Dangerous A

The Eddy/Rey thing has logic holes the size of Gibralter (sp?) I don't think they can go the Eddy-as-Dominic's-father route because Rey CAN have kids and has a daughter. If Eddy's the father of Dom just because Rey's wife and Eddy cheated, then that doesn't work because how and why were they friends for so long until now? Try to stay within the framework of things and it doesn't work. It only works when you do the work for WWE Creative and fill the plotholes so it seems logical. So far, it's been very poorly conceived. Animal approved of what Nitro said, so it's not as bad. It's tasteless, for sure, but no way Nitro says that without approval from Animal and probrably Johnny Ace and Vince himself, seeing as 90% of dialogue is scripted and has to have approval by Vince before being allowed.

Actually, I could see him "retire" the Eminem/Slim Shady gimmick bit and try to reinvent himself as Marshall Mathers. Jay-Z "retired", but supposedly if and when he needs or wants the money, he may release an album as Shawn Carter.

From the Observer website in regards to last night's SD ratings... Nice to see all the controversy mean exactly squat in terms of ratings and numbers. And CyNick, sorry to say, but Hassan is not a draw, ratings wise or for live shows, probrably never will be either.

At work, it's business casual. Khaki's or slacks with a collared button down shirt. When away from the office, I usually wear cargo shorts or cargo pants (think Old Navy) and some T-shirts, usually ringer T's. Also will sport football and basketball jerseys, especially when going to a sports bar or sporting event. At the gym, I'll wear either a puro or lucha shirt since I'm disgusted with and don't own any WWE shirts.

Probrably because Encore fell flat on it's face. Seriously, I was real disappointed in that album. That, or his affiliation with people like 50 Cent and D-12, who are subpar at best.

I kind of see where you are coming from. I'll I don't think he lost any talent so much as his act got stale. I have all Em's albums except Encore cause I really wasn't feeling it. He can still freestyle and flow with the best of them, it's just now he really doesn't have much more to say. In other words, he's now played out.

What do you care? If you didn't like his music, why don't you not listen? If you didn't like what he had to say in interviews, why don't you just turn the station? So what if he's a jerk, so is 90% of the music industry.

Here is a Summer League Report from Chad Ford's ESPN Insider blog... Preps summer-schooling their elders David Stern and the NBPA shut the door on high school players making the jump straight to the NBA in the new collective bargaining agreement. And once again, this time in the summer league, the high school kids are showing Stern and Co. that the NBA may be making a big mistake. This year's high school crop, including Andrew Bynum, Martell Webster, Monta Ellis, Gerald Green and Andray Blatche, along with several recent HS-to-NBA stars, such as Sebastian Telfair and Travis Outlaw, are more than holding their own in this year's summer league. Let's start with the Lakers' Bynum, who is have a solid showing in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, Calif. Bynum has been solid, averaging 13.0 points and 6.6 rpg for the Lakers. Scouts have been raving about his soft hands, athleticism and court intelligence. While no one is predicting he's fighting his way into the starting lineup anytime soon, every scout Insider talked to conceded he's further along than they thought. "It's interesting they're bringing Kwame [brown] there," one scout told Insider. "Maybe they'll use him as an example of how not to make the jump to the NBA. This kid seems to have his act together both on and off the court. He's got the chance to be really good. On draft night, I thought they really reached. Now I'm not so sure. Maybe he should've gone higher." The Blazers have a trifecta of former prep stars making some noise at the Las Vegas Summer League. The Blazers have selected a high school player in the last three drafts, and all of them look promising. Telfair leads all scorers with a 20.8 ppg average. He also leads the league in assists at 6.6 apg. Right behind him is Outlaw, who has impressed scouts with his mid-range shooting and his athleticism. Outlaw is averaging 19.2 ppg and 6.8 rpg and has many scouts predicting he's due for a breakout year. Webster has also been very good, averaging 14.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg while shooting over 40 percent from three. No wonder Nate McMillan bolted Seattle for Portland. Put those kids on the floor with Zach Randolph, Joel Przybilla and the Blazers' cast of supporting characters and you could be looking at the most talented young team in the league. Other high school players are also faring well. Scouts have been impressed with Ellis' fearlessness. The 6-foot-4 combo guard could end up being an excellent backup to Baron Davis and Jason Richardson in the backcourt. Ellis is averaging 16.6 ppg for the Warriors. "He really plays with a lot of heart," one scout said. "He looks very comfortable out there, like he belongs. He's going to have to slow down a little bit and find ways to get his teammates involved but the talent is there. And more importantly, so is the drive." Blatche has also been impressive at times. His 9.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg have the Wizards convinced that Blatche could be a steal in the second round. "He's worked very hard and shown great versatility," another scout told Insider. "He's going to have to pick a position and work on it. The good news is that he's really got three options. He could be a three, four or a five depending on what he wants to do. He could be a young Lamar Odom." And then there's Green. His 9.0 points per game don't wow you. But dunks like this do.

4 G's is plenty for you to fly to NY, get a hotel for a night or two, rent a car, and attend Kobashi comes to ROH with money to spare. Do it.

I actually agree with this. I never read the book, but did see the movie as a kid and revisited it later on. Still don't see what the big fuss is. It's not a terrible movie or anything, but I'd hardly call it sacred. Then again, I didn't think E.T. was all that either and people think I've fallen off my rocker and call for my blood when I say that movie wasn't great. Just me though.

Excellent point, LOTC. Babyfaces aren't supposed to have anything to hide. Shows how much thought process went into this storyline before the execution phase.

Actually, you can thank Kobe's dad and agent for the Charlotte/Vlade deal. Kobe's dad and agent played hardball with all the teams in the draft that had interest in Kobe. The Nets were set to take him at 8th, and Kobe's people told them if they drafted him, he wouldn't play there, ditto for the other teams that were interested in him except the Lakers, which is where they wanted him to go, but couldn't move up to take him. Why do you think he went 13th? It wasn't because all those other teams didn't do their homework. It was Kobe's agent and such playing hardball and forcing the issue.

I'm watching the West Coast feed and the Eddie bit just ended. This Eddie/Rey "secret" storyline is fucking retarded and can only end badly. There is no way this helps either man.

RRR, you have excellent taste in TV and get it's little nuances. I know you'll probrably shoot my recommendation down, but for you I'd highly recommend copping Season 1 of The Wire on DVD. It's some of the best writing and acting I've ever seen on TV. All I can say about it is believe the hype. The storylines and character depth are richer than anything you have ever seen. Again, even if you rent it, I guarantee (and I don't guarantee much) you will enjoy The Wire.

And here is ESPN Insider Chad Ford on the upcoming potential sign and trade in the midst of Kwame for Butler and Atkins... Now that a number of teams have flexed their muscles in free agency and used up a lot of their cap room, expect the second wave of free-agency moves to begin this week -- the sign-and-trade. For free agents who want to change teams, but don't have suitors with cap room that they want to play for, the sign-and-trade is their best shot of getting a big deal and a change of address. The sign-and-trade is a complicated process. It first requires a free agent to find a team willing to offer him an acceptable contract. Once that part is out of the way, the team wanting to sign the free agent must begin negotiating a trade that conforms with league rules with the free agent's former team. All three parties (the two teams making the trade and the free agent) must agree before the trade is completed. It's often a lot harder than it looks. Over the past few years a number of free agents, such as Brad Miller and Jamal Crawford, have used it as a way to sign a big deal when their own clubs were unwilling to give them one. This year there are several top free agents in that situation. Right now Kwame Brown is the first to get a sign-and-trade worked out. Two sources close to the negotiations told Insider late Wednesday that the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards agreed in principle on a trade that would send Brown, via sign-and-trade, to the Lakers for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins. According to the same source, the Lakers agreed in principle with Brown on a two-year deal with a team option for a third year that could pay him a starting salary between $6 million and $7 million next season. The Los Angeles Times, in Thursday's editions, is also reporting that the deal is done. If the deal happens, it's a bold and decisive move by both teams in an attempt to reshape their rosters. The Wizards have been desperately trying to fill a hole at shooting guard since the free-agent defection of Larry Hughes to the Cleveland Cavaliers last week. While Butler's primary position is the three, the Wizards believe that he and Jarvis Hayes are interchangeable at both the two and three. Antawn Jamison likely will move to the four unless the Wizards land another of their free-agent targets, power forward Donyell Marshall. The Wizards' need for the trade only grew when another hotly pursued free agent, Cuttino Mobley, agreed to a five-year, $42 million deal with the Clippers. Brown gives the Lakers a former No. 1 overall pick with lots of talent but disappointing production over his first four years in the league. Brown can play both center and power forward and will likely see time at both positions, behind Chris Mihm and Lamar Odom, for the Lakers. While the appeal of playing in Los Angeles for Phil Jackson might seem obvious, it will be interesting to see how Brown fares alongside Kobe Bryant. Brown often chafed under Michael Jordan's intense scrutiny and Bryant has a similar rep for being harsh toward other players. Several other teams, including the Grizzlies, Knicks, Raptors and Pacers, also pursued Brown this summer. After hearing that Brown had decided on Los Angeles, the Knicks moved quickly to address their own needs in the middle, agreeing to a five-year deal for roughly $29 million with Seattle center Jerome James, according to James' agent, Marc Fleisher. Brown is just one of the free agents on the market looking for a sign-and-trade. Here are five other guys who might use the same vehicle to get to the team of their dreams this summer. Eddy Curry, Chicago Bulls: Curry's heart ailment has reduced the chances that the Bulls are going to bring him back at his asking price. The fact that his contract is uninsurable is also a problem. One team in particular, Atlanta, appears to be more interested in Curry than the Bulls are. The Hawks have enough cash to sign Curry outright to a deal he would find acceptable. However, because Curry is a restricted free agent, it might be in their best interests to work out something with the Bulls. A Curry-for-Al Harrington swap has been rumored for weeks. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Portland Trail Blazers: Abdur-Rahim wants to play in New Jersey but the Nets have struggled to work out a sign-and-trade with the Blazers that makes sense. The Blazers are asking for a first-round pick in return for Abdur-Rahim. The Nets have balked at the asking price. Other teams, including the Kings and Spurs, also have talked with the Blazers about a sign-and-trade. The Kings are willing to part with Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas or Brian Skinner. The Spurs are willing to throw Rasho Nesterovic into any deal. If the Blazers won't agree to a trade, Abdur-Rahim might be forced to settle for the mid-level exception somewhere. Stromile Swift, Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies knew a year ago that Swift was going to defect. The issue right now is whether they still can get something in return. Swift is an unrestricted free agent, but he probably still needs the Grizzlies if he's going to get a contract for more than the mid-level exception. The teams most interested in Swift, such as the Knicks, Rockets and Nets, don't have the cap room to offer him more than the mid-level. The Grizzlies are hoping to swap Swift for a legitimate center to patrol the middle. Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics: With Danny Ainge looking for Walker to take a huge pay cut to remain in Boston, Walker's agent, Mark Bartelstein, has been burning up the phone lines trying to get a sign-and-trade deal for Walker. He's been talking to the Knicks, Rockets, Kings and Sonics. The problem will be getting Ainge to agree to a sign-and-trade. Walker might find the deal he wants in New York or Sacramento, but it doesn't mean that team has something it is willing to give up that the Celtics want in return. If the Celtics don't like what they're offered, Walker might have no choice but to take a big pay cut to return to Boston or sign for the mid-level exception elsewhere. Vladimir Radmanovic, Seattle SuperSonics: Radmanovic is in a difficult spot as well. He's a restricted free agent, meaning the Sonics can match any offer. The Sonics aren't willing to come close to his asking price and he'd prefer to move to a team that could give him a starting job. That means Radmanovic has to find a team under the cap willing to offer him more than the Sonics can stomach (the Hornets are a possibility), or he has to work out a sign-and-trade. The Sonics would be willing to make that move if they could get back a young, athletic center in return. The Hornets' Jamaal Magloire could be a possibility. So could Eddy Curry of the Bulls. Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

I'm not talking about just this with these jobbers, I'm talking about the body of his work. He seemed to be taking liberties with guys early on and didn't straighten it out until his 96-98 WWE run, where if he tried that crap, he'd have gotten canned earlier than he did. At first, I can buy that he's green, but after instance after instance, you have to wonder if he was taking advantage of guys bodies.

I'd think they'd want him at the 4 because the West is PF heavy and Brian Grant isn't going to cut it against the heavy comp.(Duncan, Garnett, Kenyon Martin, Brand, Randolph, Boozer, Nowitzki, etc)

That run in WCW in the early 90's reeks of unprofessionalism. I could see in the mid-late 80's where he was still a bit green and not knowing his own strength or how to control how hard his strikes were, but when they put the title on him in WCW, he should've known better. Now, I also do know that Vader genuinely felt bad when he hurt people, but there are just too many instances where it looks like he took liberties with people. At least in his late 90's-2000 All Japan and NOAH run, the guys who worked on top with Vader gave it back to him because in All Japan, there is an understanding that I'm going to work snug with you, but it's expected for you to give it right back to me, or else the match looks like a squash. With his work in the U.S., that wasn't the case.

Jerome James has that "I played hard cause it's a contract year" stigma going for him. He's as big a gamble as Kwame is for the Lakers.

Another factor is will guys in the Heavyweight division be willing to work with him because of his style? I don't see Jarrett looking forward to Ole', Ole' kicks, bootscrapes, and back chops.

Yeah, Damon Jones is basically a Steve Kerr type. He is a specialist. If asked to be anything more than a spot up shooter and guy who can bring the ball up the floor, he doesn't fare as well. He fits perfectly in a system where you have one or two guys who command double team coverage.

Why get stuck with Chucky Atkins when Damon Jones, a better shooter, is still available. BTW, word is Cleveland is interested and possibly looking to sign Damon Jones. I don't know about the Knicks giving James a 5 year deal. Are the Knicks playing the Kings 82 times next season? If so, a great aquisition. Since that's not the case, I think it's a suspect move. Also, anyone who has NBA TV, Summer league games start today on that channel.

At least The Wire got a writing nod, which is the show's top strength of many strengths. It's too bad The Wire is overlooked because Idris Elba as Stringer Bell 0wns HBO Drama.

I guess ESPN must be dropping the ball then because Reali is still hosting and Max is doing, well, who cares what he's doing? If Max was so much better than Reali, then why didn't they ask for him back or give him a new show?

Piven rules on Entourage, but the rest of the cast is kind of eh. Best show on TV (at least IMO) that is not gonna get any consideration is The Wire. Such great writing and acting, yet goes unnoticed by the Academy. For shame because it's so damn good. Sad that only Tim Cooke is the only guy here who's seen the damn show.