You Either Surf Or You Fight

Now, I'm not one to question things too often, largely because asking 'why' like a curious yet impertinent child every ten seconds tends to lead to being smacked round the leggies and means no sweeties for a week. However, I feel that for the sanity of everyone watching current WWE programming, I should question why they feel the need to refer to a particular bird-themed social media outlet every seven minutes. I understand that it's important to utilise modern technology, sure. I even understand why they've used Cole as 'Loudmouth Chief of the Twits' but for the love of Godfather, is it really necessary to harp on about what's trending (not sure if actual word) at every opportunity? That said, I think I've got a pretty good handle on the matter and though I really don't want to brag, I have noticed a direct correlation between 'trending topics' and 'whoever the person currently on my screen is'. Take that rocket science. I am a #genius.

Though the words 'Mick Foley' and 'disappointed' should never ever appear in the same sentence together, I must say the re-introduction of our favourite hardcore legend on the Raw Special seemed a little like it had been left out in the rain, far from home and hungry. Generally speaking, being hastily interviewed by a sartorially skewed (read: questionable tank top), yet beaming Matt Striker and later having to repeat a not-so-fantastic-the-first-time-round segment in which approximately no-one is having a good time is not the way I would have had at it. At least the promo team had a little less work to do this week as I'm pretty sure the instructions for the This Is Your Life video segment read: run John Cena Experience DVD. In any case, the Rock got a good pop for ending the bloody thing and looked like a total badass, which I suppose was the whole point. Marks to Cena for allowing himself to be ribbed and gain even more heat in the run up to Survivor Series. Also, because he kind of giggled when Rocky dropped Foley in the middle of the ring.

I see a lot of people have got their new Winter coats, and am glad that no-one seems to be wearing anything remotely fashionable, thus are thoroughly in keeping with wrestling tradition. King's t-shirts and Otunga's bow-ties get honourable mentions on account of their godawfulness. Zack Ryder's New York pants on the other hand, are absolutley inspired, and given that there are few people sensational enough to sport the Statue of Liberty so close to their derriers, suit him down to a T (or should that be Z). Barrett also has some rather excellent blue tights, with a logo that incorporates both a 'B' and an anchor. Hmm...a comment on current socio/political climates perhaps. It would work to his advantage as a heel... ''I'm a naughty banker...wuugghh''...I could see that. Thank heavens they didn't go with the 'W' and the anchor *Titter*
I really shouldn't mock the man (though he makes it so easy when making Charlie Sheen references 6 months too late) because he is so darned impressive at the moment. One to watch in the next few years, you mark my words. MARK THEM!!

In Diva news...
- the Bella's continue to act like role models to young girls by putting their breasts about in the genral vicinity of Alberto Del Rio.
- roll-up pinning combos: Natalya and Beth's only weakness!
- Alicia Fox has a furry hat!
- Kelly Kelly was in Maxim and it is entirely appropriate to PG programming to show her getting all sexy with a car in her pants! (Also on this point: it's apparently fine to say 'mangina' around impressionable youngsters).
- Kaitlyn shows a little promise.
- AJ is made of pipe cleaners, which is the only way to explain how her body survived that horrific sharpshooter.
- Aksana got Teddy Long all hot under the collar with a selction of euphemisms that were about as subtle as 'Do Me'.

Ricardo Rodriguez is a really superb valet and I hope he sticks around for a good long while. Even if he doesn't stay with Del Rio, though he seems very content as the put-upon announcer, he's got a sort of likeability (like a pet that still loves you even though you've kicked it a lot) that could lead on to great things for him. I might be a bit biased, but I like the idea of managers and valets a lot. It harks back to that mystical 'old school' we all dream about and can sometimes add an extra dimension to characters and storylines. Take Vickie, for example. Still going strong despite having to have her vocal chords replaced evey third appearance. That said, and not wanting to back track, I really would love it if Ziggler had some more mic time. He really is that damn good.

I'm very aware that I haven't mentioned one Mr Mark Henry much in the last few months. I've done a bit of a U-turn on my feelings about the chap and have got to say I'm pretty won over by his run as Heavyweight champ. He's worked hard for a long time, has kept his character tight and been great in the ring with a lot of different guys. The Daniel Bryan (now with extra beard!) match was unexpectedly entertaining (though I thought Big Show was going to turn heel for a split second) and the Sheamus matches were pretty good. I really like that Henry is hanging onto the title at any cost, even going so far as to get himself disqualified at Survivor Series, but he's determined and massive and scary and those three things together make for some good watching. Barricade smash! Ring smash! Big Show smash! SMAAAASH!

I think we can all safely say that Mason Ryan enjoys seeing how far he can throw people-shaped things.

Cody Rhodes is fixed in the face but not in the brain. Some say he has been 'e-mask-ulated' by Orton *chuckle*

Given Sin Cara's injury at Survivor Series, I reckon the WWE might be kicking themselves a bit for revealing Hunico's identity so soon. They absolutley could have kept the doppelganger angle going a little bit longer. Interesting how Hunico's style has altered pretty dramatically since shedding the lucha togs. Not sure how to feel about this guy yet.

No-one in the crowd of Raw knew who or what Bull Buchanan was and made me feel old and want to ring up my equally aged friends to ensure I didn't make him up.

Christian would look funnier if he had one of those cones around his neck that you use on animals when they're not supposed to lick their stitches. Just saying.

The anti-bullying campaign 'BA Star' is being executed in such a professional way that you wouldn't even think twice about Cole's continual mocking of JR as just a bunch of fat jokes.

Well, Dwayne proved he's still got it, Punk won the WWE title, Truth shows no fondess for pigeons and apparently there's a new video game out. That reminds me, I reckon I could make a heck of an accurate Vickie G in the Smackdown! Know Your Role character creation. I think that about wraps everything up in a schoolboy nicely.

Don't forget to check this little tidbit out for a slice of anticipation...

It Begins...


Awesome.

Waiting to Capitalise.

So, that last post was a little lacklustre to say the least. It was a thinly veiled attempt at a post, a lame duck distracting you from my complete failure at being on the ball the last few weeks. BUT, in true Laurinaitis style, I shall win you over by first rasping an apology, offending Mexico and then giving you JR back...




..you are so welcome.

Anyhoops, this is how things are going down right now in my version of the world. Bear in mind, if you please, that as of this exact moment I have not watched Vengeance, but this will be rectified once the grown ups are out and I don't have to explain why the men in pants are fighting again.

Randy Orton teased us a little while ago with a sort of change of tact, going from regularly functioning psycho to happy, 'look what I maimed, Ma' relatable psycho. Not a big change, I know, but a change nonetheless. It was pretty funny actually, and summed up most notably during the Summerslam match with Christian, where he gave a big ol' bloody thumbs up to the camera while grinning like a merry maniac. Bet that went down well with the board. It seemed he worked it like this for a while - even doing a highly uncharacteristic jig during a Smackdown match - and was generally having a jolly rumpus of a time, until a couple of weeks ago where he reverted back to stage 1 psychosis (see above for details) and then went off the chart and into FULL BLOWN SOCIOPATH WITH MURDEROUS INTENT territory. At this point, I'd like to stop talking about Orton, because I fully believe the man might be watching me from the garden and I'm scared.

Did that curtain just twitch? I want my mum.

Now to Raw ruminations. As little fun as it is to discuss guest hosts beyond the inevitable mumbles of inadequacy and 'I think they missed the point'-ness of it all, I would like to congratulate one Mister Huge Ackman on his appearance. I think the man is either a fan or he did his homework. Either way, thanks for not making me want to die with embarrassment for you. Playing him off against Vickie and her harem Zig Swag (you just wait and see) and pairing him with Ryder was inspired. Nailed the tone as accurately as he nailed Ziggler with that *slightly* too realistic looking sock to the jaw. Approved.

How about this COO debacle then? To be perfectly honest, John Laurinaitis bores me and all I really want to do when he appears on the screen is shout his name out in a poorly imitated version of his voice and check my phone to see if he's texting me. He never is. There's a little bit of me that's wondering if this nonsense is going to pan out like the suspiciously AWOL Raw GM angle did, but that would be really idiotic on the company's part wouldn't it? Fool me once, WWE, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame...us o'shaunessy? I never did get the hang of that idiom.

On the upside, CM Punk and Triple H are totally doing that 'respecting each other' thing and teaming up to take on the traitors/ref bullies/corporate moles of R-Truth and The Miz. This pairing is working out really, really well for the older members of the WWE Universe who, I'm pretty sure, as one hive-mind think that it is supremely kick ass. And, they're right. Largely because a) it may lead to some potentially great wrestling matches b) Punk was allowed to commentate again and c) the universe held a shared mental image of Hunter wrestling a broom stick in just his undercrackers and dress shoes. What is more fabulous than that?

'Air Boom' - really kids? Really? You'll have to deal with the shame of inflicting that name upon us in years to come and you'll deserve the anguish it causes you. The hive mind does not forget. And neither will you.

Is it just me, or does every 'One From the Vault' match on Smackdown have Chris Jericho in it? Don't get me wrong, this is great, but I'm starting to read into it in one of two very differing ways depending on what mood I'm in...
Scenario 1: He's never coming back but they don't want us to forget him.
Scenario 2: He's coming back and they don't want us to forget him.
The former makes me want to cry myself to sleep at night, the latter makes me so excited I want to wee. How oddly the body is affected by emotion.

So Kelly Kelly's turning heel, is that right? I'd be interested, but the woman has the personality of a beached Magikarp and the voice of a dial-up connection. In other Diva news, Gail Kim went back to TNA. Read into that what you will.

Right, dinner's ready and Vengeance is on at nine. I'm going to write some notes while I'm watching so I can ignore them in time for the next post. Enjoy your evening wrestle hounds. Your new mission, if you choose to accept it, is to be astounded by as many ordinary things as you can and shout 'OH...MY...GOODNESS' a la Booker T at every possible everyday occurrence.

Have a nice day.

A Raw Recipe

INGREDIENTS
You will need:

- a full line up of faces and heels
- a healthy measure of over-excitement
- a special guest appearance
- several large doses of Elimination Chamber promos
- a quart of blood (preferably of the nose)
- natty pop culture references (mostly Superbowl, if available)
- three cups of funny fan signage
- squirty cream/hairspray/something misty that looks incredibly dramatic on camera
- medium to large facial expressions ranging from sadistic to ecstatic
- a new line of merchandise
- a twist of lime (for decoration)

METHOD:

NOTE: It is vitally important that one adds a pinch of promo at each stage of this recipe.

* Begin by blindsiding audience with Vince McMahon. Pepper in an announcement about a mystery guest host. Leave to stew until next Monday.
* Whip up all your roster into an alarming frenzy - including your announce team. Have Cole mellow into a near bearable human being. Then bring out The Miz utensil.
* Add an unexpected splash of claret to really heat things up.
* Stir up audience sympathies via your Lawler Kingstomatic 2000.
* Use your most recent PPV winner (in new Eagle pants) to deflate those 'that guy shoulda won' rumours.
* Drop in a hint of Taker.
* Throw in some Smackdown mentions for flavour, but remember to remove in two minutes (otherwise they will overpower the formula).
* Parboil Cena until soft. Then immediately cool for a tough but tasty exterior (if this is to your liking).
* Blend. Add zest.

Serves 1 - 80 million fans worldwide (approx)

Enjoy with a frosty one.

A Weeks Worth of Wonders

Well hey, when did February happen?! As you are all aware by now, the Royal Rumbled and by golly it was a good 'un. We at GTFO HQ (NOT the cupboard under the stairs) have been chanting 'DIESEL' for days now. Let's hope he sticks around for a bit.
As everything's a little laggy in my system still, we've got some Raw/Smackdowny things to catch up on. But, it mostly concerns how flipping awesome it is that Alberto Del Rio won that prestigious title shot at Wrestlemania. Three months in the company and you get the push of a lifetime. We heard one guy refer to him as 'the Mexican Kurt Angle' and if that little sliver of info's anything to go by, we've just been privy to the start of an illustrious career. I guess Fate does have her finger in all the pies.

And God knows we like pies.

It was a bit of a shame one of the big three didn't return to the fold (Jericho/Undertaker/Triple H) during the nights festivities, but we did have a sneaky little peaky at a 'Taker trail on the following Raw (build to 'Mania, get excited). It was a strange episode for the remainder though. Vickie's head must still be spinning from that KellyKelly knockdown. LOVED the Ziggler/Edge opener by the way, cause I know you asked. But honestly, the handicap title match?!? We kinda knew as soon as VG announced the 'no mo' spear ex-hubby' rule, it was pretty much a given that Barbie (Ziggler's words, not mine) was going to drive that finisher home. And since Alberto's going after the Heavyweight title, they might drop the whole angle soon anyhow. There's a bit of me that's hoping they're promoting the Divas so there's a definitive split when the Women's division gets re-instated (come on Kong/Beth/Natalya/Tamina), but this will probably only happen in my mind. In there, it kicks ass.

Although I am a mature and super important growed up, I did chuckle at Hornswoggle thwopping Del Rio in the 'nads with a big party stick. There, I said it. The guy gets double cool points since he gave an AA to Tyson Kid at the Rumble too. For the record: if I don't get a Wrestlemania Pinata at my next birthday party, it's going to be tantrum central.

Also, and this cannot go unmentioned, Booker's back sucka! Spineroonis now dished out via the announce table: one per team member, three if you're Justin Roberts and none for Cole.


Nash out.