Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Southworth

Simply Awesome: The All Too-Short Life and Career of Mike Awesome

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:38:06 -0500

At 6' 7" inches and 290 pounds, Mike Awesome was a sight to behold. He was chiseled to the max and his massive arms and legs made him look like even more of a monster. His wet mulleted hair made him the perfect bully figure. Heck, he was the jock you hated in high school.

Mike Awesome's appearance would have led you to believe that he was a monster with limited skills and ability in the ring. You would have believed wrong.

Everything Mike Awesome did defied normal logic. He soared through the air with the grace and hangtime of a cruiserweight. His raw power and impactful blows were as legit is his mullet. Awesome was a physically gifted man in the ring.

Mike Awesome skyrocketed his career in the early '90s in Japan wrestling as "The Gladiator." And to the Japanese workers and crowds, you can bet he looked like a modern day gladiator. His scowl and his aggressiveness was well received in Japan much to the surprise of those who told him otherwise. The Japanese wrestling fans have a way of respecting those who give their everything in the ring, and Awesome was amongst that crowd.

While in Japan, Awesome began to feud with Masato Tanaka. Tanaka was a scrappy, yet surprisingly similar wrestler to Awesome. Tanaka didn't scare many men with his physical appearance but he had an uncanny ability to take an absolute beating in the ring, which earned him the honors of one of the toughest men to lace up a pair of boots. Awesome and Tanaka wrestled physically grueling matches all over Japan for many years before reigniting their feud years later in ECW.

In 1998, awesome made an appearance in ECW facing Tanaka twice and losing both times. However, the matches were extremely well received as fans began to notice Awesome's uncanny ability to literally do it all in the ring. Awesome sustained a knee injury which would keep him out for a while, but ECW and Paul Heyman had plans to make him the next huge name in professional wrestling.

Awesome returned and shocked the wrestling world by winning the ECW Heavyweight Title from Tazz and Tanaka in a three-way dance in 2000. He wasn't even advertised as being on the card that night.

In what would be the first in a series of must-see matches with Tanaka, the two men tore the house down and had fans of wrestling clamoring for more. The unbelievably physical bumps and shots these two men took and gave out was new to the American fan (other than what they had seen from Mick Foley in a watered down WWE).

After merely a year of top-notch performances for ECW, Awesome jumped ship to WCW citing better pay as the main reason. The end of the real Mike Awesome had occurred, we simply did not realize it yet.

I tell you all of this for the simple reason that Mike Awesome SHOULD HAVE BEEN among the men who reinvented American wrestling as we knew it. He could have single handedly carried WCW as their world champion and perhaps kept them afloat if they only knew the wrestling talent they had.

WCW instead put the title on Kevin Nash and David Arquette in this time frame, showing the absolute inept ability to book a wrestling show. Maybe I am being a bit too quick to say Awesome could have saved WCW, but you have to know that he was loved despite the fact he TRIED to be hated.

Long before TNA fans were chanting "THIS IS AWESOME!" to Samoa Joe, Mike Awesome was garnering those chants from the most hostile of crowds in Philadelphia. Moreover, he was doing so while Main Eventing with Spike Dudley. Yes, ECW fans, the best fans ever were sold on Mike Awesome to the point that he and Spike Dudley wrestling was pure gold to them. That's how "awesome" he truly was.

WCW's first of many brilliant ideas was to turn Awesome into a key cog in the feud between Kidman and Hulk Hogan. You would say this was pretty smart. Awesome and Hogan squaring off puts him right near the top and able to really showcase himself. Instead, they labeled his as "The Fat Chick Thriller" and threw him into a fledgling feud with Kevin Nash.

Next, WCW thought to themselves what any top three promotion would with a talent the likes of Mike Awesome. They put him in a leisure suit and called him "That '70s Guy." Somehow, Awesome continued to amaze fans and create memorable wrestling moments. Who will ever forget The Insane Clown Posse being powerbombed on top of Awesome's 70's Partridge Family style bus? Shaggy would actually slide off and legitimately hurt himself. Awesome was making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Later, Awesome would interject himself into the "Three-Level Cage" that WCW constructed for Arquette to defend the WCW title in (Gosh, it hurts even typing that). Awesome powerbombed Kanyon off the cage and onto the entrance ramp in one of wrestling's most incredible moments.

WCW next thought it a good idea to cut his trademark hair. He lost it in a Hair vs. Hair match to Konnan. In case you were wondering, Konnan was bald. Brilliant!

After a brief stint in WWE which saw him win the Hardcore Title, Awesome retired from wrestling. He described his stay with WWE as horrible and was glad to retire. If the money were right, Awesome would probably have stayed in the business. He did return at One Night Stand in 2005 in what can be argued as the best match on the card with Masato Tanaka.

Sadly, after his wife told him she wanted a divorce, Awesome committed suicide in his home in 2007.

Mike Awesome might not be world renowned, or even known by some fans today. I however will always believe he was among the most underused and underappreciated wrestlers to ever lace up the boots. I still to this day believe that had he been pushed, he could have carried WCW. I know there was way more wrong with WCW than the World Title scene, but a change in the style they wrestled and some new stars reaching the top could have saved the company.

Do yourself a favor and find a way to watch one of his many matches with Masato Tanaka or even Spike Dudley and then form your opinion of him. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Underutilized and Underrated: 10 of Wrestling's Biggest Misuses

Andrew Southworth — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:54:52 -0500

Throughout wrestling history many men have been misused or buried in horrible gimmicks and fueds. I have started a quest to find the ten greatest misuses in wrestling history. A waste of wrestling talent must consist of the following:

- The wrestler never held the organization's top title

- The wrestler possessed the ability to wrestle at a high level

- The wrestler was given a poor gimmick or limited TV time

- The wrestler wasn't given a chance by "The Powers That Be"

Without further ado, here is my list.

10. Billy Kidman

Let me stop you before you even say it. Billy Kidman is not World Champion material. I know you were thinking it.

Billy Kidman possessed one of the greatest set of in ring skills that I have ever seen in over 20 years of watching wrestling. He made his mark in WCW and held the Cruiserweight title on numerous occasions. He was even thrown into a feature feud with Hulk Hogan near the end of WCW's run. While Kidman didnt have great talking skills, his in ring work did all the neccessary talking.

WWE brought Kidman in and once again he was featured as a Cruiserweight. In my opinion, limiting someone who can get in the ring and work with anyone on any night is ridiculous. If you havent already seen Kidman vs. Jamie Noble at Survivor Series 2002, you might wanna go right to that video after finishing this article.

Kidman floundered around the mid card for the majority of his career while other "small" men were at least in the World Title scene. I believe that had he been put into a major series of matches we could be sitting here talking about him as a Hall Of Fame type wrestler. His skills were that good.

9. Shelton Benjamin

Nobody can deny that Benjamin is one of the most enjoyable wrestlers to watch nowadays. The fact that he STILL hasnt won one of the major titles is also hard to deny.

I am by no means calling for him to win the WWE title anytime soon, but how many times can you book him to lose Money In The Bank at WM before people dont even care about the guy? The ECW Title would be a very believable fit for him and prople him into a position where he can be a top guy.

From a pure wrestling standpoint, few are as enjoyable or as good as Benjamin is in the ring. He is one of the only active wrestlers I even considered for this list. If he isnt a World Champion by the time he retires I will have to rethink everything I thought I knew about wrestling.

***In case you havent figured out by now, I dont share with McMahon is his fetish for big men and his belief you have to be a monster to hold the title***

8. Rowdy Roddy Piper

Few men can even hold a candle to the mic skills and the ability to draw that Piper once possessed. Whether you loved him or hated him, you had to tune in and see him. This is why Piper jumps onto the list.

Piper became enormously famous in the 80's when fans loved to hate him. He made a turn to face in the '90s and was as popular as anyone in the WWF at the time. Still to this day I believe it should have been he, and not Randy Savage, who won the title at WM VIII.

The real travesty is that the WWF ignored his huge fanbase and instead thought it a good idea to put the title into the hands of the Ultimate Warrior. Regardless of how you feel about the Warrior, he couldnt wrestle his way out of a paper bag, and you're lying to yourself if you think otherwise.

Meanwhile, the ever popular Piper was relegated to a short lived run with the Intercontinental Title.

For as great as the buildup was to Savage and Flair (and I am on record saying it was the best build ever), I think Piper and Flair would have been even more intriguing.

7. "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase

Dibiase might just be one of the greatest heels of all time. It would have suited the WWF well to put the title on him in the late '80s. He was one of the few wrestlers of that generation that could truly go in the ring. He wrestled some of the longest and most entertaining matches in WWE history.

Whether it was his Royal Rumble appearances, long bouts with Jake Roberts, or epic fueding with Randy Savage you cant deny that the man was one of the best.

Dibiase never held the WWE title, although he tried to "buy" it in a storyling in the late 80's. I have always wished WWE would have went with that storyline rather than being in a huge hurry to put the title back on a face. We all know by now that Savage won the WM IV tournament over Dibiase to win the title.

Even as a kid, I could tell that the WWE was making a mistake. It would have suited them well to put the title on a heel and let Savage or Hogan chase after it rather than run over everyone who they ever faced.

6. The British Bulldog

This is a two fold mind boggling item. Bulldog never won the WWF or WCW title during any time and he was clearly one of the most beloved wrestlers of all time. Bulldog had a cult following in Great Britain and a very good following in the US as well. He wasnt spectacular on the mic, but he was effective.

In addition to being one of the all time favorites, Bulldog was an excellent in ring worker. Who will ever forget the classics with Bret Hart (SummerSlam 92, In Your House 1995), or the many great bouts he had with Mr. Perfect, Shawn Michaels, and even Owen Hart. The Bulldog was an all around threat who was very powerful as well as an accomplished mat technician.

Most people dont think of Bulldog in conversations like this, but even in his WCW run he was relegated to mid card status while Ron Simmons paraded around with the title. Ron Simmons?

5. Ricky Steamboat

Steamboat was largely responsible for many of the greatest matches in wrestling history including his epic battle with Flair at WrestleWar '89. And nobody can overlook the greatest match in wrestling history between he and Randy Savage at WrestleMania III.

Despite his absolutely breathtaking work in the ring, Steamboat never won the WWE Title. Keep in mind that he did win the NWA Title from Ric Flair. But the fact that he was never given a WWF title run in my mind is enough reason for me to break one of my own rules.

The WWF went so far in fact to bury his career that they had him dress like a walking, human dragon. Here is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time walking to ring looking like a freaking dragon, and nobody even seems to be bothered by it. Steamboat was the ultimate example of misuse and mistreatment much because of the fact that he jumped ship to NWA during the 80's. Good thing they knew how to use him.

4. "Mr Perfect" Curt Hennig

I dont even think you need me to pull out any in ring reasons to justify how great of a wrestler Hennig was. Yet, nobody saw fit to put a major world title around his waist. The closest he came was in a feud with Hulk Hogan where he and The Genius smashed the WWF title on Saturday Night's Main Event (which is still one of the greatest pieces of wrestling TV ever produced).

Perfect tore the house down in almost any feud he was ever in, and for a time was a huge fan favorite. The WWF dropped the ball not having him win the title over Ric Flair in 1992. As much as I love Bret Hart, Perfect was made for that role and to be set up in a long term feud with Flair. The WWF didnt see fit thought, and kept him as a mere manager throughout most of the year.

Perfect was also a great candidate for the title as a heel. Hogan and Perfect had everything set up for a great feud in the early 90's but apparently Vince didnt think so. Besides, how would they sell PPV buys if Hogan wasnt gonna wrestle a guy who made the earth shake and crumble when he walked?

3. "Ravishing" Rick Rude

Rick Rude was the greatest heel of all time in my opinion. Nobody in the world could draw heat to himself the way that Rude did. For that alone, it would have been genius for the WWF to put the title on him and let someone chase him for it.

However, Vince McMahon thought it was a better idea for the Ultimate Warrior to wear the belt. In case you didnt notice earlier, I am a little bitter about that fact. The Warrior couldnt talk or wrestle, and Rude could do both with the best of them. If the WWE were smart, they would have had Rude win the title and have the Warrior chase him and build to a rematch. Alas, they were not.

WCW also decided not to put the title on Rude when it was obvious fans wanted to see he and Sting go at it in the worst way. Instead, we got the same drawn out feuds and matches between Flair and Sting.

2. Mike Awesome

I dont want to say too much here, because I am working on a full piece on the topic, but Mike Awesome SHOULD HAVE single handedly saved WCW.

WCW wasnt smart enough to capitalize on the fact that the guy was about 7 feet tall, had the power of a Kevin Nash, and the aerial skills of a cruiserweight. He was a total package in the ring and he was just as good on the mic. Instead, they did what just about anyone would have expected out of WCW in 2000...

They put a leisure suit on the guy and gave him a '70s gimmick. When that failed they did what anyone expected out of WCW in the year 2000...

They made him obsessed with fat chicks. Enough said. In you werent fortunate enough to ever watch him wrestle, go and watch he and Masato Tanaka tear the house down.

1. Owen Hart

Sadly, it's become trendy to be an Owen Hart fan. Mostly due to the fact that he tragically died. I however have always been obsessed with the Hart's. Owen was probably the better talker of the family, and he damn sure was the better heel.

So why didnt WWF put the title on him in 1994 and make the fued of the year even better? Who knows. I still wonder that every day. In an ideal world, Bret would have been chasing the title in Owen's hands leading up to their cage match at SummerSlam 94.

Just to illustrate, we all know that Owen could wrestle with anyone at anytime and anyplace. Yet during his run in the WWF, Bob Backlund, Diesel, Sid, and even Vince McMahon held the title. None of those men appealed to anyone as a champion, yet they were put over because they were big. In the case of Backlund, they were setting up a feud with Hart and Diesel.

There are many more, but these are the people I feel who were most worthy of something more and taking that next step. I realize that its a business and sometimes you have to put the title on who will sell the most black trucker gloves, but its a damn shame in some cases that these exceptional athletes never will have had the privelege of wearing the top titles in the business.

They're All Gonna Laugh At You! Oh Wait, We Already Are!

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:17:47 -0500

I just wanted to alert everyone to some HUGE BREAKING NEWS I HAVE RECEIVED!

You see, I am part of this wrestling insider Web site that tells me everything I wanna know months in advance, and all I have to do is pay $49.95 a month!

Anyways, I wanna be the first to report that Christian Cage will be making a surprise return this Sunday at No Way Out! That's right you heard it here first!

He is gonna do a run in during the WWE Title Match and cost Edge the title to Jeff Hardy...oh wait, I'm sorry, apparently he just strolled out on ECW last night ruining all of this for me....allow me to just say this then...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

To anyone out there who wrote every single day (in some cases it seemed that way) about how they had some kind of huge insider news on the situation, I say HA! Eat crow!

It became pretty clear last night that WWE was sick and tired of all the buzz on the Internet and the fact that every storyline they have been writing has been over analyzed and rewritten on-line with Christian placed into it.

I don't know how many of you know this, but Vince McMahon does not like to be one upped. Not the least little bit.

So I quickly slapped together this piece in order to do two things.

1. To make fun of all the people who had to spend their days speculating and telling us they had it right, when in fact, you were merely relaying some bogus information from a wrestling news Web site that probably gave you 94 spyware intrusions and 247 pop up ads for you to close before you even got this said bogus news.

2. To tell you to give it time before we start flooding B/R with stupid articles about how Christian is a waste in WWE. I can assure you, they did not sway him from TNA to work for ECW for the rest of his career. Give it time. You cannot base his return or anything else on one single night.

Rest assured it was done that way just so McMahon's ego can be inflated again in knowing he pulled one over on all of the smart marks out here on the Internet. Even if they decide to keep him in ECW for a while, it is still the best WRESTLING that WWE puts on TV. I'd pay any night to watch Swagger and Cage wrestle.

You've all been had.

Can the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies Answer the Call to the Bullpen?

Andrew Southworth — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:00:47 -0500

The 2008 Phillies bullpen may have been the strongest part of the team. They ate up innings in the form of Clay Condrey and Chad Durbin. Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero tiptoed their ways through tough innings. And Lidge and Madson, well their work speaks for itself.

The 2008 version of the bullpen set the bar high with a 3.19 ERA for the season, which was the lowest in the National League. Their 1.79 and 1.54 ERA figures in the playoffs and World Series respectively are also nothing to scoff at. Add in five postseason wins on the biggest stages and in front of national audiences, and a whole lot will be expected of the 2009 version.

The back end of the bullpen might be as sound as ever.

Brad Lidge returns after a flawless season in which he didn't fail to convert any save attempts in the regular season or postseason. And just when we thought teams were figuring him out, he picked up his game even more.

Ryan Madson signed a new deal and is coming off of his most impressive string of baseball in recent years. Lighting up the radar gun near triple digits in the postseason and then baffling hitters with one of the best changeups in the game makes him an undeniable threat every night.

Now the questions begin to rain down.

Can the Phillies get by while JC Romero serves a 50-game suspension to start the season?

Romero was undoubtedly the best lefty reliever on the squad last season. His 2.75 ERA with 58 strikeouts will be missed along with his nasty disposition and slider. Romero was fiery and shut down rallies and scoring opportunities at an alarming rate last season. His absence elevates Scott Eyre to the seventh inning and situational lefty.

Eyre came over in trade from the Cubs and threw 25 plus innings while recording 32 strikeouts. Eyre has been a picture of consistency over his career and barring any injury or complete collapse, I don't see this transition going poorly.

Where does everyone else fall in place?

Barring a super impressive performance this spring, I believe Chan Ho Park will be a long reliever in the bullpen. He posted a 3.40 ERA as a Dodger last season which is not a bad number at all. However, his innings pitched were way down from to years ago to only 93. I believe the Phillies are looking to go younger with their fifth starters' spot.

Chad Durbin is a huge question mark this season. He was exceptional early on last year until August rolled around. Wear and tear kicked in and he became very hittable. The major issue here is can Durbin regain and keep the form he showed early on in 2008?

If so he will be a great right handed reliever out of the bullpen. But if Durbin is still feeling the effects of late last season it could be a bumpy ride.

Clay Condrey's numbers are never pretty. What he does on the mound isn't always pretty either. But Condrey has a way of eating up innings regardless of the situation. Whether the Phils are down big or up big, you know Condrey is good to eat up the innings to get you through.

Condrey also pitched effectively on short notice last season which was extremely beneficial when Kendrick and Myers struggle last season. More than likely, Condrey is going to give you the same this season.

What areas still need to be addressed?

Most fans are hoping to plug in another lefty pitcher to the pen. If J.A. Happ does not win the fifth starter's position he could be a candidate. Happ showed promise last year pitching effectively during almost all of his Major League appearances.

Personally, I would shy away from using Happ in the bullpen. Mike Zagurski is expected back after a season ending injury last year. Thus far he is said to be a little behind schedule to this point in his rehab. Zagurski pitched well at times in 2007 and it's got to mean something that he has stayed on the 40-man roster this long, right?

If the champs decided to go outside the system for a lefty arm, Will Ohman would best fit the bill in my opinion. He is available and for reasonably cheap, but he wants multiple years to sign.

Kyle Kendrick is an option as well. Assuming he didn't win the fifth starting spot, the Phillies will have to put him in the bullpen or send him down to AAA. Rumors are circulating that he is on the trade block for outside help.

I doubt the Phillies would place Andrew Carpenter or Carlos Carrasco into the bullpen as both are considered promising young righty starters in the future.

The bottom line is that competition will be the overall theme in spring training. With a spot or two still open in the bullpen, the Phillies need to evaluate whether or not they want to get stuck handing out a multi-year contract to a free agent or outside guy or suck it up and let guys compete internally.

Either way, we will know more as the weather breaks on the East Coast and the World Champion Phillies leave sunny Florida for the chilly confines of Citizens Bank Park.

Remember When Wrestling Was Engaging And Must See TV? I Do...

Andrew Southworth — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:56:18 -0500

It's great to be back after a short time off due to moving as well as some computer issues in general. I am ready to dive right back in with a little history lesson.

This article will focus on the explosion of ECW onto the wrestling scene and the impact that it had on the wrestling industry in general. I will also preface this by saying that if all you know of the REAL ECW is what WWE has edited and put onto a DVD, you may not enjoy this article very much. Without further ado, let's look at the areas in which Extreme Championship Wrestling changed the business as we knew it.

Cutting Edge Storylines

Nobody was better than Paul Heyman at coming up with cutting edge storylines and television ideas. At least, that is what the trendy fan wants you to think. The truth is Paul surrounded himself with excellent minds for the business and gleaned many of his ideas off of those people around him. The faces on TV were given complete creative freedom to do as they wish from week to week.

One man who has since come out and told many of his stories is Scott Levy or Raven. Raven is an absolute genius with a mind for the business. One of the greatest storylines in the history of wrestling is that of the Raven/Tommy Dreamer feud. Tommy Dreamer and Raven fought week in and week out in a bitter and personal feud. It was so well written and presented that you actually felt like you were in the middle of this feud. Very few fans of ECW could look at Raven without feeling sick to their stomach and filled with hatred for him. ECW had a way of doing this. They made things personal and on a level that the average fan could associate with. They didn't come off as stretching to piece together stories. Nowadays wrestling companies tend to make you feel less involved and more like you are simply watching a show.

Tommy and Raven fought for the better part of three and a half years with Tommy never once picking up a victory in a one on one setting. Yet every week, you tuned in to see if he would finally get the job done. Raven and Paul threw every great roadblock in the way they possibly could. Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie, Brian Lee, Cactus Jack, and countless other "followers" of Raven interceded and yet all you could feel was sympathy and passion for Dreamer. You rallied around him and truly felt one in the same with Tommy.

Countless other storylines and events kept you tuning in each and every week to SportsChannel or MSG to watch it play out. Waiting for 911 to chokeslam Bill Alphonso, watching the out of this world wrestling and ringwork of Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero, the first American introduction to Lucha Libre with Rey Mysterio and Psychosis, as well as innovative match types kept you on the edge of your seat. While they might not have had the greatest TV deal of all time, ECW gave you one hour a week of their absolute best in-ring work. In addition, you got unbelievable promos and event hype (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ8AtL5_LRw&feature=related.) Anytime ECW presented a card for a show that was coming up or did a video release, you had to have it at any cost.

The Atmosphere

I had the pleasure of seeing countless events and cards at the ECW Arena in South Philadelphia. I will flat out say it...nothing beats the ECW Arena. You felt like you were in an exclusive club and only super intelligent wrestling fans and world-class wrestlers were invited. It was hot, sticky, smelly, and only had one working bathroom, but not a single person cared.

The crowd was hot for every single show. No matter where ECW went, the fans were in it from the worst match on the card to the main event. The chants and sayings that the fans had were thought of off the top of their heads most of the time and they were so good and new that they caught on like wildfire. ECW fans had a poor image as being bloodthirsty, but what few people remember is how much they appreciated pure catch as catch can wrestling that went on within the walls. Fans understood and appreciated the psychology of two wrestlers and the move to move style they tried to rattle off.

What other promotion had a following of fans that were nationally known amongst tape traders and cult followers? Whether it was sign guy (with new and innovative signs every show), straw hat guy, Faith No More guy, or Kato the fans were as unique as the wrestling product that was presented every night. The fans made ECW the hottest ticket around and a favorite place for many eventual top stars to wrestle.

The Controversy

ECW had a way of gaining national recognition for the unbelievable and controversial things that took place on their cards. Whether it was Raven legitimately crucifying The Sandman, Beulah and Kimona's lesbian love affair, or the fact that ECW wasn't afraid to shoot on other promotions and do so revealing much of the business to their fans, ECW was always getting your attention.

One such incident almost cost them their shot at PPV. Axl Rotten was substituted for during a match by a 17-year-old kid who presented counterfeit and fake documents saying he was of age. During his match against The Gangsta's he was cut open and beaten with weapons causing him to gush blood uncontrollably. Authorities found out later that he was only 17 and ECW's PPV provider pulled their contract for Barely Legal.

Fortunately ECW was still able to go on PPV a short time later. Many of these controversial incidents forced the hand of WWE and WCW to go with a more adult oriented and shocking television product. Many blame ECW for the "raunchy" direction that wrestling took in the late 1990's, but in reality it should be mostly attributed to the lack of good ideas and direction that the big two companies had in their writing. ECW had you begging for more, while the big companies went for the most shocking and raunchy stuff they could to get you to watch their show.

The Wrestling and Rivalries

If you have never seen ECW in its purest form, please find a way to do so. The wrestling was out of this world. Most people only remember the violence, but Paul Heyman knew great pure wrestling when he saw it. After all, he did try to sign Kurt Angle long before the WWE got to him.

Some of the greatest stars in wrestling history including Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, and Chris Jericho broke into the American mainstream and recrafted their talents in an ECW ring. The freedom of expression and to do as you wish with your character helped Austin and Foley to reinvent themselves just be BEING themselves on television.

The feuds can never be duplicated. They were personal, related to you, and featured the greatest displays of athleticism you could imagine. A list below shows just a few of the great feuds that I IMPLORE you to watch and look into.

Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn

Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka

Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven

The Sandman vs. Raven

Taz (with one freakin Z) vs. Sabu

Rey Mysterio vs. Psychosis

Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko

I hope that by reading this article and seeing some of these matches online that you can appreciate wrestling once again. I don't know how others feel, but I tend to think WWE and TNA put a "leash" on wrestlers. Watching these men in their glory doing what they do best without the stupid gimmicks and watered down in ring content might truly make fans hungry for change...

...Change that one company brought about and revolutionized the business with a few short years ago.

The Silver Anniversary: Wrestlemania 25 Predictions

Andrew Southworth — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:54:06 -0500

It's that time of year again where we all start to look forward to WrestleMania. I realize people have probably already done this, but this is my take on the historic 25th anniversary of the greatest night in pro wrestling.

I apologize for the un-original article type, but time has been crunched lately and I don't write anything editorial or historical without proper research.

This isn't neccessarily a dead lock by any means, just what makes the most sense to me and what I would really like to see.

Money In The Bank Ladder Match

Chris Jericho, Mr. Kennedy, CM Punk, Hurricane Helms, Brian Kendrick, Evan Bourne, Ricky Ortiz, MVP

Here is a chance for WWE to really showcase the next generation of talent and get their faces on the big card. Other than Jericho, who really will be out of the loop in the main event card by then, every other guy gets to show they are ready for the big stage.

I would give the win to Brian Kendrick here. Not saying I think he should be a World Champion, but if you are gonna make him a major star, it HAS to start here.

Women's Championship Match: Beth Phoenix (C) vs. Trish Stratus

Trish has never ruled out a return to the ring, even though I think it would be a one-time deal if she did. This match would have such legit build for a Women's match. A great way to cement Beth as the biggest thing in women's wrestling as well.

Divas Championship Match: All SmackDown Divas

I don't think anyone really cares because they arent that appealing to be honest.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston

This match could absolutely steal the show in my opinion. Kingston will be the IC Champion in my opinion by this point, and Benjamin will still probably be the US Champ. I think this match puts two amazing athletes together in a match about more than defending their titles. No titles on the line here.

WWE needs to let these guys tear down the house. I would give the win to Benjamin and really start to push him big time.

Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. vs. Carlito and Primo Colon

Tag Team wrestling has gone by the wayside if you ask me. This is an opportunity to take the champions from both shows (I'm assuming Priceless wins the titles back by WM) and let them have a great classic match.

It wouldn't be for either title, because let's be honest, nobody cares about any other titles being on the line except the big ones at WrestleMania. Give the win to Priceless because by then their second-generation heel stable with Orton and Manu will be rolling right along.

Interpromotional Match: Umaga vs. Rey Mysterio

Hang with me on this one. I'm assuming the Mysterio/Knox and Taker/Umaga feuds will end here. Last year, Umaga was sent in to try and beat Batista and couldn't do it. This year, RAW should offer a rematch and throw Mysterio out there as the bait.

SmackDown sends out Umaga, and we get a surprisingly great match. Umaga would naturally lose to Rey, but these two would put on a classic David vs. Goliath style match here. Umaga is a much better wrestler than he gets credit for and would work great with Rey.

ECW Championship Match: Matt Hardy (C) vs. Mike Knox

WWE could really do themselves a favor here by building Knox as a legitimate heel rather than getting run over all the time. I think I would put the title on Knox here to give ECW a fresh feel and see some good guys like Finlay a shot at title runs.

Special Attraction Match: Randy Orton vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

It is being rumored that Austin will go into the Hall Of Fame this year, and with the show being in his backyard, why not have him on the card? Orton and Austin could put on one hell of a match to bring Orton back as a Legend Killer once agai€n.

Orton would have to get the win here some way or another. Austin could be honored and then take a bow after the match knowing that he STILL has it.

Triple H vs. Big Show for the #1 Contender to the WWE Title

Two guys who need to stay in the title picture but DO NOT need to be in the title match. It needs to be fresh and new this year and decided between two guys. Triple H would obviously go over here.

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

Really isn't any explanation needed here. Michaels tries to stop the streak and Taker tries to stop Mr. WrestleMania. I go with an Undertaker win here because he needs to pass the torch to an up and coming star IF they do decide he will lose at Mania.

WWE Championship Match: Edge(C) vs. Jeff Hardy

THIS HAS TO BE A ONE ON ONE MATCH! With proper buildup, this could become an awesome and very personal contest. Hardy finally goes over big here. WWE seems to like putting long-time contenders over at landmark events (Benoit-WM XX) so it would only be right. Let Hardy roll with the title into the summer.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: John Cena(c) vs. Batista

Batista is to Cena as Warrior is to Hogan...a little SAT Prep there for ya. This couldn't be any more obvious. Batista should beat Cena here to win the title.

I'm assuming Batista wins the Rumble. It just makes sense. If this is done right, this main event could be as big as Hogan/Warrior was 19 years ago.

There you have it. I realize there are some guys who are left off, but in my opinion, if you aren't on this list, you dont NEED to be on the show. Always open to feedback and your opinions.

A Battle Royal Of Opinions: The 10 Greatest Matches In Royal Rumble History

Andrew Southworth — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:55:12 -0500

Traditionally, the Royal Rumble is held each January and is headlined (for the most part) by the 30 man over the top battle royal match, with the winner receiving a title shot at Wrestlemania. I think we can almost all agree that other than Wrestlemania, the Royal Rumble is probably the second biggest pay per view of the year.

Each year, countless great matches take place on this card, and after doing some reviewing of my Royal Rumble box set, I believe that I have come up with the ten greatest matches in Royal Rumble History.

The criteria is as follows:

- The match cannot be the actual 30 man Royal Rumble matchup.

- There had to be some sort of buildup and emotion surrounding the match.

- The actual in ring presentation and work of the wrestlers.

- The memorable factor-does the match resonate in your memory as being great.

Without further ado...

Match No. 10: Sgt. Slaughter defeats the Ultimate Warrior (WWE Championship)-1991

This match was nowhere near the prettiest of matches. In fact, it was pretty bad. But the buildup and the emotional appeal of this match is hard to beat. The Ultimate Warrior had a cult following at the time and Slaughter was hated by everyone in America for his traitorous ways.

Warrior lost the match because of interference by "Macho King" Randy Savage, which set up one of the best wrestling feuds of the early '90s.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, wanted Slaughter to win this match, and since WWF was still smart enough to put the title on heels to create mega stars at that time, it made perfect sense. I can still remember being a salty six year old watching as Warrior laid on the mat and Slaughter stole the title.

Match No. 9: Diesel and Bret Hart wrestle to a no contest (WWE Championship)-1995

This was truly one of the great buildups to a match between to faces. Bret was granted a shot by Diesel because he was essentially robbed of the title at Survivor Series a few months before. Diesel and Bret displayed mutual respect throughout, but also stated on numerous occasions that they would tear each other apart to win the title.

During the match, which was physical and grueling enough, the match was ordered to continue twice after interference by Michaels, Owen Hart, and eventual Backlund, Jeff Jarrett and The Rhoadie. The match had to be called because control of the match was lost after the referee was knocked out.

Match No. 8: Yokozuna defeats The Undertaker in a Casket Match (WWE Championship)-1994

Yokozuna was the undefeatable champion with one fear: death. The Undertaker was featured in countless classic vignettes leading up to this match preparing the double wide casket for the champion.

Meanwhile, Yokozuna was clearly shaken by the thought of being in the casket, as made evident by the mind games Taker played with him leading up to the match. All the signs pointed to his demise and The Deadman wearing the Gold. Which is the beauty of this match.

WWF wanted to "reinvent" The Undertaker while not losing any of his credibility. Yokozuna defeated him in the match after seemingly every heel in the locker room (Crush, Jarrett, Kabuki, Tenryu, Bam Bam Bigelow, etc.) interfered and helped to end the Deadman. Or so we thought.

The casket stopped on the way to the exit and we saw one of the most chilling displays in wrestling history as The Undertaker ascended above the arena and out of sight after appearing on the screen and telling us he would return even greater than before.

Match No. 7: The Rock defeats Mankind in an "I Quit" Match (WWE Championship)-1999

This was easily the most personal and heated feud of late 1998 and early 1999. Mankind was berated and by Vince McMahon for not being a corporate enough champion. The Rock, who was his ideal champion, continually beat on Mankind but it was never enough. This match was the climax of their feud.

Mankind had never quit anything in his life, but after what can be considered one of the most physical and pounding matches of all time, he quit. The Rock unloaded chair shot after chair shot to the unprotected head of Mankind while handcuffed.

The shots echoed through the arena as fans cringed and gasped, seemingly hoping it would all end. We would later come to find that The Rock had knocked him out cold and unable to speak and played a recording of him saying the words "I Quit."

Mankind's credibility and The Rock's heel prowess really showed with this match. Absolute car wreck are the only words to properly describe it.

Match No. 6: Triple H and Shawn Michaels wrestle to no contest (WWE Championship)-2004

The Triple H and Michaels feud was legendary in itself, as it became so bitter and feuled by hatred that Michaels almost lost his career after being attacked by Helmsley. Michaels and HHH would fight it out for the title to culminate their one on one feud in one of the most grueling and bloody matches of all time.

The match went to no contest in order to leave the door open for a Wrestlemania match. Michaels nearly got up before the count of ten after knocking HHH out with sweet chin music. The suspense was great as the crowd believed we would have a new champion.

Match No. 5: The Rockers defeat The Orient Express-1991

This match was an absolute clinic in tag team wrestling as young and exciting teams battled it out for twenty minutes. Words on screen simply cannot convey how great this match was. Smooth tags and double team moves as well as the classic "hot tag" scenario came into play numerous times during the match.

All I can suggest is that you see this match. It was great tag team wrestling when tag teams still mattered in the wrestling world.

Match No. 4: Chris Jericho defeats Chris Benoit in a Ladder Match (WWE IC Title)-2001

Benoit and Jericho had one of the greatest in ring feuds in wrestling history. That culminated in a lot of ways in this ladder match. The buildup itself was not epic by any means, but the in ring performance was classic.

I dont think anyone would deny that this was a superbly displayed, physical match that kept fans on the edge of their seats for close to twenty minutes. Who can forget the image of Jericho putting the Walls Of Jericho on Benoit on top of the ladder?

These two men did new and ground breaking things in the world of ladder matches and truly "reinvented the wheel" as far as ladder matches go.

Match No. 3: John Cena defeats Umaga in a Street Fight (WWE Championship)-2007

John Cena is not known for his in ring work above and beyond all other things. But this match should change you opinions on that. By no means was this an catch as catch can match, but Cena carried Umaga (who isn't a terrible performer in his own right) through a grueling and pounding matchup for the title.

Cena was running rampant over the WWE and Umaga was the mega heel at the time. Umaga looked down right untouchable to be honest. Cena improved his stock during this match without killing Umaga and burying him.

Cena got absolutely handled throughout this match and near the very end literally dodged a bullet as Umaga got knocked out by running into a monitor. The physical abuse that Cena took and the desperation that Cena used to win the match (choking out Umaga with the ring rope) showed that Cena was human and brought him back down to the people's level.

Match No. 2: Triple H defeated Cactus Jack in a Street Fight (WWE Championship)-2000

This feud was hands down the best of Triple H's career. We all know that spans many feuds. Foley really brought out the best in HHH and helped to show that "The Game" was indeed the greatest heel in wrestling.

Cactus was so beloved by the fans that people practically were keeping him from retiring just because they showed such interest in him. Meanwhile, the evil Triple H wanted to end Foley forever and rid WWE of the Hardcore Icon.

The match was physically demanding as both men experienced numerous legitimate injuries. Nobody will ever forget the emotional roller coaster that was this match. From The Rock helping Cactus get out of handcuffs to Helmsley and Jack being pierced all over by thumbtacks and barbed wire.

This match left images of blood stained canvas and faces in your head as the night unfolded. I can remember the start of the rumble match and saying to myself that nothing could beat that street fight. Helmsley stole the victory and sent Cactus into retirement from full time wrestling.

Match No. 1: Shawn Michaels defeats Marty Jannety (IC Title)-1993

No feud in wrestling history has EVER been as heated as this one. From the infamous breakup which saw Michaels throw Marty through the window of "The Barber Shop" to the inclusion of Sherri Martel into the feud, this one was ugly.

I can remember how much I absolutely hated Michaels and wanted to see Jannetty pummel his brains in. Michaels made you hate him for real. The two men were like brothers until Shawn turned his back on Marty and you could actually feel that hatred. Anyone who watched this play out felt like they were personally involved in this thing.

The match itself was classic. An absolute catch as catch can with great storylines and buildup. Sensational Sherri stood at ringside as Shawn Michaels defended his Intercontinental Championship against Marty Jannetty. She did not commit her service to either wrestler.

Jannetty gained the early advantage, knocking Michaels out of the ring and diving onto him. He attacked Michaels by jumping off the top rope, but Michaels countering this move by hitting him on the way down. Michaels hit Jannetty's shoulder against the ring post and focused on wearing down the shoulder once both men had re-entered the ring. Michaels missed an attack from the top rope, which allowed Jannetty to punch him repeatedly.

Michaels recovered and threw Jannetty out of the ring, but Jannetty then suplexed Michaels over the rope and onto the arena floor. Sherri turned on Michaels by slapping him in the face, and Jannetty threw Michaels back into the ring with a belly-to-back suplex. Jannetty performed a powerslam and a DDT on Michaels.

Michaels attempted to punch Jannetty but knocked the referee unconscious instead. Sherri came into the ring and tried to hit Michaels with her shoe. Michaels moved out of the way, and Sherri hit Jannetty instead. When the referee recovered, Michaels performed a superkick on Jannetty and pinned him to retain the championship. (Recap from Wikipedia)

There you have it folks, the ten best singles matches in Royal Rumble history. This is clearly my OPINION and I am always open to comments and debating. Hope you enjoy.

Coming next week: The Greatest Single Man Performances in the Royal Rumble Match.

The Montreal Screwjob: Eleven Years Later, It Still Stings

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:10:29 -0500

Eleven years is a long time. In wrestling terms, almost a lifetime. Faces change and new stars are made, but one man has remained the same. Vince McMahon.

Eleven years ago this month, the wrestling world as I knew it changed forever. Gone were the days of superstars you latch on to and relate to. Vince McMahon was changing the game for good. "Attitude" was in full phase and you could truly begin to see the wrestling world being turned upside down.

Bret "The Hitman" Hart was the ultimate good guy. Fans all over the world loved and adored the Hitman. Fans would literally wait hours upon hours to meet the Hitman. Vince McMahon however saw an opportunity. Vince wanted Bret to be so hated for his Canadian background, that he destroyed the character of Bret Hart. Not all the fans hatred and aggression could be attributed to Vince, but because Vince single handedly had the power to change Bret's character, he went with the fans. In reality, this is an excellent business decision.

For those who don't know the story by now, you've either been living under a rock for ten years, or you are too young to care. Vince and Bret didn't see eye to eye on the direction of the business or his character in general. Bret decided to take a massive pay cut just to be loyal to the then WWF to the tune of $400,000 a year. In terms of contracts, that was nearly two and a half million dollars less than Hall and Nash were receiving in WCW. This wouldn't be that out of the ordinary except that Hart was the WWF world champion. Bret was working upwards of 300 days a year and paying for his own travel expenses, yet to be loyal, he decided the money wasnt important.

Vince McMahon on the other hand had an obsession with being the most powerful man in the business. He also had plenty of "kliques" in his ear during this time, which we will get to a bit later. Vince changed his mind seemingly overnight for what I foresee as two different reasons.

First, Vince was losing so badly to WCW that he could not afford to pay his World Champion anymore. WWE nearly went bankrupt several times according to McMahon, who was in reality trying to pinch pennies in order to take his company public. Vince encouraged Bret to begin negotiating with Bischoff and WCW because he would be unable to pay him the remainder of a 20 year contract they had worked out. Getting close to the event, McMahon feared Bischoff would try to convince Hart to show up on his show with the WWE Title, much the same way that Ric Flair did in joining WWE 5 years earlier.

Vince McMahon is not a man who is outdone by other people. Vince refused to be upstaged. He also had Triple H and Shawn Michaels in his ear constantly telling him that keeping Bret around would do nothing but hurt the direction of his company. Bret had a creative control clause put into his contract that stated any "reasonable" objections he had with the direction of his character could be vetoed by him. Vince was not about to be upstaged by anyone, that was for sure. And with Bret publically going against the direction of WWE, he signed a 3 million dollar deal with WCW effective December 5, 1997.

Here is where I become upset. Rather than be civil and save future opportunities to work together, Vince decided to burn the bridge with Bret. We all know how the screwjob went down, and if you dont look it up on youtube. The original plan called for Bret and Shawn to go to a double disqualification finish at the Survivor Series. Despite numerous guarantees to Bret that he would not swerve him, they scrapped the original plan.

After the double count out, Bret would come out on Raw and lose to Ken Shamrock, thus securing the title wouldnt go to WCW with him. After the match, Bret would address the fans and thank WWE and Vince McMahon and say his goodbyes. If Bret were allowed to leave on those terms, wrestling would be saved for me. However, Vince McMahon's ego got in the way. Since that day, Vince McMahon has ruined the lives and careers of many of the stars who make him what he is.

Vince has mocked the contributions to his company ever since that day whether it was taping footage to air on his show of Owen Hart's funeral, mocking the deaths of Sherri Martel and others by airing himself "dying" on TV not once, but twice! And I will even go so far as to say his negligence and lack of attention to drugs in wrestling lead to the deaths of Brian Pillman, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Benoit and his family. Vince wants so badly for this industry to be shaped in his image, that these smaller guys felt the need to push themselves further and further while mixing drugs, alcohol, and steroids just so they wouldn't become the next Bret Hart.

Bret Hart has all but vanished from the wrestling world, and we owe that to Vince McMahon. To this day he still mocks and berates his character on TV to uphold his image. A man who we deserve to see and appreciate is left suffering through strokes and other health issues because of what he put his body through for McMahon himself. I for one believe that something has to change, because as a fan of men like Hart and Randy Savage, Vince has the ability to block the world out from truly enjoying these men and the memories they created for us.

Showcase Of The Immortal: 'Mania's Underrated Matches

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:48:08 -0500

I have been watching some of the Wrestlemania DVD's in my anthology over the past few weeks. I have decided to put together a list of some of the most underrated matches in WrestleMania history. This is obviously only a sample, and I know someone is gonna comment and say something ridiculous like "What about Hogan and Andre?"

I am only including matches that were obviously overshadowed by main events and other huge happenings. These matches need to fit the following criteria:

- A solid buildup to the event

- A good display of wrestling or in ring work

- They were NOT the feature match on the card (other than my No. 2 which is debatable)

- When you think about these events, you typically don't remember these matches first.

No. 1: Benoit vs. Jericho vs. Angle (WM 2000-Two titles on the line)

This match was an absolute clinic. These guys put on one of the better matches in WM history, and its rarely remembered in that light. Angle held both the Intercontinental and European titles going in. There would be two falls during this match: the first to decide the Intercontinental Championship, and the second to decide the European Championship. Angle went on to lose both titles while never being pinned or made to tap out.

No. 2: Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair (WM VIII-WWE Title)

It can be debated that this was one of the main events on the card that year, but it was clearly overshadowed by Hogan vs. Sid. There has NEVER been a better buildup to a match then the whole Flair and Liz controversy.

In fact, Ric Flair was receiving death threats this was going over so well. The match spoke for itself, but most people simply remember Hogan and Sid and the return of the Warrior.

No. 3: Undertaker vs. Triple H (WM XVII)

This match was built surrounding the fact that Triple H had beaten everyone he'd faced, except the Undertaker. This was a classic knock down drag out match. There was never a CHANCE this match could compete with the hype of Austin vs. Rock. The buildup was so personal, it made you believe these men were not going to last until Mania.

No. 4: Jake Roberts vs. Rick Martel (WM VII-Blindfold Match)

While this wasn't the greatest technical match ever put on, it was very memorable. Lost in the shuffle of Hogan vs. Slaughter and the Desert Storm conflict, Roberts and Martel put on one of the most bitter feuds in the history of the entire buildup. Martel had blinded Roberts, and rather than an unfair advantage, the men faced off in blindfolds.

I can remember being a seven year old and being on the edge of my seat every time Jake Roberts got close to clobbering Martel.

No. 5: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle (WM XX-WWE Title)

Eddie and Kurt put on an amazing match in the midst of a card featuring Goldberg/Lesnar and HHH/HBK/Benoit. It was caught in the shuffle and stood out as one of the best matches on the card. The build to the match surrounded around Angle's personal attacks at the "role model" qualities of Guerrero, who he felt was a no good liar and cheater.

No. 6: Undertaker vs. Kane (WM XIV)

After months of declaring he would never do so, Undertaker was coerced into fighting his long lost brother Kane. The two giants faced off in a huge match almost an entire year in the making.

Kane looked unbeatable going in, and it made you question whether the Undertaker really was a phenom. This match was blown away in hype by Austin/Michaels with Tyson as the enforcer.

No. 7: Bret Hart vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (WM VII-Intercontinental Title)

Pitted two very close family friends against each other and got EXTREMELY heated along the way. Classic match with two all time greats. Piper was finally a singles champion and had to face a young and on the rise Bret Hart.

No. 8: Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon (WM XVII-Street Fight)

Vince was attempting to take apart his own family and Shane was the only one who could stop it. The ultimate show of athleticism from Shane McMahon during this match. Great build surrounding the mental state of Linda and the allegiance of Trish Stratus.

No. 9: Shawn Michaels vs. Tatanka (WM IX-IC Title)

Not the greatest buildup ever, but these two guys absolutely lit it up in the ring during this match. The match went for around 25 minutes and was pretty much non stop. A young Michaels played the role of the heel that everyone wanted to see get beat.

He escaped with his title as well as the respect of his peers. Really launched the career of Michaels as a singles wrestler once people saw he could truly go in the ring.

No. 10: Christian vs. Chris Jericho (WM XX)

Two former best friends split over Trish Stratus. This match really made you hate Christian and very few people were not pulling for Jericho.

Great show put on by two young guys. You could truly feel the passion from Jericho and felt like you were watching two of your own best friends breaking apart.

There you have it. Always open to comments and your thoughts.

Flashback To Wrestling's Glory Days: The Top 25 Tag Teams Of All-Time

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:05:38 -0400

Tag Team wrestling has become a thing of the past. Let's look at my top 25 of all time. As always, feel free to debate. I will list any reasons I believe are sufficient for the top 5 teams....

1. The Dudley Boyz

Have won EVERY major Tag Team title in the last ten plus years. Former ECW, WCW, NWA, TNA, WWE, and World Tag Team Champions. They are the current HUSTLE Tag Team Champions of Japan as well. These guys can make you love them, or make you hate them. Unbelievable tag team work featuring their trademark smashing of tables. 21 Title Reigns!

2. Legion of Doom

Former WCW, NWA, AWA, Japan, and WWE Tag Team Champions. Came up with the first tandem tag team finishing maneuver in the Doomsday Device. Made face paint popular in the U.S. Gave credibility to big guys making them appear more agile and athletic. 18 Title reigns.

3. The Hart Foundation

Combined agility and power to a flawless in ring look. Two time WWF Tag Team champions. Although only two reigns, they revolutionized Tag Team wrestling in the 80's. Put their two distinct styles together to make one of the smoothest looking tag teams of all time. Are credited with many of the greatest tag matched of all time. Two Total Reigns.

4. The Outsiders

Made Tag Team wrestling relevant again in the late 1990s. Combined to win WCW Tag Team titles and hold them seemingly forever. Few teams could ever draw the heat the Outsiders were able to draw. Led the most intense and interesting angle in pro wrestling history. Six WCW Title reigns.

5. Edge and Christian

One of the most dynamic Tag Teams to ever be put together. Their styles perfectly complimented each other. Drew unbelievable heat with the fans. You loved to hate this team. Won the Tag Team of the Year in 2000, Match of the Year in 2000 and 2001, and won numerous titles in Japan and Canada. Made Tag Team specialty matches popular. Seven overall WWF Titles won.

6. Demolition

7. The Hardy Boyz

8. Midnight Express

9. Rock and Roll Express

10. Steiner Brothers

11. Fabulous Freebirds

12. Public Enemy

13. Money Inc.

14. The Rockers

15. Sabu and Rob Van Dam

16. Owen Hart and Yokozuna

17. British Bulldogs

18. New Age Outlaws

19. Rock and Sock Connection

20. The Eliminators

21. America’s Most Wanted

22. Hollywood Blondes

23. Strike Force

24. Natural Disasters

25. The Gangstas

Even Diamonds Start As Cole: The Genesis of Cole Hamels

Andrew Southworth — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:45:07 -0400

How will you remember Cole Hamels in the long run? As the guy who once pleaded with the Phillies' organization for his own chiropractor? Or will you remember Cole Hamels who single handedly mowed down the competition set before him this post season?

Most experts and analysts were hesistant this postseason to crown Cole Hamels as a "big game pitcher." But Hamels may have removed all remaining doubt after pitching seven dominating innings to send his team to the World Series.

In game one against the Brewers, he pitched eight scoreless innings and made the potent Brewers lineup look more like the mid 90's version of the franchise. Hamels only made one appearance in the Division Series, despite many people calling for him to go on three days rest. Hamels took a bit of a pounding for his comments that he didn't feel he would be effective on anything less than his regular fifth day starts.

In the League Championship Series, Cole pitched his way to the Most Valuable Player award with two strong performances. In game one he outdueled Derek Lowe to the tune of 7 innings, 2 earned runs, and 8 strikeouts. Hamels scattered 6 hits during game one while mixing his fastball and his unbelievable changeup. Cole returned on regular rest last night to pitch another seven innings. He gave up one run on a mistake pitch to Manny, while striking out 5 batters. Hamels saw his way out of his only jams by inducing two double play balls to the Dodgers' Blake Dewitt.

Then came about the most drama that Hamels had seen all postseason. With two outs and a runner on third, Jeff Kent stepped to the plate. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel broke from his normal routine and went to the mound for a normal visit. "He told me he still had plenty left in the tank" said Manuel. Cole proved he indeed did with the biggest strikeout of his career. In the process, he cemented himself as a big game pitcher and quieted any and all critics.

Hamels hasn't just started pitching great recently either. "Cole is a guy that sat around and would give up two runs a game and get no-decisions and losses. I'm sure he got frustrated, but he never really got upset," said shortstop Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies got him the run support he needed this postseason though.

"Cole is a big-game guy and he likes the stage," Phillies general manager Pat Gillick said. "He's got the makeup, the disposition, the intensity and the composure. And that's what it's all about. Even if you have the ability, it's also about controlling your emotions. And I think this year he's learned to control his emotion better than he had previously."

Despite what happens from this point on, Hamels has won over the hearts of Phillies fans as well as the respect of those who believed he couldn't take that next big step. He was recognized as such by winning the Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series.

"To get an award like this is just something surreal," he said "It takes a whole team to get here. I was able to go out there and play the way I know I'm able to do, but it's because of my teammates. We had some big plays."

And as Cole would be the first to tell you, there are still plenty of big performances yet to come.

The King of all Wrestling Debates: Top 25 Matches of All-Time

Andrew Southworth — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:57:20 -0400

Without a doubt, there have been hundreds of great matches in the history of professional wrestling. Here is the criteria that I considered.

-Did this match change the landscape of wrestling?

-Was this match well received by the fans in attendance?

-Did this match keep people on the edge of their seat?

-Was this match relatively flawless and without many bad spots?

Without further ado, the list:

Top 25 Greatest Matches of All-Time

1. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (Wrestlemania 3)

This match changed the pace of wrestling matches forever. It brought legitimacy to "smaller" wrestlers. Every person that watched this match was absolutely glued to it.

2. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (SummerSlam ’92-Intercontinental Title Match)

Match that turned the corner for the WWF. Vince must have breathed a huge sigh of relief knowing that there was indeed life after Hulk Hogan. This match also reopened the doors to international wrestling opportunities.

3. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 12-Ironman Match)

Absolute classic. One hour of pulse pounding wrestling. Two of the best ever.

4. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant (Wrestlemania 3-World Title Match)

Brought professional wrestling onto the map. Launched Hulk Hogan as the biggest star in wrestling.

5. Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 10-Ladder Match)

Helped to transcend wrestling beyond two men and a ring. Added a whole new level of excitement to wrestling matches.

6. Edge/Christian vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz (Wrestlemania 17-TLC Match)

Match that brought legitimacy back to tag team wrestling. Edge of your seat unbelievable match filled with tons of high spots.

7. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (Music CityShowdown ’89-NWA Title)

Two ring generals working together to perfection. The build to this match was great.

8. Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn (Living Dangerously ’99-ECW TV Title)

Reinvented the fast paced wrestling match. This match was X Division before it existed.

9. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Wrestlemania 10)

Combination of buildup, wrestling talent, and in ring work makes this match a top 10.

10. The Franchise vs. Pitbull 2 vs. Chris Jericho vs. 2 Cold Scorpio (Heatwave ’96)

Took the three way dance one step further. Revolutionized the four way dance.

11. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (SummerSlam ’94-Steel Cage for WWE Title)

12. Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes (Starrcade ’84-NWA Title)

13. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 13-Submission Match)

14. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle (Wrestlemania 21)

15. Edge/Christian vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz (SummerSlam ’00 Ladder Match)

16. Ric Flair vs. Harley Race (Starrcade ’83-NWA Title)

17. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (Wrestlemania 19-WWE Title)

18. The Undertaker vs. Mankind (Hell in a Cell ’98)

19. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit (Wrestlemania 20-WWE Title)

20. Triple H vs. The Rock (SummerSlam ’98-Ladder Match)

21. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan (Wrestlemania 18)

22. Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior (Wrestlemania 6-WWE Title)

23. Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka (ECW Heatwave ’98-ECW Title)

24. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Survivor Series ’96)

25. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 15-WWE Title)