Hawk 34

More brainless commentary. Jack Evans, improved greatly from what he was in 2004 and most of 2005, "comedy spot monkey". He has an incredible talent at doing the unimaginable. He is an great heel but is on his way to being a effective baby-face. Watch his work with Roderick Strong in F.I.P to get a good example of that. BTW, Hardy has great charisma but he isn't a good worker. He isn't even a better bumper. Evans, has the charisma, the ability to work and can work a straight match while incorporating his style into it. I do perfer him in tag matches, because he is does an excellent Ricky Morton and when he's in full cocky mode as a heel, you cant find many people who can garner such heat with a simple pose.

They always have sales, though. That's my issue with the place. It's a constant sale. Just have those items regularly priced at that. They just advertise "SALE! SALE!" just so people really think they saved $3.50 on dress shirts.

In a roundabout way, it was revealed to be Bischoff. They never directly said it, but the fact Bischoff showed up to a show driving a black hummer, I always thought was WCW's way of tying up a loose end. It was also implied that Lex Luger was the driver as well...

I would say Hero, is the 50/50ist guy in the independents. Half the indy crowd loves the guy and the other half, abhors him. Hero, is a really good heel and a great promo. His work, was never that great and people buy into the fact that Hero likes to work 60+ minute matches as an example of his ability.

What did the Academy expect with Stewart? Crystal and Martin, praise people and make boring jokes while usually doing some cheesy dance number. Stewart, was supposedly hired to be funny. I guess they were expecting some bush jokes and when Stewart mocked their culture, they got all pissy. If you don't want that, don't invite the guy to host. The 36 Mafia line was better then anything Crystal or Martin, had done in years.

Yeah, let's put a mask over the guy who probably has the best facials in the business. Just watch his match with Lethal against Strong and Aries from Tag Wars 2006, he was fricking brilliant with his heel work. So damn subtle and yet effective. Danielson, is an excellent face but he is a master heel. When you got Chris Benoit and William Regal, praising you (and you are only 24)...you are doing a great fucking job. Who is over-rated in the indies? It's not Roderick Strong, because again his quality of work proves he is worthy of his praise. I mean, what are you people watching when you made insane comments like AD and Strong are over-rated and not justified of the hype.

Yeah, ROH will let TNA use it's top selling match so TNA can make money off of it. They might use some of the same talent (and that amount is dropping), but they aren't working together. ROH, has two best of Joe's volumes but either include his big matches (Punk triology, Kobashi, Danielson...)

CM Punk's character in ROH, was basically an extension of himself. He used his sXe beliefs as the emphasis for his feud with Raven. The whole storyline behind that epic feud was that, Punk, a young kid with unlimited potential was angry by the ways that Raven, the accomplished veteran went about (drug addict, womanizing, alchoholic). It offended Punk, who wanted to make a name for himself not just for his work but his ethics. Punk, used this as the catalyst for going against Raven. His catchphrase was "I'm Straight Edge. I am better then you", Punk played off the stereotype of sXer's. The feud lasted most of 2003, the matches were never anything special but it was very similar to Raven/Dreamer in ECW. It was about the story, not the matches. Punk, always got the last word on Raven. Beating him multiple times. It was Raven, in the role of Tommy Dreamer this time. It was mostly carried by Punk's excellent promo work (the best example would be the backstage promo from Wrestlerave '03-Which I have a transcript for at the bottom of the post) and the intense heat, Punk drew from the crowds with his "I'm better then you" comments. After, the Raven saga concluded, Raven got the pinfall win but Punk got the last word and Raven was gone. Punk, scaled down the sXe character and was just your typical cocky heel that was slowly getting a forced face turn from the fans. He went against Christopher Daniels's Prophecy teaming with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel as the Second City Saints (reference to all being from Chicago). CM Punk, took Christopher Daniels out of ROH with a Pepsi Plunge (top rope pedigree) through a table. Punk moved into a feud with Ricky Steamboat which lasted until mid-summer of '04 when Punk officially turned face by saving Steamboat from a beat down. The SCS moved into a feud with Generation Next (Aries/Shelley/Strong/Evans), Punk was a full blown babyface at this point. The Samoa Joe-CM Punk triology was cementing Punk's reputation as an excellent worker. Joe-Punk II, is still considered a legitimate ***** match and the 3rd installement was just as good, if not better due to the intensity of the match. Punk, had a brief alliance with Mick Foley. SCS never really got a definitive blow-off with Generation Next. Punk, moved into a program with the Embassy, led by Prince Nana with Jimmy Rave as the crown jewel. Punk, was now a super-babyface. The Embassy, did everything to eat at Punk. They took his girlfriend (at the time), Tracy Brooks, out of ROH. They attempted to rub his straight edge tattoo off his stomach. They tried to blind him with bug spray and they tried to crack his skull open again (Punk, in 2002 suffered a fractured skull). Punk beat Jimmy Rave in a Cage match in his hometown of Chicago, which might be the BEST example of pure "babyface vs super heel" match in years. Punk, then was announced to have signed with WWE. However, he was owned a title shot against Austin Aries for the ROH World Title. Many people pointed at the ironic similarity, of this event to Paul London's departure in 2003 (same event, same circumstances). Shockingly, CM Punk won the title and had a masterful heel turn, when 10 minutes before that, even the most rabid anti-punk fans where on his side. CM Punk ran with the story, that he was holding the ROH title hostage...but he defended it at every show and despite a fierce charge from the roh roster, it took 2 months for Punk to drop the title. Punk, basically played a corporate sell-out who kissed McMahon's ass. Punk, in a 55 minute 4 way dance, put Jamie Gibson over. He left ROH the next night after an emotional 2/3 falls match with his best friend (Cabana) in his hometown. Punk, arrived in OVW shortly after this. He was basically a no-name for about a month but quickly became a key player in the company. He plays yet again, a cocky arrogant heel. The sXe aspect isn't a part of him right now. He's been in a very long and very good feud with Brent Albright. CM Punk WrestleRave 2003 promo transcript (he was bloody and in the locker room after another confrontation with Raven) "Nothing stops me and before you cut me off (to Cabana). Raven the reason I hate you. The reason in my heart of hearts why I hate you is because I didn’t know any better when I was a little kid, when my dad came home smelling like beer. I thought it was a hard days work he was doing. I didn’t realize he was out at the bar. I didn’t realize work meant unemployment office. I didn’t think it was strange for somebody to come home from work and have to take an old style up into the shower while they showered. I didn’t think it was strange for somebody to pass out. I thought an old style, a pack a day was the norm. Raven, my father is exactly like YOU. And since day one in Ring of Honor, where fighting spirit is supposed to be revered, THINGS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY! I’d shake your hand like a normal man but the truth is I don’t respect you; I HATE YOU. I HATE YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU PISSED AWAY. EVERYTHING I SCRAPE, AND I CRAWL FOR, THAT I HAVEN’T EVEN EARNED YET THAT YOU GOT HANDED TO YOU AND YOU FLUSH DOWN A TOILET! FOR WHAT?? FOR PILLS? FOR BOOZE? FOR ALCOHOL, FOR WOMEN? I am born of your poisoned society. So on the 17th July 17th I WILL BECOME A MONSTER TO FIGHT MONSTERS OF THE WORLD. You’re your time in Ring of Honor WILL be done. And this is a PROMISE. THIS IS REAL. THIS IS STRAAAAIGHT EEEEDGE.”

Really, it’s all Vicki’s fault that she is in this position. She should have prepared for the fact that her husband, a recovering alcoholic and not so clean drug addict (and she knew about it) would have mangled their financial situation. A guy who had zero control of himself, she should have paid attention to the financial situation. However, she just assumed her husband would always have the wrestling thing going, to keep them afloat. If you are wondering why she’s allowing WWE to do this stuff, there’s your reason. If she wants any money, she’ll keep allowing WWE to do it. In reality, there’s nothing Vicki could do anyways.

Not really. The other 3 would have been out of nowhere.

He didn't throw an actual fit, but he was pretty pissed that he lost.

That was probably, the most enjoyable Academy Award show I've sat through. Great opening introduction, good monolouge, Stewart brought the comedy all night long...36 Mafia, Joaquin's hissy fit, Clooney's awesome one-liner at the start and most importantly, the right people won.

Watch any of the "expert" shows, Crash was being pushed for awhile. Brokeback's momentum slowed down enough for Crash to pass it.

Michelle Williams, was in Brokeback Mountain. That would have been equally odd.

The odds-on favorite, winning isn't a swerve really.

The academy actually did something right for a fucking change.

Jack, knows how to milk a pop and to improvise and not be in sync with the lines.

Hmm, Best Director and Best Original screenplays, have been consolation prizes over the years... This makes Crash/BM very interesting right now.

Hmm, Best Director and Best Original screenplays, have been consolation prizes over the years... This makes Crash/BM very interesting right now.

Hmm, Best Director and Best Original screenplays, have been consolation prizes over the years... This makes Crash/BM very interesting right now.

CRASH wins again!

If Clooney shockingly wins, Best Director...that'll be the Jack reference. Is Jack even presenting this year? It's like he shows up just to get praised. Not that I don't blame him.

He was in a hit movie in 2004, actually. I think Hoffman was talking to Joaquin with that intro. Good call, on the Hoffman=Flair comment.

He had to bring his A game for this one, with over 100 million viewers. He gets 1/100th that crowd for the D.S. I'm not surprised by how good Stewart has been tonight.

Hollywood loves its beautiful blonde starlets bawling. People don't want to listen to somebody who won for best makeup yak for 4 minutes, but they do with a popular actress.