Kevin Wilson

I mean this in the nicest way possible but I can tell when wrestling fans haven't worked a corporate job before or don't have to deal with travel for one. The company I work for is worth probably half a billion dollars or so. When I fly to job sites, sometimes they send me to a cheaper airport and have me rent a car and drive two hours to save a couple hundred bucks. If I eat a $9 lunch and want to expense it, I have to take a picture of the receipt, make it into a PDF and attach it to my expense report to prove I really spent the money. $9! Its nothing on their budget but I still have to do it. As EVA said, its not that Shad Khan is sitting down at night looking at ways to save $1,600, its the managers of departments looking for ways to keep their budgets at a certain number so they don't get fired. TK deserves criticism for firing someone that was out injured due to a job-related injury, and he seems to see that now (not sure why he didn't realize it before doing it). And he probably shouldn't give an interview saying 'yes I fired those people because I want to sign big free agents' (or in essence), its not good optics. But big companies sweating the dimes and nickels is the American way, AEW isn't doing anything different then any other company in the country in that regard.

The call on Aaliyah Edwards just as a fan was a shame. I'm not saying if it was "right" or "wrong" as I can see both sides (it was a foul, but who wants a foul called there??), but its still unfortunate. All the casuals watching wanted to see a shot go up at the end, not for it to end like that.

I know this is partially TK's fault for selling it in the past he'd never cut people, but I really think The Internet is making this a bigger deal than it is. Just about every company in the world cuts/fires people that they feel aren't doing well, or just to save money, or because the CEO wants a bigger bonus. Most fans don't care about any of this stuff, as general wrestling fans are used to the occasional cullings since WWF/WWE has been doing it since the dawn of time, I think its just the vocal small minority of online fans that care that The Boys were cut and why. I take no personal pleasure on people losing their jobs, and TK getting some side eyeing since he said he wouldn't do this is justified, but in the grand scheme of things this is just normal business. The lesson he needs to learn here is to never discuss the "why" part and just keep it moving, and probably don't cut people that were injured wrestling as its just poor optics and not very nice. I do think its interesting that the Bischoff's "billionaire's kid" talk has seeped into DVDVR, I guess it shows if something is repeated enough online it stays in people's brains. Every wrestling promoter has been spending "someone else's" money, its such a weird criticism. Ted Turner funded WCW and Bischoff spent his money. Rick Rubin funded SMW and Jim Cornette spent his money. All big billion dollar companies fire people sometimes, if you anti-capitalism that's fine but its weird to paint AEW as different just because its funded by one person and another is making the day to day decisions.

Guess I have to call myself out as this isn't what happened, as Rice has admitted he was driving one of the vehicles. I think he'll definitely get a suspension now between racing and leaving the scene, although he may get somewhat of a break for cooperating. Two of the people they hit were injured enough to go to the hospital so while not a Ruggs situation it wasn't a victimless crime either so I don't think they can sweep it under the rug completely.

I hope that anyone (not on here but just a general "anyone") that got worked by Jack Perry's recent comments related to talking to TK/still being part of AEW feels silly after The Young Bucks mentioned him on Dynamite. It never made any sense that going to NJPW was some sort of punishment or that TK was mad at him and wouldn't allow him on AEW. I have no doubt there was initially some annoyance there and they did put him on the shelf for a bit to cool off, but anything he is doing/saying now is 100% storyline and in sync with AEW. Nothing else would make sense. I don't know what the end game will be, maybe he'll wrestle at Forbidden Door as an "outsider" and use that to start wrestling in AEW again.

The interesting part as always is to find out if Diggs skills are declined or if he was just checked out. From November onward he only had two TDs and never had over 90 yards in a single game. That covers 11 games, including playoffs. He wasn't getting the separation he used to and things were just "off." I have no ill will towards him, I hope he plays well in Houston, I just don't know if he had a drop off in skill which can happen or was letting his emotions impact his play.

Yea that's the shitty part and why some thought they wouldn't do it. They'll be fine since the cap hit was only minus ~4 mil net but its not ideal when already cap strapped.

I feel about sports the same way I do about wrestling - if someone is actively unhappy and openly disgruntled, just let them go (as reasonably as possible). It hurts the chemistry and lockerroom to hold people hostage, this isn't overly shocking to anyone that follows the Bills closely. The only surprising aspect is some thought he couldn't be traded due to the cap reasons, not because they didn't want to do it. But it was a sign when Diggs wasn't restructured for cap relief this year, we knew either he was being traded or he was gone next offseason.

I'm so old, WWF Wrestlemania on NES was my first wrestling game. It wasn't good, I have no positives to report.

Current "official" list of those released: The Boys Dasha Kuret Jose The Assistant Jora Johl Anthony Henry Gravity Stu Grayson Parker Boudreaux Slim J

Its interesting these are coming out as 'releases' as TK has historically not released wrestlers but rather let their contracts run out. Not to say these aren't early contract releases but I wonder if they are wrestlers that were on per-appearance deals or if he is changing his thought process.

Unless there was a witness that can ID him at the scene as the driver, I assume right now he is finding a good friend that will take the fall. So I imagine he'll be "fine" as far as the NFL goes unless more comes out. I say that not just because he's famous, but unless someone saw the driver its a really hard case to prove as it just being his car can only go so far to proving he was the one driving it. Still, a shitty situation.

It was touched on in the weekly thread but as far as Adam Copeland goes, I hope he doesn't have a super long title reign as there are just too many younger wrestlers that could use the title as a stepping stone to move up the card/get a more regular schedule on TV. The whole reason he wanted the belt was to hurt Christian, and now he has, holding the belt for 6+ months just isn't necessary for the story. I know someone at his "legend" level you don't want losing on a random Collision, it'll probably have to be at least a mini-feud leading to a PPV match, but I hope they have a plan and didn't just plan everything up to the title win and now its just treading water while they figure out the next step. I don't know if there was a plan past his initial feud, or maybe now he will pull a Bryan Danielson and the plan is just "have entertaining matches against wrestlers he always wanted to face on a weekly basis." Which isn't a bad idea, I enjoy his matches and I know he wants to stay active while his health allows it, it just doesn't need a belt long term.

Can't express how much I hate this, the Dodgers now have $915.5M in deferred payments. Doing these tactics to "get around" or minimally manipulate the tax shouldn't be allowed as not all teams have the means to defer payments like that into an escrow account. It was allowed/ignored before as teams (if they did it) were deferring smaller amounts or not out to 2044 like the Dodgers have. I wonder if LA thinks the loophole will be closed now that they've exploited it so they are signing as many people as they can using it. By closed I mean, the next CBA could have it set so team can still defer payments but the luxury tax amount isn't impacted and all that matters is the AAV regardless of deferments for the length of the contract. I assume that's possible anyway. I don't have an issue with adding years to get the AAV down, that seems like smart business in a twisted way, but all those deferred payments they are doing just feels icky.

I hope TK isn't putting the world title in a holding pattern so that two injured wrestlers with unknown return times can feud for it. I'm sure there is some temptation there if that was the original plan but there are too many talented and popular wrestlers to pause everything. Just keep it going and let Cole/MJF settle their beef one day in the distant future even if the belt isn't involved.

Its way too early to judge but at the moment I don't love what they are doing with Mercedes. I'm a big fan of Mercedes but I don't think they are playing to her strengths. She's a great wrestler and solid as a heel on the mic, but babyface talking to me is her weakest area. Its fine if she is a babyface, I get that part, but focusing on just talking the last three weeks runs the risk of some fans losing that initial big spark. I've love for them to actually book her in a match since that is what I think her fans want to see, even if its a warm-up type match against a Deeb/Riho/Rose/Riot/Statlander level wrestler. Someone that won't suffer by losing to her but can put on a good, competitive match to show Mercedes' abilities. Its way too early to judge her AEW run of course, and I'm not doing that, but I do think she could have had a more interesting first three weeks. I hope she doesn't have a contract with limited matches but too early to know that for sure, they may just feel the slow burn is the way to go. I prefer the Adam Copeland method where he wrestled a singles match soon after debuting to take advantage of everyone paying attention to something new and fresh.

That was a fun enough walk down memory lane that I researched it. On the 2/19 RAW, he was still called The Ringmaster but Vince referred to him as a "Stone Cold" person during his walk down. But otherwise they called him The Ringmaster on commentary. On the 3/11 RAW, his introduction name says "Stone Cold". Vince on commentary says something to the gist of "he is known as The Ringmaster but from the look on his face, I'd say he is more 'Stone Cold' than anything" with King following with "Stone Cold Steve Austin, I love it!" which is what they proceeded to call him (repeatedly). So it may have been on that show they officially changed it.

I haven't played overwatch in years but those look like literal overwatch maps.

It does look fun but like you, I have a backlog to get through (and may have just ordered Dragon's Dogma 2 anyway). My thinking is by the end of the year it'll be discounted and updated, sounds like a good Christmas gift game.

So the NFL approved the kickoff style that the XFL used last year. Honestly I'm surprised, it feels like the most significant on-field change they've made in quite awhile and will take fans some time to get used to. Its not complicated in the grand scheme of things, just very different. I just hope the commentators understand it, nothing worse then when people explaining the game on the field don't know the rules.

That was fun to watch. I kept yelling HARD CAM in my head, I guess that wasn't a thing back then. Also, I forgot Austin used to wear an earring.

Another good basketball day, only one upset based on seeding (barely) but can't complain about two OT games. Course it is the late game that goes to 2OT, wonder how many casual watchers tapped out before the conclusion.

Slightly off topic but to me its been beyond crazy seeing all the major leagues go from "betting is bad, absolutely not" to sponsoring gambling, talking about the lines and having players advertise for gambling sites. They couldn't prevent it from being legalized in some states but there is a big difference between "its legal" and "its legal and now you can bet in the stadium during the game with ads on how to do so." It all happened so much faster than I expected.

Stardom has confirmed the five departures.

Watching Kentucky lose in hilariously early fashion will always bring a smile to my face.