I couldn't come up with a more creative headline for this if I tried. I just found out about this just a few short moments ago, and, I tell you, my head is still spinning.
Disney already owns the video rights to a number of past Marvel cartoon series, including the 1967 Spider-Man series, and the late 90's programs produced by Saban (which Disney bought a few years ago). Now, as the saying goes, they have the whole enchilada. There are those unenlightened souls already making light of the whole situation for their own amusement, of course, but this second Disney-Marvel union (Disney licensed some titles to Marvel several years back) will enable some of Disney's hottest shows (i.e. Hannah Montana) to make the transition to comics, if they choose to go in that direction, bolstering Marvel's presence with "tweens". Of course, there is the inevitable prospect of having ABC and/or ESPN personalities making cameos in Marvel Universe titles.
But what does this do to Marvel's pre-existing movie deals with Fox (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Deadpool), Paramount (Iron Man), & Universal (Incredible Hulk)? Nothing. Marvel will finish out their plans for their movies, starting with "Iron Man II" next year. Beyond that point is open to speculation.
It's just amazing that it took this long. DC has been part of the now-Time-Warner family for more than 30 years, and has prospered. What's next? Fox buying Dark Horse Comics?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
You'll see this in a TV-movie in about a year.......
I'm sure that by now you've read about Jaycee Dugard, 29, who was reunited with her family yesterday after being held captive for 18 years by Phil Garrido, 58, and his wife. During this time, Ms. Dugard had 2 daughters by Garrido, and the motivation for this part of the story is clear. Garrido's wife couldn't have kids of her own, so Garrido decided to rape Ms. Dugard into pregnancy. He even went so far as to take the two kids out in public, perhaps passing them off as his wife's kids, to maintain his deception.
And like the nutcases in the Elizabeth Smart case a few years ago, Garrido was on a pseudo-religious bent, claiming that God spoke to him in a box. I know someone who'll have a field day with that piece of bulloney. The bottom line is that Garrido is insane, to the point where he hasn't confessed to abducting Ms. Dugard off a school bus stop in 1991. America's Most Wanted did a feature piece back then, and you can be sure they'll have an update by the time they start running new episodes again next month. Ms. Dugard has retained custody of her two children, and in all probability, Garrido has forfeited his rights with his arrest. After all, the oldest child was born when her mother was still a minor!
Garrido is a registered sex offender, but I wouldn't be surprised that his lawyers will try to get him off on an insanity defense. However, since he developed his religious delusions within the last couple of years, I don't think that'll work. It's an open & shut case. He kidnapped Jaycee Dugard when she was 11, she had her first child at 14, her 2nd at 18, and neither child has ever been to school. Garrido wouldn't allow it, since it would have likely ended this case a lot sooner than it did. I don't know about the prospect of homeschooling, but that might be the only way the kids would've learned anything at all.
There are still a number of kidnap victims still unaccounted for across the country. Some, like Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart, might actually have been hidden in plain sight all along. If Phil Garrido really believed that God was speaking to him, that box should've contained a Bible. No, I think he began creating that delusion because he knew inevitably his charade would come to an end, and he didn't want to lose his extended family.
Watch. In about a month or three, we'll be reading about how someone decided this case should be made into a movie, and it'll be either on CBS or NBC or Lifetime. Television executives always see money in cases like this, grist for the mill to feed a generation bred on the curiosity of scandal. I'd prefer it not to happen. Let Jaycee have her life back. That's all that's really needed.
And like the nutcases in the Elizabeth Smart case a few years ago, Garrido was on a pseudo-religious bent, claiming that God spoke to him in a box. I know someone who'll have a field day with that piece of bulloney. The bottom line is that Garrido is insane, to the point where he hasn't confessed to abducting Ms. Dugard off a school bus stop in 1991. America's Most Wanted did a feature piece back then, and you can be sure they'll have an update by the time they start running new episodes again next month. Ms. Dugard has retained custody of her two children, and in all probability, Garrido has forfeited his rights with his arrest. After all, the oldest child was born when her mother was still a minor!
Garrido is a registered sex offender, but I wouldn't be surprised that his lawyers will try to get him off on an insanity defense. However, since he developed his religious delusions within the last couple of years, I don't think that'll work. It's an open & shut case. He kidnapped Jaycee Dugard when she was 11, she had her first child at 14, her 2nd at 18, and neither child has ever been to school. Garrido wouldn't allow it, since it would have likely ended this case a lot sooner than it did. I don't know about the prospect of homeschooling, but that might be the only way the kids would've learned anything at all.
There are still a number of kidnap victims still unaccounted for across the country. Some, like Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart, might actually have been hidden in plain sight all along. If Phil Garrido really believed that God was speaking to him, that box should've contained a Bible. No, I think he began creating that delusion because he knew inevitably his charade would come to an end, and he didn't want to lose his extended family.
Watch. In about a month or three, we'll be reading about how someone decided this case should be made into a movie, and it'll be either on CBS or NBC or Lifetime. Television executives always see money in cases like this, grist for the mill to feed a generation bred on the curiosity of scandal. I'd prefer it not to happen. Let Jaycee have her life back. That's all that's really needed.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
A mall in general exile
Today's Albany Times-Union reports that the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) will terminate bus service to Latham Circle Mall effective next month. It's bad enough that the mall, which first opened more than 40 years ago as Latham Corners Shopping Center, has fallen on very hard times over this decade, with most of its tenants having moved out or closed completely for various reasons, but CDTA's decision leaves a lot of commuters needing to car pool if they want to go to the movies or dine at the Old Country Buffet.
This isn't the first time CDTA has done this with one of the old school malls. A few years ago, it was decided that the buses wouldn't go into Northway Mall, either, but rather, a bus shelter was built in front. The message being sent then and now, simply, is that Northway & Latham Circle are no longer popular enough to warrant being a destination for commuters. Most folks would rather travel to the cavernous Crossgates Mall. Latham Circle is supposed to be in line for massive renovations that would allow it to be competitive to and/or compatible with Crossgates, but that hasn't happened. Sort of like the perennial plans to renovate Proctor's Theatre in Troy, but nothing ever gets done there, despite all the talk.
If anyone wants to go from Latham Farms to Latham Circle, just to go to the movies or Old Country, come the end of September, the best bet is to have a car handy. Trying to walk across the dangerous Route 7, even when it isn't rush hour, is hazardous to a commuter's health. The same goes for crossing Wolf Road to enter Colonie Center, another mall that CDTA stopped entering. The company doesn't realize the dangers that their consumers now must face, and don't seem to care, either. Crossing Central Avenue to get from Colonie Center to Northway, or vice versa, holds the same hazard.
I know the day will come within the next year or three that Latham Circle will close for good, but the blame for that will soon be shared between the mall's out-of-town owners and CDTA. One has driven away business by asking too much for rent, and the other by pinching pennies and putting consumers at greater risk.
This isn't the first time CDTA has done this with one of the old school malls. A few years ago, it was decided that the buses wouldn't go into Northway Mall, either, but rather, a bus shelter was built in front. The message being sent then and now, simply, is that Northway & Latham Circle are no longer popular enough to warrant being a destination for commuters. Most folks would rather travel to the cavernous Crossgates Mall. Latham Circle is supposed to be in line for massive renovations that would allow it to be competitive to and/or compatible with Crossgates, but that hasn't happened. Sort of like the perennial plans to renovate Proctor's Theatre in Troy, but nothing ever gets done there, despite all the talk.
If anyone wants to go from Latham Farms to Latham Circle, just to go to the movies or Old Country, come the end of September, the best bet is to have a car handy. Trying to walk across the dangerous Route 7, even when it isn't rush hour, is hazardous to a commuter's health. The same goes for crossing Wolf Road to enter Colonie Center, another mall that CDTA stopped entering. The company doesn't realize the dangers that their consumers now must face, and don't seem to care, either. Crossing Central Avenue to get from Colonie Center to Northway, or vice versa, holds the same hazard.
I know the day will come within the next year or three that Latham Circle will close for good, but the blame for that will soon be shared between the mall's out-of-town owners and CDTA. One has driven away business by asking too much for rent, and the other by pinching pennies and putting consumers at greater risk.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Senator Edward Kennedy (1932-2009)
About two weeks after his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, passed away after a lengthy illness, Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy lost his year long bout with brain cancer. It was just a few days ago that Kennedy tried to have legislation passed in his home state of Massachusetts to change the state's rules regarding special elections in order to fill a vacant seat in the Senate, hoping not to replicate the political conundrum that happened earlier several months back in New York. Now, we'll have to wait and see if his wish was fulfilled after the fact.
The "liberal lion" of the Senate, Kennedy was first elected in 1962, while his brother John was President. There will be, certainly, a special election of some kind in November to fill the void created by Kennedy's passing, 47 years after he was first voted into office. An era has ended, and the lion's roar has been silenced. Rest in peace, Teddy. You will be missed.
The "liberal lion" of the Senate, Kennedy was first elected in 1962, while his brother John was President. There will be, certainly, a special election of some kind in November to fill the void created by Kennedy's passing, 47 years after he was first voted into office. An era has ended, and the lion's roar has been silenced. Rest in peace, Teddy. You will be missed.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Summerslam predictions
Summerslam is billed as the "biggest party of the summer". Appropriately, this year's edition is in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Here's a quick look at the card.
ECW title: Christian vs. William Regal: This has "hot shot angle" written all over it. Regal was thrust into the #1 contender's role a week and a half ago, despite not having wrestled much on ECW since moving over in a cross-brand trade last month. His new allies, Vlad Kozlov & Ezekiel Jackson, won't be involved if the creative team gets it right. Too soon for a title change-over again, so Christian retains.
WWE title: Randy Orton vs. John Cena: These two headlined this same PPV 2 years ago, and it speaks volumes of the inability of Raw's creative monkeys to find someone to be moved up to put fresh blood into the mix. The pundits will tell you that any combination of these two, plus Triple H and Batista (currently on the DL) have headlined more PPV's in the last 3-4 years. No wonder they say Raw is duller than dishwater despite the Saturday Night Live-esque Guest Host format that's been in effect for nearly 2 months. Orton, in fact, is the dullest of them all. That's what happens when you're the #1 heel on the show and you're not allowed to have a real range of emotions. Time for a switch here, as Cena regains the title.
Legacy (Ted DiBiase, Jr. & Cody Rhodes) vs. D-Generation X (Triple H & Shawn Michaels): Open & shut case. Legacy left the DX team lying in the ring Monday, sealing their fate. Superkick, pedigree, ballgame over. DX wins to start their latest reunion tour.
WWE tag titles: Big Show & Chris Jericho vs. Cryme Tyme: Open & shut case #2. Cryme Tyme (JTG & Shad Gaspard) aren't quite ready to be the faces of the dwindling tag team division. Jericho & Show retain.
WWE World title: Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (TLC match): Jeff Hardy, along with brother Matt and Christian, helped make the TLC match famous some years back. However, nothing says lame duck champion like the reports that Hardy will take an extended sabbatical post-PPV, meaning that for Punk, the ducks are lined up in a tidy little row. Matt Hardy will pick up the baton for his brother, followed by John Morrison, Rey Mysterio, and the Undertaker. I'd not be surprised, either, if Jericho wants back in, too. Punk regains the title in what figures to be the best match on the show.
Intercontinental title: Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler had, I think, his best chance of winning the title last month, and didn't cash it in. Again, it's too soon to move the title to other hands, and, depending on who you believe, Rey was promised a lengthy run this time. Of course, when you factor in that your boss is a senile executive....! Pick-Mysterio.
Great Khali vs. Kane: 4 years ago, these two's roles were reversed. Now, Kane's the blase villain who's tortured Khali's interpreter/manager, Runjin Singh. They're now trying to claim Singh (Dave Kapoor) is Khali (Dalip Singh)'s brother. Stop the pain! Pick-Kane.
Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Jack Swagger: Swagger won the 1st meeting, but before that and since, he's picked his spots to press the issue. This from a former ECW champion? Yes, when Raw's head writer is an idiot. Swagger, though, would be a good bet to move into the main event and feud with Cena. Pick-Swagger.
Only the small minds in the creative office could screw this up, and they probably will.
ECW title: Christian vs. William Regal: This has "hot shot angle" written all over it. Regal was thrust into the #1 contender's role a week and a half ago, despite not having wrestled much on ECW since moving over in a cross-brand trade last month. His new allies, Vlad Kozlov & Ezekiel Jackson, won't be involved if the creative team gets it right. Too soon for a title change-over again, so Christian retains.
WWE title: Randy Orton vs. John Cena: These two headlined this same PPV 2 years ago, and it speaks volumes of the inability of Raw's creative monkeys to find someone to be moved up to put fresh blood into the mix. The pundits will tell you that any combination of these two, plus Triple H and Batista (currently on the DL) have headlined more PPV's in the last 3-4 years. No wonder they say Raw is duller than dishwater despite the Saturday Night Live-esque Guest Host format that's been in effect for nearly 2 months. Orton, in fact, is the dullest of them all. That's what happens when you're the #1 heel on the show and you're not allowed to have a real range of emotions. Time for a switch here, as Cena regains the title.
Legacy (Ted DiBiase, Jr. & Cody Rhodes) vs. D-Generation X (Triple H & Shawn Michaels): Open & shut case. Legacy left the DX team lying in the ring Monday, sealing their fate. Superkick, pedigree, ballgame over. DX wins to start their latest reunion tour.
WWE tag titles: Big Show & Chris Jericho vs. Cryme Tyme: Open & shut case #2. Cryme Tyme (JTG & Shad Gaspard) aren't quite ready to be the faces of the dwindling tag team division. Jericho & Show retain.
WWE World title: Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (TLC match): Jeff Hardy, along with brother Matt and Christian, helped make the TLC match famous some years back. However, nothing says lame duck champion like the reports that Hardy will take an extended sabbatical post-PPV, meaning that for Punk, the ducks are lined up in a tidy little row. Matt Hardy will pick up the baton for his brother, followed by John Morrison, Rey Mysterio, and the Undertaker. I'd not be surprised, either, if Jericho wants back in, too. Punk regains the title in what figures to be the best match on the show.
Intercontinental title: Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler had, I think, his best chance of winning the title last month, and didn't cash it in. Again, it's too soon to move the title to other hands, and, depending on who you believe, Rey was promised a lengthy run this time. Of course, when you factor in that your boss is a senile executive....! Pick-Mysterio.
Great Khali vs. Kane: 4 years ago, these two's roles were reversed. Now, Kane's the blase villain who's tortured Khali's interpreter/manager, Runjin Singh. They're now trying to claim Singh (Dave Kapoor) is Khali (Dalip Singh)'s brother. Stop the pain! Pick-Kane.
Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Jack Swagger: Swagger won the 1st meeting, but before that and since, he's picked his spots to press the issue. This from a former ECW champion? Yes, when Raw's head writer is an idiot. Swagger, though, would be a good bet to move into the main event and feud with Cena. Pick-Swagger.
Only the small minds in the creative office could screw this up, and they probably will.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Sports' Three Deadly Sins
Today's athletes have been unfairly characterized as spoiled because they're being paid millions before playing a single pro game. The advent of free agency, starting in baseball in the mid 1970's, has led to this. But it's not entirely the players' fault a large majority of the time.
Late Monday night, the Washington Nationals signed their #1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg to a 4-year contract worth in excess of 15 million dollars. Yes, Strasburg has been hyped to the moon because of his success in the college ranks. History, however, tells us that there have been several pitchers similarly hyped into being drafted #1 overall, most recently Mark Prior, who have run into one roadblock or another, usually injury-related, stunting their major league careers. Prior, in fact, was released a few weeks ago by the San Diego Padres.
The blame for Strasburg's 2 month holdout lies with his agent, Scott Boras, who has a history of conning teams into overpaying for his clients, simply because he never made it to the bigs himself because of a knee injury suffered while playing in the minors in the Padres organization. So he lives vicariously through his clients, reaping the profits from those contracts. Apparently it doesn't matter to him that some of those clients also have become trouble magnets (i.e. A-Rod, Manny). It's all about the money.
Boras first made headlines when he sold JD Drew's parents a bill of goods conning them into thinking that their son shouldn't sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, ultimately signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The bottom line is, Boras is a greedy con artist who has the Major League Baseball Players' Association enabling him to continue unabated. He shouldn't.
Earlier today, after informing the Minnesota Vikings he wouldn't sign with them 2 weeks ago, Brett Favre changed his mind and signed a 2-year deal. Apparently, a late season meltdown last year with the New York Jets didn't convince Favre enough that it was time to hang up the cleats once and for all. Favre continues to tarnish his reputation by playing these cat & mouse games during the off-seasons, leaving the fans and the press twisting in the wind. ESPN certainly was obsessed with the story, claiming he was negotiating with Minnesota when other media outlets reported that no such meetings were taking place. Worse, Favre will immediately be thrust into the starting lineup in Friday's pre-season game.
It's not so much about greed with Favre. It's about pride, because he wants to go out a winner, when his last two seasons have ended with defeat, and it's about the spotlight, being one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, but not the elite QB. Favre's diminishing performances during the 2nd half of 2008 with the Jets convinced me he was done. I'd venture to say that Favre isn't even a top 10 QB anymore, not when you have Tom Brady, the Mannings, Philip Rivers, emerging talents like Joe Flacco & Trent Edwards and incoming QBs Mark Sanchez (who replaces Favre with the Jets) and Matthew Stafford in the league. Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, one of the more lower profile agents in the business, is probably shaking his head in disbelief just like the rest of us, even though he's going to get paid anyway.
If the Vikings don't make the playoffs, I'd not be surprised if Brett plays this game of chess again next spring. But how many times is this going to go on until something happens that forces Favre out of the game once and for all, something that he can't control?
Greed, pride, and a need for the spotlight. You've heard of the 7 Deadly Sins? Sports has at least three, if not all of them and then some. In the 80's, First Lady Nancy Reagan tried to convince us to just say no. Wrestler CM Punk has been recast as a villain in the WWE because he is using the same message in a less than sincere manner. However, it's a message that needs to be heard. Now.
Late Monday night, the Washington Nationals signed their #1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg to a 4-year contract worth in excess of 15 million dollars. Yes, Strasburg has been hyped to the moon because of his success in the college ranks. History, however, tells us that there have been several pitchers similarly hyped into being drafted #1 overall, most recently Mark Prior, who have run into one roadblock or another, usually injury-related, stunting their major league careers. Prior, in fact, was released a few weeks ago by the San Diego Padres.
The blame for Strasburg's 2 month holdout lies with his agent, Scott Boras, who has a history of conning teams into overpaying for his clients, simply because he never made it to the bigs himself because of a knee injury suffered while playing in the minors in the Padres organization. So he lives vicariously through his clients, reaping the profits from those contracts. Apparently it doesn't matter to him that some of those clients also have become trouble magnets (i.e. A-Rod, Manny). It's all about the money.
Boras first made headlines when he sold JD Drew's parents a bill of goods conning them into thinking that their son shouldn't sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, ultimately signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The bottom line is, Boras is a greedy con artist who has the Major League Baseball Players' Association enabling him to continue unabated. He shouldn't.
Earlier today, after informing the Minnesota Vikings he wouldn't sign with them 2 weeks ago, Brett Favre changed his mind and signed a 2-year deal. Apparently, a late season meltdown last year with the New York Jets didn't convince Favre enough that it was time to hang up the cleats once and for all. Favre continues to tarnish his reputation by playing these cat & mouse games during the off-seasons, leaving the fans and the press twisting in the wind. ESPN certainly was obsessed with the story, claiming he was negotiating with Minnesota when other media outlets reported that no such meetings were taking place. Worse, Favre will immediately be thrust into the starting lineup in Friday's pre-season game.
It's not so much about greed with Favre. It's about pride, because he wants to go out a winner, when his last two seasons have ended with defeat, and it's about the spotlight, being one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, but not the elite QB. Favre's diminishing performances during the 2nd half of 2008 with the Jets convinced me he was done. I'd venture to say that Favre isn't even a top 10 QB anymore, not when you have Tom Brady, the Mannings, Philip Rivers, emerging talents like Joe Flacco & Trent Edwards and incoming QBs Mark Sanchez (who replaces Favre with the Jets) and Matthew Stafford in the league. Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, one of the more lower profile agents in the business, is probably shaking his head in disbelief just like the rest of us, even though he's going to get paid anyway.
If the Vikings don't make the playoffs, I'd not be surprised if Brett plays this game of chess again next spring. But how many times is this going to go on until something happens that forces Favre out of the game once and for all, something that he can't control?
Greed, pride, and a need for the spotlight. You've heard of the 7 Deadly Sins? Sports has at least three, if not all of them and then some. In the 80's, First Lady Nancy Reagan tried to convince us to just say no. Wrestler CM Punk has been recast as a villain in the WWE because he is using the same message in a less than sincere manner. However, it's a message that needs to be heard. Now.
Monday Night Raw: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly
There wasn't a "Good, Bad, & Ugly" review last week because Raw was so wretched from the jump, but this week is a different animal, in the "go home" show before Summerslam on Sunday.
Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze, Jr. hosted this week's edition. Predictably, he owned up to being a long time fan, and still having many of the older action figures still in his closet. The comedy started early when Santino Marella, starving for airtime, came out dressed as the Fisherman from "I Know What You Did Last Summer". Marella was trying to convince Prinze to land him a gig in a movie, even going so far as to be a walking advertisement for Prinze's next TV gig, a role on Fox's 24 when it returns next year.
Sidebar #1: Marella is better served being sent down to Florida Championship if the creative staff can only come up with marginally funny comedy bits for him to do. It's gotten progressively worse for him over the last two months.
Marella departed, and WWE Champion Randy Orton came out, demanding to be removed from the main event tag match. Well, I saw that one coming. Prinze wouldn't budge, so Randy decided to attack. Anything to get on Access Hollywood and all the other gossip shows, I guess. Prinze was laid out with an over-the-back backbreaker. That is to say, Orton drapes his victim across his own back to execute the move.
The match quality was hit and miss again. The best match on the show, unsurprisingly, was the first one, a US title match between current champ Kofi Kingston and former titlist Carlito Colon, who last held the belt for a few months in 2004 while he and the US title were on Smackdown. Colon has acquired the services of Rosa Mendes as his new valet, the end result of their successful teaming on Superstars last week. Rosa, unfortunately, wasn't much help. She just stood there, looking pretty. After a back & forth battle, Kingston retained after hitting Trouble in Paradise, a twisting, spinning front enziguri. Carlito sold it great, as a young veteran should.
The other title match on the card saw Mickie James defend the "Divas" title vs. Gail Kim, who earned her title shot last week. These two matches were booked for Raw because they won't have room for them at Summerslam. Blame that on the creative team. Anyway, we've seen better from both women. The match ended rather abruptly, as it appeared that Gail may have been legitimately concussed on a botched attempt at blocking Mickie's standing tornado DDT finisher, only to get a love tap of a roundhouse kick, then a forearm shiver, to end it.
Sidebar #2: This was just brutal, despite the talent involved. You have to hope that Gail isn't legitimately injured, because that is the last thing WWE needs right now.
They spent the bulk of the first hour hyping the latest reunion of DeGeneration X (Shawn Michaels & Triple H), but this got old in a hurry. Hunter couldn't even start his spiel before Legacy (Ted DiBiase, Jr. & Cody Rhodes) ambushed the duo and laid them out, sending a clear message that they will be there to put up a fight at Summerslam.
Sidebar #3: All well & good, but it would take a minor miracle for Legacy to win, because it's so obvious now that they're being set up to lose. Again.
While Prinze got all the hype as the host, WWE snuck in another actor under the radar. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. was put in yet another gimmick match vs. Hornswoggle, this time a falls count anywhere match. Now, on paper, this kind of gimmick favors the veteran Guerrero, since he can find as many allies as he can to help him, just as 'Swoggle would. However, no help was coming. Choosing between two doors in the backstage area, Guerrero heard a click and chose the one to his right, only to be met with a paint can rapping him between the eyes. 'Swoggle emerged on the other side, surveyed the area, and covered his enemy. Referee Justin King caught up and tolled the count. Post-match, Mark Henry came out, but he was a decoy. The paint can was a gag straight out of the "Home Alone" movies, and sure enough, Kevin McAllister himself, Macaulay Culkin, emerged next. Chavo was speechless. Enough said. Hopefully, that's the end of this storyline.
Meanwhile, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin is making a move toward challenging for the US title. Ditching the armbands and the long pants, Miz, following the lead of Chris Jericho, is now sporting short tights. The yin/yang logo on the front will remind some of Rob Van Dam, but maybe for the wrong reasons. Miz dismissed Evan Bourne in an all-too-short match with the "Skull Crushing Finale", a full nelson dropped into a front leg sweep, a la Jeff Jarrett's "Stroke" finisher.
Sidebar #4: Miz needs a better name for his new finisher.
Jack Swagger & MVP weren't given time for their entrances, and the match was just starting after a commercial. It only goes a minute or two before Swagger is DQ'd for ignoring the ref's 5 count in the corner. Their hostilities will resume at Summerslam. Nice to tease, but not like this.
The main event was another short affair, and after being sent to a "local medical facility" earlier, Prinze returned and made it a lumberjack match at the last minute, two weeks after Orton bullied Jeremy Piven into doing the same thing. Surprisingly, Orton, in front of the home town fans, played face in peril, rather than the arrogant, selfish champion we expected to see. Unsurprisingly, John Cena collected the fall for his side, pinning Chris Jericho after the Attitude Adjustment. Jericho & Big Show, the tag champs, were made to look like chumps even after the match when they took advantage of Orton RKO'ing Cena. The lumberjacks bought Cena some time, and then the former champion dismissed Jericho & Show himself to end the show.
Raw division predictions for Summerslam:
WWE title: Orton over Cena. I'll be shocked if they put it on Cena at this point. I'd rather they did, but I just can't see it just yet.
DX over Legacy
MVP over Swagger
We'll have full predictions this weekend.
Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze, Jr. hosted this week's edition. Predictably, he owned up to being a long time fan, and still having many of the older action figures still in his closet. The comedy started early when Santino Marella, starving for airtime, came out dressed as the Fisherman from "I Know What You Did Last Summer". Marella was trying to convince Prinze to land him a gig in a movie, even going so far as to be a walking advertisement for Prinze's next TV gig, a role on Fox's 24 when it returns next year.
Sidebar #1: Marella is better served being sent down to Florida Championship if the creative staff can only come up with marginally funny comedy bits for him to do. It's gotten progressively worse for him over the last two months.
Marella departed, and WWE Champion Randy Orton came out, demanding to be removed from the main event tag match. Well, I saw that one coming. Prinze wouldn't budge, so Randy decided to attack. Anything to get on Access Hollywood and all the other gossip shows, I guess. Prinze was laid out with an over-the-back backbreaker. That is to say, Orton drapes his victim across his own back to execute the move.
The match quality was hit and miss again. The best match on the show, unsurprisingly, was the first one, a US title match between current champ Kofi Kingston and former titlist Carlito Colon, who last held the belt for a few months in 2004 while he and the US title were on Smackdown. Colon has acquired the services of Rosa Mendes as his new valet, the end result of their successful teaming on Superstars last week. Rosa, unfortunately, wasn't much help. She just stood there, looking pretty. After a back & forth battle, Kingston retained after hitting Trouble in Paradise, a twisting, spinning front enziguri. Carlito sold it great, as a young veteran should.
The other title match on the card saw Mickie James defend the "Divas" title vs. Gail Kim, who earned her title shot last week. These two matches were booked for Raw because they won't have room for them at Summerslam. Blame that on the creative team. Anyway, we've seen better from both women. The match ended rather abruptly, as it appeared that Gail may have been legitimately concussed on a botched attempt at blocking Mickie's standing tornado DDT finisher, only to get a love tap of a roundhouse kick, then a forearm shiver, to end it.
Sidebar #2: This was just brutal, despite the talent involved. You have to hope that Gail isn't legitimately injured, because that is the last thing WWE needs right now.
They spent the bulk of the first hour hyping the latest reunion of DeGeneration X (Shawn Michaels & Triple H), but this got old in a hurry. Hunter couldn't even start his spiel before Legacy (Ted DiBiase, Jr. & Cody Rhodes) ambushed the duo and laid them out, sending a clear message that they will be there to put up a fight at Summerslam.
Sidebar #3: All well & good, but it would take a minor miracle for Legacy to win, because it's so obvious now that they're being set up to lose. Again.
While Prinze got all the hype as the host, WWE snuck in another actor under the radar. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. was put in yet another gimmick match vs. Hornswoggle, this time a falls count anywhere match. Now, on paper, this kind of gimmick favors the veteran Guerrero, since he can find as many allies as he can to help him, just as 'Swoggle would. However, no help was coming. Choosing between two doors in the backstage area, Guerrero heard a click and chose the one to his right, only to be met with a paint can rapping him between the eyes. 'Swoggle emerged on the other side, surveyed the area, and covered his enemy. Referee Justin King caught up and tolled the count. Post-match, Mark Henry came out, but he was a decoy. The paint can was a gag straight out of the "Home Alone" movies, and sure enough, Kevin McAllister himself, Macaulay Culkin, emerged next. Chavo was speechless. Enough said. Hopefully, that's the end of this storyline.
Meanwhile, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin is making a move toward challenging for the US title. Ditching the armbands and the long pants, Miz, following the lead of Chris Jericho, is now sporting short tights. The yin/yang logo on the front will remind some of Rob Van Dam, but maybe for the wrong reasons. Miz dismissed Evan Bourne in an all-too-short match with the "Skull Crushing Finale", a full nelson dropped into a front leg sweep, a la Jeff Jarrett's "Stroke" finisher.
Sidebar #4: Miz needs a better name for his new finisher.
Jack Swagger & MVP weren't given time for their entrances, and the match was just starting after a commercial. It only goes a minute or two before Swagger is DQ'd for ignoring the ref's 5 count in the corner. Their hostilities will resume at Summerslam. Nice to tease, but not like this.
The main event was another short affair, and after being sent to a "local medical facility" earlier, Prinze returned and made it a lumberjack match at the last minute, two weeks after Orton bullied Jeremy Piven into doing the same thing. Surprisingly, Orton, in front of the home town fans, played face in peril, rather than the arrogant, selfish champion we expected to see. Unsurprisingly, John Cena collected the fall for his side, pinning Chris Jericho after the Attitude Adjustment. Jericho & Big Show, the tag champs, were made to look like chumps even after the match when they took advantage of Orton RKO'ing Cena. The lumberjacks bought Cena some time, and then the former champion dismissed Jericho & Show himself to end the show.
Raw division predictions for Summerslam:
WWE title: Orton over Cena. I'll be shocked if they put it on Cena at this point. I'd rather they did, but I just can't see it just yet.
DX over Legacy
MVP over Swagger
We'll have full predictions this weekend.
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