BobbyWhioux

As much as I would mark out for Putin in Topless Cossack Cosplay Mode I'm doubtful that they can convince Putin to travel 6000 miles just to put someone over. This guy should be available, however: At Wrestlemania, Cena Can't See You!

Shame on them for waiting this long after Neidhart's retirement to come up with these. He could've worn them in the ring (hell, remember the New Foundation? He virtually did). Imagine the cross-promotion potential!

That's the backup plan in case Conspiracy #1: "Put him in a ladder match at Wrestlemania, maybe he'll hurt himself again" falls through.

I'd bet dollars to donuts Willis just doesn't want to do training camp and will be back right after it. He's getting older, he's beat up and his bonafides are not in question. I assume "retiring" gets him out of his contract and he just wants to be able to play somewhere else next year. And I don't blame him at all.

That is perhaps the most appropriate combination of a posted photo and a user "like", ever.

Next week on RAW, Axel is Roman Reigns' corner man and recites the old " " promo on Heyman/Brock, pointing to Reigns instead of his own hand.

It feels like it. It probably gives them the most options at this point. Throw Rollins out of The Authority, factor in an unsuccessful cash-in, and Orton just kicked his ass six ways to Sunday. He trusted The Authority and they shanked him in the back by not helping him with the Orton beatdown--like he double-crossed The Shield. Rollins has some sort of come-to-his deity of choice moment and gains perspective. Have Reigns take Rollins' spot in The Authority as the golden child who actually won. Set up a feud between the chosen son from wrestling's elite class vs by the tooth-and-nail former indy guy. Put Ambrose in the middle because while he hates what Reigns is becoming, he can't get over Rollins' betrayal of The Shield. Give me the book, people! Oh, please. Like Fred Durst has anything better to do. When even as shameless a shill as Fred Durst won't take the gig, you know the push isn't working.

"Hello Mr. Durst, this is Vince McMahon. We were hoping you'd be willing to come to Wrestlemania and perform "Rollin' " one more time. However, we were hoping you could perhaps change the lyrics a little bit." "How so?" "We would like you to replace every lyrical instance of "rollin' " with "Roman". *CLICK*

I'm enjoying the buildup to Heyman vs Microphone.

Seriously debating the merits of starting a 49ers-specific Offseason Stupidity/Dumpster Fire thread.

It's easy to forget the truth when there's a lie you want to believe. And for 3 years they told it so well. Until everyone signed up for The WWE Network Season Tickets at Levi Stadium and The York Foundation got their money. The Stadium being the host venue for Wrestlemania so early in its existence is both telling and fitting.

Only if the 2014 Royal Rumble counts.

Nah. The Marlins actually win the championship before blowing up.

Because now they've already got their new stadium. Epic, master level carny work.

Keep an eye out for the little kid

Right nickname, but I'm meaning toward Bray being able to cut a more Jake-ish promo

Bray Wyatt to ruin their reception by putting a snake in one of the wedding gifts.

Seriously, does Jimmy Hart EVER age?? In his attic there's one of his old 80's airbrush painted jackets like he had for everyone he managed. Only this one has his face on it and it keeps aging and putrefying through the years.

"I'm An Ass Man" because somehow The Rock didn't have enough ammo with which to destroy Billy Gunn's singles push.

Yeah but it couldn't be that. The report is "DeMott resigns", not "DeMott literally frightened to death"

I want to believe the force behind Bill DeMott's forced resignation somehow involved him having to choose between resigning or being the person who called Harley Race.

That's pretty close to the core idea of my shitty (ho ho ho) fantasy booking. Pro Wrestling: where the reality outflanks the satire

Oh and to keep it germaine to the current topic I will of course envision Bill DeMott being the man given this gimmick. The name might arguably be an improvement over Hugh Morris/"Major" Hugh G. Rection if true, that Rusev incident is pretty telling, smacks of bitter has-been/never was trying to get over in his own mind on someone who's already better/more over/a bigger priority to a promoter than he ever was or could be, and waiting until the guy's injured/can't fight back to pick on him. It'd be a solid angle/heel behavior if it were part of the show, but of course it isn't. Double illustration of the company's woes that it's happening backstage instead of on-camera. Probably. Though I could just be thinking instead of the angle where Shane Douglas needed viagra and was feuding with a much younger man (Kidman? Karageis?) who didn't. Or Darren Drozdov's "puke on command" gimmick.

With all the "tradition" of feces related backstage ribs, I'm a little surprised Vince Russo never gave a guy the gimmick of "Brown Thunder" John Latrine, who started feuds with people by surruptitiously taking shits in their personal effects only to have them discover it at inopportune moments during backstage interviews, meetings with the boss, during matches, etc. causing them to lose the match in question or fail in whatever task or machination they were attempting, spinning them off into a new feud with Brown Thunder. It's gross, it's stupid, it turns backstage issues into on-camera angles, it's a character who could turn heel (or face) at any time with no buildup depending on who the latest victim is, it's the perfect Russo idea.

Re: the fan participation and/or consumer revolt: I've been paying more attention to internet chatter about wrestling in the wake of the Roman Reigns backlash than I have in years (both here on the board and podcasts/columns, etc.) even though I haven't started actually watching again. Maybe this has already been talked to death and I just wasn't following/participating with you guys but I'm just now getting around to what Lance Storm's assessment has been in his website column and on podcasts (especially the first 6 minutes of this), and his theory seems to make a lot of sense to me.