Throwback Thursday: Of Skaters & Jaters (3/23/10) - [a case of the summer]

So I had intended on doing a repost, with the usual hindsight, of one of my prior Lost columns.  Yet many of the good ones were already written in hindsight, so that didn't really work.  And then I came across this column -- a discussion on the recent backlash I received from loyal readers of another website -- over comments I made seemingly against the Kate/Sawyer pairing.  It was INTENSELY angry stuff.  And it all came down to "shippers" not liking somebody siding with the other couple.  Even though I ended up being right about who she ended up with!  But as I read the column, I thought to myself, "I still experience this -- to a lesser degree -- in my Vampire Diaries reviews.  My pro-Stefan/Elena stance gets me occasional flack from the Stefan lovers.  When I make a point, it usually gets written off as just liking the other relationship more.  No matter how strong the argument may be.  I guess that's what happens when the writers develop a strong love triangle.  Anyway, enjoy this 2010 column!

Of Skaters & Jaters

Wow, so my Revisited column sure garnered some interesting backlash, huh?

Basically, I attempted to make a point and, in the process, used some inaccurate information. And the way I’ve planned on responding has changed dramatically over the course of the day. Initially, my reaction was “Oh, I guess I was wrong about those episodes. My bad.” And maybe a little bit, “I don’t remember Creed being that harsh.”

As the comments and insults started filtering in, I did start to get a bit bothered. I simply couldn’t understand how so many people could harp so much on a single paragraph of my column – less than 200 words of an over 1,000 word episode review. I could understand people pointing out my error, but not people starting getting downright nasty, calling me a moron and a dummy. By no means were my feelings hurt, as it was obvious that this backlash was excessive, but it absolutely boggled my mind. I mean, seriously, think about it: I incorrectly recalled two episodes that aired a few years ago. And I openly admitted going into the column that I may be remembering things wrong.

And then something occurred to me. Call it my “aha” moment. It happened when two very sad words were uttered: “Skaters” and “Jaters.” At that point, my response settled at a permanent spot: Pity. This onslaught of insults had very little to do with my inaccurate information. It was that, in their eyes, I was attempting to disprove that Sawyer and Kate were soul mates, and that she belongs with Jack.

And the thing that made it so much worse and more pathetic was that they completely missed the point I was trying to make, instead harping on two facets of my argument in an attempt to discredit everything else I had said. I mean, for a group of people who were so incredibly critical of my error, the majority of you REALLY need to work on your reading comprehension skills. At no point did I criticize this Fishbiscuit person – in fact, I’d say my comments were overall complimentary – nor did I ever say I would try to go toe-to-toe with the person. Hell, I never even stated that I disagreed with the points she was making. For goodness sake, she has fancy screencaps to prove her point! My contention was merely that this connection that exists between Sawyer and Kate is a moot point, as these same bonds exist between countless others as well. Quite simply, I was just saying that there’s nothing special about the fact that Sawyer and Kate have some sort of tie in their past, future, and sideways world. The fact that this is true for most of the characters is sorta the theme of the show. So fret not, “Skaters,” I wasn't arguing that Jack and Kate were destined to be together (but for what it’s worth, they HAVE had a sex scene. Remember the disturbing angry sex they had the night before the Ajira flight?), nor was I claiming that Sawyer and Kate AREN'T destined to be together. I just don't buy that they're destined to be together because they share a bond in the most obvious, straightforward way possible.

I thought it was obvious that I was being facetious with my examples here. I clearly was not trying to prove that every one of Kate’s actions were motivated by Jack. Then again, this is a group of people who apparently need a car crash and chase scene to hammer a point home.

And the irony, of course, is that these people that commented did a far better job of proving my other point than I did in my original column, and that’s the idea of selection bias. This idea often comes up in numerological claims (popularly exhibited in the movie The Number 23). Basically, people ONLY look at the evidence that supports their point (which is what I was attempting to prove in my Jack/Kate counter to the Kate/Sawyer examples). As noted above, the people who left a comment completely harped on a single paragraph of my column. Within that paragraph, I made three references – two of which were incorrect. Nearly every single person pointed out how incredibly stupid and idiotic I was for making those two errors, while conveniently ignoring the correct point I made. Only one person brought up my correct point, but brushed it off, noting that Jack is a doctor, so who else would Kate bring Sawyer to? Yet that logic doesn't seem to work both ways. Since Jack is a doctor, it was a logistical choice for Kate to seek his aid. Yet when she needs a gun and goes to Sawyer (who, ya' know, is hiding the guns), it's because they're destined to be together forever and ever?

So, yes, these visitors did a rather remarkable job of proving that certain viewers only see things that prove the point they want to make. Forget the fact that I complimented Fish's column and had no issue with the examples she laid out. To these people, since I dared question the Sawyer/Kate bond, I'm just an idiot trying to go toe-to-toe with another writer as I worship Juliet and have delusions about Jack and Kate. It absolutely boggles my mind that anybody could read my column and come to that conclusion.

But Creed (the real one) is right about one thing – one of the best things about Lost is the fact that it encourages such discussion. I’m certainly not always right and I’m willing to admit when I’m not (Aaron/Oceanic Six debacle, anybody?) But to be quite honest, I have absolutely no interest in discussing the show with most of the people who posted on my Revisited column. I was going to offer the invitation as long as they can be civil and respectful, because I love talking about the show with people who share my passionate, but it's abundantly clear the majority of those people aren't capable of that. One of the posters said that I should do a little research and it would save me from embarrassment. I can honestly say that there's nothing about my prior column – or any of my reviews – that I'm ashamed of. The only thing that would embarrass me is if people read those comments and say, "So this is what Lost fans are like?" To me, that's the only embarrassment.

So from this point forward, all of these angry, hateful comments will be ignored. I have no interest in having debates built on negativity and rudeness. My advice is to cool your jets. This is a show we're all supposed to enjoy, so there's no reason to get angry or nasty.

And just so everybody understands, I’m not going to “rewatch” over 100 episodes for a weekly column. While I think that might be a fun little exercise once the series concludes, I simply don’t have the time to do that now. So, for the time being, I’ll just resort to using my memory and relying on you kind folks to point out my errors. Trust me, I have no interest in being a genius or hell, even being credible (I'm not a journalist). I'm just a guy writing a column about a show I enjoy.

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Trending Topics: Breaking Bad - [a case of the summer]

Similar to my Walking Dead marathon viewing a little earlier this year, I finally bit the bullet and decided to give Breaking Bad a try.  I always knew I had wanted to watch it, but with the series nearing its end I had told myself that I would just wait for the finale, and then go crazy and watch the entire series at once.

Well, a couple of weekends ago I wasn't feeling well and stayed in for much of the weekend.  I had Netflix readily accessible and with the Breaking Bad premiere coming up, the intrigue was beginning to get the best of me.  So I thought, "Hey, let me try to get all caught up and then I can watch the rest of the series in 'real time.'"  Unfortunately, unlike Walking Dead, these are long seasons.  And there's five of them.

However, as of last night, I FINALLY finished watching the episodes and am now caught up to the one that aired this past Sunday.  Thus, this edition of Trending Topics will discuss the ENTIRE season.  So, if you're not all caught up, don't click the link below.  But, if you are, I'm curious to see what you think.

Continue reading "Trending Topics:  Breaking Bad - [a case of the summer]"....

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LIVE Raw thoughts - August 26, 2013

11:06 - Fun ending and absolutely awesome booking of Daniel Bryan.  Absolutely atrocious booking of the rest of the roster.

11:01 - Absolutely awesome first match.  Too bad the damn monkeys in the trunk missed the finishing move.

10:50 - See that, for example, was a bad way to get Dolph Ziggler over as a top face.  I'm not saying everybody has to be as rebellious and tough talking as Stone Cold and the Rock, but could you ever imagine Mankind being afraid to speak?  None of the top stars would do that.  Not Shawn Michaels.  Not Bret Hart.  Not Randy Savage.  Not Undertaker.  I mean, c'mon....

10:47 - Still miss the Daniel Bryan ring jacket.  I said this on Twitter earlier, but constantly saying putting your entire roster on the stage and telling them they can't help a super popular face if he's in an unfair situation at the risk of getting fired just puts many of their top babyfaces in a situation where they might come across as cowardly to the fans.

10:25 - So wait, they have to stand on the ramp and watch the match, but they can't turn their head to look at the ring?

10:14 - Fun match between Christian and Orton.  Really liked that spear sequence.  Also like their established chemistry of knowing each other's movements and avoidign them accordingly.

9:58 - I'm actually curious to see this match.  We've seen a face Christian vs. a face Orton, a heel Christian vs. a face Orton, but never a face Christian vs. a heel Orton.  Should be an interesting dynamic.

9:48 - Curtis Axel and Alberto Del Rio have both lost clean already.  And logic dictates that at least two (and certainly one) more champions will lose as well (in the gauntlet match).  Way to sell Night of Champions!

9:42 - Ah yes, that booking strategy I just love:  Have the champion lose to somebody in order to -- presto! -- make that person #1 contender!

9:24 - This is my definition of a massive AJ Lee face turn.

9:21 - It makes me sad that AJ is being dragged into this Total Divas nonsense.  Especially since it probably means that she's dropping the title to one of them so that the show can have the title, too.  Unless this is leading to AJ vs. JoJo.  Then it's okay.

9:17 - There's something about JoJo that I find absolutely adorable.  The ONLY good thing that has come out of Total Divas.  For me, anyway.

9:11 - Are the fans chanting "Boring"?  Never thought I'd see that for a Heyman/Punk segment.

8:34 - These VMA references are painful.

8:26 - I still miss Cody's mustache but I also can't help but wonder why they wasted the moment of it being shaved for.....the JBL/Cole Show???  Considering he's got a fairly high profile feud with Sandow, why not do a beard vs. mustache match?  Or a mustache vs. briefcase match?  Seems so wasted.

8:19 - I enjoy how WWE is cleverly getting heat on Randy Orton and Triple H by having Triple H give Randy Orton all of the credit for WWE's surge in popularity.  We ALL know how that feels -- when somebody (perhaps it's you) accomplishes something great, only for a "golden boy" to get all of the credit.  This is very relate-able issue and it's a great way for them to rile up the audience.  And not for nothing, but this was the PERFECT time for John Cena to take time off.  It's great that the spotlight is squarely on Daniel Bryan, which is something that they never did for CM Punk.

8:02 - Still love the Shield acting as hired guns for Triple H.  For one, it's refreshing seeing Triple H putting himself in a situation that he seems vulnerable enough that he NEEDS back up.  As an added bonus, it makes Daniel Bryan seem like a threatening individual.  And finally, it keeps the Shield in the main event picture.  I approve.

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Summer Of Excitement: McSorley's Old Ale House - [a case of the summer]

I apologize for missing my Trending Topics and Throwback Thursday posts earlier this week, but it was a REALLY busy week and I ultimately decided not to force it.  But I do have a legitimate Summer of Excitement bit to talk about, so let's call it even.

At the beginning of last summer, a few work friends and I went to McSorley's Old Ale House in New York City.  For those of you unfamiliar with this establishment, it is the oldest Irish tavern in New York City and was one of the last "Men Only" pubs (it was legally forced to allow women in 1970).  Although the actual year that it was established is a little sketchy, most agree that it was sometime in the middle of the 1800's (1860-1865 seems likely).  So, yeah, the place is old.  And it was visited by famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln (!!!), Teddy Roosevelt, and many others.

The place is pretty damn unique, too.  They brew their own beer and only serve two kinds:  light and dark.  And the servers bring them to you, typically, with six mugs in each hand.  And then they just slam them on the table, making a huge mess.

Oh, speaking of the table, seating is pretty limited....so you typically end up sitting with a group of strangers.  If you and your group are at a table, but you're not using all of the seats, they'll just sit another group with you.  Last year we ended up sharing a table with these two women, who had to be 50-60 years old, and we ended up hanging out with them all night.  And time, we ended up sharing the table with a guy from Texas, and then later a married couple from Milan.  This place is a true landmark -- people who come to New York City often make it a point to visit.  And I do suggest it, as it's quite a fun and interesting place.

And now to my specific adventure.  I took the train from Morristown, NJ (where I work) to New York City at 3:40.  It's not a fast train, mind you.  It actually goes pretty much the speed of a car and takes numerous stops, so I got to the city around 5:00.  I was already tired, hungry, and had a bit of a headache, so I stopped at a shop in Penn Station and got a 5 Hour Energy, a bag of M&M's, and some Advil.  I jumped in a cab (I was tired of dealing with trains) and chugged the 5 Hour Energy.  I arrived at the bar where three of my co-workers were waiting (along with the random kid from Texas).  What proceeded was a lot of beer drinking.  And, strangely, a fair amount of cheese and crackers (which they also serve).

In addition to the cheese and crackers, they also provide you with this REALLY spicy mustard.  Two of my co-workers decided that they would try to "one up" each other with their tolerance.  One would put a dab on the cracker.  The next would put a bit more.  Then one would cover an entire side.  By the end, one of them had covered both sides of the cracker with mustard AND squirted Tabasco sauce on top of it.

We ended up hanging out at McSorley's until about 9:00 (I think?), at which point we made our way over to our friend's (surprisingly swanky) hotel room.  We had a couple of beers there before heading to ANOTHER bar -- where there were beers and shots.  Finally, at about 2:00 AM, I decided I would leave as I knew that the bus I needed to take home was only leaving every two hours, with the next one going out sometime after 3:00.  So I took a cab to the bus terminal.

When I arrived at the bus terminal, I noticed that the door was locked.  There was a long line of cabbies outside, and one of them immediately comes up to me and says that the bus terminal doesn't open back up until 5:00 and that I will have to take a cab.  He asks me where I'm going and says he'll look in the book to see how much to charge me.  He checks, and it's about $67 .  He notes that there's a $13 toll, but all together he'll charge me $70.  Something seemed sketchy -- I KNOW I've taken a 3:30 bus back, so I ask him if he's going to be here for a little while because I need to get something to eat.  He tells me, "Well, I don't know how long I will be."  In no mood to deal with him and feeling somewhat confident (liquid confidence!) I simply say, "Fine, then I'll go to one of these other guys" as I point to the long line of cabs.  He quickly changes his tune and says, "Yeah, I'll be here."

Then, a moment after I walk away, ANOTHER cabby goes to me and says "How much was that guy going to charge you?" And I said "$60" (blatantly untrue).  He asks me where I'm going, and I tell him.  He says, "Okay, tip included, how about $65?"  Meanwhile, the original cabby is right on our tail.  So I tell him the same thing -- that I need to get something to eat.  As I cross the street, YET ANOTHER cabby goes to me and asks me where I'm going.  I tell him, but tell him, "but those guys over there are only charging me $50."  As we're talking, I notice that we're in front of the Greyhound station.  I go inside and see that there ARE buses going back to my home town, right at the time I thought it was.  So it's a good thing I didn't just go with the original cabby's offer of $70.  The bus ended up costing me $5.50.

I finally got home around 5:00 in the morning and suffice it to say, I was exhausted.  I woke up the next morning feeling like absolute death.  I was hungry but really not able to get out of bed yet.  And then I remembered it:  My bag of M&M's.  I hadn't eaten then yet!  So I went into my jacket, grabbed the bag, and laid in bed eating them.  It was a sight, I am sure.

It's not 11:00 PM on Sunday night and I'm still tired.  But it was a great time.

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Summer of Excitement: New York City Work Adventure - [a case of the summer]

So this installment of Summer of Excitement is actually for last week.  Sorry for the lateness -- my Internet was out all of Sunday (which sucks, since I was intending to spend the entire day watching Breaking Bad!), and then I was too busy yesterday to churn one out before doing my LIVE Raw thoughts.  Plus, I had to catch the True Blood finale and catch a few episodes of Breaking Bad.  I'm a busy man!

Anyway, one of the new additions to my recent promotion at work has been my increased travel schedule.  No, I'm not going anywhere ultra exciting (not yet, anyway), I'm mostly just traveling to the firm's other offices.  Well, this past Thursday I had the opportunity to work in our New York City office.

As I've often said, despite living -- literally -- about 15-20 minutes from the city, there is NO convenient way for me to get in if I have to take public transportation.  There's no train (silliness), so I have to take a bus.  And the bus, despite being advertised as "Express," stops at virtually every street corner for several towns.  This is a big reason why I never worked in the city (while it would have been more lucrative).  Quite frankly, I didn't want to spend over an hour traveling a distance that is, in reality, about 20 minutes.  So at the ripe age of 31, this was going to be my first endeavor doing the working man's city commute!

Truth be told, the ride in went wonderfully.  I didn't hit any traffic and the bus arrived moments after I got to the bus station.  And the office is within walking distance of the bus terminal (and I found a Dunkin Donuts along the way, which I was craving!)  I also had a lot of fun during the day, working alongside my marketing colleagues (who I don't get to see often, as we're divided among the various offices) and even grabbed a couple of drinks at a nearby bar afterwards.  Not too shabby.  The real excitement came during the journey back, however.

After grabbing a couple of beers I arrived back at the bus terminal.  Not knowing how long I would be waiting for the bus, and how long the ride back would be, I wisely decided to use the bathroom.  So while at the bus terminal urinal, I suddenly hear some yelling.  Near the stalls, an old homeless guy (white) had said some highly inappropriate things to a young man (black).  Understandably, the young man got angry and the two started yelling at each other.  It quickly turned physical, with the young man LITERALLY doing a Sweet Chin Music crescent kick right to the old man's chest.  The old man's backpack falls to the ground and his flask slides across the bathroom floor.  The young man then picks up one of those plastic yellow "Caution:  Wet Floor" signs and throws it down on the man.  He then walks out before inflicting any more damage.  About 90% of that happened right behind me.  While I was peeing.

I purchased my ticket and made my way to the gate.  Where there was a long line.  After waiting about 15-20 minutes, a bus arrived, but it filled before I could get on it.  Another arrived a minute or two later and I was able to sit!  Which is good, because as we're heading towards the tunnel the driver slams the breaks, nearly knocking over those standing.  We move forward a little bit and then stop again, and I hear some yelling.  I look out the window and see that our bus driver is YELLING at two police officers standing at the street corner.  Evidently they were responsible for slowing down traffic, which is why he needed to stop short.  Yes, this guy was YELLING at police officers.  Who does that?  And then, about a block away from my stop, some dude flies through a stop sign and nearly hits us!  What an ordeal!

It was a fun day.  And it gave me plenty of stories to tell!

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LIVE Raw thoughts - August 19, 2013

11:12 - You know what?  All things considered, I enjoyed that conclusion.  Triple H and Randy Orton are two guys I would definitely prefer NOT to be in the main event, but at least they're in the MUCH more suitable role of heels.  And they legitimately seem behind Daniel Bryan as the renegade underdog who is fighting against the machine.  I could definitely get into that chase.

11:04 - Also, I kinda love the fact that the Shield is acting as security.

11:02 - It's not ideal, but let's all be thankful that Triple H is at least playing a heel this time.  He essentially did the same routine with CM Punk, but he was presented as the hero.

10:55 - Seeing Triple H, Vince, and Steph in the ring together reminds me of the end of WrestleMania 2000.  Which, as you know, was over 13 years ago.

10:32 - Between the repeated appearances by the Shield, the Wyatt Family, and now 3MB, this episode of Raw is really dominated by three man teams.

10:01 - Wow.  I guess Punk's not your traditional babyface.  Bleeped twice and challenging fans to fight him.

9:58 - With Brock gone again for presumably a long while, I'm interested in what the next chapter for Punk will be.  Would they put him in an Intercontinental title match with Curtis Axel?  I'm all for building the prestige for that championship, but it does feel like a step down.

9:44 - There really is no middle ground with Big Show.  He's either a super smiling doofus or he's this big scowling grouch.

9:43 - These Ryback skits are the definition of treading water.

9:34 - FINALLY some new gear for the Big Show.  I hated the green camouflage singlet.

9:32 - Smart putting Darren Young in the position to make the hot tag.  Glad the announcers haven't mentioned the news.  No need to make him "the gay wrestler."  Well done, WWE.

9:27 - First live appearance of Darren Young since coming out.  So far the crowd reaction has been positive, which is good.  Wondering if the announcers will bring up his news.  I guess they're faces now, as well.  Probably a good choice.

9:20 - Ricardo and Rob Van Dam?  Not sure how I feel about that.

9:10 - I'm strangely excited about seeing what the sideplates look like for Randy Orton's WWE Championship belt.  Although part of me believes that they've ALREADY given up on the customized designs and will just be going with the standard WWE logo.

8:58 - I don't mind Dolph getting involved in this Triple H stuff, if only periphery.  I do hope he gets a little more direction, though.

8:33 - Still lovin' the Cody push.  Still think it's a mistake that he shaved the mustache.

8:31 - Did Lawler just make it seem like somebody was pretentious for daring to correct somebody who was ACTING like a school principal?

8:22 - Great opening segment.  I love how they've set up Daniel Bryan as a renegade underdog.  And Steph, surprisingly, did a great job playing her part as well.

I'm still miffed about Cody shaving his mustache.  Like I said last night, it set him apart from everybody else.

8:16 - Internet went down (again), but it's back!!  Just to warn you, though, I may disappear again if that happens.  Loving this segment so far, by the way.  Didn't expect the Cena kickoff but he did a good job.

7:58 - It's the first Raw after an exciting and very entertaining SummerSlam.  Now, my question to you is, whose theme music will the show kick off with?  Triple H, Daniel Bryan, or Randy Orton?  Let's find out...

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LIVE SummerSlam thoughts - August 18, 2013

10:49 – You just KNEW something was going to happen.  When Triple H wouldn’t leave the win despite ALL of the celebrating, you knew something was going to happen.  Again, that’s what everybody thought would happen, but what’s the sense of it?  I will say this, though:  Triple H and Randy Orton BOTH desperately needed to turn heel, so this turn is probably a good thing.  And Daniel Bryan got a huge win and a huge moment, so I’m happy for him, too.  And in an ideal world, this is turning into a Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton feud.  Not Orton/Cena, not Triple H/Bryan.

10:45 – Near the end of that match, I thought to myself, “If they don’t have Bryan win, the audience is going to be SO deflated.”  He HAD to win, by the end.  And I loved the booking.  They teased the small package pin that everybody assumed would happen, and he DID end up winning clean as a sheet.  Cleaner than he’s ever put Punk over.

10:36 – We give the announcers a hard time sometimes (rightfully so), but I loved how Cole brought up the point that Bryan didn’t absorb any impact from the superplex by remaining on the turnbuckle.

10:20 – To those of you who wonder the value of John Cena’s status in the company, consider what a great foil he is as the established guard against these new up and coming hot acts.  I’m honestly not sure if guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan would have received so much momentum and emotional support from the audience if they were up against some traditional top heel.  He’s an extremely unique competitor who is willing to play that role.  While he may not lose cleanly all too often, his willingness to “play ball” in that regard is extremely valuable.

10:14 – The good news:  New gear for Daniel Bryan.  The bad news:  Still no ring jacket.  The silver lining:  He is wearing the great “The Beard Is Here” parody t-shirt, at least.  You can tell Bryan is on cloud nine right now.  Good for him – well deserved.

10:08 – Looks like the title match will get a lot of time.

10:04 – I love AJ, but I was glad to see Dolph’s team get the win here (especially with him making the pin).  The guy really needs some high profile, clean wins.  Hopefully he’s re-entering the title picture soon.

10:00 – I still find it odd that Kaitlyn doesn’t fight a more powerhouse style.  Chyna (and even Beth) used to toss people around.  I feel like Kailtyn just knocks them over.

9:57 – Odd that everybody BUT Kaitlyn got their own entrance.

9:56 – Really odd contest for Doritos to offer.  “Hey, this skinny kid can take a splash for our super intimidating and tough Superstar, and be just fine!!”

9:49 – Insanely brutal match that I suspect both men will be feeling tomorrow.  I actually don’t have a problem with Lesnar winning (even though he failed to do what both John Cena and Triple H were able to do) because Punk had numerous opportunities to win and looked awfully strong throughout.  So far, the match of the night.

9:41 – Somebody else on Twitter noted that Punk’s gear also matches the X-Men colors.

9:39 – Am I mistaken or is Punk using both ADR and Undertaker’s finishers?

9:26 – I like the black/yellow/blue color scheme.  As somebody on Twitter noted, they match this year’s SummerSlam colors.  Nicely done, Mr. Punk.

9:23 – Unfortunately, Punk still has those stupid sideburns.  But he does have new gear too, so that’s a plus.

9:21 – New gear for Lesnar.  This pleases me.

9:12 – The silver lining is that a hardworking and talented person who hasn’t been treated that great the last couple of years just got a PPV win on a major show.  So there’s that, I guess.

9:09 – My mistake, it’s on at 10:00 apparently.  At least you know I’m not editing myself, then!

9:06 – I don’t watch Total Divas, but isn’t it on at 9:00?  Which means that the only people interested in seeing this match won’t even be watching it?

9:04 – I could actually find it somewhat funny if Fandango came out and interrupted Miz everytime he had a segment.

9:01 – Odd post-match promo.  Did anybody else expect a run in or surprise interruption?

8:58 – Why wasn’t ADR’s being counted down when Christian rolled him over while he was in the armbar?

8:57 – Between his eye, his cheek, his ear, and his nose, ADR is looking a little worse for wear.

8:43 – Really cool new shirt for Christian, but I miss his old outlandish entrance gear.  Also looks like he has new attire, which is cool.  I do miss when he would wear more colorful tights, though.  And I DETEST how ADR wears a t-shirt for his entrance.  I don’t suppose there’s any chance Christian wins tonight, huh?

8:38 – Thrilled to see Cody win and for his push to continue.  Still upset about the mustache thing, though.  GROW IT BACK!!!!

8:31 – Devastated that Cody shaved his mustache.  It set him apart from everybody else!  I hope he grows it back.  Also disappointed that neither of these guys are sporting new attires.

8:21 – This was the result we expected, but was it pre-established that you had to win by pinfall or submission?  Anyway, I enjoyed how the Wyatts were thinking of various ways to get into the ring, showing that they’re not just stupid hillbillies.

8:13 – I love the unique and abrupt “cuts” that occur with the Wyatt family.

8:11 – Nothing says “crazy cult leader” like wearing a WWE Authentic  t-shirt!

8:04 – Odd that both the preshow panel and the opening video seems to put Cena in the villainous position.

8:01 – Oh yeah, that face turn brought great things to the Miz….didn’t it?  Oh, and the World Heavyweight Championship isn’t even considered a “main event,” even by obligatory name only?  Yet they want more people to watch Smackdown?  Maybe make people feel like their championship is, ya’ know, important.

7:56 – Is it me or did the preshow end a little earlier than usual?

7:50 – To be clear, we talked about the Divas match twice and the World Heavyweight Championship….never?

7:41 – The thing I hate about Shield interference is that you can see them coming and they’re in the crowd.  RVD easily could have hit that frog splash and gotten a three count before the Shield even arrived to the ring.  I can forgive it this instance, since Ambrose did use that brief distraction to roll out of the ring.  But why wasn’t he counted out?  The match was still active, Shield (and later Mark Henry and Big Show) was just walking towards the ring.  Why wasn’t he being counted out?

7:35 – The announcers are making so many references to Ambrose never losing the title, it makes me wonder if they’d consider doing a title switch.  I hope not.  I’d like to see the Shield remain strong, plus Van Dam should, ideally, be competing for a World title.

7:28 – Vickie seems a bit lost out there in that crowd.  Naturally, it would be tough standing alongside big, charismatic personalities like Shawn Michaels and Booker T, but she seems unsure of whether she should be playing a character or improvising.  How about putting somebody like Road Dogg out there instead?

7:24 – Part of me does think that Triple H is laying on the Pro-Daniel Bryan routine a bit thick.  Makes me fear a turn during the title match.  Don’t get me wrong – Triple H is FAR better as a heel.  But who wants to see a Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan feud?

7:20 – Speaking of Total Divas, I vomited in my mouth a bit when I read that report about how, despite being Divas Champion, AJ Lee isn’t considered the top of the Divas division – the Bella Twins are.  What BS.

7:16 – I got my hopes up too early.  When I saw that they had a Divas tag match at Axxess, I figured the match had been booted from the SummerSlam card.  I guess not.  Sadness.

7:08 – My bold attire prediction for tonight:  CM Punk wears his indy-style “CM Punk” shorts (similar to what MMA competitors wear) in tonight’s battle with Brock Lesnar.  And God help us, I hope he’s got a full beard again.

7:02 – I really like the new format of the PPV preshows, with a roundtable discussion of the matches on the card.  It’s something special.  I also LOVE Shawn Michaels’ epic beard.  I kinda love the fact that he has become this crazy mountain man hunter, but will still come out to “Sexy Boy” while dancing in the ring.  Man, that’s a great beard.

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Throwback Thursday: Money in the Bank Possibilities and Predictions (7/17/11) - [a case of the summer]

It's a bit odd.  The Throwback Thursday posts are getting perhaps the most hits out of any of my [a case of the summer] features -- and they're relatively easy -- yet i can't seem to find the time on Thursday to post them.  This is my way of apologizing for missing last week.

Anyway, this Sunday is SummerSlam, with the highly anticipated John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan WWE Championship match.  While the Triple H interception as guest ref seems to recall the John Cena/CM Punk match from SummerSlam 2011, I think the build for the story actually more closely resembles their Money in the Bank match.  Like this Sunday's contest, fans desperately hoped against hope that the Internet fan favorite would overcome the company's golden boy -- while also fully expecting the dream to be immediately snatched from them with a devastating Money in the Bank cash in.

As such, I will look back at my Money in the Bank 2011 Predictions.  My present day comments are in bold italics, within the parentheses.
Money in the Bank Possibilities and Predictions

So tonight is Money in the Bank, which may very well be the first non-Big Four PPV I’ve ordered since the beginning of the brand extension (I would argue that Money in the Bank, since the 2011 event, has actually surpassed some of the Big Four PPV's in terms of specialness and anticipation). I honestly haven’t a clue what’s going to happen, and the possibilities are endless, so I’m not going to do a traditional “Predictions” post. Instead, I’ll post some possibilities, what I’d like to see happen, and what I think will probably happen. And I’ll really only talk about the four big matches.

Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder Match:

Smart bet: Probably Sheamus

Good chance: Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett

Long shot: Justin Gabriel

Runner Up: Sin Cara or Daniel Bryan

I originally pegged Cody Rhodes to win it, because Money in the Bank works best with somebody who hasn’t been to the big show yet, but could use a little bit of a shove into the title picture. However, if Christian wins the World Heavyweight Championship, then I could see Sheamus winning it to continue the three way feud they began building a few weeks ago (My runner up prediction ended up being correct, as Daniel Bryan won it.  Kinda crazy seeing Sin Cara as a legitimate possibility to win).

Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match:

Smart bet: Alberto Del Rio

Good chance: R Truth

Long shot: Alex Riley

Runner Up: Rey Mysterio

I don’t see Miz reclaiming the briefcase here because the storyline has been done, and it was done pretty perfectly the first time. Alberto Del Rio seems like the best shot here, because it would perpetually keep him in the main event picture, plus they seem willing to job him out if the situation presents itself (The smart bet was the right bet here, as Del Rio walked away with the briefcase).

World Heavyweight Championship Match:

When the match was first announced, my prediction was that Christian wins the title and then immediately loses it to the Money in the Bank winner, probably Sheamus. But then as things progressed with the Cena/Punk storyline, it seemed like something like that might happen in their match. What I want to have happen, of course, is that Christian wins the title (it can be through shenanigans, that’s fine). He’s really brought it throughout the feud and to be honest, his storyline with Orton isn’t as boring as the typical Orton feud and I wouldn’t mind seeing it continue. The only way it could continue and keep its steam is if Christian wins. I still think my initial prediction is possible, depending on how things play out in the WWE Championship match (Christian did end up winning.  And thankfully he got more than a one day reign this time.  I'm glad Christian is back in the World Heavyweight Championship picture this Sunday, but I can't help but feel like he's just fodder before Del Rio transitions back to Dolph Ziggler or somebody else).

WWE Championship Match:

Where do I begin? The possibilities are endless here. Everybody is predicting a Punk victory and I think that’s possible, but to be honest I think WWE could conceivably keep the title on John Cena until his WrestleMania match with Rock. But I really think this all boils down to whether Punk signed a new deal with WWE, and my gut tells me he has. It’s not just that WWE has put Punk in a position to be a star following this feud, it’s also that he’s absolutely red hot right now. What does WWE benefit from making Punk such a massive star if he’s leaving? To spike one buyrate? It doesn’t make sense (of course, we all know now that Punk did resign with the company).

And if Punk HAS resigned, I think they’d be making a mistake by not putting the title on him. Punk leaving with the belt and Cena getting fired builds far more intrigue than Cena retaining, which is something everybody has already seen. So let’s talk about some of the possibilities.

One is that Punk wins, the Raw MITB winner cashes in (let’s say ADR), but loses (amazingly, the first part of my initial prediction is the EXACT thing that happened). Then the Smackdown MITB winner cashes in immediately thereafter (which is, I assume, against the rules, but McMahon allows it as a last ditch effort to keep the championship) but Punk again retains (maybe he purposely gets himself disqualified) (this part didn't happen, of course). This is also interesting because it’ll be the first time the MITB winners fail, and it’ll immediately take the briefcases out of the equation for the first time since their creation. You can also reverse the order (which doesn’t make sense to me), and have the Raw guy win it. One way to accomplish this is by having the Raw winner initially reject McMahon’s request to cash in the briefcase (but deciding to do it anyway after seeing how beat up Punk is), and perhaps even have new World Champ Christian convince the Smackdown winner to cash in on Punk (that actually would have been intriguing.  Having the heel Christian try to manipulate McMahon into allowing the blue briefcase to be cashed in on the WWE Championship in order to protect his own reign).

Another possibility is that you have Punk win with the assistance of McMahon, and it turns out that the renegade Punk sold out to ensure that he wins the championship (this, of course, is what everbody fears will happen Sunday with Bryan). For what it’s worth, I think this would be a mistake. Punk already has heat as a heel. Why turn away the atomic reaction he’s getting in his current role (for what it's worth, I could see Punk evolving into a face. In his interaction with Vince -- decidedly a heel -- they were clearly on opposing sides. His discussions with Cena were far less hostile) (I also believe it would be a mistake to do it with Bryan)?

And, of course, there’s the possibility that Cena wins clean. And honestly, if Punk really is gone, I don’t think this is a bad option. Think back to the Hogan era, and to a lesser extent even the Austin era. During those periods, the big face almost always overcame the odds. If Punk is gone and there isn’t money to be made off of him (that is to say, they CAN’T make money off of him), why not do what you can to continue to build up your top star? I hope it doesn't happen, because there are more exciting options, but if it does it won't be the end of the world (and imagine if they go this route Sunday?  With a clean Cena win?).

So….what do you see happening?

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LIVE Raw thoughts - August 12, 2013

11:13 - Fine enough ending, although I probably would've closed the show with the Cena/Bryan segment.  It was a really hot segment and it would conclude the show with the champion, challenger, referee, and potential trouble maker.

11:01 - I now realize that RVD vs. Dean Ambrose for the United States Championship is taking place on the Internet preshow so that they can have a Total Divas match.

10:50 - I'm sure I'm not the first one to make this observation, but it does seem odd that they're having a battle royal to earn the right to fight on the YouTube preshow.

10:47 - Sorry, a bit of a issue came up and I'm just stepping back in now.  Catching a fun Kofi exhibition, before he gets eliminated.

10:18 - What an epically awesome segment.  Cena and Bryan were both on their GAME tonight, and -- as I said earlier -- Miz's willingness to be a little heelish instead of a pandering babyface really set things off on the note it needed to be on.  Bryan and Cena both made compelling arguments and they both came across as people we would want to cheer for (depending on where you stand).  Loved how Bryan got into Cena's head and had Cena showing a bit of an edge.  I REALLY could have done without the Triple H appearance as it just took away from the intensity and emotion.  However, I did understand that they needed to find a way to ease out of a heated moment and that was one option.  Plus, it allowed them to segue to the Orton tease.  Still, it felt a bit deflated when Triple H's music hit.

10:11 - Ehhhhh, I'm not loving the fact that John Cena is using a Make A Wish kid in a character, storyling driven promo.

10:04 - Glad to see the Miz showing a bit of a heelish personality.  I long argued that, rising popularity aside, Miz should never turn face.  Frankly, the fans aren't always right.  Just because they cheer for somebody doesn't mean they should be "good."  Miz's character works as an obnoxious, annoying jerk.  He just doesn't "work" as a face.

9:41 - That was an AWESOME look back at Christian's career.  They're doing a good job of building up this match, but I wish they made an even bigger deal out of it.  I will say this, though:  The video made me miss the days of when Christian wore colorful tights and wore that awesome entrance attire.

9:32 - I'm glad it was a competitive match, but did Kofi really need to be the one to fill that role?  The guy came back from an AWFUL losing streak with a nice win over Fandango....only to lose to him later that week.  And now he's lost AGAIN.  The guy can't sustain these sorts of losses.

9:25 - Well, I guess this means Kofi's back to his losing ways. Sigh...

9:23 - All of these Total Divas segments are BEYOND painful.  Beyond.

9:15 - The Wyatt Family have quite possibly the greatest theme music in all of wrestling right now.

9:06 - So let me get this straight.....we have a long time favorite who is becoming so popular that the company is FINALLY putting him in a top position, and he's placed in a hot feud for the WWE Championship against a very game John Cena.  And Triple H is inserting himself in the feud as the guest referee.  Where have I seen this before?

8:52 - Bumbled finish aside, that was moronic booking.  Natalya and Khali have both been treated as a joke for the last year plus.  Now they're soundly defeating two semi-major Superstars the Raw before a big PPV?  Who does this benefit?  If it's to build Natalya up as a contender, fine, but why not wait until after SummerSlam to do that?

8:47 - Kinda surprised that they're coming out to Big E's music and that he's the focus of their entrance.  Try as you might, right now AJ's the bigger star.

8:40 - Oh drat.  I saw some photos of Punk on WWE.com over the weekend with Punk looking a little scuffier.  I thought he might be growing back his full beard instead of this ridiculous sideburns thing.

Having said that, I can tell Punk is wearing the classic Macho Man t-shirt under the awesome CM Punk hoodie.  So he still gets points for that.

8:33 - That RVD tease either completely gave away who was winning....or totally pulled the rug under the person who is winning.

8:22 - Love the Cody Rhodes push.  Long overdue.

8:10 - I always find this booking curious.  Two guys fight, and the good guy wins clean.  Then there's a rematch with the reverse result.  Why was there a rematch?  Bryan defeated Barrett soundly -- why is Barrett getting another shot?  Same thing with Kofi and Fandango last week.

Also, if they wanted to go the Brad Maddox route, why not reverse the booking?  Have Maddox make the match because Bryan shaved Barrett's beard and screw him over.  In an effort to show she's the superior General Manager, have Vickie schedule the same match for Smackdown but with a legitimate ref.  Have Bryan win clean.  That way, you get across the Brad Maddox ass kicker story and the Vickie Guerrero one upmanship story, while allowing Bryan to get a big win before the PPV.

8:06 - Odd that Barrett had a beard for less than a year, after being beardless his entire WWE career, and it wasn't even an identifiable trait.  Yet it's "so strange" seeing him without a beard?

8:02 - Glad to see that Barrett appears to be growing his beard back (he looked a lot better with it).  What are the chances that ANY of the announcers mention that Brad Maddox started out as a ref?

7:53 - It's been a few weeks since I've done this last, but I'm back in the game!  This is the last Raw before SummerSlam and with a pretty popular and well built card, I'm eager to see what they have in store for us.

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Summer of Excitement: The grease trucks last hurrah - [a case of the summer]

With the grease trucks being transported this Thursday, I decided to venture down to Rutgers last Saturday evening to get my last fat sandwich before they get moved away.  Unfortunately, the camera ran out of space so it sorta ends abruptly.  The only thing you really miss me saying is that the people running the grease trucks don't yet know where they're going, so that second article I posted might have been slightly optimistic.  Anyway, enjoy!

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Trending Topics: Grammar Slam! - [a case of the summer]

Well, I was originally planning on doing a follow up of last week's Trending Topics discussion about the Rutgers Grease Trucks (Good news!  Here's a more detailed and optimistic article: http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2013/08/after_21_years_in_one_location_rutgers_grease_trucks_may_be_harder_to_find_this_fall.html), but then I came across the absolutely hilarious CM Punk Grammar Slam videos, provided by Nerdist for YouTube's Greek Week.

Those of you who follow Punk on Twitter know at least two things:  (1) he doesn't mince words, and (2) he's a stickler for grammar.  These videos focus on some of the most frequent errors, such as "Your" vs. "You're," "Than" vs. "Then," "Literally" vs. "Figuratively," and the always popular difference between "There," They're" and "Their."  And he does so with a great deal of zest and vigor (and Lewis Black-level anger)!  Absolutely brilliant stuff.  As an English major, I truly appreciated all of these rants.

Check out all of the videos here (be sure to hit the "Playlist" button at the bottom):

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Summer of Excitement: Long Beach Island - [a case of the summer]

If you recall, last year I was going to use my entire week at LBI with the family as my "Summer of Excitement" post, but then the final night ended up providing a very surprising and unexpected adventure.  I was actually glad that happened, as I felt like using the entire week was a bit of a cheap cop out.  Well, there wasn't a surprising and unexpected adventure on the final night -- so this year I AM going to have to go through with that cop out!

Don't get me wrong, it was an awesome vacation that truly did have something enjoyable happen each day.  It was a different vacation, though.  While we haven't had a vacation in which all of the "kids" in my generation (me, my brother, my sister, and my two cousins) were all available for the entire week in, like, over a decade, pretty much every year the majority of us were there at the same time.  Of course, things are inherently different now.  My brother and sister are both married, and they both have kids, so it's not like they're really going to be going out.  So for the past few years, it's been me and my cousins (as well as any friends or significant others that might be visiting) going out and having fun each night.  This year, however, my 27 year old cousin couldn't make it for the entire week -- leaving just me and my 25 year old cousin.  We wanted to be sure we did something each night, but would we live up to that challenge?  For one, there aren't an abundance of things to (conveniently) do.  And there's also the issue of sitting out in the sun each day, so would we even have the energy?

The answer is YES (although I won't go through EVERY single day)!  I arrived Saturday, but my cousin wasn't around (she also rented a house with her friends in Belmar, and decided to spend the night there).  My brother in law, on the other hand, was around -- and as luck would have it, his sister (who is my age) was celebrating a friend's birthday on the island.  So we decided to meet up with her at the house they were renting, and this place was pretty sweet.  It was right on the bay, and they even had a basketball court (yes, a basketball court!) on the roof (yes, the roof!)  There are two things that stand out from that night, however:  The White Russian and Mud Slide four packs we found at the liquor store, and the fact that Sharknado was on television.  I....just.....couldn't look away.....

On Monday, my cousin and I went to the Sea Shell, which was the location that shocked up with an awesome time last year.  Unfortunately, there was no bull riding and man on stilts, but there was a band and it proved to be a fun time.

Wednesday we went to Joe Pops to watch the Nerds, a popular Jersey cover band.  This is our yearly tradition and it did not disappoint.  Joe Pops was one of the first places we noticed that seemed to have suffered some damage from the storm.  You could tell that the inside was highly renovated (and improved).

Thursday was the only crappy day of the trip, as it rained (quite heavily) virtually the entire day.  This allowed me to do some shopping, where I bought a great "Jersey Strong" hoodie.  It did clear up by the end of the night, so the family took my niece to Fantasy Island.  Once we got back home, we tried to get a family game of Heads Up going, but it was a long day and people weren't biting.

Friday night, my cousin and I decided to cap off the night at Sea Shell again -- hoping against hope that a man with stilts would show up.  Sadly, it didn't happen.  But, again, it ended up being a really fun time and a great way to conclude the vacation.

Of course, it wasn't an entirely good week.  While I was gone, my office softball team lost their game, which means we're out of the playoffs.  Inter-Office tournament, here we come!

Going out and drinking aside, it was really nice spending time with my family and actually getting some nice weather!  After what feels like a month of crappy weather, we only had one day where it rained.  Not too shabby.

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Trending Topics: The end of a Rutgers tradition? - [a case of the summer]

Earlier today, the following story was posted on the New Brunswick Today website:

http://newbrunswicktoday.com/article/after-two-decades-same-location-grease-trucks-leave-rutgers-lot-august-15

The grease trucks are a thing of legend around Rutgers.  In fact, it is widely known about within colleges in and around all of New Jersey.  People who come to visit Rutgers consider getting a fat sandwich at the grease trucks a bit of a rite of passage.  Hell, Maxim Magazine even named the Fat Darrell the best sandwich in the country!  These grease trucks are a legitimate big deal!  Incidentally, there is a Fatty's chain which is inspired by the fat sandwiches, although I don't find them quite as tasty (I joke that it's probably because the utensils and stoves are clean).

And personally speaking, the grease trucks are one of my fondest memories from my four years at Rutgers.  Hell, if you recall, last year's Summer of Excitement had me leaving the #ZRvsDZ sticker on one of the grease trucks.  I had a favorite sandwich -- the Fat Mom (which was, prepare yourself for this, cheesesteak, bacon, eggs, french fries, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup....all one one sandwich) -- and as crazy as it might sound, my friends and I used to actually leave parties early in order to get to the trucks before they closed.

Yet, it seemed like every single year there was some sort of controversy that attempted to get them removed from the Rutgers campus.  One year it was noise issues.  Another year, health issues.  There were other reasons as well, like safety and pollution.  And yet, it seems that the thing that is finally getting them removed from their space -- a parking lot on the main campus -- is the fact that Rutgers wants to use the space for something else.

I do have several endearing memories regarding the grease trucks.  One time, my buddy and I (Masked Emotions, actually!) went to the grease truck after a party.  At the time, we were living on the Livingston campus.  It was the weekend, which meant that the buses only came, like, once an hour.  And since it was well after midnight, we weren't looking to miss the bus.  So I'm waiting for my sandwich to get ready, and the bus arrives.  Masked Emotions (bless his soul) actually held the bus open by keeping his foot in the door, until I received my sandwich and got on the bus.  I imagine that driver was pissed.  Another time, I was on line for one truck....and a lady from another truck yelled at me to come to her truck instead.  And finally, just last summer, I was visiting Rutgers with a friend and decided to stop at the trucks before going home.  While there, I noticed these cool "Save the Grease Truck" t-shirts.  On the back was a cartoon version of one of the trucks with "A Rutgers Tradition" written around it.  They were only $5 so I jumped at it.  I still wear the shirt fairly regularly.

While the article does note that the grease trucks will likely still exist in some form or fashion -- just not necessarily in its current form and at its current location -- the traditionalist in me still takes issue with the fact that a genuine institution is being displaced and redefined.  They were right smack in the middle of all the activity.  On one side of the street you had the university, for those of you coming from class, and on the other side you had all of the frat houses, off campus housing, and bars for people who were coming off of a night of drinking.  Moving it to some of those proposed areas disrupts that dynamic.  The news is certainly upsetting to me.

Rest assured, I will be visiting the grease trucks before August 15th.  Maybe that'll be that week's Summer of Excitement.

For more information on the Rutgers grease trucks, visit their Wikipedia page.

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Throwback Thursday: Top Ten Cases: WWE 2012 Year-End Awards - Overview (1/26/13) - [a case of the summer]

It's our first day of rain here on vacation (all things considered, I guess we've been lucky with the weather) so I actually have some time to put this entry together.  Like last week, I thought we'd take a look back at another edition of Top Ten Cases.  With 2013 more than half over (can you believe that?), I thought we'd evaluation where we stand with the 2012 Year-End Awards.  My present day comments are in bold italics.

Top Ten Cases: WWE 2012 Year-End Awards - Overview

Thank you, one and all, for following this ten day journey known as my Top Ten Cases Year-End Awards.  Now, here's an overview of both my picks and your voting results.  Also, be sure to visit my blog tomorrow for my LIVE Royal Rumble thoughts!

SUPERSTAR OF THE YEAR

My pick - CM Punk; Your pick - CM Punk (69%) (I don't think this can be disputed, even in hindsight.  However, it's not necessarily looking like CM Punk will be the Superstar of 2013.  That's no slight on Punk, but between his recent absence and the emergence of a certain other star, at this point I wouldn't give him the 2013 nod).

BREAKOUT STAR OF THE YEAR

My pick - AJ Lee; Your pick - Daniel Bryan (49%) (Again, I stand by that statement.  And at the moment, I would refer to Daniel Bryan as the Superstar of 2013, not the breakout star.  And while AJ did seem to stall a bit near the end of the year, I'd say she's back to being at the top of her game).

SUPERSTAR WITH THE MOST DISAPPOINTING YEAR

My pick - Randy Orton; Your pick - Zack Ryder (31%) (Despite a Money in the Bank victory, I'd say that Orton is continuing to have a very disappointing year.  The fact that Orton has been an afterthought of every feud he's been in -- none of which have been particularly spotlighted -- is quite telling.  Additionally, the fact that he so desperately needed the briefcase to stay relevant in the title picture is another bad sign for him.  As for Zack Ryder, he seems like a lost cause now).

SUPERSTAR MOST POISED FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2013

My pick - Dolph Ziggler; Your pick - Dolph Ziggler (46%) (While Ziggler, like AJ, stalled somewhat -- what was the deal with his non-build towards WrestleMania? -- things picked up quite well for him.  He had the fans chanting his name when it came time for him to cash in his briefcase, and his pairing with AJ was mighty entertaining.  And they made lemonade out of lemons when his concussion paved the way for a well done babyface turn.  However, I don't think he's the one who panned out to have the most successful year.  Again, I think that honor is ultimately going to go to Daniel Bryan).

NEXT SUPERSTAR TO BE A FIRST TIME WORLD CHAMPION

My pick - Ryback; Your pick - Ryback (54%) (Eight months into 2013 and, if I'm not mistaken, this still hasn't happened yet.  There have only been three WWE Champions -- CM Punk, The Rock, and John Cena -- and they've all previously held the championship.  And there have been two World Heavyweight Champions -- Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler -- and the same goes for them.  So we haven't seen a new champion quite yet, but at this point I don't think it'll be Ryback.  Money in the Bank precedent indicates it could be Damien Sandow.  Since the other top contenders have all held the title before, that may very well be a safe bet).

MOST SUCCESSFUL TURN OF THE YEAR

My pick - CM Punk turns heel; Your pick - CM Punk turns heel (46%) (And yet, oddly, halfway through 2013 he ended up turning face again).

MOST SHOCKING STORY OF THE YEAR

My pick - Brock Lesnar returns to WWE; Your pick - Brock Lesnar returns to WWE (44%) (Seems like a reasonable pick.  This year it'll probably be the Bruno reconciliation).

BEST WWE WEB SERIES

My pick - WWE Download; Your pick - Are You Serious? (75%) (This whole YouTube web series thing ended up being pretty short lived, huh?)

WILL THE WWE NETWORK LAUNCH IN 2013?

My pick - No; Your pick - No (87%) (Looks like we'll both be right here).

WILL THE WWE UNIFY TITLES AND OFFICIALLY END THE BRAND EXTENSION IN 2013?

My pick - No; Your pick - No (89%) (I don't see why they don't just do this already.  The brand extension is all but pointless and they don't seem to care about treating all of the titles with any sort of prestige.  I'll be sad to see the physical World Heavyweight Championship gone, but what's the point now?  For marketing and branding purposes, I still don't see it happening, though).

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