Black Widow
08-02-2008, 08:42 PM
I hope this blog finds all healthy and relatively sane. The weather is hotter than donut grease here in Oklahoma but the "cement pond" comes in handy for a guy whose fat looks much better brown than white. (Thanks, Double A!)
For those that choose to watch or to DVR NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with World Champion C.M. Punk’s commentary during the opening 8 man tag that featured Raw Superstars. Punk doesn’t get the credit yet that he has earned or deserves as the World’s Champion. Punk has some RVD-like qualities about him as it relates to having a loyal and vocal fan base. If Punk can continue to navigate choppy waters, he will hopefully establish residence on the "next level" and stay there for the foreseeable future.
For any wrestling organization, what’s more important than building new main eventers? Answer…nothing.
Before I go any farther, a tip of the black hat goes to Mick Foley for his contributions to Friday Night Smackdown this week. The closing segment with Edge and Foley verbalizing before physicality broke out in a major way is the type of "in ring wrestling talk" that as a fan I love. Edge and Foley rose to the occasion in a mesmerizing final segment on Friday Night Smackdown. The follow up for this incident should make for an interesting broadcast next Friday night.
WWE 24/7 has been especially good this week and I encourage all wrestling fans to check out the "Film Room with Gordon Solie" featuring Terry Funk but which also highlights brother Dory, the Brisco Brothers, and Dusty Rhodes. There is one of the all time great interviews from Terry about an upcoming match with Jerry Lawler that is absolutely classic and works as well today as it did over 20 years ago. This edition of the "Film Room w/ Gordon Solie" is about a 25 minute feature that is "money". Plus, there is some provocative action pitting Sable vs. Torrie Wilson and some classic stuff from when WCW traveled to Tokyo to compete against New Japan in the Tokyo Dome on WWE 24/7 last I looked. As I have frequently mentioned, WWE 24/7 just might be the best, wrestling TV value out there.
What’s available on WWE 24/7 sort of blows away some of the recent content on ESPN Classic’s AWA Wrestling show especially when "Greco Roman" matches and "football" bouts are featured. Nonetheless I catch myself checking out the old AWA shows on a regular basis and then roll right into Poker After Dark on NBC.
Nothing for nothing but if I never see another non wrestler in the ring it will be too soon. That horse seems to have left the barn many moons ago. My suggestion would be to provide the air time to someone who sells live event tickets and Pay Per Views. But that’s just one man’s opinion. I will admit that I enjoyed, in a sick sort of way, seeing Michael Cole compete in his suit on Monday night. Better younger Michael than ‘Ol J.R.. :)
Here’s an idea for ECW TV….go young…stay young…and take chances on new individuals and concepts. It looks as if that may be the direction the Tuesday night Sci Fi show is heading. I like watching ECW because one can usually see more wrestling in their hour than many other hours on TV.
It was great seeing Jenny McCarthy again for the taping of the SNME after so many years. Jenny came to Stamford and did an announcer audition that yours truly participated in at the Hamilton Avenue studio. Jenny was unpretentious and a beautiful woman who was pretty versed in sports and one could tell had been a "Tom Boy" growing up. She literally has not aged a bit and was just a lovely and gracious around the WWE folks as one could ask. Jenny’s Generation Rescue needs your help to fight autism and any thing you can afford to contribute is most appreciated. No donation is too small. Check out www.wwe.com for more info. BTW Jenny’s job interview back in the day was one of the very best of any "outside talent" that I personally was involved with or witnessed. She has a great sense of humor.
I am anxious to hear what HBK has to say about the state of his career this Monday on Raw from Knoxville. No matter that Shawn is a veteran with a bad eye and worn down wheels, he is still the best all around in ring performer in the business today. There’s not even a debate in my opinion on that one but there are some guys who are getting damn close.
The sick feeling I get in the pit of my gut when thinking about how shoddy some wrestlers approach their financial planning including paying their basic taxes is becoming prevalent. We will be hearing about how wrestlers failed to prepare for their future or take responsibility for their tax matters for years to come. I wrote recently about a proposed wrestling union that some supporters of that movement think would solve many or perhaps even most of the ills of most wrestler’s personal/financial lives. That’s not a solution. Education is the key for one to make smart choices in their financial lives. America itself has a helluva time balancing its own check book and not spending more than they take in so it should not be a surprise when we read about wrestlers of other eras being essentially destitute.
The United States Olympic Basketball team has amazing expectations riding in their over sized sneakers. If any International team plays the U.S. team to within 10 points many in the media will panic. Closer than expected games are going to occur sports fans and the USA winning hoops’ gold is no guarantee. Now, if they decide to play tough defense for entire games I will change my story. Make no mistake..I’m pulling for Coach K and his squad but rebounding and playing a little "D" will help their cause.
The BoSox getting a disgruntled Manny Ramirez out of their locker room and sent packing to the L.A. Dodgers will serve Boston well over the long haul. The long season with ample travel and the pressure of winning is challenging enough without a multi-millionaire cry baby whining "poor me" every day in the locker room. Over the years, many international wrestling tours have been marred by disgruntled travelers whose only agenda is them and not the team. "Dressing Room Lawyers" need to go and naive individuals who think that "leopards change their spots" are kidding themselves. Manny wanted out and Boston was smart enough to accommodate their high dollar slugger.
Lots of interesting comings and goings within the MMA world. First of all, there is plenty of global business to go around so the possibility of more than one group…the UFC and another becoming successful…is likely. Who the 2nd group other than the UFC is the big question. MMA fighters better hope and pray that there is more than one organization for which they can earn a living. The key to building any MMA group is two fold…talent and TV. Without a weekly TV show to allow the MMA fans to sample the product and to emotionally invest in the fighters, trying to build a MMA company primarily on PPV is a dicey proposition. Plus, I think that MMA, much like wrestling, is a cable TV marriage made in heaven. MMA on network TV is a long shot at best even though if a company could make occasional inroads on network television it would be a huge promotional boost. The talent base isn’t there for any company to do a weekly network TV show without it having an adverse affect on their PPV business. Giving away big time main events on free TV can become the kiss of death. MMA has an advantage over the wrestling business in that wrestling usually discounts athletes of lesser physical size while MMA highlights smaller fighters which is strategic. Fans want action and physicality and the smaller guys can provide that as well, if not better, than many heavyweights. The systematic game plan of developing former collegiate wrestlers into MMA stars is another process that I am anxiously awaiting to see evolve within the genre. The group that puts the best long term, talent development plan together may well win the race. Patience must be utilized in the development of these young fighters. Plus, all MMA organizations would be well served to take a page out of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s book and simply refuse to do business with fighters who bring a negative light to the sport and its fans. Plus, educating the young fighters as to what is accepted behavior and what is not should be an on going process. I am all for "second chances" in life but at some point management has to fish or cut bait with some "problem children".
Oklahoma had to remove highly regarded incoming freshman wide receiver Josh Jarboe, from the Atlanta area, from the football team this week for making more bad decisions and for not putting the team first. In any athletic environment, whether it be NCAA Division One football or sports entertainment, athletes that do not put the team first and their own personal agendas second is headed for problems. Oklahoma Head Football Coach Bob Stoops runs a clean program and, while known for giving young men a second chance when one is deserved, Bob had to make the tough call regarding young Jarboe who was ESPN’s #12 ranked player high school in American last season. Hopefully Jarboe will learn from his mistakes as he is a gifted athlete.
Green Bay’s "offer" to buy out Brett Favre with a 10 year, $20M essential "non compete" is a no win arrangement for Brett from where I sit. By taking it, Brett would look like he’s only out for the cash when the guy has more cash than he can spend in a life time. Favre is a football player, still, and wants to play the game. I think he should be allowed to play where ever he chooses if Green Bay feels as if they have no more use for him. Plus, the on going bickering and posturing has lessened what the Pack will be able to get in trade for #4 as teams know that G.B. is desperately looking to trade the future HOF’er. That’s not overly bright and is comparable to talking too much at the poker table. I could make a poker reference here such as mentioning one of my all time favorite poker players, Doyle Brunson, but I won’t.
My Oklahoma Sooners are the pre-season ranked #4 team in college football. I have been looking at this fall’s schedule and am planning on making every game, home and away. The trip to Seattle in September will be a fun road trip plus OU is at Texas A&M the weekend before I have to fly to Manchester, England. There will be a Sunday morning travel day or two for some WWE TV events for yours truly but that is simply a matter of getting up early and going to work. Advance planning and a supportive Mrs makes it all come together and allows me to enjoy the best of all worlds. I told you that being on Friday Night Smackdown , taping our TV show on Tuesday and having the weekends off was a good deal.
It’s always fun to return to Atlanta as we will this Tuesday night for Smackdown as Atlanta was one of my favorite cities in which to live.
I lived in Atlanta in the late 80’s-early 90’s as a single man and thoroughly enjoyed the experience even when the wrestling antics at the CNN Center with Uncle Ted’s WCW were running, let’s say, amok. My pal Brad Nessler of ESPN/ABC Sports fame still resides in Hotlanta and I hope to say hello to "Ness" while in Atlanta. This could be one of those Tuesday night’s where a certain black hat wearing Okie doesn’t get much sleep prior to leaving for the return trip to OKC.
Thanks for everyone’s recent business in our store here on the site. I hope to see you at one of our J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q Restaurants soon. Take care everybody.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
For those that choose to watch or to DVR NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with World Champion C.M. Punk’s commentary during the opening 8 man tag that featured Raw Superstars. Punk doesn’t get the credit yet that he has earned or deserves as the World’s Champion. Punk has some RVD-like qualities about him as it relates to having a loyal and vocal fan base. If Punk can continue to navigate choppy waters, he will hopefully establish residence on the "next level" and stay there for the foreseeable future.
For any wrestling organization, what’s more important than building new main eventers? Answer…nothing.
Before I go any farther, a tip of the black hat goes to Mick Foley for his contributions to Friday Night Smackdown this week. The closing segment with Edge and Foley verbalizing before physicality broke out in a major way is the type of "in ring wrestling talk" that as a fan I love. Edge and Foley rose to the occasion in a mesmerizing final segment on Friday Night Smackdown. The follow up for this incident should make for an interesting broadcast next Friday night.
WWE 24/7 has been especially good this week and I encourage all wrestling fans to check out the "Film Room with Gordon Solie" featuring Terry Funk but which also highlights brother Dory, the Brisco Brothers, and Dusty Rhodes. There is one of the all time great interviews from Terry about an upcoming match with Jerry Lawler that is absolutely classic and works as well today as it did over 20 years ago. This edition of the "Film Room w/ Gordon Solie" is about a 25 minute feature that is "money". Plus, there is some provocative action pitting Sable vs. Torrie Wilson and some classic stuff from when WCW traveled to Tokyo to compete against New Japan in the Tokyo Dome on WWE 24/7 last I looked. As I have frequently mentioned, WWE 24/7 just might be the best, wrestling TV value out there.
What’s available on WWE 24/7 sort of blows away some of the recent content on ESPN Classic’s AWA Wrestling show especially when "Greco Roman" matches and "football" bouts are featured. Nonetheless I catch myself checking out the old AWA shows on a regular basis and then roll right into Poker After Dark on NBC.
Nothing for nothing but if I never see another non wrestler in the ring it will be too soon. That horse seems to have left the barn many moons ago. My suggestion would be to provide the air time to someone who sells live event tickets and Pay Per Views. But that’s just one man’s opinion. I will admit that I enjoyed, in a sick sort of way, seeing Michael Cole compete in his suit on Monday night. Better younger Michael than ‘Ol J.R.. :)
Here’s an idea for ECW TV….go young…stay young…and take chances on new individuals and concepts. It looks as if that may be the direction the Tuesday night Sci Fi show is heading. I like watching ECW because one can usually see more wrestling in their hour than many other hours on TV.
It was great seeing Jenny McCarthy again for the taping of the SNME after so many years. Jenny came to Stamford and did an announcer audition that yours truly participated in at the Hamilton Avenue studio. Jenny was unpretentious and a beautiful woman who was pretty versed in sports and one could tell had been a "Tom Boy" growing up. She literally has not aged a bit and was just a lovely and gracious around the WWE folks as one could ask. Jenny’s Generation Rescue needs your help to fight autism and any thing you can afford to contribute is most appreciated. No donation is too small. Check out www.wwe.com for more info. BTW Jenny’s job interview back in the day was one of the very best of any "outside talent" that I personally was involved with or witnessed. She has a great sense of humor.
I am anxious to hear what HBK has to say about the state of his career this Monday on Raw from Knoxville. No matter that Shawn is a veteran with a bad eye and worn down wheels, he is still the best all around in ring performer in the business today. There’s not even a debate in my opinion on that one but there are some guys who are getting damn close.
The sick feeling I get in the pit of my gut when thinking about how shoddy some wrestlers approach their financial planning including paying their basic taxes is becoming prevalent. We will be hearing about how wrestlers failed to prepare for their future or take responsibility for their tax matters for years to come. I wrote recently about a proposed wrestling union that some supporters of that movement think would solve many or perhaps even most of the ills of most wrestler’s personal/financial lives. That’s not a solution. Education is the key for one to make smart choices in their financial lives. America itself has a helluva time balancing its own check book and not spending more than they take in so it should not be a surprise when we read about wrestlers of other eras being essentially destitute.
The United States Olympic Basketball team has amazing expectations riding in their over sized sneakers. If any International team plays the U.S. team to within 10 points many in the media will panic. Closer than expected games are going to occur sports fans and the USA winning hoops’ gold is no guarantee. Now, if they decide to play tough defense for entire games I will change my story. Make no mistake..I’m pulling for Coach K and his squad but rebounding and playing a little "D" will help their cause.
The BoSox getting a disgruntled Manny Ramirez out of their locker room and sent packing to the L.A. Dodgers will serve Boston well over the long haul. The long season with ample travel and the pressure of winning is challenging enough without a multi-millionaire cry baby whining "poor me" every day in the locker room. Over the years, many international wrestling tours have been marred by disgruntled travelers whose only agenda is them and not the team. "Dressing Room Lawyers" need to go and naive individuals who think that "leopards change their spots" are kidding themselves. Manny wanted out and Boston was smart enough to accommodate their high dollar slugger.
Lots of interesting comings and goings within the MMA world. First of all, there is plenty of global business to go around so the possibility of more than one group…the UFC and another becoming successful…is likely. Who the 2nd group other than the UFC is the big question. MMA fighters better hope and pray that there is more than one organization for which they can earn a living. The key to building any MMA group is two fold…talent and TV. Without a weekly TV show to allow the MMA fans to sample the product and to emotionally invest in the fighters, trying to build a MMA company primarily on PPV is a dicey proposition. Plus, I think that MMA, much like wrestling, is a cable TV marriage made in heaven. MMA on network TV is a long shot at best even though if a company could make occasional inroads on network television it would be a huge promotional boost. The talent base isn’t there for any company to do a weekly network TV show without it having an adverse affect on their PPV business. Giving away big time main events on free TV can become the kiss of death. MMA has an advantage over the wrestling business in that wrestling usually discounts athletes of lesser physical size while MMA highlights smaller fighters which is strategic. Fans want action and physicality and the smaller guys can provide that as well, if not better, than many heavyweights. The systematic game plan of developing former collegiate wrestlers into MMA stars is another process that I am anxiously awaiting to see evolve within the genre. The group that puts the best long term, talent development plan together may well win the race. Patience must be utilized in the development of these young fighters. Plus, all MMA organizations would be well served to take a page out of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s book and simply refuse to do business with fighters who bring a negative light to the sport and its fans. Plus, educating the young fighters as to what is accepted behavior and what is not should be an on going process. I am all for "second chances" in life but at some point management has to fish or cut bait with some "problem children".
Oklahoma had to remove highly regarded incoming freshman wide receiver Josh Jarboe, from the Atlanta area, from the football team this week for making more bad decisions and for not putting the team first. In any athletic environment, whether it be NCAA Division One football or sports entertainment, athletes that do not put the team first and their own personal agendas second is headed for problems. Oklahoma Head Football Coach Bob Stoops runs a clean program and, while known for giving young men a second chance when one is deserved, Bob had to make the tough call regarding young Jarboe who was ESPN’s #12 ranked player high school in American last season. Hopefully Jarboe will learn from his mistakes as he is a gifted athlete.
Green Bay’s "offer" to buy out Brett Favre with a 10 year, $20M essential "non compete" is a no win arrangement for Brett from where I sit. By taking it, Brett would look like he’s only out for the cash when the guy has more cash than he can spend in a life time. Favre is a football player, still, and wants to play the game. I think he should be allowed to play where ever he chooses if Green Bay feels as if they have no more use for him. Plus, the on going bickering and posturing has lessened what the Pack will be able to get in trade for #4 as teams know that G.B. is desperately looking to trade the future HOF’er. That’s not overly bright and is comparable to talking too much at the poker table. I could make a poker reference here such as mentioning one of my all time favorite poker players, Doyle Brunson, but I won’t.
My Oklahoma Sooners are the pre-season ranked #4 team in college football. I have been looking at this fall’s schedule and am planning on making every game, home and away. The trip to Seattle in September will be a fun road trip plus OU is at Texas A&M the weekend before I have to fly to Manchester, England. There will be a Sunday morning travel day or two for some WWE TV events for yours truly but that is simply a matter of getting up early and going to work. Advance planning and a supportive Mrs makes it all come together and allows me to enjoy the best of all worlds. I told you that being on Friday Night Smackdown , taping our TV show on Tuesday and having the weekends off was a good deal.
It’s always fun to return to Atlanta as we will this Tuesday night for Smackdown as Atlanta was one of my favorite cities in which to live.
I lived in Atlanta in the late 80’s-early 90’s as a single man and thoroughly enjoyed the experience even when the wrestling antics at the CNN Center with Uncle Ted’s WCW were running, let’s say, amok. My pal Brad Nessler of ESPN/ABC Sports fame still resides in Hotlanta and I hope to say hello to "Ness" while in Atlanta. This could be one of those Tuesday night’s where a certain black hat wearing Okie doesn’t get much sleep prior to leaving for the return trip to OKC.
Thanks for everyone’s recent business in our store here on the site. I hope to see you at one of our J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q Restaurants soon. Take care everybody.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.