TNA Thoughts...

I have not seen TNA yet for this week, so I'll wait until Sunday to review that program. Rather than reading the spoilers, I like to watch and judge for myself.

Last week's iMPACT--Aug. 7--was nothing special> The in-ring action was pretty good...but the bad storylines continue to dominate TV time. The matches seem to be getting shorter and shorter in order to make way for more crappy story content.

I was disgusted by the announcement that Frank Trig is training to become an in-ring combatant in TNA. Rank Trig is the kind of guy who guarantees bitg results in the UFC cage, but never seems to bring those guarantees to fruition. I am sick and damn tired of Kurt Angle's "Reign of Terror" in TNA. Not only has Kurt gotten his wife some crappy talk segment, he's gotten Frank Trig onto the fast track to a Heavyweight title match in the future. Because if you think that the management at TNA won't try to capitalize on a Trig vs. Angle match at some point, you don't know the wrestling business at all.

The only part of the Aug 7 iMPACT that I e3njoyed was A.J. Styles' angry promo. It was the best promo he has cut in months. I think that is because there was some real anger behind it. I would guess that not only A.J. but all the guys that have been in TNA since the beginning are sick and damn tired on Angle. Ever since Angle has come to TNA...Angle and Booker T to be more precise...A.J. Styles has been pushed down to a mid-card jackass. Withou A.J. Styles, TNA would have gone out of business years ago.

WWE RAW...

I have been pleasantly suprised at Mike Adamle's first few shows as RAW GM. He is much better as the GM than as an announcer. That probably has to do with the fact that he gets time to formulate what he is going to say. When it comes to making things up on the spur of the moment, he sucks. I like Adamle as the GM.

John Cena vs. Batista is being overhyped as I expected it to be. Let's be honest, we've seen this same match before in past eras. I expect Batista v. Cena to be a carbon copy of Hogan v. Ultimate Warrior. Cena is today's version of Hogan and Batista is today's Ultimate Warrior...including in the respect of their oversized and undeserved egos.

I am predicting that we will see the 2nd ever female Intercontinental Champion at SummerSlam. After that we may see arivalry between Beth Phoenix and Santino...a la Eddie Guerrero vs. China.

SmackDown...

SmackDown has fallen back to being the second best show in WWE's lineup...or maybe even the third show. I honestly think that ECW is better than SmackDown right now. It has a lot to do with the great young stars on ECW at this point. SmackDown's below par run also has everything to do with Vickie Guerrero. I've already stated my opion of her lack of talent and what I think needs to be done, so let's not get me raving again.

I like the angry Edge. I have been waiting for the return of the viscous Edge. He is reverting to the Edge that may one day be remembered as one of WWe's greatest hardcore stars...and that is fine with me.

News...

WWE has announced the release of the following people...

Cherry from SmackDown

Colin Delaney from ECW

Wes Adams...referee

Stevie Richards from ECW/SmackDown

More news and thoughts on Sunday...

In 1987 a game was released on the original Nintendo gaming system. This game was called Metal Gear. The game was played and loved by millions, including myself. I'm not sure if anyone could have know how far the Metal Gear franchise would go from that first release in 1987, but damn was it a great ride.

Later, Metal Gear 2 was released for the Super Nintendo system and was also a hit.

In 1997, a true revolution began in gaming, after the release of what is to me and many others, the greatest PSOne game of all time. In 1999 Konami released Tactical Espionage Action Metal Gear Solid. I first had the privalage of playing the game in 2000, when I borrowed it from a friend in high school. As a freshman in high school I had all the typical teenage problems, also thrown into the mix was my mother and stepfather's failing marriage. It was a time of great difficulties for me. People had grown out of teasing me because of my visual impairment and grown into complete ignorance, which is often worse than the malicious teasing. When I first played MGS, it became my favorite world to excape into. Running through those original environments as Solid Snake gave me a chance to get away from my problems and to be something that it is impossible for me to be in real life, the greatest action hero of all time. I have included these personal facts about myself to show that MGS was not just a game for me, it was a wonderous world of danger, romance, and honor that I escaped into. I must have played the game two or three times back to back, and since then I think I have beaten the game at least fifteen times.

I waited in agaonized anticipation for years to play the second game in the next gen Metal Gear series. When I finally got my PS2 in 2003, the first game I bought was Tactical Espionage Action Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. While this game did not seem as good as the first, and still stands as the most underappreciated title in the series, it was still great. I acted as a bridge leading to the awesome third and fouth installments in the Metal Gear Solid series.

Tactical Espionage Action Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was released in 2003, but being broke as I usually am, I didn't get to play it until 2005. I found MGS3 to be the best installment in the series up to that point. MGS still stood in my mind as a classic of epic proportions, but MGS3 was even better than the original. With it's incredible graphics and action sequences, as well as its awesome a prolific story, MGS3 was nothing short of excellence. The music of Harry Grigson Williams was the best game music ever and certianly the best music in the MGS series up to that point. The ending of the game made me cry like a baby, and as pathetic as it sounds, remember that these were characters I grew to know and love from my turbulant 14th year. There is sucha sense of pride and of honor and of true heartbreak in the ending of MGS3. I say it is one of the most moving conclusion to any story: written, filmed, or played.

After long and agonizing years, Tactical Espionage Action Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hit stores on June 12, 2008. I think that it is fair to say that MGS4 was the most anticipated release of all time in console gaming. I saved for months and months to buy my PS3 so that I wouldn't have to wait two years to play MGS4, because that was just such a torturous and unexceptable thought to me that I just couldn't have it.

Well, two days ago, I beat MGS4 on Liquid Easy difficulty. Throughout the five years of waiting for this game, fans were told that this would be not only the final installment in the MGS series (BOO!!!) but the be-all end-all in quality for MGS games. They certainly did not lie to us. MGS3 is nothing sorth of awesome, epic, and unforgettable. Harry Grigson Williams again delivers a truly cimematic score for the game. He has composed music for MGS3 and MGS4 that is wholy unlike what gaming music is expected to be. His scores are true masterpieces, coveying a range of emotions from happiness, to sadness, to excitement, to fierce pride and honor.

Of course the Blue Ray graphics for the game were absolutely amazing! Sometimes I actually forgot that I was palying a game. The characters are so lifelike that it is much like watching a live-action movie. The voice actos that take part in MGS4 and those that have taken part in previous installments in the MGS series are the absolute best there are. As a person who has listened to hundred upon hundreds of hours of audio drama, I can say that there was never a better cast of voice actors assembled on one project.

The sotry for MGS4 is every bit as epic as any of the other games. And as always, just when you think you've figured it out, they hit again. The story saw the return of characters from all revious installments. I won't list any of them so that I don't spoil it for anyone who has not yet played MGS4...and by the way, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!??? Again, the pseudo-enging of the game made me tear up. I will give no clues as to what happens because you wouldn't believe me anyway. Play it for yourself.

I would recomment that yo be up on your MGS history from all the privous games. If it's been a while since you played them, go back through them again before playing MGS4, or if you're like me and have played them multiple times, you won't need to.

I am saddend by the end of this awesome series, but take some solace in knowing that the MGS franchise will be regarded forever as the best action gaming franchise of all time.

Yes, I ralize that ROH has only been absent from PPV for a couple of months now. But for me it has felt like a friggin lifetime, especially with the current less than mediocre state of TNA and the WWE looking like it's heading into a down period.

As you may know or may have read, ROH is the perfect company for the "true" wrestling fan. No marks allowed in ROH. ROH gives you great in-ring action coupled with simple storylines. In ROH it's all about winning so that you can get to the gold. Many current stars have made their names in ROH: CM Punk, Mat Sydel, The Briscoe Brothers, Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, and so many more awesome star WRESTLERS.

I am not for sure but I think that Lance Storm may be making an appearance on a later ROH PPV that is to be taped in Chicago in the month of August. I am bound and determined to see the show live and in person. I am currently unwilling to spend 100 dollars or more to get tickets to TNA Bound for Glory, which will also be in the Chi, so ROH's August show looks like money well spent.

The card for Respect is Earned II--tonight on PPPV, On Demand, DISH, and TVN in Canada is posted under the PPV section at www.rohwrestling.com. Definitely check this out.

I'll probably be posting results and opinions some time tomorrow.

There will also be a replay on August 6 if you are unable to catch the show tonight, as well as further replays later in the month. Check your PPV or On Demand provider for those dates and times.

Let's start first with the formerly awesome organization known as TNA...

TNA has recently released a DVD chronicling the events of 2007 in its organization. The commercials claim that 2007 was the greatest year in TNA history. I seriously hope that such a statement is pure marketing crap and that nobody in the backstage or in TNA management truly believes such an idiotic statement. 2007 was clearly the worst year in the short history of TNA Wrestling. TNA was a little countryfied back in 2002 when it hit PPV, but I have no clue how to describe what it has become now. You have to expect a little bit of that old school countryfied "rasslin" mentality when the company is owned by the Jarrett family and run by Dixie Carter. However, I have to think that from watching Jeff Jarrett over the years that he has more sophistication that some might think. Jeff knows how the business works and what needs to be done to keep a company afloat...keep your fans happy!!! I am deeply sorry for the loss of Jarrett's wife. Everyone has lost loved ones and knows how damn hard it is to move on sometimes. With that being said, I think that Jarrett needs to get back into the business and show of TNA Wrestling. Jeff needs to start banging heads with Kurt Angle and all the other overrated chumps that currently seem to have creative control of the company.

In all honesty, I think that TNA could free up roster space and a lot of money by getting rid of a number of people on it's roster. For example: Kurt Angle , Team 3D, Sting, Booker T, ODB, Christy Hemme, and maybe some others as well.

If you've actually been paying attention to the crap that I write, you already know my beef with both Kurt angle and Team 3D. Kurt is arrogant and controlling. He demands too much creative control over not only his storylines but other peoples as well. Teams 3D have grown fat, lazy, and complacent in TNA. They can no longer be considered hardcore or respected for anything after the year 2005. Booker T has never been anything special in my eyes. He has charisma for sure, but his in ring style is lackluster. ODB is too horrible on the microphone to ever be heard again, and after seeing her hit somebody with a turkey leg last week, I don't think I could take anymore of her countryfied (that seems to be the word of the day...can you say WCW) crap. Christy Hemme never has been a good wrestler and it seems that she never will. And let us not forget Sting. STing wrestles three matches every two months, disappears for another two months, and then makes a "triumphant return" and expects us to give a crap. If he's not going to wrestle damn near a full schedule...than he needs to hang it up. Even Ric Flair was wrestling dman near a full schedule at the age of 58 before his recent retirement.

I am willing to give Lnace Hoyt a chance...but he needs a new gimmick...or no gimmick at all. The guy is huge and he's a better wrestler than Matt Morgan, who is getting more of a push than he will ever deserve. Jimmy Rave is being played for a friggin clown. I have seen Rave have incredible matches in CZW, ROH, and all over the damn world. What he is doing now in TNA is beneath his talents. He should be wrestling A.J. Styles in an extention of their ROH fued.

In general, TNA is still on a landslide course right to the bottom of the heap in pro wrestling.

WWE Raw

I have grown to like RAW much more in the past month than I have in quite a few years. I like the new Chris Jericho, I love CM Punk as champion, and Rhodes and DiBiasi are impressive as tag champions...but as I always do, I've got a few beefs as well.

1. I recently read that CM PUnk, in the opinion of management, is not "getting over". If any one of the damn WWE marks would go to ROHwrestling.com and pick up some old footage of CM Punk, then he would be getting over. In 2003 CM Punk's fued with Raven established him as the number one upcoming star in professional wrestling today. Punk and Raven fought all over the world in numerous organizations. CM Punk is not afraid to fight, he's not afraid to sweat, and he's not afraid to bleed for his craft. CM Punk is the most deserving World Heavyweight Champion in WWE in a long time. It pisses me off to no end that the uneducated WWE meatball marks can't tell good wrestling from that crap the John Cena does week in and week out. It's the same sh** every week with him. CM Punk is the future and Cena will be a footnote in the history of the WWE before too long. He just doesn't have the skill to be a legend.

2. Mike Adamlee sucked so bad on commentary for ECW...that they made him general manager of RAW?! I have to admit, they swerved me. I never thought that WWE would make such a dumb decision. The only upside is that I don't have to listen to him butcher the english language and try to make up his own new terminology on ECW anymore. Listening to him for forty-five out of sixty minues on Teusday's was starting to give me brain cancer. Still, I don't understand the thought process that is behind this decision. He's an idiot. He doesn't know jack about wrestling. Granted, the GM is just a figurehead, he makes no decisions and has no real power, but why would you want such a meathead on your show as the face of your brand from week to week?

3. Still sick of John Cena's lame crap.

ECW

ECW has truly become a friggin mockery of its former glory. With Mark Henry as the ECW Champion, I don't know how much more Vince can piss on the legacy of Extreme Championship Wrestling. I am thankful that Matt Hardy will be winning the title at Summerslam, that's my prediction at least, and that sombody descent will have the belt again.

I am enjoying Teddy Long's "new superstar initiative". Seeing Chris Harris (now Braden Walker), Matt Sydel (currently Evan Bourne), and Ricky Ortiz wrestling is good. I think that ECW should be used as a showcase for these young guys who are already known as superstars in their own right. Well, actually how young is Chris Harris these days? Anyway, you see my point right?

SmackDown

For many years now I have felt that SmackDown was better than RAW. That feeling is no more. Since the induction of Vicki "The Banshee" Guerrero, I can hardly stand to watch. I hate Edge as well. During his tag team days with Cristian Cage, Edge was the star and Christian was overlooked and underrated. These days it is certainly clear that Christain is the better WRESTLER. Edge is a showman but not a true wrestler. His style is very lacking. The entire show is basically falling apar around this retarded Vicki/Edge love afair crap. The only good thing about it is that we get to see Undertaker beat the living crap out of Edge in Heel in a Cell. Hopefully after Taker maims Edge, we won't have to see or listen to Vicki Guerrero anymore. I know, it sounds horrible, but I can only take so much. I have been watching WWE/WWF for eighteen years and I've never seen a worse story than the one currently headlining SmackDown.

All in all, it seems like the "big two" in wrestling are in a sorry state. I say stick to the indy promotions. Watch ROH DVDs, CZW DVDs, and anything from any indy organizations that you can find on the internet. Because shelling out thirty or forty bucks for a PPV is not worth it.

I purchased the movie a few days after it came out, but wanted to hold off on any official--like anything on the internet can really be officail--reviewing. I have watched the movie several times now, and feel that I have organized my thoughts.

I liked the feel of Batman in anime style. There were some beautiful fight sequences in the movie. They were as hard hitting as they were beautiful. My favorite peice out of the six was the second in the progression of the movie, the title of which escapes my daft mind currently.

I do have a few criticisms to make though. The final battle between Batman and Deadshot wasn't what I would have liked it to be. It felt a bit underplayed. And the animation was a little bit stop and go.

I am not sure whether I like the way the pieces fit together or not. It was much like reading six issues of Detective Comics, which was cool in a way. I just felt that the story would have been better if it were a littel "bigger".

All in all, I would say--and it hurts me to do so--that despite the great animation displayed in parts of the movie, it doesn't live up to the excellence of Superman/Doomsday. I think that it was cool for DC to do a Batman animated feature in the Batman Begins universe, of course they did so in conjunction with the Dark Knight movie, which comes out today!!! I think if there had not been a Batman big screen release coming in the same year as this animated feature, it may have been better. DC really used Gotham Knight as a marketting tool for the Dark Knight. I don't think the movie was taken seriously enough as a stand alone piece.

I would like to see them get the director from the second segment of the movie to do an animated adaptation of the classic Kinghtfall story. It is my favorite Batman story of all time and would be awesome as an animated miniseries for HBO. Batman in animation was great in the DCAU. It had just enough hard edge to make it appeal to kids as well as adults. But I'd like to see a Batman animated series remeniscent of the Spawn animated series. I'd like to see something as dark as the comics currently are. Somthing with the awesome animation deisplayed int the second segment of Batman: Gotham Knight, and I don't think I'm alone in that.