Kevin Wilson

While I like Mercedes a lot so I'm not going to slight her as a person/wrestler, I do think its more *interesting* booking-wise if Hayter wins at DoN so that's what I'll be rooting for. For one thing I don't want a unification match at All In, the women already have trouble getting TV time and I don't think unifying the titles will help that (as if they did Toni vs Mercedes I'd think Mercedes would win, so even if her title wasn't on the line I'd expect a double champion). I also love Hayter and would love to see a rematch with Toni on the big stage. Finally, I think if someone goes undefeated for too long it almost becomes a curse, where suddenly the fans overly focus on it and think the person now *can't* lose unless its a super special moment and then also how to book a wrestler that just had a long undefeated streak which can be difficult as we've seen before in wrestling history. So it would get that "loss" off Mercedes back while she still has a title and can also have a big All In match as well. I think having two big women's title matches at All In is better then one. I actually thought she'd lose to Athena via roll-up or something for the same reason, to further storylines and to get the undefeated AEW streak out of the way but obviously that didn't happen. So, I do want Hayter to win but not as a knock on Mercedes, I just like the direction it would send things if she did and Hayter is great.

The magic from the early 90s version (which I was a kid during and loved) is that it was pretty low production, little fluff, and just had a general "fun" vibe. Its not a show that needs a multi-million dollar production with "funny" hosts and sob stories, its just supposed to be a fun obstacle course game with likeable characters and a simple format even a six year old can understand. But I agree that any new version will never be able to re-capture the feeling of the original.

My main thing with the John Cena storyline is if this is really his retirement year (which I do believe he means it to be), I don't understand who this is helping. If we are to trust The Rock, this was a fairly last minute decision to turn Cena heel, it wasn't the plan when he announced it was his retirement year. Fans don't want to boo him in his last year. No one wants to see Cena winning with low blows and title shots, not with only six months left in his career. I would think there would be more money/interest in the old fashion farewell tour, putting on good matches, saluting the fans, you know that kind of thing. I just don't understand who this is helping, and if the payoff is him losing the belt back to Cody to put him over I don't think Cody would be more over after it then he was before so nothing was really gained. I dunno. I have no issue with the concept of Cena being a heel, but the timing of it and the structure of it just seems flat. After the initial excitement by some right after EC I don't see a lot positive now even from the bigger WWE fans. Its just confusing to me why they decided this was the best direction to take, especially since they usually play things on the safe side. I am fairly sure he'll turn back face again at least in time for his last match and it'll be interesting a year or two down the road how people remember this period, if fans respect it for being different or are just annoyed that's how they decided to spend his last year.

Big picture yes but its a unique story so I wouldn't say its typical as its not a story I've seen before. The game intentionally tells you very little at the start and kinda spoon feeds details as the game progresses as far as the character's situation. In really basic terms but things the game tells you within the first two hours or so, still going to spoiler box it to be safe: Even what I say in the spoiler box may not be completely accurate as some aspects of the story are still developing. I called it story-driven as there are a fair number of cutscenes. Not an obscene amount but maybe more then the average game, more then Elden Ring, less then Final Fantasy XVI. Its taken every fiber of my being to not "read up" on anything about the game but I know any google search may spoil something so I'm behaving and trucking along, so far its been worth it.

In simple non-spoiler terms, its a story-driven turn based RPG, but during battles there are timed button inputs for dodging/parrying attacks and a QTE to hit for your attack for extra damage. Getting the timing right for dodges and parries isn't optional to get a little less damage done, if you don't get them right sometimes you are gonna die. Also, every character has a.... method to make their attacks more powerful by how you use them, so there is always some calculating to do the most damage possible. I guess that is to say calling it just a turn based RPG sells it short as there is a lot going on during battles besides "attack this turn" "potion this turn" "defend this turn" etc.

I'm about ten hours into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and I am not sure what I expected exactly (I don't read detailed reviews or watch youtube videos of games I know I will play as I don't want to be spoiled about anything) but its pretty fantastic. It is so much more then a turn based RPG, I haven't played anything quite like it. For a developer's first game they knocked it out of the park, sure they combined elements from games we've all played before but the way they put everything together and added their own twists really works. And its pretty and I haven't had any bugs. My only complaint is I don't think the rare platforming sections were necessary as the jump detection isn't perfect and the game didn't need it, but still an easy rec.

I'm 90% sure that the first table was supposed to break with Orton/Cena and Orton called the audible to find another table to break it properly. They briefly chatted and that seems more logical then them planning two spots like that back to back. And of course both are vets enough they could adlib an extra spot.

I imagine to read later why the end of the match was so odd but even with that I really enjoyed Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch. Everything else on the PPV was hit or miss with some good/some bad but I liked that match quite a bit.

Combination of luck and determination. Mostly luck, with target and gamestop I just kept hitting the button for an hour until it went through. Maybe just having nothing better to do.

I'm a fan of hers, I wouldn't say she is a super high in-ring talent (very good though) but she has a lot of charisma and personality. I don't think she'll come into AEW and be slotted at the top right away but hopefully she can get on TV with a midcard feud and get over with the crowd some. I'm cautiously excited but knowing how little TV time the women get I'm not sure how it will ultimately work out. This isn't a great example of her wrestling skills as it wasn't competitive but this match does show her fire and what she does best: https://youtu.be/XYpQCSNiulQ?si=KUgVljPRHciWaQIu

You may be taking this a little too personal, its ok if people disagree (even strongly) with you as much as its ok for you to feel strongly about your stance. It isn't tribalism just because someone doesn't agree with your vision of what wrestling and/or Dynamite should be. Some people legitimately like Dynamite's structure, no two people are always going to want the same thing from their sports entertainment. You can "dismiss" it, but that says more about you then anyone else as I never dismissed your opinion, I just don't agree with your opinion.

I got my invite from Nintendo today to purchase a Switch 2 direct from them. I already have a handful pre-ordered but I also have a handful of friends and family that missed out but want one. So I told them however many I actually get I'll sell to them for my cost, although I feel like I am enabling them by doing the work. If anyone else did the registration gimmick, hopefully you get an email soon as well.

While I have not much faith in the end booking working out, I'd argue that it can't be compared to how over he was as champion as that luster was already gone before this gimmick started. They already had lost a lot of their reactions from a couple years ago and getting over as a singles wrestler in a different gimmick is a different story then as a team. So if TK can re-build Max as a singles star with this gimmick I'd consider that a victory for him. I just am not sure what the end will even look like at this point, I just hope TK does. But if you wanted a real answer, maybe Mikey Whipwreck.

We are currently witnessing history with Max Caster, he is somehow going to end up being super over when his is done unless TK doesn't hit the landing. Which to be fair is possible if he makes it last too long and the crowd gives up.

I laid back a little bit just so it didn't seem like I had a crusade against all this but mentioning Goldberg and Brock kinda broke my brain a bit as those were two wrestlers being pushed as "the" monster. And it did work (short term in Goldberg's case) but those are once a generation examples. They were wrestlers the respective promoter was hellbent on pushing to the moon and they booked around that idea but that's not the same as booking Saturn vs. Enos in a three minute match that ends in a countout. And it worked and it was fun but that doesn't mean there should be two or three matches every week in that mold as the entire midcard would be squashed in the process. TK did it a bit with Wardlow, he's not totally against the idea if the time/wrestler is right but its not going to be a weekly feature. But I feel the need to point out that much of what has been talked about in here was never what AEW was meant to be. While "sport-based" was always an iffy term/theory and a can of worms I don't want to open, fans were expecting a more New Japan-ish presentation based on the opening press conferences, interviews, etc. AEW was never aiming to be or presenting itself as trying to be a "Monday Night Wars" crash TV presentation but rather the opposite. All the Dynamites in 2019 had five or six matches with several 10+ minutes, they've always used short matches/squash matches rarely to get over a point (like they did last night) but not as part of the structure. I think there are legitimate and realistic areas AEW can improve their presentation that would still align with the promotion's mission but I just don't think that's one of them. I will say I am legitimately shocked that TK hasn't brought back Dark or a Dark-like show as word was with this new contract they could have TV shows elsewhere since it wasn't exclusive. That was the perfect way to get new wrestlers in-ring time, have some squashes for the squashy people, and let wrestlers get experience. I think its a major whiff that there seem to be no plans to bring it back as that would be beneficial on many different levels.