Dangerous A

Meltzer's thoughts on the show, many of which have been echoed througout this thread and will surely be taken to task by his detractors... It's nice to see that every now and then, when you forget how sleazy to the core the WWE is, last night they remove all doubt. Bluntly, the WWE, as a business, would be up shit creek right now if it wasn't for Europe, and to thumb their nose as the company's single hottest market simply because they live in a bubble in Connecticut where there is nothing but wrestling and the real world doesn't exist, just amazes me. The fact the company realized they couldn't air the Undertaker-Hassan angle in England shows they at least thought that much, but still, they put it on their web site anyway, needlessly, just to prove how insensitive they are. It was bad enough airing it in the U.S., because it only seems to show wrestling fans around the world either how callous the company is, or the company's judgement that its fans would only care if something of the sort happened in the U.S. The fact the angle got no heat in Sacramento on Monday when it was taped showed a misjudgment, but Smackdown last night was 90 minutes of a 120 minute show filled with misjudgments. Those happen all the time and that's part of creativity. You try things you think will work and sometimes you're not in tune with your audience and they don't. I can understand that when you have a dud heel character that you groomed to work with top people, and on a show with little heel depth, it leads to desperation. Sometimes desperation doesn't work. That was fine for Monday. But both WWE and UPN showed an incredible lack of class for airing the segment in wake of the events of earlier that day in London. The fact they put the crawl there in the first place indicated they both realized it and really didn't care. Do you realize that when WCW was losing $60 million, they never came close to being this sleazy. Dumber, sure. But never this sleazy. And this company is still making a nice profit, so there is no financial desperation here, just a complete lack of class. And what's the upside? Nobody is buying a PPV to see Muhammad Hassan no matter what the angle. If you can't draw money against Hulk Hogan in his first match in almost two years, you can't draw money. Yeah, you can be a mid-card cheap heat character. Personally, I think Daivari is great, and Hassan is a great talker and obviously needs work as a wrestler. But what they expected out of the angle, drawing money originally with Austin and Hogan, didn't work in one case and was dropped in the other case. But that's neither here nor there. Trying to exploit deaths for a wrestling angle drew incredible heat and was a financial flop in 1991. Ratings were so bad on an NBC special trying to exploit the Gulf War that NBC dropped WWE programming, a gigantic blow. They had to move Wrestlemania that year because of a lack of ticket sales. It wasn't because NBC had any qualms about taste, but simply the economic laws of the jungle. When you do a controversial angle, it is a success if you turn on more people than you turn off. In this case, you had something that turned on almost nobody, made many feel like taking a shower, and brought needless pain to many on a day that they really didn't need that out of their mindless entertainment. And even if that isn't the case, it only goes to confirm the negative general public perception of wrestling, and unfortunately, the unfair portrayal of its audience believing they like stuff like this, as the lowest common denominator. WWE should remember that next time a tennis match that does a 1.3 rating in prime time can charge more for advertising, or when the NHL comes back and sponsors who wouldn't touch WWE with a ten foot pole will sign up for a sport that has horrible ratings and is coming off not even playing for a year due to labor relations problems, and they cry how unfair life is and that the big decision makers just don't "get it." The problem is, they do "get it." The ones who don't really need to be looking in the mirror.

Footlong Turkey and Ham on wheat from Subway with Sour Cream and Onion Baked Lays and Raspberry Iced Tea.

I agree with that statement as I am definitely not a Max Kellerman fan. However, I thought Michael Holley was good during his ATH run.

I think Matt is gonna get a huge pop at ROH as well. The only way he screws up his ROH appearance is if he duplicates how Jeff performed a couple years ago.

Hell it's still entertaining, just wish they do a better quality of Skinemax orignal series back like they did in 00 with Bedtime Stories and Nightcap mmm Kim Dawson and Nikki Fritz. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Darthtiki, you speak the truth, although I'm a bigger Kim Yates and Tane McClure fan than of Kim Dawson. Nikki Fritz 0wns all of them though. I also enjoy Pleasure Zone and Black Tie Nights Erotica. As far as movies, you can't go wrong with HBO and/or Starz. I give HBO the slight edge for it's original programming like Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire (best show on TV BTW) along with the boxing and documentary series like Real Sports.

I'll re-iterate it again, I was there live. I WAS THE SPOILERS!! I had no advanced warning. All I got was a bad angle shoved down my throat. Trust me, the live audience wasn't really into it either and any heat you heard was canned because the arena wasn't rocking at all. As long as people have valid points to why they would be offended or disappointed, why should they shut up about it? If it's that bad, get a mod to close the thread. Just because some people here don't fall in line with everything being shown them, doesn't mean they don't have the right to an opinion unless a mod feels so. ( I do recognize this board is not a democracy, but the mods here do their best to have it) I've stated in other threads for me, it's more disappointment than flat out offensive. I know they don't have to go this route, but they choose to. I don't like it, but what can I do? Well, I come here to express my dissatisfaction with what I see. I am a consumer of their product and feel I have the right to express myself i.e. bitching and whining to some of you. I figure as long as I have a point, it should be ok to express it. I've never said that everyone here should get offended and mad at what was presented.

The possibility of Cornette coming to help book TNA probrably depends on the involvement of the Jarretts (or lack thereof). I don't see Cornette working well with Jeff and Jerry, or even wanting to work with them. Cornette will probrably play it smart to see if the Jarretts end up leaving before making a move.

You must mean off the court. On the court, Amare is better than Kemp ever was. Someone, get Amare some condoms, NOW!

AAARRGHH!!! Yeah, cause what we hate here at TSM is dissenting opinion. Better fall in line there buddy so we can take more shots at HHH.

Well, you could always figure that Rey forbids his son from watching wrestling, to save his son from seeing his father getting beaten up on a weekly basis. And especially now, he wants to keep his son from seeing "Uncle" Eddie acting like he is, and possibly telling the "secret". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Problem is they've shown Rey's son at live events like 2-3 times already. Also, Rey hasn't lost any of their matches, so why would he protect his son from seeing him getting beaten? Again, it's us filling in the gaps and that is a sign of bad planning and writing along with a lack of quality control.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. You make Amare the first $200 mil. NBA player if you have to, but you cannot let him leave. He's the next big thing, except his time is now. I think he's more worthy of "the next Shaq" tag than anyone I've seen.

Atlanta's only problem is the same as the Lakers. Too many 2's and 3's and no PG or inside play. If I were the Hawks, I'd look to get C or PG and retain some money. As for the Suns, their only worry is how much dough will go to keeping JJ and will it effect them locking up Amare after next year?

I'm assuming you are talking about my Rey/Eddy post on the bottom of page 4. If these were taped before the feud, then it should be made abundantly clear it was before the feud. I shouldn't have to guess or make up conclusions so it fits "their" interpretations. It's a quality control issue and there should be people on the writing team who are supposed to find these gaping plot holes. We are reaching Taker/Kane level plotholes here.

For me, the Hassan bit is more offensive. The Katie Vick thing was played more as a punchline to a real bad joke. This is being played for seriousness. (or at least as serious as wrestling is supposed to get)

To steer off topic a smidge, isn't this the same thing with the Eddy/Rey feud? I mean, they did the bit where "Uncle" Eddy visited Rey's son on the playground and the son was just kind of all happy. Has Rey's son not been watching SD or something? Last I checked, "Uncle" Eddy had unmasked your father and beaten him to a bloody pulp, along with punking him out whenever he gets the chance. Shouldn't Rey's son be a little upset at the mere appearance of "Uncle" Eddy? Just my 2 cents.

It helps Cleveland in that they now have a big backcourt and Hughes can guard either PG or SG (whoever happens to be the more potent opponent that night) while LeBron doesn't have to concentrate so much on D and dominate more offensively. Plus, Hughes is another guy who can get his own shot, which is a value in this league.

Man, without Cornette there, OVW is going to be TEH SUCK!!!

Actually, being a whiny little bitch here is exercising your freedom of expression. Just because you do something, doesn't mean you are exempt from criticism of your actions. What you are probrably opposed to is someone expressing criticism of something you like and are only for freedom of expression as long as the sentiments are agreeing with you. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. Even unpopular opinion comes under the freedom of expression umbrella.

I've read all the posts here, and I think everything can be point-counter pointed. Yes, perhaps some people (including myself) are taking things too seriously. And yes, some people just chalk it up to just being TV. However, the one sentence that really stood out to me out of all the posts was... No matter what side of the fence you are on, I am not sure you can dispute this statement. They have done 2 shows in Iraq to support the troops, yet have a character like Hassan out here doing what he does. We have real men and women from around the world fighting a war in Iraq and Afghanistan against a real threat. You can say they look at the masked men and just think, well, they are just masked men. But you've got blinders on if you don't think they are meant to symbolize terrorists. Plus, those masked men were on their knees in prayer mode with Hassan after the chokeout. Again, if they were meant to be just anonymous masked thugs, why are they on their knees praying? I had no choice but to watch it because I was there live and I had no warning. Then again, it goes back to the snake biting the person who aids them story, cause this is what WWE is. A bunch of people who live in a bubble who will go to whatever lengths to appease the "Springer" demographic of their audience. Which is fine, I still begrudgingly watch. I just laugh when threads and such start to pop up about how wrestling doesn't get the "respect" it supposedly deserves in the mainstream.

This bit from Allhiphop.com I guess shows the beef between 50 and Game isn't over.... The Game taunts 50 Cent at Hot 97's Summer Jam Ain’t no love in the heart of the city. At least when The Game comes to town. The West coaster lashed out against G-Unit members yesterday (June 5) during Hot 97’s Summer Jam concert — nearly overshadowing a surprise appearance by “the god MC” Jay-Z — in Game’s first New York performance since 50 Cent booted him from his camp over allegations of disloyalty and arguments regarding songwriting credits. “G-g-g-g-u-not!!!!” The Game sneered throughout his set, as he appeared at Giants Stadium, which is actually in New Jersey, decked out in a matching Mets fitted cap and baseball jersey. “I ain’t no solider and I don’t follow suit like Yayo and Lloyd Banks,” he continued to a mixed reaction of boos and cheers. Performing selections from his multi-platinum album The Documentary, including “How We Do” and “Dreams,” The Game made sure to rework lyrics on the tracks in order to avoid celebrating his one-time affiliation with the Gorilla Unit, 50’s collective featuring Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. “Enough of that n***a, now listen to Game,” he rapped over 50’s verse on the duo’s hit collaboration, “Hate It or Love It.” But the insults weren’t left solely to songs. A mascot resembling a rat appeared on stage wearing a G-Unit tank top, to which Game remarked: “My n***a 50 Cent,” before beating down the rodent and declaring: “I ran out the rat hole and got my cheese.” The Game also challenged Banks and Yayo as he told the sun-sweltered audience he would knock the Queens rappers out, only if, he asserted, Yayo would come out the house, making light of his court-mandated house arrest. Game took another stab at 50, asking the audience if they missed the “real” King of New York, Biggie Smalls. The rapper then punctuated his scathing set when he snidely commented on 50’s relocation to Connecticut and later tossed his G-Unit necklace into the crowd. “F**k this chain,” he yelled as he sent his pendant airborne. I forsee lots of dis tracks back and forth

You've got the lineup possibly right. The one part off (and I know you stated maybe on this) is Hassan STILL hasn't improved in the ring.

Of those 3, I think Vlad is the key. He is very versatile and brings firepower from the perimeter and can get his own shot when he has to. James is kind of iffy in that if he gets the money he wants, you worry if he'll stop working hard. Daniels sounds like he's shopping around pretty hard, so I think he'll be gone.

Now you just have to see if the Sonics are going to re-sign guys like Daniels, Radmanovic, and James. I think they might be able to get 2 of those guys back, but not all 3.

I forgot to preface that. Sorry. However, the one thing that really stood out to me is how far the Knicks are over the cap. What the hell is Isiah doing over there? The Mavs are in 38 mil over and they can't shake a stick to the Knicks. The Pacers, Lakers, and Magic aren't looking good cap wise as well.

Which can be both a gift and a curse if not used properly. The 'net has a lot of good ideas where to take things and such, but the 'net also has biases that aren't necessarily good for business. It's a matter of taking the good ideas and exploiting them, but at the same time appealing to the larger demographic, the marks. If things get too "inside", you risk alienating a larger segment of the viewing audience for a smaller one.