I'm pissed.
I was so sure I would write some scathing review about tonights PPV.
That won't happen, because it delivered to an extent.
I'll post my original predictions before writing up my reaction to the show...
TBS/Kane Vs Carlito/Masters
Winner: Carlito and Masters (DQ)
Time: 5:30
Rating: *1/4
Actual result
Winner: Kane and TBS
Time: 6:00
Rating: *1/4
Thoughts
-A pretty short squash match. I was expecting them to extend this feud out another month for Backlash but they went ahead and had the champs squash the challengers with ease. I'm not sure if it was the best choice for opener but the crowd was feeling it and Carlito, is bound for a face turn sooner or later.
Money in the Bank
Winner: Flair
Time: 18:00
Rating:***3/4
Actual result
Winner: RVD
Time: 12:00
Rating:***1/4
Thoughts
-This was your basic spotfest ladder match. It hardly had anything memorable that'll be spotlighted for years to come, but the crowd was all for RVD and RVD showed up. Shelton avoid the botchy jitters for the big stage and probably was the highlight reel, once again with his springboard onto the ladder being the most memorable. I was expecting Flair to win, only because of the promo he cut last week. RVD, was the only other legitimate choice and probably, the right choice.
Batista's brief cameo interupting Orton's promo looked to set up Orton/Batista, where Orton will probably be the champion by the time Batista returns this summer.
Chris Benoit Vs JBL
Winner: JBL
Time: 13:50
Rating: ***3/4
Actual result
Winner: JBL
Time: 9:00
Rating:**1/2
Thoughts
-Incredibly rushed as this match needed another 5-8 minutes. I was expecting this to steal the show and it didn't. It was a passable Smackdown or lower-tier ppv match, but not WM. I was disapointed to see JBL resort to mocking Eddie for cheap heat. The good news is that JBL is carrying the title, he should have held all along.
Hard-Core Match: Edge Vs Mick Foley
Winner: Edge
Time: 13:00
Rating:**3/4
Actual result
Winner: Edge
Time: 15:00
Rating:***3/4
Thoughts
-I was expecting a paint by number effort by Foley and I was wrong to underestimate him again. I still think the build for this match was horrid but they delivered on this match. Foley using the wrap-around barb-wire was a nice touch as they incorporated the usual (tacks, stairs, barbie) but the match was still stiff but not contrived. Lita, looked really good and I enjoyed her efforts tonight as the barbed wire socko was gusty to take and the bleeding from the mouth was a good visual. Foley, did a excellent blade job as he looked like Two-Face Harvey with the crimson mask convering only the left side of his face. Expected finish but it was hardly an unimpressive sight. Foley, delivered his best WM performance and is something to be proud of. Now stay home, Foley and just blog.
The T's segment in the hall was gold, I really can't add anything else to that statement. Booker and Sharmell are a very consistant comedy duo and they deserve better then what came after this, we also need more Booker/Goldust reunions. It's also great to see Dibiase getting air time again.
Boogeyman Vs The T's
Winner: Boogeyman
Time: 3:45
Rating:*1/4
Actual result
Winner: Boogeyman
Time: 5:00
Rating: DUD
Thoughts
-Booker T deserved better, although I'm glad he gets a WM paycheck. This was expectedly bad and probably worse then bad. One of the worse Mania matches ever. Thankfully, Boogeyman is injured and likely isn't working matches for a bit of time.
Trish Stratus Vs Mickie James
Winner: Mickie James
Time: 8:20
Rating:**1/4
Actual result
Winner: Mickie James
Time: 9:00
Rating:***3/4
Thoughts
-No, seriously. This was an excellent match that completely went beyond my expecations. Easily, the best woman's match in WWE in years. The heat was incredible for a woman's match and Mickie completely shined in the spotlight. Maybe the high rating was because the woman's stuff is rarely ever that good, but this match was. Maybe it'll drop in a year from now but right now it was the most memorable match. The finish is being talked about alot and people are focusing too much on the botch. Mickie, covered up pretty well and played it off with the skill and intelligence of a seasoned veteran. The most talked about part of the match, was easily the "Camel Toe Clutch", that was something new for a woman's match and it really, really fit with Mickie's character. The pose, after that spot was tremendous as well as Mickie's expression
The McMahon family prayer, comical if only for Stephanie's attempts to stifle her laughter.
Undertaker Vs Mark Henry
Winner: Undertaker
Time: 10:25
Rating:*3/4
Actual result
Winner: Undertaker
Time: 9:00
Rating:*3/4
Thoughts
-Essentially, the match I was expecting. It wasn't a total stinker but it wasn't good either. Taker busting out the plancha, is always a good sight to see. Hopefully, Taker gets his first (and final) WM classic, next year.
Vince McMahon Vs HBK
Winner: HBK
Time: 20:30
Rating:***
Actual results
Winner: HBK
Time: 18:00
Rating: ***1/4
Thoughts
-Fairly good SE match, as Shawn completely dominated Vince. The SS run-in was great if only for Doane's bumping. Shane, was useful in his comical selling. The story they told, was excellent (although it was completely ignored by the commentators).
Rey Mysterio Vs Kurt Angle Vs Randy Orton
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Time: 17:30
Rating:***1/2
Actual result
Winner: Mysterio
Time: 9:00
Rating: ***
Thoughts
-Criminally short. This match had another 10 minutes in it and the rapid-fire finish didn't help. The crowd completely turned against Rey, and some are angry about that. Look, Rey had been booked as a joke and the constant Eddie exploitation was irritating. A backlash, had to be expected.
Torrie Vs Candice
Winner: Candice
Time: Too long
Rating:DUD
Actual results
Winner: Torrie
Time: 4:00
Rating: DUD
Thoughts
-Who gives a shit
Triple H Vs John Cena
Winner: Triple H
Time: 24:45
Rating:**1/4
Actual results
Winner: John Cena
Time: 21:00
Rating: **1/2
Thoughts
-I've covered the entrances enough in the WM thread. They were both embarassingly bad. At least, It was nice to see CM Punk appear at WM in his home-town. The crowd heat against Cena, was nuclear to say the least. Triple H, had a big grin inside him as the crowd was completely behind him. The match, probably wasn't really that bad and might look better on later viewing but you can't deny the crowd just really sucked you out of the match and forced you to focus on the surreal aspect of a crowd 100% behind Triple H.
This was a no-win situation as neither men aren't what they need on top right now.
Over-all, the show was very solid but not a classic WM but it gave a couple very good matches, a good comedy segment and nothing atrociously bad aside from what was already expected.
"You've got to accept that results take time. If you're not in it for the long
haul, you're going to be frustrated and give up.
"To open your heart to someone means exposing the scars of the past."
There's no sensation like having your heart warm up as you involuntarily start
singing a song.
The rest of the world falls away. It's just you, your best self, reveling in
how fucking great it is to be alive.
In this world with so many delights.In an era of loneliness, the musicians, the
players, they're there for each other. They might not be rich in dollars, but
in friendships, they're BILLIONAIRES!
Music is dope. Sell it that way. Get people hooked so they won't let go.
One hopes to make music that will last forever. Ironically, you can only do
this if you forget the future and do what feels right now.
If you're not testing the limits, life isn't worth living. Artistry is not
something that can be quantified. Nor is it something that can be learned.
Artists are born. And are developed outside the educational system.
Make music the hottest entertainment medium once again, not a national JOKE! It
was because of the SOUND! It soothed us, it opened doors in our mind, it
INSPIRED us. Then you hear a song and everything is right in the world.
Artistry. It's something innate, something that comes from within. It must be
NURTURED, not KILLED!
Test the limits, touch people's souls, then you're an artist. Music has been
around since the dawn of time, and will continue to exist, great records will be
made. It's just that today music is not where it's at.
Singing songs to stay alive. Nobody really leaves home anymore. Nobody takes a
risk. The concept of starting a new life on a whim, it doesn't even enter their
brain. But that's what the old rock stars did. In patched together automobiles
they made their way. Like a giant summer camp, musicians lived in different
houses and journeyed to their friends' cabins, to hang out, get high and sing.
There were no news crews. Not even any record companies at first. It was about
lifestyle, not fame. And with this genesis, with the sixties values as a
backdrop, the most enduring music of the rock era was created. Where's the music
scene today? Where's the community of like-minded musicians in it for the tunes
rather than the bucks? In an era where the buck is king. Everything's so sold
out/whored out that there's no belief involved. It's just endless product.
That is essentially meaningless. And without meaning, you've got no hooks,
nothing to stick to the audience. Connecting with other people.
That's the guts of MySpace too, People want to meet others, they want to flirt,
want to exchange information.
Where is the control in the music business? The music business is one way. We
concoct it, you buy it, FUCK YOU! It's like the entire business missed it, the
Internet revolution.
There's a community as strong as there was in Laurel Canyon, it's just virtual.
As for the acts exhibiting their wares on MySpace and other places on the Web,
they've been exposed to twenty five years of MTV, they're experts on
exploitation, but light on soul. The sale precedes the tune. Imaging is key.
Everybody's got a business plan, nobody is growing his talent.
'Completely let go of the past, depended on it,Be ready to reinvent yourself.
Live on absolutely nothing, knowing that all you've got is your experiences, and
that your physical assets don't really count'
Don't feel bad if you don't get today's music. It doesn't have what the old
tunes did. It doesn't have a sense of adventure, a sense of limit-testing, a
sense of JOY! Because it's coming from a different place. It's hard to create
a scene today. Because as soon as you've got a flame, the press fans it into a
conflagration, and then it burns out almost instantly. You'd think the record
companies would finally understand. Chasing the buck, they run acts up the
flagpole and overexpose them again and again and again. Nothing is allowed to
grow.
Acts are not allowed to percolate, growing their base a fan at a time.
And if you don't make the kind of music that's easily sold, if you're not
willing to play ball with the corporate behemoth, you don't get to play at all.
Unlike in the late sixties and the early seventies, the act is not king, but the
label. And the label likes this, feels entitled, for risk is anathema to these
corporate entities. And, as delineated above, risk is primary to great art.
We all want something to believe in, something to live for. I ask you, with
endless conventions, books about how to make it, institutionalized success
paths, who can get excited?
Not only not the talent, but the audience either. Isn't it funny that
everything kids get excited about is on the Web, built by their peers and
populated with content they've created? And isn't it fascinating that the
corporate behemoths have missed this every stop of the way, and can only get in
by buying sites that could die tomorrow? You'd think MTV would own music on the
Web, but with a corporate commercial viewpoint, the music video channel missed
it. It's clear that the old days, the old systems are done. The structures are
decaying, they're empty.
A new world is being built by young 'uns the same way young 'uns built the music
scene in the last century, stealing the whole business from old farts.
I can't tell you what's coming. But I can tell you what we've got now is dead.
Kaput."
Music Died. The thread in the music forum defined that in the lack of a movement other then niche cores and heartless corporate empires.
Now, that I have finally caught all the offerings of 2005 (although FIP is way behind) and I haven’t gotten through OVW yet. So It’s possible I could be making changes later this year.
*This is NA exclusive as I’m still behind on Puro*
2005
The Top Twenty
20. Austin Aries Vs CM Punk (ROH-Death before Dishonor III)
19. James Gibson Vs Austin Aries (ROH-The Final Showdown)
18. Alex Shelley Vs Claudio Castagnoli (ROH-This Means War)
17. AJ Styles Vs Christopher Daniels (TNA-Bound for Glory)
16. Bryan Danielson Vs Spanky (ROH-BOASJ)
15. CM Punk Vs Jimmy Rave (ROH-Nowhere to Run)
14. Kurt Angle Vs Shelton Benjamin (WWE-Raw)
13. Samoa Joe Vs AJ Styles (TNA-Sacrifice)
12. Samoa Joe Vs Necro Butcher (IWA-Something to Prove)
11 Shelton Benjamin Vs Shawn Michaels (WWE-Raw)
10. CM Punk Vs Roderick Strong (ROH-Escape from New York)
9. Bryan Danielson Vs CM Punk (FIP-Bring the Pain)
8. Rey Mysterio Vs Eddie Guerrero (WWE-Smackdown. 6.23)
7. Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal Vs Low Ki and Homicide (ROH-Nowhere to Run)
6. Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michaels (WWE-WM21)
5. Samoa Joe Vs AJ Styles Vs Christopher Daniels (TNA-Unbreakable)
4. Low Ki Vs KENTA (ROH-Final Battle 2005)
3. Bryan Danielson Vs Roderick Strong (ROH-Vendetta)
2. Samoa Joe Vs Kenta Kobashi (ROH-Joe Vs Kobashi)
1. Bryan Danielson Vs James Gibson (ROH-Glory by Honor IV)
Here’s the Worker Tally (repeat names only)
Bryan Danielson: 4 (#1, #3, #9 and #16)
James Gibson: 2 (#1 and #19)
CM Punk: 4 (#9, #10, #15 and #20)
Roderick Strong: 2 (#3 and # 10)
Low Ki: 2 (#4 and #7)
AJ Styles: 3 (#5, #13 and #17)
Christopher Daniels: 2 (#5 and #17)
Kurt Angle: 2 (#6 and #14)
Shawn Michaels: 2 (#6 and #11)
Samoa Joe: 5 (#2, #5, #7, #12 and #13)
*This indicates a really strong year for Joe, Punk and Dragon(which is impressive, as he missed 4 months of 2005 in NA) and that Shawn Michaels, despite being one of the oldest active members of the WWE roster is still putting on the top performences for the WWE. It is in my opinion though, that 2005 was the year of CM PUNK.
Establishing 4 top twenty matches, in addition to a handful of honorable mentions, he also captured the ROH World Title in a memorable fashion and had a excellent heel turn in the process. The storyline of Punk holding the ROH Title hostage in the summer, was easily a top five storyline in all of wrestling and don't forget his emotional farewell in Chicago against Colt Cabana in a 2/3 falls match. That show ranks #2 all-time best seller for ROH (behind Joe/Kobashi, and ahead of Joe-Punk II). CM Punk moved onto OVW, where he was an instant star and has had great matches and storyline with Brent Albright.
My Top 15 workers of 2005
1. Samoa Joe
2. Bryan Danielson
3. Kurt Angle
4. James Gibson
5. CM Punk
6. Eddie Guerrero
7. Christopher Daniels
8. AJ Styles
9. Shawn Michaels
10. Rey Mysterio
11. Shelton Benjamin
12. Low Ki
13. Roderick Strong
14. Austin Aries
15. Brian Kendrick
I would like to assume that people read my aptly titled, 'ramblings' because they have a interest in my content or because there's not much content to be found around these parts. Either way...
I noticed a theme regarding my comments, from the wise men of TSM and their sage words. You haven't yet begun". It's true, I guess. I am only 20 and supposedly that earns me at least 8-10 more years of sheer stupidity before I finally wake up and realize it.
I was thinking this morning, while I was working, about my friend. The friend, who unquestionably has seen her life take a dramatic change by one little action.
Made me wonder, there was a time that me and her were seemingly destined for something beyond friendship and it was apparently impossible to not see, according to everyone else.
Obviously, that world isn't going to happen now. (Child or no child).
Here is the thing that is crushing me at this moment, why don't I care? She was my best friend and her world is changing now and I can't find it in me, to feel anything. Not even, sympathy.
The thing that is on my mind constantly...Is missing that one girl. My best friend, the one who rescued me from drowning in my pool of misery last summer and gave me new blood.
I miss her...intensely. We never had that straight-forward 'break-up'. It's hard to say if we were ever your classic boyfriend/girlfriend but it was something magical in its own right. She's off hours away from here. I saw her a couple weeks ago and despite one incredible night...it just reminded us that we're not together.
I know I'm out most people's league. I'm fairly average, at best. I don't posess anything that is seemingly desirable for a girl, much less this incredible blond beauty who completely lives up to the cliche of "shines her light on you". My last two girlfriends (her and my most recent ex) were completely incredible and I probably set the bar freaking high now. Of course, one cheated on me. The other, had to leave me.
Maybe that is poetic justice, get the right girl but that girl will be gone before I am ready. I wonder if me and my best friend/lover didn't have this distance between us...would we be still special or does the distance enhance this perfect feeling that she gives me.
I wonder, if my ex did us a favor first...because I know I would have made her cry instead and I'd rather cry a river before I ever let a tear shed down her cheeks.
Another close friend of mine, told me "You are too busy solving our problems for you to even realize, the only question is you"
The scary thing is? The goddamn asshole is right. The only thing I cant answer is myself.
