Hoff

No. It's not something I'd want to see often, but once in a while, watching trained athletes struggle against nature is a kick.

The hell do you mean "gone?"

Hiding and nonexistent aren't the same thing. *suicide*

I don't know, where is your donut? It's not here.

Shut your cocksucking mouth.

That ruled!

SOR-GI! SOR-GI! SOR-GI! Dude, I'm getting moist at the thought of Larry Fitzgerald, my guy, against the Rams. And the Monday night game will be awesome. Football should rock this week.

Wait a god-damn second, you were wrong about your selection to choose Shawn as the WOTY for WWE... Is this really a matter where one can be right or wrong? Does it not come down to a personal preference in terms of style? I think the majority of us would agree that guys like Shawn, Eddie, Rey, Angle, and Benoit are all in the upper echelon, but beyond that, there's no clear "system" to determine who's #1. The only way to bring resolution to it is a formal poll, and until that happens, it's in essence impossible to be "wrong." Punk.

Sarcasm? Never. I'm fine with the guy thinking Eddie and Rey had better years, but posts like that, these "matter-of-fact" statements always make me laugh. Back when I first got into the internet, I'd debate them to death, but these days I figure it's not worth it.

Oh, well. Never mind, then.

I can't intelligently comment on the top wrestler in the world in 2005, but in WWE, Shawn Michaels has to be the clear choice. To be completely objective, he's been great since he came back, but it seems like he's really turned it up a notch in 2005. He's bumped harder, sold better, worked faster, and shown more ass than at maybe any time in his career. He's proven he can still work the mat in a series of classics with Angle, and his match with Benjamin has to be the free TV MOTY, with 15 minutes of solid, fast-paced action, and a ton of GREAT spots. He made Benjamin look better in the loss than most guys would have done while putting him over. His feud with Hogan was unforgettable, and a deserving SummerSlam ME where, again, Shawn delivered. He's been at the top of the card and insanely over all year, because he brings it and the people love it. This is why crowds turn on Cena after only a few months on top, but Shawn gets the love every night.

FM is stupid for starting this thread, and Downhome is stupid for replying in it. People are going to feel how they feel. Let it go. No one is any "cooler" or better somehow because they did/did not cry. Unless you have a degenerative muscle disease in whichever hand you use to operate your mouse, it's not hurting you any to scroll past it. For what it's worth, I was at the taping last night, and it had the atmosphere of a wake to it. A lot of people did cry, but it was really a celebration. It was an emotional night, and I don't think anyone should feel bad if they let it out like that.

The Krista promo makes me want to see K.I.D. in a high-profile match. It was a great segment, but it begs for resolution. Someone has to take offense -- an arrogant World Champion, perhaps? The Christian Wright and SHI stuff was very entertaining. Also, I'm not the biggest Love Shack guy in the world, but this week's had me rolling.

Benoit. Jericho is a bit flashier and definitely more marketable, but I don't think many people would be surprised to see him in TNA at this point. Benoit showing up would be one of those "holy shit" moments. Here's a guy who was being stifled in WCW who went to WWF and made a hell of a career, finally getting his opportunity. For that same guy to LEAVE WWE for a new company is pretty stunning.

There's not a Jermaine Wiggins, a Chad Lewis, SOMEONE available? Well shoot. I dunno, Parker's stock seems to be falling, Staley is like 100, Ricky is a shade unproven since his return, and Perry's not even the #1 back on his team. I guess take Crumpler while you can.

Schiavone.

No, that all makes sense, but you never know with some of the old-school guys in the league. I don't know much about Marvin Lewis and co., so I was curious.

K: You're starting the correct backs. Jordan has good games, then he has these 10-yard affairs where he earns his keep in dubious fashion by catching passes. Not consistent enough. Tiki will slaughter the Niners. *I* could slaughter the Niners. LPM: Reggie Brown looked pretty damn sharp last week. Just sayin'. pack: Ugh, you both have ugly RB situations, but Ricky is likely the best #2 back for either of you. There HAS to be an Erron Kinney or a Heath Miller floating around in free agency. If you're really boned, though, go for it -- Crumpler is a stud at TE/

I love CJ, but I've always wondered how his teammates and coaches feel about him. Anyone know about that? As for T.O., I genuinely believe that once the final sentence went down, he was (and is) sorry. That had to be cold water in the face. He's Terrell Owens, he's arguably the best receiver to play the game, and no one has EVER done that to him before. He may be a locker-room nightmare, but he's a dedicated athlete who loves football -- no one, from San Fran or Philly, has ever questioned that. For someone to take the game away from T.O. had to give him pause, and force him to reflect on his actions and realize maybe he went too far. Or I could be dreaming. He'll play next year, because there certainly aren't 31 other teams unwilling to take him. But at 32, and with his history, it'll probably be his last chance. After this season, maybe he'll realize that, and if he does he'll shut his mouth (relatively), and he'll be a force. Considering how it's all gone down...I'd roll the dice.

Preface: I've only been watching TNA for a month or so now, since the Spike TV move, and I've seen a few old matches...so my experience is somewhat limited. 1. Do you think AJ Styles is a good worker? a. Does he have good psychology? b. Good selling? c. Do you think he blows a lot of spots? a. Not overly. From what I've seen, his matches rely more on being visually impressive than having any story to them. Styles has a great repetoire of trademark moves, and everything he hits has an extra flair to it. In that respect, he reminds me of the Rock, and if you know me you know that's a big compliment. In fact, I'd say that they're very similar. Rock wasn't exactly the deepest storyteller, either, but he was good at what he did and he looked good doing it. And so does AJ. b. What I've seen is mostly Styles dominating, but when he has been on the defensive it's been pretty convincing. He makes you believe he's hurt and he makes you feel his pain. As an aside, I feel too many people look at this question and read it as "if he takes a single-arm DDT, does he hold his head, arm, or shoulder?" That's not selling...that's psychology. Selling in wrestling is the closest thing to truly acting, and AJ does it well. c. He's always looked sharp to me. I did see him blow the springboard elbow in tennis shoes, but he was in tennis shoes. His moonsault DDT and pele generally look good, and the Clash is hard to blow. As for the Spiral Tap, I don't care for that move anyway, but it is kind of messy. But the bulk of his offense is crisp, and as I said, done with a flair that makes him fun to watch. 2. Do you think AJ Styles is the ideal poster child for TNA, excluding his devotion to the company? Is there anyone better? If so, who? For what it's worth, when making an outline, it's not proper to have an a without a b. I think AJ Styles is the PERFECT poster child for this company. He is the opposite of what WWE wants their workers to be. The E has moved toward a slower, homogenized style, and AJ works fast and different. He's not unique within TNA, but in my estimation, he is the best at that style, and he is insanely over with the TNA fanbase. And as I can attest to, he's good at making new fans. He's got a good look, as well, and he seems smart enough, so if they need him for live aqppearances he's good to go. He's an ambassador for the company. Carrying the X-Title is the perfect cap to that. 3. Do you think AJ Styles is charismatic? a. In ring charisma, crowd involvement b. Out of ring charisma, promos. a. Unbelievably so. AJ gets the crowd up from the first time he lifts his hood to the moment his hand is raised. He's energetic, and he gets the fans up. As far as in-ring, all I can do is restate that his ring work is perfectly suited to thrilling a crowd, and he goes the extra mile to add a flourish to it, while still keeping it crisp. The top WWE guys -- Benoit, Angle, Michaels, et al. -- all have the same quality. b. I've heard two promos and I thought both were good. Apparently he's bad on the stick. I also JUST saw a commercial for TNA (good timing) where AJ described his style. He seemed eloquent and articulate. So I say yes. 4. What's the best AJ Styles match you've seen, not just limited to TNA? Again, I'm very limited here, but my favorite is the Ultimate X with he, Sabin, and Williams. Awesome spots and very dramatic, not necessarily a psychological masterpiece, but great selling and awesome drama. 5. Do you think that AJ Styles has the "tools" to be a top-drawing money maker? Absolutely. In TNA, that is. In WWE he'd never get to the top. In TNA, he IS the new alternative. He's everything this company needs to win fans from WWE. Anyone looking for a fast-paced, exciting match will see AJ as an embodiment of that. The TNA fans have accepted him as savior, and that gives him credibility. It seems like he'll always be over. That means they can push him anytime, and push him hard, and the fans will accept it. Good for AJ. Good for TNA.

For what it's worth, he had been upgraded to probable and all signs pointed to him playing this week. And, coincidentally or not, TO has kind of a good track record playing with injury.

Okay, but the guy has massive talent and a great on-field work ethic. Why bench him at a critical point in the season? I can see one game, to send a message, but the Eagles are fools to keep him off longer than that. Benchimg him won't make him go away -- you can't keep him away from the media. The Eagles would be wiser to get what they can from him and then trade him in the offseason.

If the reports are true, he read an apology off of a cue card and omitted part about McNabb. He'll likely have to make a "sincere" apology (or at least one appearing so) before he gets back in Reid's good graces.

Yeah, they need him, probably more than they'd like to admit. I can see this going two games, but after the inevitable lack of production, he'll apologize and they'll bring him back. Sad thing is, if they RAN THE BALL this would be a non-issue.