SteveJRogers

Some people like listening to the commentary to be fair. The difference between that and a radio though, is that the live stream eats up battery life and is a drain on a data plan (assuming its not unlimited).

Odd edit on Clash X. The Horsemen come out for their segement to turn on Sting, but Ross and Cornette's commentary (description of their attire) is gone.

I don't think you can say "this was the show" that was the selling point of the network. But yeah it was in the press conference to announce it. Then again so was the Monday Night Wars show and god only know when those will start showing up. To be fair, it was most likely filmed under the assumption that the "Network" would be akin to your usual cable sports networks, though on a premium level most likely. So it was probably the only way to incite cable operators by having something offbeat and different than what you'd get with the NBA/Golf/MLB/NFL Networks, since well, you know how Pro Wrestling is treated by the masses. I assume it was hoped that it'd be part of programming designed as a throwback to the old Tuesday Night Titans days? IIRC, Monday Night Wars is set to launch during the summer, I'd guess once the On Demand Raws catch up to when Nitro debuted, and then the Nitros start appearing on the On Demand library.

Freebirds and Rock 'N Sock?

The Linda thing makes more sense than Mattel though. For instance, Mattel has made several Heath Ledger Joker action figures.

Very young relatives?

I thought the hit on Bryan was due to Linda's campaign?

Austin isn't currently employed by the WWE.

Tensai could only have worked if he would have worn a mask all the time. As soon as he removed his cap and everbody new it was Albert any chances of him getting over were gone. Umaga had far less previous exposure and was not associated with "mediocrity" by large amounts of the fans as Tensai was (deserving or not). How do you explain the second chance succeas under a new gimmick name of Sprit Squad Nicky or Husky Harris?

Not to mention, if the WWE HAD pulled out all the same stops for Mabel/Viscera/Big Daddy V, it WOULD have been seen as being empty and the WWE trying to make money off of his passing. Look at it this way, like I said before, you are talking about a character that goes down as one of the most WELL KNOWN pro-wrestling characters by anyone that doesn't follow wrestling, follows it just causually or lapsed in their fandom years ago. Hogan, Savage, Undertaker, Ultimate Warrior. Prior to Stone Cold Steve Austin, THAT WAS IT in terms of your "Mount Rushmore." MAYBE Bruno, and MAYBE in small pockets someone like Hodge, Funk, Lawler, etc, but come on. That is like comparing David Allen Coe to Johnny Cash, Grand Funk Railroad to The Greatful Dead, Conway Twitty (and Twitty inspired a darn musical, Bye Bye Birdie) to Elvis, the Yarbirds to the Beatles, etc. You are putting up someone that is popular amongst a small fanbase to someone that is considered iconic to the larger mass population. So compare that to someone that while yes he was a semi-life long employee who was pretty much treated as a massive monster attraction for most of his career. His lone chance at being any sort of a serious main eventer was soundly rejected by fans and critics, and that part of his career is considered more of a punchline than anything (the only saving grace is that Billy Gunn was tabbed as King of The Ring a few years later, and pretty much blew his chance at a solo push and replaced Mabel as the worse KOR winner ever), and while he did rebound nicely to be the aforementioned massive monster attraction for many years, its not like he was ever known to anyone other than hardcore followers of the profession. So as cold and heartless as it may sound, did his death really require an all out event the way Ultimate Warrior's has been? On the flip side, if they HAD given Warrior the Nelson Frazier treatment (especially without the burying the hatchet process that started with the 2K sports ad), people WOULD be complaining in the sense of "that's ALL they are doing for him?" In the way pro-wrestling enthusiasts complained about the lack of remembrance of Lou Thesz.

You're missing the point. NOBODY is trying to say he was a great in ring wrestler or super duper top draw. They are saying he was a larger than life personality who entertained a generation at a special time in wrestling, which isn't a rewrite, it's accurate. To be fair also, for those who don't care about the business on the level we do, Ultimate Warrior was one of the biggest well known characters in wrestling history. Do NOT discount that in terms of the mass public and mass media reaction to his passing, and therefore the WWE's way of paying tribute to him. Not to jumpstart the Hogan/Taker pop culture icon debate again, but Warrior was up there in terms of being known in mainstream mass audiences.

Queering makes the world work! Yeah, Fred Phelps can rot in hell, but don't speak ill ot a creep who portrayed a character that was wildly popular in people's youth in the late '80s-early '90s. I do think a lot of it came from the idea of how hyperbolic that 2005 hit piece doc was that it somehow erased, or lessened how much of a bigoted and bat shit crazy guy Hellwig was in real life. Maybe he was on his way to lessening the crazy aspects, who knows, but yeah it is interesting to see the outpouring of positive emotions for a guy that if not for being this wildly popular cartoon character, probably would be getting the treatment Phelps got.

Wonder if Miz shows up with "tips".

Sooooo what is watching a vintage Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali boxing match, complete with clips of press videos leading up to the fight, etc considered? Or is that unrelated because the fights weren't staged, or at least on Clay's/Ali's end (referring to Liston taking a dive in their match).

Why are you threating your dog with a light saber?

Owen Hart doesn't count as dying in the ring?

I love how Twitter blew up when he had a very cordigal and respectful interview with Cena and he had to tell everyone giving him shit about "kissing Cena's ass/knowing where his bread is buttered (despite not being under any current contractual obligation)" to go fuck off.

But people don't give a shit because "hallowed" records aren't being challgened on a yearly basis.

And that is besides the laughable high horse the baseball writers are on when it comes to the Hall of Fame based on rumors and anecdotal evidence. And the arbitrary delination of when the steroid era began and ended (if it ever will).

Why? I know news was trickling out as the show was airing, hence Vince's "turn" (for lack of a better word) at the end, but for the most part, all anyone knew at that point was that Chris and his family died in a grisly manner. I don't think it was ever proven that Vince and the higher ups really did know the full scope of the reports when the show started.

I agree with the sentiment, but either assume they all do/know ways around testing/whatever, or they don't until they show up. Like in baseball, the worse thing about the blind eyes getting turned is that since people are quick to judge based on anedoctal evidence, rumors and innuendo, so its safter to assume one, or the other until they get busted. I mean sure, the guys listed probably do, and chances are a Daniel Bryan doesn't, but for this conversation to stay thoughtful and not fall into trolling flame wars, keep in mind the Bartolo Colons who failed baseball PEDs and Frank Thomases who people swear was clean based on how anti-PED he was/is in public statements.

Just realized this thread is 5 pages long and no one quoted Dean Malenko with simply "Home!"

Seemed like a big breaking character moment.

Meh, is it any different than the TV and radio talk show circuits entertainers go on when promoting something? Or Radio Row during Super Bowl Weekend? Don't assume that all three have the same set of listeners. Granted I'm sure the numbers are high for people who listen to all three, or two out of the three, but still, it shouldn't be assumed that just because you listen to one, that you listen regularly to the other two.

They just put RAZOR RAMON in the HOF. Hell, Glenn Jacobs has been less in character in recent years, and especially with William Moody's HOF induction.