twiztor

i started playing Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom like 2 months ago. BOTW really sucked me in and i couldn't get enough of it. for me, TOTK feels.....fine? it definitely doesn't grab me the same way. I'm somewhere around 50 shrines solved but haven't started the main quest. in BOTW, my favorite part was the exploration, but here it just feels rote. I'm hoping that by jumping into the actual storyline i will find that hook.

i am certainly intrigued. probably won't buy all of those issues physically (i am pretty firmly in the 'all or nothing' category, and 16 titles is too many) but i will definitely read it. i look forward to seeing the creative teams attached, and to find out how long this will last (the article says "for the foreseeable future"). I'm not really a fan of this overlapping with the "X-Men of Apocalypse" mini tho. Like, i get the 30 year anniversary thing, but why are they both starting in the fall? Won't these two similar-but-distinct series directly compete with each other?

the biggest thing holding me back from embracing this idea is that Hangman's last reign was a pretty huge letdown. It was an extended and somewhat heatless feud with Adam Cole. If the two top babyfaces (other than Hangman himself) are viewed as on his level but unable to get a title shot, it could skew into feeling like a Lame Duck reign. If Coach Tony K can avoid that, then i agree that sidelining them out of title contention makes perfect sense. maybe?

that's a pretty boss (pardon the pun) collab, TBH. can we get Timeless Toni to be sponsored by 1930s Warner Bros Animation? i NEED to see that crossover.

my wife was constantly horrified by Catalina licking the faces/masks of the luchadores. Her reaction upped the whole presentation for me. Alas, she rooted for Konnan and his clan, and therefore she is the rudo in our household.

holy shit. i have no memory of hearing about this, but i very well could have. what kind of dumbass details his entire plans over the phone? what a complete idiot. yeah, let me agree with the (...) this is actually pretty smart, to hopefully deter any copycats (since Lawler obviously would continue to be gone each week) but, whether it's true or not, this i would never admit to.

while we're on the YouTube convo, i see the Bryan Turner VHS channel has started a series going through the Sleaze Thread topics. i can't decide whether i'm relieved that he's referring to it as the "Angelfire Sleaze List", or upset that DVDVR doesn't get the full credit/blame for it. (he does mention the board early in the video but it's kind of a passing mention)

i saw that it got posted to the YouTubes but haven't given it a watch yet. Was interested in Thunder Rosa's match, but i also thought she was facing Athena here (nope, that's at Supercard of Honor). AEW at Arena Mexico looked so cool that i can't imagine this being fun at the very least.

it has been a hellacious couple of weeks, so this week's post is kind of a jumble of bits and leftover pieces that didn't fit elsewhere. i had planned for this to be longer, so i guess look forward to next week to see what else i was going to have here. WWF: The Music, Vol. 5 2. K-Kwik – Rowdy (3:14) 11. Rikishi – Bad Man (3:15) 14. the Rock – Pie (feat. Slick Rick) (3:44) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfbgsyTY3k&list=PLKfCbyMyyIb-7gWaCXC7qGB-Db1Povjpi https://www.discogs.com/master/431373-World-Wrestling-Federation-James-A-Johnston-WWF-The-Music-Vol-5 “Rowdy” is a pretty hard hitting rap song. In contract to his later solo album, the beat just feels like an instrumental track, rather than part of a song. Truth's vocals are more prominent, and he uses a slower style- it very much sounds like one of those “celebrity rap” singles, where they're not fully comfortable so worry more about making sure their words are clear than staying on beat. This song is decent, and is about on par with the WWE Originals album that came out a couple years later. “Bad Man” evokes some DMX sounds early on. This had me nodding my head. Rikishi really represents himself well here. He's got solid verses, and the chorus is fine. But then the last minute is just the beat running out. That was certainly a choice. “Pie” is entertaining. I mean, it's not amazing or anything, but the Rock utilizes a storytelling style that works here. The guest appearance by Slick Rick is pretty great. But the Rock's verses are infused with the same type of comedy he was using in his promos at the time. Hell, the song is built around his “Pie” catchprase, so it's not like we're talking about a bastion of taste. WWE: The Music, Vol. 9: Voices R-Truth – What's Up https://www.discogs.com/master/1586338-Various-Voices-WWE-The-Music-Vol-9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuxmBX5GisI&list=RDBuxmBX5GisI&start_radio=1 “What's Up” shows Truth's rapping has a marked improvement over his song “Rowdy” from Vol. 5. I would have sworn this was on his solo album, but it's not. This album was released in 2009, but Truth was rapping this song through most of his TNA career almost a decade earlier. NWA-TNA: The Music, Vol. 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qySZlrjNY44 3 Live Kru – 3 Live K “3 Live K” sees each of the members take a short verse. It isn't bad for what it is. With all 3 members having a history with performing music, this works fine. I do like that each member's style shows through. But the beat is kind of grating to me. This is a real “i like this, except...” song. Every time I start to appreciate one aspect, another overpowers it in a worse way. TNA: 3rd Degree Burns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu7n8JF90iA&list=RDIu7n8JF90iA&start_radio=1 6. Christy Hemme – Society Box (3:32) “Society Box” is pretty good. It has a heavy mood, almost gothic rock vibe going on. Everything feels dirty, which drives that alternative rock sound here. Christy's vocals drip right into the music, and I really enjoyed this.

i must not remember the Andrade situation. i thought he was just a malcontent.

so you're saying that you've never seen the crowds react to Hangman? at any point over the last 5+ years?

indeed. especially years down the line, and with no paper trail to follow. What Diddy did was awful. But the prosecutors shot high on the charges, and obviously the jury felt that they didn't hit the threshold for proving what they claimed from a legal standpoint. that Jake Roberts scene from 'Beyond the Mat' seems fitting here. something about 'when you can get women whenever you want, you get bored of it and need to chase that next experience.' (i think that's a nicer way of saying what he said)

this seems like as good a place as any to mention that i went to ICP's Gathering of the Juggalos back in 2004. it was fun. Here's the card for the wrestling portion of day 3: https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=139567 and hey, the main event is on youtube! i haven't watched this since it happened. I wonder if i'm on camera anywhere. probably not, i drifted in and out a bunch during this event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TejwDZZQhpQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLiyzKhzArY

this might be the best way to sum up his EiC run in one sentence.

**a finger on the monkey's paw curls**

same! i love Bobby Bonilla Day, as it was the first time i learned about the absurdity of deferred contracts. I've spent the ensuing years trying to figure out how to get one of my own, but thus far it eludes me.

Sweet Daddy Siki – Squares off With Country Music Jambalaya (1:45) Lonesome 77203 (2:30) Just Walk On By (2:20) Snowflake (2:01) Tiger by the Tail (2:15) Distant Drums (2:20) The One on the Right (2:50) Swinging Doors (2:43) Back Pocket Money (2:30) Saginaw, Michigan (3:14) Bottles, Lights, and Music (2:33) Lost Love (1:49) https://www.discogs.com/master/1103896-Sweet-Daddy-Siki-Squares-Off-With-Country-Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v72xe8hnSH0&list=RDv72xe8hnSH0&start_radio=1&pp=ygUQc3dlZXQgZGFkZHkgc2lraaAHAQ%3D%3D Ring Introduction: I know absolutely nothing about Sweet Daddy Siki. I've never seen a single appearance he's ever had, never saw a match, and never heard a promo. I don't know his gimmick or anything whatsoever. Per Wikipedia, he was a top draw in Canada in the '60s and '70s, spending time in Stampede Wrestling and also headlined shows at Maple Leaf Gardens. This album released in 1972 and seems to be an earnest attempt at music, as he had previously released a handful of singles and it looks like he had a full band that did shows too. Let's see how it goes! The Match: “Jambalaya” is a cover of the Hank Williams song. It's a pretty decent version. “Lonesome 77203” is a cover of a song written by Justin Tubb and popularized by Hawkshaw Hawkins (i've never heard of the song, Tubb, or Hawkins, and had to look this info up). It's a little slower but OK. “Just Walk On By” has a little more space for Siki to flex his vocal skills, and he sounds good here. “Snowflake” kicks us a little bit faster and is inoffensive. “Tiger by the Tail” keeps up the faster pace and has a pretty fun rolling beat. “Distant Drums” slows us right back down. This one feels very repetitive. “The One on the Right” is a fun little diddy. I don't have much to say about it, but I liked it enough. “Swinging Doors“ utilizes a drawn-out vocal tic that I recognized as familiar. This song was written by Merle Haggard, so I assume that has to be it. [the album jacket lists the writer as “HAGGERT”] “Back Pocket Money” sees Siki lament that his woman won't give him “back pocket money” because she's afraid that he'll “spend it on the girls downtown”. Then he proceeds to talk about how he wishes he could impress the girls. I am inclined to agree with his signifcant other. “Saginaw, Michigan” exists. It tells a tale that thinks it's clever, but really it's just kind of boring. “Bottles, Lights, and Music” is about drinking away your troubles, but it's not depressing enough for a sad country song, and also not upbeat enough for a memorable fun one. “Lost Love” is another song that I just struggle to say something interesting about. It's not bad, but absolutely not something that holds any interest for me whatsoever. The Finish: Well, I don't hate '60s country songs, but I can't say that I really like them either. I merely tolerate them. This album is full of them, which means that it definitely has a ceiling for my interest. Siki performs them all admirably, and if I didn't know any better, I would easily believe that he was a professional singer first. Also a positive here is that all of the tracks are pretty short, with only one clocking in at over 3 minutes, and two of them under 2:00! But with music of this genre and era, there's just not a ton of variance. A 50-year old album made up of country cover songs that were 10 years old then? Maybe I should be more objective and grade Siki's abilities (which were not minimal), but I just can't care about this. 2 ringbells out of 5.

Kenny looks like a total putz in that picture.

i also try to make it a point to pronounce it as Denny intended, "Raysh al Ghoul". also, that's how he introduces himself in TAS, which is pretty much my Batman bible. but the first thought in my head when i see it printed is always "Rahz" (with a soft "a"). don't remember if that's the Begins pronunciation or not.

(obligatory FHH! but this Mr. America dude is pretty cool, brother!)

i remember one of the first times i saw Jones (can't remember which specific fight it was in the UFC) but he gave a pre- or post- fight interview where he talked that he and his buddies were trying to find new moves he could use by playing fighting video games and watching pro wrestling. i thought "this guy is either a genius or a complete fucking idiot, but i'm on board either way"

Ewert still has an upcoming fight on DWCS, so there's a chance he could be back in the UFC. although i'd imagine he would need to have one hell of a performance.

between Dana and Jon, it's hard to know who to believe. But Dana seemed surprised when that journalist told him Jon was tweeting about retiring or whatever, and Dana has since said that Jon had agreed (albeit verbally) to face Tom, and that the money was decided. I can only speculate that they were holding off for the next New York card, so Dana wasn't worried since a deal was already seemingly done. Jon seems like a guy who keeps making awful decisions (obviously in his personal life, but i also mean professionally), yet keeps sliding through by the skin of his teeth. The man just CAN. NOT. stop himself.

AEW BL00D M0NEY?

per MLB, the capacity is 40,300. i assume that's specifically for baseball. i was going the other way to add seats onto the field itself. i have no actual idea what the different setups equate to.