Loss

Wow. I was actually thinking a match with Umaga and a more serious approach to his feud with Orton would help turn things around, but Jericho is just not over at the level of a main event babyface. It's really hard to deny that at this point. I think his big fans from the glory days are either people who have moved on to other things and aren't watching anymore, or they're people who have seen him have so many main event false starts that didn't end well that they don't want to get too into him. And I don't think Jericho has done anything memorable enough yet to make a lasting impression with the fans that are maybe younger and weren't watching when he was near the top the first time around. Jeff Hardy is really a better bet for that spot at this point, and I think his likely program with Orton going into the Rumble will probably do better than this one has. The obvious test of Jericho's worth is going to be the Armageddon buyrate, as he's being hyped as a big deal (overly so, to a point that I think it may be turning people off) and the overall card is fairly strong in terms of fresh matches that are being given plenty of focus. Still, I wouldn't be surprised to see Jericho get some major boos at the PPV. He's better as a heel, and I think they're going to have to turn him after the PPV anyway to get anything out of him, and his chances are better there as well where he's not competing with Michaels and HHH for a spot. I don't know what it is -- if it's a case of Jericho being seen as a has been, or as a guy who's overhyped, or that he's smaller/older/different looking than he used to be, or all of the above. He actually has looked about the same he always did in the ring (although he hasn't had to deliver a really long match yet), but his interviews I think have been a little rambling and too silly and wordy. To his credit, I do think he's trying very hard to not be a guy riding on his namesake or nostalgia, but the things he's trying don't really seem to be working. Even the nostalgia factor doesn't seem that strong, as Jericho attempting the Walls (which Jim Ross actually called the Liontamer) on Orton didn't even get a pop, and it's the first time he's tried the move since coming back.

Regarding Montreal: (1) Shawn has never apologized or asked for forgiveness. (2) Shawn doesn't seem to think he did anything wrong. So why would Bret just voluntarily forgive Shawn when he still doesn't even seem to feel all that bad that it happened?

Not necessarily. It doesn't necessarily mean everyone was tuning into Larry King Live, as much as it means that it was apparent Cena wasn't going to be on RAW, so people decided to watch something else completely.

Why does WWE still let this guy do media interviews? From a recent interview with Mike Mooneyham: Of course, he was getting steroids after he had returned from injury, so the timeline is completely off. At this point, it's not any type of startling revelation that he's lying, but I'm really shocked that WWE is letting him take questions about this in his interviews, especially considering that WWE stepped in when some paper tried to ask John Morrison about it a few weeks back, and he's not even someone who has been caught in a lie.

... but it never hurts to ask. Basically, wrestling talk online has gotten really boring for me lately. I'm sure others feel the same way. Is it too soon to try Greatest Wrestler Ever 2? More footage is popping up all the time, so it seems like people's opinions change pretty frequently. If it is too soon, does anyone have any suggestions on some ridiculously ambitious project that could be started that might get people talking again? Let me know your thoughts.

I included this match because it has the best video quality, but I do not think it is the best Hart/Yoko cage match. If people here are intrigued enough by what was offered here to watch a better match, only as a handheld with some VQ sacrifices, please let me know and I will include it at some point in the future.

God damn enough with the Vest. Did you people not watch his attire throughout his career? He's never been a fashion plate. It's not just the vest, it's the vest combined with the short hair. He wasn't wearing it this week, but they remembered. OH, THEY REMEMBERED.

This week was better than last week, but the pop was pretty anemic from what had been a fairly hot crowd. Could it be? Chris Jericho was killed out of the gate by that vest?

It amazes me how quickly WWE can go from having nothing to suddenly having lots of top storylines, some of which even appear to be clicking and have potential. Not that I'm expecting it given his history, but there is actually big potential in a HHH/Jeff Hardy feud if it was done the right way.

It definitely still exists. I have family visiting all week, so I won't have a chance to work on anything this week, but by the first weekend in December, I should either be done or very close.

I've always thought Michael Landsberg has done a terrific job on Off The Record. He's not even really much of a wrestling fan, if he's even one at all, but I've read that he's typically done prep work by simply talking to Dave Meltzer, who tells him what to prepare for and what kind of questions are good to ask. The Vince interview a few months after Montreal was really good.

I do agree with you Marty. I don't think WWE, or even wrestling in general, is to blame for Benoit killing his family and then himself. I do think WWE is to blame for paying tribute to him on television when they knew he murdered Nancy and Daniel, having Jerry McDevitt and Chris Jericho spread false rumors through the media of Daniel having Fragile X Syndrome and letting guys like Kennedy totally embarrass them by being so adamant about how wrestling has changed, only to show up as receiving steroids after the introduction of the wellness policy after a government investigation. The obvious three questions still haven't been asked in all of the Vince interviews: 1. How was Benoit able to pass drug tests while receiving a 10-month supply of steroids every 3-4 weeks? 2. How can they argue that the new generation is different when they just had to suspend 10 wrestlers for wellness violations less than two months ago? 3. Why didn't the Wellness Policy catch the Signature Pharmacy guys? I don't think the 85-year old Alzheimers patient line has ever really held up at all, and do actually agree with Vince when he says there's no way Benoit would be able to function in terms of getting to work. I'm also thinking that when the Benoit family and Nancy's family both sue WWE for wrongful death, if the whole Fragile X rumor will end up being part of the court case. It certainly doesn't help WWE's case that they publicly slandered a 7-year old.

That was Ric Flair's "one last chance at the top" babyface push that people are still clamoring for many years later, perhaps not remembering that it's already happened.

It read to me like it was just an attempt to explain part of the culture of the company, not to imply that having a dress code is scandalous.

That wasn't the point. The point wasn't moral outrage or THISISGOINGTOHURTWWE. The point was wow, interesting to see this stuff published in a magazine with such a wide circulation. WWE fans are *more likely* to read this than they are anything else. There were no assumptions made on what their reactions to it would be. You don't think anyone cares. That's understood. What do you think of the article?

Jesse Barr, Ron Bass, Ric Flair and Barry Windham got fairly decent matches out of a very green Lex Luger in Florida in 1986. I'm pretty sure there are some Roop/Luger matches out there as well that are probably worth watching if for no other reason than showing how to carry someone who can't do anything.

Why has the argument become about whether or not anyone will care? Comment on the article itself.

Since everything was saved and is available here, I opted NOT to renew the domain. This shouldn't affect anything for anyone, but just in case.

Eddie Izard probably owes his standup career to Adrian Street.

It doesn't matter if wrestling is a sleazy business or not as long as no one cares whether or not it's sleazy. Trees that fall in the woods don't make noise if there's no one there to hear them. Right? Right? Right?

From the Carlito/Flair feud on, Carlito was being booked as someone lazy, which I think made it easier for people online to buy into it. My take on him has nothing to do with how lazy I think he is, and everything to do with the fact that it's very obvious he thinks it's Creative's job to come up with every single idea for him, where all he has to do is show up. It validates the HHH and Undertaker types who complain about that sort of thing. Sometimes, you have to make your own break.

Yes, Ric Flair.

This is about to go full-swing again. I think I was trying way too hard to make everything chosen obscure, when that's not really necessary. Some great matches are great matches and people know they're great matches. Going about it that way makes the selection process much easier. Stay tuned.

No, it was a Torch reader.

I think some may be underrating how horrible that vest was. It's the equivalent of a wrestler doing a classic promo with a booger hanging out of his nose the whole time. Not that it was even a classic promo. Jericho, to his credit, does have a fair amount of range for a wrestler, so I'm willing to see what happens next. If he stays a one-note comedy joke, he's going to continue to underachieve just like he always did.