CLICK HERE for ITVR

Enjoy! :)

Hulk Hogan Goes Coocoo for Cocoa Puffs ...

EDITOR'S NOTE: We did a nice, solid (although scratchy-voiced) 30-40 mins. of ITVR tonight ... punchy and to the point, but still entertaining. We even picked good intro and outro music. And then we realized our mic wasn't plugged in. For serious. But it is now 11:15, and our household is still recovering from a long weekend of visiting followed by ear/nose/throat infections all around (seriously, this whole week ... boo). So we will redo tomorrow when our voices are in better form anyway. Promise.

Meanwhile though I meant to share this story with you guys yesterday, but figured I'd put it on air. But I can't sit on it anymore, it's so damn funny.

Did you know Hulk Hogan's latest legal drama is that he's suing a cereal company? Yes. Honestly. A cereal company. Cocoa Puffs, for the following commercial:



Hmm ... thoughts?

Raw So Far ...

So what do you think? This Raw is an incredible roller coaster ...

First, I don't mind that Bret Hart is the new General Manager; I enjoy him being kept around, and I hope this is something that at least somewhat resembles a longterm gig. I can even deal with his not being US champ in order for this to happen, as I feel it is a more longterm opportunity using Bret in a better way than he could be used in the ring at this point. And I've enjoyed a bunch of the matches thus far - particularly R Truth vs. the Miz for the vacated US title (won by R Truth). And Jon Lovitz is doing an incredibly entertaining job as guest host. However ...

Batista just delivered what I'm assuming to be his WWE swan song and it was almost comical as he came out in a wheelchair, quitting in angsty histrionics etc. After such a strong delivery in recent months, I'm disappointed WWE didn't allow him to keep it up through the finish line. I'm aware it is habitual to not necessarily get sent off in spectacular fashion in the biz - only your Trish Stratuses, Ric Flairs, Shawn Michaels' get to do that, even Lita left in humiliating fashion. But surely he could have not come back out, then, and have gone out on the heels of a brutal match after a tough showing. Just sayin' ...

John Cena goes and delivers a strong promo in some places, but it was weakened by some of the cheesiest Cena-isms (Cenation?) in a dog's age. Again, Jon Lovitz does a good job, but is surrounded by silliness (Glass-eye Joe? Seriously? And the Great Khali doing Puttin' on the Ritz?) ... yeah. I dunno. The consistency is just off tonight. I'm having trouble praising or panning this Raw on any serious level. What do you all think?

This n That

1. I will do my best to get predictions up for Sunday's PPV by Sunday ... or at least comments on the results if not possible. Heading to Montreal tomorrow, and have family visiting Sunday. But I will do my best.
2. Carlito Colon was released by the WWE today following a Wellness Policy violation (read: third drug test failure). This relationship has been strained for quite awhile and his release, for any reason, is not the surprise one might think, sadly. A talented wrestler with very little drive to use what the good Lord gave him.
3. Have you guys followed the online war of words between the Ultimate Warrior and Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase? It started with Ted Dibiase saying, upon hearing UW had been approached about joining the WWE's hall of fame, that he wouldn't have recommended him if Vince had asked, and elaborated on why - fairly enough. Ultimate Warrior responded at his website, http://www.ultimatewarrior.com on the Warrior's Machete section. Fairly in some respects (if 3 years at or near the top of a card and one world title win is somehow underachieving or a poor showing, then there are truly heinously few good sports entertainers out there). However, I believe he was at the top at a time where it wasn't so hard to be, if you had a marketable look and character. I tend to agree with Rev. Ted that he did not get there on talent, but based largely on a career of few-minute-long squash matches - Dibiase, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage being the exceptions, and to a lesser extend Rick Rude) and unintelligible promos. Dibiase responded today and you can read his thoughts by clicking HERE. Well spoken Ted, and spoken like a man who doesn't need to justify himself or his career, but simply live in the best light he can now.
4. Congratulations to Randy Savage on his remarriage earlier this week. All the best wishes for a happy life together.
   

Belated Thoughts on Raw

A bit belatedly admittedly, but I wanted to comment on Raw a bit tonight. So, with no further ado, in no particular order ... stream-of-consciousness style.

• OK so I'm a mark but not a bad deal seeing Bret Hart become US champion. I know he can't wrestle longterm nor would I want to see him do so - I respect him too much to see him 'Ric Flair' his legacy. But that one last moment with the belt, which I suspect we'll see him trade in next week for a General Manager spot on Raw (which Vicki Guerrero gave up on Monday), was cool, especially surrounded by his family.
• Speaking of the Vicki resignation thing and the announcing of a new GM on Monday coming - this was something left off of the not-so-commercial free Raw we Canadians got. Let me get this straight; Raw is FROM Toronto, as in Canada, airing on the Score, and it doesn't start at the same time as the US will get it (still the 15 minute delay) AND commercials? Boo dudes. Especially since it sounds like some funny commercial spoofs went on, and more importantly crucial information (the above) got left off of our programs.
• That said - we did get to see some awesome Canada-heavy action. Bret's US Title win (not so much in the US) was just the tip of the iceberg; Edge and Christian had a great match (although I go with Jason Powell over at prowrestling.net that they should have advertised the Pick Your Poison stipulation where Randy Orton and Edge each picked each other's opponents for the night), to the point it wasn't even terribly disappointing how Edge cheaped out on his 'second match' with the Undertaker. It was just cool seeing him, and Edge's reaction to him.
• I enjoyed Buzz Aldren too - such a cool old guy. :)
• I dig the Miz and Chris Jericho's quasi-alliance, and I enjoyed particularly Jericho coming out and working with Bret as Miz's front man, although I'll also go with Powell that this made a potential Bret-Jericho match more intriguing than the actual match with Miz.
• Ted Dibiase Jr., after weeks of looking for a 'new Virgil', decided to settle for the original. In a kind of cool time machine moment, Ted Dibiase Sr.'s former manservant/valet type dude, Virgil, came out with Junior. It'll be interesting to see if he sticks around to enhance storyline, or if it was a one-off event.
• Not much else is sticking out in my mind right now but I think those were the big moments - overall a strong Raw with some real shining moments, that was only cheapened in Canada due to the ads that weren't supposed to be there. Sigh.
  

Programming Note: ITVR won't be going up this week, not because we're being inconsistent but because of Ari's parents visiting Friday. Tomorrow night we need to wrap up work-related stuff for the weekend, and we will be visiting his parents, and then mine, over the long (Victoria Day in Canada) weekend. But I will do my best over the next day or two to post predictions for Sunday's Over the Limit, and we'll maybe do a special ITVR say on Monday evening about the PPV if we get the chance to catch it (the in-laws aren't fans lol).

So I'll chat at you at least once more before/over the weekend - otherwise, have a great one! :D

ITVR PODCAST - listen by clicking here

Happy Friday!

Congrats Grandpa Bret

** note: In This Very Ring will be up tomorrow after Smackdown - we are currently watching TNA and will report on it as well as Raw, SD, and the NXT Eliminations (that admittedly by hearsay) after Smackdown tomorrow night).

Bret Hart became a grandfather Monday night when his oldest daughter Jade gave birth to a 7 lb. baby girl named Kyra Beans. Mother and baby, when last heard, are doing fine and the proud grandpa is of course, elated - and so understandably preoccupied he apparently only learned yesterday of his pending US Title shot against the Miz (on Monday night in Toronto) ... from his son Dallas!

Congrats again to Bret, his ex-wife Julie, and of course Jade.

Congratulations ...

Slow news weekend ... but still want to send a congrats out to Cowboy Bill Watts who's remarrying this week. :) And to direct everyone's attention to the Smackdown website at wwe.com where Drew McIntyre has been removed from the roster. This has been established as purely storyline, as he is currently working a WWE tour in Mexico. Thus the theory that it is just a cover for a suspension is untrue, and it is expected that in coming weeks Vince McMahon will overrule Teddy Long's suspension of McIntyre.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there - and to all the sons and daughters ... as Ari said, if you haven't already - call ya muddah. Have a great week all.

ITVR Podcast - click here

And enjoy. Happy weekend everyone.

Some Random News

Hi guys,

So a bit too tired tonight to get into an in-depth analysis of Raw - save that for ITVR Thursday, except to say it was a good and highly entertaining show - but a couple interesting news tidbits have come up today that I wanted to comment on before bed.

• First - a man was arrested yesterday for threatening to blow up WWE headquarters due to their releasing Mickie James. You can find his mugshot by clicking here. All I can say is ... dude, come on. I like Mickie James and all, I do. I wish WWE had done more with her during her time there. But ultimately, the relationship had gone sour and I think she will be much happier and much more appreciated somewhere else. And besides, while she's an awesome Diva, I think if we're going to make such threats on WWE headquarters, you could at least make yourself look less stupid-like by doing so over actual substantive, major issues, of which WWE has faced its fair share. And even then ... as always, as it should go without saying ... much better ways of handling such problems. Just sayin' ...
• In less ... extreme ... news, Spike TV has decided to pull the plug on its TNA Monday night experiment and has relegated the wrestling program back to Thursday nights, I believe as of next week (by month's end for sure - be sure and check listings on that before quoting me). I'm actually going to say, despite having been a skeptic at first, that this disappoints me; TNA had rebounded to a solid 1.0 with the 8pm start time on Monday nights, and only suffered this week due to the WWE draft, and Raw starting at 8. I'd have liked to have seen the 8pm Monday time slot given a real chance; not to mention it isn't good for a show to be bounced around too much either, and it is now going to be moved to its third time slot in 2 months. Nonetheless, we wish TNA the best as they find their footing and go forward, and I suppose could look at the bright side that we can now keep up with it with no conflicts with Raw.

That's it that's all folks - be sure and tune back in Thurs. night at the latest for ITVR. Until then, be good and be well.

ITVR - finally! - CLICK HERE!!!

As the heading says ... click it. :)

** NOTE: Unfortunately I couldn't find the Ted Dibiase Jr.-R Truth "New Virgil" video to post here, nor is it available on WWE.com unfortunately, but maybe they'll reshow it tomorrow night - try to check it out if so. Raw will be hosted by Whose Line is it Anyway? alumnus Wayne Brady. I'll be sure and post my thoughts either late tomorrow evening or sometime Tuesday. Until then, be well. XO