Howdy folks! Just thought that I’d pop in here with a quick Balrog Babblings since I did manage to catch the PPV on Sunday and RAW last night. Oh, and there seems to be a completely redesigned website here, too!
As you obviously know by now, The Balrog’s Lair has been redesigned. And believe me when I tell you – I redesigned this site from the bottom up with no shortcuts to help along the way. Though I spent most of the past weekend recoding and double checking code and even triple checking code at some points, I have to thank Eddie for his advice and assistance, Trevor for his comments, Dave Talbert (that’s an old name for some of you long-time lair fans) for his advice, and also former lair-writer Jacob Spades for his comments!
I hope that you all enjoy the new design of the site! Please, drop me a line if you have any suggestions for improvements or comments regarding the redesign!
Before I begin my writing this week – some quick fun facts for you fine TBL readers. First, the last time I wrote a column in January was back in 2003. Can you believe that is two years ago already?!? Wow! Second, FOUR years ago to this day I wrote a column entitled, “Sometimes you gotta do it yourself!” The topic of that column? Oddly enough, it was reviewing a column that I wrote four years prior to that! Yes folks, that means a column written back in 1997. Long time, huh? Damn it I’m old!
But like I said, I did get a chance to catch the entire PPV this weekend. New Year’s Revolution was probably the first time since WrestleMania XX that I watched an entire show from start to finish and unlike 100% of the online reviews that I’ve read, I didn’t have any major problems with it…until the end. Let me preface my further comments by letting you all know my habits with wrestling in the past year or two – I don’t really watch any more. Yeah, when I remember that RAW is on, I try to put it on the background. And yeah, when I get a free Sunday night I put on the PPV (if there’s one on). I don’t really know much about TNA or ROH or any of the other independent promotions.
Actually, with TNA I know that someone was supposed to have taken a bump that rivaled Mick Foley’s drop from the top of the Hell in a Cell. I did see the bump that whatever-his-name-is took…ummm, it doesn’t even come close to rivaling Mick Foley’s fall. Sorry TNA-ites. I like TNA; I like the concept of another wrestling organization that can compete with WWE (at least I hope that they’re trying to compete); but when it comes to making history…well, history happens – you can’t force an event to become historic.
Back to the PPV – I didn’t think it was that bad. I watched it from start to finish. Sure, it was slow at some points (Snitsky anyone?) and yeah, it had its down points (two injuries in the first two matches? that’s bad), but it wasn’t a horrendous show. I thoroughly enjoyed the Elimination Chamber match up until the all-too-predictable ending. Hey folks, maybe you can help me out. I stopped watching wrestling about two years ago – actually, wait. I never “stopped” watching wrestling. Rather, wrestling became less of a “must see” show on television because I knew that no matter what happened, Triple H was going to come out on top. Sure, Wrestler A might beat him this week (and all of this month including the PPV), but in the end, Triple H was going to get back the title (adding another number to his already over-inflated count). I don’t mind that Triple H wins in the end – I mind that HE is making himself win these feuds through his backstage power whereas at one point in the past it was all about who put asses in seats. Triple H has proven that he does not put asses in seats.
So that’s why I was so upset at the end of the PPV on Sunday. I genuinely enjoyed watching the PPV from the women to the men to the tag team match to Hassan’s debut. But seeing Triple H win – again – in the end made me sick. Almost too sick to watch RAW last night, but I watched it anyway.
I can’t really comment on the show segment-by-segment because I was doing some other things while it was on. In order to go on with my review, though, I have to let you know that I turned off RAW as soon as it started. The thoughtttta…of Triple HHHHa…opening the showwwwa…made me sickkkka! So I clicked back to RAW about twenty minutes into the show to find Orton, Bischoff, Batista, and Triple H all bitching about something and making the main event of the evening.
Side thought – the sign of the night for RAW was definitely “Batista Punches Infants”
I have to say, it seems like Randy Orton has lost his edge. He was at his best when he was the “kid” in Evolution and peaked when he prematurely was awarded the World Title (in an obvious “shot” at Brock Lesnar). Since then he hasn’t shown anything as far as greatness is concerned. He’s definitely lost the “Legend Killer” status that he built up for himself.
Side thought – Orton and I are the same age. I wonder how much more money he has than I do. It’s got to be millions. Rotten bum…but I have to admit it was pretty cool when he pinned Batista while palming his face!
Batista really is a success story. Here is a guy who would normally be written off as another Vince McMahon “big man” and shoved down our throats as the “enforcer” of this group or the “bodyguard” of this superstar without much hope for advancement. But through his outstanding physique and his above-average ring skills, he’s definitely earned his spot among the top wrestlers on the RAW roster.
Side thought – how ridiculously intense is Batista in the ring? Damn it! He’s liable to put someone through the mat one of these days!
Overall I enjoyed watching RAW just as I enjoyed watching the PPV. The big downer on both shows was Triple H. His schtick has just gotten so old that it’s almost insulting at this point. Kudos to the rest of the roster, though. Everyone seems to be putting in the effort and I believe that the shows reflect that effort. Actually, the shows seem very reminiscent of the old WCW shows: fantastic effort, hunger, and talent everywhere but the main players.
So that’s all that I’ve got. In the coming days I’m going to be tweaking the design on this site (where necessary) and changing over some of the basic content pages to the new design. Again, let me know if you like the design or if you have any suggestions! Thanks!
– E-mail feedback to joe1897@gmail.com
– Read more Balrog Babblings!
