SomethingSavage

He touched on the recent passing of everyone over the last week individually, but I thought Jim's tribute to Nikolai was particularly great. Brief, but outstanding.

This idea of Dave having some supreme "journalistic integrity" is so laughable. Is the guy a knowledgeable historian? Sure. And I can respect that. But I don't really think he's any more knowledgeable than, say, Jim Cornette. But I recognize both have shitty opinions when it comes to some things, and I don't mind at all when someone has the good common sense to call them out on it or simply point that out. It's also a bit bizarre that everyone is behaving like Peyton got implants out of pure pressure or fear of losing her job. Has anyone asked her? Does the WON mob speak to her personally? Believe it or not, guys... Some chicks want bigger boobs and willingly go out of their way to get them on their own. It's not strictly a wrestling thing or an entertainment industry thing. It's a real world, "appearance matters" thing. Plenty of girls save up their own hard-earned cash to pay for them shits.

Nah. I mean, it's been awhile. But Ambrose has expressed his disinterest in bodybuilding when asked in shoot interviews before. He always said his idea of working out was a bike ride or some sort of cardio, but weightlifting was never his thing. Said he'd rather be outdoors than doing repetitive stuff like picking up & putting down weights. Of course, things could have changed in the time he's been off or whatever. Just saying I don't think it was an injury or the grind that had him small before. By his own admission, he was just never a body guy nor cared to be one.

Caught up on episode 9 now. Another fairly underwhelming episode overall, but it was at least more enjoyable than last week's edition. Paul London - separated at birth from Jeremy Piven - has been a real hoot in this role with the Rabbit Tribe. I definitely wish they'd give him a bit more to do in terms of a proper rivalry or something. Still, the Rabbit Tribe is visually awesome when assembled together. The timing of this squash was weird though. Didn't the Rabbits just realize their destiny when they ventured down the rabbit hole or whatever? Shouldn't something that significant lead to an upgrade of some sort? Just bizarre. The Hanna Barbara sound effects were silly & over-the-top, but this is LU. And almost everything gets a pass in the Temple. I didn't care much for it, but that's mainly because I didn't find any of it particularly amusing or anything. As a whole, this thrashing wasn't even half as fun as the one we saw with Vinny & the pizza guy. Still love me some Ivelisse. I know some people have bashed her work and called her sloppy in recent years, but I'm not seeing it. I dig her offense in general, and I especially like the fire & the fight in her comebacks. Part of her appeal hinges on her journey & her story within the LU trappings, but it still amounts to being good in the end. I wasn't nearly as upset as some folks about the Sexy Star title win when it happened. I just went along for the ride. But, with her basically being a non-factor in everything going forward, I can't help but wish that moment would've gone to someone else, like Ivelisse. She *could* have been injured at that point though, so what do I know? XO Lishus - essentially the Titus Andromedon of the temple - has impressed on two occasions now. I like that they protected him in the finish, without going overboard on it. Lishus' offense obviously gets played for laughs, but it's still some athletic shit. And a lot of it is on point. The look is a little Velveteen Dream, a little Dennis Rodman. And it's all flash. I kind of dig it. And I'll admit it. The "Joey likes it!" chant cracked me up. Vamp: "Joey has a... A certain something, ya know?" Striker: "He certainly does, and I don't think it's curable." Tremendous. The post-match bit was interesting, too. Looks like they're teasing a possible oddball team-up with Joey and Lishus down the road. Feels super rushed, but EVERYTHING this season has fallen victim to that. Typically, I'd like this thing to play out over a longer period of time, making the eventual partnership more rewarding. But we'll see where it goes. Could still be an entertaining comedy team anyhow. I'd especially love it if it ended with a big time grudge match like the Guerrilla Warfare deal Joey & Candice did with the Bucks in PWG. It'd be easy enough to take this thing down a similar path. The Gift of the Gods match was meh. I have no problem with men versus women in LU of course, and I like that Mariposa fired off the cheap shot before the bell to give her an instant edge. But Azteca was on his feet, throwing thigh-slappy kicks literally just a few seconds later. Too brief a match to be anything offensive though. And I'll take any instance of the Marty/Mariposa act where I can get it. The Atomicos match delivered an action-packed, high-energy main event. There were PLENTY of wild dives, and Jeremiah's cannonball on the outside looked fucking BONKERS. The changes to the lineups before the match struck me as strange & seemed really out of left field at first. But they all ended up making sense in the end, which was really cool. Jeremiah needed a way to return, so why wouldn't you resurrect the guy as an undead snake zombie? This drops him right in the thick of things, and Callihan strives in story-driven, grudge situations. Aero Star originally didn't seem to make ANY sense as a partner for the Worldwide Underground, but he had his motivations in wanting to liberate his longtime friend. I really wish Striker and Vamp would've put more emphasis on the rich history there, because it would've made the stipulation (and its eventual payoff) so much more satisfying. Oh. And Aero Star showing up, battle-ready with a matching bandana, was a fantastic touch. On the other side of this, Aero's inclusion here also sets the stage for Ricky's turn. In canon, this probably should've been the catalyst for Ricky's psychotic break in the first place. But yeah. The writers really accomplished a lot in one swoop with these lineup changes. Also wish there would've been some hint of hesitation from Drago during the match. Or at least some tease of tension among the ranks. But there's been NOTHING with Drago this season to foreshadow his desire to be freed or rescued from the Reptiles. All of those things would've enhanced this entire thing greatly. In any case, it was still a cool moment. I don't particularly like it when storytellers require you to create your own narrative after the fact like this, but at least this instance totally makes sense. All too often in modern WWE, you get left with neither the proper story NOR the logical payoff. So I'll take it. The post-match proposal surprised me. I thought it was pretty neat, to be honest. Again, I'm left wishing it would've been teased or foreshadowed in some capacity at SOME stage, because it would've felt that much bigger. But meh. It was still a cute, charming moment. Hell, even PJ played his part well in fishing around for the ring. Johnny's Macho Man was atrocious & among the dirt worst I've ever heard, but hey. The heart & the intent was still there. And it was quickly redeemed for me when he sealed the scene by lifting Taya on his shoulder in tribute to Savage & Liz. Good stuff.

I gave up on this show awhile back when it first became a shitty watch-along comedy routine, but I was urged to give it another chance by a friend. So I gave the two ECW episodes a listen, and I was actually pleasantly surprised. There's such joy in Tony's voice at the times you can tell he's genuinely surprised or caught off-guard by something. It's like listening to someone becoming a new fan of something they've just discovered for the first time, and that's awesome. There are some solid laughs along the way, too. I still have no real interest in following every week or anything, but I'd be willing to listen to any other ECW shows they cover in the future.

I'm definitely a lapsed comics fan, but I grew up obsessed with them. People point to pro wrestling as the place they learned about geographical areas, cities, and just general terminology. I think comic books did that for me. It was reading material, sure. But it was a rich resource - a learning tool that taught me a lot of things on a lot of levels. I was flipping through comic book pages for as far back as I can remember. I fell off around high school, naturally. I kept collecting for awhile, but I never really got back into following them faithfully again. I've picked up some trade paperbacks, some one-shots, and even returned for a few arcs here and there. But I never really stick with it. Part of that is life's priorities. Part of that is the overwhelming gaps in history I've missed out on. It feels like a huge hurdle or a bridge too long to cross. But yeah. I could talk some of my old favorites forever. Claremont/Byrne's X-Men. Wolfman/Perez' Teen Titans. Alan Moore's Swamp Thing. Alan Moore's Supreme. Ennis' Preacher. Ennis' Punisher. Ennis' supremely underrated Hitman. Early Savage Dragon was super fun. Morrison's JLA, which brought the team back into proper perspective. JMD's Spidey. Jenkins' Spidey. And especially Bendis' Spidey. So, so much Spider-Man. Lots of Daredevil, too. Early Nightwing. A few years of Tim Drake's solo Robin series. I know I'm missing a truckload, but I'm basically just listing names off the top of my head. I really should look into reading more with digital comics making it so fucking accessible & readily available now, but I don't know. It's a daunting task when you've missed out on so much and want to get caught up, ya know.

There are lines of communication to & from prison. Realistically, yes. Vince wouldn't be available to rule with an iron fist. But I also think it's pretty much a pipe dream to even imagine a world where Vince doesn't find a way to remain in control. He had built-in, bought & paid for loyalty from guys like Bruce and Pat. But the idea is that he respected Jerry's work in Memphis and wanted to bring him into the fold as a result. Vince didn't become king by being the absolute best at everything. He became king by surrounding himself with the best and hiring all the best around him. Jerry himself has talked about it being a poor fit. He grew homesick. On the other end, Bruce and Pat were ultra defensive of their spots from day one. Stir that all together, and it just wasn't going to work long-term. But (and I can't recall if it was Jerry's RF video or the Kayfabe Commentaries release with Sean Oliver) Jerry has also stated that he felt like Vince probably turned to him, because McMahon knew Jarrett wouldn't try to take over his company while he was locked up. Because Jerry was up front about being happy and comfortable in getting out of the wrestling business.

Yeah. I could definitely see him going back to Hulk, given the chance. He's even discussed his desire to make Hogan (and Sid) the centerpiece for WCW as late as 2000, when they contacted him about coming in to turn things around. Macho Man is a fascinating choice to think about though. He's not far removed from Hulk in terms of mainstream popularity and acknowledgment, so he brings the recognition you want in a main event attraction. I could see Jerry comfortably settling on Savage as an alternative if Hogan wouldn't be sticking around. On the other hand - both Patterson and Prichard (I know, I know) have discussed Jerry originally pushing for Jeff to be brought into the WWF as a baby face. I could go for hearing a bit more about his aspirations or ideas of that. Jeff was great at times as the fiery baby face in Memphis, but I'm not so sure about how the act would function within the WWF and its New Generation trappings. Jeff offering some mid-card support at the IC level (or possibly as part of a dynamic tag team) to Hulk or Randy up top sounds like something Jerry might push for, but that's purely speculation. If there's any right way to approach the subject though, it could be interesting to hear his thoughts. Hell, he may just state the obvious and say he never expected to have much freedom in the big picture decision making process, regardless of what happened. What was it Watts claimed when he packed up and left? There's only room for one titan in Titan Sports?

There's some solid coverage & discussion of Earthquake on the latest Hogan episode. The story of Vince telling Bruce to go find out if Tenta can cut a promo is a fun one, too. Much of the episode is retreaded territory, because the time period ('89-'90) overlaps with so many of their previous topics. But it's still got some good stuff and examines a few of those things from new angles. Plus, there are absolutely NO dirtsheet detours or Meltzer tirades. That alone is greatly appreciated. There's this bit where Conrad is describing how Bruce dresses for day to day activities & just life in general. Conrad notes each item in hilarious detail. Hobo shoes. Cheap ankle socks. Free "Something To Wrestle" shirt. Etc. To summarize though, Conrad basically says everything Bruce wears amounts to approximately $4... and then he tops it off with his legit diamond-encrusted Rolex. Tremendous. Sheik Tugboat never fails to crack me up. Also enjoyed the story of Hulk daydreaming the full movie fight scene for No Holds Barred. Oh, and I thought the Q&A to close the show was exceptionally strong this week. I can't recall another session ever being this good, to be honest. Some genuinely interesting topics are brought up and answered by Prichard for a change. I especially dug the talk about Hulk's merchandise versus Austin's. The topic of Hulk's Top Five best opponents comes up, too. And, when names start being listed, it really hits you just how many awesome opponents and programs Hogan was involved with. It almost feels like you could come up with several uniquely separate lists of Top Five opponents for Hulk without ever repeating a single name. Stick around for the Dok Hendrix parody at the end. It's fucking aces. Sounds like they got the Austin impersonator from the Edge & Christian podcast to come in and sing Highway To Hell, too. It's some funny shit.

If Lawler actually got the NWA or AWA World Championship in the early 80s (possibly as late as 85), how would that have changed the landscape for Memphis? What adjustments would Jerry have made with the week to week booking? Would the territory have been as sustainable (for as long) without Lawler there on such a consistent basis? Would Jerry have assumed the full responsibility and accountability for booking year around without Lawler there? Would he try to get a different secondary booker to relieve him every six months? If so, who? Dundee? Someone else? And how would he entice them to come in/come back for the gig?

Caught up on episode 8. As story-driven as last week was, this one felt like a total placeholder. Daga versus Black was okay, but it seemed like it ended before it ever got into that next gear. The post-match stuff was fun, with the two gangs waging war, using weaponry, and basically drawing the battle lines. A decent segment, but nothing can't miss. I loved the Worldwide Underground last season, and Mundo as heel World Champ was some of his best stuff. Ever. Anywhere. But this season, they just feel misguided or aimless or something. They're presented as heels one week, then they're behaving like babyfaces the next. It's bizarre and unnecessarily convoluted. It dilutes the overall direction of this program with the Reptiles, because none of it comes across as shades of grey or anything. Instead, it's just kind of a mess and difficult to follow. It's unfortunate that they can't decide on who is meant to represent what, because I'm a fan of a lot of the players involved. Hopefully they iron out these issues and deliver in the payoff anyhow. Somebody should tell Johnny that "Slamtown" isn't happening. It's not a thing. It never was a thing. Stop trying to force it. Nobody's using it. Let it die, dude. The backstage scene with Mack and Catrina was cheesy as fuck - and glorious nonetheless. Mack can't act for shit, but the long-delayed reveal of Big Ryck's decayed skull (complete with cigar!) was phenomenally fun. This is Lucha Underground in a nutshell. Plus, ya know. Catrina, y'all. Gawt damn. I'm not convinced they're actually going to stick with him all the way until Ultima Lucha, but I like Azteca as the centerpiece good guy of the promotion. He's established ties to both Mysterio and Puma in the past, so it's fitting that he'd be the next "nice guy" type to follow in their footsteps. I've gone out of my way to avoid any & all spoilers this season, so I'm legitimately interested to see what hurdles or roadblocks await him and the Gift of the Gods. Something tells me he's TOO squeaky clean to go the distance unscathed, but the fun's in watching it all unfold. The title scene feels flat and uninspired to me at the moment. I'm disappointed with what they've done with Pentagon, I guess. It just seems like they could have had a better roadmap for him after his big victory. And, I mean, they've gone all in by feeding him challengers & giving him definitive wins. But this idea of presenting him as just another baby face champion is kind of... Weak. He got over on the strength of being such a dark, violent character. And now he might as well just be Puma - or insert any random baby face really - because he's just another good guy doing good guy things, acting brave and resilient and shit. It just seems like Pentagon's character and his arc demanded a more pronounced conflict or something. Maybe one or more of his previous victims could have re-emerged with a new threat in tow. Maybe an unlikely baby face could resent Pentagon being embraced at the new temple and seek revenge. I don't know. But this whole deal with Cage just isn't doing a whole lot for me. It seems so bland. Cuerno's hair is truly atrocious. It's awful. It looks like the carcass of some vermin that crawled into his mask & later died while trying to escape, but instead just dangles out the back there now. If the goal was to grow something in order to create a desire to see it shaved off, then he was successful. Because that shit's an eyesore. And I don't know what that final scene was all about. Indiana Jones Mundo was an amusing visual, but ehh. If that was their way of writing off Vibora, then that sort of sucks. We'll see though. I hate to be such a downer on LU, but this season has been largely hit & miss. Definitely off to a rockier start than any previous seasons in my opinion.

Rock is a class act. Considering his incredible success, it's some minor miracle that he didn't turn out to be an asshole or a cut-throat. Dude's positivity and enthusiasm is infectious as fuck, and it makes you want to wish even more good things for the guy.

The new episode with Mark Henry discussing Madison Square Garden is a fucking blast. Mark tells a crazy story from back in his Nation days. Apparently, fans saw Rocky getting picked up by Mark and D'Lo. Next thing ya know - the window shatters, fans have swarmed the car, and they literally total this Lincoln town car with their hands! The hood is so beat up that the carburetor is damaged, and they barely make it to the airport in this beat up rental. Wild shit. Jericho also tells a fun story about his 2008 run, where he's stuck in an elevator with this insistent father & kid. Jericho is such a stickler for keeping kayfabe & staying in character at this time, which is great. Both guys recount some funny fuck-ups from their respective MSG debuts, too. They talk a bit about the MSG fans. D'Lo is pelted in the face by a piece of pizza. When King Haku was announced as being from the island of Tonga, a fan audibly shouts, "That ain't no islander! He's just another n----r from the Bronx!" And Jericho remembers a fan heckling him about his love handles and throwing him off his game, which is hilarious. Really fun conversation.

Just watched the contract signing & the Hard Justice match. The segment started strong with Nash bragging & boasting, then kind of went sideways for a bit, before it ended with nutty Foley. It was a bit weird and not their best, but it did well to define the differences in their character. I kinda dug it. The brawl exceeded expectations. You were right about that. Mick throws himself into everything full-on and flings his body with reckless abandon - he's not 97/98 Foley good, but he ain't late 99 Foley bad either. Mick launches himself backwards against the guardrail, which looks brutal. And the elbow drop off the apron (countered with a steel chair!) that splits Foley's eyebrow is another sick crash landing. Mick really goes above & beyond (especially for this stage of his career) to make Nash look & function like an intimidating, walking, talking, romping, stomping giant. And Nash steps it up a notch. There's an intensity behind his slow, methodical blows that I really dig here - partly because they're accompanied by some trrrreeeemendous facial expressions. I'm not saying he's Regal or anything, but Nash is never even talked about in that conversation, and he's fantastic with the facial expressions here. He looks legitimately frightening at times. It's a fucking shame - and somehow appropriate for 2009 TNA - that the finish is so weak & super lame. I hated it. Just awful, flat, and disconnected from everything their conflict was about. I hated that finish. But the match itself is still totally worth watching. It's a spirited sprint of a brawl from two guys past their "best by" date. I love when something like this can jump up out of nowhere and pleasantly surprise you.

I don't even recall the Nash/Foley match, but I may try & seek that out. I remember the buildup getting some talk around the time though. Nash was Big Money Kev, deliberately leaning hard into his "lazy" label, and basically calling Foley a mark for crippling himself instead of just taking the money & doing as little as possible. Fun character stuff, which Nash almost always seemed to deliver in TNA, oddly enough.

Dug deep & went back a year and a half to catch the Norman Smiley interview. Awesome stuff. Lots of laughs. Fun conversation - including stories about 5 guys pulling guns on Norman and Konnan over a fanny pack full of money, Super Porky sticking a beer bottle up somebody's ass in the shower as casually as he'd comb his hair, the dirty & disgusting bathrooms in Mexico, and bowling with Haku. It was cool to hear Norman's take on coaching at the PC, too. "It's not a crime to be green. If you don't know something, just ask." Great quote. Crazy to hear how he's had trainees come in not knowing that it takes a 3 count to end a match, and some girls literally not knowing you have to be on your back to be pinned. That's nuts.

Went back and watched some of the original Mae Young Classic, just for the hell of it. Are we entirely sure Chris Jericho didn't leave a Dudleys-like litter of illegitimate children sprinkled across the globe? 'Cause I could be convinced that Toni Storm is the spawn of Jericho, for sure. Everything from her walk to her mannerisms to her gimmick just screams '90s Jericho to me.

I need to know how the one-on-one Foley versus Angle match holds up, because (don't you judge me) I actually remember digging it way back at the time. Part of that might have been just the sheer novelty of seeing the character Kurt Angle against the character Mick Foley - although the parts they were playing by then were radically different & far removed from their WWF heydays. But yeah. TNA 2009 is terrible, pretty much up until you get small glimmers of hope from Desmond Wolfe's debut and AJ's awesome little title reign. People remember the fourth Joe/Daniels triple threat fondly (and rightfully so), but I actually enjoyed the shit out of the Daniels one-on-one match a lot as well. A bit long, but worth a watch for sure.

Co-signed on all that. Loved the cruise stuff. Bruce also busted out a rare, thought-provoking talking point by comparing & contrasting the demeanor & presentation of Shamrock with that of the Road Warriors. Wish they would've gone deeper with that, and I'm actually stoked for any future show covering Ken. Conrad has consistently shown interest in discussing Shammy, too. So here's hoping. I'm glad the Russo influence was addressed. The Canada/US stuff is something that still has Corny's fingerprints on it. And I know for sure he was still heavily involved in the week to week stuff up until the holidays that year. Even Russo (who has changed his story from time to time) has admitted that Corny was still in on the creative up until the NWA stuff in '98. He was for sure making suggestions all the way up until Funk's debut with Foley also. I mean, I'm sure Russo would gladly take credit for all the great stuff in '97, but nah. This wasn't the "all Russo" show just yet. It was cool to hear Bruce express such joy and genuine interest in discussing the World Title scene from this time. The various stories with Taker, Shawn, Bret, Kane, Austin, and others off in the peripheral clearly helped to create an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation around the belt. It's crazy to consider how valuable and revered the WWF Championship was at one time - so much so that we got the tug of war between Bret/Shawn and eventually Bret/Vince over the thing. Compare that to today, when the WWE Championship hasn't really meant anything since the AJ/Cena series - and the Universal Title is so worthless they can't even be bothered to use it as the MacGuffin it's meant to be, in order to move stories along. It's night & day. They toned the shtick way down overall, and that's appreciated. Bruce does still try to dig his heels in and bullshit his way out of a corner or two, but Conrad plays his part and calls him on it. If that's the most shtick you'll get from them, then that's a pretty good day. This week, it was Conrad asking if Shawn could be trusted to stick around and work with Bret after the heel turn. Bruce said nobody was worried, because he would stay & do business. Conrad replies that Shawn didn't when he was told to put Bret over at Mania 13. Bruce *tries* to fire back by saying Shawn wasn't scheduled to, but he can't even stand by that line of bullshit very long before he corrects course and admits Conrad was right. From there, Bruce basically changes his story on the fly and says he expressed his concerns about Shawn walking out again, but Vince was convinced Shawn could be trusted & that's ultimately all that matters. Of course, Bruce is right. But it's just such a telling sign of his nature summed up in one small exchange. Decent show though. One of their better "event" shows covering a specific PPV in a long time. I'm normally not a fan of these, but this one was solid.

The Jimmy Jacobs interview has some fun Vince stories from Jimmy's time as a writer there. "What do you have, pal? A barber or a stylist? ... Either way, it's time to find a new one." Tremendous. Apparently, Vince was too appalled and downright disgusted by Jimmy's look & fashion sense to pay attention to his pitches or ideas much. I could buy that. Jacobs seems super proud of some of his work there, so good for him. And I dug the shit out of the Festival of Friendship and all, but that Roman/Cena buildup was awful & misguided on so many levels. Could've been one of those things that was out of his hands and delegated down to him though, so ya just never know how much of what to credit/blame these writers for anymore.

Finally caught episode 7, and it was the bee's sleeves. Just a blast from start to finish. The first portion was strictly straight squash matches, but - when they're THIS much fun - I give zero fucks. This was good stuff. The Jake Strong name is super generic & lame, but I'm digging Swagger in his role here so far. This opener was short yet sweet, and that Sammy moonsault was fucking 'nanners. Cueto channeling Bischoff's three minute warning by way of summoning Matanza is a neat touch to the monster's matches this season. And his squash was another winner here. Vinny played the perfect victim, too. The fat slob shtich is pure joy to watch in the right spots, and this was everything you'd want in a comedy segment of that sort. Vinny's gas tank running on E was silly stuff, but it was legit funny at the same time. The interaction with the pizza delivery kid & the wallet was just icing also. Fun, fun, fun. And it all worked out, because they saved the real action for the main event(s). Loved the callback to the Havoc and Ivelise connection, and Mack is a fun addition to that mix. Made total sense to play up the finish to that battle royal from last week, too. Son of Havoc hasn't had a major role this season or anything, but he's almost bulletproof with this audience. I still feel like he's one hot angle or big story away from being a believable challenger for the LU Championship. I think he'd rate right up among the most "feel good" guys they could crown at some point, if they play it right. I still get a kick out of Willie Mack doing the Stone Cold tribute act. ACH did it first & did it better in PWG, but it's fun here nonetheless. I like what Mack's done with it. The three way dance to cap off the show was great, with a truckload of stunning spots and amazing athleticism. Of course, it wouldn't be LU without a thousand thigh-slappy strikes. But everything looked crisp, and they *did* bust out some barreling lariats in the lead-up to the finish, which looked nasty. There was a gnarly dive from Dezmond toward the end as well. Oh, and there's this one point where Dezmond is desperately trying to fend off Azteca, with both guys battling on the top turnbuckle - and Dezmond is literally punching at the knees of Azteca to knock him off his perch. It's a really cool scene of struggle and desperation that is much cooler in execution than my wordy description. Check it out. Last week, I just started to wonder where Marty the Moth had gone. Glad to see him spring back up now. His angles are among the most memorable in LU's history, so I'm stoked to see what they've got lined up next with the character. That creepy doll shit seemed like something they'd stick on him, but I'm glad they didn't. I'm still unsure of what I think of it really, and I guess that's because I can't tell where it's going or what purpose it serves just yet. It's a weird fit for Ricky at first glance - going from the Mundo idolizing fan boy to the doll whisperer or whatever - but all bets are off in Lucha Underground. So we'll see how it all shakes out.

Yeah, both that episode and the original 83 Weeks pod were a lot of fun. Jericho might be another guy like Taker or Shawn, in that I could see him getting his WWE career broken down into separate years and reviewed that way. It would allow for deeper dives, and Jericho's reinvented himself & his character enough times to warrant that sort of retrospective anyway.

I've been meaning to mention, but those ads for legit sex toys are creepy as fuck. I mean, it's one thing to hear Conrad and old man Bischoff chop it up about Blue Chews and Eric's post-60s sex life. But I don't know. Robbie E reading off ads for pocket pussies is just six different shades of sleazy. The Zach Gowen episode was crazy fun though. Zach seems like a super chill guy these days, and he's totally open & honest about what a dick he used to be. Hearing him talk about his time in the spotlight makes it REAL easy to understand how he got so much heat. I thought it was beyond silly when Bruce Prichard mentioned they thought about turning him heel back in '03, but now I'm thinking they wanted to capture some of his real life persona on-screen. And, while still a stupid idea for logistical purposes, it doesn't sound quite as far-fetched as you'd think. The story about Zach's firing is hilarious and absolutely worth hearing on its own. His response to Johnny Ace was priceless. John apparently told Zach they'd like him to relocate to OVW to train, until creative came up with a new direction for his character. Zach proceeded to cut a promo - telling Johnny how that doesn't work for him. He'll stay home and train instead, and they can give him a call whenever they find something for him to do, brother. Tremendous. Another solid show & recommended listening.

Well, if any of us are looking to wrestling Twitter for intelligent, argument-deciding discussion - we should all really aim a bit higher with our aspirations anyhow. The Roman push is both fascinating and frustrating to me. Yes. It feels ridiculously tired and exhausting already. But I am a fan of the guy, his work, and especially his potential as an overall performer. But that's simply not enough to sustain my interest throughout long periods of time. The push has seen so many missteps and restarts. The idea that I see some people putting out there - this idea that there's some long-term, epic story arc at play - I just hilarious. It's pretend. It's play time. It's an imaginary story. It's a fake narrative they've created in their own mind to - I don't know? - ease the suffering of sitting through these illogical, death march shows week after week or something. But it doesn't exist. The epic journey is not really there. It wasn't there when people were imagining it for the Mania buildup, and it's not there now. It just isn't rooted in reality to any degree whatsoever. Obviously, there are larger issues with contemporary booking at work as well. This trend of meta booking everything by trying to trick fans or manipulate them is just awful. Whatever happened to letting guys, ya know, BEAT people? I refuse to believe wrestlers can't still get over by simply beating guys. Yes. It takes selecting specific guys for specific spots & roles, but it still works. It's still a simple, successful formula. Instead, they're obsessed with nobody getting over enough to become a star without them, so everything is 50/50. Nobody really stands out much. Sometime after Brock up & left them in 2004, Vince made the deliberate decision to stop building stars and start emphasizing the brand instead. What that has done is actually given the few true stars more leverage than ever. Rock is in a stratosphere all his own, but the likes of Lesnar, Taker, Cena, and even Jericho now have more power than ever - because none of the new batch is allowed to meet them at their level. It has essentially created an environment where few guys ever really experience progress or momentum of any significance. They're breeding a stagnant, sterile turf where everyone on the active roster feels like they're fighting for scraps. They're all fighting over each others crumbs, because the real stars are off TV. But the real stars are also more over, BECAUSE they're only on TV so often. They aren't falling victim to the terrible booking as often as the full-timers. So there's a situation wherein the part-timers are the true stars, and the full-timers are the leftovers. The only way the full-timers ever feel like big deals are if/when they're allowed to interact or mix it up with the part-timers, but that rarely ever happens. And when it does, the part-timers go over anyway. And it's justified because, hey. They're more over anyway.

Seth is shit. His athleticism does not make up for his lack of... Well, everything else. Like, I don't care if dude can play with monster truck tires or teach a Crossfit class. Somebody like The Miz still has to drag him kicking & screaming to a decent match. But he's the Architect! Except that he's not. Cause, ya know. An architect can draw a house.