Friday, February 3, 2012

Wrestling Fact Or Fiction - February 3, 2012

Tossing Salt Presents: Wrestling Fact Or Fiction
February 3, 2012
Doug Maynard

Good morning! It's that time of the week again where the forces of nature collide, the planets and stars allign and Little Jimmy finally learns to go potty. Yes, I'm talking about the pride and joy of "Tossing Salt Media, Inc", the one and only "Wrestling Fact or Fiction". I'm Doug and as always, I am joined by the baddest man alive... Hulk Hogan learned everything he knows about hanging and banging from this guy... Mr. Russell Jackson. We're running a little late this week so let's get right to the nitty-gritty heart of things. Questions were sent out Tuesday morning. Let's do this...

1) You liked the Royal Rumble PPV?

Doug - FICTION: So much potential for a good show, but it just seemed to be thrown together for the most part. The World Championship match was lackluster due to injuries to two of the three participants and the Punk - Dolph match was so badly over-booked, it's ridiculous. The Kane - Cena crap killed the crowd with stupidity (not to mention any momentum that Zack Ryder had with his career). The Divas match was just plain bad and the Brodus Clay - Drew McIntyre match was a made-for-TV squash. And as for the Rumble itself, while there were some nice surprises (Kharma, Road Dogg, Hacksaw Jim Duggan), there really wasn't any real star-power in the match until the end. We all knew that the only participants who had a legitimate chance of winning were Jericho, Orton, Wade Barrett, Cody or Sheamus. And we were right (Sheamus won!) The Rumble this year showed just how weak the WWE roster truly is when it comes to big names and main event level talent. The show would have been tolerable if it had been a B-level PPV, but for the # 3 Show of the Year (only behind Wrestlemania and Summer Slam), it was a pitiful attempt at mediocrity.

Russell - FICTION: On a scale between 1 & 10, I give it a 6...The only matches that I was actually ok with was the WWE Championship Match between CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler, which Punk won & The actual Royal Rumble match in which Sheamus won, last eliminatin Chris Jericho to win the match, which I was satisfied with even tho I wanted Randy Orton to win...The rest of the matches that was on the PPV, I could really care less bout...The only reason I gave the PPV a 6, is coz of the Royal Rumble Match itself...Either way, the PPV as a whole could have been better in my opinion...

2) The right person won the Royal Rumble?

Doug - FACT: I would have personally preferred to see someone else, a "Dark Horse contender" win the Rumble, like maybe Christian (who the WWE kept out despite being ready to wrestle), William Regal (ignored) or even Cody Rhodes (who's doing a great job as the Intercontinental Champion). The Rumble should be used to build stars and establish new talents rather than keep going back to the same old / same old. We all knew that it would only be one of a certain few names that would win the Rumble and of those few choices, Sheamus or Wade Barrett were the best options. And Sheamus has far more charisma and personality than Barrett so the WWE made the right decision based on the limited options available. At least it wasn't Orton or Cena.

Russell - FACT: I was goin back & forth with this question, decided to say fact on this one...As I said on the last question, I was actually wantin Randy Orton to win, considerin that he is from St. Louis, MO where the Royal Rumble originated from...Given all things considered, I was satisfied that Sheamus won considerin the fact that, 1) he has never won the Royal Rumble Match & 2) he has never won the World Heavyweight Championship which will be excitin for him to go after, IF that's the championship he's goin to pursue...

3) Mike Tyson is a good pick for the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame?

Doug - FACT: Where is Cyndi Lauper? Where is Regis? Where is Alice Cooper? So many other names that deserve to go in, but so does Tyson. He's a big time name and played a major role in the WWE's turnaround from near bankruptcy to absolute dominance of the world of pro wrestling / sports entertainment. Mike Tyson is on a major hot roll right now and has really turned his life around as of late. Good for him. And he's happy to be a part of the HOF and will be extremely helpful in promotion and publicity for the HOF Inductions, as well as Wrestlemania XXVIII. It's a good pick.

Russell - FICTION: I don't feel Mike Tyson is a good pick for the Celebrity Wing of the WWE HOF for 2 reasons...1) I don't think Mike Tyson really did anythin in the WWE for the short time that he was there in 1998 around WrestleMania XIV in the Steve Austin/Shawn Michaels fued over the WWE Championship...I think it was a stupid move to insert Tyson in that fued, didn't make any sense to me...2) This isn't a Hall of Fame for celebrities, it's a Hall of Fame for WWE WRESTLERS that has made achievements in WWE, WCW, NWA, AWA, etc...Tyson is or was a professional boxer, not a professional wrestler...Just plain stupid in my eyes...

4) You popped when the Undertaker made his return to RAW this past Monday night?

Doug - FACT: And the bad thing is that I don't even much like Undertaker, but as soon as that gong started bonging, I could feel goosebumbs forming on my arms and my half-way sleepiness quickly vanished. At this point in his career, Undertaker is a big time player and having him pop up like that is big news. I'm glad to see him back.

Russell - FACT: I was more surprised than anythin when Taker came out coz I was "into" the segment with Triple H & No Charisma Laurinaitis, waitin for Triple H to fire Johnny Ace from the Raw GM position...When I heard the bells gong, I was pretty excited...The Undertaker has returned & he's chasin after Triple H for another match at WrestleMania XXVIII...Hope it happens, as it will be a good match just like it was last year between the 2...

5) HHH is the right person to face Undertaker and challenge "the streak" at Wrestlemania XXVIII?

Doug - FICTION: HHH is a big name and certainly "worthy" of facing Undertaker, but we did that last year and it's got a "been there - done that" feel to it now. I personally think that we would be better off with either someone fresh (Brodus Clay, William Regal, Christian) or maybe someone who has a history, but has really stepped up their game as of late (Mark Henry). Even Kane would be acceptable since, in their last several meetings, Kane dominated and won all of them. There were so many other ways for this to go and rehashing the HHH / Undertaker rivalry from last year, no matter how good that match was, is just lazy booking.
Rusell - FACT: Triple H & The Undertaker are the last 2 "Attitude Era" wrestlers that knows how to draw an audience for a BIG WRESTLING match...If there is one wrestler that can give "The Dead Man" his money's worth in a BIG match to be held at WrestleMania, it's Triple H...Their match at WrestleMania XXVII was a damn good match...It makes me think of when Taker faced Shawn Michaels at back to back WrestleMania XXV & XXVI respectfully...Both matches between Undertaker & HBK were phenomenal, just when you thought they couldn't out do their match from WrestleMania XXV, they did at WrestleMania XXVI...I think the Undertaker vs Triple H match at WrestleMania XXVIII will out do their match from WrestleMania XXVII...

<<<--- SWITCHEROO --->>>

6) Drew McIntyre will be "fired" from Smackdown within the next couple of weeks?

Russell - FICTION: This whole "fired" angle that's been goin on with Drew McIntyre is plain out stupid with a capitol S - TUPID...McIntyre was supposed to be "fired" when he lost to Santino Marella in a "Blind Fold Match" a couple of weeks ago on Smackdown but yet he was one of the "Lumberjacks" in the "Lumberjack Match" between Mark Henry & Daniel Bryan...Drew McIntyre isn't gonna get fired...It's just yet again, a stupid angle that the jackasses that is the WWE Creative are crammin down us fan's throats, period.
Doug - FICTION: This storyline will drag on forever and ever, like the smell of a bad, lingering fart in a confined space or John Laurinaitis cutting a promo. Drew will keep losing and Teddy Long will keep making threats and Drew will end up doing something to impress Teddy and turn into a face. Maybe we'll get a Santino / Drew tag team and Teddy will be their cheerleader. Holla Holla Holla! Who knows? But Drew isn't going anywhere.

7) R-Truth is better as a "face" than as a "heel"?

Russell - FACT: R-Truth is better as a "face" than as a "heel" for 1 specific reason: "Lil Jimmy"...He still talks to himself, he still acts all goofy, goofier than a raccoon with a shiny object that he's got his paws clamped upon but he's funnier doin that as a face...He connects to the fans better, referrin them to "Lil Jimmy"...I just hope that he's given a huge push as a face than he was as a heel...

Doug - FICTION: Since he turned "face", Truth has been kind of funny, but nothing really special. He was on to something big when he started the whole "Little Jimmy" routine and he makes a good crazy-ass. But a role like that works far better when he has the fans to play against and insult rather than when he tries to kiss up to them.

8) RAW this week was a good start on the "Road To Wrestlemania"?

Russell - FICTION: Even though we had Sheamus come out to confront both CM Punk & Daniel Bryan, sayin that he won the Royal Rumble Match to either challenge for the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship, he didn't come right out to either challenge for 1 of the championships, after it was said that Sheamus would do just that...Here's a bright idea for the JACKASSES that is THE ALMIGHTY WWE, if you're gonna broadcast that one of your WRESTLERS is gonna do somethin, you need them to do just that...If there's anythin that I can't stand, is an organization that's full of MIS-F'N-INFORMATION...
Doug - FACT: It wasn't a really good episode of RAW this week honestly. The actual wrestling action (Orton versus Dolph, Punk versus Bryan) was off the charts, but the show sort of dragged in some places and I just couldn't feel it at first. I would have given this a "fiction", but the last segment changed everything. I heard the gong and The Undertaker came out and all of a sudden, things really clicked and business started to pick up. It was a rough start and the motor took a few moments to really catch, but now things seem to have leveled out and we're on our way down that fabled yellow brick road.

9) Chris Jericho versus CM Punk should be a good feud?
Russell - FACT: Jericho vs Punk SHOULD be a good feud but leave it to THE JACKASSES THAT IS WWE in all due time & it probably will be an all right feud at best...That's where both CM Punk & Chris Jericho needs to step up & do the feud themselves, puttin their OWN in-put in the feud, carry the feud themselves & it WILL be a good feud...Thank you!

Doug - FACT: Both men can wrestle. Both men can talk. If the WWE agents stay out of the way and let Jericho and Punk book their own feud, this will be one for the ages. 'Nuff said!

10) TNA was right to "suspend" Kurt Angle for his comments about the behind-the-scenes politics at TNA?

Russell - FICTION: I don't follow TNA so I could really care less...

Doug - FICTION: TNA lied to the fans about the power and influence that Hogan has behind the scenes. Kurt told the truth and was pulled from several TNA events because Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan got mad for being exposed. They need to get over it. Kurt may have been wrong to spill the beans about Hogan changing the finish of the Angle - James Storm title match a few months ago, but if Hulk and Dixie and Bischoff hadn't tried to lie and cover things up, there wouldn't have been any problems to begin with. It's rare when Kurt Angle actually tells the truth and he should be commended for it, but this being TNA, he gets punished for being honest. Go figure.

11) BONUS: Who do you think will win the Super Bowl? New York Giants or New England Patriots?

Russell: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS ALL THE WAY!!!!!...They are gonna defeat the New York Midgets in the rematch from Super Bowl XLII...Nuff said...
Doug: New England Patriots. The Patriots are always at their best in high pressure events and they've really looked great all season. This game on Sunday is theirs to win or lose and I think they'll pull it out and win... cause that's how they roll. Go Patriots!

So we went (6-4) in agreement this week. Not quite as on the same pages as weeks past, but since we agree on who's going to kick ass and win the Super Bowl, it's all good! GO PATRIOTS!

Once again, I'd like to thank the man, the myth, the legend... Mr. Russell Jackson, for helping me out and taking part in this column. And if you would like to join Russ and myself and be a part of this social-media experience and give your thoughts each week, just give me a shout at Doug28352@yahoo.com and we'd be glad to have you come aboard. Hey all you former DXSI'er's - I'm talking to YOU!!!

Also check out my blog-site at www.tsfiction.blogspot.com and read all things Dougie, including RAW reviews, Smackdown recaps, recaps of Sunday Night Heat and Velocity from years gone by, as well as political comentary, surverys, parodies and fiction stories. Something for everyone and I need the hits to gey my count up and make some money - money - yeah - yeah! Check it out!

And that's all for today. Thanks for reading and never forget, life is fake... it's wrestling that is real! Have a great week and I'll catch you later.

Ubuntu!

2 comments:

  1. Hello, you used to write magnificent, but the last few posts have been kinda boringāļK I miss your super writings. Past few posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
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  2. I hear ya & truthfully, I agree. Most of the last few posts (the current stuff - not the retro stuff) hasn't been up to speed. Just going through the motions, it seems. I'll try and pick it up a notch or two in the weeks and months to come. Thanks for commenting..

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