The long and winding road to WrestleMania has almost reached it's final destination. It's in that spirit that I am going to give you some of the names who could become some of the future headliners at the showcase of the immortals.
Carmelo Hayes:
Melo Don't Miss.
The former Christian Casanova came into NXT and immediately won the breakout tournament. Since then he has won the North American Championship, retired the Cruiserweight title, and has teamed with Trick Williams to be possibly the most entertaining duo in all of wrestling. His in ring style is athletic, fast paced, and meshes with anyone. His mic skills as a heel are much more entertaining not that he was bad as a face but he's really hitting his stride as the cocky Iverson like character.
Match to check out:
Carmelo Hayes vs Roderick Strong (North American Championship/Cruiserweight Championship)
Ricky Starks:
Yes I know he is in AEW but I would find it hard to believe he's not on WWE's radar especially after his friend whom you may have heard of, one Cody Rhodes made the jump. This man is the definition of charisma. In the ring he can be that cocky heel you want to punch in the face or the face in peril you want to see overcome the odds.
Match to Check Out:
Ricky Starks vs Chris Jericho (AEW All Out)
Sol Ruca:
A relative newcomer to the business, she has improved by leaps and bounds every time she steps into the ring. She has a Charlotte Flair vibe to her which makes sense as she was also a collegiate volleyball player as well. She has a good look, and her finisher is straight money, like legit print cash with it.
Match to Check Out:
Sol Ruca vs Alba Fyre (NXT)
Solo Sikoa:
This guy is being built as a monster and I dig it. As the muscle of The Bloodline, the man known as "the problem" and the street champ has been the heavy handed enforcer in the same vein his uncle Umaga. As well as he has been protected, given his only loss via pinfall has been to Cody Rhodes where he looked like a million bucks it's not hard to envision a world where the Bloodline crumbles and the street champ steps to Roman for control of the family table.
Match to Check Out:
Solo Sikoa Vs Sheamus
So there you have it. Just a few of the younger names who are cash money baby. And yes I don't think I'm breaking the internet with any of these predictions but this is my blog and this is who I want to highlight damn it! So yes sit back and enjoy a weekend filled with more wrestling than I have any business having access to!
Lamar Jackson certainly elicits a reaction. Always has, probably always will it appears. This week the Baltimore Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson basically meaning if he signs it he will get a guaranteed 32.5 million dollars. Sounds like a good deal in theory right? Wrong! Not when the market for just good quarterbacks is starting at 40 million per season. Less accomplished quarterbacks are being paid more and this is just the latest in a long line of disrespect thrown at Jackson.
When Jackson was coming out of college, he was the quarterback questioned on his accuracy despite having a higher completion percentage than Josh Allen, questioned on grasping the pro game despite the fact he mastered the pro style offense Bobby Petrino runs at Louisville, hell he was the only prospect who was told he should switch positions.
He threw 69 touchdowns to only 27 picks, over 9,000 yards and won the Heisman! Did he have the perfect game? Absolutely not, no such thing as a perfect prospect but for guys such as Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield to get drafted ahead of him was a joke and that was at the time.
The goalposts always move when it comes to Lamar. You want a qb who wins? He's tied with Tom Brady for most wins through 50 games and consistently has led the Ravens to the Playoffs. You want someone who despite having the least money spent on wide receivers since 2019 he has been 3rd in QBR vs man coverage, 4th in QBR vs zone coverage, and 2nd in QBR when defenses have 7 or fewer players in the box.
There have been 5 guys in the history of the NFL 96-plus passer rating and over 100 touchdowns in their first 61 career starts – Patrick Mahomes, Dan Marino, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson. What does all this mean? It means Lamar Jackson is just the quarterback position evolved.
When within minutes of the franchise tag being announced you have teams coming out and saying they aren't interested it smells kinda funny. Teams like Carolina, Atlanta, and Oakland who are as of now trotting out PJ Walker, Desmond Ridder, and Jarrett Stidham as their quarterbacks this season. No disrespect but none of those guys are the youngest MVP in NFL history. None of these guys are arguably the most dynamic player at his position we've ever seen.
They've tried to discount out him on the field for years, now that he's surpassed all the goals they said he'd never attain they're going to try and discount him when it's time to pay him.
15 years ago I was a 24 year old dude who drank whiskey and would go on ridiculous ramblings and rantings. Gone were the days when I had a column in my college's newspaper to get my ideas out to the 10s of people who had any interest in what I was rambling about. Then using the moniker given to me by a good friend at the classy establishment Tequilla Roadhouse, this blog was birthed. With a petty takedown calling Natalie Cole a hypocrite I dove into this thinking I'd do it a few months and get bored and stop but here we are 15 years later, still ranting and raving albeit a little less frequently than I used to given I'm an old man with a wife and child now.
So this is just a short little post to say a few things. 1. Thank you if you've ever read the petty and ridiculous things I write. Having a creative outlet has kept me from going crazy, well I'm still crazy but I'm less crazy than I would be without this little blogski. 2. I will be more active on here, probably 2 posts or so a month. Definitely won't have a year like last year when I posted every blue moon.
LeBron James is now the all time leading scorer in NBA history and before the ball fell through the net on the record breaking shot I saw people shitting their pants to just let us know that "LeBron is no Jordan" and "Kobe would have won that game!" And to that I say, just stop. Never mind the fact that in Jordan's age 39 season he averaged 20 points and 6.5 rebounds which is stupid impressive on it's own accord, LeBron is averaging 30 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7 assists in year 20. Kobe in his last year averaged less than 18 points and his team finished 17-65.
For the record, I am a guy who believes Michael Jordan to be the greatest player of all time, however even though I believe that, I can still appreciate what LeBron has done and not shit all over the guy. And kids it is something that is to be awed. Not only did he live up to the hype of being a teenager on Sports Illustrated, crowned king before even stepping on the court, I would say he has exceeded all of those expectations.
Think about this, he is going to retire as the all time leading scorer, he is going to be in the top 4 for assists as well. The next closest guy who can make a similar claim is Kobe Bryant. He's 4th in points AND 33RD IN ASSISTS. To be a top 4 guy in those categories, go to 8 consecutive NBA Finals, and I'm going to repeat myself because it bears repeating, at 38 years old, in year 20 of his NBA career he is averaging 30, 8 and 7.
We can have the pointless GOAT debate when he retires, but for just this once, let's sit back and recognize we are seeing something that we have never seen before and likely will never see again. Appreciate history as it happens.
When we tell the youngins in the future about the greatness in our presence do you want to tell them about the playoff performances, the highlights, the longevity? Or are you gonna tell them you argued with anyone who would listen about how one of the most impressive athletes regardless of sport wasn't as good as the memories of your favorite player?
Michael Jordan isn't walking through that door, Kobe Bryant isn't walking through that door. Accept that and appreciate what we have all been witnesses to.
So the road to WrestleMania officially begins tonight with the 2023 Royal Rumble. There are plenty of different ways this can play out, I'll just give my humble opinion on what I think will happen not should happen. Granted Vince McMahon coming back into the fold behind the scenes has kind of killed the vibe of the past few months but I'll be an optimist I guess.
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship -- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens:
I don't think the outcome of this match is in any doubt, the Tribal Chief shall remain the head of the table. The real story is going to be a take of two very different stars, Sami Zain and the Rock. The Bloodline storyline with Zain becoming an honorary Uso has been the best story in all of wrestling in my opinion and having the Rock come back just to acknowledge Sami instead of the Tribal Chief would be the perfect jump off to a feud at Mania.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Raw Women's Championship -- Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss:
Another one where again the ending just isn't in doubt for me. Bianca has been money for over 300 days as champion and I don't expect that to end tonight. The big story being teased is the impeding realignment of Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss. And how does Uncle Howdy fit into all of this. Believe me I feel just as silly typing that last sentence as you did reading it.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight (Pitch Black match):
Speaking of the aforementioned Bray Wyatt, this is his return match and again it's not in doubt but can I just take a moment to say I told you so about LA Knight? From the moment he signed I knew from his Impact days that you give this man a mic and he will be the most over person ever and damned if this hasn't worked. Bray Wyatt will win the match but LA Knight has won over the people. And that's just a fact of life. YEAH.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Men's Royal Rumble:
He wrestled in Hell in a Cell with half a pec ripped off. Of course he's winning.
There are so many ways this could play out but I think we'll get a few surprises, for instance I think Jay White from New Japan makes his debut and a few returning legends, looking at you Edge. I think this comes down however to one man. Cody Rhodes since his return has been booked as a big deal and he has lived up to the hype. I think they find a way to separate the titles off Roman and post Mania Cody begins a lengthy reign on Raw.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Women's Royal Rumble:
Rhea Ripley has been booked as a badass for quite a while as well as put up some amazing performances in the Women's rumbles. I expect more surprise entrants in the women's rumble but the person to keep an eye put for Sol Ruca out of NXT. She is wild athletic and going viral weekly for some of the things she pulls off in the ring.
A preview of Mania?
Winner: Rhea Ripley
So there you have it, my picks for the Rumble, nothing too outside the box but I think the entrants to look out for are Sol Ruca, Carmelo Hayes, and of course the returning Cody Rhodes.
The NFL Playoffs are in full swing right now and a headline popped up on the tv screen that gave me pause. It read, "Is Joe Burrow the best quarterback in football?" And to that I have to reply with a simple question. What are we talking about?
What I am bout to lay out here is in no way, shape or form a slight against Joey B. I like Joe Burrow, a lot. I think he has that it factor, is a great leader and can be the guy that's talked about as just being a winner that isn't annoying like Tim Tebow or some dork who couldn't play. Joe Burrow is that dude, a guy who as he put it without sounding like a jerk, as long as he is there your Super Bowl window is open. But come on guys.
What are we talking about?
In the rush to find the next greatest thing let's not forget about someone here. Patrick Lavon Mahomes II is still playing quarterback and frankly the idea that everyone is tripping over themselves to talk them out of the historical greatness we've seen for 5 years now.
This is a man who has been at the helm of a team that's making it's 5th straight AFC championship, has won a super bowl, been to another and won an MVP award with a 50 touchdown season in his first full year as a starter.
What are we talking about?
This season was supposed to be the season we saw the numbers dip especially after last season's "down year" in which he still threw for 37 touchdowns, over 4,800 yards, and completed 66% of his passes. He lost his number one receiver in Tyreek Hill, had a platoon at running back including the untested rookie Isaiah Pacheco. He only had a career high in passing yards to go along with 41 touchdowns and a 105 passer rating.
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?!
Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, all are great young quarterbacks but when discussing who is the best quarterback in the league, we may have never seen someone historically as dope as Patrick Mahomes. Dan Marino in 16 years had 4 seasons where he threw for more than 30 touchdowns in a season, same as Mahomes in 5 years. In 20 years Brett Favre never threw for 5,000 yards. Mahomes has already done it twice. Hell he has as many or more touchdown passes as 4 hall of fame quarterbacks already.
AGAIN, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?!
In the playoffs he has a 4 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio, has led his teams to a 9-3 record, completed 66% of his passes and has a 106.2 passer rating. You can name any quarterback in the history of the NFL and if you told me you'd take Mahomes over him I would get it. He's that damn good. So let's collectively ease up on trying to bring about the metaphorical demise of the best quarterback of his generation and just enjoy what we're witnessing.
Been a minute since I have graced the page and for that I am sorry. The loyal legions of 5 people who read this blog deserve the hating and nonsensical rantings of a man currently in last place in his fantasy baseball league, so as the wise philosopher Ashanti once said "I'm not always there when you call but I'm always on time." In that spirit I shall present to you what I believe are facts that are scientifically proven to be true and frankly if you disagree with any of them I am going to look at you a little funny doggie. So without further ado...
*Anderson Paak is his generation's Andre 3000
Anyone who knows me knows how high in regard I hold Outkast, especially 3 Stacks. So when I say Anderson Paak is going to be his generation's Andre 3000 I mean it as the best compliment I can give. Let's look at the stats shall we? Both are wildly talented hip hop artists although given their eclectic styles it's hard to put them in a box. Both play multiple styles. Both are not afraid to step outside of their comfort zones such as Andre with "The Love Below" and Paak with his Silk Sonic project with Bruno Mars.
* If you don't like the beat for Lemonade by Gucci Mane I don't trust you.
I mean this is a simple one, in 2009 Gucci Mane released "The State Vs Radric Davis." On that album was a little song produced by Bangladesh known for producing Bossy by Kelis and What's your Fantasy by Ludacris. That song was called Lemonade and it is infectious, banging, and frankly auditory perfection. Which brings me back to my original thesis, if you don't like this beat then you are untrustworthy.
*Jolene may be the baddest baddie of her era.
Dolly looked like this, how the hell did Jolene look?!
This is a space where we recognize the greatness of Dolly Parton. When "Jolene" was released she was without a doubt a certified baddie. That said, for her to be so concerned about Jolene given here baddie-ness leads me to one logical conclusion...Jolene had to be the baddest baddie of her era. That's the only thing that could lead Dolly to have such an intense confrontation! That's all I got.
*Elvis may be the most famous culture vulture, but the most prolific is Kid Rock.
Pick a side Bob.
While yes there may be no more famous cultural appropriator than Elvis Presley who stole his whoe style from the bluesmen of the Mississippi delta, I submit to you that Kid Rock is the most prolific as he not only jocked the style of hip hop, he also yoinked the styles of southern rock and pretended to be a low income Detroit scumbag while growing up as the son of parents who owned multiple car dealerships.
*The South won.
The South got something to say!
During the whole East Coast vs West Coast rap beef the low key best rap pound for pound was actually occurring below the Mason Dixon line. Outkast, Geto Boys, UGK and on and on were all making their mark albeit without the nation wide attention. Hell by the early 2000s you even had New York cats copying the flow and style of some of the bigger Southern acts. So yes, while the hype went to the East and West Coast, look deep in your heart and tell me the South didn't come out as top the bottom the best of the era.
There you have it, the most unassailable list out there. And if you disagree feel free to argue with your mama because your boy will block you. Just kidding! Or maybe I'm not, the best course of action is accept what I have said and you'll be alright.
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