CLICK HERE for ITVR (now with better audio!)

Enjoy all - and please forgive the poor sound quality of the intro - the rest of the show gets better I swear. :) Much love to y'all have a great weekend.

10 Years Ago Today ... Sensitivity Training Makes us GLAAD

Lots to talk about in terms of Raw, and Chris Jericho's Dancing with the Stars debut this week and we're going to hold off on that until Friday so we can incorporate TNA's Impact and Smackdown as well, and so we have some fresh (depending how fresh you consider wrestling this days lol) stuff to talk about on the air. There were two things I wanted to address, though, that I think are more important than any on-air fun this week.

1. Is a contest we're holding. Ten years ago today was one of the most important days in wrestling history. The first reader who emails or posts (here or on our Facebook page) just what that was, will get a DVD from me of their choice (within reason - I only have a few options here which I will let the winner know what they are).
   
2. In more present-day, and thus more immediately important and encouraging news, some of John Cena's 'homophobic' language during his promos on the Rock have caught the attention of GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Rather than taking the advocacy group's feedback with a grain of salt, or launching a defensive counter-assault, as Vince McMahon is often wont to do in the face of his critics, the WWE has not only apologized and promised to include no further such comments in future programming, they have also invited GLAAD to lead a sensitivity training workshop for its creative team. This is such a surprising, yet important and wonderful, step for a very testosterone-driven organization, and while it might just seem 'Welcome to the 21st century' to some, I do want to express that it's still a great step and congratulate Vince McMahon for handling a valid and pertinent criticism, for once, as ... well ... an adult. Kudos to the WWE on this one.

Be sure and respond as to what the answer to point #1 is, and don't forget to tune in to In This Very Ring late Friday night, after Smackdown! We'll be sure and see you then (if not sooner).

CLICK HERE to listen to ITVR

Big Post-Raw ITVR Tomorrow

Hi all,

And sorry about being out of touch - I DID warn about the in-law visit right? lol But have no fear - we will be back tomorrow after Raw with a podcast of In This Very Ring, covering the Rock's second live, in-the-arena Raw appearance. Will we see him and John Cena face-to-face in the same ring/backstage area tomorrow? Should they hold off until Wrestlemania on that gem? Be sure and register your thoughts here and tune in tomorrow to hear our thoughts about what should be a decent, road-to-Wrestlemania show.

Peace, love and headlocks,

Sarah

The Waltz of Jericho? :)

Definitely looking forward to DWTS this year ... :) TEAM CHERICHO!

Last Night's Raw

NOTE: I know we missed ITVR last week due to illness - let's just say it didn't stop with Ari. Please be sure we will post a podcast for sure over the coming week - either on Thursday (as my in-laws are coming Friday), or over the weekend - in other words, Friday itself is unlikely.

Meanwhile though, we haven't disappeared by any means, and in the spirit of the Wrestlemania season, here are my thoughts on last night's Raw (in no particular order, and my apologies if anything's left out - we will definitely cover any missing ground later in the week).

1. Great to see both JBL and Steve Austin back this week on Raw - Steve Austin immediately adds some colour to the Jerry Lawler-Michael Cole match (Lawler does so as well, but Austin is also a great get who adds even more), and the prospect of JBL seeking revenge after Austin stunned him twice and stole the referee's contract intended to be his will be interesting as well. Layfield looks awesome, by the way, compared to the tired and bloated - albeit still excellently hateable heel - performer who left the WWE about two years ago.
2. Last night was a night of naming elephants in the room, as Michael Cole spoke to everyone's disinterest in Eve and Brie Bella's women's title match, interrupting it and askign them to get it over with, and Sheamus addressing his losing streak of late (meaning that perhaps it was more work than shoot ... or at least that they're over it now, and ready to make some hay with him again). I think both of these worked in some ways, while doing damage in others ... we will discuss this in more detail on Thursday/Friday, but in the meantime, please leave me your opinion on the 'truth in advertising' approach WWE chose to take last night!
3. Another show not as heavy on the wrestling, though the promos were by and large incredibly well done - strong ones from both the Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels, as well as the two Texans mentioned earlier. Having said that, I also found the Dolph Ziggler vs. John Morrison match pretty exceptional as well.
4. John Cena's rap this week wasn't as good as last week, though I won't rip it apart as badly as some have - it just didn't look so strong going up against the Rock, or compared to last week's blistering promo. Having said that - I laughed out loud at the 'I bring it via satellite' T-shirt. lol I'd have bought that. Meanwhile on the same storyline, kudos to the Miz for reinserting himself with a vengeance into this storyline, having the last word on both Cena, and the Rock. An excellent, excellent entertainer.
   

Overall? A good show - Impressed. A bit wrestling light but they always are leading up to Mania so as to keep their performers safe. We will be discussing these developments, as well as Impact, and probably Smackdown, on ITVR later this week - and of course I will do my best to keep up with news and notes around the wrestling world between now and then. Be sure and check in often!

This n That

Hi guys - we were looking forward to doing ITVR tonight after a busy week of buying a 2007 Chevy Cobalt (53,500km on it - best and newest car we've owned yet, despite the fact that just about everything but its transmission is manual, lol, windows, locks everything); however both Ari and Little Tyke have been bitten by a pretty oogly stomach bug; so we'll go to air tomorrow night. However, feeling bad about my absence (which I'd have actually had time to rectify the last two weeks if it weren't for the car thing - kids have been good and work sane, etc.), I wanted to hit on a few neat pieces of news this week. Be sure and tune in tomorrow evening, of course, for much more indepth coverage.

1. Check out THIS LINK for a truly must-read Honky Tonk Man promo on Hulk Hogan. Awesomesauce stuff.
   
2. In other news on this site, he hints at the actual news story of Jimmy Hart leaving TNA to head over WWE-side in time for Wrestlemania weekend; apparently, this sent HH into enough of a tizzy, according to Jason Powell's http://prowrestling.net, that Hogan on his Twitter (@hulkhogan4real) not only spoiled Jimmy's defection, but his role at 'Mania - Jerry Lawler's manager? Nice move Hulkster!
3. Speaking of Twitter - Bret Hart has logged on @HitmanBretSHart - did a really awesome, honest and interesting Q&A with fans a couple nights ago (in which he answered perhaps the lamest question in the history of Q&A from yours truly - I asked him 3 questions; 1 was whether or not he believed his brother Owen should be inducted into WWE's HOF; one was who he would like to wrestle amongst today's standouts - he did answer this one, albeit not directed specifically to me; I also asked him whether he'd consider doing a reality show like Dancing with the Stars or Celebrity Apprentice, to which I got an 'I don't think so', to send my fangirl heart all aflutter. Stupid question - stupid answer - but one of my heroes acknowledged me yay! Many other interesting answers to fans questions however and definitely worth heading over to his Twitter and checking out).
4. And lastly, speaking of Dancing with the Stars ... the Chris Jericho gravy train continues to roll on as he hits #9 on the New York Times bestseller list, cracking the top ten the same week his participation in hit reality competition Dancing With the Stars is announced, where he will be paired with 2-time DWTS champion Cheryl Burke. Cheering for Team Chericho has commenced, fans - ch-ch-check it out! :)

We will discuss all this and much more on tomorrow night's ITVR - be sure and check back then. With much love! XO