cabbageboy

And now it is....prediction time! Arizona at St. Louis: The Rams always seem to have a bit of trouble with the Cardinals, so I am not expecting a rout. Rams by 10 at most. Carolina at Chicago: Weather will be shitty, this will be a man's game, and I think the Bears pull of a sorta big upset. Detroit at Dallas: Cowboys will beat the piss out of Joey Harrington or whatever bum the Lions put out there. Jacksonville at Tennessee: Jag should win here fairly handily, but who knows with them. I'll say Jaguars by 7. Miami at Cleveland: Miami might be finished after coming so close and failing vs. NE. Cleveland by 3 in an ugly game. New Orleans at New England: Hey, the Pats finally found a jobber they can squash, so what will they do? Trail for 3 quarters and barely win by 4 as usual. Oakland at Washington: Skins need this one badly, Wash by 10. Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants: No McNabb and the Giants desperately need to rebound from the Vikings debacle, so they should win here but closer than people think. G-Men by 7. Pittsburgh at Baltimore: Not sure. If Roethisberger is back this should be cake...hell even with him out it could be. Steelers by 10. Tampa Bay at Atlanta: I know the Bucs give Vick a fit but the Falcons have to win this one after the Packers loss. Falcons by 3. Seattle at San Francisco: Seahawks are quietly doing very well and should continue to do so here...Seattle by 17. Buffalo at San Diego: Buffalo plays too ugly to be blown out and the D is pretty good. SD will win something like 24-10. Indianapolis at Cincinnati: This should be a great game and a chane for the Bengals to actually beat someone good. Will they? Of course not. Colts by 14, much like the Steelers in Cincy. N.Y. Jets at Denver: Broncos just keep drawing jobbers, and at home they'll keep squashing jobbers. Denver by 21. Kansas City at Houston: KC has to get this one, but closer than imagined. Chiefs by 10. Monday, Nov. 21 Minnesota at Green Bay: I think GB is somewhat back on track after the big win over Atlanta. Packers by 14.

Why Tampa? I know Vick struggles at times with them but I'd hardly say the Bucs are a juggernaut this year to be avoided like the plague. It's odd though, since Vick seems to have the Panthers' number. And by the way, what is all this talk about the Panthers? Yes, they squashed a horrid Jets team and punked Chris Simms out of late, but is any of that all that difficult to do? This team did just barely beat Detroit by 1, Arizona by 4, and Green Bay by 3. Hardly a dynasty in the making, or even a remotely surefire Super Bowl team. I think the Cowboys might be the best in the NFC right now. They've lost 3 games but all 3 were games they should have won.

Ether, WVU's biggest problem is that deep down a lot of people realize that they basically screwed U of L (the bogus onside kick that even the Big East officials admitted was a screwjob). In other words, to the Big East it was preordained that one of the good old boy teams was going to win the league. What's with U of L having to play in Morgantown whenever WVU has their best teams ever? Lost to them in 1993 36-34 in a great game, WVU went 11-1 that year. The Big East better hope that USF doesn't upset WVU though. Having a team not anywhere even NEAR being ranked go to the BCS would likely start the serious talk of stripping the league of its BCS bid. I mean isn't USF ranked about #48? I seriously hope they lose to Cincy or UConn soon so I don't have to worry about the WVU game. The sad thing is that I have the feeling U of L will end up being the highest ranked Big East team after the bowls are over. What'll we have to show for it? The fucking Gator Bowl...at best. Let USF and WVU enjoy it now, because next year they have to come to Louisville and will be mauled 65-14 with little fanfare.

Michigan St. is just not a team I constantly want to see in the Final 4. As I said, if it ain't IU coming out of the Big 10 to do something in the tourney, I don't care. It's not that Michigan St. isn't exciting at times...the UK game in the tourney was quite the thriller. But the wrong team won there, flat out...as the UNC game showed in the FF. With UK's size inside they could have possibly neutralized Sean May and made a game of it the 2nd time around. But MSU? Who thought they had a hope in hell? Crimson, look at it this way. I do hate Wisconsin worse at least, though I'll admit that they've taken steps to get away from the horrible 55-52 games they used to play. Their game vs. UNC was actually quite good. Do I want to see them far in a bracket though? Fuck no.

Eddie just looks more...Mexican? That might be the reason for the accent. With the sleazy mullet and all that Eddie looked like he stepped right out of the barrio, whereas Chavo with his short hair and more conservative look could be more "American" (even before the Kerwin crap). And yes, they obviously have to get rid of the Kerwin angle now.

There was some match upon his return in 2002, I think against RVD where he had Van Dam in a typical headlock spot and then out of nowhere started ranting in Spanish. It caught me off guard and was funny as hell.

I wish RVD was back so he could have been on the tribute Raw tonight, or on the show Friday. That feud was instrumental in Eddie's career at getting him back on the map in 2002. Sadly my tape of Judgment Day 2002 was damaged by a leak in the basement or I would have watched that match. I don't have the ladder match on tape, but remember it vividly. Around that time I went to a house show with an Eddie/RVD IC match, and of course Eddie cheated to win (put feet on the ropes). After the match RVD laid him out with a 5 Star but then Eddie got up and grabbed the IC title and hugged it like there was no tomorrow! Just a gold moment, I laughed my ass off. I did watch KOTR 2002 earlier to see Eddie's hilarious interview where he reeled off the names of his whole family. Little Timmy! Another great moment is the Eddie/Benoit interaction on Smackdown in late 2002, where Eddie goes through 50 emotions trying to convince Benoit he is loyal. "Hey man, you get in trouble with the principal?" And of course, who would have thought an Eddie/Tajiri makeshift teaming would lead to Eddie getting massively over? That SD match with Team Angle where Eddie first did the "Toss the belt to the opponent and play dead" spot is probably one of the most significant matches of the 2000-2005 period. Some stuff is obvious, like the Brock title win and WM XX. I think that time period was the last time I felt truly happy to be a wrestling fan.

I was referring more to Nitro/Mercury in that match than Melina. Perhaps I wasn't looking close at Orton, though I did note his half hearted looking up before the match. There's no excuse for such a goofy DQ finish with his dad running in on this night. Anyone want to defend that?

I agree that the one thing about the Owen tribute show that always felt inappropriate to me was the Austin finale. It was weird in that we all knew Austin didn't like Owen due to SS 97 and it didn't ring true to me. For the most part I really enjoyed this show tonight, it had some classy stuff like the Rey/Shawn match and the various tributes. I don't think overall I liked it as well as the Owen show though because in the end there were too many rookie douchebags who simply don't grasp the significance of the occasion. MNM looked like they were just going through their usual schtick, rather than for one night stepping out of character. They didn't seem like they cared that Eddie died (despite Eddie, you know, helping make their career). And of course what else needs to be said about that fuckhole Orton? I mean my God, it is an Eddie Memorial show and this dipshit can't go out and fucking lay down for a 3 count to the heavyweight champion? This show existed tonight in its own universe, it's not like anyone would have thought anything of it if Orton simply jobbed there. He too didn't seem like he gave a crap about Eddie, didn't wear the wristband or shirt, and generally played his same lame heel character on a night when that wasn't appropriate. I did like the final image of the show, even with Cena's silly belt. As I said I liked most of this show aside from the ending match. I'm looking forward to the Smackdown show on Friday, since Eddie was to me a Smackdown guy and I think that show will be even better than this one. I wonder, do we get a Dean Malenko tribute on that show?

Well, Alro...UK put up a mighty 71 tonight so the running and gunning is apparently not in the cards yet. It was just against some jobber though, as is the next game. We'll see what they can do next week against Iowa and then either TX/WVU. Compare that shitty NIT bracket to the swank Maui bracket with Gonzaga, Maryland, UConn, Kansas, etc.

I liked this show quite a bit tonight. Aside from the goofy first couple of matches this show hit a nice groove and never looked back. It was a very ECWish type show, with the violent Sabu match and then of course the intense brawl in the main. I wonder, how does Christian fit into the scene here? I don't see Joe fitting into the world title scene, he's looking to whoop AJ down for the X title soon.

This sounds really great from what I've read aside from one thing. Why in the hell not just job Orton out to Cena? I mean, it's a tribute show so it's not like him jobbing there MATTERS in the overall picture. Having his dad do a typical, lame run in on this night seems really out of place and stupid.

I'm glad someone else mentioned the fact that he had turned face again right before his death. I'd hate for the last memories of Eddie to be the embarrassing "Dominick I am your father" nonsense with Rey. In a creepy way it almost seems like Eddie made peace with everyone (real life and I guess storywise as well) and got to hear some real cheers again right before he died. I was just stunned this morning to read it, ditto my brother. My dad didn't really say all that much, but did kinda break down emotionally during dinner. My mom was the most upset, she cried big time right after hearing about it. God this sucks. It's the sort of thing that makes me think twice about watching wrestling, and if I was a wrestler I'd think twice about staying in the profession.

The Giants had today's lone baffling, horrid loss. I figured they would steamroll the Vikings given recent trends, or maybe at worst would win by 3-7 pts. if Brad Johnson brought his game. But that was a season killing level bad loss. Colts now at 9-0, not that that's shocking. Will they suffer the same fate as the 9-0 2003 Chiefs, who lost to Cincy?

Putting the title on Bradshaw is the single dumbest thing they could think of doing. You're gonna put the belt back on the guy who basically started Eddie's career decline, attacked his mother, etc.? Christ, putting it on Orton is a bleh idea but not as awful as this. They cannot send the crowd home miserable and depressed on a night like this.

This is the worst wrestling death by far. The Owen thing was more shocking and disturbing, but it really didn't have a long term impact on the shows since he was mainly fooling around as The Blue Blazer and wasn't in a notable role. The Bulldog death upset me personally but he was out of the spotlight for years. But this? Horrible. Terrible. Eddie was in my view THE reason to watch Smackdown for most of the 2002-2005 period. In fact that run from roughly when he came back to feud with RVD till now is one of the best in history. I second the thought that RVD should simply be sent back to Smackdown...forget the draft at this point, Smackdown needs some guys. Either that or just send Edge over full time. I'd just sign Benoit to whatever he'd like to get by for now, be it a 3 month extension or whatever. And yes they need to put the title on him in some sort of Eddie Memorial match. Look, you can't go with a heel like Orton or JBL at this point...it'd be too saddening for the crowd. Besides, with Orton if he won the title after one opponent was seriously injured and his other opponent DIED I think fans would hate him forever (and not in a heel sort of way).

I just watched the Eddie/Lesnar match from No Way Out 2004 and it has all the more power and relevance now. I'd forgotten the part where Brock gets fed up and started ranting at Eddie "Just die, Eddie!" Just eerie. I think I'll go watch the Eddie/Kurt match from WM last year, with the brilliant "take off the boot" finish.

I don't know, and frankly after reading about Eddie this morning I really don't care. Orton frankly should just refuse the title under these circumstances..if he wins it due to one opponent being hurt and another dying people will hate him forever. And not in a heel way.

Oh...my...God. This is just awful. I'm still hoping that this is some sort of bogus story, but if it is in fact true and I see the Eddie memorial thing on Raw Monday night (or maybe on the TNA show tonight) it's going to hit me like a ton of bricks. I can't necessarily say it shocks me given Eddie's past problems and all that, but man I thought he'd cleaned up his act. Let's just see what the cause of death ends up being. Smackdown is just finished at this point. For the past 2 years Eddie was really the only consistently enjoyable guy on the show.

I saw a bit of this in that G'Town exhibition. Rondo is often out of control and prone to turnovers, ditto Sparks. I keep hearing about Rondo being so awesome but I've yet to see the following from him: 1. A decent jumper. 2. Ability to control himself and not be out of control. Oh and Alro, UK might not have broken 70 a few times in Pitino's last year due to Derek Anderson's injury.

Stuff like that is why I quit betting on games after losing my ass a bit 2 years ago. Dama, I don't get the blind love of a conference. I mean when U of L used to be in C-USA I'd actively root against assholes like Memphis and Cincy. Nothing could make me sicker than to see some of those teams do well. Mind you, now it's a bit of a different situation. I'm almost forced to root for WVU to win out and go 10-1, mainly to protect the Big East's standing in the BCS. Let's face it, the world does not need nor will it ever need South Florida getting killed by 40 points in a BCS game. Also, if that doomsday scenario occurs not only will it kill what little cred the BE has in the BCS it would also send my boys to some shitty bowl like the Meineke Car Bowl. So in other words, go Mountaineers...until you arrive at Papa John's stadium next year where U of L will leave your rotten carcass dead on the side of the road.

If Stevie was fired I think he'd have no problems getting on with TNA and becoming Raven's slave again. If there's a chance a guy could get over elsewhere, they wouldn't fire him. I'm with you on Jordan, wootman. Fire that worthless piece of shit. As far as the Bashams go, they are at least well known down in OVW, so they can maybe hang around and train guys, put over guys down here, etc. Besides, Doug Basham's new gimmick is a riot..though I dunno how well it'd translate to WWE. It might seem bush league.

For some perverse reason I'd like to see a UK vs. OU game, just to see how vicious it would be and how bad the shooting would be. It might be an intense, entertaining game on some levels, but not an artistic masterpiece. That said, Tubby is allegedly going to let Rondo run and gun this year. Which means UK might actually break 70 points in all the games.

Is OK St. really the worst in the conf though? I mean they did give Texas a battle for 3 quarters and just won vs. Tech today. As far as Texas goes, they struggled with Ohio St. but not much otherwise. Just wondering but why would the Gator Bowl not get Va Tech? I can't really see them going to the BCS if they don't even make the conf. title game. I'd rather U of L not bother with FSU...it's already happened so it wouldn't be as big of a deal as playing Marcus Mexico.

Yeah I was about to say that the World title on Smackdown actually is the WCW title. At least I think it is. --After the Invasion was over and the Alliance thwarted Vince simply said The Rock's belt was no longer the WCW belt but instead the World Title. Same lineage, etc. Jericho later unified it with the WWF title in that 4 man tourney. --Brock defects to Smackdown and thus ununifies the belts. He simply remains WWE champ on Smackdown while Bischoff keeps the World Title and names HHH his champ. In other words Batista holds the WCW title, at least in my opinion. The whole setup just reeks of when WCW had both the WCW title and the Big Gold Belt and everyone was confused. Bear in mind they didn't even have a brand split, doubling the confusion.