cabbageboy

The Monday Night War had been ongoing since Labor Day in 1995...the NWO just put WCW over the top for a while. Anyway, Sting as a heel would have had no real shot at being over. What reason would he have for turning? The initial NWO guys all had that previous WWF connection so as to come off like invaders or moles. Sting just didn't fit that at all and he can't play heel worth a crap anyway.

Spring Stampede 99 is the exception that proves the rule with WCW in 1999. It's the one shockingly great show they did that entire year. In fact almost immediately after that PPV the wheels totally came off and it was nothing but Flair in the asylum, then the Hummer angle, etc.

In regards to the mixed tag, I wish we could get a mix of both here. I haven't cared at all for Mickie James' latest title run, so put the belt back on Beth. That said, I think it's lame for Kingston to lose the IC title in a goofy stipulation mixed tag when he's been getting over thus far on Raw. Especially when it comes to either losing to a chick or a comedy act. More than most HIAC matches this one really seems to be set up for some horrific spot. Given Edge's psycho behavior, the mentions of Foley's past antics and Edge beating him up, the whole "descent into hell" aspect of it....all of it has to lead to Edge taking a vicious bump. Like HBK in the first one, not the UT/Mankind type deal.

Yeah this was hilarious. From the hysterical opening faux trailers to the nods to Nam movies for those who have seen them (Platoon, Apocalypse Now, etc.). Jack Black was actually better in this than I thought he was going to be from the trailer, since he had the least amount of screen time in the preview. But of course this was all about Downey, Jr. being the man. I sorta wish he had dressed in drag for a scene while also in the blackface act, just to piss everyone off.

SS 99 wasn't too bad of a show, it's more just a forgettable one. I don't really get why they blew off Austin/UT/Vince the previous month at Fully Loaded rather than do that at SS. HHH in mid 1999 had zero heat to main event something like SummerSlam. The Lawler/Bret match was the first time I had seen the reversal of decision booking. It sucks. It's a stupid, bad finish. It didn't make me hate Lawler at the time, it just made me roll my eyes and dismiss everything I had just seen.

The only way that can happen is for Kofi/Mickie to simply retain and thus spare us the bizarre notion of Santino as women's champ or another chick with the IC belt in the Chyna vein. Actually I could find some amusement in Santino as women's champ, but not so much Phoenix with the IC. Edge vs. Undertaker (Hell in a Cell Match): The way this has been set up has to lead to Edge taking some sick bump like Michaels or Foley. For a variety of reasons UT obviously is going over here. WWE Champion Triple H vs. The Great Khali: Crappy title match #1! Ah hell, I am going to shock everyone and say Khali gets the belt and is a transition champ to UT. Call that a bold prediction. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk vs. JBL: The entire storyline here is that Punk has no credibility according to JBL. Thus the only way it can go and be satisfying is for Punk to go over clean. ECW Champion Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy: This is actually pretty tough to call, but since I can't see Matt getting the belt this soon I'll say Henry retains. John Cena vs. Batista: Toughest match to book on the show. Far too soon for it as well, since Cena and Batista both need the win. I think this will end in some sort of lame no decision in order to kick off a proper build to another PPV. Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Jeff Hardy: Hey, it's MVP doing what he does best, namely jobbing to the Hardys. Why MVP keeps running in on Jeff's US title matches with Shelton I have no idea, since he could be going for a belt here if he had simply let Jeff win the match. Kofi Kingston & Women’s Champion Mickie James vs. Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix in a winner take all match: Well, there almost has to be a title change here. I don't really want it that bad since Kofi is at least fun in the IC role. They could just have the champs retain, or they could have Santino as IC, Beth as women's champ. But why do I feel they'll do the Russo inspired foolishness of Santino as women, Beth as IC?

I don't quite get the revisionist love for SS 93. At the time I recall renting that tape and being thoroughly underwhelmed. The booking of the main event is so egregious and dumb that there's no way I can possibly like that show, not to mention the idiotic "reversal of decision" booking in Bret/Lawler (I hated that booking then and I hate it whenever anyone drags it out of mothballs, like in TNA this week). Honestly that PPV is the closest the WWF ever came to booking an NWA/WCW type PPV with nothing but unsatisfying results.

Why should anyone be released? It was a simple missed cue, these things happen. Watching that match live I thought Morrison was injured and thus the finish looked strange.

1. Favorite SummerSlam overall. Like anyone needed to ask. SS 1992. My favorite PPV ever. The 1991 show is also a favorite of mine, just a feel good card from top to bottom. 2. Favorite world title match. Bret vs. Owen from 1994. I was going to say Austin vs. Angle from 2001 but it had no finish. 3. Favorite midcard title match. Are we considering Bret/Bulldog a midcard match? If so, then that's it easy. If not, then I'll go with Bret/Perfect from 1991. 4. Favorite tag title match. Though I haven't seen this in a long time, it's gotta be TLC from 2000. What else from any SS show can top that? 5. Favorite non title match. This is actually pretty hard since most good SS stuff involved a belt. I was going to say the Boiler Room Brawl but it's simply too long. So I'll reluctantly go with HBK/HHH from 2002. 6. Favorite segment. Mountie goes to jail from 1991. Just awesome, hilarious stuff. 7. Thing I hated worse than Goldberg in 2003. I could take the easy way and say Luger not winning in 1993, but that puzzled me more than anything. I'll go with the main event of 2002, since I hated Lesnar's push, thought it was a terrible idea, and that he hadn't earned jack shit. Lesnar/Rock isn't a bad match or anything, but I just hated it. BONUS ROUND: 8. Least favorite SS show. I have yet to see 1995 and 2003, so those might be it but I can't 100% say. Of the ones I have seen I'll go with 1996. That is a card with a sorta okay main event, the Boiler Room Brawl (an acquired taste), and a whole bunch of crap. It was also the least interested that I have ever been in the WWF. 9. Least favorite SS match. UT vs. UT from 1994. That's a decent PPV overall but that main event was just silly and bad. 10. Most underrated SS. I'll go with 2001. I get shocked looks from people when I insist that the Invasion angle produced some hell on wheels action, but this show rocks. 1993 just has too much awful booking on it to be underrated. 11. Most underrated match. Razor vs. Diesel IC title match from 1994. Never hear it mentioned but these guys of course work well together, Shawn acts like a fool, Walter Payton gets involved. Fun match.

Well, considering Russia is back in the news for kicking the crap out of Georgia it might be time to push Kozlov. Edge is carrying SD more than anyone has ever carried a wrestling show. Seriously. The only other thing on the show that is even semi competent is Jeff/MVP, and that feud is a bit mundane with the feeling of deja vu.

Thing is, Ortiz at least showed some signs of getting over despite how green he is. Braden Walker wasn't over in the least and had two crap matches.

Why? If anything I thought Connelly had the brightest future of the 4 in that movie. I'll go ahead and use spoiler tags:

Yeah the way it played out on TV I didn't mind Angle being there as much as when I read the spoilers. I wish TNA would just chill a bit and have a guy off TV for a week or two, but maybe with the way they do TV tapings they have to have guys there. What I meant with Daivari is that it might be okay to bring him in for stuff like the World X Cup and have him put people over, but giving him a big push to the X Division title won't work. All it does is job out a bunch of TNA's roster to a guy who fans saw in WWE as a jobber.

I don't even remember now where I heard that Big Show rumor. It was just some sort of net rumor that made the rounds back in 1999. I also recall another rumor saying Show had a clause in his contract that he had to be in the main event of WM in 2000 or else he got a big payout. Perhaps this was all just people speculating as to why he was getting the belt and main events when he clearly wasn't over enough to warrant it?

Yeah that was hilarious. Lawler kept tormenting Austin by basically yelling in his ear and looking over his shoulder at the restraining order....I didn't blame Austin for stunning him.

That Storm promo was hilarious because Hernandez did just cut a disturbing promo basically saying he was going to treat Beer Money like prison bitches. And I know some here probably enjoy Daivari's work, but him going over Black Machismo.....why? Let's be honest here. There are two kinds of people who recall Daivari's WWE work: 1. Those who remember him as Muhammed Hassan's lackey and hated him. 2. Those who remember his singles work where he was a jobber. Putting him over anyone of note on your roster is like throwing bad money after bad, especially with him doing the same Hassan type gimmick he was doing in 2005.

This has been years ago but here's what I recall about Big Show (and I might be wrong). He didn't technically have a clause saying he HAD to get a title run, but if he didn't get the title then he would get a 6 figure payout. I think that's why they put the belt on him in late 1999 despite him not really being near the title before that point, and also not really being over enough for it.

I have to admit on that recent show I almost fell on the floor laughing at that crappy tag match with the Tokyo Bullets. It was blatantly two white guys under masks, even more obvious than guys like Paul Diamond in the Orient Express or Jamie Noble in the Yung Dragons.

Normally I would be a bit disturbed by this recent Astros surge, but let's face it they are way behind the Cubs in the Central and also the Brewers as well. In fact they are still a few games behind the Cardinals. About all they could do is finish 3rd if the Cardinals really hit the skids.

I saw both Dark Knight and Iron Man twice at the theater and I'll say this: The Dark Knight is probably a better movie, but Iron Man is certainly more enjoyable and is likely going to end up something I could just put on and watch when it comes out on DVD.

Dr. Death wasn't sabotaged at all, if anything he was put in the best position (in theory) for him to succeed. The Brawl For All was meant as a vehicle to get him over but he got beat down by Bart Gunn in the tourney. I don't know how much it would have worked anyway. At most if Doc had won all he would do is job out to Austin in a minor feud, then probably been the guy on the wrong end vs. Butterbean at WM.

Yeah but I would think there is a certain amount of RVD blaming the fans (or at least the ECW smart marks) for booing him due to the WCW rumors.

That Braden Walker DVD "set" is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. That said, I do feel kinda sorry for him after reading those notes. He was one of the TNA guys I saw years ago that I thought would be a great fit in WWE and did in fact work WWE style. The guy just seemingly lost it somewhere in developmental.

Yay, more Angle/Styles goodness. I don't really know what to think of this feud at this point....what is it all about? Is it about two guys feuding over Karen Angle? Is it Styles being jealous of Angle's Olympic success and wanting his medals?

I don't recall Punk or Batista being seriously injured in storyline terms at the Bash. It went to a no decision, and then the match the next night on Raw went to a no decision. So there is still some money to be drawn on a decisive blowoff if they want to do so at some point. Angle was stretchered out of the arena at the PPV, seemingly paralyzed or with a broken neck. Shouldn't he sell that sort of injury for more than a day or two?