Extreme Rules

This is the best I've ever done with pay-per-view predictions. Here's how it all shook down.

Jack Swagger defeated Randy Orton
Sheamus defeated Triple H
CM Punk defeated Rey Mysterio
Edge defeated Chris Jericho
John Cena defeated Batista
The Hart Dynasty defeated Show Miz
Beth Phoenix defeated Michelle McCool
JTG defeated Shad Gaspar

I didn't include predictions for the women's match or the tag team gauntlet because they weren't listed on WWE.com when I posted.

The heavy hitters were all solid. In my opinion, Edge and Chris Jericho stole the show. The Hart Dynasty defeating Show Miz was predictable, but welcome. I was happy to see Jack Swagger get a decisive win over Randy Orton. Wonder how long he'll keep the strap. John Cena and Batista had a surprisingly good match... until the end. I've heard rumors that that was Batista's last match. If so, I would be heated to go out like that. Triple H and Sheamus fought hard, but the only thing that I remember clearly is the shower of Kendo Stick shots Sheamus took. Awesome!

Don't know if I'd watch it again, but definitely enjoyable.

If Only...

RVD is the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. His matches against Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles on Impact stood as great examples of how awesome TNA's in-ring product can be. I must say though, I think it was very disrespectful to AJ for the locker room to empty in celebration of the change. Dixie Carter had absolutely no business among the boys. I'm not against the switch. I just don't have confidence in anything this company does. The lack of foresight is disturbing. Please, TNA, don't play hot potato with the belt. If only you had longterm storyline ideas in place..

Farewell!

Adam has officially left Pine Valley. I have to admit something. While I've absolutely loved the buildup to the exit, I was kind of disappointed with his final episode. If I had been writing, Adam would have found out about Annie and JR sooner, spent more time dealing with the fallout, and tried to mend fences. His rushed decision to leave seemed so out of place. The one other thing that really bugged me is the lack of goodbyes. David Canary and Michael E. Knight not sharing a final scene is preposterous. Adam and Tad have meant so much to one another in different ways over the years. What about Adam and Krystal? As much as I love me some Brooke, I'll always believe that Krystal and Adam belong together.

I wish David Canary all the best, and sincerely hope this isn't the last we've seen of Adam. There are too many loose ends that need tying.

Happy Birthday!

Happy 68th birthday to Barbra Streisand! Hope all your wishes come true!

Yay!

It was announced earlier today that CBS will air the Daytime Emmys this year. June 27, 2010, from 9-11 p.m. This is such awesome news! I wish ABC, who seems to have a fair amount of faith in their soaps, would have picked up the broadcast. Truthfully, though, I'm just ecstatic that I'll actually be able to see them.

Less Is More?

I've said for a long time that TNA and WWE should cut the number of pay-per-views they offer in half. This would allow time to develop richer, more intriguing storylines. More people are likely to buy if they are emotionally invested in a feud. In the long run, I think it would also go quite a ways in improving the bottom line for both companies. $40-$50 a month is a lot of money that a large portion of the audience can't afford to spend. Everyone wins this way, even if an initial hit is taken.

Extreme Rules Predictions...

Here are my predictions for Extreme Rules.

Jack Swagger over Randy Orton
Batista over John Cena
Edge over Chris Jericho
Sheamus over Triple H
CM Punk over Rey Mysterio
Shad Gaspard over JTG

I Hate Spam!

Though I'm not referring to the food in this case, I can't stand that much either. I open my email the other day to find nine or ten supposed blog comment notifications. Didn't take me long to figure out that they weren't legit. Some advertisements for a clothing store or something. It took me forever to go through and delete them. I just wish people would have more respect. It may seem silly, but I know I would never do that to someone. Just ridiculous!

May 12th...

Oh, how I wish I didn't have to write this. These last few months of All My Children, with Lorraine Broderick at the helm, have been pretty fantastic. David Kreizman and Donna M. Swajeski have officially taken the reigns, and will debut their work on May 12th. I won't pass judgment for a while, but their track records don't inspire confidence.

Working With What You Have...

Want to start off by saying how upset I was that my DVR didn't record anything again, and Tim and I had to watch Raw on the computer. Ridiculous technology!

Imagine my surprise when I heard Lillian Garcia's voice. Though it was for one night only, I was absolutely thrilled to see her back. Due to most of the Raw roster being stuck in Ireland because of the volcano, the show had a very thrown together feel. The opening segment featuring a confrontationn between Triple H and The Straight-Edge Society went way too long, and was obvious filler. In fact, nothing stood out until Jack Swagger's open challenge was answered by The Undertaker. The surprisingly well-paced, entertaining match that followed was a treat. It showed me that Jack Swagger may indeed be a great champion someday. The ability is definitely there. That match made the show for me. Would love The Undertaker to get drafted to Raw next week, and a feud between the two to start. Could be awesome.

With the exception of a few comedic moments, nothing else of any consequence happened. Seeing The Undertaker on Raw was definitely worth my time. Tim's face when the gong rang out was priceless.

Not Buying...

While I was definitely one of the first to champion a David/Greenlee pairing, their declaration yesterday was ridiculous. I'm supposed to believe that they've never loved anyone as much as each other? What the hell is that shit? Leo and Greenlee were made for one another. The understanding, commitment, and love between them was untouchable. In Anna, David found someone who truly accepted everything he is. No one has ever been a better match for the dastardly doc. I hate revisionist, suit-the-purpose-at-the-moment history. My apologies for going on this little rant, but I just couldn't let that pass without speaking up.

Janet's Back!

Kate Collins is returning to All My Children as Janet. Putting two and two together, I'm going to go ahead and guess that mommy dearest is Amanda's cyber-stalker. I hope she stays for a while before inevitably being carted off to the looney bin again.

Final Airdate...

Enjoy Adam while you can. David Canary will last air on April 23rd. This is just awful. I understand wanting to retire, but Pine Valley just isn't going to be the same.

:)

An adorable little snappy taken before the matches.

Begging For A Recast!

A dishonorable mention for Tyler Christopher as Nikolas on General Hospital. The scenes in the park with Spencer and Robin were so bad I literally had to turn away. With the way Tyler was delivering his lines, there were several times where I thought he may actually be a robot. Seriously. No emotion, blatant disinterest, glazed over eyes, the whole nine yards. How is this man still employed?

TRP And Other Awesomeness!

It's been so long since I've been to a Top Rope Promotions event that, when Tim asked me last week if I would want to go, I jumped at the chance. He then told me that Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, and Axe from Demolition were headlining, making the opportunity even sweeter.

We decided to start things early by watching some matches to pump ourselves up. Rebecca then joined us for a late afternoon lunch, we came back, watched a few more matches, and then headed out. Was great that Kyle and Jeff met us there.

For the most part, I was very impressed with the matches. There was one exception though. Was extremely sad seeing "The Snake" in such terrible shape. I understand everyone needs a payday once in a while, but there comes a point where you have to realize that you just can't do it anymore, and it's embarrassing for fans to see you.

At intermission, Tim and I took a picture with Brutus. Luckily for me, Rebecca snapped a picture at the same time as the photographer. Thank God she did because, in the Polaroid, I look totally cracked out. Is so bad that I didn't even want to upload it to this post for fear of driving readers away. :) This one is much better.

A highspot-laden, and thoroughly enjoyable ladder match, and an awesome championship match ended the show. The end of the main event totally made me want to go see the triple threat match on June 4th. Good booking.

A Certain Swagger?

Okay, so, while I've made no secret of loving Jack Swagger, I have to question this sudden move to make him champion. I was stunned when he won Money In The Bank, but thought a big chunk of the year time constraint would be used to build his status and character. There's absolutely no way he's ready for this responsibility. He's terrible on the stick, his character needs a complete overhaul, and he's not even close to over. Sure, if the only qualifier for being champion were great in-ring work, he might be able to carry it off. Unfortunately, it's not. There's no doubt in my mind that The All-American American American deserves a shot someday, but it's all happening too fast. I just hope this title run isn't followed by an endless string of defeats. There's no quicker way to bury a career.

Husband Number 11?

Michael Nouri has been cast in the contract role of Caleb McGraw. Described as a mountain man, the character is slated to be a love interest for Erica. Look for a first appearance on May 24th.

Jim Ross?

Apparently, the idea of Jim Ross joining TNA isn't as ludicrous as one would think. While he's said he's well enough to return to work, WWE has opted not to utilize his talent. With his contract up at the end of the month, "Good Ol' JR" has openly admitted to exploring all options. One unnecessary loss could mean another extremely lucrative gain. I know I'd dance with TNA one more time if it meant getting to hear the greatest announcer in the history of wrestling every week. We shall see...

I Take It Back...

Was just reading through some old post while tagging, and saw that I said Rent is my favorite musical. I don't know what I was smoking that day. Rent is amazing and all, but honestly pales in comparison to the raw power and evocative emotion of Evita. Nothing will ever come close. Shouldn't write certain things when I'm caught up in the moment.

All-Around Wonderful!

Yesterday was awesome. Having a holiday somewhere new was definitely a welcome change. Not in a bad way, just nice to switch around occasionally. The kids were adorable in their Easter outfits. Hearing the oldest nephew recount tells of the bunny, and the treats he left was priceless. The dinner table was absolutely beautiful, and all the food was perfect. I even ended up trying, (and kind of enjoying) some stuff I never thought I would. Of course, I couldn't write this post without mentioning Rhubarb Cheesecake. It is the most amazing dessert ever!

Watching the niece and nephews hunt for eggs in the yard was definitely the highlight of the day. Puppy Luke even joined in and found a few. Such fun! As a perfect way to end the day, my brother-in-law fixed the lift in my van. How awesome is that?! Watching Barbra when I got home, and chatting with Tim for a bit was icing on the cake. Lovely, lovely day!

New DA...

Robb Derringer has been cast as the new District Attorney. He debuts this week. I hope he's a decent actor, and the character sticks around longer than the last two DAs have.

I'll Never Forget It!

I can't believe it's been almost a week since Wrestlemania already. What an amazing weekend I had. Saturday brought the welcome surprise of going to dinner with Tim, and then coming home and watching wrestling to gear up for the big show. He mentioned a surprise for the next day, but would say no more when I questioned him. It didn't take long for him to show me the surprise early Sunday afternoon.

Does it get any better than a Wrestlemania cake, really? We decided to wait until later, after everyone had arrived, to eat it. Honestly, it was so awesome that I didn't want to cut into it.

After an awesome lunch at a great little Mexican joint, we were back watching wrestling. Rebecca joined the party shortly, and gave us the wrestling shirts she had made. We took some pictures, but unfortunately only a few came out. This is one:

Luckily, I managed to break the hold and was able to enjoy the rest of the evening. Right before Wrestlemania got underway, the three of us decided to keep track of wins and losses.

Ariel and Kyle rounded out the group. Wrestlemania was amazing. The Streak vs. The Career main event will go down as one of the greatest matches in wrestling history.

I will NEVER FORGET this amazing weekend as long as I live!

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone has a happy, safe Easter. Take the time to appreciate friends and family, and don't forget the real significance of the holiday.

Bitch-Tastic!

Just a quick one. Julia Barr as Brooke, and Susan Lucci as Erica on All My Children. How amazing are their scenes together? It's obvious they love working together. They have amazing chemistry, and the way Erica and Brooke constantly have to outdo each other on the insult scale is pure priceless gold. I'm convinced that if the show were to revolve itself around this iconic rivalry, fans wouldn't have to live in constant fear of cancellation.

Goldberg? Really?

It makes me sick to devote space to this, but I feel it's necessary. The latest rumor making rounds is that Bill Goldberg is going to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame next year. With Wrestlemania 27 taking place in Atlanta, it makes perfect sense for WWE to induct some WCW stars. But Goldberg? What did he ever really do? To me, he was a classic textbook case of right place, right time. His in-ring work was absolutely atrocious. He only had three moves. He wasn't above pitching a fit if things weren't going his way. He was only in the business for a cup of coffee. I'm sorry, it makes absolutely no sense. There's no reason. Truly deserving people, like the rest of The Four Horseman, get my vote. If this actually comes to pass, the integrity of the Hall Of Fame will be irreparablly damaged for me.

Bullshit!

I can't believe it's happening again. Show killer Jean Passanante is joining the writing team of One Life To Live. It isn't enough that she's partially responsible for the cancellation of As The World Turns. I just don't understand how hack writers continue getting jobs in this dying industry. Shouldn't those in charge of hiring look at track records before making decisions? If I were Ron Carlivati, I'd be extremely worried. It's blatantly obvious that ABC wants to cancel One Life To Live. Mark my words, Passanante will be headwriter before the year is out. This is totally disgusting.