Startling Comments from Former Lion

Earlier today Dallas Cowboy Wide Receiver Roy Williams stated that the Cowboys have the worst practices and that they don't use him right. He went on to say that Detroit works harder on the practice field then Dallas does.

I was actually shocked he acknowledged his former team and even more shocked that anyone could compare any one or team to the Lions. Roy Williams to me is another whiner. Be happy your making your money and be glad you weren't fully apart of the 0-16 season. The Lions did you a favor so I respect that he acknowledges them but don't whine to the media. That's the absolute one thing I can't stand.

Roy do yourself a favor. Keep your mouth shut, make your money and be happy you're not with Lions otherwise you might end up there again. Enough said.

My Top 10 Favorite Sports Movies

Someone recently asked my what my favorite sports movies were so here is my top 10. I am including wrestling movies in this list so if you don't like it, get over it. So here is the list:

#10-Because this man is my hero growing up and because I love Wrestling, No Holds Barred is one of my favorite. Notice I said it was a favorite. Was it great? No, but Hogan was the man and out of the movie came one of the worst feuds in Hogans career. And that was with Zeus. Tiny Lister is a great actor but a horrible wrestler. I'll watch the movie any day.

#9-Best of the Best features a great cast with Eric Roberts, and James Earl Jones that highlight Kick boxing in Korea and American. It's not highly touted but it's a favorite of mine

#8-Gridiron Gang is a great movie about second chances and through football juveniles were given second chances in life. The Rock does a marvelous job in the movie and really captures what Sean Porter tried doing with those kids.

#7-Rocky Balboa, an American icon played by Sylvester Stallone embodies the American dream. I have all six movies but because two of them weren't that good it's a little higher on my list but I'll watch Rocky 1-6 any day.

#6-If you like movies with All-Star casts, look no further then to the remake of the Longest Yard. It is a good film with lots humor and action. If you haven't seen it you should

#5-If you like controversy like I do then you'll like Blue Chips with Nick Nolte. It featured Shaq and Penny Hardaway about a college coach who cheats to get better recruits for his team. It also cameos from Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Jerry Tarkanian, Dick Vitale, Jim Boeheim, and Louis Gossett, Jr..

#4-Facing the Giants does not have the notoriety all the other sports movies do but because it was Christian based and it touched me in a lot of ways. I think anyone who likes inspiration needs to see this movie.

#3-Remember the Titans was a phenomenal movie. It showed what people went through in the 60's and the barriers that needed to be broken. It was such a great movie.

#2-The Wrestler which surfaced in 2008 is special to me on a personal level because of my love for professional wrestling. It's not just a great wrestling movie. It's a great story that needed to be told.

#1- My favorite Sports movie of all time is without a doubt Rudy. It was the very first sports movie I ever saw and it has stuck with me since Ive watched it. That movie never gets old.

So there is my list. These are my favorites and would watch them anytime on TV, or if someone wanted to watch them with me.

My thoughts on "The Wrestler"

So I watched The Wrestler this morning and in someways I am almost speechless. The movie actually left my speechless. As someone who has been a wrestling fan since he was three years old I've always wondered how guys ended up after their careers. In a lot of ways this movie represents what happens to them in a extreme ways. I thought of all the guys who died once the spotlight was no longer on them. I thought about guys like, Curt Hennig, Big Boss Man, The British Bulldog, Hawk, Earthquake, Mike Awesome and so many more. Now did the do exactly what Randy "the Ram" did? No, but it's the same idea and same concept.

My favorite part of the movie is not even the wrestling. It's where he and his daughter danced in the old ballroom. In a lot of ways it represent how the wrestling lifestyle is. They leave their families, homes, and life behind to entertain us. What people learned from this movie or at least what I learned is that professional wrestlers are just like us. They have the same hardships, and the same problems as we do. They have their up's and down's just like the rest of us.

Mickey Rourke who has struggled a lot over the last decade to get a leading role in a great movie definitely put himself back on the map as being a superb actor. I honestly don't think anyone else could have played Randy "the Ram" Robinson. It was also good to see some of the independent guys get some exposure like Jay Lethal, Jim Powers, Ron Killings, Claudio Castagnoli, Romeo Roselli, and Nigel McGuinness. All whom have some exposure in the wrestling business. It was also great to see Ernest Miller back in the spotlight, as he played "The Ayatollah" who was Randy's greatest opponent during his prime and his last opponent in the movie.

I must warn you however, this movie is not for kids. This movie is extreme and if you're not sixteen or older you should not see this movie. However I will recommend this movie to all wrestling fans and to anyone who loves a good story. This is truly a great story. If you don't think so look at all the awards it's won or been nominated for. Here is the list:

-Golden Lion (Won)
-Golden Globe Award: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (Mickey Rourke) (Won)
-Golden Globe Award: Best Original Song - Motion Picture ("The Wrestler" written and performed by Bruce Springsteen) (Won)
-Golden Globe Award: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Marisa Tomei) (Nominated)
-Academy Award for Best Actor (Mickey Rourke) (Nominated)
-Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei) (Nominated)
-Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role (Mickey Rourke) (Nominated)
-Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay (Robert D. Siegel) (Nominated) (TBD)
-BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Mickey Rourke) (Nominated)
-BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Marisa Tomei) (Nominated)

But even without the awards, in my view "The Wrestler" will go down as a timeless classic. It has everything in it from humor, sadness, action, violence and a great story. I would definitely give the Wrestler 4.5 Stars out of 5. It was that good. So even if you're not a die hard wrestling fan like I have been all my life go and out and see this movie. You'll have a new appreciation for professional wrestling and you see a great story that will unfold right before your eyes.

NBA All-Star Reserves Announced

The NBA All Stars have been announced for this years All-Star game and here they are:

EASTERN CONFERENCE RESERVES

Chris Bosh (Raptors) F/C
Danny Granger (Pacers) F
Devin Harris (Nets) G
Joe Johnson (Hawks) G
Rashard Lewis (Magic) F
Jameer Nelson (Magic) G
Paul Pierce (Celtics) F

WESTERN CONFERENCE RESERVES

Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) G
Pau Gasol (Lakers) F
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) F
Shaquille O'Neal (Suns) C
Tony Parker (Spurs) G
Brandon Roy (Trail Blazers) G
David West (Hornets) F

I can tell you Pierce doesn't belong there, Rondo does and so does Rodney Stuckey. Other then that everyone deserves the spot. I think the reserves deserve their spots more then the starters. Then again thats why the fans should have all the say in who starts. I personally won't watch the game this year because it's turned into a joke and circus. When the game actually means something like in baseball then I will start watching it again. I will watching the Dunk and 3-point contest but thats all. Hope all who watch the game enjoy it. That's all from me on the matter.

My Top 25 Wrestlemania Moments

With Wrestlemania 25 on the horizon I would like to talk about my top 25 moments and matches that I've witnessed. Yes I will count them down and not put them as an ordinary list.

#25- Wrestlemania Fourteen saw the debut of Pete Rose, the legendary baseball player. He made some disrespectful remarks about the Red Sox, and then Kane gave him a Tombstone for his trouble. six years later Pete was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by none other then Kane.

#24- It was at Wrestlemania Twenty when the highly anticipated Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg match took place. The fans chanted "this match sucks," and sang, "Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye." It was Lesnar's and Goldberg's last night and at the end Stone Cold stunned both of them right out of the WWE.

#23- At Wrestlemania Five saw the return of Rowdy Roddy Piper after a two year absence from WWE. He hosted Pipers Pit, with the mouthy Morton Downey Jr. Needless to say the fire was put out on Pipers Pit.

#22- Wrestlemania Seven, had the first career ending match in WWE History. It was the Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage. I do not like either wrestler but both had one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history. Savage lost, Elizabeth returned however Savage was wrestling again with 8 months later of the event.

#21- Roddy Piper is known to be crazy but Wrestlemania Six he proved to be really crazy. He painted himself half black for his match against Bad News Brown and said he was the Hot Rod, and the Hot Scot. It was really weird but I got a good laugh out of it.

#20- At Wrestlemania Twenty One, a disgruntled Muhammad Hassan was angry he did not get a match on the show, so he proceeded to beat up Eugene until...the music hit and out came Hulk Hogan for the rescue and posed for about ten minutes. It was the night after Hogan had been inducted into the hall of fame.

#19- At Wrestlemania 19, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels wrestled in his first Wrestlemania in five years. His match with Chris Jericho was one of my favorites and it proved that Shawn Michaels still was as good as he once was.

#18- Going back to Wrestlemania Seven and one of the most unique matches in history. The blindfold match between Jake Roberts and Rick Martel is still in my mind one of the most underrated matches in the history of 'Mania. Watch it and you might understand why I like it.

#17- Wrestlemania Seventeen saw three teams fight for the tag titles in TLC Two. The Hardy's, Dudley's, and Edge/Christian put their bodies on the line for the moment and the titles. Edge and Christian won the match but all six man live in Wrestlemania history forever.

#16- Going back to Wrestlemania 21 I have three that are tied at number sixteen all from this event because they are equal in my opinion. Roddy Piper hosted Pipers Pit and his guest was the Texas Rattlesnake Steve Austin. Two combustible elements which you knew that would have an explosion. Unfortunately for Carlito they both exploded on him, then Austin proceed to give Piper a Stone Cold Stunner. Then you had the Undertaker vs. Randy Orton in which Orton proved he could hang with the best. Undertaker kept his streak alive but Orton won the respect of a lot of people. And then back to the Show stopper, Shawn Michaels. He took on the Olympic Goal Medalist Kurt Angle. It was a match doe the ages and a match people still remember to this day.

#15- Wrestlemania Six saw the Ultimate Challenge finally come ahead. The Ultimate Warrior with his Intercontinental Title took on Hulk Hogan with his WWE Title. And it was title vs title. Many people have different feelings on the match. Some people said it sucked, some people say it was great but it was good enough to be on this list because it was monumental and a once in a lifetime match (thanks WCW for ruining that feeling and the reputation of that match).

#14- When Ric Flair returned to the WWE in 2001, his intention was not to wrestle at all. Soon that all changed and was apart of a classic encounter with the Undertaker at Wrestlemania Eighteen. Undertakers streak was kept alive but Flair still proved without any doubt that he was still "The Man."

#13- Some people might get mad at me for saying this but you can't discount his match at Wrestlemania Twenty. It was Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. World Heavyweight Champion Triple H. It was one of the best Main Events in wrestling history. There was blood, drama and all of them on that night left it in the ring.

#12- Hulk Hogan is associated with a lot of Wrestlemania moments but Wrestlemania Eighteen after a nine year absence he took on The Rock in what most consider the resurrection of Hulkamania. It was one of Hogans best matches if not his best in his career.

#11- Wrestlemania 10 saw the first ladder match in Wrestlemania history and it set the bar high. Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon(Scott Hall) stole the show and had the best match of the night in my eyes. Ladder matches have now become a Wrestlemania tradition with the Money in the Bank Matches.

#10- Back to the Hulkster, he has four moments that are tied at ten. The Mega Powers exploded in 1989 and Hogans match with Randy Savage was in Hogan classic. Hogan won and they deemed him Immortal after that match was over. Then at Wrestlemania nine he came out to help Bret Hart after his WWE title lost to Yokozuna, and Mr. Fuji challenged Hogan on Yoko's behalf. Hogan stormed the ring and in nine seconds became WWE Champion for the fifth time. It was a great ending to a horrible Wrestlemania. Next is when Hogan fought Mr. McMahon at Wrestlemania Nineteen in a brutal street fight that saw blood, sweat, tears and saw the return of the Hot Rod. And lastly rounding out the Hogan moments is Wrestlemania Three when he body slammed the legendary Andre the Giant. It was a moment that changed the history of wrestling forever. Thank you Hulk for providing me with so many great moments.

#9- The Main Event for Wrestlemania Seventeen was between the two biggest stars at the time. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin headlined Wrestlemania in Houston Texas and it had a shocking ending. Stone Cold joined forces with Mr. McMahon and beat The Rock for the WWE Title. The match was brutal, bloody, shocking and very memorable. It's a must see for any fan of wrestling past or present.

#8- Wrestlemania 22 has two moments tied for eight that still stick out in my mind. Both had blood and broken bones. Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon in their epic street fight saw Shawn Michaels provide us with another great moment at Wrestlemania. Then you had Mick Foley take on Edge in a Hardcore match. If you have never seen this match...watch it!!! Because the ending is freaking sick and heart-wrenching.

#7- Did I say I was done with Hogan? My bad, because Wrestlemania's first Main Event set the stage for it all and set the standard for all Wrestlemania Main Event's It was Hogan/Mr. T with Snuka in their corner against Piper/Orndorff with Orton in their corner. Also Muhammad Ali was the special enforcer in the match, which set the standard for celebrity involvement at Wrestlemania.

#6- McMahon vs. McMahon, Shane vs. Vince and it was a street fight that saw a cat fight with Stephanie McMahon and Trish Stratus, a kick in Vince's family jewels from his wife Linda, and the special referee Mick Foley giving Vince the mandible claw with Mr. Socko. The McMahon's definitely proved why they are dominant in the entertainment business.

#5- One hour, one title, and one dream. Shawn Michaels fought his whole career for the moment and this match. The Iron Man match at Wrestlemania Twelve was perhaps the single greatest match in the history of Wrestlemania. They actually went over sixty minutes and Shawn won in overtime. Bret Hart was a true champion and carried the WWE Title very well and made it a respectable title. This match never gets old and if you're a true wrestling fan, you will or already have watched this match.

#4- Brother vs. Brother, Bret Hart vs. the late great Owen Hart. Owen wanted to jump out of Bret's shadow and did he ever at Wrestlemania Ten. I always said that this was the best opening match to a Wrestlemania because they put on a show. They also proved their father was the best trainer in professional wrestling and his sons carried on their fathers tradition of submission wrestling. Owen won but it was ultimately Bret's night when he won the WWE title later on that night.

#3- Steamboat vs. Savage at Wrestlemania Three was the best I-C Title match in Wrestlemania History in my view. They kept the respect and tradition alive of the I-C title with the match they had. It was their match that made Wrestlemania Three, not Hogan-Andre. Watch it and you'll see what I mean

#2- Diamonds are Forever and so is Ric Flair. At Wrestlemania 24, the Nature Boy walked down the aisle one last time to face a guy that admired him, loved him and wanted to be like him....The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. The match lived up to what I thought it would be. Flair had a great match and I actually consider it a Flair classic. The ending was emotional and one of the greatest to a match. Shawn said, "I am sorry, I love you." Then he hit Sweet Chin Music to end the amazing career of the greatest of all time, Ric Flair.

#1- Wrestlemania Thirteen, the match that made Stone Cold Steve Austin a legend. His submission match with Bret Hart is my favorite moment in Wrestlemania history. It was just such a great match because both guys were in their prime and at the height of their careers. Bret Hart technically won the match, but Austin never quit. He passed out due to loss of blood. The image of Austin in the sharpshoot with crimson mask of blood on his face is still engraved in my mind.

So there you have it, my top twenty five moments in Wrestlemania history. I am sure this years Wrestlemania will provide us with many more moments. Stay tuned to find out.

Has Mickey Rourke pulled out of Wrestlemania 25?

The associated press is reporting that Mickey Rourke has pulled out of Wrestlemania. His publicist told the AP that he is entirely focused on acting career. This came a day or two after rumors started swirling that if he did Wrestlemania he would probably not win an Oscar. With that being said I see this situation going to ways because you know WWE will capitalize on this.

Situation One, Rourke waits until the Oscars are over and then says he is doing Wrestlemania 25 and has no regrets about doing so. You have to believe that he said he wasn't doing it to protect his Oscar chances. He knows being involved WM 25 will give him a lot of press because Wrestlemania 25 is already shaping up to simply spectactular.

Situation Two, is Rourke is completely out and Jericho calls out anyone from Hollywood to fight him. I see this going one way. It will be a wrestler who has made a movie or movies and here's the list:
Roddy Piper
Hulk Hogan
Jesse Ventura
Terry Funk
Zeus
Big Show
The Great Khali
Steve Austin
Nathan Jones
And theres many more so take your pick. Mark my words if Rourke doesn't show Jericho will have a confrontation or match with someone on the list. To me it's a win-win situation for WWE and Wrestlemania. Only time will tell as to what is going to happen so stay tuned

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

All I can say is...it's about time. Ricky Steamboat is going to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year in Houston, Texas. Ric Flair said it best about Steamboat, "If Steamboat would have been a heel, he would have been the greatest of all time." However Steamboat was never a heel but he is still considered one of the greatest in-ring performers of past and present generations. Ricky Steamboat has accomplished so much in his career. He is a former WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW United States Champion, NWA World Heavyweight Champion, WCW Tag Team Champions and many other titles to go along with it. Steamboat has held twenty one titles in his eighteen year career. When I think of the Dragon, I think of two things.

First his matches with Ric Flair in 1989. These were some of the best matches in that era and even in today's era for that matter. Flair and Steamboat were to totally different personalities but they had a lot of respect for each other. The Chi-Town Rumble, Clash of the Champions and WrestleWar were the three greatest televised/pay-per-view matches you will ever see. In 1994 he had two more classic matches with Flair at Spring Stampede and Saturday Night Wrestling for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. He eventually had to retire due to a serious injury.

The second thing that I remember most about Steamboat is Wrestlemania 3. People still talk about Hogan-Andre but the match that made that pay-per-view so successful was Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage for the WWE Intercontinental Title. Like his matches with Flair, it could be considered the best in that era. Ricky Steamboat was the highlight of the mid and late 1980's even though Hogan was getting all the spotlight.

Steamboat has faced a lot of great people including, Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, Arn Anderson, Paul Orndorff, Barry Windham, Tiger Mask 2, Lex Luger , Rick Rude and Greg Valentine. Ricky Steamboat definitely deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. "The Dragon" will rise again for one night on April 4th.

Hollywood Joe Williamson: A Cheesehead?

Just a few short days ago, the Green Bay Packers hired my all time favorite football player, the former Ram, Steeler and Panther Kevin Greene. They hired him as their outside linebackers coach. Not only that they hired Dom Capers, the first Panthers coach as their defensive coordinator. People have been asking me, are you now a Packers fan? The answer is most definitely yes. However they are not my favorite team. The Panthers are and will always be my favorite team. Some ask how they became my favorite team. It was when WCW was still around and Kevin Greene came out on an edition of Clash of the Champions with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. It was then I learned he played for the Steelers. I watched him for two years with Steelers until he went to the Panthers and I've been a Panthers fan since. Greene has wrestled against guys like Big Show, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and fellow football player Steve McMichael. So yes it was because of wrestling I became a Kevin Greene fan and Panthers fan.

I also have been hearing that Julius Peppers might be headed to Green Bay. If he goes to Green Bay, I will definitely become a Cheese head. I'll root for them except when they play the Panthers. To the rest of the NFL teams, you been put on notice because the Packers defense will dominate next year. You have Capers and Greene coaching. Then Hawk, Kampman, Woodson, Harris and possibly Peppers, watch out NFC North. The Pack may indeed be back.

News and Notes around sports

NFL
The Super Bowl is just six days away and I personally can't wait for it. I think it's going to be surprising, close and exciting. I am really hoping Kurt Warner wins it and then retires. That's the story book ending that he should have. I like how both teams have respect for each other and there is no trash talking. Leave it all on the field is the mentality of both teams.

NHL
The All-Star Game was last night and it went to a shootout. I watched bits of it as I was watching the Royal Rumble last night. I am not much of a hockey fan but it was a great game with lots of scoring and drama at the end. My interest in hockey is starting to pick up a little. It helps the Red Wings are doing so great. The last half of the season should be great. I think the Red Wings will repeat.

NBA
The season is almost halfway over and I still stand by my prediction for the finals, and that would be Lakers vs. Celtics. Both are playing great right now, however the Lakers might be a little bit better right now. Now that they Bynum back they look to almost unstoppable. It should be interesting how the rest of the season pans out.

MLB
It's official, Yankees equals drama. Joe Torre has a new book and he reveals how he feels about Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguiz. Well if sports are scripted then you will see the Dodgers and Yankees in the World Series this year. Controversy, conflict, and rivalry draw people, makes money and earns ratings. And what about Manny? He still hasn't signed with anyone. He needs to go where he can win and get back at Boston.

NCAA
I am sadden to hear about Kay Yow's passing. She was a great Woman's Basketball coach and inspiration to a lot of people. My condolences go out to her family and friends. The Spartans are doing great this year in Mens Basketball but I don't think they have enough to win a National Championship. I am also going to make a bold prediction that Tyler Hansborough will be the number one overall pick in the draft. Wait and see...

That's all from me for now. I'll have more later on this week. God Bless and stay warm

Mickey Rourke, AC/DC at Wrestlemania 25

Last night at the SAG Awards Mickey Rourke announced he was coming to Houston for Wrestlemania 25. He said he was glad the wrestling community embraced and enjoyed his conversations with Vince McMahon, Roddy Piper and Ric Flair. He also said that Chris Jericho better be ready because he's coming for him. With that said, a Rourke vs. Jericho match is now in the works. People might be skeptical but to me Rourke at a Wrestlemania is better then Mayweather at Wrestlemania. Rourke respects the business, knows somewhat what its about, and the fact he trained for the movie is in his favor. Their is nine weeks until Wrestlemania so a lot can happen in nine weeks time. I personally would love to see Rourke vs. Jericho because of the character and personality clash. I haven't seen the Wrestler yet but It's phenomenal from what I hear. I cannot wait to watch it. The other thing I need to point out is that R-Truth is in the movie so thats another plugging point WWE could use. I am getting excited for Wrestlemania and it's still nine weeks away.

It was also announced that AC/DC will be performing this year at Wrestlemania as well. It was WWE who used Spoilin' For a Fight, for the Survivor Series theme song. To me that helped put AC/DC back on the map. If you are a rock fan or AC/DC fan the CD Black Ice is definitely a must have. It's just as great as their old stuff.

Wrestlemania 25, the silver anniversary is already shaping up to be spectacular. Add Rourke vs. Jericho to my list of predicted matches. We are on the Road to Wrestlemania so buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life.

Royal Rumble Recap

The winner of the 2009 Royal Rumble is…“The Legend Killer” Randy Orton who was number eight and lasted an impressive 48 minutes and 27 seconds. I was also five for five on all my predictions, but I’ll get back to that in a minute.

The first match was between ECW Champion Jack Swagger against former champion Matt Hardy. This match was back and forth but Swagger proved that he had heart toughness and ended up beating Matt Hardy to retain the ECW Title.

Next up was Woman’s Champion Beth Phoenix defending against Melina. Melina has had a long road to recovery and she completed that road last night by defeating the Glamazon for the Woman’s title. Its different seeing Melina as a face. She still has the same aggression she has always has had. Melina is one of the most gifted performers that the Woman’s division has seen in the history of the business.

You then had the World Heavyweight Champion John Cena defending his title against JBL. The wildcard in this match was Shawn Michaels. Earlier in the night Undertaker confronted Shawn and said “Sometimes even getting to heaven requires going through hell.” That was after JBL said if he didn’t win the title Shawn would never work for him again. JBL and Cena had another great match just like they did nearly four years ago. The ref got knocked out and Shawn super kicked JBL. But before left he gave Sweet Chin Music to John Cena and left, however John Cena defeated Bradshaw and retained the World Title.

The highly anticipated WWE Title match was next. Jeff Hardy was defending against Edge. A lot has happened in the storyline with Jeff Hardy since his title win. He was in a hit and run, and suffered burns in a pyrotechnic accident. My prediction about Christian was unfortunately wrong. Vicky Guerrero made the match NO DQ and in typical Jeff Hardy fashion he went all out. Before Jeff could get the win Matt came out to offer his brother some help and the Hardy’s were about deliver a double chair shot and then…..BAM!!! Matt Hardy hit Jeff with the chair and cost him the WWE Title. It actually threw me off of what I thought was going to happen. I think its genius by WWE to feud the two brothers. They only really ever fought once and that was at Armageddon 2001 with Lita as the special guest referee. The match didn’t have a big build up but this is the start of a good buildup for their match.

And now on to the Royal Rumble. Rey Mysterio came in at number one and John Morrison at number two. There were three things that made this match great.

Number one would be the return of Rob Van Dam for one night only. It was great to see him.

Number two is the fastest elimination ever in the Royal Rumble and that was Kane eliminating Santino Marella. You should have seen the look on his face when he got eliminated. Great stuff from Santino which I guess why he is a great character in wrestling

Number three was how many guys were there at the end. They really made it look like anyone could win it. I think when Big Show came out at 30 there were probably fifteen guys left. However only man could win and I predicted him to win it…Randy Orton. He is now going to Wrestlemania. It was freaking awesome. I am looking forward to the Road to Wrestlemania.

With that being said here are my match predictions for Wrestlemania 25:

World Heavyweight Championship
Edge vs. Triple H

WWE Championship
John Cena vs. Randy Orton

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy

Those to me are the four big matches that will happen at Wrestlemania 25 unless WWE throws another curve ball at us and changes things. I’ll keep adding and probably changing my predictions as we going along. These are my initial predictions after what I saw last night.

See you at Buffalo Wild Wings on February 15th for No Way Out.

How All Star Games should be handled

With NHL All-Star, and NBA All Star games I have to question, should the fans have as much say as they do in who goes or who doesn't go? My answer is yes and no

My first example the NBA. You have two guards, two forwards, and one center. Whoever has the best stats in each position should be the named the starter. Then the fans vote on the reserves. Now you are probably wondering how would you sort all those stats out. Guards would be determined on assists, forwards on points per game, and centers on rebounds. Sounds like a crazy idea but it's just one idea. I think the concept is good but not the actual layout. Right now the reserves are chosen by a vote among the head coaches of each squad's particular conference. The last part should remain intact unless a better ideas comes up

Then you have the MLB All-Star Game. Another good concept but here is the bad layout. The Infielders are determined by batting average and the outfielders are based on Home Runs. Then you have the pitchers, in which that should be based on ERA. Right now players are selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers.

Since I don't follow much hockey here is how the NHL does it:
The starting lineup for the two teams, including the starting goaltender, is voted on by fans, while the remainder of the teams' rosters are chosen by the NHL's Hockey Operations Department in consultation with the teams' General Managers. Since 1996, the head coaches for the two All-Star Game have been the coaches of the two teams that are leading their respective conferences in point percentage (i.e. fraction of points obtained out of total possible points)

Really that's not a bad way to do it. At least one player from each team is represented and everyone is happy that is a fan of that team.

Now here is how the NFL does it:
Currently, players are voted into the Pro Bowl by the coaches, the players themselves, and the fans. Each group's ballots count for one third of the votes. The fans vote online at the NFL's official site. There are also replacements that go to the game should any selected player be unable to play due to injuries. Prior to 1995, only the coaches and the players made Pro Bowl selections.

Another great way but in some cases not every team is represented. Take the Lions, Rams, Bengals and Jaguars for example. No one from those teams have anyone playing.

I think in all sports, the starters should be determined by performance, not popularity. The reserves should be voted by the fans. And if need be, the leagues should step in and make sure there is one person from each team represented. It keeps the team and their fans happy. The NFL and NHL to me have it right to some degree but the other sports do not MLB and NBA. The fans in those two sports have the most say on who starts and who doesn't. Every year someone gets left out that shouldn't get left out, no matter what sport it is. That's why some of the systems should change. Call me crazy but if you look at the starters for the NBA All Star Game the only reason they got on their is because of their past. Base your vote on the present. That's my take on the All-Star games. Usually their a joke and bunch hogwash anyways but if they want it to be more serious, change the system. Will it ever happen? I doubt it.

It's Time to Rumble....Royal Rumble Predictions

This Sunday is the Royal Rumble, my favorite event of the year. 30 men, 1 ring, 1 winner. Two men start out and every 90 seconds a new participant comes in. The last man standing who has not been thrown over the top rope with their feet touching the floor will be the winner and go on to Wrestlemania to for a World Title of their choosing. Here are my predictions. The winners of each match will be in bold.

World Heavyweight Championship
John Cena(c) vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield (with Shawn Michaels)

WWE Championship
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Edge

ECW Championship
Jack Swagger(c) vs. Matt Hardy

WWE Woman's Championship
Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Melina

The Royal Rumble Match (Only 23 participants have been named so far)
Triple H
The Big Show
Vladimir Kozlov
Shelton Benjamin
The Undertaker
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Kofi Kingston
The Miz
John Morrison
Kane
Ted DiBiase
Cody Rhodes
Santino Marella
R-Truth
The Brian Kendrick
Carlito
CM Punk
Finlay
Mark Henry
Chris Jericho
Chavo Guerrero
The Great Khali

I see Cena retaining the title over JBL because Shawn will not follow orders and will JBL's teeth down his throat. I see Edge with help from Christian stealing the title away from Jeff Hardy. And because Matt Hardy will be distracted by his brothers lost he will fail to regain the ECW title. Melina will complete her comeback from injury with a title win. Now on to the Royal Rumble. I believe Randy Orton will win the Royal Rumble and it will come down to him and the other guy who momentum, Triple H. A heel has not won the Rumble since 1999 so it's about time one wins won. I can't wait for the Rumble this Sunday.

I will be at Buffalo Wild Wings selling tickets to the next CWM show on March 1st. Tickets are 10 dollars. I will be at the 28th st. Buffalo Wild Wings. Hope to see you there.

Cardinals-Steelers and Springsteen Headline Super Bowl 43

What a surprising year it has been in the world of the NFL, especially if you are the Arizona Cardinals. A lot of great players have come and gone out of Arizona but this team is special. You have the old lion leading his group of young lions, and this is the young lions step towards manhood and greatness. Kurt Warner has been here before but not with the level of talent he has now. I think that the team he has now was better then team he had when he was with the Rams. You Fitzgerald, Hightower, Boldin, Breaston, and James. This game could really decide if Kurt Warner goes into the Hall of Fame someday. He hasn't been in the league very long but if he has two Super Bowl Rings to his name, he will be in.

Now on to the Steelers, a smash-mouth team who has hurt a lot of people this year on defense. Big Ben has taken some punishment as well but keeps coming back. Pittsburgh doesn't have the high-powered offense that Arizona does, however it's defense that wins championships. At least that's what everyone says. The Steelers were in this same spot three years ago and I am sure they are hoping to win with the same core of players. The only thing that's changed is no Bill Cowher and no Jerome Bettis. This team is still intact and will remain in intact.

So whats my prediction? Cardinal 24, Steelers 21. I think the high powered offense of the Cardinals will managed to get pass the smash mouth defense of the Steelers and Kurt Warner will be a Hall of Famer. Also I think it's cool Bruce Springsteen is doing the Halftime show...finally, someone with class and good music. I cannot wait until the Super Bowl.

The Buccaneers have joined the Cowboys, Raiders, and Lions as being dysfunctional

As I watched the TV on Friday night I couldn't help but be shocked that the Tampa Bay Bucs fired Jon Gruden as head-coach. He has been there for seven years and has had a winning record every year. However he failed to make the playoffs after a 9-3 start. Gruden is a great coach and Tampa Bay in my eyes has made a monumental mistake. Where in football have you seen a coach and GM get fired then four hours later both of those spot are already filled but promoting within the organization. To me that's impulsive and dysfunctional. You should at least interview people and give it a few weeks. I think this rash decision will come back to haunt the Bucs and their organization.

I will say this about Gruden, he may have one the Super Bowl his first year there but it wasn't his team. It Tony Dungy's team that he built up. And I honestly think that may have been thing to do him in. He couldn't win with the team that he built and as a result, right or wrong, Jon Gruden is not a head coach in the NFL as of right now.

To me by making this decision the Bucs joined the Lions, Raiders and Cowboys as one of the most dysfunctional teams in the NFL. The ownerships of all these teams make rash and stupid decisions that always cost them. The Bucs will have their first losing season in a long time in 2009. You can count on it!

Being apart of something special: The CWM Anniversary Show.

On January 18th I experienced something and felt something that I’ve waited to feel for a long time. Being apart of CWM’s Anniversary was an absolute honor and a thrill. Six years ago when I starting familiarizing myself with independent wrestling, I didn’t know a damn thing, I just knew what was on TV. However I was knowledgeable about what was on TV. I didn’t take it literally and was crazy and obsessed. When the person I got associated (people still associate him with me) with started wrestling I did a lot of stupid things and made a lot of mistakes that I regret. A lot of people on the Michigan Independent scene knew me as trash talker and the stupid mark for the person I was associated with. Looking back I know I did a lot to hurt this persons career and if I would known then what I do now, I would have never have done it.

About a year ago is when I met Scott EZ, a man I knew of in the late 90’s because of Pro Wrestling Worldwide. I use to go to PWW to watch my good buddy Ace Decade wrestle. Ace was a friend of the family. Those were my first experiences of independent wrestling. Scott was the one who grabbed me by the shirt and got in my face about what I did wrong. He not only told me what I was doing wrong, he told me why it was wrong. Scott gave me a chance to redeem myself but promised if I messed up once I was out. He gave me that chance that no one else would. I can’t thank him enough for that chance.

So at May Madness I found myself managing the person I was so closely associated with and my dream came true. Growing up all I ever wanted is to be in the pro wrestling business or be involved somehow. When you are born with heart disease that eliminates you from being a pro wrestler but at 23 years old I realized there was more then just being a wrestler. I looked up to greats like Hogan, Flair, Hennig, Dibiase and more. In August I returned to manage again and felt I was doing OK, but something was nagging at me and managing didn’t feel right. I tried my hand in managing one more time in October but again I felt something was missing.

So this past Sunday I made my debut as a color commentator and knew that’s where I belonged. I knew I should have been there all along. I was never more honored then I was Sunday that I got to the matches of guys like Nate Mattson, Zach Gowen, Louis Linden, Rastakhan, Scott EZ and anyone else who was on the show. I have been apart of and have seen a lot of shows in my time but to me it was one of the best overall, all a round shows I ever saw. All the matches from start to finish were excellent.

You know every time I drive to Latvian Hall I see Spectrum Health Butterworth. It was there I was born and given less then 48 hours to live. It is there I have had 13 out of the 15 surgeries/operations done. So in a way it’s ironic that the place I call home for wrestling is not far from the place that was home for a good portion of the first three years of my life. It’s also a reason I respect and admire Zach Gowen who has been through a lot in his life. He is one of my inspirations for even wanting to be involved.

I have to thank Scott EZ, Paco Zimmer, and the rest of the CWM locker-room for letting me be apart of their show.. I also have to thank Truth Martini. His words during the seminar spoke volumes to me. He has a very smart and intelligent person in pro wrestling. He knows his stuff and I was glad I got to hear his words about wrestling not being just about you and what you want. Thanks Truth.

In closing to those who have supported me I love you and thank you. I have to thank God who gave me a life I shouldn't have had. Thank you to everyone who made “Hollywood” Joe Williamson what he is today.


On a side note: Thank you to Jack Verville, Louis Linden, John Campbell, and Cody Kelly for pushing my ass out of a snow bank. Damn snow-plow truck plowed me in. Thanks guys.

For more Results, info, and more on CWM go to http://www.myspace.com/cwm_wrestling.

The Funk Brothers to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

News broke the other day that the Funk brothers, Dory Jr. and Terry would be inducted into the Hall of Fame the night before Wrestlemania 25 in Houston Texas. The Funk brothers are legendary and probably two of the toughest guys you'd ever want to be in ring with. Before I begin talking about the Funks, I would just like to say that it's a great thing WWE is doing by putting people into the WWE Hall of Fame that necessarily didn't wrestle for them. It's about who had a huge impact on professional wrestling. Even though the Funks haven't been on the best of terms with Vince McMahon they still deserve this great honor.

When I think of Dory Funk Jr. I think of ageless. He wrestled for forty five years and left us with a lot of classic matches and a lot of bloodshed. He had a many classics with Harley Race, Gene Kininski, and Jack Brisco. Dory and along with his brother Terry were the only set of brothers to ever hold the NWA World Heavyweight Title. Dory Jr and Terry also made a formidable team from time to time but are most remembered as singles wrestlers. In terms of WWE appearances Dory Funk has only made two, but they were significant. He appeared at Wrestlemania 2 and teamed with Terry and defeated Tito Santana and Junk Yard Dog. His other appearance was in the 1996 Royal Rumble as a mystery entrant. Dory is also credited with the invention of the Texas Cloverleaf submission. He can also be credited with training some of the biggest names in the pro wrestling today. He has trained the likes of Andrew Martin,Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, Edge, Genichiro Tenryu, Mickie James, and Lita. In his forty five year career he held fifty four titles on the national and independent level. He has had an amazing career and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Tough, middle aged and crazy! These are just a few words that have been use to describe the King of Hardcore Terry Funk. Terry Funk had some of the most brutal matches in pro wrestling history. Not only did he lose a lot of blood over the years, but so did any person who got in the ring with him. He had classic battles in the 70's with Bricso, Rhodes and Race. In the 80's he feuded with Ric Flair in some memorable matches. He also feuded with the Junk Yard Dog. In the 1990's he still kept going. He is credit for the success of the ECW, Extreme Championship Wrestling (not the ECW you see on TV now). He had death matches, and hardcore matches with Mick Foley as Cactus Jack. He also feuded with "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, The Sandman, Sabu, and even the guy that considers him a mentor Tommy Dreamer.

Terry Funk also took part in the greatest match of the mid-90's. It was a 3-way dance between Funk, Sabu and Shane Douglas. It was the first ever 3 way dance and it went to a 60 minute time-limit draw. Unlike Dory, Terry appeared on WWE more. In the 80's he wrestled the likes of Hulk Hogan and others in his first stint in the WWE. In 1998 he returned to the WWE as Chainsaw Charlie and teamed with/fought with Cactus Jack. I've always told people that the most memorable start to a Royal Rumble was in 1998 when Cactus/Chainsaw drew 1 and 2 and had a chair swinging contest that also included a few trash cans. After June of 1998 he would not appear on WWE TV for eight years.

It was in 2006 when he returned to help Tommy Dreamer against Mick Foley and Edge. The last match I ever saw Terry Funk in was at ECW One Night Stand when Mick Foley, Edge and Lita defeated Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer and Beulah McGillicutty. The match was brutal and violent just like any other Terry Funk match I've watched over the years. Terry has done it all, including movies like Roadhouse, Over the Top, Paradise Alley, and The Ringer. Also was the most highlighted wrestler in Beyond the Mat. Terry Funk has held forty four titles in his career.

The Funk Brothers deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. They have had great careers, classic matches, and a lot of memories. I salute the Funk Brothers.

Jim Schwartz is the new Detroit Lions Coach

Yesterday the Detroit Lions hired Jim Schwartz as their head coach. Schwartz was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans for the past ten years or so. He started as a scout in Cleveland, became their assistant and transferred with their team when they moved to Baltimore.

Friend and head-coach of the Titans Jeff Fisher said that the Lions made the right decision in hiring Jim. He explained that Jim had everything it took to be a head coach in the NFL. Some things to know about the head-coach:

-He loves to play Chess.
-Jevon Kearse said he's always on the computer looking at stats, player tendencies, team tendencies.
-His 2003 defense ranked first in the NFL in rushing defense and led the league in third down defense at 27.7 percent—the lowest since the 1998 Oakland Raiders. The Titans ranked in the top seven in yards allowed each of the past two seasons and finished second in points allowed per game at 14.6 in 2008.

I am not a Lions fan but I do hope this works out for them because I am from Michigan and I think the fans have suffered long enough. The way everyone is talking it looks the best decision anyone could have made. I really hope this guy turns it around and gives people something to hope for. I'll be curious what impact he will have who Detroit drafts and what kind of acquisitions they get. Maybe they could be the next Miami Dolphins. I guess we will just have wait and see!

Rename the Detroit Lions to the Michigan Misfits.

I was thinking the other day that the Detroit Lions should start all over and rename themselves the Michigan Misfits. Here's how it work. Anyone who has issues as in criminal or just mental issues has to play for the Lions. Here are some guys I was thinking about that should be on the team:

Michael Vick
Ricky Williams
Plaxico Burress
Chris Henry
Adam "Pacman" Jones
Chad Johnson
Terrell Owens
Tank Johnson
Marvin Harrison
Charles Rogers
Antonio Bryant
Koren Robinson
Randy Moss
Cedric Benson

These are all the guys that have created so much drama for their team by off-field actions and legal troubles, it's ridiculous. I think the new rule in the NFL trouble is if you get into legal trouble that you must play for the Detroit Lions/Michigan Misfits for two years. Also their coaches could be Michael Irvin, and Deon Sanders. Both who know about drama on a football team.

What really bothers me is these athletes have so much money then they either complain about not having enough or they get into trouble. I've said it before being a pro athlete isn't a right, it's a privilege. A privilege these guys take for granted to often. So this is my solution. Make them all play on one team and see how they get along.

Red Sox-Yankees rivalry will be reignited in 2009

Over the last couple of years the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry hasn't been that hot. At least not since 2004. But one man may have changed all that. His name Mark Teixeira. See Teixeira was in negotiations with the Red Sox but they pulled out because his price was to high. He stated in the press conference that he knew all along that he wanted to be a Yankee and that there was no place else to go. I believe this really lit a fire under the Red Sox Nation because of how they went out of their way to try and get him. You can better believe that the Red Sox will want to get their hands on Teixeira for the slap in the face.

Not to mention that both teams have added some great talent. Not only did the Yankees get Teixeira they got Sabathia and Burnett. The Red Sox added John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Takashi Saito, and Rocco Baldelli. A lot of egos on both sides and both teams are looking to regain their dominance in baseball. Boston has been a little bit ahead of the Yankees the last five years but the Yankees are coming back with perhaps a vengeance.

I think you will sparks fly, a fire started and a reigniting of the greatest rivalry in sports. I personally do not like either team but when they play each other it is so fun to watch because honestly you never know whats going to happen. Some crazy pitcher might throw and old fart manager to the ground or a bullpen brawl might breakout. You just never know. Stay tuned for what happens between the Red Sox-Yankees this season. You won't want to miss it

Rickey Henderson in the Baseball Hall of Fame

All I can say is, it's about time that one of the greatest of all time is now inducted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rickey Henderson is the all time stolen bases leader with 1,406 stolen bases and if that doesn't get you, I don't know what would. Rickey Henderson was the greatest speedster to ever put on a pair baseball cleats. He moved around the bases like no one else before. However stolen bases wasn't the only thing he accomplished in his career.

Henderson was 10 time All-Star, 1981 Gold Glove Award winner, 1990 AL MVP
1989 ALCS MVP, 1999 NL Comeback Player of the Year, 2 time World Series champion (1989, 1993)and a 3 time. Silver Slugger Award winner (1981, 1982, 1985). So as you can see Rickey Henderson has done at all in his career. He also has numerous other records For instance:

Single season records
Stolen bases- 130 in 1982
Stolen bases in a single postseason series- 8 in 1989 (ALCS)

Other Career Records
Runs scored- 2,295
Games led off with a home run- 81

So as you can see Rickey Henderson is most definitely a Hall of Famer. He played with many teams but I will always remember him as an Oakland Athletic. That's who he was with when he broke the majority of his records. He won a World Series with them and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. I am very excited to see Ricky Henderson, one of the greatest of all time take his rightful place into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Congratulations Rickey, you deserve it. Also congrats to Jim Rice who was also elected into the Hall of Fame as well. I can't wait for their speeches at Cooperstown

The Hell Raisin Rattlesnake in the WWE Hall of Fame

As I watched WWE Monday Night Raw last night I got chills when the ran the promo video for the first inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame this year. The headliner this year is Stone Cold Steve Austin. It's appropriate because he is from Texas and Wrestlemania 25 is in Houston. Stone Cold Steve Austin was a hot commodity at a time when WWE needed something and someone to spark the interest of the public. WWE was losing the ratings war to WCW but as soon as Stone Cold became a beer drinking, finger gesturing, hell raising son of gun, off to the races they went. I credit Steve Austin in large part for WWE beating WCW in the ratings war and putting them out of business. He was wrestling's strongest personality in that time frame. I have a lot of Stone Cold moments I would like to talk about maybe my top 10.

The first moment that sticks in my mind is Wrestlemania 13 when he had his submission match with Bret Hart. It was probably the greatest match of Austins career and the match that got him over with fans. It was bloody, brutal and it showed the toughness of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

My second moment is Wrestlemania 17 in Houston Texas when he fought the Rock. The match went close to forty minutes and then the unthinkable happened. Austin and McMahon joined forces and took out the Rock. The match was great, the ending was even better. One of the best WWE title matches in the history of the company.

The third moment is when he made Vince McMahon pee is his pants on TV with a fake gun. He had a gun and a flag came out and it read "Bang 3:16" Austin did a lot humiliate the McMahon's over the years, but to me that might have been the funniest thing that he did to them.

At number four, was days before Wrestlemania 15, Austin brought in a beer truck and sprayed the McMahon's and the Rock as Raw went off the air. That was classic. I always enjoyed that moment.

Number five is a moment most people don't know about unless you have the Austin 3-Disc DVD. It was when Shotgun Saturday Night was in Texas and Terry Funk was in the crowd. He challenged Austin and he accepted. They got into a brawl in a bar and the fans went rowdy. It was just an overall cool moment that saw two icons from Texas going at it.

Coming in at number six was Wrestlemania 21 when Austin was a guest on Piper's Pit. You talk about two explosive personalities. I would love to seen Piper and Austin go at it in their primes. It was just a funny overall segment that ended in Stone Cold fashion.

At number seven was when Austin won the title at Wrestlemania 14 against Shawn Michaels. It was Shawn's last match for four years and a lot ways the passing of the torch. Austin won the title, won the fans, and won the respect he never gotten in WCW.

You can't talk about Stone Cold's career without talking about the Hollywood Blonds, the tag team he and Brian Pillman had. It was one of the best put together tag teams of all time. No one ever saw them doing anything and the actually won the WCW Tag Titles. It didn't matter if he was with Pillman or feuding against him, Austin and Pillman always tore the house down. They had such good chemistry in the ring as partners and opponents. I wish they could have gotten a better shot at things.

Number nine is a personal favorite of mine. It came at ECW One Night Stand in 2005 when the show was over. Stone Cold came out and acknowledged that ECW is where he first got to be himself and was grateful for what Paul Heymen allowed him to do on the mic and in the ring. It was classic stuff that made Stunning Steve into Stone Cold.

And number 10, is at Wrestlemania 20 and the only reason I am mentioning this is because it is personally the best thing that happened in the match between Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg. They really had a horrible match and at the end Stone Cold gave them both a Stone Cold Stunner that stunned them right out of the WWE because neither one of them was ever on WWE TV again. It was a great way for those two to go out.

So as you can see, Stone Cold Steve Austin has been apart of many great moments. This isn't even one percent of what he's done. There are so many things he has brought to the wrestling business and there so many moments he left us with as well. If you're happy the Stone Cold is in the Hall of Fame, Give me a Hell Yeah!!!...Oh Hell Yeah

News and Notes around Sports

A lot has happened in the last week but I've spending most of time on the National Championship so here is a rundown of everything going on.

NFL
The final four are set. It will be the Eagles vs. Cardinals in the NFC Championship. Then the Ravens vs. Steelers in the AFC Championship. All four teams fought their way to get to where they are now, so both games should be great. Former Lions coach Rod Marinelli is now the assistant coach of defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears. His good buddy Lovie Smith helped him get the job. Broncos hired Josh McDaniels as their head coach. McDaniels was working for the New England Patriots as the offensive coordinator. I expect more coach jobs to be filled or vacated within the week. I am really curious to see who goes where especially the Lions.

NCAA Football
Tim Tebow obviously doesn't want to be drafted by the Lions so he decided to stay at Florida for one more year. I think this will help increase his stock and if he wins the Heisman or leads his team to a National Championship again he will be the most sought quarterback ever. I think it was a smart move for Tim Tebow to stay.

NBA
Whats been going on with the Boston Celtics? They haven't been winning much as of late. The Cavaliers have been dominating, the Lakers are still hot and Detroit is doing better. I loved watching the Nuggets-Pistons game this past week. It's everything I wanted to see. Billups dominated but the Pistons barely won proving that in the long run the trade benefited the Pistons, because since when does Chauncey Billups score 30 points? Barely ever did in Detroit. But that's the past, Rodney Stuckey is the future. I think the future beyond this year is looking bright.

MLB
In an attempt to catch up with the Yankees, the Red Sox have signed John Smoltz, Rocco Baldelli, Brad Penny, and Takashi Saito. The Red Sox put themselves in very good position to compete with the Yankees. Apparently the Rangers are trying to trade Michael Young, who has been been the face of that franchise for a few years. I would be very interested to see where he ends up. Then you have the Tigers, a team that will not do very well this year because they lack what the Yanks, Sox, and Mets got during the off-season...pitching. You can have a great batting order and lineup but it doesn't mean a thing if don't have great pitching to back it up. Pitching wins championships and the Tigers need to wake up and smell to coffee. As far as I am concerned Marcus Thames, Garry Sheffield and Fernando Rodney all should have been gone but no, they got rid of one of our best prospects in Matt Joyce for a pitching whose numbers are not worth bragging about. The Tigers say they are not done, but your chances of winning or next to none.

Other Thoughts
I was watching the PBA (pro bowling) yesterday for the first time in a year, and who was in the finals, Patrick Allen and Walter Williams Jr. Obviously I wanted Allen to win because of the run in I had with Williams Jr. a few years ago. He thinks he's Michael Jordan, or Joe Montana the way he walks around places. I heard a story once that he was at a bowling alley where they were hosting an event and he actually threw his laundry at one of the employees and told them to do his laundry. As much as I love bowling no one cares about it, and Walter no one really cares about you. So piece of advice, quit acting like your some big shot that's the best athlete in the world.

Also if you don't have any Super Bowl plans, Wayland Uccello's has got some great specials this year for the Super Bowl. If you want to have a party up there with yours truly email me, and I'll arrange something. Well until some breaking news happens I won't be back until this weekend. God Bless

Thoughts on the Panthers loss.

Five interceptions, are you kidding me? That's my initial reaction right now as I think about the Carolina Panthers loss to the Arizona Cardinals last night. Jake Delhomme is a great guy and a good Quarterback who has a remarkable comeback after Tommy John's surgery but he picked the wrong night to have his worst game of the season. The higher ups might look at this and realize Jake is no longer the guy they need to get them over the hump. Five interceptions in a playoff game is unacceptable. My initial thoughts right now are "Jake, don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out. I'll be curious to see what Carolina does in the draft now. Their are a lot of good quarterbacks in the draft this year so if they draft one, it wouldn't surprise me.

I would also like to know what the heck, Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson was thinking last night with his play selection. They went against everything they did all year. You have two great running backs and they barely saw an action last night. Another reason they lost. Arizona had everything scouted on offense and defense. I can admit when my team loses. And boy did the lost horribly. I am not upset they lost, I am upset about how they lost.

All I can hope for is the 2009-10 season the end better. I'll be paying close attention to see what happens in the off season. Until then, better luck next year!

What about DeAngelo Williams?

With all these awards and accollades being given out the last week or two, my main question is What About Deangelo Williams? Now, I might be a little biased because I am a Panthers fan but look at his stats this year:

20 Touchdowns (18 Rushing, 2 Recieving). The most in the NFL by any one player. The second closest is 17. He also ran for 1515 yards with an average 94.4 yards a game. He was only 245 yards behind the leader. The other two ahead of him were Michael Turner who had 17 touchdowns and 1699 yards rushing and Adrian Peterson who has 1760 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

Not to mention the Panthers are the seconded seeded team in the NFC, and the team record for which you play on and how far you make it to the playoffs should be a major factor of who gets these awards, not popularity!

Williams was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December. He rushed for 560 yards and seven touchdowns in the month. to my knowledge that's the only award he has had this year. He wasn't named All-Pro, All-Madden or to the NFC Pro Bowl Team (Although he was named the first alternate) I think it's ridiculious. Panther fans should be outraged and disgusted. I know I am.

A Former College Players Opinions on the BCS

I spoke with a former college football player the other day and asked his thoughts on the BCS. Tom Monroe, a former Offensive Tackle for the Ferris State Bulldogs in 1968, their first undefeated season gave me his thought on the crisis we call the BCS. He also happens to be my stepdad and is very passionate about football in general. Here are his thoughts as well as mine:

Each 1st place team in each division 1-A Conference play in playoff to determine the National Championship. However, there are only 11 Divisions because Notre Dame, Army and Navy are not in a conference. So whoever has the better record joins the 11 teams. They should get rid of the computer rankings. Tie-Breakers are determined by Conference Record and who won the season matchup

He also believed that the Rose Bowl should remain the Pac 10 vs. Big 10 because it's tradition. I actually agree now that I have put more thought into it. But the question he has and it kind of made me wonder, is what do you do the rest of the bowl games?

Well here is my re-formatted system:
Based on presitige and payout of the Bowls the ten teams who got eliminated would play in the follow bowls

-The four wild-card teams would play each other by random selection in the Capital One Bowl, and Cotton Bowl
-The four teams that got eliminated in the quarter finals would play each by random selection in the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl
-The two teams who lose in the Semi-Finals would play in the Fiesta Bowl.

Now what about the other 30 Bowls. The Second Place and thrid place teams of each conference (including non bowl subdivision conferences) play each other by random selction in the other bowls.

I personally think it's fair and it's smart. College Football is losing interest with a lot of people and most people including myself, and people I know think the BCS Computer System sucks. It should be changed to BSC- Bullshit Scam by Computers.

Interesting and funny ways to solve the NFL Overtime Problem

As most people know when a game is reached it's conclusion in the NFL it goes into overtime. The decision of who gets the ball first is based on a coin toss. Something that most people don't like. Another problem is if the team who gets the ball first scores on the opening drive the game is over. Another thing that a lot of people don't like. So here is what me and my random panel of people came up with to resolve all these issues.

-The most logical way to handle the overtime is by doing what college does. College football allows each team one offensive possession to score. If neither scores then it's whoever scores first after that. Fair and simple.
-One person said that whoever did not have the last possession gets the ball first as a reward for stopping the offense from winning in the fourth quarter.
-Another person said the each Quarterback should compete in thumb wars (thumb wrestling) and who ever wins the thumb war gets the football first.
-Someone also suggested that the three captains on each team play rock, paper, scissors against each other. Whatever team wins, gets the football first.

There a few things I came up with that could be interesting and one idea that could even be dangerous.
-Have each starting Quarterback stand in the end zone and whoever throws the ball farthest gets the ball first.
-Or have each punter stand in the end zone and whoever punt the ball the farthest, their team gets the ball first.
-You could also have a shootout like in Hockey, have each kicker attempt five, 50 yard field goals. Whoever has the most out of five wins.
-And now the funniest and probably a really a dangerous one that could probably hurt someone. Place the ball at the fifty yard line. Have 11 players of each team stand in opposite end zones and as soon as the whistle blows, run out and try to get the ball. Who ever gets the ball first, gets ball first in overtime. The ball is spotted where ever they were tackled at. However by some miracle a player scores a touchdown though the mayhem, the game is over and there is no need for anymore overtime.

Now obviously some of these far-fetched and would never happen but you could combine some of the more logical ones to make it more interesting. The way things are being done are not even fun or exciting. At least one the ways my panel or myself came up with would guarantee a winner. There should be no ties in football because like for example with Philadelphia this year, it screwed up who would get into the playoffs or not based on the one tie. Because if the Eagles would have lost to the Bengals, they might have not made it into the playoffs. We will have to wait and see if the NFL ever decides to change the overtime rules and regulations.

A BCS Resolution That Would Make Everyone Happy

Last night the Florida Gators won the National Championship beating Oklahoma in a very low scoring game as to what people thought it would be. This year there were some teams who had legitimate cases like the Texas, Texas Tech and Alabama. They all had great season. However there is one team who the strongest case and that is Utah. Utah is the only team to go undefeated this year. I could understand where they have gotten robbed. And unfortunately throughout the years other teams have probably felt the same way, so there is only one way to go about out this. The National Championship should be dealt with the same 99 percent of other sports are dealt with and that's have a playoffs. People want to know how many teams?,and What about the Bowl Games and their sponsors? Well all that could be resolved with the solution I came up with.

The first thing that needs to be done is all teams in Division play the same amount of games no matter what conference you are in. The amount of games should be 12. No more or no less. The season should start a week earlier. At the end of the season who ever the top sixteen teams are should be in the playoffs to determine who goes and plays for the National Championship.

The highest ranked team shall play the lowest ranked team and so forth. The eight teams who lose in the first round shall play in the Sun Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Gator Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl, Outback Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl and Holiday Bowl. Teams will play each other based on a random drawing or selection. I based the bowls on who had the biggest payouts in each bowl.

The four teams who lose in the second round shall play in the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Capital One Bowl. Teams will play each other based on a random drawing or selection to make things more intriguing. Again I also based it on the highest paid payouts of the bowls.

The two teams who lose in the semifinals play in the Rose Bowl. Then obviously you have the two teams who make it all the way to the National Championship. I believe it is a very great way to resolve it. It gives teams that maybe who are considered major underdogs a chance to make a name for their college that doesn't get much publicity. It also keeps the bowl games intact and the sponserships still there. It will also help player prepare players for the NFL by playing different teams in the playoffs and having a little longer of a season. Most people in the BCS committee have no plans of changing the system now but if they do this would be the best way to go about it, because it keeps everyone happy and satisfied. And most importantly it's fair.

A High School Athlete's Choice

The other night, I was asked a very interesting question while I was College Football. The question was if I was the top running back or wide receiver in high school and I got offers to go to USC of U of M where would I go? At this point in time I would say USC. USC puts themselves in contention every year to go to the BCS Championship Game. And if they are not in that they are in the Rose Bowl in which they usually win.

If you would if asked me that question 10 years ago I would have picked U of M, because back then they did put themselves in contention to win every year and always had great team. A lot of great players have come out of both schools, but right now USC would be the place I would go to if I was in that situation. Ask me 5 years from now and I might just say Michigan.

Now, if I weren't limited to the two colleges I would go to Oklahoma, Boomer Sooners, baby. I think they are a great school with a lot of qualities. I personally enjoy watching Sam Bradford play and I think he will do successful in the NFL. Someone pointed out to me that people take their football more seriously then people up north do. I find that to be true in most cases. Look at teams like Alabama, LSU, The Gators, the The Sooners, Texas, Texas Tech. They all take football very seriously down there. It shows when they recruit, they play and win they win. I would like to know where you would go if you options to choose from.

NFL Playoffs and Awards, Big 10

The first week of the playoffs featured some very competitive games. The biggest surprise was the Arizona Cardinals. They didn't look so great the last few games this season but I honestly think they were sand-bagging because they had the division wrapped up early. So in my personal opinion the real Cardinals came out fighting this last week. This week they get my Carolina Panthers. It should be a great game with Carolina coming out on top, hopefully. Also I was shocked to see a injury-filled Chargers team beat the Colts in overtime. The Chargers take on a questionable Pittsburgh Steeler team because of Big Ben's injury in Week 17. The Eagles take on the Giants and the Ravens led by rookie phenom Joe Flacco take on the Tennessee Titans. I think this weeks match ups look great can't wait for Saturday to come.

How about everyone who has gotten award so far in the NFL:
MVP- Peyton Manning
Rookie of the Year- Matt Ryan
Comeback Player of the Year- Chad Pennington
Offensive Player of the Year- Drew Brees
Defensive Player of the Year- James Harrison
Coach of the Year- Mike Smith.

Except for Harrison they all have one thing in common and that is they all got eliminated from the playoffs the first week. Or in Drew Brees case he didn't make the playoffs. I think awards should be given out after the Super Bowl, at the Pro Bowl actually. The season goes beyond the 17 weeks, it goes all the way up to the Super Bowl. I think MVP should have been Kurt Warner, Rookie of the Year should have been Joe Flacco, Coach of the Year should have been Tony Sparano and Comeback Player of the Year should have been Jake Delehomme who came back from Tommy John's Surgery. He is the first Quarterback to ever have it done and he's had a great year.

The other thing I don't understand is why the Pro Bowl is getting moved a week before the Super Bowl starting next year. It makes no sense. That means the players who are in the Super Bowl won't be able to play. Is that really fair? No not really but it gives other players a chance to be in. I also think moving it to Miami from Hawaii is lame. I honestly don't think the idea will work and they will be forced to go back to the way it is now.

The Big 10 has been really disappointing this year. Iowa is the only team the won a bowl game and they weren't even suppose to win. Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State lost in ridiculous fashion. I really hope they start doing a better job of recruiting or something. I also honestly hope that U of M comes back strong next year. They had a lousy season and now it's time to rebuild. It's been a disappointing year for Big 10 in football. I hope basketball goes a lot better. Only time will tell.

Why I dislike the Mannings

With the news of Payton Manning being named MVP of the NFL season this year, it fueled my disliking of Payton and Eli Manning even more. See I use to like Payton Manning and liked watching him play in football all the way until the draft in 2004.

The San Diego Chargers had the number one pick and Eli said if signed he would not play for the Chargers. Here is something I found off of Wikipedia:

"Days before the draft, Chargers general manager A. J. Smith announced that Eli Manning and his representative Tom Condon informed the Chargers organization that if Manning was drafted by the Chargers, he would not sign. Manning described his refusal to play for San Diego was a result of feeling that San Diego would not be conducive to his future. However, what was reported was that his father, Archie Manning, said he would not sign if drafted by the Chargers."

See what bothers me about this is two things. One, as a rookie you should not be able to dictate where you are going to play. Being a professional athlete is not a right it is a privilege. You have to earn your stripes and then if you are good enough then you can you can dictate where you are going to play. This is the reason I never liked Steve Francis, because even though he did play for the Grizzlies he threw a big fuss about and tried protesting. The second thing is why did Payton and Archie get involved. It wasn't there fight, and it wasn't there problem. Baby Eli was big enough to handle his own battles.

Here is another thing I found on wikipedia:

"NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that the Chargers, with first overall pick, would indeed select Eli Manning. Manning was clearly unhappy when selected by them. When the pick was announced, the crowd in attendance booed and jeered loudly. Manning accepted a Chargers jersey but refused to wear a Chargers draft day cap. Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer, after a half hour, called Manning and informed him that a plane was waiting to take him to San Diego."

This is just disrespectful and ungrateful. And another thing I don't understand why do people in the NFL hail Archie Manning as some great Quarterback. He was mediocre at best. I mean look at the stats he had:

Played for 3 teams in 13 years: Saints, Oilers and Vikings. He had 125 touchdown passes compared to his 173 interceptions and career QB rating of 67.1, hardly worth bragging about. You would think he's Joe Montana the way people talk about him.

The absolute sad thing is I am not even a die hard Chargers fan, I just feel bad they had to deal with that garbage. Look on the brightside though the Chargers got Nate Kaeding, Shawne Merriman and Phillip Rivers. I would love to see the Chargers and Giants play each other in the Super Bowl eventually when S.D. gets fully healthy and would love to see what would happen.

I've said my thoughts on this matter, and if you asked me if I think a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl would be cool? I would most definitely say no!!!


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manning-Rivers_trade

The Detroit Lions 2009 Schedule

I received this funny email this morning, and because it relates to sports I had to post it on here. I hope you laugh as hard as I did when I first read it.

2009 LIONS SCHEDULE

September
13..................... Taft Junior High School
20......................Cub Scout Troop #101
27..................... Detroit Blind Academy

October
04.....................Spanish American War Vets
11.....................Crippled Children's Home
18.................... Eloise Mental Hospital
25.....................Girl Scout Troop # 353

November
01..................... Michigan Venereal Disease Clinic
08.....................Fraser Boys Choir
15.....................Korean Vets
22..................... National Hospital Pastoral Ministers
26.................... Great Lakes Synchronized Swimming Team

SPECIAL MONDAY NIGHT GAME

December
08....................Grand Rapids Gay Boys Club


** RULE CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR **

1 - When playing polio patients, the Lions must not disconnect knee braces.
2 - When playing the Blind Academy, the Lions mu st not hide the football under their jerseys.

** RULES THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR **

1 - A touchdown (this is when the ball is carried over the goal line. For all you Lions fans that have never seen this) it is still worth 6 points.
2 - The Lions will be allowed 20 men on the field at all times.
3 - The Lions will be allowed to substitute with band members at anytime.
4 - The Lions will be awarded 10 timeouts as opposed to 3 for the opposing team.
5 - The Lions will be awarded a first down with each gain of three yards or more, instead of the usual ten yards.

** NAME CHANGE **

The Detroit Lions will be changed to the " Detroit Tampons" as they are only good for one period and have no second string.

So as you can see someone is very creative and has a great sense of humor. I am actually to see what the real schedule is like

The Hardy Boys: The Greatest Tag Team Ever?

There is always going to be a debate when the question comes up of "Who is the greatest tag team in pro wrestling?" People argue that the Road Warriors, Dudleys, the Briscos, Harlem Heat, The Outsiders, Steiners, and many more great tag teams. Well I am making my case for the Hardys. Yes the Dudleys have had 21 Tag Title Reigns, and the Road Warriors have had 15 title reigns but thats tag team title reigns. Then you have the Briscos who have held singles and tag gold. But the Hardys have done something no other team or brothers have ever done. They both are World Champions at the same time. Matt with the ECW Title and Jeff with the WWE Title.

Matt had held the Cruiserweight Title, Hardcore Title, European Title and United States Title. Not to mention he held the Tag titles once without his brother in sharing his reign with MVP. The thing that put Matt Hardy on the map, is his Mattitude character in 2002-2004. The computer like titantron was unique and different. People loved to hate him because Mattitude was annoying along with his mattributes. He had a great run in 2003, and other 2008, it was probably his best year.

Then you have Jeff Hardy, who has held the IC Title, Hardcore Title, European Title and Lightweight Title. Jeff Hardy is so unique and so out there for the world to see it's inspiring to see someone different. Jeff has been through a lot of personal things in his life but has fought back to redeem himself. He gets more of an ovation then any other person on the WWE roster. For me personally, I try not to miss a Jeff Hardy match because you never know what he is going to do. I think Jeff Hardy as WWE Champion is great because it inspires people to be different and not to be afraid to show you're different.

As a tag team, they are seven time tag team champions. That might not seem like a lot compared to other teams but if you look at their singles success it means more. They have had classic matches with Edge/Christian, the Dudleys, Cade/Murdoch, Miz/Morrison, The Worlds Greatest Tag Team, and MNM. Their performances in ladder matches, ecspecially TLC Matches will stand the test of time.

I personally would love to see Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy in a match at a big pay-per-view. It's been done a few times before but it was nothing compared to what it could end up being. I've made my case for the Hardy Boys for being the greatest tag team ever in pro wrestling. Sure they are not traditionalists but if history tells us anything, each wrestling generation create their own traditions. Who do you think is the greatest tag team ever?

A New Year means new stories and more controversy and trash talk

Well a Happy New Years to you all, I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season. A lot has happened over the course of this week like the surprise firing of Denver Broncos Head Coach Bill Shanahan. I was shocked to hear this because he was there for fourteen years. No coach in the league has had a longer tenure with one team. The way I am hearing things right now is the Browns will hire Mangini, the Lions are still up in there air but I hope they get Steve Spaunolo or Brian Billick and the Jets are definitely going after Shanahan. Speaking of the Jets, do the players want Brett Favre out or what? Thomas Jones called him out on the radio the other day and most of the team has resentment towards him right now. Brett Favre should retire once and for all. He did enough to make Green Bay look bad for getting rid of him, no he's just making himself and Jets look bad in the process. Unless he can learn to change his game at this stage of his career he will only continue to embarrass himself.

How about the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field yesterday. I would love to see something like that come to Michigan. I am not much of a hockey fan but seeing those types of events draws my interest. It was great to see the Red Wings continue their dominance in the league right now. Hockey is starting to grow on me because it is a great sport and you got to be mentally and physcially tough to play it. I honestly think the Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup once again

How about the Big 10. MSU lost the Georgia State and Penn State lost USC yesterday. The Big 10 just can't win like they use to. They need to start doing a better job of recruiting because if not, no one is going to want to play for them. It's ridiculious. Heck U of M didn't even get a bowl game this year. However I will say this U of M, and MSU do have great basketball teams this year and maybe thats where they are putting their focus. I would love to see both teams go far in March Madness. It could happen.

For all you sports fans that like video games, you should go out and get Fight Night Round 3, because it's freaking awesome. I got that and Madden 09 for Christmas and both are made by EA Sports. They do a great job with their sports games. So if you don't have either go out and get both of them.

This weekend the NFL Playoffs start so I will have more Sunday Night once the first round has ended. Until then God Bless and be safe.