Wrestling's 2013 Finale...why take Daniel Bryan and weaken him even more?!

The WWE has always had a thing for making us accept what they wanted the average fan to accept. Unfortunately, what they believe to be compelling television, I look at as boring, unacceptible and in some cases, downright stupid.

Case in point, Daniel Bryan's ascension to the top of the foodchain, only to be relegated back to midcard status when the fans WANT Bryan at the top of the card. There has been NO payoff to Bryan beating Randy Orton on multiple occasions, and at the same time, throwing him in with "Big Bad" Bray Wyatt and the beard committee is just deplorable to his character.

Sure, someone in the WWE will tell us that they believe this is what will finally push him over the top in popularity, because he will continue to be pushed down by the one man in the WWE with a bigger beard than his, until he finally snaps, shows off a talented array of moves and has the crowd once again chanting, "Yes Yes Yes!" but I for one think he is already there, and as such, should have been given the cart blanche and been allowed to ride it like Steve Austin did in the mid-90's.

That isn't what they wanted to give us though. They believe they know what we want, more than what we tell them we want. By this point, in the Attitude Era, Steve Austin would have looked HHH and Stephanie in their face, told them that he is the "Superstar of the Year," and when they weren't looking, blasted them both with a knockout blow, and hit them with a stunner each, for good measure. When they'd get up, he'd stomp a mud hole in them, drink a beer and give a late Christmas present of ANOTHER stunner to each. He wouldn't get looked at as a heel, he'd look like the anti-hero...the guy we never wanted, but the guy that came at the right time to instill life into a boring product.

With Bryan, he could stomp on HHH's foot, kick him in the face and the place would explode. IF HHH didn't sell the first one, he could throw him into the YES lock and really show him who was boss, especially if a crying Stephanie attempted to break the hold and couldn't get him off her husband. But no, we have to settle for him turning his back on the fans that showed him the respect his characterisation deserved, and all because the ego of Vince and his family will not allow US to dictate what WE WANT.

Sure, they hit a home run earlier in the program with the return of Brock Lesnar, except even that made a regular GOOD worker look weak to a part-timer in hopes that either Batista or the Undertaker will say that he has to get in line and have a showdown at Wrestlemania. Brock also saying that he doesn't have to win the Royal Rumble to be the #1 contender also makes the winner of the Rumble look weak in comparison. If he can just throw that out there, why can't anyone?  Seems legit.

The frustrating thing about all of this is that from Money in the Bank through SummerSlam, WWE looked like it finally understood. The rumors of Dutch Mantel and Paul Heyman writing the program seemed REAL, and seemed to push what we wanted to see, rather than force feeding us Big Show in a spot he hadn't earned in the people's eyes. By the time Survivor Series was over, we saw that go over like a fart in church, and they scrambled lost their way again.

Could I write a better program? Yeah, honestly, I could. I know they work hard, week in and week out, coming up with 6 or so hours of compelling television, but with them, they are so flippy-floppy (HHH's term) on what they are trying to accomplish, that it just leaves me yearning the days when the writers were IN SYNC with the audience, and Daniel Bryan would be not only the SuperStar of the year, but getting the respect he deserves.

removed light

The days are long, but the sun is gone.
Done are the days of bright hot light
The drive and determination to push on,
leaving with every exhaling breath.
Nights used to extend into morning
with hope for tomorrow.
No rays touching more than face
Loss of heat touching the chest
Only burn after it has left
It shines where it always has
leaving me to bask in darkness.

COMIC INCONSISTENCIES: The role of the "REGULAR ARTIST" on titles and my issue with this...

As a comic book reader, I have a trust and a faith in certain artists and certain writers to put out good books on a regular basis, and I am very partial to specific artists that I will pick up anything they work on. What my problem is with this is simple, companies like Marvel Comics will tell you that certain artists are the "NEW REGULAR ARTIST" on a title, when in fact, they'll be on the book for 3-6 issues, and then someone else will be on it.

Here are a few instances recently that have really irked me.

Marc Silvestri was announced as the new HULK artist when Indestructible Hulk started, along with writer, Jason Aaron. In this situation, it was noted that Marc was leaving the title after a family matter prevented him from being able to complete his six issue run. Six issues. Half a year. I'm not mad at Silvestri for having family problems that prevented the completion, but shouldn't he have come back for a few issues afterwords just really be the "regular artist?"

Joe Madureira has TWO  instances on this list, with his Spider-man story last year, which then went on to become rotating artists and a team up book of sorts. The second, is his "new regular artist" on Savage Wolverine, which we now see to be 3-4 issues, and I'm sure his "run" on Inhuman will be nothing more than 3 issues and a bunch of future covers, as they let someone like Andrea DiVito take over after because of his strong line work.

Steve McNiven, probably my favorite artist out there today, had the same thing happen when he was the "regular artist" on Ed Brubaker's restart of Captain America, and how long did that last? 4 Issues? Maybe 6?
He then followed this up with a run of 2.5 issues of Guardians of the Galaxy (okay, 3.5, he did the preview issue, too).He was the REGULAR artist on these titles, and didn't make it a year on them.

I understand that their art takes longer to produce, but what happened to where artists would be able to complete 10 issues a year? These artists don't even produce as many pages, since most books are down to 20 pages now, and they typically have 3-4 splash pages in each, which yes, take a little longer to compose, but it's less work than the 19 panels that used to go into Chris Claremont scripts.

Is it fair that Ivan Reis, Brett Booth, Ryan Stegman, or any number of other guys produce quality work month in and month out, but they have to put out the regular work because they don't have the same name recognition?

I am already worried that DC Comics, who has not typically had this problem, like with Greg Capullo just signing a contract that let's him, "Draw Batman as long as I want to," will begin doing this as well, because I'm afraid that Jim Lee's commitments as publisher will prevent him from finishing 12 issues of Superman Unchained, the final page of issue two looks less like Lee, and more like Carlos D'anda with the Lex Luthor computer looking like the only piece drawn by Lee.

So here's my argument: They aren't REGULAR artists if they are getting a #1 issue out to drive sales and leaving by issue 4. It is cheating the reader, unless you rotate like Amazing Spider-man did, by keeping the quantity AND quality up with the artists you have on it. But that's a regular TEAM of artists, not one guy. I'm okay with that, but it bugs me that these guys can barely get three issues done before they either move them to something else, or they only do a quick snapshot story, which should be a MINISERIES, NOT an ongoing that we believe they are long hauling it.

576- Still not quite myself

My life over the last three months has been a rollercoaster, and not one that people pay admission to ride. I have found out things about my job that make it more difficult to concentrate, I have dealt with a now nonexistent would be relationship, and I've gone through the holidays, and subsequent really slow ass time at work.

I find myself in a rut. Not one that will get me in trouble like my divorce (you know, two duis, a lot of debt, and trust issues), but still one that makes me wonder, if and when, I'll finally be able to just go out, enjoy myself, and maybe meet someone that is interesting and beautiful to me.

Right now, however, what I want is someone of the opposite sex I can be emotional around, because I am unable to express my true feelings and emotions around most of my guy friends, and for that matter, the women, too.

I've been watching a show called THE GLADES, where a transplanted detective takes cases in his work life, while he works on a relationship with a mother who is married to a guy in jail. It had parallels to how I feel with a lot of things, but mainly, people really seem to hold on too long, cause themselves misery, and I've noticed in North Carolina, LIVE with each other, to where they wouldn't find something better if it bit them in the ass.

It amazes me that cheating runs as wild as it does, as it has to happen somewhere, and people these days are too cheap for hotel rooms.

I don't think I'm going to find that complimentary to my life person that I would like, and it is amazing that Katherine wanted a relationship of any kind with me when we fought about whatever the hell it was that we were...

Still, part of me misses it.  Why? Pretty simple. Somebody wanted something to do with me, versus the alternative...nobody wanting me.

I believe anyone actually reading this must feel that I'm really depressed...I just think I'm bored with my norm, bored with here, and unable, OR unwilling to change it because what I'm used to is so comfortable.

Hmm, may've just hit a nail into the board there...and with that, I'm reverting back to sleep...snow on the ground, I may have to walk to work tomorrow.

575 - ln Comic book terms

This is an anniversary blog. A big number. With a comic book, this installment would be double sized to show its importance, while also beginning or ending a specific chapter in the hero's life. Man, too bad this isn't a comic book, huh?

I wrote an installment earlier this evening, and then a friend came up and told me they had read my blog recently. She then told me I had multiple grammatical errors in it, which isn't surprising, as I write it on a tablet, and that leads me to believe I misspell, mistype and misappropriate a lot, because I am thinking faster than I am typing, and unlike in earlier "episodes," I now find myself just moving on too the next thought and not fixing the errors.

My life is filled with highs and lows and not many moments of the middle 'happy place' spot. I'm not sure why, I won't speculate on that, but I know it is one or the other, and rarely somewhere between.

I am not sure where I am in my life at the moment, but my recent lapse of where I had been to where I am now makes me a little more confused.

I feel as though I have lost something, and not even something important, but something nonetheless, and that is worrisome. I'm really hoping over the next month or so, many more of these writings will be followups to what o had been reading, but I'd rather write and produce than just think something is happening out of nothing.

I need to begin going after things I want, rather than just tell you I'm going to try, and then leave it alone, until then, I will settle for background signs.

574 - Feel emotion

The past week has been a game of two very like personalities attempting to see what the other person wanted, while wanting to maintain the control of the situation, or relationship.

I have seen enabling behavior, and even lived through it with my ex wife, only to come out knowing it wasn't what I ever wanted to be part of again, nor that it was fair to either person. My ex wife didn't deserve me enabling her drinking, but she didn't explain to me she felt it was a problem until the day she left...subsequently, she decided to blame me for it, which in turn wasn't fair to me, and wrecked probably the next four years of my life, as I still attempt to figure out how to get myself off the floor, rebuild more than my work life and feel 100% comfortable in my own skin.

Tonight, I want to be able to show my emotion to another human being, but I'm very protective of who I show that to, for fear that my built wall will look like nothing more than cardboard,when I need it to look rock solid. Unfortunately, I only have about three people I explain my life to AND show emotion, and none of them are close enough to where I can hang out with them and open up.

My problem with protecting myself probably also prevents me from myself, but that's a different story for a different night.

Sad, knowing it's the wrong decision is the only reason I don't dial my phone to Katherine's number. It isn't just a game, it's truly the knowing it's wrong for both parties that prevents me from doing it. Thinking with my head instead of my hurting heart.

Part of me also wonders if jotting this all down on a fully open blog to anyone wishing to read it is the smart decision, but I am the type that always needs his point heard, even if I don't think anyone is listening. If you do check this out, feel free to offer opinions, by the way, though as most people with similar personalities, I typically do not do well with advice, ha.

573: If I did the right thing, why do I feel down?

I don't know if anyone else has ever known the outcome of an enabling relationship before the relationship begins, but I saw it coming, and it scared the bejeezus out of me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I want something real with someone, and that I've been in what I thought was good, Burt couldn't see the signs that it was smoke and mirrors. I've grown up since then, and I've learned to better understand people.

It isn't always a good thing to understand manipulation, emotional intelligence and when games are being played, because it prevents a lot of learning experiences before they can happen. It's "futurtist" thinking, if anything, which means you play out the outcomes before you really let it play out for real.

The best offense is a good defense, and I guess the vice versa also applies, but in this situation, you don't get hurt if you look for the reasons to not want it...

So anyway, I know I'm thinking this as a "why do I feel bad," and I think we know the answer...I'm lonely. I explained why she wasn't good for me a few days ago, but I let her make the decision so she'd keep her distance from me.

I discussed it with a friend of mine last night, and he said, 'you know she's going to start talking to you again at some point,' because the conversation turned to manipulation and CONTROL. He told me that she mentioned she had been asked out because she wanted to control me into making a decision to be in a relationship with her, which we all alreready know, was going through my head. Now granted, maybe at some point, it wouldn't be two people enabling each other, when she realizes her attempts to manipulate me were because she NEEDS to feel in control.

I also know why I miss her, it isn't 100% because I gave her control to end things, it also has a lot to do with me enjoying feeling attractive to an attractive 23 year old, and for a while, having no judgement placed upon me for my past and current digressions. What can I say, it doesn't take a lot to make me feel like there might be something.

It's a little later now, I don't feel where I did, but I'm still wondering why I'm even slightly upset about it.

Apparently something has been said to her friend, because I was totally being avoided when I saw her. Wonder what she said about me, now, too...

Hmmm....

572 - Ending Something the Only way i know how

Tonight, at 6:05pm, I received a text message that asked "are you not talking to me, now?" And I thought about leaving it without an answer, but something in me needed more here...and I got it, closure (for now) in a situation that when good was a lot of fun, but when bad, went straight to batshit crazy...

She continued to tell me that it was apparent I had made my mind up about what I wanted, or in her mind, what I didn't want.

I began to ask, "what do you want from me?" And continued to receive the same answer, that we should stop talking.

I tried to explain to her how I asked for space, and she wouldn't give me any, as she continued to "check in" on me, which kind of defeats the purpose.  Sometimes a person needs more than 24 hours to get their mind around what they want.

She then told me I bring out the worst in her, and told me I shouldn't want to be with her, reminding me that someone else had asked her out.

--

I'm going to cut this short, because it went on for four hours of text messages, but the gist of it was this.

I asked what she wanted, and she continued to tell me what *I* shouldn't want (which was her), to which I finally said to her, if you want to be done with me, that's on you, not the other way around. If it is what you want, I will respect your wishes.

She told me she would remove me from her Facebook, and she wouldn't text or "try" to hang out at my local spot.

She called me cold, she told me she couldn't believe I would demand she tell me what she wanted, but in turn she never did.

I let her be the one to end it, not to feel like the broken up guy, but because if it is someone else's decision, it typically holds up longer, and some times forever.

I'll miss the 23year old firecracker, but I won't miss feeling like I had been taken advantage of, or being blamed for things that were out of my control. 

She manipulated me into a no win situation, which she still doesn't grasp, and wanted me to accept blame for my role in it, which I simply can not do.

I knew if I told her I didn't want to see her again, she would come back and ask why and there would be drama, so I took one for the teams, since she had already called my character into question, she'll believe I was really an asshole, rather than feel I gave her an exit to help her, a final, selfless act here...

Kinda fucked up, I know.

571 - Me, who I am, and how I have to end a very implosive situation.

(This is a graphic story, so if you are easily disturbed, stop reading...)
I've written on here about a specific person, how I felt about them, and how confused I was about a lot of it, but something happened recently that I'm not happy with, as it called my character into question.

I have been texting, hanging out and enjoying the company of someone for a while, and then while both of us were intoxicated, we took things to a different level. It was two adults, and while I repeatedly said I'd prefer to take things slower, I was being asked, "don't you want me?" and "why would you pass this up, you have a horny girl ready to do anything you want...annnything...?" And then the next day, I was told they felt the goings on of the night before were something they needed to wrap their head around, and wanted time and space. I told her to take all the time and space she wanted, but I was here to talk and discuss when she was ready.

A day later, a poke on facebook, etc, I get a text message from her that pretty much made it seem like the whole thing was blown over and we were cool.  Those nice little texts turned into "but you should have known better..." texts and I was done with it.

We saw each other, talked it out and I thought everything was fine. Misunderstandings aside, I enjoyed the conversations I had with her, and was hoping we could get back to some normalcy, and slow down the buildup.

Then the 19th of December happened. She called me while I was having an early birthday party and she asked if she could hang out and come stay with me. I said, "Sure, we're having a good time with a bunch of people, come on out, we'll have fun." 

When she showed up, she told me she had already begun drinking, and wanted to know if she could stay with me. She didn't sound drunk at the time, so I said, "sure, you can stay over..." She ordered a bottle of wine and before I knew it, seemed legitimately hammered.She began aggressively making out with me, saying things like, "I really like you and want you right now," etc, but I was letting it go because I wanted her to be okay. It was time to go home. At this point, I pretty much had to fight her to not get in a car to drive, but she calmed down, we got her to my place and she grabbed me.

At this point, she started up with the "don't you want me? You can do anything you want to me..." stuff, and I told her, we both had to go to work, and I wanted to go to sleep. Her aggression turned up, she came at me with, "If you don't, I'll leave! I'll walk to my car and drive home. Is that what you want?"  I haven't ever seen that kind of ferocity in a person, and after multiple "I don't think this is a good idea" statements, I did what most guys do at that point, I thought with my dick.  Midway through, I stopped. It wasn't what I wanted, so I stopped. And she continued with, "Don't you want to fuck me? Do you not like me? What is it? You can do anything you want to me...don't you want to fuck me?" And she grabbed my stuff in her hand and began to give me head. I finally told her I was too tired and wanted to sleep, whatever I could to stop.

Did I want it, sure. Did I want it under those circumstances? It felt surreal, and being a "nice guy," it was too much at the time, and now, I'm even more bothered by it.

After this second instance, she was late for work, as we had to get her a cab to get her car, and she was violently apologizing for her behavior, when she then texted, "did we have sex?" I told her that she was very demanding and not in the mood to listen to me say, "No," so after about the 6th or 7th time, we did. She said she felt used, and wanted time away from me.  I once again said, "take all the time you need, but I'm sorry you feel that way."

What she didn't realize was what her words, "I feel like I was used" meant to me.  To me, it had meant that my character, my self, who I am, was called into question.

Two days later she showed up to my work, on my birthday, and told me I was being rude when I didn't feel well, had just worked 22 hours in two days and said I was going home.

She began texting me and asking if she could come over. I told her I had to be at work at 7am, and I was just going home and it wasn't a good idea.

For the next two days, I was short in my responses to her because she still didn't get what she said, how she said it or what it REALLY meant. So on Christmas, she told me she got the point, and that since I was just being short about everything, she would leave me alone...so I finally called her out on it.

"You called my character into question and were one word away from making this situation much worse. You made me feel like an ass when you demanded I do it. And you didn't apologize. I want time away from this to digest it..."

To me, time is something that isn't minutes or a two day layoff, this is something I really wanted to think about.

Last night, I got told, "You wanted time, but it's been more like 2 weeks, not two days." She then proceeded to tell me to figure out what I wanted, which is funny, because she stated that she had been asked out by someone else, and had felt that based on things said between us, that *I* had already made up my opinion here and she was "taking the hint."

I told her to enjoy herself with the other person, but what did she want from me? I was done with it. I don't need to hear, "I really enjoy our conversations, and you are a great friend, but..." bullshit. You are telling me that I wasn't a good friend ten seconds before, but you want me around? 

I'm getting too old for this shit.

567: Confusion sets in...

So last night, while texting with Katherine, she told me that we had entered the friend zone. That dreaded place where you can never get out of it, and you can never be more...but it wasn't true to me, and she said it was my actions that placed her in my friend zone. She stated that every time she put herself out there, I would shoot it down, and this was not the case.

I'm a pretty sensitive guy, for being the egotistical asshole I am, but when I like someone, I normally try to move at an old-fashioned pace to make sure things are more right...unfortunately, I'm in a digital age, so that isn't always an accepted brand anymore.

So, with both of us receiving what we felt were mixed signals, she fold me I needed to figure out what I wanted, because she thought I was either wanting too much, or not enough, and my overactive mental state when it comes to things like this (ie, why I write a blog about what I'm thinking) had me all sorts of confused.

She told me that she always cared and she was always the one that ended up hurt. I think this is because lines and boundaries were not drawn, or explained.

"you dont want to be only friends, you dont want a relationship so what does that mean... u dont want me to date other people you dont care if i do date other people... you want to what? you dont want to what? you cant put me in limbo land like that"

She told me to think about it and then kinda stopped chatting with me. I felt she was telling me she wanted me to really ponder what I wanted from her/us, and what's really awkward, is she didn't say what she wanted, only that I shouldn't go to her until I knew what I wanted....

Then, about 830pm, she text me a frown face and when I asked why, she wrote "because I hadn't heard from you all day" and so,etching else.   So I wrote this (paraphrasing here):

I really like you. But I don't think it would be fair to jump into a full blown relationship with you because we haven't even gone on a real date. So I'd like to take you out, feel it out and see if it is something we both want to pursue.

I then told her that at this point, I'd like to hear how she feels and by asking it, I would do whatever I could to not upset her or hurt her if she was just honest with me about it.

Her answers after that got kinda shortened and she even stated, 'someone else just asked if I wanted to do something, so let me figure it out and I'll get back to you...an hour and a half later she tells me she got into a conversation on with her roommate, and then told me she didn't want to come over.

Its frustrating because I gave her the truth, as ND I got nothing in return...I wish she were a bit more straightforward sometimes, because it would be easier to not get frustrated....

Oh well, its time for bed...

I just reread my last post...

Twice this week, I have felt like that post. This time, part of me thinks it's over, something else leads me to wonder whether or not it really is THAT far...

My problem is I like someone. I have been 100% honest with her, and on more than one occasion I have been asked, "tell me something that I don't know about you."...in fact, I believe I'm up to the fourth time that question has been asked, and under each circumstance, I've made sure that each of those moments I talk about are relevant about me...my DUIs, my marriage, my dad from his stroke. All things that lead me to be the person I am, and the strength that defines me.

I met her about a month ago, when my buddy Mike introduced us during a Notre dame football game. I enjoyed her company, but she ducked out before we could exchange numbers. I used my coy detective skills to figure out how to reach her, and before I knew it, we were texting constantly.

We don't get to hang out a lot, and while some questions asked have been about where to go, we just continued chatting, and seeing each other sporadically when we could.

We hung out a couple nights ago, she watched as I sang karaoke, and she told me her favorite band is a band that I have a big fondness for, Sister Hazel. Anyway, I sang some of their music and went back to hang. I walked her to her vehicle went through just listening to her discuss her things she wanted to discuss. She asked me what my Thursday plans were, and I told her I didnt have any and we made plans to hang out over the next few days. The next day, it all went awry.

To be continued...

565: That numb feeling...

It's nice when that thing in your chest beats in a way that it hasn't in a long while, but you know it's only temporary. You feel a little more powerful, and then downright drained. Your face shows a little more hope, and then more despair.

I guess that's the lesson learned this morning, though interestingly enough, more rested than usual, as the sleep was better after last night.

I don't feel like going into the details, as I so often go, because I don't know what to make of it in the first place. A fling, a fleeting moment in time, a blip on the radar.

Life is about how long we are here, what we accomplish, and how we change others.

I find broken things and try to fix them, and unfortunately, sometimes, they don't want to be fixed. Maybe my heart is too big for trying, maybe I'm too selfish to just let it slide, I don't know.

I don't know what IT was this time, because there was no definition. It was good, fresh, fun...and then, last night, I think it was done. Maybe I'm wrong this time, as recently I have been proven, but I don't know, I almost feel like someone holding a giant bird...while it likes where it is, it stays put, eats the food and looks happy, but then it remembers it can fly.

564: Notre Dame's Resurgence into the Lore of College Football

So those that know me, know that my XboxLive and Nintendo ID are both PotsyBlueNGold, as I am a diehard Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan when it comes to college football. As we roll into the final week of the college football "regular season," Notre Dame finds themselves in a precarious spot, on top of the BCS standings after beginning the year unranked.

It wasn't easy, but the chips fell into place, the "Luck of the Irish" ran itself rampant, and the Irish have one more "trap" game before what is seemingly destiny.

Led by seniors Manti T'eo, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Zeke Motta and Tyler Eifert, this team, and these players saw the school rise from a dismal 3-9 season (each were being recruited at that time), to what is now a miracle in the making, 11-0.  T'eo, originally a USC commit, pulled an eleventh hour switch, committing to Notre Dame, after admitting he'd never been so cold in his life while visiting (he is Hawaiian, after all). As these players watched the "strategic advantage" of Charlie Weis fail, they all saw something on the horizon, with Brian Kelly taking the reigns three years ago, after a 6-6 Irish chose not to go bowling.

While part of me wonders what would have happened had Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate stayed for a year under Kelly, it is now apparent, the team didn't need them, even though we may have wanted them back.

This year, it started differently. In Ireland, an "away" game for the Fighting Irish, they demolished Navy, showing that the triple option was not going to be something to slow them down. We all thought Notre Dame's front seven on Defense were going to be good, but what about the young and inexperienced secondary? With their best corner out for the season, the freshman phenom Tee Shepard leaving the team for undisclosed reasons, and a bunch of guys that had played running back in highschool in the secondary, Notre Dame looked to have a serious chink in their defensive armor, but, in light of all that, it hasn't been.

It's a good day to be a fan for Notre Dame, a great day to be a fan of Manti T'eo, and it isn't just now, the future looks bright, as the recruitng class is currently ranked #2 in the country. While I'll miss the players we lose, I look forward to watching "the next man in," that BK has brought to ND.

Notre Dame is tied for the best defense in the country in points allowed, 111 in 11 games, and you have to look back to the early 80's to see a defense put together that well.

Other teams are good, but here in lies the question, why do people stil put Alabama over Notre Dame in their coaches polls. Okay, Nick Saban, I am looking at you, and that one other coach that decided that your team is still better than the Irish. Georgia, you did it, too, and you have your toughest game still ahead, but don't they all? Notre Dame faces the ultimate TRAP, a Matt Barkley-less USC Trojans that want to play spoiler after their season was derailed in what was deemed early on as "their year."  They have no championship to play for, so this IS their championship. Alabama and Georgia still have to play each other after games that don't matter for the SEC, but I digress.

Notre Dame has faced 4 teams in the top-25 this year, and beaten them. Michigan State was #10, Michigan was #18, Stanford was #17 and Oklahoma was #8, and they have faced NO FCS teams, unlike ALL of their top 5 rivals.

I am a homer, I follow my team. Unlike the fairweathers that have jumped on the bandwagon during this great year, I have watched as they were at their worst, I have followed as I thought they'd improve

havent been here in a while

So normally when you see a post title like that, its an admission of guilt and a promise of more posts to come. This is neither, as I don't know the next time I'll boost, and at the same time, have been crazy busy, but should have posed on more occasions.

Notre Dame football is in a highlight filled year, where every bit of Irish luck them get is deserved for all the bad coaches, and worse fan support over the past twenty years.  While I don't see them going to the Championship game unless someone slips up something fierce, this is the best team they have placed on the field that I've seen since 2006, and that TEAM was all on paper and not in the head.

Brian Kelly, the head coach, has gotten this team to believe that no matter the score or the predicament the team finds themselves in, they will find a way to win.

At 9-0, I am a happy camper and have even found a way to sit and watch every game this years while working all but two Saturdays.

South Bend looks to finally be back when it comes to collage football, and this longstanding fan couldn't be happier.

A Real Key to the Castle.

I have discussed feelings on here before, breaking down every emotion I have felt through specific moments of my life, and yet, I do not typically speak on how I feel as a mid thirties man without a driver's license, with no girlfriend, no real attachments, and only my family, friends and job keeping me from having nothing.

I like certain things about my life. I enjoy being able to do what I want when I want to, and without having to explain my actions, unless someone asks. I was once told I lived like a rock star, and I guess after two DUIs, I really have. Unfortunately for me, I do not have the entourage nor the bank account of said rock stars, so I a, unable to live like they do without a steep price to pay, to which I would state I have. I love my dogs, I enjoy weekly get to gatherings with my family, and like where things have been going with my employer...

However, I feel as though I'm wasting away without someone by my side. Granted, my tastes are too high for me, but I want what I want, right? I'm going to break down how I feel at this moment in time, because it's probably the most REAL me.

I am not a happy person. I can almost never remain happy, and like most that feel this way, I end up taking things for granted when I should be showing patience and displaying gratitude for things I have.

I feel lost at this moment in my life without a real direction, besides a career path that feels as though its dwindling as I attempt to move up in what seems to be a shrinking body of water.

I find myself unable to hold a conversation with an attractive person until just before they pick themselves up to leave, and feel lost when trying to make eye contact, small talk and buildup.  I don't know why, as I'm smart, quick with wit and typically am fun to be around. I fit with everyone, while fitting with no one.

I wish to find that right soul to help me grow, and I long for someone to make me happy, and me returning the feeling, not the favor.

I want to feel something real, because it feels like I have gone too long without it, but I don't want to settle...I want it to be perfect.

561: Dark Knight Rises REVIEW...SPOILER WARNING

Not many movies inspire me to want to write a review, and almost never 40 minutes before the movie launches worldwide. Dark Knight Rises is one of those rare occassions where I need to speak my mind on what I just saw, and help you make the decision to want to see it.

For lack of a better term, Rises is a masterpiece. Nolan's latest work feels very familiar, while still something new and the  scope feels that much larger.  Ultimately, this is the swan song, and a tip of the hat to those willing to invest as much time in watching as they have. As always, his characterisation is still the centerpiece to this. It isn't that it's Batman, it's that even after an 8 year absence (ala Dark Knight Returns), Bruce Wayne is still the mask, which we get reminded of multiple times throughout the movie, and he is removed from the normal world.

Anne Hathaway pays homage to previous Catwomen, and probably gets away with being the first Catwoman EVER to not have a scene with a living feline. As well, it wasn't necessary, as you understand her role from the previews, but it's expanded well enough, but there are a couple flaws... Does she use a neurotoxin to make people fall for her, or do we just believe she makes men fall madly in love with her? Does she actually put them under a spell?

The returning cast members all put on a showcase of talent, and look to be attempting to one up each other and their previous performances with Bale's BATMAN being the one one left looking weak. Morgan Freeman takes on a pretty large backseat, Gary Oldman continues where he left off, and Michael Caine is absolutely phenomenal. Marion Cotillard as the lovely and saving grace, Miranda Tate is a lovely addition, and Tom Hardy is distinctly in charge as Bane. The previously underdone voice of Bane seems freakishly OVERdone in the movie, and feels it needs to be toned back a smidge. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is probably the most surprising addition to the film, and the everyman with a touch of hope still in his eyes as Gotham begins to fall around everyone...pretty literally. There is also a cameo from a former character once again that just adds to Gotham, though you can't help but wonder if this would have been the role that Heath Ledger somehow would have played, had he not passed on.

(THE SPOILERS REALLY START HERE)
As with the every man falling for Catwoman, one plot point bugs me pretty intensely.  Batman hasn't been seen since that fateful day that Harvey Dent was "awakened" by the Joker, and neither has Bruce Wayne. The household help believes he is disfigured like the Hunchback from Notre Dame, or worse. So, how is it that no one notices that Gotham's prodigal son shows his face showing up at a charity event (which leads to him looking like a pompous ass), and later in the same evening, Batman is seen on every major news network?  Could it possibly be they are the same person?  I guess we aren't the only ones that notice, right?  Not exactly, but kind of.

Gordon-Levitt probably delivers one of, if not his best performance here, but he goes mixing his accents, or they just don't hold up. Some scenes he sounds like a New Yorker, in other scenes, he just speaks his lines, but you never lose the sense of his character, his heart, or that he still has a glimmer of hope.

You can't review this movie without asking if it is better than the first or second in the franchise, but it is't meant to be better, it is meant to be a conclusion. I won't spoil the twists at the end, or even the moment that looked like it was added in a way that makes a character's involvement more clear for new viewers who don't know any of the lore to Batman without using a name that is obvious.

In fact, it's interesting that two characters have names that are different than what they are known throughout the movie as, and one is made really easy to see, and the other isn't made simpler for new viewers, but I disgress...

Christopher Nolan has crafted the perfect endpiece to his trilogy, satisfying in almost every way, and the pacing of the film does not feel like two hours and forty six minutes, and he uses filmmaking tools that he utlized in movies like Memento and the end feels eerily similar to Inception, while still nodding to comic fans everywhere.

I give this a 4.5 / 5 Bat Symbols because it seems it will require multiple viewings to fully grab everything, and see his filmmaking Easter Eggs, but it is marvelous and spectacular. Nolan has proven he is a master of his craft, and while his filmmaking is often imitated, like Quentin Tarantino, he still deserves the title of the best director of the last 10 years.

Luke Plunkett is an idiot.

The opinion written in this blog is of MY own, and not the company I represent, or anyone else.

Alright, many of you probably don't know who this person is, but he has gotten under my skin with a recent article from kotaku.com (http://kotaku.com/5909105/stop-preordering-video-games-please?tag=gamestop) about the way to help fight back against the video game industry, and their business practices. This gentleman obviously does not like GameStop (full disclosure, My employer), however, he goes a step farther, in blasting them and THEIR practices about requesting customers preorder games, and stopping the insanity of the bonuses people receive by doing so. He also states that "many" titles have gone over the 1 million preorder mark. 

In an industry where the consumer is increasingly NOT going to somewhere to speak to a person, and is trying to avoid social interaction with the likes of Amazon, GameStop has been a company where they have done everything in their power to drive people back to the stores.

Just using raw information (and available data on the internet, nothing insider about this), GameStop sells downloadable content MORE than the manufacturer of the product (Sony, Microsoft, etc).

GameStop does not ask for exclusives on the titles coming out, the publishers GO TO THEM....know why? Because GameStop sells MORE of their games than anyone else. Sure, sometimes, the developer wants someone to BUY the incentive (Robin from Bestbuy for Arkham City), and GameStop turns down the offer, and takes a simpler option, but exclusives are not going anywhere if you stop preordering, they will just become MORE RARE...MORE COLLECTIBLE...and cost the consumer MORE MONEY...you know, like the Golden Lancer that was given away at GameStop for Preordering Gears of War 2.

Exclusives make you go somewhere...look at specialty retailers in any field. Certain movies are only available on Blu-Ray from BestBuy...so you HAVE to buy it there. Comic books have variant covers ONLY available at Comic Shops so that you support the direct market, and not buy them somewhere else, and video games have it to make you want to buy it sooner, SO THE PUBLISHER PRINTS ENOUGH...remember Dead Island last year and how hard it was to find.

Here are some facts...

only 8 titles EVER have been 1 million or more presells before 2012, with Halo 3 being the first, and the most recent being Modern Warfare 3 (again, no data is being used from 2012)

Publishers offer the bonuses as a way to appease the retailer, but the retailers in question all PAY for the incentives (normally between $4-6 each pass)

Retailers order based on what is preordered (math here: if you have 10 preorders on Madden, you will only get 15 copies with a 150% order vs. reserve, thus decreasing stock, restock, and overall sales in an already struggling industry. Most games would not have a 150% OvR, either, for untested titles, ie Dead Island, there may have been a 110%, meaning no extra copies and out of stocks A LOT...remember SKYLANDERS last year?)

As much as websites like Kotaku BASH GameStop particularly, their customer service scores, based on an outside firm doing the research, is about 10% over the CORPORATE WORLD AVERAGE in making people enjoy their time in the store, and recommending to others.

Here's y problem with this person. He just wants someone or something to be angry with, and probably because he wasn't going to buy TWO copies of a game to get both golden weapons. Face the cold hard truth here...consumers ALLOWED microtransactions to be a success, and therefore, it's here to stay. Call of Duty Elite sold more than 4 million subscriptions for something MOST would claim consumers should have been given for free (and in previous generations WOULD HAVE BEEN).

Luke, WE as gamers ALLOWED the business to change, and it's fluid. It will not go back to where it was, it can't. That doesn't exist anymore. Preordering allows you to get what you want from where you want. If you change your mind, get your money back...it IS that simple.

Quit blaming a retailer for changing with the time, and start blaming yourself.

559 - A lot of corporate reading today...

So those that do not know, I was promoted at my day job about two weeks ago, and here's the interesting thing of note: There was no pay increase for the position and title increase. However, a lot of people are wondering why I would take the step if I'm not to be compensated for it, and it's simple enough; I already DO the job, so I may as well accept a role increase and the end to justify the means.

Anyway, that's not what this post is going to be about, as it is actually because I've been doing some reading about the business, and a firm competitor, Best Buy, and how after a month of their CEO resigning, they still have yet to name a new one, and the business for them looks pretty bleak. Apparently a sexual scandal and using corporate assets to allow it to continue were just the tip of the iceberg.

So, I've read a lot that people don't like my company's trade policies (I will not name them by name, but those who know me, already know WHERE I work), but it's because they don't understand BUSINESS and how that obviously works.

When you trade in your old car, do you get BLUE BOOK value for it? Of Course not, because that's what the dealer is hoping to get for it. You'll get about 30% of what your car is worth MAXIMUM, and then the car will be sold for that value.  Our trade values are very similar, yet people complain that we sell them close to the new game pricing...OF COURSE WE DO...it's supply versus demand, not a consignment shop. We sell for what we know we can, and we buy to earn a profit. Sounds simple enough.

If you don't like it, don't bitch and moan about it, do one of two things...

1) don't trade in, and waste your own time and resources trying to do it yourself

or

2) Buy stock in the company, so that YOU earn based on when WE earn...that's smart business strategy.

I thought I was going to have wittier things to discuss, here, but I'm kinda spent.

558: Kayfabe #3: Rock vs. Cena 2/27/2012

So okay,  this past Monday night, John Cena came out during the Rock's return to Monday Night RAW, and I was a little aggitated by this. "The Great One" was in the middle of a promo, hyping the only way he knows how to hype, but I will be the first to admit, this was not one of his classic vignettes, nor a classic LIVE BABY LIVE promo. In fact, after his statements of, "some people taking too literally" and "do you think Stone Cold Steve Austin ever fought for me?!" pieces, it felt a little flat. The People's Champ didn't have his A game, and after Jericho and Punk flubbed a bit through arguably the best promo of 2012 on the same night, John Cena came down and broke Kayfabe.

He told the world in a quick jab that he didn't have to keep his bullet points on his arm, and he could keep them in his head, but the Rock, who probably had gotten off a plane only 2 hours earlier (in this case, just like Cena from Daytona), apparently hates the fans because he wants to stay on topic.

Did the Rock have 4 phrases written on his arm? Yes. Why? For the same reason wrestlers like Ric Flair keep a blade under their wrist tape, because it's to stay on point with what's called for in the match.  Here's where the problem with this lies...

John Cena is jealous of the reaction the Rock gets. He's so jealous that the Rock doesn't have to wrestle a match for a year and still gets hyped a ton more than him. He's jealous that He gets top billing, and I'm sure if they both went to the same restaurant, Rocky gets in first.

Rock had four things written on his wrist. They weren't paragraphs, they were bulletpoints. "This is what will keep the hype moving towards the BIGGEST WRESTLEMANIA OF ALL TIME!"  Just like spots in a wrestling match, these two will continue to jab at each other.

Cena came out, tried to steal the spotlight, and ended up taking the Rock off his game. Yes, it was true. He jibber jabbered at the end, until he finally regained his composure...but here was the problem. He didn't come across as the guy who didn't love the business. He came across as the guy that John Cena just punked to make himself look better. There was no arrogance in the Rock. His goosebumps were real. It was the FIRST time EVER he had been in front of a Portland crowd...the WWF never went there the entire time he was with them. And John Cena took away from that moment.

If this was a debate, Cena came across as a bully and an ass, and the Rock looked like he had his opponent break the rules, something you aren't supposed to do.

This reminded me of when HBK vs Hulk Hogan was happening. Hogan was supposed to be putting Michaels over, and when it didn't happen, Michaels came out the next night and said something like, "Notice who's here tonight and who isn't?  Notice who is still here to entertain you, and who isn't?" John Cena...you are NO HBK...you sir, are saying you are there every night, and I'm saying... maybe you should take some time off and LET the spotlight be shined on someone else.

Since his return, the Rock has talked about you, and the Miz. He's had moments with both. If he wasn't trying to elevate the other talent, he wouldn't even have then in the same ring with him.

When was the last time the Undertaker elevated another talent? ...and he never left, right? Except Rock has actually wrestled one more match than Taker since Mania...believe that, playa.

Kayfabe Blog 2: Gimmicks that would be hits in the WWE today...

Last time I discussed how Michael Migillicutty should be a star, utilizing the 3rd generation tag, similar to how Randy Orton became famous. I've come up with the right gimmick for him, and let me just state, it's Perfect.

These days, Vince McMahon wants to make all the money off of certain people, and wants to do it his way. With Superstars like CM Punk, he has realized that sometimes, he is just out of touch with something that sells, and Hennig is one of mistakes.  Husky Harris is another one, but while he has the ferrari engine in a tank body, he's a little more difficult to sell, until I tell you the perfect gimmick for him shortly after Hennig's.

Joe Hennig is a third generation superstar, who follows in the footsteps of Larry "The Axe" Hennig and Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig. We haven't seen the talent he possesses, because he's been kept off TV, being "repackaged," however, on the first season of NXT, we saw a video package where his moveset reminded everyone of his late father. His new "repackaging" should consist of calling himself PERFECT. He should immediately distract Dolph Ziggler, beat him in a match, and get on the mic with Jerry Lawler, with Lawler starting this...

Lawler: "Joe, why attack Dolph Ziggler like that? I think the WWE Universe deserves to know WHY?"

Hennig: "It's a sham, Jerry. A downright sham. Dolph comes out every night to music that says he's "Perfection." Well, he's not perfection, Jerry...I am. It's in my blood. It's in my genetic makeup."

Lawler: "So what are you saying, Joe? Are you saying you want to be Mr. Perfect, like your father?"

Hennig: "Jerry, my father...my father was Mr. Perfect...I'm just...I'm just Perfect."

And there's his gimmick. Every time he'd be backstage, Josh Matthews, Matt Striker, whomever the interviewer would be, they'd call him Mr. Perfect, and he would correct them by saying, "Josh, My FATHER was Mr. Perfect.  I'm just Perfect."

He would be immediately marketable, he would immediately have a catchphrase that everyone would wait for, and he'd be allowed to honor his family's memory on a regular, nightly basis, and immediately feud with some top talent. He'd be over in a millisecond, because wrestling fans remember tradition, and they would even honor him with a Mr. Perfect chant, probably nightly.

--

Husky Harris, or Windham Rotundo as he's more commonly known in his real life, is also a third generation wrestler, being the grandson of Black Jack Mulligan, and the son of former IRS, Mike Rotundo. His perfect gimmick is a little bit tougher, and would require the help of someone else to get him over. Someone who is currently in the middle of being a low midcard face run, instead of top of the card, where he should have been after being part of Legacy for years. Yes, that's right, Ted Dibiase.

I tend to believe that Dibiase has more drawing power than Cody Rhodes, and was even allowed to keep his name before Vince went and changed all the third generation guys into something different. In fact, part of the reason he's such a terrible face is because his entrance song is "I come from Money..." Now here's the problem with that. The WWE has a longstanding history of being a value for lower income folks to be a part of, and he didn't change his music after being a heel for so long, which, while it works for some, in this situation, it's like Vince coming out to "No Chance in Hell," as in, you are always waiting for his heel turn.

Getting back to Husky Harris.  The ideal gimmick for this guy is the bodyguard of somebody important, and in this case, that would be Ted Dibiase. Husky would be his muscle, and his financial overseer. He'd cut out all those "Dibiase Posse" tailgate sessions, saying that Ted was spending too much money, and he's come across like his father, Irwin R Scheister did back in the day. This would lead to a new age version of the tag team, Money Inc., made famous by both of these gentlemen's fathers. Ted would continue to be the overselling heel that cheats to win, Husky would come across as the muscle that doesn't sell. They'd go for the tag straps, make them reputable again as a Power and Glory style, and then have the classic breakup, when Dibiase would turn face, realizing that Husky was "embezzling" his money, to which Husky would deny, but there would be video coverage of him discussing with others how much he was taking, how much he was spending on cheap women and whatever else, and he'd become a monster heel...buying referees and making it difficult for Dibiase to win, but making him look like he's getting screwed in a very nostalgic way that would be entertaining.

--

Personally, I think Hennig and Rotundo have all the talent in the world, but they'd need someone to actually put more effort into their final product and give it some time to come to fruition. You'd have to have some team players, in Dolph and Dibiase, but overall, if Dibiase, Rotundo and Hennig formed a new version of Money Inc as a stable for a while, maybe even have Bobby Heenan intially bring them all together for the first time, this could be a serious stable for the forseeable future, and allow the WWE to utilize it's heritage, build on it, and also nostalgically help us remember the past, just like they did when Randy Orton first arrived on the scene.

Hope you enjoyed this, and I'd like to see comments on what people think about this. I strongly feel these gimmick changes would make serious cashflow and establish new top level talent.