Childs

That is a good word for it.

Come on, that match was not a classic. It was two all-time great workers riffing on television for 10 minutes. And don't get me wrong, that's a wonderful thing. It's a match I have time for any week of the year. But there were no stakes. The match was designed to set up Nakamura rather than to pay off on its own terms. Perfect for what it was but it was designed to top out in the *** to ***1/2 star range.

I listened to the podcast with Simmons and the director, and it left me frustrated. The guy is an astute filmmaker and has a wonderful grasp of the human story of Andre. But he is an idiot about wrestling. He made a huge point of acting as a myth buster, but he had no idea that Vince and Hogan worked the shit out of him. No idea at all. I know it doesnt really matter, but it left a weird taste in my mouth.

The stuff with Hogan saying he was afraid that Andre wouldnt put him over at WMIII was pretty hokey. Did we really need to build fake retrospective drama around a match thats famous enough on its own terms?

I thought it was well done but not ultimately that different from the carny doc WWE would have made in house. The early footage was the best stuff.

His reign as NXT Champion was a colossal bore (to be fair, the same can be said for Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura) and I honestly don't see anything special in him. 15 years ago? Maybe he had it then. But he's just another old brawler type now who isn't very convincing in the "tough guy" role he's been cast in. I could buy him as an overconfident jock whose glory days are behind him and he's bitten off more than he can chew. Dude, I don't need you to make the argument again. I just said it was distinctive.

I know C.S. for his avatar and recent insistence that Asuka isnt over. For me, it's his avatar and strange distaste for Samoa Joe.

I was just listening to the Wrestling Observer Radio show on 'Mania and feeling a little disconcerted at how much I agreed with Dave on everything.

I completely agree with this. But then, why throw Roman to the lions year after year? Why book one of your biggest names - a homegrown talent, at that - to be fucking weak at every major point? He is one of the more versatile wrestlers in the company, but that means absolutely nothing when you kill his credibility. Their handling of Roman has been bizarre, no question. I just think they and we need to move past the idea of him as the next GUY.

Are we the ones who are misguided for even believing they need an ace? They have an ultimate organic babyface in Bryan. They have a superworker who's automatically accepted in any big program in AJ. They have a red-hot monster in Braun. They have one of the highest profile female athletes in the world -- and apparently a pretty good pro wrestler -- in Ronda. They have Cena and Brock to cycle back in for big maches here and there. They have a huge middle class of excellent performers to work in and out of programs. I realize the hottest runs in company history were fueled by transcendant stars. But those were different times. Maybe they're just fine with the more flexible upper card of the moment.

I thought Taker looked cosmetically strong but absolutely dreadful in the ring. He moved like what he is -- a beat-up 53-year-old man. And his timing was amateurish. A hot 10-minute sprint would have been fine, even ideal. But this was a big letdown after all that booking effort. I appreciate Cena's humility and willingness to try something different. But it was weird to see him portrayed as such a stooge on a show where the announcers were proclaining him the best ever. This just didn't work, and as stated above, it was the negative turning point for the entire show.

I don't know how you can give ***1/2 to such an obviously ineffective match. Was there good stuff in it? Sure. But it was a structural mess that diminished both guys involved and ended the biggest show of the year on a sour note.

They were having a good match, but then they killed it dead with the three straight F-5 kickouts. Was the layout that killed the beast.

RAW opens with Nicholas grinning beside craft-service table. Roman explodes from off camera and spears him through the selection of deli meats. Bang. New direction.

You know that's how he's looking at it.

So, not the greatest Mania of all time.

Wow. I mean, wow.

I liked the beginning of the match, but the layout has gone super lazy.

Braun should have powerslammed him after the celebration. Stone Cold should have come out, forced a beer down his throat and stunned him. Wrestlemania moment.

Hey, they turned the crowd off.

Well, at least he's not failing remedial independent research.

It is currently 36 degrees in New York.

Is Nicholas on RAW tomorrow?

Nicholas looks profoundly uncomfortable.

I actually like them trying to do something to shoot life into Nakamura's run. I don't mind the idea of a more hate-filled rematch.