Earlier this week TNA Impact Wrestling announced more dates for their One Night Only themed pay-per-views. These shows are the some of the last shows that will be held at the Impact Zone as TNA is taking it's show on the road to a new location every week. Here are the only following dates and times for the special tapings:
Sunday, March 17:
1:00pm - TNA Knockout Knockdown: TNA Crowns the true "Queen" of TNA 7:00pm - TNA 10 Reunion: Celebration of the stars from the first 10 years of TNA all competing in the squared circle
Monday, March 18:1:00pm - TNA Tag Team Tournament: TNA determines the greatest TNA Tag Team in TNA history 7:00pm - TNA World Cup of Wrestling: Teams of wrestlers from around the globe compete in Heavyweight, X Division, Tag Team Division and Knockout Division matches
Tuesday, March 19:1:00pm - TNA Hardcore Justice 2: Hardcore rules for the stars of Hardcore wrestling 7:00pm - TNA Heavyweight Title Tournament: The top World Champions in TNA history battle to determine the greatest of all time
I like the idea of the themed One Night Only shows but I think having the shows being aired 6 months after they are taped is a bad move, especially if they are charging 15 dollars for them. These shows need to be on free television since there is only four big pay-per-views a year now. Moving out of the Impact Zone completely is another huge mistake. They should atleast have one show a month their considering it's those fans and their reactions that make the show what it is.
TNA is going to have an interesting year in 2013 with all these changes and I have a feeling this year will be the year TNA breaks through and make it or falls like WCW did. Stay tuned because business is about to pick up.
Earlier this week NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin was fined 25 thousand dollars for criticizing the new Gen-6 car. He said he liked the old cars better. Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton says that Hamlin crossed the line and should not be slamming the product. Hamlin said he will not pay the fine and ultimately risks suspension.
So many times in sports, anytime a coach or player criticizes the officiating or the way the game is played, they get fined. By fining an athlete an amount of money and punishing them for their opinion, wouldn't that be a violation of the First Amendment? The First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." (http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment) Cornell University Law School describes the First Amendment in this fashion:
"The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for the interference with the right of free speech where it attempts to regulate the content of the speech. A less stringent test is applied for content-neutral legislation. The Supreme Court has also recognized that the government may prohibit some speech that may cause a breach of the peace or cause violence. For more on unprotected and less protected categories of speech see advocacy of illegal action, fighting words, commercial speech and obscenity. The right to free speech includes other mediums of expression that communicate a message. The level of protection speech receives also depends on the forum in which it takes place." (http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/first_amendment)
It would be an issue if an athlete threatened a fellow athlete, coach or official, but in Hamlin's case, he was accused of slamming the product. The drivers of NASCAR are the product, just like any other athlete is the product of their sport. If Denny Hamlin does indeed get suspended would he have legal right to take this to court? From a logical point of view, I would say yes, he could. He was voicing his opinion and got punished for expressing himself. That would be like if a citizen spoke against our President's decisions and were thrown is jail. It shouldn't and wouldn't happen.
A perfect way to resolve this is to have the referees in each sport have their own press conference after each game to hold themselves accountable for any mistakes they made. The other alternative is the refs to meet with the coaches privately to express any grievances or complain. The final alternative is to have the commissioner of each league whether it be the NBA, MLB, NFL or NHL answer any questions regarding officiating or how the game is played on a weekly basis.
Athletes should not be punished for their opinion. They are not hurting anyone, they aren't threatening anyone and in the ends they are ones directly effected by how the games officiated and how the officials conduct themselves. In Denny Hamlin's case the way the cars are setup directly effects him and other drivers. So why shouldn't he have a say? He's voicing his concerns about the product the he is a huge part of.
Punishing an athlete for their opinions and concerns is a huge violation of the First Amendment. I know there are details in the contracts on how you are suppose to address the media but no where in those contracts should it ever allow to limit an athletes freedom to express themselves. I think an athlete should be respectful to the media and conduct themselves in a professional manner but under no circumstances should they ever be punished for voicing there concerns over how a sport is played and officiated.
As of this writing, Denny Hamlin still refuses to pay the fine and will appeal it. The NASCAR rulebook states if a fine isn't paid a driver could be suspended or have the money taken out of you earnings at the end of a race.
This on the Road to Wrestlemania 29 things really heated up. The World Heavyweight title match is really heating up. Jack Swagger and Zeb Coulter had two interviews this week. Their first one was with The Miz and that ended in a beat down that led to a match in which Swagger won. He also had an interview with Jim Ross on Smackdown which led to Coulter doing all the talking and Swagger intimidating J.R. Alberto Del Rio saved Jim Ross and was also apart of MizTV this week. He defeated Damien Sandow on Smackdown and will take on Dolph Ziggler next weeks Smackdown. On the real side of this controversial storyline WWE sent Michael Cole and it's camera crew to Glenn Beck's studio on Monday where they tried getting an interview with him. They were forced to leave by the owner of the studio and security with the threat of having the police called on them. This storyline is going one of two ways for people. People are either absolutely loving it and think it's brilliant while the other side has people completely offended. I honestly believe that the World Title match is more intriguing than the WWE title match at this point.
Speaking of the WWE title, The Rock was not on Raw this week which left us with the match of the week. CM Punk and John Cena had one their best matches yet. It was back and forth the entire time. In my opinion, this was a Wrestlemania main event quality match. John Cena won the match and secured his title shot against The Rock. These two are going to have to get physical this time around because they did too much talking last year. It was all talk, all games and all jokes. I want to see Cena in a similar role that Punk was in and push The Rock. I hope their match this year is better this year because last year was a huge let down. Only time will tell.
As far as CM Punk goes, his rumored Wrestlemania opponent returned at a house show last Saturday in Waco, Texas. The Undertaker teamed with Sheamus to take on Antonio Cesaro and Wade Barrett. The Undertaker and Punk have had a brief history in the past but nothing on the level of Wrestlemania. I think Punk could be Undertakers best opponent yet. I will be curious to see how they play this story out when it happens.
CM Punk's manager Paul Heyman kicked off the show by fighting Vince McMahon. Heyman got the edge in the beginning but just as Vince was going to destroy him out comes Brock Lesnar. Before Lesnar could do any damage the old familiar music of "Time to Play the Game" hit as Triple H returned. Lesnar and Hunter had a bloody brawl which resulted in Lesnar getting 12 stitches in the back of his head. It is obvious that Lesnar and Hunter will face off at Wrestlemania 29 but in what kind of match? Last time they had a normal match but I believe we will see a street fight, Hell in a Cell or something similar.
The Shield has been targeting Sheamus and Randy Orton quite frequently. On Monday Sheamus distracted Ambrose and Reigns as Randy Orton hit the RKO on Rollins. A few days later on Smackdown they got involved with Orton during his match with The Big Show. At one point Big Show was inadvertently bumped by Reigns and gave him a knockout punch for his troubles. We know The Shield will be involved at Wrestlemania but who will there three opponents be? Ryback was not involved this week, Sheamus has been feuding with Wade Barrett and Orton really doesn't have a storyline going. I am curious to see what WWE Creative comes up with.
Speaking of stars without a set storyline at Wrestlemania, what is going to happen with The Miz, Antonio Cesaro, Daniel Bryan, Kane, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, and Chris Jericho. All of these major players don't have a set storyline or match for Wrestlemania 29. There are only to matches set for Wrestlemania 29 so far and they are the two title matches:
World Heavyweight Championship
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger
WWE Championship
The Rock (c) vs. John Cena
The Road to Wrestling is full steam ahead and with an Old School Raw coming on Monday it could see the return of some legends to Wrestlemania. Keep checking back for more on the Road to Wrestlemania 29 at MetLife Stadium.
The NFL Combine is currently taking place and two of the names that people are consistently talking about are Manti Te'o and Tyrann Mathieu. Both men were very productive on the field but off the field they have had some serious issues that could effect where they are drafted and how serious teams will be about each individual.
Te'o had the story of his grandma and girlfriend dying on the same day. He was the put as the focal point of the Notre Dame football team all the way until the National Championship game ended. A few weeks after it came out that Te'o had been part of a hoax where the girlfriend who died wasn't real. Many thought that Te'o was a part of the hoax but later it was proven that Te'o and his family were not apart of this and we are taken advantage of. He has been participating in the NFL Combine and has not impressed. The latest thing that is coming out of the combine is that NFL teams are asking Te'o about his sexual orientation. The issue of homosexuality in the NFL started at the end of the season when various players called out players of a different sexual orientation and said they didn't belong in the same locker room. With all these questions about the hoax, his combine performance and now new arising questions about his sexual orientation who will take a chance on Te'o?
Tyrann Mathieu's issues had nothing to do with hoaxes and sexual orientation. Honey Badger was arrested on possession of marijuana and reportedly failed multiple drug tests. He was intending on staying at LSU but decided to enter the NFL Draft. His participation in the NFL Combine has impressed teams but questions about his behavior are still arising. The Jets and Redskins are interested Mathieu while the Giants, Bengals, and Ravens are interested in Teo.
The NFL Draft beings April 25th and I am sure the sports world will be watching where these two land. One of two things will happen in their careers. They will either rise above their critics or they will fall into obscurity. Tune into the NFL Draft to see where there journey begins.
If anyone from the celebrity world or public eye ever deserved to be in the WWE Hall of Fame it is Donald Trump. The Donald with his trademark hair have always been just as controversial as Vince McMahon. Trump has contributed so much to the WWE not only in terms of a personality but financially as well. Wrestlemania 4 and 5 were held at the famous Trump Plaza. Wrestlemania 4 saw the following:
Battle RoyalBad News Brown won
Ultimate Warrior def. Hercules w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Intercontential Champion
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake def. Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue by DQ
The Islanders & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. The British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware w/ Matilda
World Tag Team Championship Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji def. Strike Force to become new champions WWE Championship Tournament Round One Match -- "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil and Andre the Giant def. Hacksaw Jim Duggan Round One Match -- Don Muraco w/ "Superstar" Billy Graham def. Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin by DQ Round One Match -- Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat Round One Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. "The Natural" Butch Reed w/ Slick Round One Match -- One Man Gang w/ Slick def. Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Oliver Humperdink by count-out Round One Match -- "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts went to a draw Round Two Match -- Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Virgil ended in a double DQ Round Two Match -- "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil def. Don Muraco w/ "Superstar" Billy Graham Round Two Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart Round Three Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. One Man Gang w/ Slick by DQ
Main Event - Finals of WWE Championship Tournament Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan def. "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil and Andre the Giant to become new champion
History was made the night because never again have we saw a tournament at Wrestlemania of that magnitude. The following year Wrestlemania featured the explosion of the Mega Powers. The following happened at Wrestlemania 5:
Hercules def. King Haku w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
The Twin Towers w/ Slick def. The Rockers
"Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil vs. Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake ended in a double count-out
The Bushwhackers def. The Rougeau Brothers w/ Jimmy Hart
Mr. Perfect def. Blue Blazer
World Tag Team Championship Handicap Match Demolition def. Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji to retain
Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin def. "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin
The Brain Busters w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. Strike Force
Jake "The Snake" Roberts def. Andre the Giant w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan by DQ (Big John Studd was special guest referee)
The Hart Foundation def. Honky Tonk Man and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart
Intercontinental Championship
"Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. Ultimate Warrior to become new champion
Bad News Brown vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan went to a no contest
The Red Rooster def. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Main Event for WWE Championship Hulk Hogan def. Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth in a neutral corner to become new champion
He was a spectator at Wrestlemania 7 and many years later he was apart of Wrestlemania again. At Wrestlemania 23 he was in the Battle of the Billionaires. Trump was represented by Bobby Lashley and McMahon reprented by Umaga. Stone Cold Steve Austin was the special guest referee and at the end of it Lashley and Trump shaved Vince McMahon bald. Donald Trump at one point "bought" WWE and brought Raw live with no commercials and refunded every person who bought a ticket their money back.
WWE is not the only group of people with star power that Donald Trump has worked with. Trump has worked with the following on his show Celebrity Apprentice:
Lennox Lewis
Piers Morgan
Trace Adkins
Gene Simmons
Dennis Rodman
Clint Black
Herschel Walker
Joan Rivers
Bret Michaels
Sharon Osbourne
Bill Goldberg
Sinbad
Darryl Strawberry
Jose Canseco
Arsenio Hall
Lou Ferrigno
As you can see Donald Trump can handle a lot of egos in a competitive environment. Donald has also been involved in many political and activist movements. The man is always surrounded by beautiful women and has so much money wrapped in so many different things. Donald Trump has always been a WWE fan, and supports Vince McMahon in a lot of projects.
Congratulations to Donald Trump who is now going to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. It's well deserved, well earned and accomplishment that money truly can't buy.
