Around The Ring
by Eric Knudsen(ericknudsen@aroundthering.com)
Welcome to another edition of Around The Ring. I am
as surprised as you are to have a column out so soon.
Usually I don't find much to write about, but I think
I have enough to create a new column this week. So
with that being said, lets get to the winners of the
last Brainbuster...and remember...I only list the first
10 people that emailed me with the correct answer. This
weeks Brainbuster was a little easier than I guessed,
but here are the first 10:
Joe Pereira, Brian "Doggcoolers", Newton Hyde, Jimmy D,
Jim McMillen, Gregory Kaufman, Mike "ArminLegg", Karl
Wardlaw, Stacy Small, Tony Scipio.
Congrats to all above and to all of you that got it
correct. Next time...it will be harder!!
Don't forget to stop by my site for the latest poll!!
http://www.aroundthering.com
Hope you checked out the article by Lars Tennyson.
Email me with some feedback at the above email
address. Let me know what you think!!
Now on to the meat and potatoes...
Vince McMahon has struck again. Is it such a surprise?
To the true wrestling fan, it's not. It's just another
in a long line of issues that I have with WWE. What I
am referring to is...the new voice of ECW...Mike Adamle.
How do you take the seasoned veteran that Joey Styles is
and replace him with a guy who has been in the business
for only a few months?? And did they not sit this guy
down in the Stamford studios to study the tapes and do
mock match callings before they put him on the air??
Obviously not. This is just another way for Vince to
take out his frustrations on something else he did not
create. Makes me wonder...the ratings for ECW were not
that great before...but with Adamle, can they get any
better?? I highly doubt it.
If you didn't get a chance to read it, check out the
stuff Paul Heyman said about Adamle and WWE/ECW. Check
out the link below
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1060395.ece
I really have to agree with Heyman who said it all!! I
mean really...who can scream "OH MY GAWD!!!" better than
Joey Styles??
Ok...so...Smackdown two weeks ago and I am sitting there
watching...hoping it will get better as I always do, and
what do I see?? Edge and Vickie Guerrero at a spa getting
the full treatment. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or
vomit. I was just so ticked off. What in the name of all
that is good does that have to do with wrestling?? I mean
maybe if Taker came in and beat the holy hell out of Edge
that would have been something. But this series of segments
was so ridiculous. I just don't get it.
I remember a time when segments had to actually do with
wrestling. Things that FUELED the rivalries. Or things
that had to do with showing off the character. Does
anyone remember Ken Petera holding a van back with his
legs? For those who don't know who Ken Petera is, he was
a weight lifter who, in order to show how strong his
character was, leaned back against a wall, Vince got in
a van and Petera put his feet on the bumper of the van
and Vince floored the pedal and Petera held the van back.
Don't try that at home kids...leave it to the pros.
Or there is another time I remember video of a wrestler
getting out of his car in front of his home and suddenly
out of nowhere, two of his rivals jumped him and beat the
holy hell out of him. I do believe it ended with the one
beaten wrestler getting his head slammed in his own car
door. But do you see what I am getting at? At least it
had something to do with wrestling and with a particular
angle. What in the world does a spa treatment have anything
to do with anything???
Vladimir Kozlov. As The Rock might say..."Who...in the blue
hell...are you?? Why are they even wasting their time with
this guy?! I can honestly say I haven't been impressed with
Vladimir thus far and find him to be a bit of a bore. Usually
when his matches come on, I hit the fast forward on my DVR and
skip it all together.
Since when has King Of The Ring been demoted to Raw?? This seems
to be a sad attempt by WWE to try and boost their ratings. What
they were thinking, I don't know. It almost reminded me when WCW
used to have The Great American Bash on TBS or TNT.
I was surprised to see Taker vs Festus a few weeks ago. It was a
half way decent match and it seems Festus gave Taker a bit of a
run for his money. Go Festus.
Don't forget...if you get ESPN Classics, and you have Tivo, DVR
or a vcr...stay up or tape AWA. It comes on at 1am EST and it is
worth it to see where some of the guys we still watch came from.
Shawn Michaels back when he was still with the Rockers. Scott
Hall when he was actually jacked!! DDP, Taker and so on. It is
so crazy to see some of these guys...and where they have ended up!!
Wow...what can I say about TNA?? I am really enjoying their programs
and glad to see they spend more time wrestling than their back stage
shenanigans. And the matches have been really decent quality. I can't
believe some of the gimmicks they have which really crack me up. You
have Shark Boy who has really come a long way and taken over the
gimmick of a certain Texas Rattlesnake. Then there is Jay Lethal
who has the Macho Man character down pat. It is truely amazing. Even
the fact that Sting is back hasn't bothered me at all. He fits right
in with TNA.
I am glad to see they are finally allowing Matt Morgan to start
wrestling and showcasing his in ring abilities. The guy is a monster
and should be out there. I am keeping my eye on Petey Williams who
has really focused on his physique and looks phenomenal. Not to mention
his finisher the Canadian Destroyer. I am sure he picked up that beauty
of a move in Japan, but it is amazing. They have such a good group of
wrestling talent right now, I just hope that one day they can truely
make some competition for WWE. That's the biggest problem with wrestling
right now...no competition. So we are stuck with whatever we can get
or we just stop watching.
Before I close, I just want to give my quick predicitions for the WWE
PPV tomorrow...Backlash. These are the matches that have been promoted
thus far.
12 Diva Tag Team Match
Pure eye candy and to get the male end of the crowd pumped. I think it
will come down to Mickie James and Beth Phoenix...with Mickie James
getting the dupe to solidify her championship reign.
Winners:
Mickie James, Ashley, Maria, Michelle McCool, Cherry and Kelly Kelly.
WWE United States Championship
MVP vs Matt Hardy. This should be a decent match and I would like to
see more of these two wrestling. I think they work quite well together.
The way I see it is Matt Hardy coming away with the win and the title.
Winner and NEW US Champ: Matt Hardy
Big Show vs Khali
Ok...this is probably the match you can take a bathroom break or get
another beer or whatever. Even a nap. WWE doesn't seem to get it that
these kind of matches with the "giants" doesn't go over with the crowd
because they just don't have the athleticism. Even back when with Big
John Studd and Andre...I love those guys...but their matches were such
a slow and lumbering pace. I see Big Show winning which would make sense
since Khali is going home for a month.
Winner: Big Show
Shawn Michaels vs Batista - Special Ref: Y2J
I don't expect much from this match. I don;t even know how you could
dress this match up. I have to wonder if WWE see the same thing and
that's why they added Jericho as a ref. I could see Jericho getting
involved somehow and this match ends in mayhem.
Winner: No Contest
ECW Championship
Kane vs Chavo with Chavo's new body guard. I don't see Chavo winning
here.
Winner and STILL ECW Champion: Kane
World Heavyweight Championship
Undertaker vs Edge. This match will probably see a lot including Edge's
goons interferring, but in the end, the Dead Man will prevail.
Winner and STILL World Champion: The Undertaker
WWE Championship - Fatal Four Way
Orton vs HHH vs Cena vs JBL. This match could be something, and then
again it could be the stinker of the night!! You just never know. What
I do see is the end of the reign of Orton...but who will be the new
champ?? My prediction is Triple H.
Winner and NEW WWE Champion: Triple H.
With that being said, its now time for:
***The Last Brainbuster***
Q: This wrestler, whose real name was Keith Franke, debuted
in 1974. He had numerous runs as the East Coast's bad boy
and had a very flamboyant character in the WWF towards the
end of his career. He was also a tag team partner of another
flamboyant wrestler. Who was he? Hint...he passed away in 1988.
A: Adrian Adonis
***This Weeks Brainbuster***
(Be sure to send all answers and/or comments to
ericknudsen@aroundthering.com. Remember to include
your name.)
Q: This woman was known as the "Apache Indian Beauty" in the
1960's. Who was she better known as?
Well thats it for me. Thank you for joining me for this edition
of Around The Ring. I am Eric, that's my opinion and I am standing
by it!!
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