Wednesday, March 31, 2010

RAW Rewind

Okay, so I had planned on doing this last night, but circumstances beyond my control (read: my cable modem suddenly not working) pushed it back to today.

So, you saw my running commentary of RAW and already know what happened. No need to do any recaps or direct you to where you can find one.

I'm in the midst of three days of sensory overload thanks to it being the end of the month at the job, so this'll be kinda brief and to the point.

- The Shawn Michaels speech at the end was very heartfelt and touching without being overly schmaltzy. We'll all miss ya, HBK. Enjoy your retirement and don't make a mockery of it like your old buddy the Naitch has done for TNA. One of these days, I'm gonna do a big anti-TNA rant, but not today.

- Those of you expecting/fearing a big Jack Swagger push on RAW (looks in the direction of Mr. D. Kincannon in Denver), you don't have to worry. Because (spoiler alert) Jack Swagger defeated Chris Jericho at the latest Smackdown taping to become the new World Champion. No, it doesn't make a lick of sense to me either, but what do I know?

- I called Randy Orton being Cena's mystery partner, but pretty much everyone else with half a brain would have, too. I mean, it was pretty obvious. That said, it is amazing how over Orton is as a face. I daresay he's more popular than Cena right now. Next step - have him cut a promo basically saying that he's a changed man, but not that changed. Just do like Stone Cold did - just be yourself and wrestle heels. You'll be way over like that, and with Swagger out of the picture, I expect that Cena/Batista/Orton will be fighting over the WWE Championship in the coming months.

- Looks like Triple H and Sheamus will be continuing their feud for the foreseeable future, which is fine. I just hope that Trips actually puts over Sheamus some time in an actual match.

- Guess the Ted Dibiase push is on hold since he lost to Triple H at Mania and jobbed to Christian on RAW. I foresee a brand switch during next month's draft. Cody Rhodes? Headed for mid-card jobber status, methinks.

- Just move the Hart Dynasty to RAW and be done with it. They've been buried on Smackdown and would be a good team to go up against (and hopefully beat) ShowMiz. Also, god help me for saying this, but I think the Miz is one of the best things on RAW right now. He's definitely the most improved wrestler of the past 12 months.

- Overall, it was a pretty uneventful show for the first RAW after Wrestlemania - some good things, some not-so-good things and some profoundly awful things. I think the Guest Host concept needs to go away - too many "C" listers hosting these days. Let's get a permanent GM, like, oh, Bret Hart. Just a thought...

By the way, don't expect very many live blogs going forward. It was fun to do but a royal pain in the ass. That said, I do plan on live blogging during next month's WWE Draft and during the first round of the NFL Draft in two weeks.

Well, I'm off to have some leftover pizza for dinner. See yinz tomorrow.

JD

Monday, March 29, 2010

Monday Night RAW Live Blog

Hey fans! Come back at 9 for my first attempt at a live blog of the post-Wrestlemania edition of Monday Night RAW. See you then!

Why a live blog for this particular show? Well, WWE usually sets up its storylines for the spring and summer on the first shows after Mania, so this is usually one of the more intriguing shows of the year.

For those of you unaware of the results from WM26, point your browsers to WrestleZone then come back here at 9.

9:00 - Highlights of HBK vs. Taker. Way somber music. What is this - The Karate Kid?

9:02 - Shawn Michaels will share his retirement with the WWE Universe live tonight.

9:03 - Here comes Batista... pardon me while I try to contain my excitement.

9:05 - Surprisingly good heat for Batista with the expected "You tapped out!" chants from the crowd. Last night was a fluke, says Big Dave who, of course, wants a rematch, like, immediately.

9:07 - Cue John Cena's theme. An aside - how come no champs actually wear the belts anymore?

9:08 - "Cena Sucks" chants start. Man, this guy never gets a break from the crowd. Cena goads Batista and the crowd responds big time about Big Dave tapping out. Cena challenges Batista to a rematch to make what's sure to be the most historic RAW in the last week an even more historic one. Predictably, Batista says, "Not tonight" and promptly gets tossed out by Cena.

9:12 - Out comes Jack Swagger, beating the crap outta Cena with the Money in the Bank briefcase, but before a ref can come out to start the match, Cena regains the upper hand and Swagger bails. Didn't see that coming.

9:14 - First installment of the Heartbreak Career - Shawn Michaels' debut match in WWE. Nice hair, HBK. Anyone seen Marty Janetty lately?

9:19 - "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase leads out Nick Bockwinkel, IRS, Pat Patterson and Arn Anderson (who really should be in the WWE Hall of Fame). And Hot Rod, too! Sgt. Slaughter, Tony Garea, Ricky Steamboat. God, I feel old. I saw all of these guys in their primes.

9:21 - Your guest hosts for the night... oh I really don't give a crap. Two dudes from that "Hot Tub Time Machine" movie come out to an amazingly lukewarm response. Memo - you two jabronies make lousy heels. Oh yeah, Batista/Swagger vs. Cena/Mystery Partner announced as a main event.

9:23 - Christian comes out to be part of a Legends Lumberjack Match, followed by Ted Dibiase, and that match is... next, says Michael Cole.

9:28 - And we're back, match joined in progress. Dear god, who the hell dresses Pat Patterson. You can get shirts like that at Jos. A. Bank, that's for sure...

9:31 - And while the Legends go at it outside (and I use that term loosely), Christian hits Dibiase with the Killswitch for the win. Ted Sr. tries to comfort Ted Jr. who'll have none of it. Lots of boos for Ted Jr.

9:33 - Heartbreak Career - HBK ends the Rockers by first superkicking Janetty and then throwing him threw the window of the Barbershop. One of the greatest moments in WWE history. I wonder if Janetty will be a part of the retirement ceremony tonight? Better question - will he be sober if he's there?

Oh yeah, Triple H is next, and he's walking!

9:38 - Sights and sounds of Wrestlemania Weekend. I'll go back to reading Maria Conchita Alonso's Open Letter to left wing looney Sean Penn.

9:40 - The Hot Tub guys with the Divas in an actual hot tub. Now this is gripping TV, kids.

9:42 - It's Game Time. "A surreal night" says Trips. "End of an era."

Triple H and Shawn are two of the best ever, not only in WWE, but in all of wrestling.

Holy crap, did Trips just make the sign of "The Clique?"

Trips getting choked up. I don't think this is scripted... and boom! Sheamus takes out Trips with a pipe. Damn... that was good.

9:49 - Let's take you back to moments ago as we again watch Sheamus ambush HHH.

And here come the Divas for a WM rematch. Why God, why? Oh well, at least this gets the Divas out of the way early tonight. I don't mind the eye candy, but this crop of Divas just sucks out loud when it comes to in ring work.

And just like that, Eve rolls up Maryse for a three-count, followed by the face Divas tossing the heel Divas out of the ring.

Um, well, okay...

Heartbreak Career - HBK vs. Razor Ramon - ladder match - WM 10 - it's amazing how good Scott Hall was back then, when he was, y'know, sober and motivated.

9:55 - Bret Hart - next!

9:58 - Heartbreak Career - WM 12 - HBK vs. Bret Hart - Ironman Match. Good god, how many great matches was Shawn in at WM?

10:00 - Bret Hart leads off the 2nd hour - offers grats to HBK for a great career. I'm glad that Shawn and Bret were able to make amends after all these years.

Bret now has closure after beating the crap outta Vince last night. It was supposedly a lousy match, but it had to be done.

Owen chant from the crowd and Bret wearing a tee shirt with Owen's pic on it. Can we get Owen in the HOF soon?

10:03 - Out comes ShowMiz... wonder where this is going?

Miz getting better and better on the mic, calling out Bret for taking away from the Miz's time. Love the Miz's new jacket. Wonder if he bought it at Jos. A. Bank?

Miz calls Bret and his whole family "overrated." Part of me agrees with him.

10:06 - And out comes the Hart Dynasty. About time they get a push and it gives ShowMiz an actual *gasp* honest-to-god tag team to face. Have I mentioned how much I hate that tag team wrestling has all but vanished in WWE?

Looks like the match is on... next!

10:13 - ShowMiz vs. Hart Dynasty joined in progress - non-title, of course. That almost always equals a win for the Harts.

I guarantee you the Miz will do something cocky or stupid to cost his team the match.

By the way... Tyson Kidd? Worst ring name ever for the man with the worst "hair" ever.

Miz tags himself in even though Show is firmly in control. Kidd makes hot tag to Smith who's a house of fire.

Kidd puts Miz in the Sharpshooter and Show pulls Miz out of the ring before Miz can tap. Looks like the Hart Dynasty will get a countout win.

I'm still trying to figure out how Jim Neidhart managed to spawn such a hottie like Natalya.

10:18 - Heartbreak Career - Best of D-X. Clah-sic.

10:24 - Highlights of the Money in the Bank match.

Back to the Hot Tub. Snore. At least John Cusack had the good sense to not do this.

10:26 - AHHHHHHH!!! Mark Henry in the hot tub. I need to have that image erased from my brain. And of course... Hornswoggle. Haven't we suffered enough?

10:28 - Main event time - Swagger/Batista vs. Cena/??? - My guess is Randy Orton. We'll find out... next!

10:35 - And here comes Batista.

Next PPV is Extreme Rules.

Wow... Swagger is actually taller than Batista.

And here comes Cena. Can't wait to see if I'm right about the partner.

And I am.

Cena and Orton... as a tag team. The world is coming to an end....

10:39 - Ring that bell! Cena and Swagger start. Vintage Cena! And he tags in Orton who does the Orton Stomp. Vintage Orton!

R-K-O chant from the crowd. God, Orton is waaaaay over.

Time for a commercial.

10:43 - Aaaaand we're back with Swagger in control.

Swagger with his cool running corner splash, followed up by a tag to Batista. Batista promptly starts to beat the crap out of Cena. Cena tries a comeback but gets nailed by a Batista spinebuster. Batista tries for the Batista Bomb, but Cena powers out.

Hot tag to Orton!

Orton cleans house! RKO on Batista! RKO on Swagger! 1-2-3!

Dear lord is Orton over. Much needed face turn.

10:48 - Heartbreak Career - WM 25 - HBK vs. Taker I - perhaps the greatest WM match ever.

Shawn says goodbye... next.

10:54 - A rather chipper HBK comes out to say goodbye.

BONG! Guess Taker's gonna help Shawn say goodbye. Taker tips his hat to Shawn and leaves.

"Please don't go!!!"

Hard to believe Shawn is 44 years old. Heck, if he was Hogan or Flair, he'd have 15 more years left.

Fans chant "Thank you, Shawn," but Shawn thanks them. The ring was the only place he ever felt good about himself.

Thanks Hunter for liking him when no one else would.

HBK tearing up.

Props to Cole, King and JR and the boys in the truck.

"One More Match!"

Shawn wants to honor his word to the fans and Taker. No more matches.

"Thank you, Shawn!"

Thanks Bret Hart for giving Shawn the opportunity to make things up to him.

And onto Vince. There's no way Shawn could ever work for anyone else. Only person Shawn drove more crazy than Bret - Vince.

A third "Thank you Shawn!" chant erupts.

And a shout out to God, Rebecca and the kids.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels has left the building."

The end of an era...

Big hug from Hunter. You can really see how much these two care about each other. That's a friendship that'll always last.

And we're out! Thanks for reading... see yinz tomorrow.

JD

Friday, March 26, 2010

What's Happened to TV?

Before I go into today's entry, I have a little confession...

No, not that kind of confession! Jeez. Do you really think I'd reveal something incriminating on teh interwebz for all the world to see? I don't think so, Tim. Yet, it is still something that's slightly embarrassing. I'm addicted to TV-on-DVD.

There. I said it. The first step is admitting you have a problem.

Okay, it's not that much of a problem. I don't spend my entire paycheck buying DVDs. Heck, I might not buy two a month, but that doesn't stop me from buying shows that most people would think are either obscure or completely unmemorable. And that brings me to my latest purchase, one that probably have most of you racking your brain to remember it or saying to yourself, "Wait. Who in their right mind put that out on DVD?"

So, what is this mysterious and possibly forgotten TV show I'm referring to? Matt Houston.

*waits for everyone to run off to Wikipedia*

Y'know... watch this, too:



Back? Good. By now you know that Matt Houston was a detective show that ran on ABC for 3 seasons in the early 80s. It starred Lee Horsley as your run-of-the-mill mutli-millionaire who doubled as a private investigator. Not a totally unbelievable premise if, y'know, you really stretch the limits of your imagination.

And the thing of it is, I barely remember watching it during first run. I wasn't even a teenager when the show finished its run, and the last time I actually remember watching it was in reruns during the one year I spent at American University in D.C. That was in 1990 and 1991, kids, not exactly yesterday. And if memory serves, I also watched a lot of Hardcastle and McCormick that year.

*Mental Note: Look for Hardcastle and McCormick on ebay.*

So, why did I buy it the very week it was released? Hell if I know, but the second I saw it was out, I had to have it, just like I had to have Friday the 13th: The Series, Remington Steele, Ultraman, Get Smart, and Wonder Woman, among other shows.

See. I told you it was a sickness. The less obscure the show is, the more likely I'll buy it. You won't see The Simpsons or CSI or Law & Order or any mainstream show on my shelves. You'll see a show like Secrets of Isis and wonder if something's seriously wrong with me. Of course, I wonder that about myself sometimes, but I digress.

So back to Matt Houston. Surprisingly, even after being off the air for 25 years, the show's not too dated at all. Oh, sure, it does reek of the 80s at times, but it's not as dated as, say, The A-Team is.

My point (and I promise I do have one) is that broadcast television shows in the 70s and 80s were so much better than most of the shows on the networks today. Now, notice I didn't say TV in general. That's because the best shows on TV today are on cable.

Mad Men and Breaking Bad - AMC.

Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara - Showtime.

True Blood, Entourage, The Sopranos - HBO.

Justified, Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck and Damages - FX.

Southland (a show NBC dumped for Jay Leno - more on that in a bit) - TNT.

White Collar, Royal Pains, Monk, Psych - USA.

Heck, even Friday Night Lights (another NBC castoff) only airs in first run on DirecTV.

Name me one scripted network show that's garnered as much buzz as any of the shows I listed above. Oh, sure reality shows get a lot of buzz today, but if you wanna know a little secret, the main reason that reality shows have become so big over the last decade is that their cheap to produce, and we all know that the networks love to be cheap these days. Which brings me to the debacle known as The Jay Leno Show.

Look, I'll be the first to admit that I prefer Dave to Jay, but that wasn't a factor in my first-guessing that putting Jay Leno in primetime 5 nights a week was going to be a disaster of biblical proportions. Oh, there were a few people out there who thought it might work, but for the most part, no one did. So why did NBC do it? Because it was cheaper to pay Jay to do his show than to produce 3 or 4 scripted shows to air at 10pm. It was all about the money. So what happened? It tanked, big time. So much so that NBC pulled the plug on it before the Olympics. I won't go into the kerfluffle between NBC, Jay and Conan. Yeah, that's part of it, but I'm more concerned with the lack of patience most networks have with new programming these days.

I could provide a laundry list of really awesome shows left for dead by the networks (I'm looking at you, FOX), but the fact of the matter is that in this day and age, if a scripted show makes it past it's second year, it's considered something of a hit. Why? Because most shows don't make it past one year, let alone two.

Two years. Most shows don't even find their footing until their third season. A show like Cheers (which really didn't become a hit until later on in its run) didn't start to gel for at least three seasons. If Cheers would have been on the air today, it probably never would have become the cultural phenomenon it was during its time. Same goes for Friends or Seinfeld or ER.

I'm not saying that a lot of the shows that didn't make it past their first year didn't deserve to be canceled. And I'm also aware that there were cult shows out there like Veronica Mars that were given time to find an audience. But I have to wonder if the failure of so many shows that have never been given much of a chance to find an audience has put a crimp in the plans of writers and producers out there who have really good ideas for shows that probably won't even make it past the pilot stage.

I also think a big problem is the 22 episode season model that's the norm today. Most shows would be better served to have 13 episodes (or less) for a season. Think how watered down Mad Men would be if it was forced to produce 22 episodes a year. Frankly, I think the Brits have it right - seasons (they call them series) of between 6-13 episodes, and many of their shows have a clear ending in sight, even from the time the show first goes on the air. A fave of mine - Life on Mars - had two seasons of 8 episodes each. If the networks followed this model, I think we'd have a higher quality of TV on the Big Three and FOX.

For every cultural phenomenon like Lost there's a show like Firefly that didn't even air a full season, yet has cultivated an amazing following thanks to DVD.

Well, whatta ya know... it all comes back. See, I told you I had a point.

TV-on-DVD is a wonderful thing. It allows you to watch shows both old and new at your leisure and without commercial interruption. If you can't find a title, it's either not available or not yet available. I could go on and on about how music rights can put releases of certain shows into a permanent limbo, but that's another blog for another time.

So, do yourself a favor, head on over to TVShowsOnDVD.com and use their show search to see if that show you watched when you were a kid or that show you wished you could have watched as a kid is available on DVD. And then buy it. Indulge your inner geek. You won't be sorry.

Anyway, I'm off to watch Matt Houston. Have a great weekend, folks! See you Sunday.

JD

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Memories and Mournings

I think part of the reason I started this blog was for it to act as a sort of self-therapy. Before my life went a wee bit nuts nearly two years ago, I was in regular, twice-a-month therapy, but even after my life slowed down again, I didn't go back to it. Why? Oh, there are probably a dozen reasons (most of them probably not legit, but you'll have that), but I did feel as though the progress I'd made was substantial and real.

A bit of background...

Starting in August of 2008 and ending last November, I lost both of my parents to illness. Both of their deaths were prolonged but sudden nonetheless. My parents and I were relatively close, but circumstances in our respective lives led the three of us to drifting apart somewhat. Oh, I still came over for dinner and to mow the lawn, but for the most part, we all led separate lives.

My mother had been in and out of the hospital her whole life, and a little over ten years ago, a medical mishap left her paralyzed from the chest down, making her totally dependent on others. You have to understand that my mother was perhaps the most independent person ever, so having to constantly rely on others proved to be a strain on her mentally. My dad, God rest his soul, pretty much waited on her hand and foot, 24/7/365, and ultimately, it was part of the reason he went to an early grave. You know what they say about caregivers and those they care for - more often than not, the caregiver goes first. That was the case with my dad.

He never got a chance to enjoy his "freedom." I had big plans for us - I wanted him to come to spring training with my friend Mike and me. I wanted us to spend time together like we'd never been able to before. But by this time, his health was already in decline, and I never got the chance to do these things with him.

Two years ago July, my dad, my mother's brother and I decided it was time to put her in a nursing home. It was probably the hardest decision of my life, but I knew it was the right one. My dad physically (and mentally) couldn't take care of her anymore. Unfortunately, my dad didn't know how to deal with life without my mother around. I think he thought he had failed her in some way, especially because she had always said she'd go into a nursing home over her dead body. Not three months after my mother went into the home, my dad ended up in the hospital himself. He never made it home. A combination of pneumonia, MRSA and a stroke ultimately did him in. He somehow lingered until the following August before finally succumbing to his maladies.

I'll never forget the call - I was at work. My cell phone rang. I knew it right away as the number of the nursing facility my dad was at. I thought it was a billing question. It wasn't. I was in a daze for most of the rest of the day, even after driving down to Washington County to see him. I didn't know how to react. Hell, I still don't. It still haunts me sometimes. I often have dreams with my parents in them, but they're rarely pleasant.

As I grew older, my dad and I formed a good friendship. He could talk to me and I to him. We'd share beers and wings down at the Kennedy Tavern once a week and just hash out the problems of the world. God, I miss that. I miss him. But am I still mourning him? Is there a set time you should mourn someone for? I sometimes feel bad when I don't think of him in a given day, but is that natural? I struggle with this a lot, yet when I do think of him, it's fondly. Sometimes, little things he used to say or do will make me smile. I wish... I wish I could just talk to him like I used to. He was a man of few words and the most selfless person I've ever known. There will never be another like him, and if/when I ever have a child of my own, I'll be sure to tell him all about his Grandpa John.

But my mother? Well, that's another story. Y'see, though my mother and I loved each other, I don't think we ever really understood one another. She would often accuse me (sometime rightfully so) of being selfish. I would (internally) accuse of her trying to mask her problems and insecurities by being a control freak and buying things she would never use, often spending large amounts of money in the process. I could never understand why she was so fixated on keeping up appearances. I often would refer to it as "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic," because that's how fruitless it was. Even bedridden in the nursing home, she would still obsess over certain things - like where her water cup was on her table or always having a folded tissue ready for her. It drove me nuts, but I bit my tongue and did what she asked. I didn't always do that, and it often led to arguments. We butted heads quite a bit over the years, mostly over really stupid stuff. Her "eccentricities" got worse after she ended up in a wheelchair, and somewhere along the line, I think she just snapped.

It started one day when she called me out of the blue to say that she and my dad were divorcing. She claimed to have a new husband named "Mike" who was a doctor. Just as an aside, her doctor at the time was named Mike, too. This threw my dad and me for a loop because it never went away. It ended with her totally denying my dad, which I think was one of the reasons for his eventual downfall. It even extended to me. She started to form this alternate reality in which I was married with identical twin sons. After months of just arguing with her about her delusions, I just gave up and went along with her when she would bring it up.

My mom passed much as I expected - alone in a hospital bed. After a lifetime of pain and suffering, her heart just gave out finally. Much like my dad, she never was able to take advantage of her later years. She never got to hold her first grandchild or travel or putz around the house, cooking, baking and gardening - things she loved to do before her paralysis robbed her of those parts of her life.

I reacted to my mother's death much differently than my dad's. It was more of a sense of relief than anything else. I really didn't mourn her in any way and still haven't, I think. Is this wrong? I wasn't glad she was dead, but I was happy she wasn't suffering any more. Selfishly, I was happy I didn't have to make my thrice-weekly trips to the nursing home anymore because it just depressed the hell out of me to go there and see her like she was at the end, a literal shadow of her former self.

Thanks to therapy, I no longer dwell on the past like I used to. Believe me, I used to drive myself nuts with "woulda, shoulda, coulda." I don't do that anymore, but I'll always wish that I could have done something more with both of my parents before they died. I'll always feel that emptiness because I never really got a chance to tell both of them how I felt and what they meant to me. They raised me right, and though I'm not perfect by any means, I am the person I am because of them, and I'll always be grateful for that.

M & D - I miss you. I hope that wherever you are, you're together and happy. I'll always love you.

Unsolicited Plug of the Day - to the makers of the anti-depressant Lexapro. I never used to believe in relying on medication to help bring some balance to one's mental state, but ever since I started taking Lexapro, I've been a much more relaxed, content and even keeled person, and that's without feeling like a zombie when I take it. I'm still me, just a more relaxed and happy me. That, my friends, is a good thing.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Monday Night Musings and other nonsense

So, if you're here for a second day, welcome back! If you're just tuning in, boy have you picked the right day (or wrong, depending on your perspective).

Today is the first of my soon-to-be-famous Monday Night RAW musings, a look back at the night that was on WWE's flagship program, Monday Night RAW (the longest running program in the history of episodic television as Michael Cole never fails to remind us each and every week).

Y'see, kids, I'm a pro wrestling geek of sorts. I've been following it for 25 years now (has it really been that long?), and as such, I feel I know a thing or three about it. And while I wouldn't consider myself an "insider," I do think I'm as qualified to have an informed opinion as any of them are.

So, on with the musings...

1. Are you as surprised as I am by Randy Orton's very subtle, yet well executed, face turn? Orton is one of the last people I'd ever thought would be ripe for a face turn, yet it's happening right before our eyes. But unlike his last face turn when he was summarily removed from Evolution, this one actually looks like it might work. Why? Because the powers-that-be aren't changing Orton - they're only changing who he's facing in the ring. Did you hear the pop he got last night when Triple H tagged him in during their 2-on-3 match against Legacy and Sheamus? I don't think he's ever gotten a pop like that. After Wrestlemania, RAW is going to need a new top of the card face, what with Shawn Michaels either taking time off or just retiring altogether (check out this scoop at WrestleZone for more info on HBK), and it looks like it's going to be Orton. And that's a good thing, because he was starting to become very stale as a heel. A face Orton opens up lots of new feuds and old feuds with a new twist. Kudos to WWE for actually doing a turn that makes sense for once.

2. I'm not sure if HBK/Taker II can top last year's match, but I'm sure they'll try their damnedest to make it so. I don't see how Michaels can win this match. The Undertaker's streak is "sacred," and with Taker getting ever closer to retirement, I just can't see it ending now. Guess we'll find out.

3. I'll be curious to see if there are any surprises and/or shenanigans during the Vince/Bret match at Mania. Vince sort of teased it last night, but I still think Bret goes over in the end, via Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring.

4. Someone please explain to me the mess that the Women's division has become. It's sure fallen a long way since the glory days of Trish Stratus and Lita. Bad booking, injuries and retirements have made it virtually unwatchable, even with the wonderful eye candy.

5. Good promo/segment to end the show last night between Batista and Cena. I'm still having trouble seeing Batista as a heel after he was a face for such a long time, but he's certainly done his best to get over as a bad ass, yet semi-cowardly, heel. I still think Cena's gonna win, though.

6. ShowMiz vs. Truth and Wisdom could be a show stealer... if it goes more than, y'know, 8 minutes. Man, call me old, but I really miss when tag team wrestling meant something. Oh well, guess that's why I like CHIKARA so much.

Other nonsense...

- Ben Roethlisberger to meet with NFL Commish Roger Goodell. Yeah, that can't be good. Wonder if it'll be before or after Goodell watches Ben's "appearance" on South Park? And along those same lines, I wonder if Tiger Woods has watched it yet?

- Is it wrong of me to be disappointed by the pretty crappy weather we had today? I mean, it is still March, and we haven't seen anything resembling snow for several weeks. I guess I shouldn't bitch about temps in the 40s and rain... but I will.

- How will Obamacare affect someone like me who is currently uninsured but won't be when I'm no longer a temp? Will the health insurance police come after me?

- The Pirates announced their starting rotation today (Duke, Ohlendorf, Malholm, Morton and McCutchen). In other news, the Pirates have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. At least they had the good sense to send Kevin "Balls Off the Plate" Hart to AAA.

- Raise your hand if you had Northern Iowa, St. Mary's and Cornell all in the Sweet 16. Yeah, that's what I thought. Hey, I didn't either, so no shame.

- Is it just me or are the Penguins playing incredibly uninspiring hockey as of late? A team with as much talent as they have shouldn't struggle to score three goals on a regular basis. Memo to Sid and the boys - you can't always expect to be able to turn on the switch whenever the playoffs start.

Unsolicited Plug of the Day: the fine folks at Dazen Family Dentistry in Stowe Township who let it be known that I won't be needing a root canal to fix my broken tooth. If that's not worth an unsolicited plug, then I don't know what is.

Later.

JD

Monday, March 22, 2010

Let's Try This Again

Okay, so this is at least the third or fourth time I've tried to keep a regular blog. Needless to say, all of my prior attempts ended in a rather unspectacular manner (e.g. I kinda forgot about them and let them die a slow, painful death). Why will this time be different? Beats the hell outta me. I just have a feeling about this one. I think I've finally hit on the right idea - instead of trying to focus on one topic, I'll just write about whatever is on my mind at a given time. So, in other words, it'll pretty much be like 90% of the blogs out there.

Oh, I tried to do a Pittsburgh-related blog a few years ago, but Ginny over at That's Church does it so much better than I ever could. So, if you're interested in an often humorous and always thought provoking take on my city, I'd point your Google Machine in its direction.

I'm not entirely sure what's spurred me on to do this again. Boredom? A need for an outlet? Wanting to be counted among the bajillion other bloggers out there? A hatred of Twitter? All of the above?

So, if this is going to be a blog about "whatever" then what can you expect? A healthy dose of pop culture, sports, comic books, and pro wrestling musings along with my occasional snide take on society today and my possibly endless list of things that get on my nerves. I wouldn't expect too many political observations as A) this isn't a political blog and B) politics in general pisses me off, so the less I say about it, the better.

Some things to expect in the coming weeks (and, dare I say it, months): my first attempt at a live blog during next week's Monday Night RAW, bits and pieces of my past I want or feel the need to share, unsolicited plugs for places I like to shop and eat, and stuff that will probably make you think "No wonder he's single."

Anyway, Chuck is on in about 10 minutes (a show you should all be watching, by the way), and I'm rapidly running out of things to say. So, I'm gonna sign off for tonight. More tomorrow... if I survive my trip to the dentist and a possible root canal. Betcha could have done without knowing that. Get used to it.

JD