Well I had planned to only offer my thoughts on the upcoming WWE Breaking Point PPV this Sunday, but then a small piece of news hit late in the afternoon: “Jeff Hardy Arrested for Drug Trafficking, Multiple Felonies”. All I can say is wow. Hardy was arrested on charges of trafficking controlled prescription pills and possession of anabolic steroids. A search of his home yielded 262 Vicodin prescription pills, 180 Soma prescription pills, 555 milliliters of anabolic steroids, powder cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The charges against Hardy include:
- Felony trafficking in opium
- Two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance
- Felony maintaining a dwelling to keep controlled substance
- Felony possession of cocaine
- Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
Again, wow. I honestly could not believe it when I heard this news and it is pretty sad. I was not shocked to hear about Jeff Hardy being in a situation with drugs due to what he has done in the past, but all this? Obviously the worst of this is the intent to sell and distribute. He can be a druggie and take all he wants, but when you try to sell the stuff, then that is going down a bad road.
Reports are saying that his brother and current WWE superstar, Matt Hardy, bailed him out and Jeff was quick to jump on Twitter. He said to not believe everything that you read and expressed his wish that the media would try and portray stories accurately. I am not sure exactly what he is talking about, but what else would you expect him to say at this point? My only speculation is that he will claim he never sold anything or intended to sell anything. The fact that he has so much of it could turn out to be a bad assumption by the cops, but I doubt it. The news stories make it seem like this was an ongoing investigation on Jeff and they finally busted him. They must think they have a solid case to bring those charges on him.
I think it is a safe assumption that Jeff Hardy’s WWE career is now over. I can’t see how they can bring him back at this point. Vince McMahon is trying to make the WWE more family friendly, so bringing back a wrestler who had drug charges thrown on him seems highly unlikely. I am sure at this point that McMahon and the WWE have to be fuming. They caught a lucky break that Jeff dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam, but this will still reflect poorly on the company. Hardy was getting a major push on TV and was portrayed as such an inspiration and positive influence. Of course if you have been following things, CM Punk portrayed Hardy as a fraud and said he probably was still high on prescription drugs and everything else. My, my, my…how life imitates art sometimes. Here’s a wild thought on all this too. I wonder if the WWE would dare touch this on their programming. The chances would be slim I’m sure, but CM Punk could get MASSIVE heat if he came out and told everyone that he was telling the truth about Jeff the whole time. A feud with Matt Hardy could be big around this, but I am sure McMahon does not even want to touch it.
Granted, I am not that much of a Jeff Hardy fan, but I did respect his in-ring work and I respected what he did to help put CM Punk over. He did not complain about losing the title or anything like that and he even worked an extra month after his contract expired to help the company and go out the right way. Because of all that, this whole situation now saddens me. Jeff Hardy was portrayed as a guy who made some mistakes, but he took responsibility for them and had turned his life around. Now, it seems like he really hasn’t changed at all. Even if he was to somehow beat these charges, and on the possession ones I don’t see any way in hell how he does that, his legacy is now ruined.
Jeff was supposed to take some time off and come back refreshed and continue on with a great career. But that is not going to happen. I can’t believe the stupidity that it takes for him to put himself in this situation. There are a whole other set of issues now as well. Has Jeff been popping pain pills this entire time? Did the WWE ever let him slide on a drug test? There are many questions now that can’t be answered and who knows if they ever will be. I understand how tough and painful it must be for wrestlers, so I could find a way to give Jeff a pass if he is addicted to pain pills. Addiction can be a bitch and millions of people struggle with it. But I have to draw a line with the cocaine and these allegations that he was trying to distribute. Those are bad choices that fall directly onto Jeff Hardy’s shoulders and he has no one to blame but himself.
So in the final analysis of my initial thoughts on this, I have to say I am just disappointed in Hardy and I hope he gets some help. Obviously he still had some demons in his life that he needs to deal with. I will not crucify the man totally until more facts are known, but this looks bad for him. He had such a good thing going with this last WWE run and now he has flushed it all down the toilet. On a more positive note, let’s get to my Breaking Point PPV preview that I had ready to go for today.
It is time once again for a WWE PPV and the company continues on the trend of trying to make each one have a certain theme. This Sunday will be called Breaking Point and the idea is that all main event matches will have a submission stipulation. I will give credit to the WWE for trying this tactic to increase PPV buys. The different themes give fans something to look forward to and it does break them away from the endless monotony of placeholder type PPVs until each of the “Big 4” roll around. So let’s take a look at the card and I will offer up my thoughts and predictions.
“I Quit” Match for the WWE Championship
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
Once again we are “treated” to another match between Orton and Cena. The feud between these two just seems so old at this point and it feels like we have seen everything there is to see. In actuality, the two had not squared off one on one for a long while until Summerslam last month, but the fact remains that this confrontation has been recycled from years ago. I predicted that John Cena would walk out of Summerslam with the title and I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Many thought that the Summerslam match was an overbooked mess, but the WWE had not had a crazy atomsophere like that in a while and I thought it was fun to see. The swerve of letting Orton walk out with the title was a good thing, but knowing that we had Breaking Point coming up, I immediately thought Orton’s reign would only last a few more weeks. John Cena’s whole character and career is built on a never give up, never say die attitude. Cena is a “soldier” and he never quits. There is no way in hell that Cena will say “I quit” at Breaking Point. Unless the WWE recycles the Rock’s trick of knocking the guy out and then playing a recording of his opponent saying “I quit” from a promo like he did with Mick Foley, Cena is walking out with the belt. The only way that doesn’t happen is if something occurs to make the match a no contest.
Prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Submission Match for the World Heavyweight Title
CM Punk (c) vs. The Undertaker
As expected, Jeff Hardy dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam and then lost a “loser leaves WWE” title rematch on Smackdown. I give Hardy a ton of credit for going out the right way and helping to make Punk into a mega-heel before taking his sabbatical. I will definitely miss the Hardy-Punk feud, but the WWE did a good thing by transitioning directly into a Punk-Undertaker feud. At the end of Summerslam, the lights went out and Punk quickly found himself standing over The Undertaker instead of Jeff Hardy and then he ate a chokeslam for his troubles. The Deadman had returned and had his sights set on Punk and the World Title. Teddy Long quickly booked a Submission Match for Breaking Point and I expect a good match between the two. Punk is insanely hot right now as a heel and The Undertaker will always have the crowd behind him. The money in this feud will be in the chase and I don’t see how they can have Punk drop the title so soon. Obviously, The Undertaker, like John Cena, is not someone who is going to give up and submit. Because of that, I see no other call to make but to say that this match will somehow be a no contest or a DQ. I really don’t know how they will do it, but Punk will escape with the title and this feud will continue.
Prediction: No contest or DQ ending, Punk retains
ECW Championship
Christian (c) vs. William Regal
With the formation of William Regal’s “Ruthless Roundtable” which features Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov, this feud for the ECW Championship has been fairly intriguing. I love William Regal’s snobby, arrogant character and he is a perfect challenger for Christian, especially with the muscle behind him. Considering that the match at Summerslam lasted only 8 seconds and was only designed to put over the “Roundtable”, I really have no idea how this match will go. If Christian beats Regal, it seems like the feud would be over and Regal would be out of chances. But then does Christian go on to try and keep Jackson and Kozlov off his back? I ultimately think that Jackson or Kozlov would benefit from a title run, but I am not sure they are ready for it or even if they are worth it at all. I might be going out on a limb here, but it makes the most sense if Regal wins the title with the help of Jackson and Kozlov and then uses them to try and keep Christian from regaining it. The major story arc on ECW seems to be Regal trying to take over things with his henchman, so having the title makes that seem more plausible.
Prediction: William Regal (new ECW Champion)
Submissions Count Anywhere
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
Well this is certainly a different spin on a match stipulation and it really just means this match will be a brawl that should go all over the ringside area and beyond. Legacy put in a really solid performance against DX at Summerslam. I thought Legacy should have won the match to really establish themselves as legitimate threats. Triple H and Shawn Michaels did put in a good effort to make Rhodes and Dibiase look good, but in the end, it is wins and losses that count. I am actually glad that the feud is continuing and I hope Legacy is able to get a big win. The WWE has two great young talents and they need to start letting them shine and get some bigger victories under their belt. Legacy was able to get some heat back by laying out John Cena and DX during Dusty Rhodes’ GM night and hopefully they carry the momentum to this match. Again, with a submission stipulation, it is tough to envision Triple H or Michaels tapping out. However, I can see a scenario where Legacy viciously attacks a knee/leg and is able to get a submission out of it. Against my better judgment, I am going to predict that Legacy gets their big win in this match. If not, the WWE is seriously making them look like chumps and I feel that is just plain stupid. But don’t say I didn’t mention that DX might just destroy them and bury them.
Prediction: Legacy
Unified Tag Team Championship
Chris Jericho and Big Show (c) vs. MVP and Mark Henry
So it looks like Cryme Tyme got their chance in the sun at Summerslam and they quickly will be forgotten when it comes to the Tag Team Title chase. Now the thrown together tag team of Mark Henry and MVP will challenge for the gold. This outcome seems pretty predictable to me and I do not see how Jericho and Big Show can lose here. I will say this though…I could see WWE shocking everyone and putting the titles on Henry and MVP as a sort of “reward” for MVP and Henry actually getting over a little bit with the crowd and especially to Henry for not getting hurt and pulling off a face turn. JeriShow needs to drop the belts to a team who could use the rub though. I think Legacy or the Hart Dynasty are perfect candidates and could benefit immediately, but all three teams are heels, so the WWE would most likely not set up those matchups. I have to wonder if DX will get a shot at JeriShow like I have speculated before. It would be a good little feud and the match(es) would be pretty good as well, but DX does not need the tag titles. Unless they win them and promptly lose to Legacy or the Hart Dynasty, it is a waste. I really do not know what WWE has planned for Jericho and Show, but I don’t think they should be losing to Henry and MVP.
Prediction: Jericho and Big Show (retain titles)
Singapore Cane Match
The Great Khali vs. Kane
I was really hoping that we would not get “treated” to another PPV match between these two but it seems as though we are. I suppose it is better for a solid talent like Kane to make a PPV payday instead of being left out. This match could turn into a real spectacle if they allow it, but it will likely be the same slow and plodding match like they had at Summerslam, except this time they will be hitting each other with canes. If the WWE is determined to drag this feud on, then I have to think Khali will pick up the victory. He introduced the Singapore cane into the equation, so I have to go with him for the win.
Prediction: The Great Khali
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: Once again, Smackdown was a pretty good watch this week and the show got off to another great start. The Undertaker came out to start the show and cut a promo on CM Punk, stating that he would collect his “soul” at Breaking Point and make Punk submit to his Hell’s Gate submission hold. Punk answered and cut another brilliant promo. He is just locked in on his character and manipulating the audience like a puppet master. The way he is bagging on the fans about being seduced by The Undertaker’s “magical” powers because their minds are in a doped up haze is just gold. Punk let The Undertaker know that he will make him tap out to the Anaconda Vice at Breaking Point and this set up the main event, a submission match between Punk and Matt Hardy. The two put on another good performance in the ring and did a nice enough job focusing on attacking different body parts since it was a submission match. The finish was pretty obvious as CM Punk quickly and suddenly slapped on the Anaconda Vice and made Hardy tap out. The very end of the show featured a nice touch of having the lights go out and the bell toll and when they came back on, Punk no longer was grasping his title. The Undertaker was at the top of the ramp holding Punk’s gold up high. I thought the show did a pretty good job at hyping Breaking Point and that’s all you can ask.
There wasn’t anything else earth shattering on this episode, just some good in-ring action. Finlay and Mike Knox battled it out in a pretty good “Belfast Brawl”, which saw Finlay come out on top after a shot with the shillelagh. I do like to see a good garbage match every now and then, and these two put on a solid match with copious amounts of chair and trash can shots. The Unified Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho and The Big Show, had a decent match with Cryme Tyme. Show knocked out JTG with a huge punch which allowed the champs to get a win and gain some momentum heading into their title defense against Mark Henry and MVP at Breaking Point. Finally, John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler had a nice little back and forth on the mic. Ziggler demanded his title shot that he earned, but only on “his terms”, and Morrison responded by calling him “Mr. Ziggles”. The WWE is now trying to build up more of a feud between these two after plans changed because of Rey Mysterio’s suspension. The Morrison/Ziggler Intercontinental Title match has been pulled from Breaking Point and the rumor is because the WWE wants them to have some matches together first on the house show circuit. I really do not agree with this because I believe both Morrison and Ziggler are talented enough to put on a good match and they should be given the chance on PPV.
- NHL sources have told ESPN that the Ottawa Senators have finally reached a 3 team deal to trade Dany Heatley. The proposed trade would send Heatley to the San Jose Sharks, the Sharks’ Patrick Marleau to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Kings’ Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll to the Senators. There is only one catch though. As of right now, the GMs of all three teams have denied the report and say the speculation is complete bull. I hope that the story is not bull because this Dany Heatley saga has gone on way too long. The guy wants out of town in Ottawa, so get him out of town! I’m not sure San Jose is a good destination for him though. The Sharks are kings of the regular season, but always find a way to choke in the playoffs. Imagine the scrutiny on Heatley if he goes there and the Sharks continue to fall short in the postseason. Heatley seemingly doesn’t like the spotlight and pressure on him, but he will feel it full force in San Jose if he contributes to their playoff woes. I’m not sure if getting rid of Marleau is a smart move for San Jose, but something has to change there and shipping away players is one way to try it. Maybe a new lease on life in LA will be good for Marleau. Frolov’s production has dropped the past two seasons, so a change of scenery could serve him well. Stoll can help the Senators on the power play, so all in all, this seems to be a beneficial trade all around…if the rumor is true of course. Stay tuned…
- Usually when you take on the NFL, or any sports league or company for that matter, it is tough to win. But defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings received a win in appeals court on Friday when the court ruled that the NFL can not suspend the players for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. The Williamses both tested positive for a banned diuretic during training camp in 2008 after they took the over-the-counter supplement StarCaps. It did not state on the label that it contained the diuretic -- which can mask the presence of steroids. I have to applaud the court on this decision, especially considering that neither Williams has tested positive for steroids. Companies should not get away with failing to disclose each and every ingredient that is contained in a supplement. Since there is no other evidence showing Kevin and Pat Williams taking steroids, I feel the suspension is bogus. They might be guilty of bad judgment by taking the supplement in the first place, but if the diuretic was not listed, then they should not be punished, clear and simple.
- Well it looks like I have to man up and say I was wrong on my speculation about Shawne Merriman. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has dismissed Tila Tequila’s accusations against Merriman and the case is now closed. She said there was insufficient evidence to prove that Merriman committed a crime. So it looks like Tequila did get herself drunk and was probably acting stupid. I will give credit to Merriman now because it seems like his story about trying to stop her from driving is the truth. That actually shows some responsibility on his part, something that Tequila obviously did not have that night. Now Tequila deserves to get bagged on because she tried to ruin Merriman’s reputation and hell, she might have been trying to go after some of his money. Maybe she can hook up with that woman trying to extort some money from Ben Roethlisberger. Next time though Shawne, cool it with the 4 am parties and don’t even put yourself in that situation.
-Other NFL News and Notes: Well as if the world didn’t already know, Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn was taking the snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense on Friday, a clear indication he will be the starting QB on Sunday. Like I have said before, Eric Mangini looks like a fool with his little “let’s keep this a big secret” garbage. He is not giving the Browns any sort of advantage and I think it is disrespectful to the Cleveland fans. He should be more open about what is going on with the team, especially when it comes to who is starting at QB. Hey, maybe that is why they didn’t list Brett Favre on the Jets’ injury reports last year…Mangini wanted to keep it a big secret…
Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel continues to practice and his knee continues to improve. He is now expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game against the Ravens. He says that if he is able to walk and go out there, he is ready to play. Matt, I’ll say this one more time…just sit this one out so the Ravens’ D doesn’t hurt you any more…thank you, drive through…
The TV ratings for last night’s NFL opener between the Steelers and Titans shows that the NFL is still king when it comes to sports. The game scored a 13.8 overnight rating, which is equivalent to over 10 million homes watching. This is the highest rating for an opener in 7 years. The game certainly was fun to watch and a great way to open up the 2009 season.
Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall declined to comment on Friday about his recent suspension from the team. He politely, but firmly, told a reporter that he was not talking about anything. Marshall could face a fine for not making himself available to the media at least one day during the week of practice leading up to Sunday’s game, but the NFL usually sends a warning first. Hey, I have bashed the guy on here before, but today I will give him some credit. This is exactly what he should do…shut up and play some football and do what you are supposed to do like an adult.
- Philadelphia Phillies P Brad Lidge and manager Charlie Manuel had a talk on Wednesday to discuss Lidge’s role with the team. Lidge claims they had a good talk and are “on the same page”. But Manuel refuses to say whether the struggling Lidge will get his job back as closer. So could this situation spell doom for the Phillies? I think it is possible that they can overcome it, but I believe Lidge needs to find another role for the rest of the season. The numbers do not lie. Lidge is 0-7 this season with a 7.11 ERA and he has blown 10 saves. Manuel says that he still sees Lidge as a closer, but how can he be trusted with numbers like those? Confidence is a huge deal for a pitcher and even though Lidge and Manuel are saying the right things, I have to believe that Lidge is not in the best state of mind. One bad outing in the playoffs can make the difference between a World Series Championship and coming up short. I can only think of the possible horror for the Phillies if the Yankees’ bats get a hold of Lidge in the World Series. My solution to this would be to consider using P Jaime Moyer or P Pedro Martinez as the closer. Pedro has proven he still has gas left in the tank, and maybe it would be the best move to stick Moyer back in the rotation for the playoffs and let Martinez close. Or, they could just move Moyer to role. I have to think he could be good for one strong inning. Whatever the Phillies decide, they need to address this and take care of it by October.
- BMW Championship Update: Tiger Woods played a solid round yesterday and was within striking distance of the lead on Friday. He took advantage of it, shooting a 4-under par 67 to grab a share of the lead after 2 rounds with Mark Wilson at 7-under par. Both Woods and Wilson have a one shot lead over a group of 4 players at 6-under, which includes Padraig Harrington and 1st round leader Rory Sabbatini. As I stated yesterday, Tiger seems to be finding a groove and that is not good news for everyone else. He has won 4 times at Cog Hill and he plays well in the Chicago area. Due to his recent disappointments, I am expecting a really good weekend from Tiger and I think he will close the deal this time and win the tournament. If he doesn’t, then the talk will only grow and he will have to find some way to get his air of invincibility back. FedEx Cup point leader Steve Stricker continues to struggle and is at 3-over par. It now looks like he will lose the points lead to Woods heading into the Tour Championship.
- U.S. Open Update: Rain forced the postponement of both women’s semifinals and the conclusion of the Rafael Nadal/Fernando Gonzalez match. The schedule is now in disarray and for the second straight year, the men’s final will happen on Monday at the earliest. Rain is in the forecast tomorrow, so everyone might still be playing the waiting game.
Showing posts with label CM Punk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CM Punk. Show all posts
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Week 1 College Football Preview
The first full Saturday of college football action is upon us, so let’s take a look around the top 25 and see what’s going on.
#1 Florida vs. Charleston Southern – As if you have to wonder what is going to happen here. The only real question is whether or not Florida will get close to covering the 73-point spread. This one will be ugly but Charleston Southern is getting $450K for the game, so they will be happy to take the massacre.
#2 Texas vs. Louisiana-Monroe – Oh boy, another epic opener…Texas is following recent tradition of playing a team from a non-BCS conference in the opener and they have won those games by an average of 40+ points. Expect no difference here…
#3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU – Now this is more like it. I give much respect to both schools for scheduling a tough game for the opener. This will happen on a neutral field at Cowboys Stadium and it should be fun to watch. Obviously, BYU is trying to beef up their schedule in an attempt to improve their chances of making a BCS bowl game this year. The two teams are pretty similar, but there is no doubt that Oklahoma has the better talent across the board. BYU has lost 12 straight games to ranked non-conference opponents dating back to 1998. I don’t expect that streak to end here. Oklahoma should win, but being the opener, it could be closer than some people think. That could help BYU down the road if they get on a winning streak. OU’s All-American caliber TE Jermaine Gresham is out for this game with a knee injury, so that could hamper Oklahoma’s offense a little bit and make things even closer.
#4 USC vs. San Jose State – At least this game is not a cupcake for USC, but I would expect a pretty sizeable win. Freshman QB Matt Barkley will make his highly anticipated debut and there is always a slight chance that he could make some mistakes that will cost the Trojans. The talent gap between these two teams will be too great however to be thinking an upset could happen. USC is 28-1 against WAC opponents and San Jose State has not beaten a ranked opponent since 2000. Expect those trends to hold.
#5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech – This is one of the two big marquee games this weekend and I am really looking forward to it. Alabama beat ACC member Clemson in the opener last year and will be looking to do the same to Virginia Tech. The loss of Virginia Tech RB Darren Evans (torn ACL) is a big loss for the Hokies. Alabama will be going with first-year starter Greg McElroy at QB, so this could turn into more of a defensive battle. I have to give the edge to Alabama in that department and they have the edge in the game overall. The level of competition in the SEC is higher than the ACC and I would expect Alabama to pull out the win here.
#6 Ohio State vs. Navy – Ohio State has not lost a home opener since 1978 and Navy is trying to replace their leading rushers from last season. It doesn’t take a genius to predict a comfortable win for the Buckeyes in this one. If they have any hopes of sneaking into the BCS title game, they can not afford to look bad against teams they should beat handily.
#8 Mississippi vs. Memphis – Expectations are running extremely high at Mississippi for the first time in a long while. The return of QB Jevan Snead has a great deal to do with that. Mississippi is expected to make a big run to win the SEC West and get a shot at Florida in the SEC Championship game this year. Remember, Mississippi was the only team to beat the Gators last year, so they have the talent and should have the inside track to win the West Division this year. Memphis last beat Ole Miss in 2004 but has lost four straight and it should be five straight after Sunday.
#9 Penn State vs. Akron –A home opener for Penn State against a MAC opponent, who Joe Paterno is 39-1 against in his career at Penn State…you do the math on that one.
#9 Oklahoma State vs. #13 Georgia – This is the other big marquee game of the weekend and it will be taking place in Stillwater, OK. Oklahoma State was blown out two years ago when they went to Georgia, so you can expect some payback coming here. The Cowboys return most of their offensive starters and will be looking to light up the scoreboard and try to join Texas and Oklahoma at the top of the Big 12 South. Georgia is trying to replace QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, so they will have to put a premium on defense. In this case, I believe the offense will win out. The crowd should be electric and be able to carry Oklahoma State to a victory here. Expect QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant to hook up early and often in this one. Georgia might be able to keep things close, but I just don’t think they will be able to score enough points.
#11 LSU vs. Washington – LSU opens up on the road and is actually making the furthest trip away from home to play a game in the history of the school. Washington has lost 14 straight games and I expect that streak to continue. Even with a home game, Washington does not have enough talent to handle an SEC powerhouse like LSU. The Tigers will be competing with Mississippi this season to win the SEC West and that should be a fun race to witness. I expect LSU to start their quest with a comfortable win here.
#12 California vs. Maryland – This does not look to be a good opener for my home state Terps. California lost at Maryland last year, but the game started at 9 am PT, so there was plenty of talk that Cal “sleepwalked” through that game and that proved to be the difference. This year though, the game is at Cal and Cal is returning a better team than Maryland. The Golden Bears feature RB Jahvid Best, who might be the best player in nation not named Tebow, Bradford, or McCoy. There is talk that Cal could also challenge USC for the Pac 10 Title this year, so all signs are pointing to a sizeable Cal victory. I expect the Terps to maybe hang close for a half, but then lose by 2-3 touchdowns. I just don’t see Maryland having anything better than a mediocre season. They do sport a 6-2 record against top 25 teams the past two years, but Cal is 27-4 at home since 2004. Something has to give and it will be the Terps in this one.
#15 Georgia Tech vs. Jacksonville State – Georgia Tech brutalized Jacksonville State to open the 2008 season so it looks like they want to come back for more! Expect a blowout once again…thank you, drive through…
#18 Florida State vs. Miami, FL – This used to be the biggest game of opening weekend, but in recent years the game has lacked luster. Going into 2009 though, both Florida State and Miami are finally on the rise again. This is the first matchup since 2006 where either team has been ranked in the top 25. Both teams are returning solid QBs, but the Seminoles need to replace their top 2 receivers from last year. Obviously, Florida State is further along in the rebuilding process and should win this game. But Miami is slowly getting better and I think the potential exists for an upset. Do not be surprised if Miami keeps the game close or even ends up shocking FSU with a win.
#21 North Carolina vs. The Citadel – Butch Davis has come into UNC and turned things around for the Tar Heels. After doubling their win total last season, expectations are running high for continued success. They return 9 starters on defense and they have the potential to make some noise in the ACC this year if things come together. Look for UNC to get off to an easy start by beating up on The Citadel.
#22 Iowa vs. Northern Iowa – Iowa will look to get off to a good start and see what they have in the running game. RB Shonn Greene went to the NFL and RB Jewel Hampton is out for the season, so Iowa will have to turn to two untested backs for success. Northern Iowa is actually ranked #4 in the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA), so they could hang around in this game. But Iowa has won 13 straight against UNI and their only loss came the first time these teams played…in 1898! Expect Iowa to take care of business…
#23 Notre Dame vs. Nevada – Notre Dame will get a stiff test in this one and we will get to see if all this BCS Bowl game talk is overblown or not. If Notre Dame is not prepared and careful, they could get upset in this game. Nevada is a solid team and they are coached well. Their QB, Colin Kaepernick, is a potential star in the making and the team has 2 RBs who have hit 1000 yards in a season before. I would not be surprised if Notre Dame loses this game. However, being at home and with high expectations and lots of returning talent, I expect the Fighting Irish to do enough to win.
#24 Nebraska vs. Florida Atlantic – Nebraska has slowly built their program back up and for the first time in a long while, they are favorites to win the Big 12 North. They are lucky all the firepower in the Big 12 is in the South Division, but they will get their shot in due time to see how good they are. I expect an easy victory at home over Florida Atlantic, who is probably just happy for the exposure and the payday like Charleston Southern.
#25 Kansas vs. Northern Colorado – Kansas is another program that has slowly built some success and they will try to continue it in 2009. This game should be a fairly easy cupcake win for them at home.
Special Note: Michigan vs. Western Michigan – With all the turmoil and rumors running rampant around the Michigan program this week, don’t be surprised if Western Michigan hangs around and gives the Wolverines trouble in this game.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: I have to say that I really enjoyed Smackdown this week and thought it was a great show. Smackdown continues to be better than Raw most every week and the difference is obvious and simple: Smackdown focuses more on in-ring action while Raw tries to mix in way too many pointless segments. I am really loving CM Punk’s character right now. He opened the show coming out dressed as Jeff Hardy and got some really intense heat as he trashed Hardy and his lifestyle and reminded us all he got rid of the “Charismatic Enabler” and is the only straight edge World Champion in history. It was a great segment and the interruption of it by Matt Hardy was pretty obvious, but it worked well to set up the main event between the two. I thought the match Punk and Hardy had was really solid. Punk continually attacked Hardy’s abdomen, which is what kept him out for a period due to surgery, and he stayed on it with every chance he got. I love when you see consistency in a match like that. Matt put up a really good fight and I was fine with the no contest ending. The match was a personal affair and not about wins and losses. The Undertaker coming out and preventing Punk from slamming that chair around Hardy’s neck into the ring post was perfect and the huge chokeslam on Punk through the announce table was a good punctuation to the evening.
The other major development of the evening was John Morrison defeating Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. The WWE pulled a fast one on me here as I expected Dolph Ziggler to somehow get his title shot early and win the match. But it seems as if the WWE was determined to keep Ziggler’s title shot for Breaking Point and Morrison stepped in to keep the belt on a face. The match between Mysterio and Morrison was excellent though and one of the best on free TV this year. The action was at a fast pace for most of the match and there was a great deal of excitement and back and forth action. I was glad to see that Mysterio put in an excellent match and did not sandbag it because of his suspension. Morrison looked like a star in the ring and his victory was well deserved. Between this match and the Punk/Hardy main event, Smackdown really delivered a great show last night.
And on a last WWE note, it was reported that the WWE signed Ring of Honor’s Nigel McGuinness to a contract. I don’t really know anything about Nigel, but I have read he is about on the same level as Bryan Danielson. So it seems as if the rumor of WWE raiding ROH’s talent is indeed true. Hopefully both of them will get a fair chance to showcase their skills and will not be wasted.
- On Friday afternoon, University of Oregon football suspended RB LeGarrette Blount for the rest of the season after he punched Boise State player Byron Hout last night after Oregon’s 19-8 loss. The incident marred a great marquee matchup on college football’s opening night and Blount had to be dragged off the field and stopped from trying to get into the stands. In my opinion, this guy is a total idiot and there is no excuse for what he did. The suspension is justified and I am glad that Oregon acted swiftly and did not wait for the Pac 10 to render a decision. Hout should not have smacked Blount’s shoulder pads and taunted him after the game, but punching the man in return is absolutely uncalled for. There is no place for those types of actions and I think the University is sending a good message and they are sincere when they say that Blount’s actions are not what Oregon football is all about. Blount has had problems in the past and he seems like the type of young kid who just doesn’t get it. I sincerely hope that no NFL team decides to draft Blount. He looked terrible last night and has been lazy and out of shape for most of the offseason according to reports. I don’t see him as any sort of impact player and I hope he regrets his actions and can learn from them in time.
- Don’t pick up your phone if you are an offensive coordinator these days. The Buffalo Bills fired OC Turk Schonert on Friday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. Schonert is now the 3rd OC to be fired before the season following Kansas City’s Chan Gailey and Tampa Bay’s Jeff Jagodzinski. This probably was another smart move though because Buffalo’s offense has been downright horrible in the preseason. You can blame Terrell Owens’ toe injury, but that can only go so far. People are wondering how teams can get rid of their OCs so close to the season starting. I actually think it is a great move because why would you suffer through bad play calling and coaching if you already have seen it developing and your offense is not progressing? At least these teams can now try a different direction that may produce results when the games start to count.
- NFL News and Notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre was fined $10,000 for the illegal crackback block he threw against Eugene Wilson of the Texans. There is nothing much to see here as this was expected. It was a dumb play all around and the Vikings should not be running that type of play unless they want Favre getting hurt…The Patriots are expected to cut backup QB Andrew Walter, which would leave rookie QB Brian Hoyer as the only one left on the roster to be Tom Brady’s backup. This is quite the bold move by the Patriots. Having Matt Cassel as a backup with at least some time in the system is one thing, but going with a rookie? They had better hope Brady stays healthy this year…
- Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk took advantage of optimal scoring conditions at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the 2nd leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Sixty-four players broke par in round 1, but Stricker and Furyk led the way with 8-under par rounds of 63 to share the lead by 2 shots over a pack of five players. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson struggled to make anything happen on day 1, shooting rounds of 1-under and even par, respectively. News came out later in that day that both have committed to playing in the BMW Championship next week as well. Again, Tiger looked uneasy out there and could not get into any sort of rhythm. He was fighting the putter again and he is really buried down the leaderboard. It seems like another one of those weeks where he will just be off his game enough not to contend. But I also said that last week and he almost won the tournament. It seems like the course this week will be playing a little easier though, and unless Tiger goes really low tomorrow, he will probably not come close to winning this week. Stricker seems to raise the level of his game and throwing that huge round out there playing in the same group with Tiger had to send a message. Tiger really needs to get on top of his game or he will wind up losing the FedEx Cup to Stricker.
- MLB News and Notes: Phillies P Pedro Martinez pitched seven strong innings Thursday night, giving up only 1 run and striking out 9 to outshine Tim Lincecum and beat the Giants 2-1. The win moved Martinez to 3-0 after 5 starts with the Phillies. I have to say I am pretty impressed with Pedro and he is proving the doubters wrong. In fact, it seems like a cure for many pitchers is moving from the AL to the NL. Brad Penny had a great outing recently and John Smoltz continues to pitch well for the Cardinals. Clearly, the AL is the dominant league offensively and can just beat teams into submission. Great pitching and small ball can be highly effective though, so it should be a great postseason this year to see who wins out. The Phillies look like they are rounding into form and becoming more formidable as they look to defend their championship…MLB fined Red Sox P Jonathan Papelbon $5,000 for slow play and taking too long to deliver his first pitch Tuesday night. Papelbon says that he has been fined more than $10,000 for slow play this year so far. Well, if you want to send a message and speed up play, hitting player’s wallets is the way to do it. I applaud the efforts because there is nothing worse than a baseball game that just drags on and on. Speeding up play and getting to the action can only help build MLB’s fan base and keep things exciting…
- NBA News and Notes: The Knicks are expected to sign restricted free agent David Lee to a 1-year deal worth between $6 and $8 million after Labor Day. There is also talk that Nate Robinson will be brought back on a 1-year deal as well. The Knicks like Lee, but president Donnie Walsh is saying he wants to maintain payroll flexibility for next season and will not do longer term contracts. The Knicks will be gunning for LeBron James, Chris Bosh and others next summer. I have no idea why LeBron would want to go to the Knicks. He has already rebuilt the Cavs and there would be better situations out there besides the Knicks, who can’t seem to do anything right in recent years. If I were James, I would stay away, but maybe he will be lured by the aura of New York and trying to make the Knicks great again…Restricted free agent Ramon Sessions agreed to a 4-year, $16 million contract with the Timberwolves and will be joining them as the Bucks are not expected to match the deal. The Timberwolves needed another PG to compete with Jonny Flynn after failing to bring Ricky Rubio over from Spain. Sessions also spurned the Knicks, who as stated previously are not doing any long term deals. This will increase speculation that the Timberwolves may try to move Rubio in a trade, but they still remain adamant that they will wait for Rubio. Well kudos to the Wolves for actually signing a player and getting him on your team…
- U.S. Open Update: Day 5 at the U.S. Open was very quiet with no notable upsets occurring on either the men’s and women’s sides of the draw. Both #2 seeds, Serena Williams on the women’s side and Andy Murray on the men’s side, advanced as did #3 seeds Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal.
#1 Florida vs. Charleston Southern – As if you have to wonder what is going to happen here. The only real question is whether or not Florida will get close to covering the 73-point spread. This one will be ugly but Charleston Southern is getting $450K for the game, so they will be happy to take the massacre.
#2 Texas vs. Louisiana-Monroe – Oh boy, another epic opener…Texas is following recent tradition of playing a team from a non-BCS conference in the opener and they have won those games by an average of 40+ points. Expect no difference here…
#3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU – Now this is more like it. I give much respect to both schools for scheduling a tough game for the opener. This will happen on a neutral field at Cowboys Stadium and it should be fun to watch. Obviously, BYU is trying to beef up their schedule in an attempt to improve their chances of making a BCS bowl game this year. The two teams are pretty similar, but there is no doubt that Oklahoma has the better talent across the board. BYU has lost 12 straight games to ranked non-conference opponents dating back to 1998. I don’t expect that streak to end here. Oklahoma should win, but being the opener, it could be closer than some people think. That could help BYU down the road if they get on a winning streak. OU’s All-American caliber TE Jermaine Gresham is out for this game with a knee injury, so that could hamper Oklahoma’s offense a little bit and make things even closer.
#4 USC vs. San Jose State – At least this game is not a cupcake for USC, but I would expect a pretty sizeable win. Freshman QB Matt Barkley will make his highly anticipated debut and there is always a slight chance that he could make some mistakes that will cost the Trojans. The talent gap between these two teams will be too great however to be thinking an upset could happen. USC is 28-1 against WAC opponents and San Jose State has not beaten a ranked opponent since 2000. Expect those trends to hold.
#5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech – This is one of the two big marquee games this weekend and I am really looking forward to it. Alabama beat ACC member Clemson in the opener last year and will be looking to do the same to Virginia Tech. The loss of Virginia Tech RB Darren Evans (torn ACL) is a big loss for the Hokies. Alabama will be going with first-year starter Greg McElroy at QB, so this could turn into more of a defensive battle. I have to give the edge to Alabama in that department and they have the edge in the game overall. The level of competition in the SEC is higher than the ACC and I would expect Alabama to pull out the win here.
#6 Ohio State vs. Navy – Ohio State has not lost a home opener since 1978 and Navy is trying to replace their leading rushers from last season. It doesn’t take a genius to predict a comfortable win for the Buckeyes in this one. If they have any hopes of sneaking into the BCS title game, they can not afford to look bad against teams they should beat handily.
#8 Mississippi vs. Memphis – Expectations are running extremely high at Mississippi for the first time in a long while. The return of QB Jevan Snead has a great deal to do with that. Mississippi is expected to make a big run to win the SEC West and get a shot at Florida in the SEC Championship game this year. Remember, Mississippi was the only team to beat the Gators last year, so they have the talent and should have the inside track to win the West Division this year. Memphis last beat Ole Miss in 2004 but has lost four straight and it should be five straight after Sunday.
#9 Penn State vs. Akron –A home opener for Penn State against a MAC opponent, who Joe Paterno is 39-1 against in his career at Penn State…you do the math on that one.
#9 Oklahoma State vs. #13 Georgia – This is the other big marquee game of the weekend and it will be taking place in Stillwater, OK. Oklahoma State was blown out two years ago when they went to Georgia, so you can expect some payback coming here. The Cowboys return most of their offensive starters and will be looking to light up the scoreboard and try to join Texas and Oklahoma at the top of the Big 12 South. Georgia is trying to replace QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, so they will have to put a premium on defense. In this case, I believe the offense will win out. The crowd should be electric and be able to carry Oklahoma State to a victory here. Expect QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant to hook up early and often in this one. Georgia might be able to keep things close, but I just don’t think they will be able to score enough points.
#11 LSU vs. Washington – LSU opens up on the road and is actually making the furthest trip away from home to play a game in the history of the school. Washington has lost 14 straight games and I expect that streak to continue. Even with a home game, Washington does not have enough talent to handle an SEC powerhouse like LSU. The Tigers will be competing with Mississippi this season to win the SEC West and that should be a fun race to witness. I expect LSU to start their quest with a comfortable win here.
#12 California vs. Maryland – This does not look to be a good opener for my home state Terps. California lost at Maryland last year, but the game started at 9 am PT, so there was plenty of talk that Cal “sleepwalked” through that game and that proved to be the difference. This year though, the game is at Cal and Cal is returning a better team than Maryland. The Golden Bears feature RB Jahvid Best, who might be the best player in nation not named Tebow, Bradford, or McCoy. There is talk that Cal could also challenge USC for the Pac 10 Title this year, so all signs are pointing to a sizeable Cal victory. I expect the Terps to maybe hang close for a half, but then lose by 2-3 touchdowns. I just don’t see Maryland having anything better than a mediocre season. They do sport a 6-2 record against top 25 teams the past two years, but Cal is 27-4 at home since 2004. Something has to give and it will be the Terps in this one.
#15 Georgia Tech vs. Jacksonville State – Georgia Tech brutalized Jacksonville State to open the 2008 season so it looks like they want to come back for more! Expect a blowout once again…thank you, drive through…
#18 Florida State vs. Miami, FL – This used to be the biggest game of opening weekend, but in recent years the game has lacked luster. Going into 2009 though, both Florida State and Miami are finally on the rise again. This is the first matchup since 2006 where either team has been ranked in the top 25. Both teams are returning solid QBs, but the Seminoles need to replace their top 2 receivers from last year. Obviously, Florida State is further along in the rebuilding process and should win this game. But Miami is slowly getting better and I think the potential exists for an upset. Do not be surprised if Miami keeps the game close or even ends up shocking FSU with a win.
#21 North Carolina vs. The Citadel – Butch Davis has come into UNC and turned things around for the Tar Heels. After doubling their win total last season, expectations are running high for continued success. They return 9 starters on defense and they have the potential to make some noise in the ACC this year if things come together. Look for UNC to get off to an easy start by beating up on The Citadel.
#22 Iowa vs. Northern Iowa – Iowa will look to get off to a good start and see what they have in the running game. RB Shonn Greene went to the NFL and RB Jewel Hampton is out for the season, so Iowa will have to turn to two untested backs for success. Northern Iowa is actually ranked #4 in the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA), so they could hang around in this game. But Iowa has won 13 straight against UNI and their only loss came the first time these teams played…in 1898! Expect Iowa to take care of business…
#23 Notre Dame vs. Nevada – Notre Dame will get a stiff test in this one and we will get to see if all this BCS Bowl game talk is overblown or not. If Notre Dame is not prepared and careful, they could get upset in this game. Nevada is a solid team and they are coached well. Their QB, Colin Kaepernick, is a potential star in the making and the team has 2 RBs who have hit 1000 yards in a season before. I would not be surprised if Notre Dame loses this game. However, being at home and with high expectations and lots of returning talent, I expect the Fighting Irish to do enough to win.
#24 Nebraska vs. Florida Atlantic – Nebraska has slowly built their program back up and for the first time in a long while, they are favorites to win the Big 12 North. They are lucky all the firepower in the Big 12 is in the South Division, but they will get their shot in due time to see how good they are. I expect an easy victory at home over Florida Atlantic, who is probably just happy for the exposure and the payday like Charleston Southern.
#25 Kansas vs. Northern Colorado – Kansas is another program that has slowly built some success and they will try to continue it in 2009. This game should be a fairly easy cupcake win for them at home.
Special Note: Michigan vs. Western Michigan – With all the turmoil and rumors running rampant around the Michigan program this week, don’t be surprised if Western Michigan hangs around and gives the Wolverines trouble in this game.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: I have to say that I really enjoyed Smackdown this week and thought it was a great show. Smackdown continues to be better than Raw most every week and the difference is obvious and simple: Smackdown focuses more on in-ring action while Raw tries to mix in way too many pointless segments. I am really loving CM Punk’s character right now. He opened the show coming out dressed as Jeff Hardy and got some really intense heat as he trashed Hardy and his lifestyle and reminded us all he got rid of the “Charismatic Enabler” and is the only straight edge World Champion in history. It was a great segment and the interruption of it by Matt Hardy was pretty obvious, but it worked well to set up the main event between the two. I thought the match Punk and Hardy had was really solid. Punk continually attacked Hardy’s abdomen, which is what kept him out for a period due to surgery, and he stayed on it with every chance he got. I love when you see consistency in a match like that. Matt put up a really good fight and I was fine with the no contest ending. The match was a personal affair and not about wins and losses. The Undertaker coming out and preventing Punk from slamming that chair around Hardy’s neck into the ring post was perfect and the huge chokeslam on Punk through the announce table was a good punctuation to the evening.
The other major development of the evening was John Morrison defeating Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. The WWE pulled a fast one on me here as I expected Dolph Ziggler to somehow get his title shot early and win the match. But it seems as if the WWE was determined to keep Ziggler’s title shot for Breaking Point and Morrison stepped in to keep the belt on a face. The match between Mysterio and Morrison was excellent though and one of the best on free TV this year. The action was at a fast pace for most of the match and there was a great deal of excitement and back and forth action. I was glad to see that Mysterio put in an excellent match and did not sandbag it because of his suspension. Morrison looked like a star in the ring and his victory was well deserved. Between this match and the Punk/Hardy main event, Smackdown really delivered a great show last night.
And on a last WWE note, it was reported that the WWE signed Ring of Honor’s Nigel McGuinness to a contract. I don’t really know anything about Nigel, but I have read he is about on the same level as Bryan Danielson. So it seems as if the rumor of WWE raiding ROH’s talent is indeed true. Hopefully both of them will get a fair chance to showcase their skills and will not be wasted.
- On Friday afternoon, University of Oregon football suspended RB LeGarrette Blount for the rest of the season after he punched Boise State player Byron Hout last night after Oregon’s 19-8 loss. The incident marred a great marquee matchup on college football’s opening night and Blount had to be dragged off the field and stopped from trying to get into the stands. In my opinion, this guy is a total idiot and there is no excuse for what he did. The suspension is justified and I am glad that Oregon acted swiftly and did not wait for the Pac 10 to render a decision. Hout should not have smacked Blount’s shoulder pads and taunted him after the game, but punching the man in return is absolutely uncalled for. There is no place for those types of actions and I think the University is sending a good message and they are sincere when they say that Blount’s actions are not what Oregon football is all about. Blount has had problems in the past and he seems like the type of young kid who just doesn’t get it. I sincerely hope that no NFL team decides to draft Blount. He looked terrible last night and has been lazy and out of shape for most of the offseason according to reports. I don’t see him as any sort of impact player and I hope he regrets his actions and can learn from them in time.
- Don’t pick up your phone if you are an offensive coordinator these days. The Buffalo Bills fired OC Turk Schonert on Friday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. Schonert is now the 3rd OC to be fired before the season following Kansas City’s Chan Gailey and Tampa Bay’s Jeff Jagodzinski. This probably was another smart move though because Buffalo’s offense has been downright horrible in the preseason. You can blame Terrell Owens’ toe injury, but that can only go so far. People are wondering how teams can get rid of their OCs so close to the season starting. I actually think it is a great move because why would you suffer through bad play calling and coaching if you already have seen it developing and your offense is not progressing? At least these teams can now try a different direction that may produce results when the games start to count.
- NFL News and Notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre was fined $10,000 for the illegal crackback block he threw against Eugene Wilson of the Texans. There is nothing much to see here as this was expected. It was a dumb play all around and the Vikings should not be running that type of play unless they want Favre getting hurt…The Patriots are expected to cut backup QB Andrew Walter, which would leave rookie QB Brian Hoyer as the only one left on the roster to be Tom Brady’s backup. This is quite the bold move by the Patriots. Having Matt Cassel as a backup with at least some time in the system is one thing, but going with a rookie? They had better hope Brady stays healthy this year…
- Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk took advantage of optimal scoring conditions at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the 2nd leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Sixty-four players broke par in round 1, but Stricker and Furyk led the way with 8-under par rounds of 63 to share the lead by 2 shots over a pack of five players. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson struggled to make anything happen on day 1, shooting rounds of 1-under and even par, respectively. News came out later in that day that both have committed to playing in the BMW Championship next week as well. Again, Tiger looked uneasy out there and could not get into any sort of rhythm. He was fighting the putter again and he is really buried down the leaderboard. It seems like another one of those weeks where he will just be off his game enough not to contend. But I also said that last week and he almost won the tournament. It seems like the course this week will be playing a little easier though, and unless Tiger goes really low tomorrow, he will probably not come close to winning this week. Stricker seems to raise the level of his game and throwing that huge round out there playing in the same group with Tiger had to send a message. Tiger really needs to get on top of his game or he will wind up losing the FedEx Cup to Stricker.
- MLB News and Notes: Phillies P Pedro Martinez pitched seven strong innings Thursday night, giving up only 1 run and striking out 9 to outshine Tim Lincecum and beat the Giants 2-1. The win moved Martinez to 3-0 after 5 starts with the Phillies. I have to say I am pretty impressed with Pedro and he is proving the doubters wrong. In fact, it seems like a cure for many pitchers is moving from the AL to the NL. Brad Penny had a great outing recently and John Smoltz continues to pitch well for the Cardinals. Clearly, the AL is the dominant league offensively and can just beat teams into submission. Great pitching and small ball can be highly effective though, so it should be a great postseason this year to see who wins out. The Phillies look like they are rounding into form and becoming more formidable as they look to defend their championship…MLB fined Red Sox P Jonathan Papelbon $5,000 for slow play and taking too long to deliver his first pitch Tuesday night. Papelbon says that he has been fined more than $10,000 for slow play this year so far. Well, if you want to send a message and speed up play, hitting player’s wallets is the way to do it. I applaud the efforts because there is nothing worse than a baseball game that just drags on and on. Speeding up play and getting to the action can only help build MLB’s fan base and keep things exciting…
- NBA News and Notes: The Knicks are expected to sign restricted free agent David Lee to a 1-year deal worth between $6 and $8 million after Labor Day. There is also talk that Nate Robinson will be brought back on a 1-year deal as well. The Knicks like Lee, but president Donnie Walsh is saying he wants to maintain payroll flexibility for next season and will not do longer term contracts. The Knicks will be gunning for LeBron James, Chris Bosh and others next summer. I have no idea why LeBron would want to go to the Knicks. He has already rebuilt the Cavs and there would be better situations out there besides the Knicks, who can’t seem to do anything right in recent years. If I were James, I would stay away, but maybe he will be lured by the aura of New York and trying to make the Knicks great again…Restricted free agent Ramon Sessions agreed to a 4-year, $16 million contract with the Timberwolves and will be joining them as the Bucks are not expected to match the deal. The Timberwolves needed another PG to compete with Jonny Flynn after failing to bring Ricky Rubio over from Spain. Sessions also spurned the Knicks, who as stated previously are not doing any long term deals. This will increase speculation that the Timberwolves may try to move Rubio in a trade, but they still remain adamant that they will wait for Rubio. Well kudos to the Wolves for actually signing a player and getting him on your team…
- U.S. Open Update: Day 5 at the U.S. Open was very quiet with no notable upsets occurring on either the men’s and women’s sides of the draw. Both #2 seeds, Serena Williams on the women’s side and Andy Murray on the men’s side, advanced as did #3 seeds Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The "Diva" Wide Receiver
There seems to be a nagging problem that stalks around some of the teams in the NFL. And no, I am not talking about the gigantic scoreboard (which I will now dub “JerryTRON”) at the new Cowboys Stadium. I am talking about the “diva” wide receiver in the NFL. This topic has sprung to mind because of all the drama I am hearing about in Denver. On Friday morning it was announced that the Denver Broncos suspended WR Brandon Marshall for the remainder of the preseason for conduct detrimental to the team. The situation will be reassessed when the preseason ends. Now this seemingly has been a long time coming. To get you up to speed on this guy, take a look at what has gone on with him:
* He had charges against him and was accused of beating his girlfriend. He did get acquitted, but he still put himself in a bad situation that caused a distraction to the team and made him miss the first preseason game.
* He asked for a trade during the summer after the Broncos declined to rework his contract which will pay him $2.2 million this season.
* He claims the team misdiagnosed a hip injury which required offseason surgery
* He comes back and pulls a hamstring so he misses more time, but then when he returns to practice, he admits that he does not know the team’s playbook and therefore has to be relegated to the scout team and miss another preseason game.
Now all of this led up to the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, which occurred on Wednesday. Video cameras caught Marshall being insubordinate during practice. His actions included walking around while the rest of the team was running during warmups, swatting away a ball that was thrown to him when he should have been catching it, and punting a ball away that should have been handed to one of the team’s ball boys. Marshall claims that this was just frustration boiled over and not an attempt to force a trade due to insubordination. I have to ask, what the hell is wrong with this guy?
Displeasure over your contract is absolutely no excuse for acting like a petulant 10 year old child at your job. How Marshall thinks that his actions will get him anywhere is beyond me. He is proving himself not to be very professional and he is only poisoning the waters when he would try to go to another team as a free agent. If he wants big money, this is not the way to get it. The Broncos are in a tough spot though because if they just sit the guy, then they will be paying him for nothing. Marshall is extremely talented, and his presence on the field would be needed if the Broncos have any hope of trying to be competitive this year. Not only is Marshall hurting himself, he is hurting the whole team and it stinks in my opinion.
It seems like Brandon Marshall is trying to take the malcontented “diva” WR to a whole new level. The King of that position in recent years has been Bills WR Terrell Owens. I am sure most of you reading this know about Owens’ antics. He ruined his relationship with Jeff Garcia and the 49ers. Then he moved onto the Philadelphia Eagles and found a way to poison things with Donovan McNabb. Then it was good times with the Cowboys for a while, but it once again fell apart with Tony Romo. Now T.O. is up in Buffalo with Trent Edwards. How long do you think that will last before something happens? The sad part about Owens is that the guy is amazingly talented. He ranks 2nd in NFL history behind Jerry Rice in receiving TDs and yet he always complains about not getting the ball enough or not being featured enough in the offensive. That seems very odd considering his stats. Well here is a news flash for you T.O., you are not Superman and you can’t beat double teams with regularity. The defenses focus on you and your QB trying to force the ball to you all the time is no way to win games. I’m sure Owens would tell you that all this drama is just overblown and he is misunderstood, but you can’t ignore the pattern of what goes on. It has to be all about him because he is one of the “divas” out there.
There are plenty of other examples out there of this trend concerning wide receivers. Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco seems to continually run his mouth and be mad or upset about something. He is another guy who has a great deal of talent and finds a way to try and put the focus more on himself than the team. He claims he is more focused this season and is embarrassed by his performance last year, so I guess we will see if he can shut his mouth and produce. Patriots WR Randy Moss has had his issues in the past as well. He regularly had drama occurring in Minnesota and even had some dust ups with John Law. He was a total malcontent in Oakland and found his way out of there to New England. Since he has been with the Patriots though, Moss has been a model citizen. So I can give him credit on that and say maybe he just wanted to win so badly that his frustrations just couldn’t help but come out until he got into a situation like he has in New England.
Need more examples? How about WR Anquan Boldin in Arizona? He continues to complain about wanting out of Arizona and wanting more money. I can understand that he feels he should get more, but he keeps talking about wanting Larry Fitzgerald money. Sorry Anquan, you are good, but Fitzgerald is one of the elite WRs out there and you are a notch below. When Keyshawn Johnson played in the NFL, he was another good example of a “diva” and a guy who seemingly wanted more focus on himself than the team. If you remember, things got so bad in Tampa Bay that they paid him just to go and sit home. Let’s not even get into what has happened with former Giants WR Plaxico Burress. That is a whole other story, but he is another guy who showed flashes of “diva”. And the next crop of “divas” might be starting with 49ers rookie WR Michael Crabtree. I have already shared some thoughts on this guy, who is pissed that he is only due #10 pick money and thinks he should be getting more. Tough crap Crabtree, get your ass to the team and stop making it all about you.
So basically, I am wondering why the WR position in the NFL seems to be so chock full of these types of guys. Don’t get me wrong here either. I am not saying that WRs are the only ones who act out or try to portray themselves as bigger than the team as a whole. But does a WR, more so than any other position, really need to believe that they are THAT good to be a dominant force? Maybe…but why should that be different than any other position? A pro athlete needs to have the mentality that they are the best and that they can get the job done at the highest level, but that doesn’t mean they need to act like children. These players are making damn good money playing a kid’s game, but they need to act like a professional. Jerry Rice did it the right way and that’s why he will always be considered the greatest of all-time (at least at this point and for the foreseeable future). As I stated above, I also believe that Larry Fitzgerald is cut from the same mold and he is doing things the right way. More young players need to pattern themselves after Rice and Fitzgerald and not try to be the next “superstar” like Terrell Owens.
I am not sure how this Brandon Marshall situation is going to play out, but it will most likely be full of drama. Marshall is making his choice to act out and it seems to be what he wants. If I were him, I would be very careful though. You are not truly great yet Mr. Marshall and you may never get the opportunity to be with your actions. Grow up and act like a man, not a child.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown Thoughts: Well if you wanted proof that Smackdown is much better than Raw these days, then all you have to do is compare the first half hour of both shows this week. Raw wasted the time with a DX birthday “celebration” for Vince McMahon that dragged on too long and generally fell flat. Smackdown on the other hand featured another great promo from CM Punk, who rubbed his victory over Jeff Hardy in everyone’s face and continued his crusade of “straight edge means I’m better than you.” Jeff Hardy joined him in the ring and this led to a “loser leaves WWE” stipulation being added to their Steel Cage Championship match later in the evening. Hardy may not be that great on the mic, but his connection with the fans and energy he creates with them makes up for it. All of this was followed by a tag team match between Matt Hardy and John Morrison and the Hart Dynasty. Even though this match was short, it filled out the first half hour nicely and had some good action. I would like to see the Hart Dynasty make a run at the Unified Tag Titles to really cement them as players in the WWE. Maybe DX could beat JeriShow and then the Hart Dynasty comes along and beats DX...would love to see that but I am not optimistic WWE creative would make that happen.
I saw some other really good things on the show as well. Drew McIntyre debuted and beat up R Truth before the match even started. He was only on screen for about 60 seconds, but the guy has a good look and possibly a good gimmick as a mean British bastard. If he can perform in the ring, he could be a good one. Kane and Rey Mysterio had a decent match, but sadly The Great Khali made an appearance and it looks like his feud with Kane will continue. Chris Jericho and The Big Show also mixed it up with Cryme Tyme again and had a good match. Finally, the main event Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship was a great match. It had a great deal of drama throughout it and Hardy put in a great performance even though most people knew it was going to be his last match. I will miss the feud that Punk and Hardy had and we can only hope we get a good feud between Punk and The Undertaker.
- A ruling from the NFL came in on Friday about the JerryTRON in Cowboys Stadium. If a punt hits the video boards, the down will be replayed and the officials, along with the coaches, have the ability to initiate a booth review. This ruling is only good for this season and it can be reviewed in the future. Well score one for Jerry Jones, but I suspect that the NFL will make them raise the JerryTRON in the future. I still wonder who will pay for it and my vote is for Jerry himself since you know he is rolling in dough.
- In a mini update from a few days ago, the Lions have announced that QB Daunte Culpepper, not rookie QB Matthew Stafford, will start the team’s 3rd preseason game against the Colts. The QB competition is ongoing and a decision has not been made. It seems like Peyton Manning thinks Stafford should start week 1, while some former NFL coaches like Mike Martz and Steve Mariucci think he should be on the bench for a bit. As I stated earlier, I believe that Culpepper needs to start and get the Lions a win to take the pressure off the team. Stafford can come in sometime during the middle of the year and start gaining his experience.
- Tiger Woods continued to “struggle” at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event, shooting a 1-over par 72 on Friday to leave him at even par for the tournament and 8 strokes behind “Spider” Webb Simpson. Tiger has never really liked this course and has not played great golf on it and that looks to be continuing. The conditions were much tougher on Friday than they were on Thursday and Tiger was actually able to move up a few positions on the leaderboard, but not in relation to the amount of strokes behind the leader. Over the years I have usually been able to tell when Tiger is not “on” and it seems like this is one of those weeks. Going to take a miracle for him to win this weekend and I am not expecting it.
- The NBA has suspended Denver's J.R. Smith for 7 games without pay and Phoenix's Jason Richardson for 2 games without pay after both were recently convicted of driving offenses (Smith for reckless driving and past poor driving record and Richardson for drunken driving). Props to the NBA on this for penalizing bad behavior and poor decisions. I think the NFL should be the model for how to deal with these situations. These athletes live a good and privileged life, so they should strive to be role models and good citizens and they need to suffer the consequences for mistakes.
- NASCAR announced that qualifying for the 2010 Daytona 500 will be moved to Saturday, February 6 to avoid being on the same day as Super Bowl XLIV. Traditionally, Daytona 500 qualifying starts on the first Sunday of “Speedweeks”, but the whole NFL season was pushed back a week this season, creating the overlap. I have to say very smart move on NASCAR’s part. You need to bow to the King that is the NFL and the crown jewel of the Super Bowl.
- And on a final note…I watched the first half of the Redskins/Patriots preseason game and Tom Brady and Randy Moss looked like they were in midseason form. Barring more injuries, it looks like the Patriots could be back to reclaim their spot on the top of the AFC and maybe the whole league. And speaking of possible injuries…it was reported after the game that Brady had a sore throwing shoulder after being hit by Albert Haynesworth late in the first half of the game. Stay tuned…
* He had charges against him and was accused of beating his girlfriend. He did get acquitted, but he still put himself in a bad situation that caused a distraction to the team and made him miss the first preseason game.
* He asked for a trade during the summer after the Broncos declined to rework his contract which will pay him $2.2 million this season.
* He claims the team misdiagnosed a hip injury which required offseason surgery
* He comes back and pulls a hamstring so he misses more time, but then when he returns to practice, he admits that he does not know the team’s playbook and therefore has to be relegated to the scout team and miss another preseason game.
Now all of this led up to the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, which occurred on Wednesday. Video cameras caught Marshall being insubordinate during practice. His actions included walking around while the rest of the team was running during warmups, swatting away a ball that was thrown to him when he should have been catching it, and punting a ball away that should have been handed to one of the team’s ball boys. Marshall claims that this was just frustration boiled over and not an attempt to force a trade due to insubordination. I have to ask, what the hell is wrong with this guy?
Displeasure over your contract is absolutely no excuse for acting like a petulant 10 year old child at your job. How Marshall thinks that his actions will get him anywhere is beyond me. He is proving himself not to be very professional and he is only poisoning the waters when he would try to go to another team as a free agent. If he wants big money, this is not the way to get it. The Broncos are in a tough spot though because if they just sit the guy, then they will be paying him for nothing. Marshall is extremely talented, and his presence on the field would be needed if the Broncos have any hope of trying to be competitive this year. Not only is Marshall hurting himself, he is hurting the whole team and it stinks in my opinion.
It seems like Brandon Marshall is trying to take the malcontented “diva” WR to a whole new level. The King of that position in recent years has been Bills WR Terrell Owens. I am sure most of you reading this know about Owens’ antics. He ruined his relationship with Jeff Garcia and the 49ers. Then he moved onto the Philadelphia Eagles and found a way to poison things with Donovan McNabb. Then it was good times with the Cowboys for a while, but it once again fell apart with Tony Romo. Now T.O. is up in Buffalo with Trent Edwards. How long do you think that will last before something happens? The sad part about Owens is that the guy is amazingly talented. He ranks 2nd in NFL history behind Jerry Rice in receiving TDs and yet he always complains about not getting the ball enough or not being featured enough in the offensive. That seems very odd considering his stats. Well here is a news flash for you T.O., you are not Superman and you can’t beat double teams with regularity. The defenses focus on you and your QB trying to force the ball to you all the time is no way to win games. I’m sure Owens would tell you that all this drama is just overblown and he is misunderstood, but you can’t ignore the pattern of what goes on. It has to be all about him because he is one of the “divas” out there.
There are plenty of other examples out there of this trend concerning wide receivers. Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco seems to continually run his mouth and be mad or upset about something. He is another guy who has a great deal of talent and finds a way to try and put the focus more on himself than the team. He claims he is more focused this season and is embarrassed by his performance last year, so I guess we will see if he can shut his mouth and produce. Patriots WR Randy Moss has had his issues in the past as well. He regularly had drama occurring in Minnesota and even had some dust ups with John Law. He was a total malcontent in Oakland and found his way out of there to New England. Since he has been with the Patriots though, Moss has been a model citizen. So I can give him credit on that and say maybe he just wanted to win so badly that his frustrations just couldn’t help but come out until he got into a situation like he has in New England.
Need more examples? How about WR Anquan Boldin in Arizona? He continues to complain about wanting out of Arizona and wanting more money. I can understand that he feels he should get more, but he keeps talking about wanting Larry Fitzgerald money. Sorry Anquan, you are good, but Fitzgerald is one of the elite WRs out there and you are a notch below. When Keyshawn Johnson played in the NFL, he was another good example of a “diva” and a guy who seemingly wanted more focus on himself than the team. If you remember, things got so bad in Tampa Bay that they paid him just to go and sit home. Let’s not even get into what has happened with former Giants WR Plaxico Burress. That is a whole other story, but he is another guy who showed flashes of “diva”. And the next crop of “divas” might be starting with 49ers rookie WR Michael Crabtree. I have already shared some thoughts on this guy, who is pissed that he is only due #10 pick money and thinks he should be getting more. Tough crap Crabtree, get your ass to the team and stop making it all about you.
So basically, I am wondering why the WR position in the NFL seems to be so chock full of these types of guys. Don’t get me wrong here either. I am not saying that WRs are the only ones who act out or try to portray themselves as bigger than the team as a whole. But does a WR, more so than any other position, really need to believe that they are THAT good to be a dominant force? Maybe…but why should that be different than any other position? A pro athlete needs to have the mentality that they are the best and that they can get the job done at the highest level, but that doesn’t mean they need to act like children. These players are making damn good money playing a kid’s game, but they need to act like a professional. Jerry Rice did it the right way and that’s why he will always be considered the greatest of all-time (at least at this point and for the foreseeable future). As I stated above, I also believe that Larry Fitzgerald is cut from the same mold and he is doing things the right way. More young players need to pattern themselves after Rice and Fitzgerald and not try to be the next “superstar” like Terrell Owens.
I am not sure how this Brandon Marshall situation is going to play out, but it will most likely be full of drama. Marshall is making his choice to act out and it seems to be what he wants. If I were him, I would be very careful though. You are not truly great yet Mr. Marshall and you may never get the opportunity to be with your actions. Grow up and act like a man, not a child.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown Thoughts: Well if you wanted proof that Smackdown is much better than Raw these days, then all you have to do is compare the first half hour of both shows this week. Raw wasted the time with a DX birthday “celebration” for Vince McMahon that dragged on too long and generally fell flat. Smackdown on the other hand featured another great promo from CM Punk, who rubbed his victory over Jeff Hardy in everyone’s face and continued his crusade of “straight edge means I’m better than you.” Jeff Hardy joined him in the ring and this led to a “loser leaves WWE” stipulation being added to their Steel Cage Championship match later in the evening. Hardy may not be that great on the mic, but his connection with the fans and energy he creates with them makes up for it. All of this was followed by a tag team match between Matt Hardy and John Morrison and the Hart Dynasty. Even though this match was short, it filled out the first half hour nicely and had some good action. I would like to see the Hart Dynasty make a run at the Unified Tag Titles to really cement them as players in the WWE. Maybe DX could beat JeriShow and then the Hart Dynasty comes along and beats DX...would love to see that but I am not optimistic WWE creative would make that happen.
I saw some other really good things on the show as well. Drew McIntyre debuted and beat up R Truth before the match even started. He was only on screen for about 60 seconds, but the guy has a good look and possibly a good gimmick as a mean British bastard. If he can perform in the ring, he could be a good one. Kane and Rey Mysterio had a decent match, but sadly The Great Khali made an appearance and it looks like his feud with Kane will continue. Chris Jericho and The Big Show also mixed it up with Cryme Tyme again and had a good match. Finally, the main event Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship was a great match. It had a great deal of drama throughout it and Hardy put in a great performance even though most people knew it was going to be his last match. I will miss the feud that Punk and Hardy had and we can only hope we get a good feud between Punk and The Undertaker.
- A ruling from the NFL came in on Friday about the JerryTRON in Cowboys Stadium. If a punt hits the video boards, the down will be replayed and the officials, along with the coaches, have the ability to initiate a booth review. This ruling is only good for this season and it can be reviewed in the future. Well score one for Jerry Jones, but I suspect that the NFL will make them raise the JerryTRON in the future. I still wonder who will pay for it and my vote is for Jerry himself since you know he is rolling in dough.
- In a mini update from a few days ago, the Lions have announced that QB Daunte Culpepper, not rookie QB Matthew Stafford, will start the team’s 3rd preseason game against the Colts. The QB competition is ongoing and a decision has not been made. It seems like Peyton Manning thinks Stafford should start week 1, while some former NFL coaches like Mike Martz and Steve Mariucci think he should be on the bench for a bit. As I stated earlier, I believe that Culpepper needs to start and get the Lions a win to take the pressure off the team. Stafford can come in sometime during the middle of the year and start gaining his experience.
- Tiger Woods continued to “struggle” at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event, shooting a 1-over par 72 on Friday to leave him at even par for the tournament and 8 strokes behind “Spider” Webb Simpson. Tiger has never really liked this course and has not played great golf on it and that looks to be continuing. The conditions were much tougher on Friday than they were on Thursday and Tiger was actually able to move up a few positions on the leaderboard, but not in relation to the amount of strokes behind the leader. Over the years I have usually been able to tell when Tiger is not “on” and it seems like this is one of those weeks. Going to take a miracle for him to win this weekend and I am not expecting it.
- The NBA has suspended Denver's J.R. Smith for 7 games without pay and Phoenix's Jason Richardson for 2 games without pay after both were recently convicted of driving offenses (Smith for reckless driving and past poor driving record and Richardson for drunken driving). Props to the NBA on this for penalizing bad behavior and poor decisions. I think the NFL should be the model for how to deal with these situations. These athletes live a good and privileged life, so they should strive to be role models and good citizens and they need to suffer the consequences for mistakes.
- NASCAR announced that qualifying for the 2010 Daytona 500 will be moved to Saturday, February 6 to avoid being on the same day as Super Bowl XLIV. Traditionally, Daytona 500 qualifying starts on the first Sunday of “Speedweeks”, but the whole NFL season was pushed back a week this season, creating the overlap. I have to say very smart move on NASCAR’s part. You need to bow to the King that is the NFL and the crown jewel of the Super Bowl.
- And on a final note…I watched the first half of the Redskins/Patriots preseason game and Tom Brady and Randy Moss looked like they were in midseason form. Barring more injuries, it looks like the Patriots could be back to reclaim their spot on the top of the AFC and maybe the whole league. And speaking of possible injuries…it was reported after the game that Brady had a sore throwing shoulder after being hit by Albert Haynesworth late in the first half of the game. Stay tuned…
Monday, August 24, 2009
Celebrating Summerfest: WWE Summerslam Review
The WWE had its “biggest event of the summer”, Summerslam, last night and the big question is how did my predictions do? Right? Ok, no, the big question is how did the event come off and did it deliver as a big time show and Pay Per View? In my opinion I have to say that Summerslam did in fact bring the goods and it was an excellent show. I feel that it was the best overall PPV since Wrestlemania 25. The crowd was hyped all night and was extremely excited and involved. The in-ring action was solid to great throughout the evening and I thought there was a great deal of exciting wrestling and drama. There were also some really good booking decisions and they generally outweighed the ones that could be considered questionable. So the bottom line leads me to give the show a thumbs up and recommend a DVD purchase when it is released in a few weeks. Let’s take a match by match review and compare the outcomes to my predictions shall we?
Intercontinental title match: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
My prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champ)
Actual result: Mysterio via pinfall (retains IC title)
The match got off to a very quick start and it was full of fast paced action which saw Mysterio flying around and Ziggler trying to keep up with him and gain an advantage with a few power moves. Ziggler was indeed finally able to gain the advantage in the middle of the match and was trying to use his size advantage to wear down Rey and work on his neck. The match then started to really build with some great back and forth action. There were plenty of near falls and the crowd was very hot for the opening match. In the end, it appeared as if Ziggler was going to get the win but Mysterio was able to get a quick pinfall and retain the IC title. In my opinion, this was not the right move. It was extremely clear that Ziggler has the potential to be a star and on a big stage like Summerslam, I felt that he could have been seriously elevated with a victory. I score this as a missed opportunity by the WWE and wonder how they will justify Ziggler getting yet another rematch. He still seems destined for the title, but when will the trigger be pulled?
Jack Swagger vs. MVP
My prediction: Swagger
Actual result: MVP via pinfall
This match was preceded by a very nice promo/interaction between MVP and Swagger. They jawed back and forth with Swagger putting over his all-American persona and contrasting it to MVP’s past and the fact that he is an ex-con. This match had a pretty good start but was at a slower pace than the IC title match. Swagger was able to gain a small advantage and went to work on MVP’s body with moves like an abdominal stretch. The crowd was still very into the action and vocal throughout. The wrestling in this match was pretty good but it was not overly exciting or any sort of technical masterpiece. MVP was able to hit a solid chain of moves in quick succession, including the Playmaker, to get the pinfall victory. So again, I got the result of this match wrong and started the night 0 for 2. This does not seem like any sort of blow off for the feud and I would expect Swagger to get a measure of revenge somehow. Maybe I misinterpreted things and expected the heel to get the win since Swagger seems in line for more of a push. But, if this feud continues, then it stands to reason that Swagger gets the final victory of the feud before moving on. We’ll see in time…
Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme
My prediction: Jericho/Show
Actual result: Jericho/Show via pinfall (retains titles)
You have to love Jericho on the mic giving it to the crowd before the start of the match. This match was basically what you would expect. The wrestling was perfectly acceptable, especially when Big Show was in. He was in there in the beginning portions of the match and it was pretty slow and plodding. Again the crowd was to be praised for staying into the action and trying to help Cryme Tyme. They did have a good showing in there and Jericho was solid as always. Show was able to deliver a knock out shot at the opportune time to allow the Unified Tag Champs to retain their titles. This match went exactly as I expected and was nothing special. It was just another solid showing for JeriShow as they kept plugging along and get me on the board with a correct prediction.
Kane vs. The Great Khali
My prediction: Kane
Actual result: Kane via pinfall
Well there wasn’t too much to say about this match. It was your standard big man match and again I give props to the crowd for staying into the action. Kane looked pretty good and did the best he could to carry Khali to a decent showing. That is about what Khali was too, decent. This match also ended up going as I expected with a clean win for Kane. I am not sure where these two will go from here, but I don’t really think people would want to see too many rematches. Kane should slowly move back up the card and possibly try to help put over some new talent.
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
My prediction: DX
Actual result: DX via pinfall
Wow…that really was one hell of an entrance and production for DX’s return to PPV. It kind of looked like something out of Call of Duty if you ask me. And without question, the grand fanfare of it all should have told you who was going to win the match. The start of the match was pretty slow and was standard tag team formula. Even so, the crowd was very hot and extremely behind DX and booing the hell out of Legacy. The action did start to slowly build and there was some solid tag team wrestling going on. Legacy was able to gain control and slow the match down, really working on Triple H and getting the crowd salivating for a hot tag. This paid off as the action really started to get hot toward the end and the build up to the finish was great. Shawn Michaels was able to hit some Sweet Chin Music at the end and as expected, DX picks up the win and sent me to 3-2 for the night so far. Now I fully expected DX to get the win and one can argue that HHH and Michaels put in a great performance to make Legacy look good and make them look like a threat. Some people would say this is great and they helped to elevate them. However, I fall to the other side of the fence and say that it is all well and good, but Dibiase and Rhodes fell short and didn’t win, bottom line. I feel like a Legacy win through shenanigans would have done wonders for them. They could have gotten major heat from it and it also would have given them bragging rights. I suppose this feud could have legs and maybe they will pick up a big win in the future. But Summerslam is a major PPV where you can make a statement and unfortunately, Legacy was left to fall short.
ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal
My prediction: Christian (or possible DQ)
Actual result: Christian via pinfall (retains ECW title)
Now when I saw Regal walking down to the ring with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson, I thought for sure that it was going to end in a DQ. However, the bell rings, Regal turns to take off his robe, and Christian hits him with a Killswitch to get the pinfall in about 10 seconds. Very quickly afterwards though, Kozlov and Jackson hit the ring and the newly named “Ruthless Roundtable” do a good beat down on the ECW Champ. So obviously this match turned into an angle advancement segment. My thoughts were correct though since Christian retained and it looks like Kozlov and Jackson stand to be elevated and possibly in line for a shot at the title. Of course, we could always get a future match where Kozlov and Jackson blatantly cheat to help Regal win the belt. Guess we will just have to tune in to ECW and find out.
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
My prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Actual result: Eventually…Randy Orton via pinfall (retains WWE Title)
Wow, what a crazy match this turned out to be and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be wrong. The crowd sounded about 60/40 against Cena for this one and I really think a majority wanted to see Orton retain. It was a slow and cautious start by both competitors and it eventually led to Orton gaining control and trying to wear down Cena. The crowd was molten for this match with dueling chants going back and forth and the excitement was just off the charts it seemed. Cena was able to make a small comeback, only to be stopped by Orton who got back in control of things. As expected though, Cena “hulked up” and was looking like Superman (to the increasing displeasure of the crowd), but Randy pulled a classic heel tactic and hit the referee for the DQ. Oh but this was only the beginning. Vince McMahon seemed to magically phone down to Lillian Garcia and the match was restarted with the stipulation that if Orton was DQ’d again, he would lose the belt. I seriously thought this totally choreographed a Cena win, but not so fast. Orton goes and gets counted out. And again, Vince rings the magic phone and restarts the match and now if Orton gets counted out again, he loses the belt. Orton runs back into the ring, ducks a shot from Cena, and then rolls him up with his feet on the ropes for a three count. Finally, this match is over. But here comes another ref who says that Orton’s feet were on the ropes and the match is restarted AGAIN. Are you kidding me? So the match continues and Cena has Orton locked in the STF in the middle of the ring. Match is over right? Again, not so fast. It seems as if a “fan” bum rushed the ring and jumped on the ref! Now I put “fan” in quotes because I believe it was a plant. Time will reveal if it was or not, but since the camera followed the guy being taken away up the ramp, I felt it was a dead giveaway that it was planned (this seems to be confirmed now and the "fan" was 21 year old Brett Dibiase). So finally after the confusion, Orton is able to able to drop Cena’s neck on the middle rope, slide in the ring, and hit an RKO for the victory. Now some people will say this was an overbooked mess, but I will lean more toward saying that it was cool to see the match end up being crazy and unpredictable. I will happily enjoy at least a few more weeks of Orton as champion, even thought it seems like Cena will be getting another shot somehow and will eventually take the belt from Orton.
World Heavyweight Championship (TLC Match): Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk
My prediction: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
Actual result: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
So it was time for the main event and this one started out slowly and continued to build throughout. Both Punk and Hardy were pulling out some really stiff shots with the “toys” they were given to play with. The bumps that they were taking were pretty good and the hot crowd continued. The match went back and forth fairly well. Punk got in some great chair shots and was able to dump Hardy off the ladder. Hardy was able to send Punk flying down through a table outside the ring and got in some stiff chair shots of his own. The match finally built up to the highlight and signature spot of the match. Hardy was able to use a TV monitor to lay out Punk on one of the announce tables. He then set up a ladder that had to be close to 30 feet I would say and he climbed to the top and hit a picture perfect Swanton right onto Punk. Medical personnel rushed down to the ringside area and tried to take them away, but Punk struggled back into the ring and Hardy soon followed. They both scaled the ladder and in the end, Punk was able to punch Hardy off of it and unhook the belt to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. This was a great match that deserved the main event spot and these two delivered. As predicted, Punk reclaimed the belt. As a final surprise, Punk was standing over a beaten Jeff Hardy when the lights went out and the gong rang through the arena. When the lights came back on, the Undertaker had replaced Jeff Hardy underneath the triumphant Punk and he ate a chokeslam to end the evening. So it seems like Jeff will be taking his break and the Undertaker will be the next challenger for the World Title.
Final thoughts: So at the end of the night, I finished 5-3 on my predictions. I thought that overall, the 2009 version of Summerslam did end up having a big show feel and for the most part, the action delivered. The crowd was great the entire evening and the wrestling was pretty good. I am very interested to see where things go from here and let’s hope that the WWE can build some momentum.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Reports are saying now that Michael Vick is showing little rust as he returns to the NFL after 2 seasons. Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said that Vick looks “pretty good” in the offensive and says that things are progressing. They are working with Vick to try and fine tune the small details that help win games and a final decision about whether Vick will play in Thursday’s preseason game should be made on Tuesday. Well if all this is true and if Vick provides an impact this year, the Eagles could become a big favorite to get to the Super Bowl and I bet the anger over his signing will subside quickly. Now reports are also saying that Vick is scheduled to appear at bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA Thursday morning at 9:30 am. He would have to then fly back to Philadelphia to make that evening’s preseason game. Sounds like a fun day for Mr. Vick…
- Roger Federer easily beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to win the Cincinnati Masters title. It appears that Federer is back in top form and deserving of the #1 ranking heading into the U.S. Open next week. With Nadal still trying to get his legs back under him, I think Roger is the heavy favorite to win his 16th grand slam championship. I definitely would not mind seeing Andy Roddick get another shot at him though after their epic Wimbledon final in July.
- The United States defeated Europe to retain the Solheim Cup for the 8th time and 3rd straight time overall. I am not a huge fan of woman’s golf nor do I really follow it, but I do have to give some respect and congratulations to the U.S. women for doing our country proud and winning this competition.
- Michigan Wolverine head football coach Rich Rodriquez was quoted yesterday saying that the team would use 3 different QBs in the season opener against Western Michigan on September 5. That seems like a pretty odd strategy unless the guy really doesn’t know what he has yet or unless he truly believes that he can utilize the talents of all 3 in different situations. Michigan football has been struggling to rebuild for a few years now and I don’t think this seems like a good move. I would think Rodriquez would want to try and develop one QB and hopefully have the whole team elevate with him this season and in seasons to come. The key to any successful offense is repetition and rhythm and I don’t see how you get that with 3 different QBs. But who knows, maybe this is just an early sign of more struggles to come or maybe he knows something everyone else doesn’t.
- Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett turned an unassisted triple play to end the game and preserve a 9-7 win over the New York Mets. He caught a line drive up the middle and then was able to touch 2nd base to double up one man and then tag the runner coming from 1st base as a double steal was on. It was only the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history and only the 2nd to end a game. The win improved Pedro Martinez’s record to 2-0 as well. Pretty cool feat to witness, so big props to Bruntlett as the Phils look like they are headed back to another NL East Division title and a shot at defending their World Series title.
- John Smoltz won his debut with the Cardinals, pitching 5 scoreless innings and striking out 9 in the 5-2 victory. Well, well, well…maybe I spoke too soon writing him off. If he can keep this up until the end of the season and help the Cards get into the playoffs and then transfer to the bullpen as the rotation shrinks for postseason play, then maybe St. Louis will look like geniuses for picking him up. The reward could be a trip to the World Series if all pans out well, but Smoltz will still need to prove he can consistently get people out.
Intercontinental title match: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
My prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champ)
Actual result: Mysterio via pinfall (retains IC title)
The match got off to a very quick start and it was full of fast paced action which saw Mysterio flying around and Ziggler trying to keep up with him and gain an advantage with a few power moves. Ziggler was indeed finally able to gain the advantage in the middle of the match and was trying to use his size advantage to wear down Rey and work on his neck. The match then started to really build with some great back and forth action. There were plenty of near falls and the crowd was very hot for the opening match. In the end, it appeared as if Ziggler was going to get the win but Mysterio was able to get a quick pinfall and retain the IC title. In my opinion, this was not the right move. It was extremely clear that Ziggler has the potential to be a star and on a big stage like Summerslam, I felt that he could have been seriously elevated with a victory. I score this as a missed opportunity by the WWE and wonder how they will justify Ziggler getting yet another rematch. He still seems destined for the title, but when will the trigger be pulled?
Jack Swagger vs. MVP
My prediction: Swagger
Actual result: MVP via pinfall
This match was preceded by a very nice promo/interaction between MVP and Swagger. They jawed back and forth with Swagger putting over his all-American persona and contrasting it to MVP’s past and the fact that he is an ex-con. This match had a pretty good start but was at a slower pace than the IC title match. Swagger was able to gain a small advantage and went to work on MVP’s body with moves like an abdominal stretch. The crowd was still very into the action and vocal throughout. The wrestling in this match was pretty good but it was not overly exciting or any sort of technical masterpiece. MVP was able to hit a solid chain of moves in quick succession, including the Playmaker, to get the pinfall victory. So again, I got the result of this match wrong and started the night 0 for 2. This does not seem like any sort of blow off for the feud and I would expect Swagger to get a measure of revenge somehow. Maybe I misinterpreted things and expected the heel to get the win since Swagger seems in line for more of a push. But, if this feud continues, then it stands to reason that Swagger gets the final victory of the feud before moving on. We’ll see in time…
Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme
My prediction: Jericho/Show
Actual result: Jericho/Show via pinfall (retains titles)
You have to love Jericho on the mic giving it to the crowd before the start of the match. This match was basically what you would expect. The wrestling was perfectly acceptable, especially when Big Show was in. He was in there in the beginning portions of the match and it was pretty slow and plodding. Again the crowd was to be praised for staying into the action and trying to help Cryme Tyme. They did have a good showing in there and Jericho was solid as always. Show was able to deliver a knock out shot at the opportune time to allow the Unified Tag Champs to retain their titles. This match went exactly as I expected and was nothing special. It was just another solid showing for JeriShow as they kept plugging along and get me on the board with a correct prediction.
Kane vs. The Great Khali
My prediction: Kane
Actual result: Kane via pinfall
Well there wasn’t too much to say about this match. It was your standard big man match and again I give props to the crowd for staying into the action. Kane looked pretty good and did the best he could to carry Khali to a decent showing. That is about what Khali was too, decent. This match also ended up going as I expected with a clean win for Kane. I am not sure where these two will go from here, but I don’t really think people would want to see too many rematches. Kane should slowly move back up the card and possibly try to help put over some new talent.
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
My prediction: DX
Actual result: DX via pinfall
Wow…that really was one hell of an entrance and production for DX’s return to PPV. It kind of looked like something out of Call of Duty if you ask me. And without question, the grand fanfare of it all should have told you who was going to win the match. The start of the match was pretty slow and was standard tag team formula. Even so, the crowd was very hot and extremely behind DX and booing the hell out of Legacy. The action did start to slowly build and there was some solid tag team wrestling going on. Legacy was able to gain control and slow the match down, really working on Triple H and getting the crowd salivating for a hot tag. This paid off as the action really started to get hot toward the end and the build up to the finish was great. Shawn Michaels was able to hit some Sweet Chin Music at the end and as expected, DX picks up the win and sent me to 3-2 for the night so far. Now I fully expected DX to get the win and one can argue that HHH and Michaels put in a great performance to make Legacy look good and make them look like a threat. Some people would say this is great and they helped to elevate them. However, I fall to the other side of the fence and say that it is all well and good, but Dibiase and Rhodes fell short and didn’t win, bottom line. I feel like a Legacy win through shenanigans would have done wonders for them. They could have gotten major heat from it and it also would have given them bragging rights. I suppose this feud could have legs and maybe they will pick up a big win in the future. But Summerslam is a major PPV where you can make a statement and unfortunately, Legacy was left to fall short.
ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal
My prediction: Christian (or possible DQ)
Actual result: Christian via pinfall (retains ECW title)
Now when I saw Regal walking down to the ring with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson, I thought for sure that it was going to end in a DQ. However, the bell rings, Regal turns to take off his robe, and Christian hits him with a Killswitch to get the pinfall in about 10 seconds. Very quickly afterwards though, Kozlov and Jackson hit the ring and the newly named “Ruthless Roundtable” do a good beat down on the ECW Champ. So obviously this match turned into an angle advancement segment. My thoughts were correct though since Christian retained and it looks like Kozlov and Jackson stand to be elevated and possibly in line for a shot at the title. Of course, we could always get a future match where Kozlov and Jackson blatantly cheat to help Regal win the belt. Guess we will just have to tune in to ECW and find out.
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
My prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Actual result: Eventually…Randy Orton via pinfall (retains WWE Title)
Wow, what a crazy match this turned out to be and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be wrong. The crowd sounded about 60/40 against Cena for this one and I really think a majority wanted to see Orton retain. It was a slow and cautious start by both competitors and it eventually led to Orton gaining control and trying to wear down Cena. The crowd was molten for this match with dueling chants going back and forth and the excitement was just off the charts it seemed. Cena was able to make a small comeback, only to be stopped by Orton who got back in control of things. As expected though, Cena “hulked up” and was looking like Superman (to the increasing displeasure of the crowd), but Randy pulled a classic heel tactic and hit the referee for the DQ. Oh but this was only the beginning. Vince McMahon seemed to magically phone down to Lillian Garcia and the match was restarted with the stipulation that if Orton was DQ’d again, he would lose the belt. I seriously thought this totally choreographed a Cena win, but not so fast. Orton goes and gets counted out. And again, Vince rings the magic phone and restarts the match and now if Orton gets counted out again, he loses the belt. Orton runs back into the ring, ducks a shot from Cena, and then rolls him up with his feet on the ropes for a three count. Finally, this match is over. But here comes another ref who says that Orton’s feet were on the ropes and the match is restarted AGAIN. Are you kidding me? So the match continues and Cena has Orton locked in the STF in the middle of the ring. Match is over right? Again, not so fast. It seems as if a “fan” bum rushed the ring and jumped on the ref! Now I put “fan” in quotes because I believe it was a plant. Time will reveal if it was or not, but since the camera followed the guy being taken away up the ramp, I felt it was a dead giveaway that it was planned (this seems to be confirmed now and the "fan" was 21 year old Brett Dibiase). So finally after the confusion, Orton is able to able to drop Cena’s neck on the middle rope, slide in the ring, and hit an RKO for the victory. Now some people will say this was an overbooked mess, but I will lean more toward saying that it was cool to see the match end up being crazy and unpredictable. I will happily enjoy at least a few more weeks of Orton as champion, even thought it seems like Cena will be getting another shot somehow and will eventually take the belt from Orton.
World Heavyweight Championship (TLC Match): Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk
My prediction: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
Actual result: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
So it was time for the main event and this one started out slowly and continued to build throughout. Both Punk and Hardy were pulling out some really stiff shots with the “toys” they were given to play with. The bumps that they were taking were pretty good and the hot crowd continued. The match went back and forth fairly well. Punk got in some great chair shots and was able to dump Hardy off the ladder. Hardy was able to send Punk flying down through a table outside the ring and got in some stiff chair shots of his own. The match finally built up to the highlight and signature spot of the match. Hardy was able to use a TV monitor to lay out Punk on one of the announce tables. He then set up a ladder that had to be close to 30 feet I would say and he climbed to the top and hit a picture perfect Swanton right onto Punk. Medical personnel rushed down to the ringside area and tried to take them away, but Punk struggled back into the ring and Hardy soon followed. They both scaled the ladder and in the end, Punk was able to punch Hardy off of it and unhook the belt to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. This was a great match that deserved the main event spot and these two delivered. As predicted, Punk reclaimed the belt. As a final surprise, Punk was standing over a beaten Jeff Hardy when the lights went out and the gong rang through the arena. When the lights came back on, the Undertaker had replaced Jeff Hardy underneath the triumphant Punk and he ate a chokeslam to end the evening. So it seems like Jeff will be taking his break and the Undertaker will be the next challenger for the World Title.
Final thoughts: So at the end of the night, I finished 5-3 on my predictions. I thought that overall, the 2009 version of Summerslam did end up having a big show feel and for the most part, the action delivered. The crowd was great the entire evening and the wrestling was pretty good. I am very interested to see where things go from here and let’s hope that the WWE can build some momentum.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Reports are saying now that Michael Vick is showing little rust as he returns to the NFL after 2 seasons. Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said that Vick looks “pretty good” in the offensive and says that things are progressing. They are working with Vick to try and fine tune the small details that help win games and a final decision about whether Vick will play in Thursday’s preseason game should be made on Tuesday. Well if all this is true and if Vick provides an impact this year, the Eagles could become a big favorite to get to the Super Bowl and I bet the anger over his signing will subside quickly. Now reports are also saying that Vick is scheduled to appear at bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA Thursday morning at 9:30 am. He would have to then fly back to Philadelphia to make that evening’s preseason game. Sounds like a fun day for Mr. Vick…
- Roger Federer easily beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to win the Cincinnati Masters title. It appears that Federer is back in top form and deserving of the #1 ranking heading into the U.S. Open next week. With Nadal still trying to get his legs back under him, I think Roger is the heavy favorite to win his 16th grand slam championship. I definitely would not mind seeing Andy Roddick get another shot at him though after their epic Wimbledon final in July.
- The United States defeated Europe to retain the Solheim Cup for the 8th time and 3rd straight time overall. I am not a huge fan of woman’s golf nor do I really follow it, but I do have to give some respect and congratulations to the U.S. women for doing our country proud and winning this competition.
- Michigan Wolverine head football coach Rich Rodriquez was quoted yesterday saying that the team would use 3 different QBs in the season opener against Western Michigan on September 5. That seems like a pretty odd strategy unless the guy really doesn’t know what he has yet or unless he truly believes that he can utilize the talents of all 3 in different situations. Michigan football has been struggling to rebuild for a few years now and I don’t think this seems like a good move. I would think Rodriquez would want to try and develop one QB and hopefully have the whole team elevate with him this season and in seasons to come. The key to any successful offense is repetition and rhythm and I don’t see how you get that with 3 different QBs. But who knows, maybe this is just an early sign of more struggles to come or maybe he knows something everyone else doesn’t.
- Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett turned an unassisted triple play to end the game and preserve a 9-7 win over the New York Mets. He caught a line drive up the middle and then was able to touch 2nd base to double up one man and then tag the runner coming from 1st base as a double steal was on. It was only the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history and only the 2nd to end a game. The win improved Pedro Martinez’s record to 2-0 as well. Pretty cool feat to witness, so big props to Bruntlett as the Phils look like they are headed back to another NL East Division title and a shot at defending their World Series title.
- John Smoltz won his debut with the Cardinals, pitching 5 scoreless innings and striking out 9 in the 5-2 victory. Well, well, well…maybe I spoke too soon writing him off. If he can keep this up until the end of the season and help the Cards get into the playoffs and then transfer to the bullpen as the rotation shrinks for postseason play, then maybe St. Louis will look like geniuses for picking him up. The reward could be a trip to the World Series if all pans out well, but Smoltz will still need to prove he can consistently get people out.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Celebrating Summerfest: WWE Summerslam Thoughts
Well it is just about that time for the "biggest party of the summer" according to the WWE. That's right, it's time for WWE Summerslam...or Summerfest if you are recent Raw guest host Jeremy Piven. I have been a WWE fan for the longest time and Summerslam has always been a solid card and it should be considering that it is one of the "Big 4" PPVs along with the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, and Survivor Series.
Now in recent times, the direction of WWE storylines and angles have left some things to be desired. However, I am not one of those people who will constantly bash the product. I recognize wrestling for what it is. It is an escape. It is meant to be fun and over the top. It is meant to provide entertainment and mix in some great athletics and at times, really stir your emotions and provide some great memories. My opinion has always been that if you can't just sit back and try to enjoy what you can, then don't watch! It makes no sense to watch something and all you do is criticize it and say "this sucks". Do I like everything I see on WWE programming? Absolutely not. Creative drops the ball numerous times, match outcomes seem utterly stupid sometimes, and the comedy/humorous angles sometimes fall woefully flat. However, I still enjoy seeing great matches and there are great laughs and enjoyment to be had if you just allow yourself to let it happen.
So with that said, let's take a look at Summerslam coming up this Sunday. I think the card has some potential to deliver some good matches, although I will have to say that it does not feel like it is something extremely special. Cena/Orton has been done before...DX returning has been done before...much of the under card does not have a great amount of heat and build. I still expect some good wrestling and fun matches though and the TLC match between Jeff Hardy and CM Punk has the potential to be a great match. Here is a match by match rundown of the card and my thoughts on the outcomes:
Kane vs. The Great Khali - Ugh...I have absolutely no interest in this feud since it was seemingly thrown together for no apparent reason. It just feels like one of those things to satisfy Vince McMahon's "big man" fetish. Kane always has the potential to be higher up the card and he has deserved more than he has gotten over the years. He has always been a reliable worker and maybe a win at one of the "Big 4" will be his "reward". It is Kane's first big match back on PPV and considering that Khali is the face and they probably want to drag this feud on longer, I think Kane will get the win. Or we could get one of those wonderful DQs...
Prediction: Kane
Jack Swagger vs. MVP - This has the potential to be a great match if Swagger and MVP are given time for it. I unfortunately think it will be shorter than it needs to be, but both men are talented enough to give a good performance with what they will be given. Obviously, Swagger is one of the future players in the WWE and will most likely be given a run with a major belt in the future. MVP has continued to improve and has gotten much better in the ring and is entertaining on the stick. The feud has centered around Swagger wanting to fight on "his terms" and it seems the bright lights of Summerslam will fit the bill. It seems like these two have been jawing for a good 2 months or so at this point, but it feels like the feud has not run it's course yet. That usually has me leaning toward the heel getting the victory. I think MVP could be in danger of getting lost in the shuffle and it seems like something creative would do, so I give the nod to Swagger in this one.
Prediction: Swagger
DX vs. Legacy - I'm not sure it is worth going into any type of analysis for this one. Shawn Michaels is returning to PPV and the WWE and reforming DX with Triple H and you think they will lose at Summerslam? Yeah right LOL. I assume that Legacy got the bone thrown to them on Raw when they beat down DX during their usual antics. Honestly, I think Legacy needs to win this match to be seen as a more serious threat because WWE blew it by not making them the Unified Tag Champions and letting them "run the show" with Randy Orton. Rhodes and Dibiase are still treated too much like lackeys and I can only assume the plan is for one (most likely Dibiase) or both to finally get tired of it and turn on Orton. So anyway, DX cruises in this one.
Prediction: DX
ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal - Again this match seems rushed out there and came out of the blue, but fortunately Regal is extremely solid and a bad ass and he should be able to have a good match with Christian. Christian's 2nd run with the ECW Title has not lasted that long yet and I don't think they will be taking the title off of him so soon. I could easily see this match ending in a DQ to extend things. I can also see a Christian victory and instead, Regal continues to come after Captain Charisma with his new henchmen, Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson. It just seems like Christian will drop the belt to one of those two and Regal is there as a placeholder to have a few solid matches and guide the two younger guys.
Prediction: Christian (or a DQ)
Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme - Well the pairing of Jericho and Big Show has been interesting and I think it was a pretty good decision by the WWE after Edge went down to injury. Jericho is allowed to be even more cocky considering the back up that he has. Cryme Tyme has been solid and have done a good job to get themselves over with the fans and they deserve the match at Summerslam as much as anyone. However, I don't think that they should be getting the win. Jericho and Big Show still have room to run with this angle I believe and they should not drop the belts yet. There needs to be more tension between the two at some point and Chris Jericho being the Unified Tag Champ means more of him on both Raw and Smackdown and that is a good thing.
Prediction: Jericho/Big Show
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler - Well I am as shocked as anyone that Ziggler has been able to get this character over. He seems to getting more heat with the crowd and his in ring work has gotten better and better. He showed he could hang with Mysterio in their last PPV encounter and it seems like now is the time for him to take the belt at a big PPV like Summerslam. I really have nothing against Mysterio, but I feel his character really has no room to develop and he will always be over as a popular superstar. Ziggler could really benefit from getting the title and it will continue to move him up the ladder as a major player.
Prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champion)
TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk - I have thoroughly enjoyed Punk's heel turn and it has been the best piece of work that the WWE has been doing over the past few months. These two have delivered some great matches in the ring and this match should be no different. However, the outcome of the match seems to be a foregone conclusion. It seems that there has been no news to break that Hardy has signed a new deal with WWE and he seems determined to take some time off. They ran the "injury" angle on Smackdown and are speculating that he might not be at 100% for the match. So to me, all the pieces are in place for Punk to really "injure" Hardy in this match, take the title, and then Jeff just disappears for a while and takes his time off. A Punk wins allows him to transfer into a title feud with John Morrison (more matches between those two would be welcomed) and possibly a feud with a returning Matt Hardy. All evidence points to this and it is what I would have to go with.
Prediction: CM Punk (New World Heavyweight Champion)
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena - I'm not sure this match needs much analysis either. I expect Cena to be superman again and win the title. I like Randy Orton's character and think the half-psycho gimmick fits him great. He has gotten really good on the stick and can deliver a good match in the ring. I still believe he has more room to run with the belt and terrorize the rest of the roster. John Cena on the other hand...I just can not stand. Granted, I know Cena works hard and is a model employee and he always delivers when it comes to enthusiasm and interacting with the fans. But to me, his whole schtick is just so bland and feels old. I really would like to see a heel turn because it would freshen him up and be a shock and that would make for some interesting TV. That seems like a dream however, so expect Cena to "hulk up" and become Superman Cena by the end of the night and beat Orton to give the fans their "go home happy" moment.
Prediction: John Cena (New WWE Champion)
The Game's Quick Hits:
- Plaxico Burress reached a plea agreement and was given a 2 year jail sentence. Well good to see he was smart enough not to take this to trial and get the mandatory minimum of 3 and 1/2 years slapped on him. Just another case of bad judgement costing someone millions of dollars and it could have easily been avoided.
- Memphis Tigers are forced to vacate their 38 win Final Four season from 2007-2008. More stupidity and bad judgement. The sad thing is that this is now the 2nd time that John Calipari has had a Final Four trip vacated and yet he skips away to his cushy job with Kentucky now. So much for caring about your players being "student" athletes right John?
- Usain Bolt breaks his own world record again with a 19.19 in the 200m at the World Championships. Damn...is this guy human or did he mutate and escape from that District 9 compound?
- Fran Tarkenton has been running his mouth and calling the whole Brett Favre scene in Minnesota an "absolute circus". That's all well and good but the guy seems to be going out of his way to rip on Favre. Seems like someone still craves a little spotlight and attention, right Mr. Tarkenton?
Now in recent times, the direction of WWE storylines and angles have left some things to be desired. However, I am not one of those people who will constantly bash the product. I recognize wrestling for what it is. It is an escape. It is meant to be fun and over the top. It is meant to provide entertainment and mix in some great athletics and at times, really stir your emotions and provide some great memories. My opinion has always been that if you can't just sit back and try to enjoy what you can, then don't watch! It makes no sense to watch something and all you do is criticize it and say "this sucks". Do I like everything I see on WWE programming? Absolutely not. Creative drops the ball numerous times, match outcomes seem utterly stupid sometimes, and the comedy/humorous angles sometimes fall woefully flat. However, I still enjoy seeing great matches and there are great laughs and enjoyment to be had if you just allow yourself to let it happen.
So with that said, let's take a look at Summerslam coming up this Sunday. I think the card has some potential to deliver some good matches, although I will have to say that it does not feel like it is something extremely special. Cena/Orton has been done before...DX returning has been done before...much of the under card does not have a great amount of heat and build. I still expect some good wrestling and fun matches though and the TLC match between Jeff Hardy and CM Punk has the potential to be a great match. Here is a match by match rundown of the card and my thoughts on the outcomes:
Kane vs. The Great Khali - Ugh...I have absolutely no interest in this feud since it was seemingly thrown together for no apparent reason. It just feels like one of those things to satisfy Vince McMahon's "big man" fetish. Kane always has the potential to be higher up the card and he has deserved more than he has gotten over the years. He has always been a reliable worker and maybe a win at one of the "Big 4" will be his "reward". It is Kane's first big match back on PPV and considering that Khali is the face and they probably want to drag this feud on longer, I think Kane will get the win. Or we could get one of those wonderful DQs...
Prediction: Kane
Jack Swagger vs. MVP - This has the potential to be a great match if Swagger and MVP are given time for it. I unfortunately think it will be shorter than it needs to be, but both men are talented enough to give a good performance with what they will be given. Obviously, Swagger is one of the future players in the WWE and will most likely be given a run with a major belt in the future. MVP has continued to improve and has gotten much better in the ring and is entertaining on the stick. The feud has centered around Swagger wanting to fight on "his terms" and it seems the bright lights of Summerslam will fit the bill. It seems like these two have been jawing for a good 2 months or so at this point, but it feels like the feud has not run it's course yet. That usually has me leaning toward the heel getting the victory. I think MVP could be in danger of getting lost in the shuffle and it seems like something creative would do, so I give the nod to Swagger in this one.
Prediction: Swagger
DX vs. Legacy - I'm not sure it is worth going into any type of analysis for this one. Shawn Michaels is returning to PPV and the WWE and reforming DX with Triple H and you think they will lose at Summerslam? Yeah right LOL. I assume that Legacy got the bone thrown to them on Raw when they beat down DX during their usual antics. Honestly, I think Legacy needs to win this match to be seen as a more serious threat because WWE blew it by not making them the Unified Tag Champions and letting them "run the show" with Randy Orton. Rhodes and Dibiase are still treated too much like lackeys and I can only assume the plan is for one (most likely Dibiase) or both to finally get tired of it and turn on Orton. So anyway, DX cruises in this one.
Prediction: DX
ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal - Again this match seems rushed out there and came out of the blue, but fortunately Regal is extremely solid and a bad ass and he should be able to have a good match with Christian. Christian's 2nd run with the ECW Title has not lasted that long yet and I don't think they will be taking the title off of him so soon. I could easily see this match ending in a DQ to extend things. I can also see a Christian victory and instead, Regal continues to come after Captain Charisma with his new henchmen, Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson. It just seems like Christian will drop the belt to one of those two and Regal is there as a placeholder to have a few solid matches and guide the two younger guys.
Prediction: Christian (or a DQ)
Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme - Well the pairing of Jericho and Big Show has been interesting and I think it was a pretty good decision by the WWE after Edge went down to injury. Jericho is allowed to be even more cocky considering the back up that he has. Cryme Tyme has been solid and have done a good job to get themselves over with the fans and they deserve the match at Summerslam as much as anyone. However, I don't think that they should be getting the win. Jericho and Big Show still have room to run with this angle I believe and they should not drop the belts yet. There needs to be more tension between the two at some point and Chris Jericho being the Unified Tag Champ means more of him on both Raw and Smackdown and that is a good thing.
Prediction: Jericho/Big Show
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler - Well I am as shocked as anyone that Ziggler has been able to get this character over. He seems to getting more heat with the crowd and his in ring work has gotten better and better. He showed he could hang with Mysterio in their last PPV encounter and it seems like now is the time for him to take the belt at a big PPV like Summerslam. I really have nothing against Mysterio, but I feel his character really has no room to develop and he will always be over as a popular superstar. Ziggler could really benefit from getting the title and it will continue to move him up the ladder as a major player.
Prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champion)
TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk - I have thoroughly enjoyed Punk's heel turn and it has been the best piece of work that the WWE has been doing over the past few months. These two have delivered some great matches in the ring and this match should be no different. However, the outcome of the match seems to be a foregone conclusion. It seems that there has been no news to break that Hardy has signed a new deal with WWE and he seems determined to take some time off. They ran the "injury" angle on Smackdown and are speculating that he might not be at 100% for the match. So to me, all the pieces are in place for Punk to really "injure" Hardy in this match, take the title, and then Jeff just disappears for a while and takes his time off. A Punk wins allows him to transfer into a title feud with John Morrison (more matches between those two would be welcomed) and possibly a feud with a returning Matt Hardy. All evidence points to this and it is what I would have to go with.
Prediction: CM Punk (New World Heavyweight Champion)
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena - I'm not sure this match needs much analysis either. I expect Cena to be superman again and win the title. I like Randy Orton's character and think the half-psycho gimmick fits him great. He has gotten really good on the stick and can deliver a good match in the ring. I still believe he has more room to run with the belt and terrorize the rest of the roster. John Cena on the other hand...I just can not stand. Granted, I know Cena works hard and is a model employee and he always delivers when it comes to enthusiasm and interacting with the fans. But to me, his whole schtick is just so bland and feels old. I really would like to see a heel turn because it would freshen him up and be a shock and that would make for some interesting TV. That seems like a dream however, so expect Cena to "hulk up" and become Superman Cena by the end of the night and beat Orton to give the fans their "go home happy" moment.
Prediction: John Cena (New WWE Champion)
The Game's Quick Hits:
- Plaxico Burress reached a plea agreement and was given a 2 year jail sentence. Well good to see he was smart enough not to take this to trial and get the mandatory minimum of 3 and 1/2 years slapped on him. Just another case of bad judgement costing someone millions of dollars and it could have easily been avoided.
- Memphis Tigers are forced to vacate their 38 win Final Four season from 2007-2008. More stupidity and bad judgement. The sad thing is that this is now the 2nd time that John Calipari has had a Final Four trip vacated and yet he skips away to his cushy job with Kentucky now. So much for caring about your players being "student" athletes right John?
- Usain Bolt breaks his own world record again with a 19.19 in the 200m at the World Championships. Damn...is this guy human or did he mutate and escape from that District 9 compound?
- Fran Tarkenton has been running his mouth and calling the whole Brett Favre scene in Minnesota an "absolute circus". That's all well and good but the guy seems to be going out of his way to rip on Favre. Seems like someone still craves a little spotlight and attention, right Mr. Tarkenton?
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