Sittin' at Home

There is really very little for me to do right now... I am bored off my ass because, you guessed it, I am at home. This is really just like last week where I was left in Kent to work and everyone else is gone. Now everyone is gone, there's just no work for me to do. I've only been home for 2 days and I don't know if/how I'm gonna make it the week. Then again, I'm not exactly going back to anything that much better, just a more comfortable bed, but oh so much more alone...

Excited for no good reason

It's true. I really have nothing better to do with my time. A normal person would probably go to bed out of sheer boredom, but not me. I'm not normal. Nothing new there. Plus, this new supplement I'm taking apparently have enough caffeine in it to send Robert Downy Jr. through the roof. They tell you not to take it less than 5 hours before bedtime and I can fuckin' see why.

So the real reason that I'm excited was that I saw the away message of a guy I knew in high school and haven't talked to for years. It just started "If you hear any noise it's just me and the boys..." From there I finished the lyric out loud, then blasted "Bop Gun" surely annoying whatever neighbors I have. I've only even seen an attractive blond and that was once. Funny story there actually. I don't think she was aware that there was one more apartment down the end of the hall, so I come walking at her at my usual clip, faster than most people, and as I approach, I smiled and nodded at her and as I came right up to her, she stepped back into the door and clutched her purse. I looked back visibly confused as I walked past her and unlocked my door. Even through the iPod headphones I could hear her sigh. It was kinda funny then, and I think even funnier now. These are the stories I'm left with now. Bored as hell out here, and I only get vacation for 8 days, then I'm right back here the week of New Year's. If there's an upside, I'll get to watch as many bowl games as possible relatively undisturbed. Now if I could just find something to occupy my brain for more than 10 seconds, I'd be set.

Finally!

Well, I finally have the time to blog again...

I have now officially completed my first semester of grad school. I cannot begin to explain the load that left the back of my mind when I got done Wednesday morning. Just getting through Cybermedia Law was a huge achievement, despite the fact that I think I blew the final. I did already get one grade and it was an A, so I think I should be able to avoid academic probation. If they have that for graduate students. They might just kick our asses out. Hmm, should probably find that one out. Either way, I'm just happy to be done for now, knowing that I have a ton of research to do, professors to beg to be on my committee, reading out the ass, a proposal to start writing, and a case study to design. Oh, and I need to do most of this by January 19 and I'm only off of work for 8 days around Christmas. That sounds bad but since I usually only work until 2-3pm and I'm back into a school sleep pattern (i.e. very little) I should have plenty of time to do this. Not to mention that there's really only about 4 people I can stand talking to out here, and they've all taken off for the break. So being here alone will help with the workload. Not that I forgot how lazy I am, just that I'm hoping boredom will be a motivating factor.

Almost There....

So I'm sitting in my final law class of the semester and besides the obvious (not paying attention), the thought struck me that it's already frickin' December. I'm having enough trouble dealing with the idea of this lake effect snow crap, and we're far enough south that we don't get to worst of it... ahem, fuck. But more importantly, there's only one week until finals and as I should be freaking the fuck out, I'm oddly ok with it right now. I'm sure that in the next day or two as deadlines get closer and closer I will most likely breakdown. Hee hee. I already don't so much sleep so this could be really fun...
Especially since I just remembered a paper that is due on Thursday that I haven't even started. Well shit...

Lyrics To go With the Mood

There really isn't one single song that can spell out how I'm feeling, so just allow me to piece these together. And yes, I know that I shouldn't know some of these. But oh well...

But something happened
For the very first time with you
My heart melts into the ground
Found something true
And everyone's looking round
Thinking I'm going crazy
But I don't care what they say
I'm in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don't know the truth

If I don't need you, then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you, then why does your name resound in my head?
If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?

Please forgive me if I act a little strange
For I know not what I do
Feels like lightning runnin' through my veins
Every time I look at you.
Every time I look at you.

But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face
Take a look at me now, cos I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It's the chance I've got to take.

Pouring over photographs
I'm living in your letters
Breathe deeply from the envelope
Without that scent
It's filling me with all you mean to me

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And one more, just for kicks, and if you see this you'll know why...
I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I'd love you to love me
I'm beggin' you to beg me...

A Letter To A Dancer...

I can't help but think that this thing really only gets used whenever I'm going through shit. Not much of a blog, more of a diary. Whatever. Just a warning, there's nothing insightful about the election, or the economy, or anything. Just me pouring out how I feel onto a page. I just need to get it all out. Sorry.

SO I sit here, single once again and for all intensive purposes, shattered. After getting home very late Friday night, I dug in and didn't leave the apartment until going to do my radio show Sunday night. Opening the window Sunday afternoon seemed like a major accomplishment. And before you even ask, yes I was drunk. Yesterday was my first booze-free day since then. There's just so much different this time around. Unlike every other breakup, there is no anger here. None. And there is really very little regret because that really didn't factor into anything. I went out and put all of me out there. But it all comes down to timing. It just not the right time for her to try to do something like this, especially across the state. There really isn't anything else I could have done. I supposed that's what I get for falling for someone that much younger, but I couldn't help it. We both admitted that we were not what the other was looking for. But when someone so wonderful comes into your life, you can't help it. I had been doing ok the last day or two. Believe me, I have so much work to do that I really should be burying myself in it. But here I am writing. Because the friend that I really want to talk to most, the friend who really means so much to me, is the one I split up with. So please excuse this post and probably the next few. It's so much different this time around. Turns out it was real...

To You:
There is so much I want to say I don't know where to start and I doubt that it will even follow logic but please try to keep up. First and foremost, I love you. I don't know how else to say that. I don't have the words to express how much or how deep it runs. That may seem extreme for only being together as long as we were, but I can't help it. I got a piece of advice long ago that there is no perfect person out there, but there is someone that is perfect for you. The person that finds the most in your positives and the least in your negatives. The person that is in your head so to speak. Well, as we often joked, that's you. No one can make me smile like you do, no one can steal my thoughts before I get done thinking them. No one has ever made silence sound so good, but even those long pauses on the phone at night were good. The little moments we got to share are the first things that come to me when I think of you. Ok, those eyes are the first thing that come to mind when I think of you. They are the most beautiful green I've ever seen, and all I have to do is to look into them and I can feel my heart start pounding. And yeah, even after they're puffy and full of tears, they are still beautiful. You always are. It's the little things that always come to mind. Dancing with you at Gregory's wedding. Watching you walk down the ramp towards my car when I came to pick you up at night, knowing that you'd finally be near. That little smirk you give me when trying to tickle me and you can see me fight it. Kissing you good night and feeling you move close and cuddle up to me. The little text that just said "I miss you", knowing that you were thinking about me too. Feeling how perfect your hand fit mine, once I held it the right way. Missing holding your hand and trying a couple of times to find it. Texts I'll never delete and words that will never be forgotten. Failing at singing "Your Song" from Moulin Rouge to you. Just the way that we could take for hours and really have nothing to talk about. The way that we could spend hours together with nothing to do, and it still felt wonderful. All of that and much more are the things that come to mind when I think of you. Without sounding overly cliched, you really showed me that I could love again. There were parts of me, my heart, that I completely shut off years ago after seeing how much pain could come to them. Then you came along, seemingly from nowhere, and made that part of me alive again. And those are still yours. I don't think that will ever die. Right now, there is nothing that my heart wants more is to see you and hold you in my arms. Letting you go last weekend was crushing. I mean, the three steps that I took after I let go of your hand to walk out the door were the hardest I ever took. I stood outside your door, wanting so badly to go back in. I heard you break down and sob. I wanted to go back in and comfort you. I wish I wasn't the cause of that pain. I want to be that shoulder you come to to cry on. I want to be those arms that you reach for in the dark. I want mine to be that hand you find in the middle of the night, and grab in your sleep. I want to be the voice that tells you good night, and that I love you. I want your voice to again be the last thing I hear at night. I want to be with you. But I also know, that the time is not right. That I'm actually being pretty selfish at times, wanting you at the cost of you life. And for that I can only apologize, because I never meant it like that. I never meant to make you feel like you had to choose. I know what you need is time. And I will be here for you whenever you need me. And I will be here for you when it is time. I know we said it over and over again that night that this was not the end. That we really will be together in the end. That that was not the last kiss. That that was not the last embrace. And at the time, it kinda felt like we were just trying to reassure each other so it didn't hurt as bad. But after thinking more and more, and seeing your words, it didn't seem like just reassuring words. I believe it's fact. And I believe that there is still a lot more of our story to be written. It tears me apart that it has to be put on hold. But I'll deal with it. I didn't lie, I didn't exaggerate when I said a few weeks ago that I would walk as long as I had to, drive as far as I had to, and one other thing that I can't remember right now for you. You are, and will always be worth it. No matter what anyone else says. No matter how crazy they think I am. No matter how much damage they think I may be doing. It doesn't matter. They didn't understand before. They don't understand now and probably never will. You know that I've always listened to the advice of my friends, it's always meant a lot to me. But I know they're wrong here. Period. They just don't get it.
I know I've said it over and over again but I still mean every word. You are, and always be worth it to me. You mean more to me than the world and more than I ever thought someone could mean. To steal your quote: "Oh yeah, and it's true, that I was made for you." I will always be here for you and you will always have my heart.
I love you.

Blah...

So take a look at me now, cause there's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face
Take a look at me now, 'cos I'll be standing here
And you comin' back to me is against all odds
It's the chance I've got to take.

It's not TIME!!!!

I have plenty to put here and will over the next few days, as I'm sure that writing stuff out will probably one of the few sanity saving things that I can do. But as I was getting dressed after working out at the rec tonight, I started paying attention to the music being piped into the locker room. As I dug around for a part of socks, I heard a tune that made me stop, perk up an ear, and listen closely. Concentrating, I realized they were playing "Jingle Bell Rock"... on October 18.
It just got really cold for the first time. It is not time for Christmas music! Let us have Thanksgiving first!

Blog Backlog - August 20, 2008

Hills? WTF??? - August 20, 2008
Halfway through ONTAP and my legs are fucking killing me! There are real hills here in NE Ohio. In NW Ohio, where I've sadly lived all my life until now, there are no hills. We got scrapped by a glacier back in the day so the only hills we got are man-made. From my apartment it's pretty much ¾ of a mile straight up to the student center where I've had to be every morning this week. I say again, my legs fucking hurt. This may take even longer to get used to...

-I've still got plenty of these, but I've got to shut down and get to class. Apparently punctuality is something necessary of a graduate student. Bollocks, I say, but what do I know?

Blog Backlog - August 18, 2008

Four Days to Learn... - August 18, 2008
So GA Orientation, or ONTAP, starts in the morning and I'm nervous because I have no idea what the hell to expect. As far as I understand it, they are supposed to teach you how to be both a graduate level student in pursuit of a Masters degree or PhD as well as how to teach a college level course. In four days. Yeah, that makes me nervous. Especially since I'm still not sure if I'm going to be teaching or working at WKSU so I'm going in with the idea of being in a classroom and attempting to absorb absolutely everything I can, just in case. Hopefully, I'll find something out at the departmental meeting tomorrow. Either way, this is going to be interesting...

Blog Backlog - August 17, 2008

-Since arriving here at Kent State, I have been unable to procure internet in my hote...er, apartment. Even though I've been here for two weeks. But I have been writing so I'll repost these posts I wrote while I was sitting in a Netless room. I'm still netless, but being able to get onto the university's network while in the student center helps...-


Finally Alone – August 17, 2008
So I am finally here at Kent State and for the first time, I am really alone. I moved in relatively hassle-free on Friday and have taken up residence in a hotel. It'll take some time to get used to it and I can't bring myself to call it “my apartment”. It's “my room”. It's kinda like being in the dorms again, except that the rest of the floor is a couple of families and some random people instead of a bunch of really cool students. Julie's been here the entire weekend and we've been trying to set things up around here. Having her around has really made this easier. It's really the first time that I've been away from home. Yes, I know that's something that most people do at 18 or 19, but I really didn't. I didn't worry about leaving home because I was only 20 minutes away and I was always in the area, still working in Toledo. Not so much now. There is no easy drive home.
There were two things that happened over the weekend that really are worth mentioning because they are milestones, so to speak. First of all, and most dramatically, my dad and I hugged. I know, I know, why is this so dramatic? Happens all the time. Well, with him it doesn't. He even seemed a little unnerved by it when I gestured, but its something that I have wanted to do for a long time. I don't think it's something that's happened since he was going through the divorce so it's been, God, like 15 years now. I just hope that he got that it meant something. Second, Julie and I went out on Saturday in search of things for the apartment and while shopping there was just something that struck me. Grocery shopping with your significant other doesn't really seem like there's much significance to it, but I really saw us in a different light. We've been together for 6 months now and I had had the thought that this is something that could really last before this, but doing the most routine of tasks with her and enjoying it, just having a good time with each other, hammered home that this is something that really can last. I have been trying to keep emotions at bay for awhile because she is younger and in a different space right now. Not that I'm saying I want marriage right now, but she's still going through undergrad and you know, in a different space. Again, neither of us is looking for something that big but this serious and committed and there was just something about that afternoon. And now that I've had time to think about it, I know what that was. I realized that I'm in love deep and that stopped scaring me.

It's The Final Countdown!!!

::insert the world's most annoying, yet at the same time catchy, syth line here::

So I've officially got under a month left here on the western side of Ohio, now that I've finally found a place that will let me move in on time. Which means I've got 4 weeks left here at WSPD and that's cause for celebration and reflection. Obviously, I'm relieved to get out of here. It'll be like there's a weight lifted off me, because let's be honest, this is far from a redeeming job here. But on the other hand it's going to be weird not being here. I mean, I've always been here as far as I can remember. Hell, I've been here longer than I've known some of my good friends. Some people don't know me as anything else as the WSPD board op. Then again, a good number of my friends only knew me as the single guy of the group until recently, so take from that what you will. But taking the advice of another former SPD'er, I started making a lists of lasts and per her suggestion I shall be taking a shot when I pass each milestone. Now some of these I passed before I made the list so I'll be making those up at some point in the near future.

1. Last time running a NASCAR race (Not sure when this'll be. 8/3 I think...)
2. Last time running an Indians game (This may actually happen my last night here)
3. Last time running an overnight shift (I'm holding judgement on this one until the last schedule because things always change)
4. Last time sleeping in the building X (Did it tonight in fact - Shot of Goldschlager to come!)
5. Last time running Brian's show (Again, probably did it barring any emergency. Also to be held, but it'll be a shot of tequila)
6. Last time running Fred's show (Should be tomorrow, also barring an emergency and also on hold)
7. Last time running the God Squad X (The Sunday 6-noon shift. Took this one out in April. Also, a tequila shot)
8. Last time running pain-in-the-ass paid shows on Saturday (6a-2p on Sat. Out in April. More tequila... I sense a pattern)
9. Last EAS test (Probably, I'll need to wait out the schedules)
10. Last time running Eye on Toledo (We'll see, this also may be my last night)
11. Last set of network spots to produce (8/10, I'm thinking about Goldschlager again)
12. Last piece of equipment broken/died (Hopefully the monitor last Sunday was it. I'm not holding my breath though.)
13. Last hour of Coast to Coast heard (8/9 I believe)
14. Last hour of Bill Cunningham heard (8/10, tequila)
15. Last hour of Gun Talk (8/10 but sooner I hope, whiskey here)
16. Last hour of Cigar Dave (8/9 and a scotch to salute the General)
17. Last hour of Rush heard (8/10 and it can't come fast enough, tequila)
18. Last day (8/13, one for me and one for my homies)

I think that's it. As you can see, I've got plenty to drink. So on the scorecard:
Shots to take: 2
Shots awaiting confirmation: 7
Shots schedules: 9
Shots taken: 0

I'll have to update this...

Happy BOOM! Day

I'm here in the palacial studios of WSPD once again and just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Independence Day.

I, however, have been here for six hours and the biggest accomplishment I can claim is shaving in the bathroom.
Go me.

Hoping It All Works Today

I've been covering a vacation and therefore, doing the bosses show for two days now and Monday went well. There really wasn't much that I did wrong, I wasn't as tight or as on things as much as Shaggy is but that's because he's into the flow of the show and is a part of it. Me, not so much. I just push buttons around here. So when everything goes wrong, as it did yesterday afternoon, I'm not ready for it. Here's to hoping that everythings goes fine today. I've only got to get through today then I get to bowling with Chris tonight. Get through tomorrow and I get to sleep dep and then go see my babe Friday. And then turn right around and come back the next day. Oy. More reasons that I hate to be me. But I was reminded of much better times this morning when I started working on going back and podcasting my old radio show, Off The Record. Those were great days, getting into the studio with a bunch of friends and just being weird and interesting and intellegent and funny and just having fun. It reminded my why I got into radio in the first place and helped lift me out of the gloom that yesterday afternoon put me in. I'll link the podcast page to this whenever I get it up but the way I look at it, I've got 6 weeks to get everything listened to to figure out what I want to put into the podcasts, write the scripts, and voice them while I've got access to production studios. 6 weeks until I get outta here. Damn...

Story Time Part 2

So, I've been getting a lot of shoot interviews once and I want to share a great story from an interview with the Honky Tonk Man and Raven.

They were talking about Ronnie P. Gosset and a phone call that Nick Gulas receieved one day from a lady asking about why she hadn't recieved a check from last week's show. Gulas is like "What are you talking about?". She that she had bought the territory, that she was in the wrestling business and wanted her money. Gulas was exasperated. "What the fuck you talking about? How'd you buy it?" and she goes "I bought it from Ronnie P. Gosset." And Gulas just loses it, goes "GODDAMN THAT FUCKIN GOSSET" and slammed down the phone. Yes, Gossett sold Gulas' territory. That was just really damn funny to me.

Story Time Part 1

So, I was trying to watch the new American Gladiators and I couldn't. As a big fan of the original, I gave the new one a shot and 20 minutes into the show, I had to turn it off. There was too much bullshit. The Gladiators were miced and talking to the contenders. They did that before in the first season and it stopped very quickly. There was a good reason for that. There was also too much whoredom overall. I had no interest in looking at the Subway Gladiator Stats. Hulk Hogan can't MC at all. He's still cutting promos and working the crowd. Layla Ali may be a very talented athlete but she can't MC either. She can dance, she can knock you the fuck out, but she cannot interview you sensably.

But it reminded me of one of the best offshoots of the action sports shows of the 1990's. And no it was Battle Dome. Although I swear one of the current Gladiators was a Dome Warrior. Anyway, it was Nickleodeon Guts. What better than a bunch of akward 12 year-olds participating in akward sporting events while being screamed at by a coked-out Mike O'Malley. I'll tell you waht would be better... Gary Busey hosting a revival. Except he gets the coke this time. We'd call it Gary Busey Yells At Your Kids and it would be brilliant. They'd do that bungie cord basketball dunk game and Gary would hook up as well, reecting kid after kid screaming "Not in my house you little shit!!". They'd get to the Aggro Crag (you remember that?) and he be up top belloing something about bunnies and ice cream until the first kid's hand grabs the ledge and he'd stomp on it and cackle as they tumbled down. They'd try to award the winner, who by now would be bleeding with a black eye, a chunk of the Crag and Gary'd take a bat to their knees, steal the rock, then sprint with it back to his little corner of the studio where he keeps all of the trophies he's stolen. Then he pulls out his pistol and starts guarding his loot. Yeah, that'd be great.

Somehow, I think we've been here before...

And yes we have. So I now officially reside at home, for the first time in like 4 years and it's quite an adjustment. It's just after midnight on the east coast and I'm the only thing moving in the house. Even the dogs have passed out for the night. Also, there's really no room for me here. I'm sleeping on what used to be my platform bed but has been used as a couch since I've been gone, so it's really just a box spring with a futon mattress on top of it. It's pretty much sleeping on the floor. Not to mention the fact that there's no room for any of my stuff. It took me 2 hours of cleaning to get a spot to put the computer and all my clothes... well they're out in the sun room. Getting dressed is even a task anymore. I don't know where any of my things are, I was here over a week before I could even shave since I couldn't find a razor. All I can say is that I cannot wait for August. Just over 2 months from now I'll be packing up again and leaving for good. This time taking off across the state in pursuit of a Masters. That's really the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm away from everything I've known for the past 6 years. Places, friends, everything. I hate Toledo. There is no walking anywhere. There is no short trip. Everything that was easy in BG is a fucking planed out trek up here. I hate it.

On a more uplifting note, things couldn't be better in the relationship department. Ok, there's one way things could be better. We could live in the same area code. Yet, despite the prospect of the next two years being a long distance relationship, things feel stronger than ever. We exchanged those three words this past weekend. It felt different than any other time I've said it to a woman. As opposed to the last person I said it to, I actually mean it. I can't explain it exactly, but it's like floating on air. I'm making my first trek east to see her tomorrow. With a new car, I'm not scared to make the drive. I'm just kinda scared of staying there overnight. It is her parents' place after all. And she is, of her own admittance, daddy's little girl. Usually, daddy has a certain feeling towards the guy who is sleeping in the same bed as daddy's little girl and I really don't need any more scars thank you very much. It should be fine, he seemed pretty cool when we met so I'm hoping that I don't end up duct-taped to a chair in some dark basement somewhere in Cleveland with some guy in a butcher's apron with a pain of pliers in one hand and a blowtorch in the other...

And so, I'd like to propose a toast to the caterers. And to the pigeon who crapped on the groom's family's limousine. As for the rest of you around this table not directly related to me... you can sod off. I wouldn't trust any of you to sit the right way on a toilet seat.

Listening to CD's At Work

I am, in fact listening to random CD's at work and digging through the database for songs I haven't heard in forever. All told, I'm happy that our cluster has so much David Bowie but their "Indie" section is a joke. Anywho, I'm doing the normal month between posts but I know that will be changing within the next few weeks, seeing that I'm doing something that I never imagined that I'd have to do... moving back into my parent's house. It's only for a few months, but still at the age of 24 I figured that that is one place which I wouldn't be again. I thought I left for good the summer before my junior year (part 1) of college. Again, it's nothing against my parents. I love them very much and can't explain how grateful I am to have a place to live and save up cash for a few months before heading to Kent State. It's just... there's somethings about my live that are gonna change. They are not used to people being awake at 3am, etc. Not to mention that I really don't want to leave BG. It's been my home for the past 6 years and I was comfortable. But that's how I got into trouble in the first place, so it's good to leave but at the same time I don't wanna go. Then again, I won't be gone long. In fact, most likely I'll only be gone like 4 days a week during the school year.

So most recently I've been dealing with the thoughts of leaving a life I've spent the last 6 years building and all the friends that will still be here and that's a bit of a downer even though I keep telling lyself that I'm moving to make things better. And that I need to lay off the extremly long run-on sentances. That and I finally find someone, and fall for her(...really hard) and we make for opposite sides of the state. She moved home for the summer as undergrads are want to do, and then we're gonna overlap by at the most like two weeks in the fall before she moves back here. So I walked into a situation where this was an inevitability... I'm ok with that. I learned long ago that I can't let past experiances and problems make decisions for me in regards to current experiances. That made little sense to me and I wrote the damn thing, let me attempt to expand. I learned long ago that I cannot allow what happened in the past to color my judgement for a situation now. I may have been burned in the past in a long distance relationship, but this is a completly different set of circumstances now. Different people, different places. It's not the fear of history repeating itself that has bummed me out. It's really just the whole thought that "Shit, you left this afternoon and things will never be the same again."

Unless this thing goes the very long haul, the last few months (as great as they've been) won't be happening again. It's a permanent long distance deal from here on out. I've got two years at Kent, she's got three left at BG then wherever things take her from there. But this girl is worth all the effort and stress that living 3 hours apart can bring and more. She's worth all the crap and jokes etc. that I've been getting and will get. And I realize that I may be gushing a little too much for someone I've been with for 3 months, but it's how I am and I admit it. I'm a hopeless romantic who falls quick and hard and I usually get myself hurt quite easily. But I accept that about myself. I'm the kid that poked the bee hive with a stick. Over and over again...

Before I get out of the way for the real estate show next hour, I shall post a short playlist of stuff that I found in the computer here at work. This is how I speand my Sunday mornings...

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss - PM Dawn

One Night in Bangcock - Murray Head

Wasteland - 10 Years

Because The Night - 10,000 Maniacs

Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa

Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire

Tha Crossroads - Bone Thugs N' Harmony

Bowl of Oranges - Bright Eyes

Have You Seen Her - The Chi-Lights

Wasting My Time - Default

Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes - Elvis Costello

Watching The Detectives

Peace Love and Understanding

Everyday I Write The Book

Pump It Up

Accidents Will Happen

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Radio, Radio

Oliver's Army

I kinda got stuck at Elvis Costello. I'm sure I'll do this again next weekend...

Because I'm an asshole...

An Idiot's Guide to Wrestlemania: Part V A New Beginning

Wrestlemania 2000 - April 2, 2000

Main Event: Triple H vs. The Big Show vs. The Rock vs. Mick Foley in a fatal four-way elimination match for the WWE Championship

- A McMahon in every corner and a heel at the pay window. That's pretty much the memorable thing about this match. Vince, Linda, Shane, and Stephanie were all backing their chosen charges (Vince - The Rock, Linda - Foley, Shane - Big Show, and Stephanie - Triple H) and for the time in the sixteen year history of the event, a heel was victorious in the main event. Foley also botched a dive off of the second rope onto the announcer's table. Instead of dropping an elbow on a prone Show, he drove himself sternum-first into the edge of the table, a screw-up the Foley himself would point out later.

Wrestlemania Moment: Triangle Ladder Match spots (Hardys vs. Dudleys vs. Edge and Christian)

- I don't think anyone will ever be able to forget the shot of Jeff Hardy delivering a Swanton Bomb in the aisle off a twenty-foot ladder.

Match of the Night: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit in a two-fall triple threat match for the WWE European and Intercontinental titles

- I really can't say enough about this masterpiece of a triple threat, a match that usually sucks by nature. Angle lost both titles, despite not losing either fall as three of the best athletes in the company shined.

Wrestlemania X-Seven "Houston... We Have a Problem" - April 1, 2001

Main Event: The Rock vs. Steve Austin in a No-DQ match for the WWE Championship

- Austin takes the belt off The Rock for the 2nd time in a Mania main event, this time with the help of his most hated rival: Mr. McMahon. The match was a solid 28 minute brawl that was typical of an Austin/Rock battle marked by Austin's turn.

Wrestlemania Moment: Gimmick Battle Royal

- Twenty of the biggest characters of the 80's and 90's were assembled in one ring. Yes, it was a comedy match mostly, but it was fun and that's the base of Wrestlemania is.

Match of the Night: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit

- A grudge match between the best wrestlers in the company. They spent of the first 5 minutes of the match going back and forth in an amateur battle with multiple escapes on both sides. 14 minutes of wrestling gold.

Wrestlemania X-8 "The One and Only" - March 17, 2002

Main Event: Chris Jericho vs Triple H for the Undisputed WWE Championship

- Months after becoming the frist American undisputed champion in over 60 years, Jericho dropped the titles to The Game in the culmination of a journey back from a devastating quad injury the previous June.

Wrestlemania Moment: The Hulk Hogan/Rock showdown

- The faceoff at the beginning of their match was simply spine-tingling. The best of the previous generation against the best of the new generation in an electrically charged moment.

Match of the Night: The Undertaker vs. Ric Flair in a no-DQ match.

- Two legends beat the dog out of each other in a brutal duel.

Wrestlemania XIX "Dare to Dream" - March 30, 2003

Main Event: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship

- If you put aside Lesnar's suicide attempt (botched shooting star press that left him with a concussion and nearly a broken neck), this was still one of the best matches in a long time and the peak of Lesnar's career.

Wrestlemania Moment: McMahon's bloody smirk during his street fight against Hulk Hogan

- In the match, McMahon was busted open by Hogan and at one point he was tossed from the ring. He went looking for something underneath the ring and when he found it, he slowly crept up over the apron, face covered in blood, with a sick smirk on his face.

Match of the Night: Steve Austin vs. The Rock

-The Rock gets the last word on the Rock/Austin WM feud in a classic that will be remembered as Austin's final match.

Wrestlemania XX "Where it All Begins...Again" - March 14, 2004

Main Event: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship

- Benoit's 14 year journey to the main event culminated here in the best triple threat match in years. 25 minutes of wrestling gold which ended with Triple H submitting in dramatic fashion in the Crippler Crossface.

Wrestlemania Moment: Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero celebrate with their titles at the end of the show

- At the time, this was a magical moment. The two best friends in the ring together, both World Champions, in the ring, closing the biggest event to date in American wrestling history. Now, it is a sad celebration that is a sobering reminder of tragedy. It has been nearly a year, but I still cannot watch Benoit celebrate in the ring with his wife and son. The DVD gets stopped now right after the submission.

Match of the Night: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship

- These two worked brilliantly together and the finish is a classic. Angle gets Eddie in the anklelock, Eddie gets to the ropes and flings Angle to the outside and unlaces his book to "help the swelling in his ankle" from the anklelock. Angle storms back in and slaps the lock back on and Eddie wriggles out of the submission, leaving Kurt with an empty boot and a bewildered look. He advances on Eddie and gets small packaged to allow Eddie to escape with the title. Just brilliant stuff.

Wrestlemania 21 "Wrestlemania Goes Hollywood" - April 3, 2005

Main Event: Triple H vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship

- A rather average main event marked by Batista ascention to the title.

Wrestlemania Moment: Steve Austin on Piper's Pit

- Am I a Piper mark or am I a Piper mark? Doesn't matter, just watch this and recieve ten minutes of pure entertainment.

Match of the Night: Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels

- A wrestling classic that is only outdone by the Iron Man Match at XII in terms of sheer athleticism and wrestling accumen. Many, many, many consider this the best match of 2005 and an early candidate for the best match of the 2000's.

Wrestlemania 22 "Big Time" - April 2, 2006

Main Event: John Cena vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship

- Again, a really average main event, especally for Wrestlemania. I'm not a fan of Cena at all so my opinion may be tainted a little bit...

Wrestlemania Moment: Rey Misterio's celebration after winning the World Heavyweight Championship

- The little guy finally made it to the top. It really was a touching celebration because of his closeness with the Guerrero family. The sad thing is that Eddie's death is the only reason that this moment was ever possible.

Match of the Night: Edge vs. Mick Foley in a hardcore match

- One of the best hardcore matches that the WWE has ever done. Edge stepped up his game big time to get up to Foley and Foley proved that he could still step on that stage and give an amazing performance every once in awhile. The flaming finish still makes me shudder.

Wrestlemania 23 "All Grown Up" - April 1, 2007

Main Event: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship

- Michaels can make anyone look good. To his credit, Cena looked much better this year as opposed to WM 22. The best main event of the last 3 years.

Wrestlmania Moment: Mr. MacMahon shaved bald by Donald Trump and Bobby Lashley

- After nearly a decade as the evil Chairman, McMahon finally got his in the ultimate payoff.

Match of the Night: Money in the Bank match featurning Mr. Kennedy, Edge, CM Punk, King Booker, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Finlay, and Randy Orton

- The specticle that only a match of the set-up can deliver. Yes it was a spot fest, but damn what a spot fest. Jeff Hardy dropping a leg on Edge through a ladder bridging the ring apron and barrier, Kennedy hits the Green Bay Plunge on Hornswoggle from the top rope... just damn.

Wrestlemania XIV "The Biggest Wrestlmania Under The Sun" - March 30, 2008

Main Event: The Undertaker vs. Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship

- 16-0, 16-0, 16-0!

Wrestlemania Moment: JBL hucks a trash can at Hornswoggle

- I know I'm a douche, but that was too damn funny.

Match of the Night: Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair for Flair's career

- It didn't matter that we all knew what was going to happen or that Ric didn't look as good as he has in the past, this was Flair's night and these two stole the show. It's one of those moments where the line between work and real life was blurred and was just an emotional and incredible match.

Whew, that was only like a week and half late. We will return to regular programming in the very near future.

An Idiot's Guide to Wrestlemania, Part IV: Oblivion

So what if I'm a few days behind?

Wrestlemania XIV "dX Raided" - March 29, 1998

Main Event: Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin for the WWE Championship

- The official turn of the WWE into the "Attitude" era. The leader of the "New Generation", who was experianced and ready to step up into wrestling's biggest spot, against the guy that epitomized "Attitude", making the most of his biggest moment to date. The match was a very solid main event, and more impressive if you know that Michaels was wrestling with two herniated disks in his back, one of those completely crushed. We've mentioned in the past about torch-passing matches at WM IV, VI, and XII and this is one of those. Mike Tyson was the special enforcer, who ended up counting the fall on Michaels, despite being a member of DX at the time. It is high up on the list of hard-fought, well-worked matches in WM history.

Wrestlemania Moment: Kane Tombstones Pete Rose and The Undertaker's entrance

- These two events became running occurances in future Wrestlemanias. Rose came out to ring announce, slammed the Boston fans over the Red Sox curse, and recieved the Tombstone for his troubles. Taker made is grand entrance, flanked by a line of torch-bearing druids on either side of the aisle. It's hard to describe it with words, it really is something to be seen and experianced. Yes, it is the theatrical side of the business but it is the theatrics at their very best.

Match of the Night: The Undertaker vs. Kane

- The initial culmination of the brother vs. brother feud that started in October at Badd Blood. The two big men beat the dog out of each other and it was really well done in as much as Kane's invincibility was so played up that it took 3 Tombstones to finally put him away. The Undertaker's was also on display as Kane would beat on his older brother and Taker kept sitting up and kept sitting up. I may just be an Undertaker mark, but it was the best story told all night.

Wrestlemania XV "The Ragin' Climax" - March 28, 1999

Main Event: Steve Austin vs. The Rock (Part I) for the WWE Championship

- The Rock was the Corporate Champion, being Vince's chosen one for the last half of 1998 and winning the title at the Survivor Series in a 16-man tournament, even if the path was lightened for him. Austin was climbing the ladder once more, after having the belt screwed off of him by Mr. McMahon in October, continuing the hottest feud of the year (Austin vs. McMahon). Austin won the Royal Rumble to earn the title shot and defeated McMahon in a cage match at St. Valentine's Day Massacre to defend that shot. The two engaged in a brutal, physical battle that would be the signature of their feud. Austin took the duke and the belt, but the seeds for a years-long feud had been sown.

Wrestlemania Moment: The Undertaker hangs Big Bossman from the Hell in the Cell

- Not a memorable match, but the post-match activities but an exclamation point on the Minestry vs. Corporation battles. A creepy and eerie scene to be sure.

Match of the Night: Shane McMahon vs. X-Pac for the WWE European Title

- I know what your thinking, but really this was a good match and what it did for the Corporate storyline made it even better. Shane retained after Triple H turned on X-Pac and DX (which had pretty much run it's course by then) for the Corporate team by Pedigreeing X-Pac, starting an intense feud with the remaning members of DX.

A short one tonight, I'm at work and actually now have things to do (which is a change). I'll try to finish by the end of the week.

An Idot's Guide to Wrestlemania, Part III The US vs. The World

Wrestlemania VIII - April 5, 1992

Main Event(s) - Ric Fair vs. Randy Savage for the WWE Championship and Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice

- The Hogan/Justice match was a main event only in the sense that it was the last on the card. The real focus of the event was Flair/Savage and it did not disapoint, providing not only the 5th straight WWE title change at Mania, but also one of the best matches of the night from two veterans that knew how to bring the big match. All the Hogan/Sid match had was a bunch of posing, a botched finish, and a Papa Shango run-in. The Warrior returned to make the save, but the damage to the event had already been done.

Wrestlemania Moment - The Undertaker Tombstones Jake Roberts on the floor.

- This is one of the most replayed moments in Taker's long Maina career.

Match of the Night: Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart for the WWE Intercontinental Title

- Hart counters Piper's sleephold to win the belt in a physical, technical battle. It was hard-hitting and just a wrestling fan's treat. It pretty much set Hart up for his WWE Title run later in '92.

Wrestlemania IX "An Event of Epic Proportions" - April 4, 1993

Main Event(s): Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna for the WWE Championship, then another title match as Yokozuna immediatly defended against Hulk Hogan.

- Yoko pinned Bret for the title after getting hit in the face with salt from Yoko's manager, Mr. Fuji, while Bret had the Sharpshooter on. Hello, run-on sentances. Hogan came down to check on Hart's condition and Mr. Fuji immediatly challenged Hogan for the belt. Fuji tried the salt thing again, but hit Yokozuna instead, leg drop, 1-2-3, new champ in 20 seconds. Pretty much a lackluster end to a mediocre card, especally for a Wrestlemania

Wrestlemania Moment: The entrances of Bobby Heenan and the gimmick of the whole show.

- The theme of the event was Ancient Rome, so the outdoor stadium was re-decorated with Roman regalia, the traditional red, white, and blue ropes were replaced with black and gold ones and everyone were in togas. The debuting Jim Ross was in a toga, the cameramen were in togas, Fink was decked out, and even the security guys were switched out and were gladiators for the day. Randy Savage arrived on a sedan to commentate and was followed by Bobby Heenan, always the foil, riding backwards on a camel. It was nothing but a publicity stunt for the show, but well pulled off no matter how bad some of the in-ring action may have been.

Match of the Night: Tatanka vs. Shawn Michales for teh WWE Intercontinental Title

- Nothing really stood out on this card, but this ended up being the best offering. The only complaint I had is that there was no ending a fued with the result (Michaels begin counted out and retaining the belt) and it kept a fruitless chase going where they could have lined up another challenger for Michaels for the summer.

Wrestlemania X "Ten Years in the Making" - March 20, 1994

Main Event(s): Yokozuna vs. Lex Luger for the WWE Championship, then Yokozuna defending the belt against Bret Hart

- Another double main event, that as a result of Hart and Luger eliminating each other at the same time from the Royal Rumble. They brought back Mr. Perfect to be the special referee for Luger's match and Perfect ended up screwing Luger by DQ'ing him after Luger shoved Perfect for not making a count wihile Perfect was trying to get a fallen Mr. Fuji out of the ring. That lead to a brief fued between the two. Roddy Piper was the ref for Hart's match. Again, neither of these were great matches by any means. The work rate was painfuly slow, but they built Yokozuna as an unstoppable force for so long that the two matches it took to stop him worked well to cap off that story of the little guy knocking the big guy off the mountain.

Wrestlemania Moment: Multiple spots during the Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon ladder match

- In fact, can I just nominate the whole match of the Moment for WM X? Wait, I'm making up the rules. Fuck yes I can, hang on a sec...

Wrestlemania Moment: the ladde match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon for the WWE Intercontinental Title

- I don't know what to say about this except that it was the highlight of the night and has been the bar by which all other ladder matches are judged.

Match of the Night: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart

- It's hard to narrow it down between this and the ladder match but this takes the cake in my eyes. First, it was the best curtain-jerker probably in the history of wrestling and second, you could just tell that Bret and Owen had done this so many times before. There was just a chemistry between the brothers. Owen was doing everythign he could to get over on his brother and Bret was just trying to get through to his title match without hurting his brother. Owen capitalized on a kayfabe knee injury Bret suffer while performing a cross-body block on Owen over the top rope to the outside. Owen worked that knee for the better part of the end of the match. They traded Sharpshooters, there were tons of reversals, it was a clinic.

Wrestlemania XI - April 2, 1995

Main Event: Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

- This was where all the attention was focused for WM XI. The Giant great put an immense amount of work into training and it wasn't as God-awful as you would expect. It wasn't a technical masterpiece by any means, but for what it was, it was still pretty good.

Wrestlmania Moment: Taylor's flying forearm from the top to pin Bigelow.

- The most active of all celebrity guests in a WWE ring, this was the last thing you expected to see from Taylor and was the cap of a rather bland night.

Match of the Night: Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship

- This was Shawn Michaels' reward for going coast-to-coast in the Royal Rumble and both guys stepped up to put together a great match. It was a well-worked big guy vs. little guy as Diesel dominated after Michaels got in an early barrage. It began the friendly rivalry betwen the two that lasted until after Wrestlemania XII.

Wrestlemania XII - March 31, 1996

Main Event: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels in a 60-minutes Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship

- This was what Wrestlemania XII was built around. It was the show and the two put on one of the best matches seen in the WWE for years. The concept itself was a daunting task and these two great professionals stepped up to the challenge. More on this one to come.

Wrestlemania Moment (tie): The Undertaker's Tombstones Diesel and Shawn Michaels' zip-line entrance.

- Taker lays out the big man to continue his streak and Michaels breathtaking ride across the Pond was some incredible foreshadowing that gets replayed over and over.

Match of the Night: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels in a 60-minute Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship

- I can gush enough about this. It is the best match in the history of Wrestlemania and is like Wrestling 101, 201: How to tell a story, and 301: Technical Wrestling. I don't know how else to mark out for this match.

Wrestlemania 13 "Heat" - March 23, 1997

Main Event: Sycho Sid vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Championship

- Finally, The Phenom was giving the top spot. A solid 20-minute brawl including interferance on three seperate occasions from Bret Hart, including a Hot Shot move that led to the Tombstone that gave the duke to Taker. Not a bad main event, but the multiple interjections by Hart helped him on his heel turn, but began to make him an annoying heel.

Wrestlemania Moment: The Undertaker's pose following his WWE Title win.

- He did the one knee genuflect type thing, with the blue and purple lighting in teh background in the title held aloft. Just a very cool picture and a great moment of the Undertaker finallybeing given the run he''d been deserving since his fued with Hogan back in 1991.

Match of the Night: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin in a submission match

- This match is remembered for two things. First, completing a huge turn for two characters, making the family man and long-time good guy Hart into a annoying heel and sending the beer-swilling, foul-mouthed Austin into the land of the unexpected face. Secondly, it introduced the "Attitude era" to the WWE. The sheer brutality of the bout including the bloody finish marked a large change in the product as a whole.

An Idiot's Guide To Wrestlemania, Part Deux

After a couple of long days off, I'm back to try and pound out 23 years of history in the next 3 days...

Wrestlemania IV - March 27, 1988

Main Event: Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase in the finals of a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship

- Not going to lie, this was a bit of a surprise since both Hogan and Andre were eliminated in the quarterfinals. But it set the stage for the year of Macho and the culmination of a brand new star rising. Savage fought off DiBiase adn the interferance of The Giant before Hogan came down to even the sides and then nailed DiBiase with a chair to set up Savage's big elbow and the three count. Not a particularly good match, but Savage's 4th of the night so you had to be impressed by that.

Wrestlemania Moment: Hogan and Andre battle over a steel chair... and get eliminated from the title tournament

- Transitional moment for the belt which had been firmly round Hogan's waist for the last 4 years. The battle over the chair with Hogan getting the upper hand and finally disposing of Andre was a hallmark to me.

Match of the Night: Demolition vs. Strike Force for the WWE World Tag Team Titles

- The event as a whole wasn't heavy on solid wrestling matches, unlike III. Demoltion takes the gold for their first of three reigns in a good match of the powerhouses against the high flying technicians. Well put-together.

Wrestlemania V "The Mega Powers Explode" - April 2, 1989

Main Event: Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship

- In a complete reversal from the year before, Hulk took the belt back from Savage as Savage had turned on Hogan in February. That was the end of the year-long run of the Mega-Powers. This match was a solid match up with Savage domingating for a good chunk of the 17 minutes that saw Hulk bleed. I remember it being the first time I had seen Hogan busted open and thinking "Wow, the Hulk is human". Yes, I was a mark at the age of 6.

Wrestlemania Moment: Piper's Pit with Morton Downey Jr.

- Downey was the loud-mouth, annoying conservative before Rush got behind the golden microphone of the EIB Network. He was Springer while Jerry was still trying to get a city council seat and the country had to love it when Downey got a face full of fire extinguisher courtesy of Roddy Piper. Hey, Piper asked Downey three times to knock off the smoke before the put out the fire.

Match of the Night: The Brain Busters vs. Strike Force

- Martel and Santana take this spot again, but it's mostly because of their opponents. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard formed one of the best tag teams of the 80's and watching them work on the grandest stage of them all is a real treat.

Wrestlemania VI "The Ultimate Challenge" - April 1, 1990

Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior for the WWE Championship and Intercontinental Title

- An impressive match, considering the amount of actual wrestling talent in the ring was quite low. Nothing against either man there... But they put together an epic face showdown and once again Hogan passes a torch... for another year at least.

Wrestlemania Moment: Roddy Piper's "Black and White" promo

- After being labled racist by Bad News Brown weeks before, Hot Rod came to Toronto with a unique look: half of his entire body painted black. The promo is Piper at some of his insane best.

Match of the Night: Brutus Beefcake vs. Mr Perfect

- Two of the better workers of the day square off in a solid ten-minute contest.

Wrestlemania VII "Superstars and Stripes Forever" - March 24, 1991

Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter for the WWE Championship

- Hogan once again comes to the rescue, taking the title off of the Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter. Looking back, I'm not really a fan of this angle as it seems kinda exploitive but the match was efective and proved that Hogan was still on top of his game.

Wrestlemania Moment: Randy savage and Miss Elizabeth reunite

- Folling Savage's loss in the Retirement match against the Ultimate Warrior, Liz made the save as a furious Sherri attacked the exhausted Savage. The two would embrace in the middle of the ring in what would be one of the most emotional moments in Wrestlemania history.

Match of the Night: Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior in a Retirement Match

- A solid 20-minutes worth of action that told a story of two men fighting for their careers. The Warrior got a little strange at teh end and began talking to his hands, but for some reason... it made sense...

An Idiot's Guide to Wrestlemania Part 1

It's the greatest time of year for me. March Madness is in full swing, baseball is mere days away, and warmth is returning, albeit slowly, to Ohio, and finally, it's time for Wrestlemania. Let me first attempt to explain my fandom. The first Wrestlemania occured a month before my first birthday, the event is as old as I am and for some reason I took a liking to wrestling early in my youth. It became a craze in high school leading to backyard catastrophies and later actual training inside a real ring. It is my sports fantasy as I learned early on that I was never going to be the guy that was going to play in in the Super Bowl or even the state playoffs. I didn't want to hit the home run in the bottom of the 9th in the 7th game of the World Series, I wanted to be the one on top of the card come Wrestlemania. Realistically, I know that will never happen either but that was where my head was and that is where it still is when I drift off to daydream land. So come Wrestlemania week, which begins today, I am like a kid in a candy store. Therefore, I decided to write up my little guide to the spectacle that is Wrestlemania. Here are my notes, picks, and thoughts on "The Grandest Stage of Them All"

Wrestlemania - March 31, 1985

Main Event: Hulk Hogan & Mr. T (w/Jimmy Snuka) vs. Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper (w/Bob Orton)

- The culmination of the biggest build-up of its time. Despite the fact that neither Hogan nor T were great wrestlers, it still came in as a good match. Piper was the biggest heel north of the Mason-Dixon line and could whip 20,000 into a frenzy with a single sentance. He did some of his best work in that era hyping up this match, which they all knew had to hit the home run in order for the event to be a success. The question that remains, and will be argued for years to come by nerdy smarks like me, is whether people went to Wrestlemania to see Hulk Hogan win or did they come to see Hulk Hogan beat up Roddy Piper. I'm on Piper's side.

Wrestlemania Moment: Andre the Giant bodyslams Big John Studd to win the $15,000 Bodyslam Challenge

- Nothing less that the legedary figure of Andre the Giant could fill this spot for this show. Studd came in built up as the "Giant killer" and Andre overcame him and Bobby "Weasel" Heenan to deliver the second biggest bodyslam in Wrestlemania history.

Match of the Night: Greg Valentine vs. Junkyard Dog for the Intercontinental Championship

- These two solid workers beat the dog out of each other for 6 minutes before Valentine rolled up JYD and pinned him with his feet on the ropes. Tito Santana, who was just returning to a long feud with the Hammer, came out and told the ref what had happened who then restarted the match. Valentine walked out on the match, leaving JYD the victory. It was better than it probably should have been because of what it did to establish two characters and a major fued that went on for months and sowing the seeds for the second part of the classic Santana/Valentine series.

Wrestlemania 2 - April 7, 1986

Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy for the WWE Championship inside a steel cage

- Not in my top ten but 10 minutes of brawling. Hogan retained the belt after bodyslamming and legdropping Bundy then climbing over the cage. The humorous part of the match is that Bundy barely fit through the door of the cage, which is probably what lead to the enlarging of the classic blue bar cage.

Wrestlemania Moment: Roddy Piper bodyslams Mr. T during their boxing match

- Leftover anger from last year's main event boiled over in this match, a "worked" boxing match between the two. However, according to Piper, the two threw leather for four rounds before Piper bodyslammed T, earning a disqualification. The tension between the two was real. T was trying to prove that he could outshine Piper and get over on the wrestler, Piper was dead set in defending the business from an outsider who he saw as an ivader with a huge ego, coming in to make wrestling look like a joke. Real life drama in a world where it was usually faked.

Match of the Night: The Dream Team vs. The British Bulldogs for the World Tag Team Titles

- The best wrestling match on an otherwise average card, work-rate wise. It solidifed the Bulldogs as the dominant tag team that they would be for the next few years. It could also be my Dynamite Kid markdom showing through as well...

Wrestlemania III - March 29, 1987

Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant for the WWE Championship

- In front of 80,000+, the two biggest icons of the WWE in the 80's faced off in what was billed as the biggest main event in the history of sports entertainment. It was a match so well put together and so well hyped that we all believed that the impossible had been done when Hogan lifted Andre over his head and bodyslammed him. At that moment, the torch was fully passed from Andre to Hogan as 'the' man. No one was beating The Boss if he didn't want to lose. It took a huge man to do that job.

Wrestlemania Moment: Hogan's bodyslam and almost-slam of Andre

- The picture that everyone remembers from WM III was the infamous "bodyslam heard 'round the world" but it was his attempt at the two minute mark of the match when Hogan initially tried to slam Andre, but the Giant collapsed on top of the champion. That lead to Andre abusing Hogan for the next nine minutes before the comeback and victory slam. The first lead to the second and the classic Wrestlemania moment.

Match of the Night: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat for the Intercontinental Championship

- Fourteen minutes of wrestling heaven. The culmination of a feud that had seen Savage deliver an elbow off the top rope to a prone Steamboat on the security rail, injuring his throat. These two put together an incredible match, pulling George "The Animal" Steele into the feud. Ending out of nowhere when Steamboat small packaged Savage, this was the first time that the IC Title changed hands at a WM and it is truly one of the top matches in WM history. That list comes later this week though.

Ah... St. Patty's Day in a College Town

It is a holiday that is built for the college student. Deprive yourself of sleep to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to go the bar, choke down cheap beer dyed green and bad eggs and be drunk before most people have had their first cup of coffee. Now, don't get me wrong. This is a day that I've supported for quite awhile but personally the buzz (pun intended) is gone for me. This may be because instead of sitting around all day drinking with friends I'm at work and have been since 11am, but I felt this way after last year. I got up with the throngs, went out the bars, got hammered by mid-morning and skipped all of my classes that day. Being a senior comes with benifits and the ability to blow off class for a day at the bar is one of them, dammit. Granted, I stumbled into one of my prof's offices around 3, and slurred through a short conversation but after going through the experiance once, I didn't miss that today. The thrill is gone and since St. Patrick's Day is the busiest bar day (with New Year's Eve close behind) I wasn't excited about having to fight the throngs for a pint. I'm afraid that's a sign of becoming a grown up. I'd rather get smashed in someone's apartment, surrounded with friends and conversations I can hear than wandering through crowded bars while any and all speech is drowned out by bad music. Maturity? Possibly. (Note: At this point in writing, my best friend from high school called to tell me that his wife is pregnant. Creepy. He's like an adult now.... a father-to-be. Whoa...) Not if I can help it but is this really the first step down that road? Could be. But I'm taking that path as slow as friggin' possible.

Good God, Has It Been Too Long

I forgot about this thing. Like most things in life, I find myself starting something and then forgetting about in until some point in the future. Meh? Doesn't matter. It's the greatest month of the year (March Madness) and I finally have a direction (accepted into grad school) so right now, I can't complain about much of anything. But I will write incessantly about basketball... you have been warned...