WrestleMania 31...

[goodhelmet]

is here. Consider this the live thread for Mania. No predictions, nitpicking at booking (we have plenty of threads for that) or arguing semantics until we get to the show proper. For now, what are you guys doing today leading up to the show? I'm mowing my lawn, shopping for groceries, doing the dishes and grading papers i.e. just a normal Sunday. Still, after doing 8 freaking podcasts this week, I have built myself up to get excited about the show. I think the awesome Hall of Fame helped my enthusiasm.

 

Pre-show:

Andre the Giant Battle Royal

Cesaro & Kidd vs. The Usos vs. The Matadores vs. New Day (Tag Titles)

 

Show Proper:

Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper vs. Wade Barrett vs. R-Truth vs. Stardust (Ladder match for the Intercontinental Title)

AJ Lee & Paige vs. The Bella Twins

John Cena vs. Rusev (US Title)

Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton

Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker

Sting vs. HHH
Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

[Cox]

I have three racks of ribs on the smoker, baked beans in the crock pot, and a 1.75 L bottle of Jack Daniel's. Let's do this.

[soup23]

Just got Easter bunny pictures with the boy. Got some buffalo dip, homemade guacamole, and other snacks for the show proper. Always excited to watch mania.

[Goodear]

I'm flying to New Orleans for the Animal Care Expo. I'm not watching the show unless its somehow on the plane.

[Stiva]

We managed to wrangle a good deal on a 60" TV so that's coming into play tonight. Me and my friend are getting food, beer and staying up way too late (or early) to watch it, starting with all the pre-show business. I'm pulling for Lesnar, he's pulling for Reigns so by the time we're tipsy, it's going to be fun watching the main event.

[Ricky Jackson]

I'm having an old buddy over to watch the show. We watched Raw together almost every week back in 98-00, and he only recently moved to Vancouver, so this is the first live show we've watched together since the old days. Pretty excited, should be a fun show

[Steenalized]

Drove through Chicago traffic and the farmland of Illinois to get back home to my place. Thank you, Will, for giving me so much podcast fodder to chew on this week in my drive time. Not making any special food since I already gorged on deep dish yesterday, today's just a ton of shredded chicken. Maybe I'll make nachos out of it. I got a little bit more excited every day this week about Mania, to the point that now I'm actually really looking forward to it tonight, up from "eh I guess I'll watch it" the past few weeks.

[Shining Wiz]

Hoping to make it back home in time to watch the main event and maybe the match before. If anything sounds good might check that out after too.

[Grimmas]

About to watch the Hall of Fame and then waiting for Musgrave and my sister and her boyfriend to come over and watch the show. Getting a pizza and enjoying tonight.

 

Also, my wife agreed to watch the show if she could get drunk, so that will be fun.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Just picked up my brother from college, we had a good laugh about the most recent Stone Cold podcast where his memory family at every turn. Going to watch Madness, on pace to win two pools. Parents will be watching with us. My mom hates Brock and is totally behind Reigns. My Dad to be a dick to me is rooting hard for Rusev and was giving me shit on the tennis court. It is all in good fun. The family is pumped.

[BBscout]

Ordering the network because of the main. Want to see it without any stream BS hopefully. I love the matchup and like everything about both those guys. Looking forward to the Sting entrance and Rollins on the big stage.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I have three racks of ribs on the smoker, baked beans in the crock pot,

Damn, I'm on my way over. That sounds fantastic.

[BillThompson]

Still not watching WWE proper, but I'll be eating some pizza and watching EVOLVE all day long.

[tigerpride]

 

The opening video

[Dylan Waco]

About to call my brothers and Dad for the annual Hales family Mania pick em. Dustin won last year so fuck him. I've had the Network on in the background for hours but I haven't been paying much attention. Been loading up on obscure YouTube indie matches instead.

[Wade Garrett]

I said I wasn't gonna watch this year. That turned out to be bullshit. The lady is actually gonna watch pro wrestling with me after 8yrs of being together. Have my Coors, JD, Camels, and cold cuts on hand. I have no use for the network so I'm the jackass that the three stooges bitch about on Mondays. Oh well $69.99. Screw it. Let's get rowdy boys.

[El-P]

Not watching live.

[Shining Wiz]

I said I wasn't gonna watch this year. That turned out to be bullshit. The lady is actually gonna watch pro wrestling with me after 8yrs of being together. Have my Coors, JD, Camels, and cold cuts on hand. I have no use for the network so I'm the jackass that the three stooges bitch about on Mondays. Oh well $69.99. Screw it. Let's get rowdy boys.

Unless you don't have interweb access, you apparently do have a use for the Network: saving $60.

[Wade Garrett]

I have Comcast on the fastest speed they offer. Great internet access. I have Top Tier Cable, Netflix, Hulu+. I'm at an age and place in life where I can afford to drop $69.99 for WrestleMania and more then likely Summerslam.

 

I have no use for the network because it's a Mickey Mouse operation.

[Strummer]

I don't think this is a spoiler since it's been talked about extensively but Rock has showed up backstage at the show

[Strummer]

Ronda Rousey was also spotted at the WWE hotel this morning

[Shining Wiz]

I have Comcast on the fastest speed they offer. Great internet access. I have Top Tier Cable, Netflix, Hulu+. I'm at an age and place in life where I can afford to drop $69.99 for WrestleMania and more then likely Summerslam.

 

I have no use for the network because it's a Mickey Mouse operation.

Still throwing away $60.

 

And at the risk of going entirely off topic, what about the Network is Mickey Mouse that WM isn't?

[conker8]

After listening to the seven GWW, I'm hyped for WrestleMania !!

[Wade Garrett]

What the hell is your problem? It's none of your damn business how I spend my cash. Worry about your own finances or lack of.

 

As for your question. It's WrestleMania and from what I've read and been told in conversation the Network is half assed.

[Parties]

Currently watching the Hall of Fame. I'm up to the Bushwhackers and so far it's been absolutely fantastic. It's weird to say that a HOF ceremony might be the best WWE show since last year's Mania, but this is my favorite thing they've done since Bryan's title win.

 

For the show proper I'm going to a friend's house here in Brooklyn. He's a casual fan who bought the network just for this show. Dude really likes cooking and whiskey. Something like a dozen people are coming, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who follows WWE week-to-week. We all work in book publishing/journalism, so finding explanatory analogies to explain these angles to people who never watch wrestling has so far been... interesting?