Dennis Kucinich Pulls Fine Tail

Seriously. I'm not one to post about politics, but this deserved it.

Dennis "I have no chance of ever getting elected, even in bizzaro world" Kucinich, has a hot wife. I just happened to see a picture of the two with a news story earlier (Kucinich questions G.W.'s mental health, lol), and was shocked.

Turns out, this woman is thirty years younger than Kucinich and has a pierced toungue. Imagine if he did win the presidency (again, not gonna happen). She'd be the best First Lady ever!

Division Three Insanity

"Wow" says it all. This is quite possible the craziest play I've ever seen in football, including the band coming on the field during "The Game" between Stanford in Cal back in the day.

This is yesterday's division III game between Trinity and Millsaps. The play featured SIXTEEN laterals.

Mike Gundy Has Lost It

Don't know who Mike Gundy is? You're probably not alone, since Oklahoma State football is not exactly prime time material on ABC. If you haven't heard of him, allow me to introduce you:



Wow. That's a meltdown, right? You're probably thinking, what the hell is he so fired up about? That must have been one awful article, right?

Wrong.

The article in question, titled "Reid is Still the Most Talented Signal Caller, But Attitude is Reason for Change," was written by Daily Oklahoman columnist, Jenni Carlson, who many Oklahoma sports fans have belittled over the years due to her "discussion-provoking" opinions on Oklahoma Sooners football. I've never been a fan of her work, but this time, she's definitely getting the short end of the stick.

Her article, an opinion piece, talks about the demotion of OSU quarterback Bobby Reid to the second string. Reid was a top recruit out Texas football hotbed Houston three years ago, but has failed to live up to his potential. He's been replaced by Zac Robinson, a less-talented but more "gritty" quarterback. Carlson uses unnamed sources to build her case that Reid's attitude is the reason for the change:

Tile up the back stories told on the sly over the past few years, and you see a pattern that hasn't always been pretty.

Word is that Reid has considered transferring a couple different times, the first as early as 2005. Reid, then a redshirt freshman, was facing competition from returner Donovan Woods, and apparently, Reid considered leaving OSU just because he had to compete for the spot.

She also talks about Reid sitting out games due to injuries, and insinuates that Reid may have taken the easy way out when he could have played:

Then, there have been the injuries. No doubt some of Reid's ailments have been severe, including an injured shoulder that required surgery and forced him to redshirt. Other times, though, Reid has been nicked in games and sat it out instead of gutting it out.

Injuries are tricky, of course. You don't want a guy to put himself in harm's way if he's really hurt, and yet, football is one of those sports in which everyone plays hurt. Aches and pains, bumps and bruises are part of the gig.

Reid's injury against Florida Atlantic — whatever it was — appeared minor but just might have been the thing that pushed Cowboy coaches over the edge. Even though Mike Gundy said last week that Robinson got the nod because he had the better week of practice, insiders say that the coaches decided to bench Reid early in the week. The bottom line: The switch is less about Robinson's play and more about Reid's attitude.

In his rant, Gundy claims that the majority of Carlson's piece is flat out not true. This is where you get into a game of he said-she said. Do you believe the crazy, ranting coach, or the level-headed columnist, who stands by her work:



I'll go with the journalist. Why would she knowingly make up information? Granted, it does happen (see Steve Glass, Jayson Blair, Jack Kelley), but I highly doubt it did here. It's pretty obvious she's drawing on sources affiliated with the University, whether they are boosters, coaches or waterboys. In my opinion, that's probably what's got Gundy so steamed--he can't control the conversation.

What's really got me confused is the swell of support for this guy (see the comments on Dennis Dodd's article). I understand that people admire him for standing up for a young man, but if you're going to do that, you have to put your money where your mouth is.

Gundy's done the opposite. Instead of detailing what was wrong with the article, Gundy says he doesn't have to , and would "rather just let it go."

Problem is, once you make this big a stink, you can't just let it go.

WWE Unforgiven Thoughts: $40 Down The Crapper

Editor's Note: For more of my thoughts on WWE Unforgiven, check out Episode 110 of PWB's Official Podcast...


Here's a recent history of my viewing of WWE PPVs:

1. Wrestlemania 23 -- $50 invested. It was worth about $20. Good match between Undertaker and Batista, and good match between Cena and HBK albeit with a disappointing ending for HBK marks. Outside of that, nothing to write home about. Nowhere near as good as Wrestlemania 22, which was just off the charts.

2. Backlash -- $0 invested. I did happen to catch the last two matches, and they were pretty darn good. Some people are called this the best PPV of the year, but that seems like a stretch.

3. Judgment Day -- $40 invested. It was worth about $5. Absolutely nothing on this card stood out. Well, maybe the fact that John Cena actually made Khali watchable for about eight minutes.

4. One Night Stand -- $40 invested. This was total crap. To even label this "Extreme" is a joke. The one good match on this show was the Ladder Match between The Hardys and WGTT, and even that didn't hit expectations. I ordered based on the previous two One Night Stands, and was sorely disappointed. This is when I got really upset with WWE PPV for the second time (the first was after December to Dismember).

5. Vengeance -- $0 invested. This was actually in my home state, and I didn't even go to it. It wasn't even worth downloading one match, based on the reviews. I felt good about not even wasting my time on this one.

6. Great American Bash -- $0 invested. Again, didn't watch it, felt good that I didn't. Bobby Lashley v. John Cena? YAWN. Khali v. Kane v. Batista? That HAD to be a botchfest. What a joke.

7. Summerslam -- $0 invested. I caught the main event, and it delievered, although Superman retained his title much to the chagrin of the IWC. Outside of that match, this card was a joke, as well. Summerslam is always one of my favorite PPVs, and it pains me to see what it's become over the past few years.

That brings us to last night's WWE PPV offering, Unforgiven. As you guys know, I was excited to order this PPV. In fact, I thought the WWE had a good card set up. Boy did I turn out to be WRONG (again). Here are my thoughts, in chronological order:

-- It's totally shocking that a "major" title match would open the PPV. Wait, I guess the ECW Title isn't considered "major" now that Booby Lashley's not holding it. ECW has become a complete joke.

-- Wow, turns out ECW has become even more of a joke than I thought. The challenger for their world title doesn't even get a televised entrance. That's hometown jobber-level, right there. The sad thing is, this was actually one of the best matches on the show, but the WWE could care less. Why even bring ECW back if you are going to treat it like this? I feel really sorry for Punk, who looked genuinely moved to have been booked into the ECW Title. Does he realize that his title means nothing in the eyes of the fans? Let's hope they move him off ECW quickly. He's earned it.

-- Matt Hardy and MVP kept the momentum going on PPV after a solid opening contest. This storyline is getting even more heated. My question is, how much longer can they make it go? Eventually, the storyline will end with Hardy winning the US gold. Then what will we have to look forward to on Friday nights? Undertaker v. Batista, part 67?

-- Triple H v. Carlito almost went down how I wanted it to. That is, until Triple H mind-bogglingly no-sold powder to the face. That made NO SENSE. That match should have gone a few more minutes, with Trips selling the crap out of the powder but then managing to overcome it. Instead, he gets hit in the face with powder, and actually seems to wrestle better. So much for not burying Carlito.

-- Wow, Beth Pheonix loses. Only JSN over on thenewpwb.com saw that coming. Props to him. I thought for sure Beth Pheonix would take the gold. Let's hope she gets it next month. I think King is secretly attracted to her. I bet he likes the "big girls."

-- What the hell was Khali's translator yelling after he squashed the fruit? And what's the preoccupation with cantaloupe on WWE TV, these days? Next time, let's move him out of the melon family. I'd like to see him squash a large coconut. Or Todd Grisham's head. Wait, I haven't seen Todd lately. Was he on the Signature Pharmacy list?

-- Batista v. Rey Mysterio has to happen. That would be an excellent feud. I'm totally convinced of it. I guess we're not going to get it, though.

-- Where does Khali go from here? A title rematch on Smackdown, which he will, of course, lose? Seriously, without the title, this guy has no direction. And that's not a good thing.

-- Why do people (such as PW Torch's James Caldwell, who is perhaps more negative than me) constantly say that London and Kendrick are "a trainwreck?" I don't get it. That tag title match was awesome, and I can't wait to see this feud continue.

-- The PPV really went downhill with that John Cena/Randy Orton finish. That's inexcusable. I'll say it again: people don't pay $40 to see some shitty DQ ending. It's horrendous booking, and whoever is responsible for it needs to be drug into the street and stoned with large, sharp rocks. I despise thee, Raw booker.

-- Undertaker v. Mark Henry was actually WORSE than I thought it would be. It turns out this PPV was nothing more than $40 to see a really elaborate Undertaker entrance. Don't get me wrong, that's cool and all, but I really don't want to pay $40 for that. In fact, it's kind of insulting that the WWE thinks they can throw out some snazzy entrance and trick all of their fans into thinking that they saw a good match. I now believe this to be a generic WWE writer's interpretation of a WWE fan's thought process:

*DONG* *UNDERTAKER MUSIC* (Massive Pyro, burning crosses, fog, and lightning on entrance set)

WWE FAN: OOOOH, SHINY OBJECTS GO BURN! ME LOVE TAKER! THIS PPV GOOD!

Clearly, the Memphis fans were not fooled by this crap, if the "TNA" chants were any indication. If somebody's chanting "TNA" at your shows, you're REALLY putting on a BAD product. REAALLLLY bad.

-- Bottom line: the last two matches killed off what could have been a pretty good PPV. Usually, I don't let one or two matches sway my overall opinion of a show, but the DQ ending in the WWE Title match and the horrible main event soured me on this show. Maybe not the worst PPV of the year, but certainly the most insulting to fans who spend their hard-earned cash on WWE shows and merchandise. Guys and gals, if you're tired of being treated like this...just don't buy it! Maybe we can start a PPV Anonymous support group, or something. I'd be a founding member.

I Laugh at the Patriots!

I've never been a New England Patroits fan. Something about the entire team rubs me the wrong way. The majority of their players aren't flashy, and as a Dallas Cowboys fan, I like flashy. Remember Michael Irvin back in the day? Now that's an NFL player. Outside of the cocaine stuff, I mean.

Ahem, let me continue. I also don't like Tom Brady. He's just so damn smarmy he makes me want to slap him in the mouth. And then there's the kicker: Bill Belichick. This guy is a supposed genius, but he looks like a transient on the sideline and acts like a real asshole. Turns out, he's even more of an asshole than most of us non-New England residents thought. He's an actual cheater!

When rumors of the Patriots being caught cheating surfaced, I figured it was probably something that would blow over, but it's not going to. Belichick may be a genius, but perhaps more of a Q-from-James-Bond-type genius than a defensive genius. The only difference is Belichick's camera didn't have a self-destruct button, which probably would have been useful for the guy holding it when stadium officials called him out.

The best part about this is his former right-hand man Eric Mangini, now the New York Jets coach, is the one who ratted him out! How great is THAT? Think that game will take on a whole new meaning for those guys? Even his friends don't like him.

Regardless, the NFL fined Billy $500k and the Pats will lose their first round draft pick, if they reach the playoffs. Now that they aren't stealing plays, getting to the playoffs is going to be a lot harder.

I don't think this punishment goes far enough. We're talking a Super Bowl winning team, here. How many of those Super Bowls did they cheat in? Sure, other coaches and teams may be doing this, but set a HARSHER example. The first round draft pick is a really bad thing, but I think Belichick should be suspended for half the season without pay. That would put second thoughts into any coach's head who might decide to try this crap.

My Letter to WWE Unforgiven

Dear WWE Unforgiven,

First off, I want to apologize. From the bottom of my heart. I didn't realize you were this Sunday! I feel really bad about that, and I hope I haven't hurt your feelings.

You see, it's just that I was confused by Raw on Monday night. When there's a big pay-per-view event coming up, usually the WWE uses the last segment of Raw to hype the Raw main event for that show. Instead, Raw ended with a midget humping Vince McMahon's leg. Unforgiven, I didn't realize that was the build for your main event, you have to believe me!

Usually you've given me a pretty good matches over the years, Unforgiven. How can I forget your first year (1998), when you gave me the first ever Inferno match and an awesome title bout between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dude Love? That card sure brings back memories. Or what about 2001 when Kurt Angle beat Stone Cold in a submission match? I really appreciated you for giving me a memory like that. Hell, I'll even admit to liking your show last year--the main event rocked, and gave me a newfound respect for John Cena. Unforgiven, if you can make me like John Cena, you can do anything!

Sure, there have been the bad times, too. I've got three words for you, 'given: "Kennel from Hell." 'Nuff said.

But still, the good has outweighed the bad. That's why I give you the benefit of the doubt. WWE hasn't had a good show since your friend Backlash, but I'm willing to shell out $39.95 for you based on the past. And I will.

But let me say this to you. This is the last time I give you the benefit of the doubt. I've got some demands:

1. Randy Orton must take the title from John Cena in a Four Star classic. This is non-negotiable.

2. Triple H and Carlito must go 20 minutes. Listen, I know old Trippy is going to book himself the win in this one, but at least let him do it after Carlito bloodies him with an array of weapons. That will make it more exciting for me.

3. The Undertaker burns Mark Henry in a casket. Why? Because it's cool, and Mark Henry's leaving anyway.

4. The Great Khali must lose his title, preferably to Rey Mysterio, but I'll accept Batista.

Unforgiven, these are my demands. If you don't meet them, I can't order you again next year. I know that would hurt you and your family, but I'm not willing to be treated like a sugar daddy anymore. I'm tired of shelling out money to you and your friends, only to be taken advantage of time and time again.

I will complement you on one thing: you're already off to a good start by featuring two tag team title matches. Keep up the good work, and you might see my money again next year.

Hugs and Kisses,

Lex

UFC v. WWE: UFC Gets It, WWE Doesn't

Everybody on the internet loves to talk about the rivalry between UFC and the WWE. Obviously the two companies are completely different, with one company providing real fighting and one company showcasing professional wrestling. The two companies do have one thing that feeds the rivalry, however: PPV events.

We've been hearing for a year or two now that UFC is really starting to eat into the WWE's pocketbook by taking away PPV buys. The theory is that fans have to choose between ordering the UFC PPVs and the WWE PPVs because PPVs are very expensive. Of course, that is the case, as all fans of wrestling, MMA and boxing know. I've personally spent hundreds of dollars over the past few years on PPV live events, and if you aren't getting what you paid for, it can become quite angering.

One reason that UFC PPVs are becoming more popular than WWE PPVs is quite obvious: many fans have decided that the UFC is simply more unpredictable and more exciting. After all, that's why fans order the PPVs. To be entertained and to be surprised. Of course, it also helps that the UFC has gotten really good at developing characters out of their fighters.

I think another big difference that isn't talked about is that UFC fans are becoming more loyal than WWE fans. Hell, the UFC puts so much out there for free, the fans repay them by ordering the PPVs. Look at last night's UFC 75 show. One of the most hyped matches of the year, Rampage Jackson v. Dan Henderson, was on free TV. In fact, that match was presented commercial free. A TITLE UNIFICATION match featuring two of the biggest stars in MMA, and it was commercial free on cable. That right there is the perfect example of giving back to your fans. To me, it's like when WCW used to put Clash of the Champions on TBS. It's something the fans can really look forward to, and it makes them even more excited that it's on cable and not taking $40 more out of their pocketbooks.

When was the last time WWE did something like this? Don't try to tell me that three hour Raws are even near this magnitude. The only event that even remotely got me excited on cable TV lately was John Cena v. HBK in a one hour match. Last year's WWE v. ECW special was also a step in the right direction. Still, WWE doesn't give out enough for free to satisfy their fans. Instead, the put on at least one $40 PPV a month, sometimes two. And more often than not, those PPVs don't deliver. It's time for a change if they want to keep up with UFC.

Here's what I propose: The WWE takes a few of their less popular PPVs, and turns them into specials on USA. They could even keep the name of the PPV. USA would be all for it, and WWE could charge a premium on advertising, so they would still make a lot of money. I think this would go a long way towards satisfying fans who feel that WWE's product is no longer worth paying for. Reducing the number of PPVs by three or four a year would also make PPV feel more special, and result in more PPV buys.

It probably won't happen, but with everything going on right now in the wrestling world, I think it would be a great way to reward fans who have stuck by the product during the Benoit/steroid scandals.

Rick Ankiel and HGH

Ahh, the irony. Yesterday, I post my ode to Rick Ankiel, and today it's revealed that he received HGH from the same online pharmacy where WWE wrestlers got steroids. What timing.

ESPN's Jayson Stark had this to say in his column today:

The defenses, the rationalizations, the leave-this-guy-alone pleas on behalf of Ankiel came rolling in Friday as Americans tried their best to wish away the nasty HGH bomb that had just been dropped on their favorite sporting fairy tale.

He wasn't even a hitter then.

It wasn't a banned substance then.

He had a doctor's prescription.

He was recovering from Tommy John surgery.

He needed it to heal.

He hasn't been accused of any "wrongdoing."

The media is out to get him.

It's not like he's Barry Bonds or something.

We heard them all Friday, on the radio, in our inbox, in the questions cascading at us in an hour-long chat.

Basically, Stark goes on to say it's a world of double standards, and this is the perfect example. I've seen fans on other blogs claiming that people are racist because they hate Barry Bonds and they are letting Ankiel off the hook. I think that's a ridiculous position to take. The "rationalizations" that fans were giving on radio shows and chats aren't just "rationalizations." They're damn good arguments.

First off, what is HGH? It's not a steroid, but it is used to help recover from injury. Many people call it a performance enhancer, but at least one study has found that there is no evidence of it increasing performance. It is also used to increase muscle mass.

OK. Great. We know it was banned by baseball in 2005, but Ankiel was taking it in 2004, most likely to help himself recover from Tommy John surgery. Today, Ankiel defended himself, saying the medicine was prescribed by a licensed doctor.

I, for one, believe him. I just don't get what the big deal is here. Finally, we've got a feel-good story in sports, and the media tries to ruin it because they are on a steroid witch hunt. I'm tired of seeing this steroid story impact the sports I love, and I'm tired of the media trying to tear down good people. Granted, some of the guys revealed in all of this deserve it, but some of them don't. Ankiel appears to be one of the ones that doesn't deserve it. This guy has worked hard to get where he is and is incredibly talented. Unfortunately, he's getting caught in the buzzsaw that is the ESPN media juggernaut. Luckily, it looks like most sports fan aren't falling for ESPN's bullshit.

That being said, I'm all for fool-proof steroid testing in baseball. Supposedly, you can't test for HGH, but lets have mandatory tests on a monthly or even weekly basis to weed out the roiders. If big names players take a fall, so be it. At least then the media can shut up about steroids and get back to reporting on the game.

Rick Ankiel is a Stud

For those of you who don't know (which is probably most anyone who stumbles across this blog outside the PWB Faithful), I'm a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan. I was overjoyed to see them win the series over Detroit last year, as Kitty definitely knows. They came out of nowhere to steal one, and it was a pretty great underdog story.

Amazingly enough, the Cards winning the World Series last year is not the most inspiring baseball story I've seen lately. Nope--that story comes from ONE Cardinal player: Rick Ankiel.

For those of you who don't know his story, let me give you the cliff notes version:

Young player has amazing pitching talent. Young player is compared to pitchers like Randy Johnson. Young player is drafted by the Cardinals and makes it to the major leagues at a very young age after only two years in the minors. Young player pitches amazingly well in 2000, piling up 194 strikeouts in about 170 innings. Then, in one playoff game, it all falls apart. Young player throws five wild pitches, including a few that hit the backstop, and he never pitches well again. Even in the minors, he struggles:



How young was this player when all this took place? 20 years old.

Yes, that's the story of Rick Ankiel. But it doesn't stop there. Rick was always a talented hitter, so he decided to try to make it as an outfielder. Mind you, this sort of thing is incredibly rare. Regardless, Ankiel starts all over in the minors, and by this year, he was TEARING it up in Triple A. And when I say TEARING it up, I mean TEARING IT UP. We're talking 32 homers and 89 RBIs in only 102 games.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, were tanking. After several injuries, they finally had to call up Ankiel. They wanted to hold off on brining him up, you see, because this would be the last time Ankiel could be called up. If he were sent down to the minors again, he would have to clear waivers. Nonetheless, the Cardinals took a chance, and it's paid off big time.

In one of the most memorable sports moments I've ever witnessed, Ankiel hit a home run in his first game back in the big leagues. Of course, he got a standing O. Take look for yourself:



A few days later, Ankiel hit not one, but two home runs. And sparkled in the field:



Then, of course, Rick had to put a game away with a grand slam:



And after all of that, he hasn't looked back. In just 23 games, Ankiel's popped 9 home runs, batted in 29, and raised his average to .358. In today's game alone, he had a whopping SEVEN RBIs and two home runs.

Ankiel's not just piling up stats for himself. He's giving a Cardinals team that was in danger of falling out of the race the spark they've needed to get back into it. With less than a month left in the season, they're in a virtual dead heat with Milwaukee and Chicago in an exciting pennant race. Granted, all three teams have lackluster records, but it's still been exciting.

This story isn't just something for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals. It's something for ALL baseball fans. Hell, it's something for sports fans in general. I heard someone on ESPN radio the other day say that "this has Hollywood written all over it." As cliched as it is, it's damn true. Here's to hoping Rick Ankiel has a long career as a major league outfielder.

College Football Season: The Best Time of Year

It's that time of year. Football is back. I love sports in general, but nothing turns me into more of a couch potato than football. College football, specifically.

Sure, the pro game is fun. People love their NFL fantasy football, and people love their hometown pro team. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the NFL, too. But no matter what happens, the NFL will NEVER surpass the greatness that is college football.

Just look at the past weekend's events. Appalachian State over Michigan? A 1-AA team (or championship subdivision, whatever they are calling it now) going into the BIGGEST football stadium in the world and shocking a top ten team on it's home field? That's got to be the biggest upset in football history. Almost in sports history. No upset in the NFL can top that. Not even the Arizona Cardinals winning a Super Bowl.

Or what about the Bowden Bowl? Father and son coaching against each other on a yearly basis. Father wins two national titles in the 1990s, son toils away at smaller school, barely keeping his job. All of a sudden, the son has beaten the father over and over again. Clemson over FSU again. And the rest of the family can't even watch the game anymore because it upsets them. It's a weird family dynamic, and you only find it in college football.

There's just so many different storylines that keep me glued to the couch on Saturday. Can my Oklahoma Sooners go undefeated and win another national title? Will they beat those thugs from Miami this weekend? Will they dominate Texas in the Red River Shootout? I'm not sure, but I'll certainly be with them for every gut-wrenching moment. Even if they have to go into overtime to beat the hapless Baylor Bears. Even if they lose a BCS bowl to an underdog on the Statue of Liberty play.

What about Notre Dame? How many times will they lose this season? I'm not sure, but as a fervent Notre Dame-hater (they cheat, you know), I'll be rooting against them all year long. I'll also be rooting against the USC Trojans. Sure, they bought Reggie Bush's mom a house while he's in school...but that's not a recruiting violation!

Granted,I'll be watching on Sundays when the Cowboys play. At least, until they either wrap the game up or fall hopelessly behind. That's no more than three hours of my day. On Saturdays, however, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., I'll be glued to my set, watching whatever game(s) are on. Oh, and on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or whatever other day they decide to put some random game on. I can even watch a MAC game if I have a few beers.

I'd love to hear YOUR take. Which game is better? College or pro?