EVIL~! alkeiper

Wow. Really, all the mentions of Benoit in this thread. Have been jokes. All of them.

Yeah. It didn't seem particularly relevant to the live experience though. Honestly, the only real exposure I got as an 11 year old fan was two months later when the Apter mags covered it.

This Saturday I'm attending a WWE house show in Wilkes-Barre, PA. In the week prior, I thought it would be fun to look back at various live shows I have attended. Kicking off is my first live wrestling experience. In the early days of Monday Night Raw, WWE would run shows in much smaller venues. The Fernwood Event Center was a small convention hall in Bushkill, PA that held maybe 3,000. The town more or less consists of a single resort. Parking at the place was sparse, with cars lining Route 209 perhaps for half a mile. My friend, my father and I got standing tickets for the show, I being unable to convince my dad that the show just might sell out beforehand. Still, we were in. The show was a combined live show and taping. The matches started with a series of squash matches, some of which aired the next week on Raw. What I remember most is that it seemed to take ten minutes between each squash, more frustrating when the matches themselves lasted two minutes apiece. Razor Ramon defeated Pat Tanaka, the Headshrinkers won a squash, Diesel won a squash, and Ramon came out again and beat the Brooklyn Brawler. (As an aside, one of the jobbers against the Headshrinkers was a young Mike Bucci, who later rose to fame as Nova and Simon Dean.) Finally we got some competitive matches. IRS defeated Marty Jannetty clean and Doink defeated Bastian Booger. Those matches later aired on the Survivor Series Showdown. Bret Hart beat Jerry Lawler in a dark match. That may have been scheduled to air, but Lawler was charged with statutory rape soon after and was taken off television. Then we got the live Raw, which consisted of Ludwig Borga vs. Scott Steiner and a few more squash matches. The live show saw Randy Savage attack Crush in the dressing area, but without monitors all the live crowd saw was Bob Backlund vs. Barry Horowitz. Being late, we left during Luger vs. Pierre. An Undertaker/Yokozuna dark match followed. The show itself is almost entirely unmemorable, as Raw was not much more than a live episode of Superstars at that time. Fernwood was a poor venue, it was cramped and allowed little space for movement to concessions and merchandise, and some fans found themselves sitting directly in walkways. Adding the poor location, and it's a wonder WWE bothered. I would have liked to see them run the Scranton CYC for a Raw once or twice. Or even the Ag Hall in Allentown. Those would have accomplished the same goal of an intimate venue, with a nod towards history. Coming tomorrow: March '99 in the Meadowlands

I think this is silly. 1. The park factor for Coors Field fell after 2001. Helton maintained his production for five years (2000-2004), not two. 2. Dozens upon dozens of players had two great seasons, it doesn't mean they took steroids. Roger Maris? 3. If you look at Helton's OPS+ column, he absolutely follows a normal aging curve to a tee. Peak from ages 26-30, decline afterwards. The most prevalent steroid users of our generation lasted into their early 40s. When it comes to performance, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. 4. In Helton's best season, his OPS+ edges into the top 50 by a first baseman in the last half century. That's hardly a historic marker. Helton put up tremendous numbers because he was a very good ballplayer enjoying one of the most favorable offensive climates ever produced. That should not automatically arouse steroid suspicion.

Hawpe is getting pretty bad defensively, and that's the wrong ballpark to punt outfield defense.

Steamboat, fuck yeah~! And that music rocks as well.

What's the name of the poster causing the thread fuckup?

Todd Helton had an absolutely normal career path. Peak from 26-30, tailed off since then. I don't see what's so special about Garrett Atkins. If I were the Rockies, I'd move Brad Hawpe to first base.

So apparently you can't get into the wrestling draft if you have a job. Both times it was announced around noon on a weekday, and closed by the evening. Come on!

Given Manu's past, he may not have endeared himself to the WWE brass. He doesn't seem to bring much to the table other than being Afa's son.

I'd bat Castillo eighth to try and leech a few more walks that come from batting in front of the pitcher.

Prompted by Sideburnious, I went ahead and renewed the TSM fantasy league (the non-keeper version). After about a week or so, I'll see if there are any openings.

Norman Smiley should be higher. He was a respected international wrestler before he became a comedy act in WCW.

JD Drew was still available?! Son of a BITCH.

Most of those really don't stand out to me. Cecil Fielder was out of the majors after two seasons. Chad Curtis was a fourth outfielder, Brad Ausmus could never hit, Lima time was awful, Ruben Sierra had half a good year in him left, and that came five years later. I think what sets the Smith regime apart is that the organization had an absolutely pathetic record in the amateur draft. They brought virtually no good players in the entire time.

MLB GMs I hear mentioned are M. Donald Grant (Mets), Randy Smith (Tigers), Cam Bonifay (Pirates), and Bill Bavasi (Mariners). I'll go with a darkhorse. Connie Mack from the late 1930s on. Completely oblivious to the importance of a farm system.

I don't think adding up wins is important, it's the order of finish that really matters in this exercise. I won't even attempt it. KKKtookmybabyaway and I have a running over/under contest on team wins. I barely get over half of them correct.

And after all that it turned out to be Vinnie F'n Vegas.

Geez. I said I'd take Mero off but EHME won't be happy unless I edit the first post. A guy who does a Little Richard gimmick is probably going to be mistaken a few times in his life. After above comments here's a revised list. 1. The Rock 2. Bobo Brazil 3. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 4. Abdullah the Butcher 5. The Junkyard Dog 6. Ron Simmons 7. Booker T 8. Bad News Allen Coage 9. Aja Kong 10. "Mr USA" Tony Atlas 11. "Hacksaw" Butch Reed 12. Bearcat Wright 13. "The Truth" Ron Killings 14. Kamala 15. Scorpio 16. Mark Henry 17. Shelton Benjamin 18. Koko B. Ware 19. Sailor Art Thomas 20. Thunderbolt Patterson

If he's got the talent, he'll either play himself into a regular job or get traded somewhere where he'll get used. I suspect Hideki Matsui and/or Johnny Damon misses some time with injury. Also, if the Yankees don't upgrade at center field I can see them punting defense with Swisher.

Do you know of any other 20 HR outfielders on the board?

1B Billy Butler

Scorpio did enough in Japan that I don't think his career is a complete disappointment. Ron Killings was the first black NWA World Champion. (Unless you recognize Bobo Brazil.)

And the official TSM league is coming back. It's created, but I haven't announced it yet.

Well there went the last second baseman worth a damn. OF Nick Swisher