ReiseReise

Absolute trail blazer, it's sad to see him go as young, although not surprising unfortunately. I was always more in the Waka-Taka-Camp, but 'Bono was the perfect antagonist from a Japanese (or japanophile) perspective.

You're going to get van Gaal and you will like it.

I don't criticize Ospreay in his decision, I just think the statement HHH made isn't anywhere near as bad as people make it out to be and seems absolutely in line with what seemed to be Ospreay's main factors for his decision. If someone would give me the same or better pay for less work with me having six to maybe eight more years to go earning money at this level, I would 100% go for it. Totally with Ospreay on this. I would not expect my employer to go "He decided against us because our conditions were way worse" though, not even internally.

All the criticism of HHH's statements confuses me, wasn't Ospreay quoted that he signed with AEW because it enabled him to spend more time with his family in the UK? A WWE deal probably would not have allowed for that, no matter how many times he actually wrestled.

I would argue the Scottish League is even more competitive, more close finishes, twice as many champions.

They had some legendary teams and players in the 90ies, but yeah, Neverkusen absolutely were a thing. Good for them. Harry Kane's curse will likely end next year, Bayern still has the foundation and the financial assets to dominate the league. Leverkusen's season is absolutely legendary and will very likely be the best non-Bayern points tally (should be Dortmund at 82 points in 2012 so far). They have a shot at a national double, facing 2nd Bundesliga Kaiserslautern in the cup final. They are also in the Euroleague Quarterfinals against West Ham.

With six games remaining, Bayer Leverkusen remains unbeaten and leads the Bundesliga with a 16 pts lead. Never expected Leverkusen to win a league in my lifetime. This ends Bayerns 11 season dominance. Incredible work by Xabi Alonso and the whole club.

Haru 2024: Makuuchi debutant Takerufuji took the Yusho. Takerufuji was a win ahead on senshuraku and had thus secured at least a play off, but got wheeled to the hospital on Day 14 aswell, so it was unclear whether he would compete against Gonoyama in his final regulation bout. In the end, the leader did show up to pick up the W. The win marks a few impressive statistical feats: Takerufuji is the first debutant to win a Makuuchi Yusho since Ryogoku in 1914, as a starter from Jonokuchi (bottom division) he is the fastest Yusho winner, taking a total of 10 Basho for his first top division title. Even if you include those who started in Makushita (so called Makushita tsukedashi), he actually shatters both records - for tsukedashi (15, Wajima) and for bottom division starters (24, Takanahada - later Takanohana). Onosato, another young prospect and student of the former Kisenosato, did well once more, staying in contention for a long time this tournament. His 11-4 score mirrors the score in his first Makuuchi tournament, and he is only six Bashos in his career aswell. He will at least be in consideration for the second free sanyaku rank (it will be between him an Atamifuji, I assume). The other one should go to Asanoyama. At the lower end of the banzuke, Endo seems to be the next guy riding into the sunset. 5-10 at Maegashira 16 is a definite demotion, Kitanowaka and Shimazuumi are the other two to go down for sure. There are a few maybes aswell, we'll see, I guess.

So what you are saying is he made it elsewhere... and nothing else matters?

Do people remember that Billy character from the Predator movies laughing at a joke? Haku kind of reminded me of him.

I guess we mostly agree, but disagree with the bold part. The fact that the match is a three way would be proof that AEW booking is pretty bad. Recent head to head and the rankings they had reinstated just before the match all favored Swerve, match ends in a draw and this leads to everyone acting like this puts Page at No. 1. Then a 3-way is made... Joe is tremendous at talking, but has no real history with the two. I just don't see the good, let alone great booking. Plus WWE is very focused to limit more elaborate angles on certain talent than you seem to be willing to give them credit. Da Vinci is a pretty good example ironically, because even though he was part of the Imperium / New Day Angle, the focus was clearly more on Kaiser than on him imo...

I get that you prefer a different kind of wrestling, but booking is not about if matches are fun and weird. It's how you get to them, through them and what you get out of them. WWE is certainly not perfect at it, but the actual booking is way above what AEW has done. If you like the kind of wrestling better, that's totally fine. If you want Toni to have an award for that, he deserves something like match scheduler of the year. I'm avoiding matchmaker, because it is too close to booker IMHO.

With how AEW has been actually booked over the last few years yet Kahn winning the awards this is incredibly funny to me. The awards might have meant something somewhat objectively (or as objectively as possible for a thing like wrestling) at one point like star ratings might have. At the moment it's something to point and laugh at.

Ooooof... It has been a while since there was such a news event in wrestling... This whole thing is awful. In retrospective, a lot of stuff seems to form a pattern... Rita Chatterton, the lady in the tanning salon (I don't remember if the name came out), now Mrs. Grant... There are a few weird things that even made air and make me question a lot... Hell, even the infamous thread (you know that one) on these forums - well, one of the predecessors - had some weird reference to a Brock & Vince & Sable triangle. In a perfect world, Vince would be off as bad or worse as he was in his childhood and youth. I hope the victims will get closure and will be able to move on. As for the handling of the the situation during the media Scrum / Press Scrum. Triple H was bad. I'm not sure if he was as bad or worse as Tony Kahn, but he was bad. I for one think it was believable that he didn't read the lawsuit. But saying "This is a fluent situation. What we heard regarding the allegations is shocking, but it's impossible to comment on the situation as of right now." could have worked imo. Much like the Jericho stuff, I just feel like there is tons of red flags going off. As for criticism towards Cody Rhodes: I can't get on board with that. I think this was the best he could say in the circumstances and in his position. You can disagree and you can want him to go "Fuck that old perv, I hope he keels over dead and goes to hell where he learns No means yes himself!", but that is not going to happen. Never, anywhere with anybody regarding anything at a presser.

Germany is probably going to need a new manager, soooooo...