The unusual fan reaction to CM Punk....

So the big news of the week is that CM Punk walked out on Raw and has insisted that he's gone for good and not coming back to the company.  While CM Punk has been on the backburner for the past six months, having taken a back seat to Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Batista, and even Randy freakin' Orton....this is still a big deal.  A REALLY big deal.  And while I do have feelings on the whole thing, this post isn't really going to be about that.  It's going to be about the surprising reaction from the fans on the Internet.

While the majority of fans seem to be in support of Punk, there is still a fairly sizable portion of the audience that seems to think Punk is in the wrong.  You have the typical "take your ball and go home" comment, but more than that, you have people saying stuff like "Ryder and Ziggler and 90% of the roster would kill for Punk's spot!"  While that's likely true, it basically gives the message that Punk should be happy with where he's at and not worry about where he should be.

Isn't that essentially what WWE has told Daniel Bryan?  And as fans, isn't this the very thing we've been rallying against?  And further, haven't we WANTED Daniel Bryan to take that very stand that CM Punk just took?  WWE has started having to rewrite their shows because they're worried about fans hijacking the show.  We haven't gotten exactly what we want, but we're closer to getting it.  The next strongest thing to getting to that point is a significant wrestler taking a stand.  And a very firm stand, too (something stronger than John Cena saying, "Hey, give the guy a shot").  Punk walking out and saying, "You guys don't know what you're doing and you're out of touch with what your fanbase wants" is about as strong a message they can receive.  If their fans AND their own wrestlers begin turning on them, they're going to have a major problem.  And WWE may be smart enough to realize that the only thing that could calm a pro-CM Punk/anti-WWE rebellion is to give them the one thing they want:  Daniel Bryan.

To be perfectly honest, I don't believe that Punk deserved to be in the final match main event of this year's WrestleMania.  That SHOULD be Daniel Bryan.  But that doesn't mean Punk's frustration is off base.  Batista -- who has been gone for four years and, quite honestly, never was THE man -- came back and the company had a set plan for him (which included a Royal Rumble win and a WrestleMania main event) and stuck with it come hell and high water.  Meanwhile Punk, who was never given the title of "THE man" despite his ability to carry it, hasn't really had any direction whatsoever since the summer.  He's been beat up and burnt.  He DOES deserve better.  And the arrogance of Triple H to essentially say, "Hey, a match with me is a big deal" is disrespectful.  And that's ignoring the fact that his prior feud with him could have potentially destroyed all of his momentum.  Not to mention that they've probably put more thought into who Triple H will face than who Punk will face.

So, in short (too late), I guess I don't really get why ANYBODY would be against Punk.  Whether or not you agree with his personal situation is more or less irrelevant -- the fact of the matter is that CM Punk basically took a stand and told the company everything we've been complaining about.  He may have done more for the cause than any of us have.

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LIVE thoughts on a terrible show produced by a moronic company - January 27, 2014

11:05 - A bit of a shaky Raw but most certainly a step in the right direction.  That was an INCREDIBLE main event, though, and I love the possibility of some tension between the Shield and the Wyatt Family.  That could be VERY intriguing.

11:03 - I recognize he's not 6'5", but Bryan is so mega over and so incredibly exciting in the ring.....why wouldn't you want him in the main event?

10:54 - I give Reigns credit.  The Superman punch could look hokey, but hey makes it work.

10:42 - Yeahhhh, I recognize you're wearing a neon based clothing line....but I'm not digging that electric blue belt, Cena.

10:30 - Thrilled to see Jake Roberts inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  He was one of my favorites growing up and this is very well deserved.  More than anything, though, I'm glad he appears to be healthy now.

10:27 - By the way, Paul Bearer is my prediction.  Or Honky Tonk Man.  Or Jake Roberts.

10:23 - I still find the Bellas to be the most unlikable faces on the entire roster.  And I still hate the method of jobbing out a champion just to create a new #1 contender.  AJ is quickly descending into the territory of losing all of her matches, but winning the title match.  Who does that help?

10:19 - What is with this trend of keeping things in your back pocket while you wrestle?  Jeff Hardy always did it, but the Usos and recently John Cena have done it as well.  And now AJ has a hat strapped to her back pocket.

10:16 - So, to be clear, Batista let two innocent guys who did absolutely nothing wrong (Cody and Goldust) because he wasn't willing to just face Brock?

10:05 - I am getting a kick out of Road Dogg's reactions throughout the match.

9:55 - "In the immortal words of Selena Gomez...."  Okay, that made me chuckle.

9:48 - Yeah, let's give the victory to the one guy in the entire building who didn't get a response from the crowd.

9:46 - "Cheering for everybody but you, Del Rio!"  Loved it.

9:41 - Del Rio seemed legitimately upset about JBL acknowledging the audience.  My argument is that, considering how consistently and strongly he's pushed, Del Rio should be able to hold the crowd's attention on his own.  I don't blame Kofi as much because WWE hasn't given the audience much of a reason to care about him.  But Del Rio is another story.

9:33 - Let me guess....we're about to job one of the (potentially) most exciting guys on the roster to one of the dullest guys on the roster.  Greaaaat.

9:25 - Is that Iron Man on the back of Ryback's singlet?

9:15 - Wow, I actually expected Miz to win.  Awesome.  And I did get a kick out of the Cleveland crowd chanting "Cleveland Sucks!"

9:11 - Bet it's been a while since either of these guys got in-ring introductions.

9:03 - I will say this:  It's somewhat surreal to see Lesnar, Orton, and Batista in the ring together.

8:59 - Batista doesn't seem to be responding well to the crowd's reaction.

8:54 - Are any two characters as pointless now as the Raw and Smackdown General Managers?  Between the existence of the Authority and the non-existence of the brand extension, what purpose do they serve?

8:38 - I still don't understand what the hell they're doing with the Miz.  Is he a heel?  A face?  Are we supposed to just forget what he did to Kofi Kingston?  And will they think of a way to make BOTH Dolph and Miz job?

8:15 - An overall good segment that acknowledged the elephant in the room.  It also gave some sort of pay off.  The thing is, if the plan was ALWAYS for the Authority to keep Bryan out of the Royal Rumble, why not acknowledge that in a backstage segment prior to the Rumble match?  It puts some heat on the Authority and the audience wouldn't have AS MUCH of a negative reaction towards the match itself.  Like I said in the intro, the fans blamed Mysterio (because he was #30 and the last chance to be Bryan) and Batista (because he was viewed as the one getting the moment) because they wanted Bryan.  If they realized his absence was part of the story and perhaps building to something bigger, the tension might not have been there.  If it was planned all along, the execution was weak.

Oh, and regarding the opening segment.....while I appreciate the fact that they're acknowledging their error, I don't think many fans would be satisfied unless Bryan wins the title.  And even if he does, I think fans would have preferred him winning the Rumble.  So why not have Bryan win (giving him a moment) and then have Batista win the title at the Elimination Chamber?

And speaking of Batista, I'm THRILLED they didn't have him come to Bryan's rescue.  It would have been cheap and I thinkt he audience would have caught on to the attempt to leach off his heat.

8:04 - And for those of you keeping score, Triple H and Stephanie will be playing the roles of heels tonight.  The good news is that they're definitely acknowledging the chants and the negative feedback -- with the over the top comments about it being a satisfying show.  And Triple H's not-quite-as-subtle "awww, did somebody not get what they want."

7:23 - I had originally intended to completely boycott this show, publicity-wise, by not doing a LIVE thoughts post and not discussing it on Twitter.  But then I had a change of heart.  I figured I could either discuss the company's attempts to redeem itself, or rip it apart if they were so incredibly stubborn that they didn't change course for WrestleMania.  So expect a certain level of bitterness in tonight's review, because I really cannot get over what transpired last night.

The best thing about tonight's show, however, will be the live audience.  It's easy to blame certain behavior on "smark" audiences, but the fact of the matter is that when a live crowd becomes part of the show, that crowd's behavior catches on pretty quickly.  Take, for instance, the whole "Fandangoing" trend.  One particularly unique crowd started it, and it caught on.  This whole idea of "hijacking" the show has that same potential.  And I, for one, hope it does.  This company DESPERATELY needs to learn a lesson, and perhaps the only thing that can get them to listen is if they're unable to put on the show THEY want, because the audience won't respond to anything unless it's what WE want.

What we saw last night was, in Mick Foley's words, disgusting.  Daniel Bryan lost clean to a guy in order to build him up so that he can be John Cena's opponent.  He was then completely left out of the Royal Rumble, which killed the match and severely harmed two big babyfaces (Rey for not being Bryan, and Batista for taking Bryan's spot).

Perhaps most ironic of all, however, is the fact that the individuals who are taking Bryan's spots as the face of the company, despite what he fans want, are people who CANNOT react positively to the live audience's disapproval of them.  Orton loses his cool and Batista is even worse.  Say what you want about John Cena, but the guy is able to think on his feet and reacts to the audience.  You have to at least respect that.

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LIVE Royal Rumble thoughts - January 26, 2014

10:45 - Oh, and just to recap....Daniel Bryan lost clean in the opening match to someone who will just be fed to Cena AND didn't even appear in the Rumble.

10:41 - To make matters worse, I believe that was the EXACT ending we saw at last year's Royal Rumble as well.  Notice the close views we're getting of Batista.  No shots of the crowd whatsoever.

10:35 - I was JUST about to write "Unless CM Punk wins this, the crowd is going to tear apart the end of this Rumble."  And look what just happened.

10:32 - WWE just lost the fans' interest in this match, and they have nobody to blame but themselves.

10:30 - I can't imagine they're booting Mysterio, since he appeared in the pre-match interviews.  But they're in for a rude awakening if he doesn't.  They're already booing Batista because they think he's going to win.

10:24 - That's your mystery man, provided WWE's list is accurate.  I'm thinking there's a chance Woods gets booted, but Batista, Del Rio, Langston, and Mysterio are definitely in.  IF they boot Woods, that could be Bryan's chance.

10:20 - We have 7 more entries, and the confirmed ones that remain are Batista, Del Rio, Mysterio, Rowan, Big E Langston, and Xavier Woods.  One open spot, provided they are all in it.  Is that Daniel Bryan?

10:19 - Cool looking save from Roman Reigns.

10:15 - Another "DANIEL BRYAN" chant.

10:11 - Goldust eliminates Cody....perhaps we will see them fight at Mania.  Also, as predicted, Sheamus is back.  Nice looking gear, too.  New color scheme.

10:08 - Loved Reigns' entrance and how he saved Rollins BEFORE entering.  YOU rarely ever see people enter strategically like that.  They just come in at the part of the ring facing the aisle.  Also love how they established Kofi as an "impossible" guy to get rid of, only for Reigns to pull it off.

10:05 - I had heard rumors of Nash being in the Rumble but I resisted guessing him.  Any chance that we get some closure with the Punk storyline?

10:02 - Ziggler got one of the biggest reactions since the Rumble has started.  And I think he's the only guy, thus far, who has gotten a chant.

10:01 - Those Kofi eliminations are always amazing.  No room for error!

9:58 - I'm guessing they're waiting for Roman Reigns, who will clear the ring of everybody but Punk and Rollins (and this is where Kofi's near elimination and then elimination will come).

9:54 - Announcers referring to Swagger and the NXT rookie as "two big guys" -- completely ignoring the Real American/Foreigner connection.

Kofi Kingston now appaers in some pretty cool Joker attire.  Let's see what he surprises us with this year.

9:51 - Nice touch that went unnoticed by the announcers:  Seth Rollins (who is an unofficial stooge of the Authority) held Punk's leg when Kane made his entrance.

9:49 - Cody gets half credit.  He DID go the Randy Savage route by wearing new attire in his multiple appearances.  But neither is new, though.  Also....kinda surprised Sandow was the first eliminated, considering his semi-strong push over the past few months.

9:47 - Sandow in at #3.  No new gear for him, either.

9:45 - I was THIS CLOSE!  My guess was that Dean Ambrose would be #2.  It was Rollins instead.

9:43 - Double disappointment with Punk:  He's still rocking the Wolverine look, and he doesn't have new gear.  Disappointment.  I'm guessing Punk gets the marathon run and lasts longer than anybody else.

9:40 - Love the old school feeling of these pre-Rumble interviews.

9:29 - Wow, I guess this Bray Wyatt/John Cena thing might actually happen.  But I'm wondering....did we see Bryan get sacrificed in order for Cena to overcome them?

9:27 - Second admission:  I'm a sucker for people using their opponent's finisher.

9:25 - Add to the chants:  "WE WANT REFUNDS" and "THIS IS AWFUL."  I will admit, though, that I'm getting a kick out of Orton putting his arms up in that arrogant fashion whenever they chant something nasty.

9:22 - I was actually just thinking, it's been a really long time since we've seen a ref bump.  And by the way, with chants like "BORING" and "YOU BOTH SUCK" and "END THIS MATCH" I hope WWE is taking note.  No other match got this reaction.

9:12 - Now I think the fans are actually hurting the cause.  They're all over the place.  Gives skeptics in the front office reason to say "they'll chant anything."

9:08 - And the "DANIEL BRYAN" chants start.

9:06 - I still get a kick out of the fact that Cena gets a new Titan Tron video every time he gets a new t-shirt.  And speaking of t-shirts, this is sorta odd timing, isn't it?  Why not wait a couple of months and just debut the new color scheme at WrestleMania?  Instead of a random Raw before Royal Rumble.

8:49 - The chairs actually physically breaking are a great visual.

8:42 - I'm a little confused as to why the match wasn't started when Lesnar make the initial attack.  Both guys were in the ring and the ref was right there.  Most of the time, when these pre-match attacks happen, it's outside the ring.

8:37 - Put me in the camp of one of the people that don't understand why one of Brock's matches is being wasted on Big Show.

8:30 - Awesome match and an incredible performance from both guys.  While this win DOES seem to indicate that Bryan could have his REAL heroic moment later in the night, I still don't agree with the booking.  I would have gone with a Bryan victory or at least a cheap ending.  In the end, Wyatt ended up winning pretty damn cleanly and decisively.

8:22 - That crabwalk thing Wyatt does is an awesome visual.  This guy does a GREAT job with his character.

8:08 - A LOT of people are saying "give the win to Bray, have Bryan win the Rumble" in order to keep both people strong.  NO!  This is one instance where they SHOULD put all of their eggs in one basket.  Wyatt is a heel and Bryan is the most over guy on the roster right now.  It's okay for him to lose.  Bryan, meanwhile, needs to be pushed as hard as possible.  Give him a loss/give him a win is the definition of 50/50 booking.  Yes, Bryan's eventual win will mean more than his first loss....but imagine how much bigger it would be if he won BOTH matches?

8:03 - Fun opening video, but the specific promotion for Batista does remind me of a few years ago when Randy Orton won....and the hype video focused almost exclusively around him.

7:59 - Daniel Bryan opening the show is an encouraging sign.  Gives him enough time to rest up before a Rumble appearance.

HOWEVER....  Daniel, please bring back your ring jackets!

7:52 - Wow, pretty surprised by that result.  Unless they're going through with a Cody vs. Goldust match at WrestleMania, I figured the Brotherhood would hold onto the titles until then.

7:48 - I love Cody, but I hate when he wears the green vest with the black/red trunks.  Also, last year Cody wore one pair of trunks for his tag team match, and another for his Rumble appearance.  Let's see if he does that again.

7:43 - Oh thank goodness.  In my LIVE Raw thoughts, I noted how lame the New Age Outlaws looked wearing the DX shirts, and that they should just wear some retro New Age Outlaws shirt instead.  And lo and behold, here they come doing that exact thing!

7:40 - Initial thoughts on the pre-show, in particular the backstage segment where various Superstars selected their numbers.  You had the Real Americans, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, the Great Khali, and......Alberto Del Rio.  Haha, how the mighty have fallen....

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Royal Rumble Thoughts & Predictions

One of my two favorite pay-per-views is tonight, the Royal Rumble.  Amazingly, if the WWE Network plays out the way I anticipate, this will actually be the VERY LAST PPV I WILL EVER ORDER!  That's kinda a crazy thought!  Anyway, here are my thoughts on the show.

In the individual matches, I say Bryan beats Wyatt, Orton retains against Cena, Brock beats Big Show, and the Brotherhood beats the New Age Outlaws.  Now, onto the Rumble itself....

We know CM Punk is #1.  I say he lasts about 40-50 minutes.  Who will be #2?  My guess is Dean Ambrose.

If Ambrose isn't #2, I predict he's one of the final four.  No matter when he enters, I predict that Big E Langston eliminates him to build up to a unification match.

As expected, Roman Reigns gets the honor of being the person to make the most eliminations.

Returning Superstars will be Sheamus, Christian, and Evan Bourne.

Surprise, non-contracted Superstars to make an appearance will be (and I haven't read any spoilers, nor do I want to know):  Jake the Snake, X-Pac, DDP, and Chris Jericho.

I predict that they're being deliberately vague about Bryan's entrance in the Rumble because, if it's a surprise, it'll get THAT much more of a reaction.  So, yes, I do think he'll be in the match.

Final four:  Batista, Bryan, Del Rio, and, I don't know, Damien Sandow.

If Bryan is not in the Rumble, swap Bryan with Big E Langston.  If Ambrose is not the #2 competitor, swap Sandow with Ambrose.

And who wins?  I'm going out on a limb and saying that Bryan wins it.  If not Bryan, Batista.

Anyway, I will be watching the show tonight....so visit the blog at 7:30 for my LIVE thoughts of the pre-show and the event itself.  Should be fun!

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Season 5 Mid-season Review

While I haven’t been reviewing The Vampire Diaries this season – due to a really hectic and time consuming new position at work – I have been watching the show each and every week.  And, overall, it’s been an interesting, yet somewhat difficult to read, season.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve really enjoyed each episode and I’m genuinely intrigued by where everything is going, but there’s something that seems, I don’t know, perhaps unfocused.  In many ways, The Vampire Diaries is smarter than a lot of other shows because they don’t drag out certain storylines.  Yet at the same time, it seems like we’ve gone through two seasons worth of stories within the first half of this season.  Stefan went from being trapped in an underwater safe, to escaping, to being held captive, to escaping, to losing his memory, to getting it restored, to murdering Silas, to having panic attacks, to overcoming his anxieties, all in ten episodes.

Continue reading "A Case of the....  The Vampire Diaries - Season 5 Mid-season Review"....

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LIVE Raw thoughts - January 20, 2014

11:11 - The crowd was overall good, and they HAVE to realize that the enthusiasm for Bryan was greater than anything else.  More than Batista.  More than Orton.  More than Cena.  More than Punk.  The go-home should not be whether Cena can take home the gold.  It should be if Bryan can overcome Wyatt, and then go on to win the Rumble.

11:05 - Briefly lost power and my TV is rebooting.  Possibly missed the end of Raw.  Last thing I saw was Cena re-entering the building.

11:02 - While WWE is thrilled that Daniel Bryan's concussion won't keep him off the Rumble card, John Cena's cold will.

11:01 - Between the Usos, Bryan, and Cena, what is with this trend of keeping towels and rags in your pocket?

10:59 - Ugh, the only thing worse than Cena showing up at 11:00 pm is the fact that he shwos up in his full gear -- including kneepads and wrist bands.  What's the harm of him dressing like a human being for once?

10:52 - Hate when Kofi wears the bandanna.  Especially when the color scheme doesn't match his tights.

10:47 - Not to sound like a fanboy, but Daniel Bryan has OWNED this audience.  It's funny hearing the commentators go on and on about the ovation Batista received, when Bryan has dwarfed him.  I also hope we get a segment -- even if it's an app exclusive -- where Bryan at least apologizes to the Usos.

10:34 - Neat variation on the Wyatt entrance.  I'm also wondering if they'll bring attention to the fact that Bryan spent the past couple weeks attacking the Usos.  Will Usos have anything about that?  Will the announcers even speculate?

10:26 - Wow, they updated John Cena's graphic with his new neon gear before he even appeared in it.  That was fast.

10:15 - Yeah, you all know how I feel about that whole "champion gets pinned to create a new #1 contender" thing.

10:11 - Oh man, the best part of Bad News Barrett is when he rises in his podium.  Backstage segments don't work!  And how many times will we see this damn match?  Call up JoJo from NXT and have him fight AJ already!

10:05 - This Brock/Big Show feud is just strange to me.  First off, they seem to be ignoring their storied history together.  Big Show was the first person to defeat Lesnar via pinfall.  And it was after Heyman turned on him.  How could you ignore THAT?  And they've fought each other since numerous times.  They've even aligned with each other since then.  And Big Show was the person who symbolically turned on Lesnar after Lesnar decided to leave WWE.  You're only getting so many matches out of Brock -- it seems like a complete waste to not even put any effort into building a story for one of them.

Additionally, why have Big Show dominate all of their confrontations?  He's the good guy.  We're supposed to want to see him get his revenge.

9:55 - Wait, this is now a Martin Luther King Edition of Monday Night Raw?  No, it's just a Raw that's on when it's Martin Luther King Day.

9:49 - Batista's outfit matches Del Rio's attire.

9:47 - There's literally nothing about Alberto Del Rio that interests me.

9:38 - Awfully rough and physical match for two guys who seem to get injured a lot lately.

9:35 - Rey Mysterio looks like he got his attire from the new John Cena neon clothing line.

9:29 - Really nice tribute to Mae Young.  She seems to be a universally loved and respected person in the industry, which is a rare thing.  I enjoy the fact that her career has spanned such a long period of time and that there was always something for her to do.  Seemed to have a genuinely close relationship with the McMahon family.

9:23 - I've always loved these By the Number Royal Rumble videos.  Always fun.

9:13 - I'll admit that I haven't caught Smackdown, but have they brought up the obvious relationship between the New Age Outlaws and Triple H yet?  Amazingly, Triple H has alliances right now with the original DX (HBK), his DX (New Age Outlaws), and Evolution (Orton and Batista).

9:05 - How lame do Billy Gunn and Road Dogg look in the DX t-shirts?  It really accentuates how old and out of place they are.  Why not wear a classic New Age Outlaws t-shirt?  Or even a t-shirt commemorating the next PPV.  I don't know....it just seems lame that they wear a t-shirt for a faction that doesn't even exist anymore.

9:02 - Kane's hair confuses me.  Almost as much as Punk's sideburns.

8:48 - Effective and satisfactory enough explanation.  My one qualm:  Daniel Bryan looked like a MASSIVE star when he had the crowd chanting in unison his catchphrase simply by raising his hands.  You truly saw how much control he has over the live audience.  It doesn't have quite the kick ass impact when he's yelling in the mic along with him.  I'm fine with Bryan going up against Wyatt at the Rumble, but he most certainly better be IN the Rumble as well.  They'd be crazy to keep him out of that.  Even if he doesn't win, it's the perfect opportunity to make an even bigger star out of him.

8:40 - I am interested in seeing how they explain themselves out of Bryan's alliance with the Wyatts.  Even if he says that he did it as a ploy, he did attack (out of the context of a wrestling match) "good" people like the Usos and Rey Mysterio.  I wonder if they'll bring attention to that or just ignore it.

8:35 - Fun match.  And despite the fact that Langston, Goldust, and Cody are all champions, I was glad to see the Shield get the win.

8:24 - I like how the members of the Shield are slowly creating their own identity.  Ambrose has ditched the vest and now wears a hoodie on the way to the ring.  Rollins now wears a long sleeved shirt.  They're all evolving as individual characters.

8:17 - Good enough opening and I did enjoy the passion from Batista, but do we need to see ANOTHER retread of Orton being in despair, blaming the Authority, only for the Authority to put him in a precarious situation that he must overcome "on his own," only to see him succeed and evidently be back in the Authority's good graces?

8:12 - I have to say, the fact that we very rarely seem to see pyro any more really did make Batista's entrance seem more epic.  However, his face looks a little bloated without the scruff/beard.  He should grow it back.

8:04 - Okay....so THIS week there's tension between Orton and the Authority.  Okay, great.  By Smackdown, we'll be back to them supporting each other.

8:01 - Last Raw before the Royal Rumble and I'm actually looking really forward to tonight's show.  Will they acknowledge Daniel Bryan's concussion?  And, plus, there's the return of Batista!  And an appearance of Brock.  A lot going on.

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Can one be "evil" without being "bad"? An examination of Walter White

I know, this is long overdue, with Breaking Bad having their spectacular finale a couple of months ago.  Based on that introduction, you could probably decipher that I loved the way the series ended.  It was nearly perfect, tying up virtually every loose end and concluding the Walter White character arc in the manner most people had wanted.  The episode was excellently written and performed to perfection.  Bravo to all involved.

However, this post isn't going to be about the finale.  It's going to be about Walter White the character.  A lot of people have pondered whether Heisenberg was the result of Walter's cancer diagnosis and financial situation, or if it was a part of Walter White that would have emerged no matter what.  To be honest, I'm not sure.  You could tell from the beginning that Walter had some repressed feelings of aggression, most notably in his early interactions with the far more outspoken Hank.  If Walter didn't end up getting cancer, would some other life crisis act as the catalyst for this personality change?  It's tough to say.

Part of the reason I believe that part of him wouldn't have come out is that he was eventually able to give up that lifestyle.  It took a long time and he definitely got hypnotized by the power and wealth, but he eventually "woke up" and was able to walk away.  The opportunities to walk back in were presented to him, and he fought it until the bitter end.  But nonetheless, Walter did a lot of bad things during his two year stint as Heisenberg.  And despite this, I'm not COMPLETELY convinced that he's "bad."  At the same time, I don't think you can deny that he's done evil things.  And so I ask, can somebody be evil without being bad?

Heading into the final season, creator Vince Gilligan repeatedly noted that Walter White had sold his soul and could not be redeemed.  And perhaps this is the fanboy speaking, but I never agreed with that sentiment.  Even Walter acknowledges that everything he did was for himself and not his family, so his motives are clearly not completely altruistic.  Yet, much of what he had done was about self preservation.  Killing Krazy-8 in season one, for example, really was all about protecting himself and his family.  When he kills the two drug dealers in season three, it's to save Jesse.  And while Gale wasn't a traditional bad guy, having him killed was the ultimate act of self preservation as he would have been in the bodybag instead.  And despite being well mannered and kinda quirky, Gale's hands were dirty nearly as much as Walt and Jesse's.  And finally, having Gus killed was necessary in order for his own survival, as things had descended to the point that one of them would end up dead.

Quite simply, Walter wasn't out there killing people for power or for money, or even for vengeance (not until the end, anyway).  Virtually every kill I can think of, with the possible exception of Mike, was out of necessity or survival.  And even with Mike -- Walt ended up genuinely apologizing when he realized that Mike's death was not necessary in his mission.  Aside from the final episode, was there any MURDER that Walter took part in that didn't need to happen in order for him to survive?  In that sense, could you blame him for his actions?

And in the case of his redemption, let's consider the following (not necessarily in chronological order):

• Walter was willing to surrender himself to the police when he realized his only recourse was to have Hank and Gomez killed.
• Walter was willing to give up his entire fortune -- everything he had earned, everything he had achieved and used to justify his actions -- in order to save Hank's life.
• Walter, on numerous occasions, had shown a level of paternal compassion for Jesse.  He went searching for him when he went on a drug binge and put him in rehab.  And perhaps most significantly, HE was the only one not willing to have Jesse killed after he learned the truth about Brock.  Saul and even Skyler encouraged Walt to have Jesse killed.  And in the end, Walt chose to save Jesse from his onslaught.
• Several supposedly "good" characters, like Skyler (and I'm not anti-Skyler) committed dirty deeds when they were presented with Walter's resources.
• And, again, Walter was willing to walk away when he finally realized he would lose his family.  And his final acts were to, in their own way, ensure the safety of his family.  No loose ends to haunt them after his own death.  And he was willing to do that without the glory or recognition -- a stark contrast to his reaction to Jr.'s collection website seasons prior.

So where does the "evil" part come in, if all of these acts are in some way justifiable by means of self preservation?  Well, it's important to remember that Walt was no saint.  At the peak of his Heisenberg-ness, he used physical intimidation with his family (mostly Skyler) and associates (typically Saul) to get what he wanted.  And self preservation or not, how could you not label a person willing to poison a young child as "evil"?  No "good" person would ever do that.  The same goes for his willingness to stand there and watch Jane die, when he could have helped her.  Again -- his well being was at risk and he did feel remorse -- but he just stood there and let an innocent somebody die.  Those two acts are the actions of an evil man.

And so I ask:  Can somebody be evil without being bad?  Or am I going easy on Walter, and he IS an un-redeemable bad man?  Where do you stand?

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Lots to look forward to on the blog!

I have a big work event on Monday that I've been prepping for over the past couple of weeks, which may be why I haven't updated the blog all too consistently during that time.  But once that is past me, I'll have time to get to the items I've wanted to discuss for quite some time.  So, over the next couple of weeks, look forward to the following blog updates:

• The results of the WWE 2013 Year-End Awards (still time to vote!)
• The Walking Dead mid-season review
• The Vampire Diaries mid-season review
• Once Upon a Time mid-season review
• Oh, and an examination on the character of Walter White!

Be sure to visit the blog next week for some of these updates!

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Barber Shop Window: Hulk Smash

Some big things have happened with Barber Shop Window since my last purchase -- most significantly, they've been purchased by Chicago-based One Hour Tees.  What does this mean?  Most beneficially, it means that their shipping methods have improved substantially, as they now claim that the shirts will be shipped within 5 business days of the purchase, with the potential for taking an extra 2-3 business days.  That's way better than their old promise that it would take 10-14 business days for your shirt to be shipped.  Since this shirt was ordered for me for Christmas, I don't know how long it actually took....but I did find there to be a big improvement.  Another benefit is that their website is much sleeker and easier to share.  For example, I ordered the Smash Hulk shirt -- and I can now direct you to the ordering page of that specific shirt (something that didn't exist on their prior website).

The other difference -- neither good nor bad, necessarily -- is that the quality of the shirts seem to be different.  The upside:  The shirt itself is nicer.  The company previously used "Anvil" t-shirts, which were rather durable but not necessarily soft (not uncomfortable, though).  They now use "Canvas" shirts, which do feel a bit softer.  The downside is the actual printing of the graphic.  One thing I liked about Barbershop Window vs. Turnbuckle Tees is that the image was silk screened right onto the shirt.  That is to say, you couldn't "feel" the image on the shirt.  Now, you can.

Nevertheless, I'm very happy with this shirt and I've already ordered another shirt from Barbershop Window.  And for those wondering, I went with the Hulk Smash shirt because I thought it was a rather charming and amusing combination of the wrestler and comic character -- and a shirt that pretty much everyone would "get" and appreciate, even if they're not wrestling/comic book fans.

Be sure to visit their new site -- they're posting new designs pretty frequently.

Barbershop Window's website 
Follow Barbershop Window on Twitter

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LIVE Old School Raw thoughts - January 6, 2014

11:13 - While it didn't necessarily make sense from a storyline perspective, I kinda love the fact that Jake Roberts got his own special entrance (and he looks great!)  And I especially loved the fact that CM Punk (of all people!) reminded Jake that they're PG now, when he saw Jake trying to stuff the snake down Ambrose's throat.  Fun ending -- hope this means Jake is going to be in the Rumble.

10:48 - Yeah, let's poke fun of Mean Gene for plugging his hotline.  For more exclusive footage, check out the WWE App!

10:38 - I don't know what it is, but I kinda love the way Wade Barrett rises from stage left -- where he must have been completely visible to everybody else on the stage -- to give his bad news.

10:18 - It just occurred to me that we live in a world where Daniel Bryan is a heel and Brie Bella is a face.

10:12 - Where in the blue hell has AJ been?  When's the last time she wrestled on Raw?  And am I ever going to get that AJ/JoJo match?

10:11 - Did Michael Cole just say "A pretty good match" is coming up on Main Event?

10:04 - Anyone else feel like Big Show would be a waste of a Brock Lesnar match?  Hell, why not just do a proper feud with Mark Henry and an actual match at Royal Rumble?  At least that would be a fresh match.

10:01 - Loved Heyman's "That arm goes up!"

9:56 - I have to say....I really hated this agreement Brock Lesnar signed.  He was never around long enough to gain any real momentum.

9:47 - Sgt. Slaugther just more offense on Damien Sandow than Dolph Ziggler has in the past couple months.

9:37 - Are Booker T and DDP in a garage or something?  What's with the random door?

9:36 - Glad to see Cody and Goldust get the win here.  They seem to be treading water with the Real Americans.  It seems like they'll randomly have the Real Americans win non-title or singles matches, but then lose the title match.  And then it'll happen again.

9:32 - So why exactly do we have to download the App if they're going to replay it on Raw?

9:23 - Unfortunately, no old school look for Goldust.  And in fact, GOLDUST of all people descended into the t-shirt entrance attire habit.

9:16 - Using an App to vote for a wrestling match nobody actually wants to see.  Just like the old days?

9:11 - I actually have no issue with Hunico taking over the role of Sin Cara full time.  I know the character has been tarnished quite a bit, but I actually like the look and idea of the Sin Cara character.  He's unique and has a good look.  If they have a guy who can pull off the role -- even if he's not the original guy -- why not use him?

Also, I hope he wins this match.  Can't stand Del Rio.

8:59 - The Shield has grown on me significantly since the summer.  What I love about them is that they're actually unique characters.  Each of them are dastardly in their own way.

8:58 - Gotta love Dean Ambrose.  He just looks like a scumbag.

8:47 - I'm guessing that they're announcing the Network.  They're using the Network logo in that announcement, after all.

8:44 - It sounds like a little thing, but I wish they brought more attention to the motivation behind keeping Kane's mask in the executive dressing room.  Is it a passive aggressive message being sent to him from Triple H and Stephanie?

8:34 - Curious booking there.  They didn't seem to hint at any intentional pot stirring from Bryan.  And they didn't put much emphasis on internal issues with the Wyatts.

8:29 - Glad that they're still referring to him as "Daniel Bryan" and not the rumored "Daniel Wyatt."  That wouldn't have made sense -- Rowan and Harper maintained their last names.

8:24 - Would've been a nice touch if Bryan wore maroon coveralls.

8:12 - I missed the first five minutes or so, so I missed the opening theme -- which upset me a bit.  I always like the old school theme and style set against the current Superstars.  But gotta say, I like the red, white, and blue ropes, the "classic" WWE logo, and the guard rails and folding tables in place of the usual sleek ringside.

We can see that John Cena is wearing jeans, going old school (although I wish he took it a step further by wearing throwback jerseys too).  I'm hoping we see Goldust in his old gear (basic pale gold and white) and simplistic gold "Crow" facepaint.

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! 14 Years in the Making...

So as indicated on my Twitter account last night, yesterday was an exciting and fortuitous day for me.  And it involved me FINALLY achieving something I had been trying to do for nearly 14 years -- getting my photo taken with one of the Rutgers Scarlet Knight mascots.  And actually, I got both of them!  Get the whole story by viewing the video below:

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You know you work in an office when....

I came across this on Facebook and damned if I'm not guilty of about 75% of these habits!  This thing is spot-on and rather hilarious, especially if you've worked in an office.  Check it out...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/things-that-inevitably-happen-when-you-work-in-an-office

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WWE 2013 Year-End Awards

It's that time of year again!

I trust everybody had a fun and safe new year, but that means that 2013 has come to a close.  Which, in turn, means that it's time for our annual WWE Year-End Awards!  Since I have a Basic account, I'll only be able to view the first 100 responses -- so please take a moment to fill this out ASAP!  Last year I sent this link to Scott Keith to post on his blog -- which he kindly did -- and the response was astronomical and as a result, I couldn't even view all of the results.  I'd like to make sure MY readers get the first crack, so get on it!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY!

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