Quick Thoughts on 2 Big Names Rumored for Wrestlemania

Come Wrestlemania time, rumors start flying about potential surprise appearances and finishes to matches. I would say about half the time these rumors actually happen and half the time nothing comes of anything. Lots of people just throw stuff at the wall and hope it sticks, but there are times when rumors actually have a bit more credibility to them, and it seems like this is the case with at least one of these names rumored to appear.

So I'm giving you a warning: If you want to be surprised at Wrestlemania, stop reading. If not, continue on and get my thoughts on potential two big returns.

Wrestlemania 28 Preview

It is that time of year. The event that only happens once a year. While the build may not have been as great as we hoped for, Wrestlemania is always an exciting time for wrestling fans. People can rip on wrestling all they want, but getting 60,000 plus people to watch one event is something not a lot of things can do. Wrestlemania always brings the goods and most of the time after watching it you can say that you watched something where a major event happened or a great match was had. I went to my first Wrestlemania last year, and while it wasn't the best of Wrestlemanias it was still a once in a lifetime experience that I encourage all wrestling fans to do at least once. From Axxess, to the Hall of Fame, to just being in the city where Wrestlemania is happening, it is just a great week all around.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/26/12

It's time for another RAW Review, the last one before Wrestlemania. Get ready for a lot of promo packages and heavy hype heading into Mania, as well as a likely physical confrontation between The Rock and John Cena.

Wrestling? To Start The Show?
An actual wrestling match to start the show? Kane/Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton/Sheamus. Orton and Bryan started, with Orton doing his version of the Garvin Stomp. Bryan ate a clothesline. Orton tagged in Sheamus but Bryan immediately tagged in Kane. Sheamus chopped Kane's leg but Kane countered with a back drop. Sheamus caught Kane with a knee then hit a top rope battering ram. Sheamus charged at Bryan but Bryan jumped off the apron. Kane hit an upper cut that sent Sheamus to the outside, then Bryan hit a jumping knee drop off the apron on Sheamus heading into commercial.

Yes, Why I'm Already Thinking About Wrestlemania 29

Wrestlemania 28 is a week away. One of the most anticipated matches of all time, The Rock vs John Cena, i taking place. Triple H and The Undertaker are going to go at it inside Hell In A Cell. Chris Jericho and C.M. Punk should put on a very good 20 minute wrestling match and Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus should be good at well. When it is all set and done, this may be one of the better Wrestlemanias of all time.

The problem is, as those who read my RAW reviews can figure out, I haven't been a fan of much of the build. Outside of C.M. Punk/Chris Jericho, nothing is standing out to me. HHH/Undertaker is boring, Rock/Cena hasn't gotten out of second gear, and I couldn't care less about this whole GM storyline. While all the matches will deliver, which is what people will remember most, the lacking build will always stick out in my mind.

Looking At The NFL Off-Season So Far

So we are a week into free agency. Next to the Draft, it is the most exciting part of the off-season. Some people might say it is more exciting than the Draft. I personally enjoy the Draft better. While free agency can be exciting, I get more excited to see the young future of my team.

But this free agency period has been quite fun. Unlike last year when we had a late start to free agency as well as an uncapped year, this free agency period has brought along some exciting surprises as well as some questionable contracts and decisions by teams. When you look at some of the money being thrown around, you have to wonder if these teams know exactly what they are doing. Of course, we have also had two of the biggest free agents ever in the NFL sign with new teams, Peyton Manning and Mario Williams.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/19/12

As we continue on the Road to Wrestlemania, it is time for another live RAW Truth Review. Hopefully, the build picks up for HHH/Taker tonight, because I'm starting to lose interest.

Rise Above Alcoholism
C.M. Punk came out with a very serious look on his face. They replayed Jericho calling out Punk for being straight edge because his father was a drunk. Punk told everyone that Jericho wasn't here tonight, but Punk said that was a gift, because Jericho pissed him off last week by calling his father an alcoholic. Punk said it is true, but not his story to tell. Punk said the fact that he said it in front of the entire world is what pissed him off. Punk said there isn't a person watching this that hasn't been effected by alcoholism. Punk said Jericho only wants to get in his head and under his skin to have an advantage heading into Wrestlemania. Punk said Jericho doesn't understand him at all, because it is in his DNA to kick Jericho's ass now. Punk said that Jericho forgot to tell the finish of the story, that his father beat his demons and is working to get better. Punk said Jericho is an obstacle and that he is going straight through him at Wrestlemania to prove that he is the Best In the World.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC East Addition

And so here we are. The last of my off-season previews. For are last stop, we take a look at the division of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.The Giants played the best football in the last month of the regular season and rode that momentum to a great post-season and eventually a Super Bowl win. The Giants have a couple key free agents this off-season, but they should be geared up for another run. The Philadelphia Eagles were billed the "Dream Team" heading into the season, but they struggled early on and couldn't come back late. The Dallas Cowboys? They had high hopes coming into the year, but two losses to the Giants in December kept them from making the Playoffs. And the Washington Redskins just traded away three 1st round Draft Picks for one player. This division usually gets the most talk from the national media because of the big time players in it, and they usually don't disappoint when it comes to making buzz.

New York Giants

2011 Record: 9-7

I sang the praise of the Giants for the last month of the season. Other than that stinker at home against Washington, they played very well. I didn't think, however, that the Giants would carry that momentum all the way to the Super Bowl. I thought the Packers would get the better of them. I thought the Giants could score an upset, but I didn't think it would happen. But the Giants shut down the Packers offense, got some good breaks against San Francisco, and scored late again against the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. Eli Manning in the process cemented his claim as an elite quarterback in the NFL. The Giants defense is what stepped up towards the end of the season. Once the pass rush was finally healthy, they were difficult to stop. Jason Pierre-Paul grew into one of the best pass rushers in the league. If the core group of the Giants can stay together, then there is no reason to think a repeat isn't possible.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/12/12

So, You Think You're Untouchable...
Jerry Lawler started in the ring. He mentioned how it is the first ever Rock and Rap Concert tonight.John Cena came out to "Basic Thuganomics" and wearing his old school chain and jean shorts. Cena said Rock is like LeBron, taking his talents to South Beach. Cena asked for a week when Rock doesn't come out and choke. He called Rock and Dwayne both jack offs. Cena said after April 1, Rock won't be making movies because after he is going to need surgery on his boobies. He called out Rock for the Tooth Fairy chant he received last week. Cena said he doesn't have balls, but he is going to beat him at Wrestlemania and put his nuts in his face.

Segment Analysis: Classic Cena when he was at his best. That is the Cena we used to like, that I used to like. That right there proved that Cena can still be that gimmick even in a water downed PG era. That was pretty good. Hopefully Cena doesn't come out as a goof ball later. Survey Says: 3.5/5

The Three Most Likely Endings for Rock vs Cena

Its getting hard to believe that we are only three weeks away from a match that was made almost a year ago. In the two weeks we have gotten of Rock/Cena promos so far, I feel confident in saying that they have not disappointed yet. Two weeks ago, The Rock was owned by John Cena. Cena just looked more confident and unafraid, and actually looked like he belonged in the same ring with Rock. While who got the better between the two this week is in the eye of the beholder, I personally think Rock did. Rock's "History" promos were very entertaining, and it was The Rock of old that we all liked growing up as wrestling fans. Cena wasn't bad. He was still better than he has been in recent months.

NFL Off-Season Preview: AFC East Edition

After Week 3 this year it appeared that the AFC East may have a new dog on top. The Bills beat the Patriots for the first time since 2003. But the Bills faltered down the stretch, and the Patriots won the AFC East for the 8th time in nine years. The Patriots offense by the end of the year was a machine that couldn't be stopped. They have a duel threat at tight end with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez and the always pesky Wes Welker at WR. The Jets took a step backward last year, failing to make the Playoffs for the first time under Rex Ryan. And there is dysfunction in the locker room. The Bills finally looked ready to make the Playoffs for the first time in a decade, but they faltered down the stretch. The Dolphins started the season 0-7 and appeared poised to draft Andrew Luck first overall, but they finished strong going 6-3 in their last nine games. This is a strong division that only appears to be going up with teams like the Bills and Dolphins getting stronger.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC North Edition

The NFC North was dominated by the Green Bay Packers last year. They were undefeated for most of the year and looked unstoppable at times. They ended up losing to the Chiefs, then were taken out at home by the Giants in the NFC Divisional Round. The Lions took a big step last year and made their first Playoff appearance in a decade. The offense was finally all systems go with a healthy Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. The Bears struggled on offense and couldn't make it into the Playoffs after winning the division in 2010. And the Vikings had one of their worst seasons in recent memory and still appear to be the 4th best team inside the division. This is still a pretty strong division. The Packers, Lions, and Bears can all make the Playoffs, and with some improvements on defense, the Lions could challenge the Packers for the division title this year.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/5/12

Tonight we get The Rock, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. No, I swear it isn't 1998.

D-X Strip Poker Segment: Part 2?
RAW started with Shawn Michaels. He said today the best thing about the HBK chant is that it gives him an opportunity to catch his breath. HBK said he knows things got heated between him and HHH, but he needed to do that in order to get HHH to challenge Undertaker. HBK asked Triple H to come out and he did.

Shawn said he knew he was tough on HHH a few weeks ago, but he did it because he knew Hunter had to have the match. Shawn ran down all the things that he called Hunter: a coward, a man of integrity. Shawn called Hunter an oak because he called him a coward and didn't change his mind. Shawn said something must have got Hunter to change his mind. Shawn got the production truck to show what got Hunter to change his mind. And of course, we all know that it was Undertaker saying Shawn was better than him, and he can't do what his friend couldn't do.

NFL Off-Season Preview: AFC North Edition

These are coming at a quicker pace with Free Agency coming soon. Today we look at the AFC North, which might have been the best division in all of football last year. They put three teams in the Playoffs last year. The Ravens and Steelers have been a model of consistency in recent years. They also have the best rivalry in all of football. Every time these two teams get together, you can expect a hard-hitting, smash mouth game of football. Both teams are getting up there in age, however, and may be on a slight decline. I still think both are Playoff teams, but they may not be as infallible as they once worth. The Bengals shocked everyone last year by finishing 10-6 and securing a Wild Card berth. They will only get better. And then there is the Cleveland Browns. Unless they trade up for Robert Griffin, they will be basement dwellers without a doubt. Hell, they probably will still be basement dwellers even with Griffin.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC West Edition

It is Part 4 of my NFL Off-Season Preview, and this time we will look at the NFC West. The West was a division that went the complete opposite way most people saw it going this year. Almost everyone saw the Rams as the favorites to win the division. They were a team on the rise. But a brutal early schedule and injuries put an end to that. The Seahawks struggled early, as did the Cardinals, and both teams' late season runs weren't enough to get them in the Playoffs. Then there was the San Francisco 49ers, a team that I am pretty sure no one saw coming. But first year coach Jim Harbaugh completely changed the culture of the team, and he lead the 49ers to the NFC West Title and the NFC Championship Game. All of this was done with pretty much the same roster that didn't make the Playoffs the year before. What once was considered the weakest division in the NFL is now a decent one that is no longer a laughing stock.

Analyzing Wrestlemania So Far

We are just under a month away from Wrestlemania, and things are starting to take shape. The Big 4 matches are finally set, and those matches alone make this one of the most must see Wrestlemania's off all time. It almost makes me wish that I was going to Wrestlemania this year and saved my money and not had gone last year. But I had to see my favorite all time go into the Hall of Fame. But he should have gone in this year!

Okay, enough being selfish for myself. In all seriousness, this Wrestlemania does look really good on paper. Now that doesn't mean the WWE won't find a way to screw this all up, they usually mess up one thing come Wrestlemania time. But it is going to be tough for them to find something to screw up here. I think one of the reason's I believe this is because I trust the performers in all of the top matches. Six of the eight guys in those matches are veteran performers who know how to put on a good match, know how to entertain the crowd, and know what it means to be so high on the card on the biggest stage of the year. Now of course, there is something to be said that the WWE has to use HHH, Undertaker, and The Rock once a year to pop a buyrate for Wrestlemania. If they did a better job building up stars then they wouldn't need them. But I digress.