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Despite all the stuff that's been tossed out that typically makes me cringe, I was willing to give the match a chance whenever it comes out on DVD. But that one just lost me. Maybe Bruce can make you reconsider, John:

Most likely the lower rungs of the creative team were left out of the loop on the decision making. Moreover, as Vince was nit picking all week over the WrestleMania script, then it isn't surprising that rewriting Raw was left to the last minute.

Sonnen is still in hot water with Keith Kizer and the Nevada State Athletic Commission, as his story continues to mutate: Will Keith Kizer let UFC's Chael Sonnen coach the next season of TUF? Chael Sonnen's Lack of Humility Costs Him a Chance to Coach TUF 14?

I spoof:

Bryan explains why the Rock's announcement on Raw came off so badly:

Few problems with this scenario. Firstly, I guess Rock isn't going to be around much over the next nine months and doesn't want to wrestle until next year's Mania. Secondly, I can't see them turning Cena because he's such a merchandise draw for them and there's no-one ready to replace him in that role. I mean out of touch Vince was so desperate for the fans not to boo Cena at Mania that's why he brought in a gospel choir to sing Cena's entrance music on the show. Given that they want to recreate The Rock vs. Hogan vibe, they should have turned Rock cool heel. The hardcore audience would still cheer Rock, perhaps even more so, while keeping Cena a babyface to his loyal kid fanbase.

Not sure if it's WWE tossing them the money or the production company that is making the show for them. Apparently the production company was the one that closed the deal with Austin.

Dave got worked!

It's only fair! After all, Dixie Carter did let Kevin Nash attend the Royal Rumble too!

209 matches to be exact, though Mo does admit he didn't watch everything so the match list is not exhaustive!

Cageside Seats covered this story at the time: [spoilers] - TNA creative have concussions on their brain, unsurprisingly reality is the reason why TNA showing "unprecedented concern" over concussion issues? What a joke that is.

I thought it would have worked better as a two part piece, maybe focussing on Crockett in the first piece and the other territories in the second. It felt a bit crammed and rushed in places. Pieces like the Rose and Shire bios were better. Strange exchange on Observer radio today where Dave asked Bryan how he liked being one of only seven people in the whole world who knew the real story behind Brock vs. Taker. This ranks up there with the ask Oliver, Oliver knows, comment re: Savage rumours.

A couple of paradoxes: We're constantly told by Bryan and Dave that Vince changes his mind all the time and rips up the script at the last minute, yet they're so certain that Shawn and Hunter had hatched a secret plan even though it contradicted what Shawn said on TV. All current WWE writers should be fired and replaced by a booking team of Hunter, Shawn and Taker, yet these writers are supposedly shackled by the backstabbing backstage environment and the ever changing whims of they who must be obeyed.

It's worth noting that Al Snow told the New York Times last year that he has neurological damage from his wrestling career which caused numbness on his right side, hearing loss and memory problems.

Dana White called Loretta Hunt a "fucking dumb bitch" and a "fucking moron" after she wrote this article a couple of years ago. He had even stronger words for her anonymous source quoted in that story: "And here’s a quote from a guy who wanted to remain anonymous because of fear of repercussions. Shut the fuck up. Any fucking guy who won’t put his name on it, first of all, whoever gave you that quote is a pussy and a fucking faggot and a fucking liar and everything else."

It's still badly worded in a manner that could easily be taken the wrong way on a sensitive subject.

Is it just me or isn't the timing of the Cole story a little odd? Chalking it up to the usual wrestler Twitter stupidity seems a bit unlikely in this case. The "It was obviously not meant the way it was taken" and "Now can I get back to being a character again please?" comments seem like shots at GLAAD for forcing his friend John Cena to apologise for comments he made on a scripted wrestling show. So it's likely Cole going into business for himself. On the other hand, it wouldn't be completely unfathomable for WWE to create some artificial controversy to prove that they're serious (wink wink) about their homophobic bullying campaign. Meanwhile, Dave Meltzer posted this on his message board: Has the bolded part been reported before?

Yeah, the full paragraph makes things clearer, sorry John:

Some more details from Jason Powell in this week's Torch newsletter: I do love how TNA wants to leave it up to WWE to pick up the tab of Hardy's rehab bill on the off chance he decides to clean up.

I think things clicked late for Sasaki. He had amazing presence and charisma in 2005 when I saw him wrestle live in three very different settings. It's like night and day to where he was at in the mid '90s.

Dave's opinion is shaped by his sources. If Foley's first book is anything to go by, then "overpushed, egocentric mediocre worker" would probably be the viewpoint being pushed by his World Class sources at the time.

That is the single most defining moment of Trip's career: He was the first person to use his position (Banging The Boss's Daughter) and his manipulative skills to con Vince into letting him be the first Heel to beat the Top Babyface in the Company at Wrestlmania. Dude *pinned* Foley *and* Rock when it was Rock vs Foley vs Trip for the last 31+ minutes of that match. That was and always will be The Triple H Moment. Granted, things like working a racist angle where Book's only payback to racism could be winning the title at Mania... and Trip fucking him over by pinning him... that was pretty rich. My favorite was probably Trip's big Babyface Comeback From Injury where he'd have his shinning moment of winning the World Title... and no one gave a shit about it and instead treated Rock-Hogan as the main even... I mean, that was great. But pinning Rock and Foley two-on-one (after Giant went out fast) to be the first Heel to win the Mania Main... that's the Trip we all know and hate. John His crowning moment may have been putting himself over big as a babyface while "passing the torch" to John Cena at WrestleMania 22.

Latest from Dave:

Dave on the board, getting more and more flustered: Hey, that's what I told Bix last night via IM!

Um, really?