Goodear

Oh fun, checklists! 1) Get Luke Harper into the Final Four based on having a clothesline as a finish 2) Bounce CM Punk before the Elite Eight 3) Say mean things about Okada and having a clothesline as a finish 4) Get Cesaro into the finals 5) Cast a vote for Tyler Breeze Jae! TYLER BREEZE! JAE! Tyler! BREEZE!

With Japan and Lucha involved this year you can bet there will be... Yeah, this will be fun. Edit: Sorry bro! Ssssploilers!

The spike piledriver spot may look intricate but it doesn't seem to be any more or less dangerous than a regular tombstone to me. Which is perfect for the indy wrestling crowd.

I would like to see Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze and Alexander Russev in before Bo Dallas and Adrian Neville myself. Bo is kind of a boring, no frills worker which is fine since it fits his gimmick but it won't serve him well in the tournament an d Neville is a second-tier guy to me who is just now learning how to get his stuff other than the Red Arrow over. Sami should be a lock. Tyler is really a dark horse pick and probably won't make it into the field since he displays like no offensive ability but he makes everything work with his stalling and stooging. I was more interested in him and Big Cass not touching for five minutes than I was most whole matches. Russev has had some really good power matches especially his debut with Ziggler but he can be a bit uneven. But I think he may be polarizing enough to get some votes against a higher seed.

With March Madness right around the corner, I really do hope Jae doesn't bother with Davey Richards, Mr. Anderson, or The Miz. I just think the arguments against those people have reached the point where they are no longer interesting and have been repeated Ad Infinitum. Do we really need to have to include them so they can lose in the first round? So we can post the superplex spot gif for the 19th time? I'd much rather have the 64 (or whatever with the play ins) guys Jae thinks are the most interesting to discuss than sound off the echo chamber alarm going off.

Oh ... withdrawn.

Now I'm a WWE 'apologist' and all but that is some horse plop. Like it would work if this was Triple H talking because that would fit his character but for Cena to say that? That is totally wrong for the character and diminishes EVERYONE. It makes Cesaro look worse (because he ONLY beat Orton). It makes Orton look worse (because he only beat ORTON). It even makes Cena look worse! Because if it was so simple to beat Orton, why didn't he take the belts off him already? Like for a RIc Flair to be all 'to be the baddest dog in the yard, you win night in and night out, one win don't make you Muhammed Ali, son" that makes sense. Cena shouldn't be acting that way. Awful, awful line.

Like have the whole NXT roster be some sort of Super Nexus? I really think you would have to press down a lot of their personalities to do that. Why would super nice guy Sami Zayn work with broadway vocalist Aiden English work with the male model Tyler Breeze work with steampunk cosplayers the Asension? You either have a mess of an organization that makes no sense or a bunch of guys wearing the same T-shirt that are not distinct. Bunch of new generation guys come in as a house of fire to do what they want when they want? I think the Shield already scratches this itch on a more micro and manageable level.

I have reached the opinion that he never really had a personality and that is why he had to be covered in gimmicks and a huge push in order to get over at all. How many World Title Reigns did the guy get and he is less over than Kofi Kingston who they haven't invested anything in other than midcard titles and two meaningless wins over Randy Orton. If he now can't get over with all the time and energy they invested in him, it is time for him to do jobs. Lots of jobs. Job him to anyone and everyone I says.

Its all coming up roses for Cesaro right now and boy was his promo on NXT this week just pure Ric Flair King of the Mountain stuff. Again, I mentioned this earlier in the week but Swagger is really getting back into form and exceeding my expectations. That was the best "German suplex a guy while he German suplexes" a guy spot I had ever seen. He keeps altering the way he gets into the Patriot Lock and he's turned it into a far better spot than Angle ever did. I really like the dynamic that he and Cesaro have in that while Zeb was down on him, Cesaro never really turned the screws. They have more than a typical heel relationship which was typified when they went for the Money in the Bank suitcase with Cesaro on Swagger's shoulders.

In my opinion, Del Rio was a fruit not worth the squeeze. That being said they cut anything distinct about him off the steak. Personal ring announcer gone, car gone, wearing his own T-shirt to the ring (not okay for the character). Someone else on another board mentioned this and I didn't even notice but they took the man's *wink* for pity's sake. Now if it was me, I would have taken away the cars because its not really integral to the character and its been done before. Ricardo had to go from the heel act because he was too charismatic but you insert Vicky Guerrero in there and the whole thing becomes a heat magnet. Maybe through the guy on a horse now and again for big events and really play into the Novela bad guy images and you have more than you have now.

The CJ Parker thing is great because it has a bunch of legs to it. There are literally dozens of ideas that can spin off a self important hippie character. I eagerly await the Tyler Breeze face turn from CJ throwing red paint on his chinchilla vest. I also hope Parker takes the opportunity to yip while in the holds like he did during the Miz match because that would be great. I also hope they start calling his ax kick the Carbon Footprint because F you Matt Morgan. CJ Parker hacky sacks on your grave!

Better or worse with Sheep Mask?

I LOVE impromptu seeming, out of nowhere finishers. I kind of hate how the WWE basically turned match finishes to, mug at the camera, do some sort of over the top mannerism, and then hit your finisher. The catch a speeding luchador version of the Sister Abigail was awesome. I've always hated that move, but somehow Bray makes it look painful. I don't know if it's his size, the dip, or the prospect of being wedged in a chubby man's armpit, but of all of the downward spiral, complete shot, flatliner type moves his is the best. Honestly WWE is more like do the big lead up to your finish, miss your finish, then hit your finish out of nowhere. Unless you are Curtis Axel, the big lead in almost always gets countered.

I edited out the stuff I had no comment on because I had nothing to add. I've also 'discovered' the bullet point button. A while ago I said The Ultimate Warrior was the most underrated guy ever mostly because the vast majority of people think he totally sucks and he doesn't suck quite as bad as people think. Kane is next on that list but has been gaining more respect as time goes by. Here is a guy who does every stupid thing he is asked to do, gets it over and continues to roll on. People acted like Team Hell No was a punishment for Daniel Bryant but Kane gets every team he is in gets over regardless. Those swamp ass hillbillies are great. And honestly, they have way more in common with Kevin Sullivan's Florida cult with The Purple Haze and Bob Roop than with Hillbilly Jim or Henry O. Godwin. Lots of clumsy guys are really successful workers. There is that John Cena guy. "It's not ballet BAH GAWD!" Aksana isn't skinny. AJ is really the skinniest of the lot but she's by far also the smallest to begin with. Your mileage may vary regarding the divas particular talents but I would say they as a unit have a few good workers people don't recognize. Alicia Fox has gotten much better since she stopped trying to kill people with the ax kick for instance. I would hope Bette White would still be old otherwise she would be dead. Unless her real name is Bette Button? i will check with Dave Meltzer. And she out tricked two heels. Its not like she hit them with a steel chair and stood over their battered bodies while spraying Muta mist into the sky. I really found the glorified chinlock thing weird first off because he won with the glorified fireman's carry. And the one time a chinlock won a fall in the last 20 years it was awesome (Antonio/Zain btw). And every finisher is a glorified something or other. Glorified flying knee. Glorified short-arm clothesline. Glorified elbow with a spin before hand. If they weren't glorified, they wouldn't be over finishes. Should Cena be busting out Steiner Screwdrivers? Canadian Destroyers? I don't get it.

Hi Team! Okay maybe this doesn't belong here, but I know where "Mizark" came from in the DX-Nation parody. But what in the heck does it actually mean? Seriously, what the heck is a Mizark? You know, lost in how much well-earned praise Cesaro gets, Jack Swagger has really picked up his game in recent weeks. His transitions to the Patriot Lock have been super interesting lately with it coming out of a variety of throws and rolls. His timing seems better and he's seemingly much quicker now than he was a year ago. Its funny that he won the Elimination Chamber a year ago, was roundly wrote off because it came way too soon, and is now in a much better place in ring with none of the push. Sweet mercy, Bray's running Sister Abby was the knees of the bees (with royale with cheese) Seth Rollins is my favorite Shield member. Like he gets it. His execution is not always there on stuff like promos and the like but his instincts are spot on.

Jesus is that real time or sped up?

So let me ask a tangent question: How many Shield members can the stable feasibly support? I usually consider 3 to 5 to be the optimal number of guys under one banner. If you throw more than that, the whole card is suddenly in one stable and you end up listening to variations of the nWo theme all night long and everything starts to bleed together into a black and white paste.

Allow me to make a cynical prediction... Because of the success of the unit, Ambrose & Rollins take ownership of the Shield and add another guy. Reigns forms the Spear. Kill me. I'm already dead.

Not to totally ignore your point but in regards to Alphonso, but are their any referees in the Hall yet? Not that Fonzie needs to be inducted but would Earl Hepner, Nick Patrick or Tommy Young?

I think the Coal Miner's Glove match as a concept kind of gets a bum wrap since A) is a 'on a pole' match and people hate those and B) what the fuck is a coal miner's glove anyway? If you got over the glove as a weapon (announcers have one in the prematch build and are all like 'its leather and steel!' and sell it as a gauntlet that would let Michael Cole punch through a door) it could get over as a more violent taped fist match. It could be an easy specialty match/weapon for someone before they have to go against Big Show or something. EDIT: God damn does Randy Orton need a trademark loaded weapon. Loaded glove, knee pad, or elbow pad would be great for the act.

What if ... Ring Ka King Season 2? When last we left RKK, the devilish forces of RDX (with the aid of Isiah Cash) had stolen all the championship belts (and wings?) of all of the RKK champions. Angela Love had married a midget with super strength much to the sadness of Romeo Rapta. Jwala had turned to the forces of good (kind of) but got his ass kicked in the process. Maha Veera had won the title with a win over Sir Brutus Magnus. Barood was still winless but totally awesome. So... on to Season 2! The RDX is disbanded due to a 'winner takes all' contest between American Business Man Jeff Jarrett and a random RKK star chosen from the roster pool. Baarood wins the raffle and wins the match in a Mikey Whipwreck moment. He goes on to lose a lot more but he is always remembered as the guy who finished the RDX. With the RDX split up, the RDX Lawyer takes on the managerial role over Abyss and Scott Steiner who continue to be a rampaging force of nature winning back the tag belts from the Bollywood Boys. The RDX lawyer continues to be overwhelmed by his charges and is always at his wit's end. Eventually Maha Veera and Matt Morgan try to super team up to put a stop to it but Morgan turns on Veera to get 'his' title back. Morgan does not succeed in getting Veera's title. No one does until Season 3. Veera is your Hulk Hogan folks... make with the deals. He goes through Magnus and American Adonis in the interim. Deadly Danda works a body guard gimmick for Romeo Rapta keeping all the womens off his boy. Throw Romeo a Cruiserweight Wings Championship because why not?

Mick talks about being traveling with Abdullah the Butcher in 'Have a Nice Day' at the time you are talking about and their time spent at the dinner table could be termed 'enthusiastic'. He says he got up to 300 pounds before getting back into his normal working weight of around 260 in WWE.

Out of Jingus' set of considerations I would say the Dudleys (Bubbles and Devon) are very likely candidates assuming Bubba Ray isn't so hated by the company at this point. Clearly they've had the most success out of ECW with tons of tag titles everywhere and a memorable WWE stay with 'Get the Tables' and 'Wasssup' being over parts of the act. Only Spike is even remotely important in terms of other members of the 'family' and he's not so important to the act that they need him. I think the Hall of Fame can do without Sign Guy and Dances With... I would also disagree that Johnny Polo/Flamingo disqualifies Raven from ECW Original Consideration just because it was such a rapid departure from his previous character. He didn't really become a major player until ECW. Much like I don't think of Undertaker being a WCW original because of Mean Mark.

I don't know, this is going to sound dumb, but AJ's title reign is reminding me a lot of Punk's in that it is super long but it feels devoid of memorable moments. Now this may be largely the fault of her opposition because Nattie and K8lyn are pretty much voids (when they aren't on Instagram with Big E) but I'm not coming up with a ton of stuff that I remember fondly out of this reign that didn't come with her at the announcer's desk. If she had someone better to play off of, I may feel differently. Regarding the rest of the quote, I have to admit the idea of Punk getting psyched to do morning radio shows doesn't seem likely.