Petedaddydolla

Posted on 11/3/08 3:43 PM

"And now/the end is near/and so I face the final curtain/ my friend I'll say it clear/ I'll state my case of which I am certain..." to quote THE Chairman of the Board. For those of you youngsters out there who may not be aware of whom I speak; I mean Frank Sinatra.

Gentlemen I have been a member of this site ever since Mr. B Papa himself invited me to be so by commenting on my youtube wrestling review videos. I haven't been posting on here much lately but it saddens me to see that the site that has become quite the decent sized online community of fellow wrestling junkies is closing down. For throughout the time that I have been a member I have been a part of and witnessed many great debates and arguments, for lack of a better term on the topics that are pertinent in our favorite sport.

Which brings me to the topic at hand: the lack of ANYTHING new or inventive on Raw & Smackdown recently. ECW-WWE has actually been a BIT more watchable during the course of the last couple weeks. With the emergence of Evan Bourne(Matt Sydel)as a PLAUSIBLE main-eventer it has helped the title picture vastly. Hell, the best match on Raw last week was Mysterio versus Bourne. It hearkened back to an ECW of old match with Mysterio facing Psychosis; yeah you remember that one. Now grant it Bourne and Mysterio wasn't QUITE as good as the aforementioned Psychosis match, but if a proper feud were developed correctly it COULD BE! I must say thank you(it is a rarity that this is possible)to the WWE creative team for ONE TIME using the ECW brand as A PROVING GROUND! Kind of what the ORIGINAL ECW was in the nineties. It wasn't ALL about the blood and gore, sure that was admittedly a big part of it. But it was so much more than that and it furthered the careers of many wrestlers through the years.

I can't barely stand to watch Smackdown because they are sinking farther and farther down in my opinion. The Triple H versus Jeff Hardy feud can't possibly main event ANOTHER pay per view, can it? I was hoping for a triple threat match at Cyber Sunday just to break up the monotony of Trips/Hardy one on one AGAIN. Not that I am a mark for Koslov or anything, but it would be nice for some new blood in the title picture. If it isn't going to be MVP(whom I would LOVE to see with the WWE title)it's got to be someone.

The Divas division just FURTHERS the opinion that the WWE's Divas are EXACTLY that: DIVAS, not WRESTLERS. When you have a former two time Women's champion(Victoria)jobbing for girls that CAN NOT wrestle(Spare me the "THEY ARE IMPROVING" rhetoric)i.e. Maria, Brie Bella(and her worthless twin sister). The only one of the girls who has shown improvement is Michelle McCool. She can now work a DECENT, not great match. But on the same token you don't take an accomplished wrestler such as Natalya Neidhart and turn her into a jobber either, she should consider TNA if the WWE wants to keep mis-booking her and Victoria. I don't really even count Maryse or Eve for ANYTHING, for obvious reasons. Why wouldn't you set up a feud for the title with Michelle versus Natalya, and put Michelle over big time to make her look like a dominant champ. Thats' what the WWE wants anyways: the pretty faces on top. That is in NO WAY a slight to the aesthetics of Natalya, as I think she is very attractive. But to your AVERAGE teenage boy or average man for that matter, they look at Michelle and see two things: Blonde hair and a nice Chest. That is the way that Vince wants to promote his women, not on the basis of skill for heaven's sake! If it were based on skill they would have Victoria, Natalya, Mickie James, Katie Lea, Beth, Jillian Hall and MAYBE Michelle McCool. That would be a fantastic women's division right there, throw Melina in the picture when she is healthy and add a valuable free agent in Gail Kim and you would be right on track to have a very SOLID title picture.

Turn the page over to Raw and you have the same issues as on Smackdown though: stagnant World Title picture, Intercontinental Title is being used like a piece of garbage, too many return matches and bad booking. The points they HAVE scored on are the World Tag Team Titles being used WELL for a change. Kofi/Punk are a great team, the feud with Team Priceless can and WILL make for some very interesting matches as well. Then you throw the intangibles of Cryme Tyme and Miz & Morrison into the mix and it can be the BEST TAG TEAM DIVISION IN YEARS!

The Women's Title is in GREAT hands with Beth Phoenix, but the problem is that they have far too few plausible challengers for her to feud with. Other than Mickie James and Katie Lea, they really have NO ONE on Raw that who could be a good champion. They should just flat out fire Candice "The Human Botch-fest Reel"Michelle before she hurts herself or worse, someone else, Kelly Kelly is OK at best, but not much more than that. Layla is doing what SHE SHOULD be doing
now:acting as a valet. Jillian Hall is actually a great wrestler, very fundamentally sound but they keep treating her like an IDIOT with stupid booking and stories. That leaves Melina, but who knows when she will be back. It really doesn't matter as she isn't an impact player anyway.

So WWE has it's share of problems going on in my opinion, how do they fix it? I don't know, well one could speculate but what good would that do? Good thing TNA is still having problems too or Vinnie Mac might have to sweat a bit! Thank you to EVERYONE who reads and comments on this, as I'm certain someone will more than likely tell me that I am FULL OF SHIT to some capacity, but like the song at the beginning says".....I did it MY WAY..."

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Posted on 5/11/08 10:23 AM

Everyone seems to "pick sides" when it comes to what promotion they choose to watch. With the WWE seemingly in the midst of a slump when it comes to the fresh, cutting edge ideas and story lines that we have come to expect from them. But if you look deeper into the issue of originality the whole WWF ATTITUDE ERA was admittedly a rip off from the REAL ECW's old story lines. Just watch ECW on Sci-Fi Tuesday nights' and you will see a young man named Colin Delaney who's plight is somewhat reminiscent of another former jobber/ring crew member named Mikey Whipwreck. ECW paired him with Cactus Jack and did a story line with him being the "Ultimate Underdog". Delaney was paired with Tommy Dreamer to use the same loose story as back in the 90's.

People hate the WWE for this among many other things nowadays. Especially people on websites like this one, where bloggers(myself not EXCLUDED)have the free forum to write WHATEVER we want about these different companies and promotions. The most common is too just bash the hell out of individual performers, like John Cena for example. Just look back at my "John Cena...Come on,just read it!" blog from February of this year. Watch old Raw episodes with Cena matches where half the crowd cheers him and the other half boos him. Why do people boo Cena? Due to the fact that he is a heel? Nope. Is it because he is an asshole in the locker room and to the fans? Not even close. No, the people boo John Cena simply because it was the COOL thing to do at the time.

John Cena is simply a victim of his own success. The WWE saw a good looking, well built, microphone savvy and marketable young wrestler and they jumped on it. Then the internet fans chime in with their chants of "Cena only has five moves", "Cena can't wrestle", blah blah blah. So your telling me that Hulk Hogan was a GREAT TECHNICAL WRESTLER? Hell, Verne Gagne was quoted once as saying that his dead grandmother could execute the leg drop better than Hogan could.

I attended Wrestlemania 23 at Detroit's Ford Field, and I thoroughly enjoyed the event(except for the diva match). Cena and HBK had an incredible match that the crowd went nuts for. But if you listen to the people on this site, hell Cena wasn't even involved in the match. HBK carried the match as well as the entire feud. Give me a break, stop being band wagon jumpers and formulate your OWN opinions.

The other side of the coin you have TNA wrestling, who would encourage you to "Cross The Line". With their Sacrifice Pay Per View airing tonight everyone has piled on like a free ride during rush hour. The buzz I am hearing is
"Too many gimmick matches", what about WWE's Punjabi Prison Match? You can't tell me that the Deuces Wild Tournament is a BAD IDEA. It is innovative and cool to see unlikely partners forced to work together, especially in a wrestling ring. Sting and James Storm are a perfect example of this point. They are feuding and now have to work together to try to win the tag titles. Will it work or will they inevitably
implode into themselves? Only the bookers know....LOL!

So don't hate on TNA and say they have too many gimmick
matches and blah blah blah. Just watch(or don't)Sacrifice and judge for yourself how these "gimmick" matches shape up and turn out. As for including other promotions in this discussion, because I know there are people out there who are going to comment and say "You didn't even mention Ring of Honor!" Let me tell you why I didn't mention the aforementioned ROH, because I haven't seen that much of it. What I have seen has the production value of Rob Black's XPW. I am not insulting the athletes there, it's just that I
haven't seen enough to really judge them yet.

Hell I usually catch a lot of hell when I tell people
that two of my favorite tag teams of all time are Kronik and The Outsiders. I get the "Nash and Hall were lazy whiners",
"Kronik couldn't wrestle". You know what I say to that? That's my opinion, and if you don't like it....SORRY BOUT YOUR DAMN LUCK! LOL

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Posted on 4/12/08 11:59 AM

This is a hotly debated topic that has raged on for a long time, now I am going to bring it to this site. It is an elephant in any room that needs to be addressed, so here it goes. Out of the former "Big Three" promotions there have only been three different black wrestlers to hold the top titles in each individual company. How is this when there have been so many talented men of color to step into the squared circle?

We will start with the "Flagship Television Show" of the WWE: Monday Night Raw. The current roster sports a whopping 3, yes three black wrestlers: the semi-retired Ron Simmons and Cryme Tyme; JTG and Shad Gaspard. They just recently two weeks ago returned after being released from their individual contracts.

Then on to Tuesday nights and the "Land of Extreme"; ECW. They have the largest amount of black wrestlers in the company with 5. We have Big Daddy V, BoogeyMan, Elijah Burke, Kofi Kingston and Shelton Benjamin.

Friday Night Smackdown has 2 active black wrestlers in Mark Henry and MVP. Behind the microphone they have Jonathon Coachmen and General Manager Teddy Long. Recently reacquired
Ron Killings has wrestled in a few dark matches on Smackdown but not yet been back on TV.

Remember a couple years ago when Shelton feuded with Triple H? He had a fantastic match with Shawn Michaels when he was on Raw, falling victim to one of the most devastating numbers of Sweet Chin Music that HBK ever played. Now he is doing what on ECW? The ladder match a couple years ago and hell, he practically carried the Money in the Bank match at Mania this year. So why bury him in the basement on ECW, which with a few exceptions is starting to look like the land of misfit toys.

The history of black wrestlers and the major titles breaks down like this:
WWE Title World Heavyweight Title
The Rock King Booker

WCW World Championship
Ron Simmons
Booker T (pre-WWE takeover)
The Rock (post-takeover, pre-title unification)

ECW Title
Bobby Lashely

Kind of crazy that in all the years that pro wrestling has been around this is the general summation of the title history as it pertains to men of color holding the top prize. I can see back WCW how there weren't very many due to the fact that it was based in the south and a redneck run company for the most part. But the WWE and ECW are a little harder to peg down because they were based in more liberal areas, but I guess in the Hierarchy in both companies the tune remains the same. Old white guys writing story lines and pushing other white wrestlers. Doesn't seem right or just to me. Now I am not saying that any wrestling organization need AFFIRMATIVE ACTION because I hate that term. But I believe in rewarding hard work with a little reward. In this case it might be in the form of a gold belt.

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Posted on 4/3/08 8:45 PM

Since we are on the topic of the Four Horsemen, and with Ric Flair's retirement this week; it only seems fitting that SOMEONE says it. Mr. Bergo and I were discussing this issue of the Horsemen and the various members that have been lucky enough to get a membership to this legendary stable. Of course the original members were the best, Flair, Blanchard, The Andersons and of course the groups "Peter Lawford",(If anyone is familiar with the Rat Pack that reference makes sense)JJ Dillon.
But there have been so many different variations of the group, it seems like at one point they were just putting anyone in there it seems. First after a rift between Ole and the rest of the guys(all over him missing a booked event to watch his son wrestle)led to him leaving and being replaced by Lex Luger. Luger gets kicked out and teams with Barry Windham to feud with the Horsemen. Windham turns on Luger and joins the Horsemen. Following me still? In that year of 1988 the Horsemen at one time held all 3 major titles: Flair had the World Title, Windham the US Title and Arn and Tully had the Tag Team Titles. Shortly thereafter Arn and Tully, JJ and Barry would all leave for WWF, leaving the group in ruins.
Then in 89' the group rode again with Flair, Tully, Arn and longtime rival Sting entering the fold. Sting would be kicked out for challenging Flair for the World Title and return to feuding with the group again. So to recap here is how the Horsemen stood in 1990 after the sale of Crockett Promotions to Ted Turner and being reintroduced as World Championship Wrestling: Manager: Ole Anderson Active Wrestlers: Ric Flair,Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and Sid Vicious. That line up was short lived as well though. In 1991 Flair and Sid left for WWF, Barry Windham would enter a singles feud with former Horsemen Lex Luger and Arn Anderson went on to tag team with Larry Zbyszko.
It would be until March 1993 before the group would ride again, with the returning Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson as the groups "advisor" and Paul Roma as the third and final member. These 3 Horsemen feuded with Austin,Pillman and another former member Barry Windham. This particular incarnation lasted until Roma turned on Arn Anderson and left to team with Paul Orndorff.
Fast forward to 1995 and Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit and the Loose Cannon Brian Pillman to reform the group once again. Still following, because this story has more plot twists than General Hospital(thats right, I referenced a soap opera). Shortly after he(Pillman)feuded with Kevin Sullivan and left for ECW, then ultimately WWF. Benoit and Sullivan then engaged in one of THE BEST FEUDS OF ALL TIME, and sadly in this case life DID imitate art.
Then in 1996 Steve "Mongo" McMichaels joined the group after turning on another football player(Kevin Greene)costing him a match against Flair. So the Horsemen quickly recruited Mongo to the group as the fourth member. Throughout 1997 internal bickering between Mongo and new member Jeff Jarrett led to Double J's quick departure from the group. He didn't leave empty handed though, he took Mongo's wife Deborah. Mongo got Jarrett's US Title from him to exact a small measure of revenge. After Jarrett left, Mr Perfect Curt Hennig would replace him, only to defect and join the nWo. Also in 1997 Arn Anderson would leave the group and retire due to injuries to his neck and back.
In 1998 Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit got Arn to talk Flair into reforming the group. This would be the final year of the legendary stable with it's members including: Manager Arn Anderson, active wrestlers Ric Flair, Steve McMichaels, Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit. 1999 rolled around and Mongo again left the group, this time for good. Malenko and Benoit left Flair and called him selfish, thusly ending the tumultuous ride of THE most legendary stable in wrestling history.
Now with that said, why not another ride? The WWE needs something that another run of the Four Horsemen would provide. I know having said that and with what I am about to say I am going to be HEAVILY CRITISISED. My new Horsemen rendition would go like this: Manager Arn Anderson, active wrestlers Ric Flair, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Charlie Haas. Now I know your thinking Charlie Haas? But allow me to explain myself: he has a good amateur background, technical skills and toughness. He reminds me of a young Tully Blanchard honestly. So there it is, hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.

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Posted on 3/26/08 11:50 PM

*Barry Darsow aka Smash from Demolition also wrestled as The Repo Man, Krusher Kruschev, The Black Top Bully and Barry "Hole In One" Darsow. The hole-in-one character was originally going to be called Stewart Payne, after pro golfer Payne Stewart. But due to his untimely death in 1997 the "Stewart Payne" was dropped hence the Hole In One angle.
*Darsow has been on two teams that have held tag team gold under "Free Bird" rules(w/The Russians and Demolition)

*Barry Horowitz actually held 18 different singles and tag team titles. Barry won the PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Award in 1995. He teamed with HBK as the Red Knight against The Hart Foundation at Survivor Series 1993. He holds one WWF pay per view victory under his belt, which came at the expense of BodyDonna Skip at SummerSlam 1995. He appeared in the 1996 Royal Rumble, entering at #25 before being eliminated by Owen Hart. Horowitz was trained by Boris Malenko. He is now living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with his wife Clava and runs a catfish farm.

James Watson, aka Mikey Whipwreck has trained pro wrestlers including Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Dawn Marie, Trinity and JAY LETHAL!

....if you didn't know, now you do. Knowing is half the battle bitches! :)

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