Zakk_Sabbath

Rhino got did dirty

We're talking about personal hyperfocus #1 in a thread about personal hyperfocus #2 so I've been fighting the urge to info-dump FIERCELY lol - I've just been mashing the trophy and moving on, but you should all know that I have MANY THOUGHTS. MANY.

Miro also gave us the Eddie Kingston "Redeem Deez Nuts" shirt

Take with the requisite grain of salt, but I recall the rumor mill stating that he allegedly turned down a C2 or Owen due to being booked to lose in the finals (can't remember which).

I'm reminded of that meme: "It's real hip hop, you wouldn't get it... Just take the picture" (jk of course)

I promise I'm not just trying to curry favor with a former poster of ours/the only president I recognize: that's a sick jacket. I'll die on this hill lol

Re: literally any name being "worth it" - highly antiquated conversation in this stupid-ass promotion-is-the-draw era we live in. It's a hard habit to break because it's been the name of the game since "Hey, what if we just faked it?" was a germ of an idea somewhere in the Midwest, but it's finally over. We never again need to debate about putting an ass every 18 inches in the building, because the only seats that need to be filled to keep a promotion alive in 2025 are those in network & streaming board rooms. AEW could be the AWA Team Challenge Series in the big, empty, pink room, and as long as it gets enough social media impressions, WBD will still be happy (nevermind the actual, quantifiable eyeballs watching). As for my personal opinion on it: look, was someone like a Dean Malenko or Chris Kanyon critical to the success of WCW in terms of whatever they were paid? Probably not, but I can't imagine a world where they weren't on those cards. Bad example as non-main-eventers, I guess, but my point is, every ingredient is crucial to the recipe. Yeah, you might not taste the butter, but without the added salt and fat your whole dish is gonna be dry as fuck.

Yes, but as merely an implication, it's this easily able to be neutralized by implication: "they're too spooky for TK & the AEW Executive Committee to fool with" or something. Not going back to fervently arguing for it, given the strong feelings against the idea and keeping it Pure division-esque, but these are all excellent ways. I reeeeeally like your two closing ideas. I also strongly agree with that Checkov's Gun point @SovietShooterand that's a really good way of articulating it. It kinda goes back to the age old argument since I've been online as a kid, about stuff like ECW or deathmatch promotions: if there aren't rules to break that's one less tool in a heel's tool chest. Well said.

Kinda like tbarrie and gord yesterday talking with me about bullshittery AS specific to the title/division/tourney, I think that what you guys say there about being in a corner is, similarly, another one of those key distinctions to make when weighing that kinda stuff. More or less, as just a general blanket statement, I think my baseline tolerance for such is probably higher than most of us. Could be generational/formative, however you'd like to put it - either Heyman or Russo were in charge at one place or another for my first decade of watching, after all lol. But specifically to the "in a corner" point, I'm 100% with you guys on that in theory, but I also think there's a certain... I hesitate to say it's an art, but it's definitely a skill or a good tool, I think, to be able to get out of those corners. Maybe not equal to the narrative tool that you mention Technico but a tool nonetheless (in the way that you could walk into someone's garage and see a $35 hammer next to a $1200 compressor - they've got their places). The challenge of it is in exactly what Nikita says at the end about not screwing the fan. This is going to sound strange coming from me because it almost entirely goes against the spirit of what I was saying yesterday to tbarrie and Gord at first about the belt/division itself, BUT I just think whenever you have to do anything within certain confines, and you can do it effectively, it's impressive as shit

Perish the thought! I definitely know about how that stuff (among other things) helped make you the 'former fan' for a bit. I mean, I saw it in realtime and I'm not usually - I stress usually, this was an outlier here because I felt strongly and I still think it's possibly moldable - one to talk someone out of their position! Overall after hearing you out (and this part is for tbarrie too): I am gonna concede this one to both of you guys because I am dead serious when I say this - I honestly had no idea how important the no-bullshit sanctity factor of the Continental title was to you guys. I'm not even saying that as like a busting chops thing, I really mean it - if having that division remain clean as a sheet is actually that important to you guys I'll give it up for sure. I was ready to die on the hill, but in retrospect, I guess it was a bit hypocritical for someone like myself who always preaches about each title having it's own identity to float an idea which... directly.. .goes against... the title's identity... That one is on me, and I own it. My attention is just elsewhere and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm sure that sentence sums up a lot of decisions by a lot of actual bookers too, so I'll take my shots for it lol

Holy shit sidebar should Brody unseat Mox?????????????

Man, you really think so??? I mean, anything is possible, I'll of course grant you that. But I fear I have to go with a rare but firm respectfully disagree here, Todd Berrie (head canon full name, please don't correct me and shatter the illusion). For real though, I'm not digging my heels in just to be a jerk or taking your criticism of the idea personally, I just have a really, really strong feeling/instinct about it (not that it's GOING to happen, but if I did it, no OJ). I legitimately believe that the Hounds are a cool enough act, with the fans excited enough (and/or shocked enough, at worst) for Buddy to pull something like that off against Okada that it wouldn't matter in this particular case. If it happened regularly, I'd agree with you without hesitation - but as a one time treat in service of all the shit I wrote in my last post, I truly, honestly think it would be okay to have the booth "referee's discretion" and "no one wants it to end this way" this one away - just this once. That said, in the alternative, Technico's follow up joke idea does actually have legs in a way - like not the buy a ticket part, but let me ask you this: how would you feel about similar non-physical engagement, like some Undertaker smoke and mirrors bullshit? I know there's a pretty strong counter-argument to just do it in a pretape before the match and run it during entrances or something, and it's not without merit - I just think it's a waste!! My gut says it'd get a big reaction, man I'm telling you. I would go as far as to say it might straight up turn em babyface!! Think about it.

It's a feature not a bug!!

Dude, yes!!! Exactly this. I try not to clog up a lot of pages with this kinda fantasy bullshit, but with Malekai rumored to be leaving basically since he arrived for some reason, my long held plan B/head canon for the team has been some sort of reveal that Julia has always actually been the leader and controls all three (now two). Correct me if I'm wrong, but she's the only other one than Malekai we've ever seen throw the mist, right? This would be the perfect way to get that leader message across. Brody distracts ref on crowd side apron, she whispers something in Budd's ear on cam side apron (prob a good place to pass the capsule or condom or whatever if you're into the sausage-making), and there it is. The audience learns she is the one with the power to grant mist abilities (and is thusly in control), you have your new and very deserving Continental champ, your big money legend Okada doesn't eat it clean and look weak, AND as an added bonus, if Okada or TK ever wanted to revisit that red hair/long pants/insanity period after Omega beat him in NJPW, a misting would be the perfect vehicle for that. I'm usually anti Van Hagar but tell me whyyyyy can't this be loooooove

I'm late to the party on this convo but I really, really like this idea. Bill's got great delivery and is hilarious in his own right, so I almost hate to pigeonhole him into something so tonally similar to what he's already done in NXT with Enzo (and is doing now with Jericho and Keith to a degree) but his straight man chops are unbelievable and would be a friggin' perfect compliment to Juice's more frenetic energy. Great call, dudes.

Yes, but candidly, not as shocked as I would've been a few months ago. Hear me out: If TK is looking to make a splash w the Hounds, I can think of fewer stronger starts. Doesn't have to be clean, either. I ordinarily don't advocate for that kind of thing, but I think an unclean finish serves a few different masters: 1) Protects the Okada investment, most importantly. Whether that's in a "keep his character strong" way, or a shooty "keep a top star happy" way doesn't matter, but this is paramount (you know why, and we're not relitigating it lol) 2) Protects the CC Tournament in a similar way by not immediately negating it's result with a clean win over the winner (Listen, I love R Budd Matthews to death and he's been in the MOTN at 3 different shows I've gone to across his time in NXT/WWE/AEW, but even the on-screen idea that he eclipses 22 other guys at this juncture, let alone the nerdy 'booking philosophy' part of it... Ehhhhh) 3) Perhaps too old school minded, but there's a nice chance for added heat on any interference finish since "no seconds at ringside" is such an emphasized rule in CC title and tourney matches 4) As previously noted heats up the Hounds, but as a byproduct, also frees Brody for great singles matches and maybe pursuit of his own singles title (whereas if pushed as a tag team, though the match would be amazing, there's no reasonable way they can interact w Hurt Syndicate right now). Neither act is at a point in their lifecycle yet where it can afford to be on the losing end of a program - considering it a fresh start for these guys tag-wise, esp since Brody/Malekai was usually the go-to 2v2 config - which made sense at the time given their status as PWG champs

I could've sworn they mentioned him but maybe my brain is confusing it with the general Embassy mention (or one of the times Swerve wore it on PPV in the past). We were a little tired Weds and gave the main event a rewatch last night, and I cannot get over how sick that barricade powerbomb was. I used to bitch and moan about the switch from normal railings a lot, but I didn't consider the fact the WWE/LED style allows for more stuff like this - feel a bit silly about the nitpicking now that there was such a bruuuuutal and awesome use of it.

It's funny you mentioned Ebert because I think (with the benefit of hindsight, of course) that a "thumbs up/down" system would have benefitted discourse and been a much better way to illustrate that baseline, as you call it. The star thing is cool and all, but I think it causes folks to get wrapped up in the minutia a bit too much. "I can't believe that was only four stars from Dave, I have it at 5" - so in other words... you both liked the fucking match? Idk maybe it's just me.

No disagreement from me - especially this week. Dailys should always feel like a big deal. A "Homecoming" episode like this would've been a great opportunity for a soft- A2 reboot

This might be a cop-out, but I think the best answer to this is actually a question: "If booking a major beat of one of (if not THE) top angles on a Saturday doesn't convince our own existing audience to view Collision as equal to Dynamite - after having begun it's life as a new home for our then-top male draw - what or who possibly could?"

Don't get me started dude, we'll be here til Collision's on lol

Re: hype videos I posted Metallica's "The Memory Remains" elsewhere yesterday cause I found out Marianne Faithful passed (her background vocals on this have creeped me out - in the best way - since I was a wee lad) and it hit me how perfectly the Sunset Boulevard-inspired lyrics would go with a Mariah/Toni package.

I just recently saw an article talking about how he hates the Trevor role now and kinda wants to take on other types of characters, so it made me chuckle but also feel kinda bad when I saw him doing damn near the same schtick here. Depending on runtime I could see myself getting dumb high and killing a Saturday afternoon to it

Definitely agree with those examples. Going back further to the early days, I remember that when Tay Conti started putting it together, many of us (me included) looked at it as a bit of an indictment on their developmental

Hard co-sign all of that. It's so much deeper than the usual "partners not getting along" trope, too. Like, absolutely, positively no disrespect intended to the Omega/Ospreay Alliance to End CallisMania, because I'm digging the heck outta that too - but even though they had great matches, they didn't have THAT cage match, and THAT deathmatch, you know what I mean?Hanger/Swerve as a team is just a different animal entirely. Can't wait.