Thursday, March 25, 2021

Wrasslin' and Whatnot

 Personal Top 10 Wrestlemania Matches

1.  Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage, Wrestlemania III....a 34 year-old wrasslin' match that just holds up.  It's as much about the nostalgia as it is the ringwork.  In the spring of 1987, I was on the back end of my true believer status, and I hated the hell out of Randy Savage.  This was a grudge match, and it ends so satisfyingly.  The ringwork, by the way, is top notch.  It gets some shit down the line for how much Savage wanted it laid out.  I don't care.  The end result is still a lot of fun.

2.  Undertaker vs. Triple H, Hell in a Cell, Shawn Michaels special referee, Wrestlemania XXVIII

Damn.  This one's savage.  I don't know that there's a better Wrestlemania streak than taker from 25-28.  But this one is just savage.  With all 3 bodies telling a story of respect.

3.  Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, Wrestlemania XIII

Still the best executed double turn in the history of wrestling.  Hard to believe this match will be turning 25 next year.

4.  Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart, Wrestlemania X.   Just a clinic.  Almost a fuck you to Vince.  No clowning.  Very little showboating, except for the requisite heel stuff from Owen.  Just a clinic where two brothers wanted to show who was better...and the best there is.

5.  Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle,   Wrestlemania XX.  I miss Guerrero. Very much.  He had another one or two of these in him.

6.  Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker,  Wrestlemania XXV.   Again, a clinic.  This time in Ring psychology.  These two play the crowd like a piano

7.  Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart, 60-minute iron man match, Wrestlemania XII.  Amazing.  Just Amazing.

8.  Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, Wrestlemania XIX.   Whoa.  Just whoa.

9.  Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan.   Wrestlemania XXXV.    This is a match that Kofi and Bryan both deserved.

10.  Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper,   Wrestlemania VIII.  So much fun.  Bret carries Piper, but Piper holds his own...he's one of the best brawlers in history.  Only thing holding this back from higher is a hammy moment when Piper listens to the crowd.....

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Basketball, and whatnot

 Basketball is stupid.

That's not true.  I like basketball a lot.  And I like the NCAA tournament a lot.  I wish COVID were done, or that I were vaccinated, so that I might find a sports bar and enjoy the first couple of days of the tournament without worrying that I'll take the Lung Crud home to a loved one.  The energy of the first two days of the tournament is my favorite thing in the sports world.  Watching Tennessee piss its way through its first round loss was made somewhat more palatable by watching Oral Roberts upset The Ohio State University, for a nice 15-seed upset.

As an addendum to the previous paragraph, I wish the weather could make its damned mind up around Southeast Tennessee....I've been able to use the patio at Buffalo Wild Wings a couple times when it's been warm, lately (Tennessee's game Friday the 12th was one such occasion).  Today's weather, hovering in the 50's around lunchtime, did not seem conducive to a pleasant afternoon.  There had been plans to take in a couple games today with a buddy, which fell through when he had to work at the last minute.  Hard to be mad.  I work retail, too....

What else in the World of Big Stupid Tommy?

I got to eat lunch with the Uncouth Sloth himself this past week.  First time in several years I've seen Ardoug in person...but he and his missus were passing through the area, so we grabbed a quick bite.  He's still Rob, and that's as fine a compliment as I can think.

On vacation this week.  Stumbled headlong into this one.  My company picked up a few stores in southern Georgia and western South Carolina, and are in the process of flipping them to our brand.  I've had to make a couple trips in the past month, one to Albany and one to Hawkinsville by way of Warner-Robins.  I'm not used to business travel, though the trips themselves were enjoyable enough.  Walking through a Goodwill in Warner-Robins netted a couple neat finds....a handful of 50's pulp magazines, Amazing Stories type stuff. 

Anyway.  On vacation.  Gotta buy a lawnmower.  Kinda want a riding model, what with my being a middle-aged American Man.  That decision will come sooner rather than later, as Mother Nature is threatening to turn my yard into the Brazilian Rain Forest.....