Hawk 34

It's looking more and more like my preseason pick of Florida representing the SEC in the national title game will be reality.

It's really just about elevating more people to that status and that's what the purpose of the event has always been with Aries and Strong. Richards, as I said is already a main eventer. Sydal and Delirious, by all accounts tore the house down in the finals, which will go a long way in making them bigger threats. That's one of the key things about ROH, the wide range of main eventers on the roster.

The real reason they changed the system was because the previous points structure usually limited the title chase to two drivers and more times then not, the championship was locked up two or three races before the final race. With all the money the networks were paying, they needed to ensure the final stretch of races were going to be meaningful. The playoff format was a brilliant move by Nextel and NASCAR for a variety of reasons and I don't see them tweaking it significantly unless they add an additional 10 pts (for a maximum of 195 pts). That's the only way they can alter the format without completely going outrageous.

Davey is at the point where he is a credible main event name after his excellent series and interaction with KENTA, which put him over greatly. ROH has done a great job of putting Delirious as a legitimate threat and is very over. His matches with Danielson, were great and really cemented Delirious's ability as a wrestler instead of being a reliable comedy act. SOTF elevated Aries and Strong into main event status and I think Sydal needed it more then Delirious. Going with Richards seemed too obvious and I'm glad Gabe isn't going to be a slave to conventional booking since Delirious winning still works. As for Jimmy Rave, it seems with Daizee Haze walking out on Rave that Rave will go through another identity crisis after losing Nana and the last two identity crisis proved tremendous success for Rave and the promotion.

This was a pretty fast week that I didn’t really realize had passed but it was fairly enjoyable in spite of getting into the groove of a easy yet enjoyable job and general happiness in life. The big “deal” is TALL STACKS. If anyone isn’t familiar with this event, it’s a bi-annual ceremony of riverboats converging onto the riverbank for a ton of concerts (mostly country, folk and some indy rock acts), food and historic stuff along with big fucking boats. It’s a pretty big tourist attraction to say the least and usually I don’t care about it as I’ve only been once and that was a kid and didn’t care for it. However, my chick works the front desk for one of the higher up hotels in that area and they are under the gun, which was the fun part about visiting her at work for the first time. I love seeing girls all flustered by work, it’s cute. Oh, KKK? The game’s a wrap. Won. Things to ramble on… Baseball I was completely off about everything. Which I’m fine with because despite not having any classic games and only Tigers/Yankees game 2 being particularly memorable, I’ve enjoyed this post-season. Congrats to the A’s for getting that monkey off their proverbial backs and I’ve really gotten to like some of those guys. Minnesota was too business-minded and in turn that hurt them, while Oakland’s free-wheeling nature finally helped them. The NL West completely laid down and I don’t see either franchise making a 0-2 comeback. They might push it to 5 games but I said each team is done. It’s fantastic to see Yankees on the ropes against Detroit but I’m not foolish enough to assume that it’s over. Yankees can turn the switch on like *that*. Football Quickie Picks Buffalo @ Chicago -Chicago’s really fucking good but Buffalo has the ability to keep games ugly and close. I don’t think it’ll be a blow-out along the lines off the ass-kicking they gave Seattle (which was STATEMENT game) but it’ll be decisive enough. Buffalo 10 Chicago 20 Cleveland @ Carolina -Cleveland plays ugly but they don’t play good. They can play close but Carolina looks to be clicking with STEVE SMITH out there. Cleveland 16 Carolina 31 Detroit @ Minnesota -I’m starting to think Detroit might be getting somewhere and Minnesota isn’t going anywhere. I’ll call for the upset win because I think Detroit will cover anyways. Detroit 23 Minnesota 20 Miami @ New England -NE owned Cincinnati last week in their own statement game. Miami is a complete fraud. Will Miami cover? It’s a division game and Miami has been good against NE in the past, it’s certainly probable. Miami 9 New England 17 St. Louis @ Green Bay -St. Louis is still a weird team that isn’t clear yet but GB is a bad team and there’s no denying that. I could buy GB pulling off a win here but I’ll be conservative with St. Louis again. St. Louis 24 Green Bay 16 Tampa @ New Orleans -NO took the predictable lost but looked good in doing so. TB is a disaster and that isn’t exclusive to the QB situation. Tampa 13 New Orleans 28 Tennessee at Indianapolis (18.5) -Indianapolis had a scare last week and I can’t imagine them getting in that position once more and especially not against Tennessee. The line worries me but I trust Peyton Manning (in the regular season, at least). Tennessee 7 Indianapolis 31 Washington @ New York -Who knows? Seriously, these are the games you can’t really honestly predict. It’ll be ugly or just all out. No middle ground. Washington 21 New York 26 Kansas City @ Arizona -Arizona is inching closer to being a step above ineptitude but as long as Warner is their starter, it’s a slow climb. KC does well against shitty teams and this should be no exception. Kansas City 34 Arizona 20 New York @ Jacksonville -New York looked really good last week and I’m not sure that line is fair. I’ll go with the Jets to cover but not for the win. New York 13 Jacksonville 17 Oakland @ San Francisco -Good God. SF is so miserable that they could only get 3.5 pts on the Raiders, but to be fair, that’s the same amount Cleveland went up by. Oakland 10 San Francisco 14 Dallas @ Philadelphia -You would think this was the Super Bowl, given the hype and talk regarding this match. What’s so intriguing about this match-up? Beyond the weak and over-rated catcalls from a degenerate fan base in Philadelphia and the first and ONLY hard shot T.O will get? TO will make his mark against Philadelphia because he thrives in these games. The pressure will eat at McNabb and he’ll wither up as usual. Dallas 24 Philadelphia 16 Pittsburgh @ San Diego -I think this is a crucial game for each QB. Ben needs to recover and get on track and Rivers will be severely tested as Pittsburgh can swallow up a running game, even one involving LT. It’ll be tight and pretty fun. Pittsburgh 17 San Diego 21 Baltimore @ Denver -Should be an old style smash mouth game. Plummer against the Ravens defense will be intriguing and let’s see just how magical McAir is against that defense. Baltimore 17 Denver 10

Quick results for last night's SOTF show in Cleveland 1. Matt Sydal D. Davey Richards 2. Delirious D. Jimmy Rave (said to be a bad match) 3. Austin Aries (in borrowed ring gear from Primeau after USAir lost luggage) D. Chris Daniels 4. Jay and Mark Briscoe D. Roderick Strong and Homicide 5. Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson DRAW in 20 minutes 6. Irish Airborne D. Rhett Titus and Alex Payne 7. Kings Of Wrestling D. Colt Cabana and Jimmy Jacobs *BJ Whitmer returned and brawled with Jacobs, post match* 8. SOTF FINALS A) Jay Briscoe D. Austin Aries B) Matt Sydal D. Jay Briscoe C) Matt Sydal D. Mark Briscoe D) Delirious D. Matt Sydal to the 2006 SOTF

The local Cyber Sunday ads are pushing a triple threat match between TBS/Cena/Booker.

What works about Cook, is that we all know someone just like him. identical. Dane Cook really doesn't do comedy, as he basically sprouts off random drivel that every other jock frat will spew in the course of his daily routine (which is basically 1/4 of his fanbase, the rest dominated by suntanned fried college bimbos who find him hot) What made Cook popular was that he knew that demographic well enough to exploit them and make them think he was some sort of deity for saying the same things that we all knew and throws in a few 90's pop culture references and his muscle flexing tantrums He is right about what he says, because what he says aren't really creative thoughts but more or less common sense that really shouldn't be viewed as "funny" but that dolt college crowd eats it up because Cook is the same idiot down the hall that always makes you laugh in some manner. He doesn't come off as a whiny loser or pissed off black man and that works for alot of people who just want dumb comedy that isn't ALL dick and fart jokes.

That goes for most of the idiots who buy into the idea that being unnaturally skinny is attractive.

I can already see those skits with Shelley working out in a old boxing ring with Nash laying down in a lawn chair getting a neck massage as he chomps on a cigar and hurls out motivational cliches and Shelley running his ass off on a backroad with Nash strolling along in his Hummer barking commands. Then Nash "attempts" to work out but the camera never shows it but it always comes back with Nash drenched in sweat and doubled over and Nash deadpans "Hard work makes champions". It really wasn't a surprise that he got Shelley over so well in their partnership because Nash was great as the "coach" to the NBT in WCW. Keep him out of matches aside from the rare tag match and keep with Shelley skits and he's worth the money.

I had a good chance to be front row for tonight's show in Cleveland but that didn't work out. Almost considered the five hour drive to Detroit, but I'm going to save the Detroit trip for Mania Weekend where I should go to all three events (roh and WM).

Mysterio is taking time off after the Chavo program to rest (if not get the surgery) for the knee that's been a problem since June.

She's obviously more comfortable with a crowd now and seems to understand her character. When it started, she virtually had never been in front of a wrestling crowd before. I think she was hired only a few weeks before they decided to put her on ECW. They actually given her some depth as opposed to be a ditzy blonde who likes to take off her clothes, it's subtle but she isn't as one dimensional as she was when she debuted. In fact, all the "new" ECW characters have been developed well except Dupree. Punk, Thorn and Knox, as Heyman's "boys" have obviously been worked on with detail.

Knox is easily the best of the DSW workers so far. The man takes a wicked DDT. Thats ahead of Miz and Kahli. Banks (MVP) worked throughout the indies and was generally looked at as a guy with a good look but nothing else. That's why he got the deal and this gimmick.

man, I was thinking this exact same thing last night....we go from penis-less, serial raping face slasher to kidney theiving hookers It says alot when a Rosie O Donnell sex scene isn't that shocking/digusting. That being said, I loved the husband and the daughter and wish they were regulars.

So after two seasons, carving faces, they move to the kidneys. The show is completely throwing shit to the wall.

Better then me. I think I went 4-10.

It's really in the manner of the booking and structure of the match that determines the quality of something involving "talent" like Test. The Shane match required implemented drama and tons of backstory in addition to Shane bumping and overselling like crazy to put the match and Test over.

Give the man his due, Test has never looked good in any of these matches (extreme or regular) but today he did good. Not really, he's had a few hardcore designed matches where it allowed his weakness to vanish and he made the most of it in those situations. This is just another example.

Why is everyone going "omg, TEST!"? It's nothing new for Test to look good in these types of matches. Its not hard to look good in this type of match. Good worked match with good spots and the crowd brought it.

That, or require mandatory vasectomies.

Someone should have told faux-punk rawker Ashley that lip rings/studs don't work for her lip volume.

Because Punk has banged all the other divas in the back and she feels left out. It's a good pairing here as Knox is a great seller and Punk works good with guys bigger then him.

I'm worried about Joey begging for Marine clips instead of the freaky upside down vampire chick's free show.

More on this: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2611890 Upon hearing this, Wayne Krivsky faxed them all a contract offer.