Kevin Wilson

So after playing it at launch (bugs and all!) I am starting a new game now with the DLC and all patched up. I don't even know how much of the game has changed since I first played it but after almost four years of patches/updates/added content I am hoping for a fresh experience. I never had as many issues as others did at launch but I still recognize it was a mess, so playing the "final version" is gonna be fun.

I think the crowd not being too loud is just a natural downside of fans waiting for "the thing" to happen they know will happen and thus nothing before "the thing" matters. So its not that they aren't interested, they just are conditioned to wait until the storyline aspect of the match kicks in to get excited. So oddly in WWE's case I don't see a dead crowd as them being bored or hating the match, but just intently waiting for the shark cage moment or the Tiffy moment or Judgement Day interfering or the bloodline interference. Its always been true about wrestling but WWE has just been turning it up a bit and I think quieter crowds during the 'meat' of the match is one result of that. They were loud for the finishes and for Goldberg so they seemed into it, just not in a 'buzzing all night' kind of way. I think it goes without saying but the HIAC match was by far the best match on the show. I'd have it in the **** 1/2 star range if I rated matches but nothing else was over *** for me so it was pretty lopsided.

But the line is "Who is forcing Jon Moxley's hand in all this?" Maybe we are overthinking it but if he had said "What" is forcing Moxley's hand... ok, maybe it could be some mental thing like he is going crazy but him saying "who" certainly implies there is another person involved. And its possible its not a 'leader' but I do think it will lead to another person showing up that they sell as influencing Mox.

Right, this is what I was going to quote too. Wrestlers may mis-speak on the mic but commentators are just there to help fans with the storylines. So this wasn't a slip but was a pre-planned line, I'd put some real stock into it. Doesn't mean I think its Shane, I think Josh Barnett is more likely. Imagine if its Bischoff or Cornette though!

The only thing people could possibly criticize about the deal is the length, since it appears WBD has the option for the 4th year so its basically a three year deal. Everything else is probably about all AEW could ask for, from the money to being on Max to not being exclusive so they can shop around shows other places (or maybe bring back Dark!).

I'd love for them to swerve us a little and Yuta either doesn't turn on Danielson or just goes ham on all of them. That can set up Yuta vs. Pac or Claudio so give him a feud while keeping Danielson focused on Mox. Sometimes the obvious thing is still the right thing but I think in this case there are more interesting options.

I feel like if you weren't around when F-Zero first came out its hard to appreciate how revolutionary it felt. It was the first game I ever played that I really felt the "speed", like I was flying around the track. Even watching the youtube video I can still feel it. I don't think games like that in 2024 will hold most people's attention for more than an hour or two 'nostalgic' run but its still a fun flashback.

Not to pre-give any excuses but with two MLB playoff games on during Dynamite I wouldn't be surprised if a some of the 'regulars' DVRed it to watch today/tomorrow. I just hope they set it to record an extra 30 minutes. Also, one downside of AEW having so many 'special' Dynamites is it really didn't feel like a special Dynamite, I get doing theme shows but some restraint would probably help.

I guess now we patiently wait for the Fox/FS1 news to drop. A lot of mixed stories out there so didn't see a reason to post them all, although everyone seems very sure it is going to happen in some capacity. Fightful said overall they should be in the $200 mil a year range between WBD and Fox so not going to be a mega deal, but still could be interesting if its the same night as a WWE/NXT weekly show.

I enjoyed the show but I really like my wrestling being uh two hours-ish (or less!) for TV so it was a bit long for my tastes. This wasn't "bad timing" of the show as someone without knowledge may say, they announced in advance the show would have a significant over-run so this was the plan. I can't give a fair review since I was watching baseball at the same time but Ricochet/Ospreay was fun with the non-ending giving them an excuse to do it again and the main event was pretty good. Not great... but definitely pretty good. Deeb/Britt was better than I was expecting so I'll give them credit for that. It was an odd middle for such a big show and I may have cut out some of it but overall I was sports entertained.

Only those that don't think people like Swerve deserve to be paid, and others that have proven themselves to the company, would have an issue with it. Or the typical bad faith posters (not pointing fingers). TK if nothing else has shown he is willing to pay wrestlers what they are worth, so if he continues to pass on the wealth I'm all for it.

Not that its our money but some are reporting its closer to $185 mil a year (WrestleVotes and Fightful). Only matters as the more it is, course that will give them more flexibility to spend in on things that hopefully improve the product, whether it be in production or wrestler contracts.

Also should be noted, no mention of Rampage so WBD is paying for an hour less of content. Its a more complicated deal than what we are used to seeing between the simulcast and unknown PPV element, plus the archive, but it makes sense in 2025 as it benefits both those that can't shake cable and those that ditched it. I like it, should get more eyeballs on the promotion even if we won't know the number of eyeballs as I am sure the Max numbers will not be released.

Braves back into the playoffs with no pitchers, but I'm still glad they made it. Fried can start Game 2 probably but no idea what they are doing tomorrow since they used Lopez again today. Maybe Sale's back will magically feel better and he can pitch.

That was the knock on them last year, they didn't get going until the second half. They scored zero in the first half against the Giants last year, 7 in the first three quarters against the Jags, 8 in the first half against Denver, and 3 in the first half against New England (all teams seen as worse than the Bills, not equal-ish like the Ravens). The joke (fair or not) was that it took them an entire half to get ready to play. Exaggerated of course, but not terribly unusual. But can't do it against good teams like the Ravens, can't count on them to blow it like they did against the Raiders.

The Bills do this at least three times a season and Bills fans over-react the same way every season. Its just the nature of things, not every game is a winner.

Looks like he injured his hip? He was holding it, I dunno if there is any injury in that area that is a "good" one. Although the hard hit didn't look good either.

I feel like its probably too niche to reach the audience needed to be at GotY level (between the style and it being Steam-only at the moment) but it looks pretty amazing for my interests, I plan on buying it this week so I have something to play while watching baseball.

I find this format easy to read and pleasant to look at.

That's the primary scenario for Monday games not being needed. I read somewhere that if the top six are locked in, even if the seeding isn't (which it can't be between the Braves/Mets being 5 or 6), the Commish at his discretion can just say 'fuck it, no baseball Monday.' Now I don't know if both teams have to agree as there is a small chance down the road being a 5 seed is better than a 6 seed, or if both teams would rather have a day of rest than worry about that. I think MLB is being open-minded about Monday in the sense that if after Game 1 locks up the playoffs then there would be no game two. As a Braves fan, I'd rather everything be settled today so the team can rest tomorrow.

Throwing an INT on 1st down in that situation is an inexcusable mistake. On 4th and desperate, sure, just throw it but with plenty of time it just wasn't a good decision. Good game though.

Georgia/Alabama is crazy, gotta love college football.

I wonder if that decision came down to it just being a different writing team, and ten years passing? The new writers may not have wanted to be "held down" storyline-wise on decisions a different team made and wanted to go in their own direction. The more that carried over, the more it may have restricted the direction they wanted to go. I have mixed feelings about it, since it is a sequel with the same in-game characters more carry-over would have been nice, as if they wanted to go in a new direction they could have created/started a new world instead of continuing in the same one. On the other hand, its been ten years, how many people even remember the decisions they made in the last one (I don't, I remember who I romanced but that's it) and in the grand scheme of things is it going to impact the enjoyment of the next game. It seems like something the 1% of the hardcores will care about and they opted to go in their own direction instead. I think throwing a bone sometimes to your biggest fans is a huge plus and I love when movies/games do it but its not something that I'm going to get upset they didn't do, as long as the game is fun. The game better be fun.

Watching Max Fried walk off the field to a standing ovation made me sad. I really like Max, he's been a great pitcher for the Braves and has come up big when needed. I know there is the economic aspect of sports and if the Braves were going to re-sign him, they would have. I have no doubt they tried last year and were just too far apart so they just let it roll. The Braves don't mind giving out big contracts sometimes but they never do it once the player reaches FA, its a year or two in advance so I've accepted he'll be getting some 7 year, 250 mil contract somewhere else. And I'm happy for him! Just sad for me.

Feels like there have been more flags than points