Zheroen

Uh, who said anyone had to take sides with them? She's just fucking terrible, deal with it.

"Humble in victory", my ass.

I feel such pleasure to know that Dana White is crying internally right at this very moment.

Because this show sucks.

YEAH? YEAH?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCjTHAPyc0g/

He's wearing a fucking Shinedown shirt. If that doesn't establish him as a heel for whose blood the fans should lust, I don't know what will.

What the hell are you even talking about.

Not that there was any REAL hope that it would happen, but the last two weeks have essentially killed off Arsenal's claim for any silverware this season. Yeah, I know they're still in the FA Cup, but the loss to Swansea just had this certain "we've mentally given up on this season (and probably Arsène as well), fuck it all" vibe, the likes of which haven't been felt since the League Cup lost to Birmingham. I will also find it hard to believe that Wenger stays on if the current trajectory is maintained - Özil and Sanchez are likely not long for this team if he leaves, as well. Not envying the inevitable rebuild that awaits the club. If we fall into a malaise such as that experienced by United post-Ferguson, it may take quite some time to recover. I don't even know who I could see at the helm - Klopp was the most logical choice, but Liverpool got to him first.

https://channelstore.roku.com/details/49548/indie-wrestling-channel

You'd have a point if it were not for all of the extremely sub-par work (by any standard, even a fan of Sami's) he put forth as Crowe in NXT over an appreciable stretch of 2015.

Agree, just wish it went longer. They really didn't even try to sell Santana as a remote threat (as they are firmly on the Asuka hype train, and rightly so), even though she's a solid worker.

I've seen a very limited amount of Kimber Lee (thanks to the Independent Wrestling Channel on Roku) - although I did not find any of her work especially enthralling, it was competent enough to where I would say that she's alright. Sheamus could fuck off and go do movies forever, and I'd be totally fine with that.

I feel that Sami had about as good a run on the independent scene as one could have had before he got to NXT, and I'm encouraged by reports of his since returning to indies, but man...he spent way too much of 2015 just meandering and not doing well. I really hope that he gets a chance to work out some of the flaws in his character work and style that were exposed on the big stage, and makes a return as formidable asset to NXT someday down the road. On the other hand, Okada has firmly established himself as a viable new ace for New Japan, and someone I'd probably put in my Top 10 overall at this point. He has continued to improve and solidify his standing as a main-eventer even as he becomes more exposed to the spotlight.

Kushida has definitely turned a corner recently, as for awhile there he was kind of hovering around that purgatory of "NJPW Juniors about whom I don't really have any strong feelings about either way". About midway through last year, he finally started to deliver on a consistent basis. Asuka/Kana, however, has a physical charisma that may be unmatched in the industry. She might still be getting used to the NXT/WWE style a bit, and the last match of hers before she left from Japan that I saw was something of a nothing tag match in OZ Academy, but everything she does demands the attention of the audience.

This is March Madness, right? So since it's not a GWE poll where we're just looking at work, having an emotional connection to someone is going to push that person over the edge for me. It's more important for me to care about my wrestlers to an extent than to recognize them as mechanically great, at least in this tournament where it's kinda a "do what I have seen Shibata/Ishii simply because, while I don't watch tons of New Japan, I watch the major shows and matches that get pimped, and it is great, but I just really love me some Dalton Castle. I'm not saying that it's the right viewpoint, but it's the one I'll take when I don't see an outright winner immediately. Fair enough, I can respect that. I still stand by my point that having seen Shibata vs. Ishii from WK10 should basically be a prerequisite for voting on this one. Exposing just that match to some friends and co-workers has resulted in people hitting me up asking when the next big NJPW show is and whether or not I'll be watching it live/having people over.

Being lovable earns one a vote over someone routinely having the best matches on NJPW cards in an era that rivals their peak success of the early to mid 1990s? I can't honestly believe that anyone voting for Castle has seen Shibata vs. Ishii.

The Becky-Sasha-Charlotte angle furthered by using the same finish as an NXT main event that aired just a few weeks ago. Brie Bella telling "jokes" about Rusev, while Renee Young overacts in the background by "trying" not to laugh. Lana then coming out after Brie loses, which furthers...what, exactly? Naomi continuing to do that "jump in place and throw my legs out in a motion that vaguely resembles kicking but doesn't look even close to making contact", week after week. Stephanie somehow having the best promo on the show by default, because why the hell not? Embarrassing.

Also, she's blonde and pretty, which puts her in the esteemed company of the other workers over whom you gush in excess of their actual ability (Lana, Charlotte, Dana Brooke).

That he should have it by now if he's going to ever have it at all. He's just so disingenuous as a good guy and doesn't have the charisma or mic skills to make up for being okay or pretty good in the ring but not great. There's nothing special about this guy, who's been afforded so much opportunity and privilege ahead of far more deserving candidates, other than he has really nice hair. This is the first Raw I've seen in a while and that promo he cut after the Shane McMahon opening segment was death. No charisma, no emotion, no warmth, nothing. He was like a bad soap opera actor in an audition. THIS.

Outside of his match against Bryan, where he played the physically-dominating part well, he really hasn't figured out to work as a face in a singles match other than "gets beat up a bunch, then pops up and hits his big spots". Which doesn't mesh at all with the total badass image that got him over with the shield. They've tried to just plug him into the Cena match formula, and it doesn't make sense.

Where they fucked up with Roman Reigns was not realizing that the law of diminishing returns applies to his current skillset, as he does not have the storytelling ability in-ring or outright charisma on the microphone to complement his look. Yeah, he got great reactions as part of The Shield as the designated ass-kicker who would come in, no-sell, and hit his big spots, but there's more to wrestling than that. The ECW Arena used to lose their shit when 911 showed up, also - there was a reason that he didn't get any sort of main event singles push (not saying that Roman is anywhere near as limited, mind you).

It's just a great narrative! The good guy wins, fans go home happy!

Which speaks more to the piss poor state of the WWE's ability to make the fans give a damn about anyone than anything else. This is what hiring "writers" who have no background in wrestling and actively disparage the "wrasslin'" aspect of the show, cutting off the momentum of anyone who achieves unauthorized crowd support organically, and above all putting forth the same Authority/McMahon-glorifying bullshit has ultimately created. The fans feel that the only one who might get over on the McMahons...is another McMahon. What a time to be alive.

Can someone just come over to my house and put NJPW on my tv, so I don't have to put in any remote effort? Maybe adjust the volume and picture to the ideal settings while they're at it (since I'm apparently the most sloth-like wrestling fan known to man)?