cabbageboy

Well, we certainly did stink up the joint tonight. I'll give Illinois credit, they are easily the best team U of L has played this year. It was so frustrating watching it because Pitino stayed in that damn zone WAY too long (you'd think that WVU game would have taught him something). Hung around until about 10 mins left, down 1, and then finally Illinois figured out the zone and killed us, then by the time we finally got out of it, we were screwed. Also didn't help that Garcia was a complete disaster tonight, going for just 4 pts. in the biggest game of his life. I honestly don't know how he can go pro after such an embarrassing outing. UNC handled MSU tonight about like most figured they would. I really wish UK had been there, at least I might have cared about that game then. It was so strange, this week I wasn't all that enthused about U of L being in the FF and playing Illinois. It was kinda like our big epic climax was the WVU game and really I was emotionally kaput. Tonight's game was something I watched mostly out of duty really, I wasn't really nervous or excited. I wonder if the players felt the same way, as in it was awesome to GET there but once there it was....impossible. But hey, I'll take going 33-5 and finishing #3 in the nation. I'm not sure if I want Garcia to come back or not for his final year (he's stated he's going pro). On one hand he'll be insane next year wanted to atone for this crap tonight, but what if he keeps coming up small against top level teams?

The movie was really cool I thought, but in some ways I think it needed to be slightly less like the comics. In terms of the constant narration I mean, at some point you gotta just let the movie tell itself without the voice over. I actually dug the Dwight storyline in this movie, hell it was worth it for Del Toro's completely insane performance, haha. It was obvious that Tarantino directed the car scene, it was his style of bizarre closeups and such. Marv was certainly the coolest character, but I think the Junior storyline is really what hits home the hardest. Here's some stuff to ponder: When Hartigan goes to the farm at the end we see Kevin in a trance like state inside. Why is it that Kevin didn't DO anything once Hartigan started killing guards and cutting Junior's nuts off? Oh, and one more question. Did Dwight stay in Old Town with Gail or did he go back to Shelly?

I'll go along with the WM X talk. It came to mind recently after I saw the Keith Rant for it on insidepulse.com. I for one have never seen what is all that great about the show. The ladder match with Michaels and Razor is kinda dated over a decade, what with the insane TLC stuff and all. Bret and Owen is a good match but I tend to prefer the Bret/Bulldog SS 92 match to it (another rare time when Bret jobbed clean) since it was actually FOR something and had a mega huge crowd and heat off the charts. In fact I was bewildered when I saw how well loved the show was. It certainly didn't make a huge impression on me at the time beyond "Well Bret lost to his brother and beat Yoko for the title, but Yoko kinda cost himself the match." The undercard on the show is basically garbage, nothing being even remotely decent aside from maybe Macho/Crush and it was easily topped by whatever sick shit Cactus Jack was doing at the time. Hell, forget it being the best WM ever or anything, it's really rather like WM 13. Basically a show with 2 good matches and a bunch of crap (I'm counting the 6 man hardcore match from WM 13 as a good match).

Oh God, the JBL DQ win huh? That's really, really horrible if they do that sort of garbage at a WM. As I've said for a few months, SMDN needs a new champ much more than Raw does, yet oddly enough it's been build up almost the opposite. I mean Raw has made me think Batista is going to win it, and done a reasonable job of making me wanna see HHH get his ass beat (not that that is ever hard). Thing is, the Cena/JBL build has been kinda...off. In the WM preview they are hyping it around legitimizing JBL's title run rather than it being Cena's big payoff. It should be the exact opposite, a match built as it being the time when JBL can't run, can't get DQed, can't rely on his cronies....that he MUST go 1 on 1 with Cena and job.

Yeah I do agree that M. Night's cameos are sometimes distracting. Maybe not so much in Unbreakable where he's just the dude at the stadium, but in Signs it is kinda distracting. I mean here he is, an East Indian, in a role of "Ray Reddy," who I figure was written as another redneck in rural PA. (I had a similar problem with Sideways, with Sandra Oh having a black kid, and her mom is white. I suppose that is theoretically possible...but why put it in the movie?) Signs is to me his best movie besides this, mainly because it's the one film of his that doesn't become a crashing bore at some point. Sixth Sense is an exercise in tedium on a 2nd viewing, and really doesn't impress on the 1st if you guess it in the first 5 mins. It's funny but when Sixth Sense came out the paper gave it ** and said it wasn't terribly scary or engrossing....then when the movie made a few hundred million I started seeing ***1/2 reviews. Unbreakable was a better movie than Sixth Sense (at least there I didn't see that twist coming for some reason), but it too had a part that got incredibly boring to me (where Bruce tries to stop the burglars and the water messes him up). The Village as a whole was kinda dullsville but did have some nice sequences, such as Ivy going through the woods and you know she'll be attacked. The problem scriptwise is that by that point we already KNEW everything, so it kinda hurts what is a very well done scene. Wouldn't it have been much more effective if she didn't know shit about the nature of the monsters, then is attacked by Adrien Brody, and then the cat comes out of the bag once she returns and is like "Hey dad, what the fuck was the retard doing trying to kill me in a costume?"

I can't believe the stupidity of this Eddie/Rey booking. Let's see, these guys could have the MOTN at WM and here they both are jobbing to the BASHAMS in singles matches?? I don't care if they are fucking with one another to cost the other guy the match, you don't book that kinda crap. The Bashams are worthless and not even on the card at WM. That said, I'm begging for the Eddie uber heel turn. Think he'll promise Rey a nice clean contest and then cheat like a mofo and bust out new devious bits of sleaze?

Yeah that is silly. HHH's name isn't literally Triple H now, it's just an abbreviated form of Hunter Hearst Helmsley. I think most any wrestling fan knows his full name, know what I mean?

Every generation has to have its Tito Santana types, just solid journeymen who get to roughly the IC level but never really beyond that. I know it's a weird comparison since the two aren't much alike but I'm just tossing a name out there. Christian isn't really a guy I think is a main event type. As a singles wrestler the guy is simply like watching paint dry in a regular wrestling match. Too many chinlocks and resting (though he has cut back on it a bit), no real must see characteristics. I find him amusing at times in a scumbag heel sort of way, but not in a way that would make me pay to see him get his ass kicked.

Well Orton's pseudo face turn wouldn't have been that bad had it occurred before he won the title. HHH should have never letten it got as far as Orton winning the title, he should have DEMANDED that Orton give him his title shot from the start, and if Orton refused then of course you get the Horsemen on Sting type beatdown. Of course that also made Sting look like a sap 15 years ago. I personally just don't think WWE has any concept of how to draw money, particularly in these self serving HHH angles. It's not even that all of it is intentional, it's that HHH views himself as a modern Flair and thus he has to manipulate and get the best of everyone on the roster. The irony here is that the "Heels constantly winning" booking in the NWA (while critically acclaimed now) was a disaster for that company and led to Crockett selling out to Turner in the late 80s. For whatever reason in the buildup I am not feeling the Cena title win. It just doesn't seem properly built up, whereas the HHH job to Batista somehow does. The irony here is that SMDN BADLY needs a new champion, much moreso than Raw.

It's weird this year since U of L is in the Final 4 I hadn't thought a huge amount about WM. Now that I think on it, it seems like the undercard stuff is easily more interesting than the main events! Batista/HHH promises to be a snoozer and JBL/Cena will be a semi skilled brawl with huge interference. In the undercard you have Angle/Michaels, which will probably be the match of the night. Along with the most interesting storyline (to me) of Orton trying to end UT's STREAK and generally being a cocky little scumbag.

I have no pity for Darius Rucker. If the guy doesn't want to be joking referred to as Hootie, maybe he and the Blowfish should have thought of another name for the band.

Let's see, who did MSU lose to...Duke, Geo. Wash, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa. The only goofy one there is maybe IU, but IU was actually pretty solid in the Big 10 at 10-6. Rest of those teams made the tourney. I think the reason no one paid much mind to MSU this year is that, well, no one gives a shit about them. Seriously, when was the last time anyone really CARED about Michigan St.? When Magic was there? Even in the Izzo era I really could care less about them, it's just that they are a team that has no heat or pizzazz. I know they made 3 straight FFs from 1999-2001 but I seriously didn't care and most of these runs weren't especially impressive (hell their title in 2000 was the worst FF maybe ever...I never want something like MSU/Wisc. at that level again). In 2001 they didn't really do anything to deserve to be in the FF, just beat down a 16, an 8, a 12, and an 11 before Zona squashed them. That 2003 run was slightly curious but not all that amazing, maybe beat Maryland in a mild upset before Texas beat them with little fanfare. The Big 10 is kinda like this as a whole. They do well in the tourney but aside from IU does the average fan really give a shit about ANY of these teams? I mean yeah Illinois this year but they are 36-1...did anyone care about them the various times they'd make it as a 4 seed though? Did anyone really care about Ohio St. in the FF in 99? Wisconsin in 2000? Big 10 is just a bland, boring league but the teams are usually physical and tough and that goes a long way. I think the league's perception is hurt by it being ugly to watch, though not as much as the SEC (which just plain sucks).

It's odd that my bracket was trash after about 2 days yet in the end I did in fact have 3/4 of the FF (U of L, Illinois, UNC) and also had Mich St. in the Elite 8 (though jobbing to Oklahoma of all teams...I figured someone in the Big 12 would go somewhere this year). For all those so stoked about Illinois/UNC in the finals....it ain't happening. Illinois' big comeback masked the fact that Zona was owning their asses for 35m of that game, and in truth Illinois hasn't been really on their game in a quite a while. U of L can certainly win this thing. Besides when did anyone with 1 loss ever actually win it? Seems like those teams always crash down at some point Kansas 97, Duke 99, St. Joes and Stanford last year). As far as UNC/MSU goes, I'm frankly more impressed with Mich St. I thought once that OT began and they got down 4 they would fold, but no dice. Mind you, UK's execution in that 1st OT was hideous but MSU stayed in it. UNC looks like thorobreds, they have huge talent, but there is just something...missing from that team. Guts, heart, I dunno. I'm telling you, McCants will start dogging it and tank somewhere in the FF, whether it's against MSU or in the title game. Besides I'm still in shock that UNC would give up 82 to friggin WISCONSIN, a team that is lucky to stagger to 60 a night. UNC has tanked in so many FFs that I'll have to see them win to believe it. Personally I think for all their talent UNC will find some way to be 1 pt. behind someone when all is said and done.

Nah, U of L vs. UK is a much bigger deal than IU/Purdue. That one is a nice rivalry game but neither team has done shit in so long that it's lost its luster. My frosh year at U of L was 1997-98. The last year of the Ron Cooper plague era where we went 1-10 in football before hiring John L. Smith and kinda turning it around (at least to the point of jobbing to the MAC in bowls, haha) before Petrino got us going for real. Then after that I got to see U of L go 12-20 in hoops and have one awful embarrassing loss after another. We did beat UK that year, one of the few highlights. Then my senior year at U of L we went 12-20 or so AGAIN, this was Denny's last year. Ironically enough Ellis Myles was in a sociology class with me in his freshman year. I remember him being in lousy shape too, cramping up at Cincy big time (though I think we won that game) and the prof. asked him the next day if he was okay, haha. We've been really good the past couple of years as well, but it's just that right around Feb. 1 a bunch of guys would get hurt and we'd go in the tank. This year was all about paying back all the CUSA heels that had driven us nuts: Cincy, Marquette, St. Louis, and of course Memphis. Onward now to St. Louisville!

Dama, welcome aboard but I'm not sure if you're a jinx or not...weren't you on the Eagles bandwagon? Hopefully you have better luck in choosing basketball teams. Bob, being a Memphis fan you know there is something....really eerie going on with U of L this year. I'm talking miracle from God type stuff, like Darius Washington missing the FTs or the comeback today. When I was 12 my little league team was kinda like that, winning games with wild, miraculous plays. You have to be really good to go far, but you also have to be lucky as hell sometimes. Seriously, this is so great. My freshman year at U of L we went 12-20 in hoops (though we did beat UK that year and UK won it all). We also went 1-10 in football. And now? 33-4 and in the Final 4, and went 11-1 in football. But for now U of L can rest, lord knows guys like Dean need it. Otis too. Bravo, guys.

Yet again I was so wrapped up in the moment I posted under my bro's spidyfan ID on here, haha. Anyway I don't wanna worry about Illinois quite yet. In a strange way I was relieved they came back tonight mainly because 1. I've wanted U of L to play Illinois all year since I think it'll be great and 2. Arizona truthfully worried me more. There is no way that Zona/IL game was better than WVU/U of L, not in a million years. Let's face it: Zona choked like a bitch. When you are up 10-15 with 3 mins left and you find a way to lose, you CHOKED. I said it about Duke/UNC II, and it is true here as well. My God, just inbound the ball, get fouled, make some FTs, and you have it. WVU didn't really choke the game away today, U of L methodically came back and finally seized the day. I mean WVU had a RECORD day, they were incredible. Anyway, I bet I've aged 10 years today. When we were down 15-20 to WVU I was in utter despair, I swear I was having some total emotional breakdown where I was utterly in tears (I know, I'm lame). Hell, I was rambling about being in 1st grade back in 1986 when U of L won the title, and dancing around the livingroom with my mom when we beat Duke, I was that happy. Everyone around here assumed we'd beat down WVU, which of course scared me to death. Anyway, how we managed to win in OT is beyond me...we had a limping Dean, Garcia fouled out, Ellis bricking FTs, Palacios bricking em too....oddly enough it was little heroics that saved the day, stuff like LORENZO WADE calmly going to the line and nailing 2 (he's so much of an airhead the moment probably didn't scare him). My brother and I were both standing the whole OT. We basically ran mom out of the house because we would do WORSE when she was in the room, haha. Finally when it was over I hugged my bro big time, yelled out the door like a lunatic (my mom was in the car a nervous wreck), and then ran back to my dad and hugged him big time as well (he was watching it in bed). This is possibly the most markish post ever in Smark Marks history, but I don't care. I'm happy as hell right now and trying to figure if I wanna splurge for some FF tix in St. Louis.

Do not utter such things, Dama. THREE Big 10 teams in the FF, two of which are basically unwatchable? Fuck that. You know CBS execs are practically shitting themselves over the slight chance of a rematch of the 2000 FF with Mich St. and Wisc. That was the worst game maybe ever, especially for the FF. UK and UNC absolutely have to win tomorrow, or else this FF is already a farce. Obviously I want U of L to win today, and either IL/Zona is fine with me. And by the way, in regards to said U of L/UK rematch....this time U of L would beat their asses by at least 20. I assure you we haven't forgotten that travesty in Dec.

I can see that but Sherri had a sort of odd appeal to her....I remember when I was like 12 or 13 kinda having a thing for her, though ironically enough this coincided with the time period where I wished Michaels would eat shit and die. I used to just hate, hate, hate Shawn Michaels in about 1992, but maybe that's because he had one of the biggest dick heel years ever. To wit: --He turned on his long time tag partner and threw him through a barbershop window. --He was a cocky punk who challenged beloved fan fave Bret Hart and despite never winning kept pimping himself. --The aforementioned Martel feud over Sherri, although that one wasn't really that heelish. --And the topper, his Oct. 92 IC win over the British Bulldog who was coming off his big win against Bret at SS. That's the match that forever put Shawn on my shitlist, though if he keeps teaming with Jannetty I might start liking him a bit better. Anyway, Sherri. She looked good last night, hell I laughed my ass off and marked out for her duet with Kurt of Sexy Kurt. I'll make your ankle hurt!

Dama, I'll tell you this: Illinois would NOT bitchslap U of L. They might win against us but we'll give them hell. In fact I dare say U of L is a better team right now, Illinois having failed to impress me much during this tourney. I think the Chicago home advantage will get them past Zona by 5 or so, but they won't have as much of an advantage should they play U of L in St. Louis (where I'd say both team will have a huge amount of fans). I've been taking note of WVU since the BE tourney win over BC. They are a very good team. Thing is, U of L is just on a roll right now and we ain't stopping for shit.

I'm not gonna come here and talk shit about U of L owning Washington tonight....I think most here (Iggy aside) figured we'd punk them out. I was so non plussed about it tonight that I didn't even feel the need to go to a sports bar or to anyone's house. The only thing that worries me at all about Sat. is that Dean might have a sprained ankle...fuck. Can we never catch a break? This sounds like the last time U of L got this far and DeJuan Wheat hurt his ankle. That said, I don't see Carolina waiting to maul an undermanned U of L on Sat. I see TX Tech or WVU, a 6 and 7 seed respectively.

I actually used to LIKE Koko B. Ware though, unlike some of the guys who are being inducted this year. As Skip Bayless would say "It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of very good." Or hell in this case some of these guys weren't even very good! Volkoff, Orton, etc. What exactly are the criteria for making this HOF anyway? It's not exactly like "Get 3,000 hits, 300 wins, 500 homers, etc. and you're in."

Haha, that was great Raza. In all seriousness though Warrior is right on this one. The WWE HOF is a silly joke. There are way too many bums in this thing to be a legit HOF in my view. I mean Volkoff and Orton getting in the Hall of Fame?? Aside from maybe 1 tag title run with Iron Shiek I can't think of anything Nicolai Volkoff ever did. And Orton is mostly known today for wearing a cast on his arm for a year. I don't have a problem with say Tito Santana getting in, since he at least was an IC champ (when that meant something) and won the tag titles in Strike Force. Orndorff getting in is iffy since he never really had a real sustained run due to injury but his big money Hogan feud is likely what got him in. Kamala for the Hall baby!

I kinda have a hankering to see the He Man and She Ra movie again...I saw it when it came out in about 1987. Incidentally why was there never a real He Man starring cartoon film? There was the Dolph Lundgren crap, and the She Ra movie with He Man as guest star, but never an actual cartoon starring He Man.

I agree with what was said. Orton absolutely should not end the streak at WM but should get to kick out of the Tombstone once, kick out of the chokeslam, last ride, etc. Just have UT unload the whole arsenal on him, maybe have UT kick out of an RKO....just overbook it all to hell (in a good way). Then in the end Orton finally goes down to the legend, but the fans respect the hell out of his effort. After this Orton can perhaps move to SMDN and continue the feud, where he would then get a big win over UT at another PPV.

I don't think the SEC choked really, it just wasn't any good to begin with. But when you look at Bama jobbing to Milwaukee (who won the next round) it wasn't that shocking. Most on this forum know I thought Bama was a total fluke last year and that they wouldn't remotely repeat that performance. Florida was never really a 4 seed in my view, they were about a 6-7 type seed that was the recipient of a UK tank job in the SEC finals. Although I had them getting to UNC, it doesn't shock me that Nova schooled them. Miss St. did about all they really could, won an 8/9 game and jobbed out to Duke in decent fashion. The biggest flop however was LSU. They are the 1 SEC team that truly fucked up. In fact I think John Brady should be fired over that shit they did in the UAB game. Let's see, you have a team with a huge size advantage with Bass and Davis going against an ultra fast team that runs and guns. So what do you do? Go out and jack up 3s and run with UAB and get down 25, then try to rely on Bass to get you back in it. Amazing, absolutely amazing.