ring performer. HHH is said to have been behind the youth push and also has big plans to overhaul WWE developmental. Since taking his position as VP of creative/Special Assistant to Vince, HHH has gained many supporters in WWE. Many are now of the mind that HHH has the ability to put the company back on track. So there is no doubt that HHH should and will do the honors at Wrestlemania 27, effectively ending his career as a full-time performer.

With a lineup that now looks like HHH v Taker, Cena v Miz, Del Rio v Edge, CM Punk v Orton, Mysterio v Rhodes, and the Money in the Bank ladder match, WWE is putting together a very interesting and possibly compelling WM 27 lineup. As usual, it all rests on the booking and the run up to the event. With so many new wrestlers at the top of the card for this show, the booking must be pitch perfect because one wrong move could ruin the credibility of the new acts. One negative is the lack of star power however, wrestling fans have been screaming for change and this card is certainly a sign that WWE is listening to the fans again. I may not feel that way if Cena beats Miz for the title. I mean with Undertaker v HHH, which should go last, the fans don't need a babyface title win when Taker is going over to close the show.

With that said, what are your thought on this Mania card?

Poll

what best describes your thoughts on the card for WrestleMania 27

29%

Like it! Finally new stars are being made

17 votes

19%

Hate it! I don't care for Miz or Del Rio

11 votes

19%

Indifference

11 votes

26%

Doesn't feel like a 'Mania card there is no star power!

15 votes

5%

Doesn't matter because I won't watch it anyway!

3 votes

57 votes | Poll has closed

via members.tripod.com

With WrestleMania season upon us the rumors of who will arrive in WWE are swirling fast and furious. Today the NY Daily News reported that Sting has signed a 1-year WWE contract and will appear on Raw 2-21-11

 

via i1202.photobucket.com

Brian Fritz of Fanhouse.com posted an interview with Chris Jericho in which Jericho revealed that he's 90% done negotiating a new WWE contract and has the itch to get back in the ring as soon as possible.

Dave Meltzer reported earlier today that the 2-21-11 video was all about the Undertaker returning to WWE. That theory seems to be correct given the fact that the Save Mart Center website advertises the Undertaker returning to the WWE on 2-21-11. However, later in his daily report Meltzer seemed to back off that statement a bit.

Of course, this far out that could always change if, for example, they signed Sting. But as of last night, based on localized commercials for the event, it was planned to be Taker's return.  -Meltzer

This is the fun and excitement of WrestleMania season and for sure we haven't heard the last about these two stars and probably will hear more about Bill Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.

 

 

Poll

Which wrestler do you want to see at WrestleMania 27 the most?

56%

Sting

72 votes

16%

Bill Goldberg

21 votes

16%

Chris Jericho

21 votes

10%

Brock Lesnar

14 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed

  Second in command, COO Donna Goldsmith has resigned her position with WWE. This departure from the company is huge news because Donna was the champion of the PG directive which led to Goldsmith brokering deal a huge toy deal with Mattel. In the past few weeks wrestlers like John Cena has cut promos on the PG rating. Goldsmith seemingly had cemented her power and authority to the point where she became a heavy influence on the creative direction of the WWE. The question is now that she is departing, will WWE change from PG to a more mature product. The signing of Steve Austin to host Tough Enough, Booker T and Kevin Nash rumored to return at tonight's Royal Rumble, seem to indicate a philosophy change. Now I will say PG or no PG WWE has not been compelling TV and there was a time when WWE was PG and was on fire. So the question is, will this resignation help or hurt the WWE?

Poll

With COO Goldsmith gone will WWE change the PG product?

57%

Yes, Bring back the blood!

19 votes

21%

No, WWE has too much invested in PG

7 votes

21%

Maybe Raw will change but PG will stay for all other shows

7 votes

33 votes | Poll has closed

Lets get straight to the point here. The Knicks record stands at 21-14 after the merciless pounding of the Phoenix Suns last night. However against .500 and better teams the Knicks are only 6-8. At a glance that record would seem to betray any proclamation of the Knicks being considered a legit team. The six wins come against the Bulls(2x), Thunder, Hornets, Spurs, and Nuggets. Consider this; only five teams currently have a .500 or better record against teams with winning records. Just five. Boston, Dallas, San Antonio, OKC and Miami. Eastern Conference teams considered to be better than the Knicks are struggling against winning teams. Chicago is 5-9, Atlanta is 4-9 and Orlando is 6-9. I am not at all suggesting the Knicks are better than these teams but if you consider these teams to be legit playoff threats then shouldn't the Knicks be on par with them?

The Western Conference is considered the senior league of the NBA. While the Celtics, Magic and Heat have improved themselves vastly, the depth of talented west teams outnumber the east. With that in mind the Knicks are currently 9-5 against the west. Besting the Celtics 6-3, Orlando 7-6 and Atlanta 8-6 and on par with Chicago 11-5 and Miami 10-5. Consider also that the Knicks have beaten the Western Conference teams with winning records by an avg of 9.75 points per game. Like I said earlier I am not trying to say that the Knicks are better than these teams based on a few positive stats but I am trying to point out the legitimacy of the Knicks record and the fact that the team should be considered much more of a playoff threat than they are being given credit for.

The Knicks will likely spend this entire season being considered a second tier team. Apparently only a trade to acquire Carmelo Anthony will sway bloggers and beat writers to respect the Knicks.  It seems to me that the scribes and scouts would rather stand firm on their assessments instead of re-evaluating the talent on the Knicks. They would rather say that Chandler, Gallinari, Fields and Felton are over achieving rather than admit they drastically under valued their talent and potential. No matter how frustrating and annoying and dead wrong these assessments of the Knicks are it is something that the team and the fans will have to endure until another major player is acquired or the Knicks keep winning and force the perception to change. For me there is no doubt that the Knicks are a legit playoff threat.

Poll

At This Point Are The Knicks A Dangerous Playoff Team?

49%

Yes

128 votes

6%

No

16 votes

37%

Not Yet

96 votes

7%

We need Melo(or another star player) first

19 votes

259 votes | Poll has closed

Listening to Chris Mannix on WFAN radio today implore to the listeners that Carmelo Anthony is desperate to sign his 3-year contract extension for an avg of $21.6 million a year, something didn't add up. Mannix made it a point to state that Melo would be losing this money and never get it back again which is why he will be traded by the deadline. I'm not an expert on the cap or what the collective bargaining agreement will be after the lockout but i can't imagine that the top level elite players in the NBA won't be able to land contracts for huge money.

Now just for arguments sake, lets play around with some numbers. Lets assume that the max a player can earn is $14 million per under the next agreement. Lets say that term length of those free agent deals max out at 5 years. So gone are the days of 7 year deals for $17-22 million per. However, based on those modest numbers, Melo could sign a 5 year, $70 million free agent deal with the Knicks. Not factoring in how much extra money Melo would earn in sponsorships, why would Melo care about this 3 year extension to the point where he's banking on it and therefore giving the Nuggets the power to determine his basketball future?

If, as Mannix says, Melo is determined to sign that extension, then NJ is in the drivers seat here because Denver will take their deal over any deal the Knicks offer. Now reducing the max player cap number from $22 Million to $14 Million is a major drop off and probably one that isn't going to happen. Realistically max players will cap off at $17-18 Million so either way Melo is going to earn a boatload of cash.

Melo will be entering his 9th season so regardless of what the terms of the bargaining agreement would be, he would still be at or close to earning the max amount of money possible. Like I said I'm no expert just throwing things around in my head and I just can't figure why the extension would be so vital to Melo. Maybe I'm wrong guys so educate me.

"The Knicks' quest for one of the game's top scorers is puzzling. Why import an offensive rival for Stoudemire when Chris Paul wants to play on Broadway?"  
                                                                                                            -Mitch Lawrence NY Daily News Nov 30th 2010

New York Daily News Columnist Mitch Lawrence has decided that Carmelo Anthony is not a good fit for the Knicks. Lawrence has made statements in many articles covering Knick games that Carmelo is a similar player to Amar'e Stoudemire without actually revealing these similarities. I can't think of one thing that Melo does that Stat does besides getting to the foul line 15-20 times a game. Stat is a powerhouse post player that has developed a nice 15-17ft jumper and a pick and roll nightmare. Stat is a beast on defense and on the boards. Carmelo Anthony is a totally different player to me. A jump shooter with the ability to create his own shot off the dribble, can catch and shoot, runs screen and rolls perfectly, can shoot from three. Really, Melo can do anything he wants on offense.

Maybe I am crazy and don't know anything about basketball but the thought of any team in the NBA trying to guard Melo and Stat is something I'd like to see. Unlike the Heat, D'antoni's offense encourages making the extra pass so I don't see how Melo or Stat become one on one players but even if they do who is going to stop them? What team would not want two unstoppable forces? So Knick fans are Melo and Stat too similar? Who is the best fit?

Poll

Who would fit best with Stat?

26%

Chris Paul

12 votes

73%

Carmelo Anthony

33 votes

45 votes | Poll has closed

Ross on WWE putting the WWE Title on Miz:

"I think WWE's decision regarding Miz and his ascension is a very strategic maneuver because I've always been of the belief that if your champion is physically beatable - and Miz is - on any given night, the perception for the audience is that we could see someone beat him. Then, if he has a bad night on TV, it's very simplistic to let him back on the microphone to talk himself back into the position he was in."

Ross compared it to Ric Flair early in his career as World champion not being a "physically imposing figure," but he could talk his way back into a heated position. "Miz is young, very contemporary," Ross said. "They're (WWE) in a transition period right now with a lot of young guys they're looking to get key minutes."

Kevin Nash on Miz winning the WWE Title;

"I promise I will not be back in the WWE," "They think youth sells,"  "I've watched Gran Torino 15 times - bad ass sells, not Men's Fitness in trunks."

"WWE told the world that their shit is a work with Miz as champ," he wrote. He followed by writing, "Going to bed, WWE is a buzz kill. Triple H, Undertaker, get well."

The Miz winning the WWE Title has been met with praise but also ridicule. The two conflicting views of Jim Ross and Kevin Nash seem to mirror the sentiment of the very loyal internet wrestling community.  Most praise Miz winning the title because he is a fresh face and he makes the potential main event matchups fresh. Miz often gets labeled a 'promo guy' and his huge in-ring strides often go over-looked. The other side of the coin is that Miz isn't tall, a body builder or a Danielson-type in-ring worker. He is not an intimidating physical presence, he is not the typical wrestling body-type. He is a former reality star that is doing well making a living in professional wrestling. Miz is not the traditional choice to be the WWE Champion.

WWE is in a state of flux. Young, unproven talent is being relied upon more now than ever in the history of the company. The usual main event level players are either injured(HHH, Taker, CM Punk), retired(HBK), left the company(Batista, Jericho) or just not connecting with their current characters(Cena, Orton, Edge). Something needed to change at the top and the choices were either Nexus leader Wade Barrett or Money In The Bank winner Miz. We have seen two WWE championship matches with Barrett and both were awful. What change would it have been to go from slow and prodding Orton to slower and boring Barrett?

One thing a good heel champion is supposed to do is sell for the babyfaces. Barrett is not that guy yet but Miz can sell for any babyface in the entire company and make them look good. Miz has proven that his promo ability can overcome the typical weak booking of new champions that seems to be a ritual in WWE. Miz seems to be the most capable choice to be champion. So why the backlash? More importantly, why are many older wrestlers like Kevin Nash, Matt Hardy, Greg Helms etc, so vehemently against the pushing of younger wrestlers?

Change is needed in WWE but it seems like the older wrestlers are believe they have more to offer than the group of Sheamus, Del Rio, Bryan, Miz, Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, Cody Rhodes, Nexus, Morrison, and others that WWE is currently pushing. Now, there is no guarantee that WWE will push these talents the right way and there is no guarantee that they will get over but shouldn't we wait and see? These guys deserve a chance to get over and draw money. I'd rather see these men than Matt Hardy or Grey Wolf Kevin Nash or the return of Sid.

WWE right now is like a baseball team that had a high payroll and hasn't won a championship in years. They are rebuilding the team and this takes time. There will be some crappy shows, some start and stop pushes, some great moments, some good matches and terrible ones. However I think Miz and the rest of these talented men should be given the chance to pass or fail just like others were given before them.

Which side are you on? Should WWE simply crown HHH and Taker or Cena and Orton again or keep the title on Miz and find out how the new guys draw?

"If you're going to listen to the new GM and he's going to tell you [it will] bring back five pieces or something, then I guess you have to listen," Wilpon said, according to ESPN.com. "I'm not saying we're going to do it, but you'd have to listen."

The quote above is Jeff Wilpon responding to a question regarding the next Met GM's ability to remake the franchise by trading a core player like David Wright. Wilpon appears to say here that Met ownership would not out rule any potential deals and the GM would have the opportunity to at the very least, present deals involving core players to ownership. This is an important element for any new GM to have at his disposal and was refreshing to hear Jeff Wilpon apparently say that ownership is open to any avenue the new GM would take in building the franchise.

However, that sentiment lasted 24 hours. Jeff Wilpon felt the need to call David Wright and reassure him that Wright would remain on the team.

"He just wanted to let me know that he wanted me to be here next year, and wants me to be part of the solution for many years," Wright told the Daily News by phone Tuesday. "I agree. I have been here in the good times and the bad times, and I want to be here for years to come."

I can understand that Jeff wanted to stop any media controversy by calling David Wright but I don't understand his explanation. Jeff could have easily said that the team will evaluate all players and no one is safe after the past four years and the new GM will have authority to explore all avenues to build the team. However, telling David Wright outright that Jeff wants him on the team is a huge back track. Jeff has already removed an option the new GM could have to build the team and has demonstrated that ownerships stance on the GM having "complete autonomy" is a load of crap.

This may seem like a non issue to some but it goes to demonstrate the double-mindedness that Met ownership, and Jeff Wilpon in particular, has run this team with for the better part of a decade. You cannot tell the media that you'll listen to any deal the GM presents and then turn around and call a player and basically tell him he isn't being traded no matter what.

Regardless of the words that come out of the Wilpons' mouth, their actions betray them and tell a different story. Like I said this could be a non issue for some fans but for me its a sign that there will be more of the same in Flushing no mater who the GM is.
 

 

From F4online.com

When asked on Twitter if people should buy tickets to see the WWE tour in Europe in November to see him, or if it would be better to buy tickets for the January TNA show in Berlin, Matt responded, "I'd go with Berlin"

When asked about his losing streak, he said, "Plan on changing that.  It's time for me to go somewhere thatl I'll be given a fair chance--that's all I want."

 

Hardy also tweeted radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge about going on his show and telling his side of the story. Not so sure that Matt Hardy becomes a major player in TNA. Other than a Hardy Boyz reunion Matt Hardy would be a mid carder in TNA and lodged in the middle of a younger, deeper roster. However, we could see Hardy get pushed heavily because of Jeff Hardy which would cause TNA mid card talent to become more disenchanted with the office. Matt Hardy is not the type of talent that should beat TNA's upper mid carders in singles matches so he could end up being a babyface mid carder that puts over fresh heels. Not at all different than his spot in WWE.

However, If TNA could sign Matt Hardy and Haas and Benjamin, then TNA's tag team division would be amazing.