Who Should Be The New Raw GM?

Ok wrestling fans, I have a question for you. Is anyone else sick of John Laurinaitis? I mean let's be honest, weren't you all kind of sick of him before he got the interim GM position on Raw? He is obnoxious and the sound of his voice makes me want to punch babies. But if he isn't going to be the Raw GM, who should be? I have a few ideas that I think would be fantastic.

Kyle's Candidate #1

WWE.com recently put up an article promoting the idea of bringing back the hardcore championship. Obviously this championship which involves the brutal beatings with weapons at anytime and any place would not exactly fit with the "TV PG" rating that WWE has placed on itself, but everything that is going on in this company since the summer seems to be taking the company back to where it used to be. CM Punk talking about the old days and wanting to bring it back while becoming the new Stone Cold, Miz and Truth doing whatever they want whenever they want, and other "superstars"...let's stop the sugar coating...the other WRESTLERS talking about how things were and bringing back the old ways seems to be all very good signs of things to come. Now who better to bring back the old, more violent, more relevant ways of the company than a man who devoted his life to the hardcore lifestyle? Mick Foley is just the man to bring the attitude back to wrestling and stop with the little kid crap all the time. I would love to see this happen.

Kyle's Candidate #2

There is a man who was forced into retirement far too early due to his dedication to the business. He has been injured so many times and it has gotten to the point where the WWE doctors said he would never be cleared to wrestle again. If you keep up with my blog, or wrestling at all for that matter, you know that I am talking about "The Rated R Superstar" Edge. He had a lot of years left in his tank and I believe has a lot left to offer the company even if he is not able to wrestle anymore. The fact that he was taken out of action after Wrestlemania and has still not been given any on air position is insane. The guy should at least be an announcer. But the more I think about it, he can't do as much as an announcer as he could as the Raw GM. He can still be the Edge we all know and love (or hate) and get his TV time that he still deserves.

Kyle's Candidate #3

Maybe the least likely candidate in real life, The Rock seems like he would be an AWESOME choice for Raw GM. Think about it for a minute. They announced this guy's main event match at Wrestlemania 28 the day after Wrestlemania 27 and have done nothing with him since. Yeah, we all know he is going to be at Survivor Series this year, but then what? What happens after his match there? If they were smart, they would bring him in as the new Raw GM so that this rivalry with Cena can build up more until Mania. You can't have two guys who have been around each other 3 times this year be the main event at the biggest event of the year. Bring Rocky back as GM and have him make Cena's life hell for a while. They go back and forth for a few months and BAM...you got yourself a main event that actually means something. Not to mention, having Rocky back on Raw every week would be an excellent change!

So as you may or may not have realized while reading this, all three of these men are from the "Attitude Era". This is not by mistake. I think the GM should be someone who was around during the good days of wrestling when it was more interesting and more exciting. These guys have all been through the good times and know what it would take to get things back on track and where they need to be. And who knows, maybe if they fixed up Raw, they could turn their attention onto Smackdown and make that show stop sucking as well. Long story short, the answer to the problems in the WWE is to put someone from my generation of wrestling in charge of the show and watch how things get better instantly. I know I am not working for the company but I should be because things would be a lot less stupid if I were. Do what the fans want WWE and stop aiming your entire company at kids that are under 12 years old. We were here first and you don't want to lose the hardcore longtime fans for a bunch of Cena loving twerps. Get it together guys and do whatever it takes to get Johnny Ace off my TV screen.

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

T.O. Moving In?

10/25/11...This is the day that six-time NFL Pro Bowler Terrell Owens held a work out with the hopes of getting attention from an NFL team.

"I only need one team," Owens said in an interview with NFL Network, "I only need one chance"

Unfortunately for Mr. Owens, not one NFL team seemed to care that he was back on the market. Imagine that...after all the years of being a problem for every team he has ever played for, FINALLY, teams decide to stop paying attention to his antics.

I personally think it is great that he is getting exactly what he deserves after all these years of being an idiotic puppet being controlled by his agent Drew Rosenhaus who is as big of an idiot as his client.

Don't worry people, you may still have a reason to get your popcorn ready. Something that I did not expect to see come out of this work out was actually exactly what happened. While no NFL teams seemed interested enough to even send a scout, the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League seem very interested in adding T.O. to their already very good receiving group.

Interesting? I would say so. The AFL might actually be the perfect place for T.O. even if Rosenhaus disagrees. Rosenhaus told the media that the offer was "absurd" and that "Terrell will of course only be playing in the NFL."

Well Drew, it seems that nobody in the NFL is willing to take a chance on T.O. anymore so you better take your head out of your ass and start thinking about other chances. The pay may not be as good by a long shot, but it is a chance for him to continue playing football. Who knows, maybe a season playing in the AFL (if he can stay healthy and produce) would create enough buzz to get him back into the NFL next season.

Other reasons that the AFL would be a good fit for Owens include the fact that he can actually be himself. He will get far more passes thrown his way and have more chances to score on the smaller field. Not only that, but when he does score he can actually dance and have fun and be his normal jerky self in the end zone. Leaving the "No Fun League" and coming to the "All Fun League" could be the perfect thing for his personality.

It might hurt his enormous ego at first that he is playing in the AFL instead of the NFL, but a lot of players have done that and have had extremely successful AFL careers. Owens' style of play is actually perfect for the indoor game. Once he gets the ball in his hands over and over again and becomes one of the main guys in the league, he will probably get over the fact that it isn't the NFL because once again, he will have fans fawning over him. In the end, that is all he really needs is attention because without it he would wither and die.

So in the end, while I do think T.O. is a huge jackass who tends to bring bad luck to every team he plays for, I do think that he could make a large and immediate impact on the Arena League. Not only statistically, but think of the attention his name would bring to the league. Can you say fan increase? I say for once, ignore Rosenhaus and do something right for you T.O. Don't be a puppet for your entire life and do this thing.

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

The Ups and Downs of Philadelphia Sports

Where do I begin? Should I start with the good and end with the bad or the other way around. Considering there is a lot more good than bad, maybe it just makes sense to get the crappy stuff out on the table first.

Alright, so we are now four weeks into the NFL season. A season that almost didn't happen and the world rejoiced upon finding out that yes, we will have our football. Some cities celebrated a bit more than others. Philadelphia had the most reason to celebrate due to the fact that simply having Michael Vick in town made everyone around the league want to play here. Jason Babin came home and with him came Ronnie Brown, Dominique Rogers-Cromarti, Steve Smith (NYG), Vince Young and of course, the big man himself, Nnamdi Asomugha. Add all those guys to a team that already has great weapons like Jackson, McCoy, Maclin, Celek, Cole, and more...you are looking at a championship caliber team right there. At least they should be. What a shock that they aren't. Sorry to sound less than surprised, but hey, I grew up in the Philadelphia area...no amount of athletic failure can surprise me anymore. We should be 4-0 not 1-3. You can't lose 4th quarter leads three weeks in a row and not get the fans mad. Let's get down to the complaints shall we?

Vince Young...you caused nothing but problems with the Titans. We know you are a good quarterback, but if you could not start the season saying stupid things like "dream team" and jinxing a good thing, that would be fantastic. I can't put everything on Vince though, he hasn't even played in the regular season yet because he got injured without even being touched in the preseason. We can also blame a list of injuries that gets longer and longer every week, most importantly Vick who seems to get hurt EVERY FREAKING WEEK. Maybe if the team did something about getting a damn offensive line we could keep our 100 million dollar man off the turf and out of harms way. Don't hold your breath though, I have been around for 25 years and have yet to see an offensive line do that in Philadelphia. I guess we can always rely on the old fashioned blame Andy Reid for being a fat idiot who makes bad play calls, challenges stupid things and doesn't challenge things when he should. Overall, he has had this job for too long and I have said it for years, GET HIM OUT OF PHILLY! What do you owe him? He has been here forever and we still don't have a Super Bowl win...we make the playoffs all the time and have made it to the big game once under his command. JUST SAY GOODBYE ALREADY!

Ok, let me take my blood pressure medication and get down to the stuff that doesn't make me crazy. How bout them Phillies? Five NL East championships in a row? Breaking the franchise record with 102 wins in one season? Being flat out the most dominant team in baseball due to both their pitching staff and their offense? Yeah, what else can you say other than thank God for Red October and Phillies playoff baseball. Playing the Cardinals in the first round is no easy task. They may not have made the playoffs until the last day of the regular season, but they are a tough teams with a lot of weapons and they took us out six of nine times this season. Keep in mind that three of those six were after we already clinched home field advantage and had a lot of guys benched. Records mean a lot less when the best team in baseball is sitting on the bench. GO PHILLIES!

Let's go back to football news. Not NFL news, but AFL news. Come on, you guys knew this was coming. The Philadelphia Soul are making a ton of moves this off season. The signing of Doug Plank as head coach was huge. If that wasn't enough, the resigning of Donovan Morgan and Larry Brackins made a lot of Soul fans happy as well. But hold on, there is much more than that. Let's talk about how they brought in former AFL quarterback great and Dallas head coach Clint Dolezel as their new assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. Clint didn't come alone either. He brought the best fullback in the AFL, Derrick Ross, one of the top receivers in the game, Anthony "Tiger" Jones, and some fantastic stability at the quarterback position with Dan Raudabaugh taking snaps. Another big name to come to Philadelphia is WR/KR Jeff Hughley from the Arena Bowl champion Jacksonville Sharks. He is a top receiver in the game and arguably the best returner the AFL has to offer. Granted, much like the Eagles, they need to work on an offensive line to keep Dan protected. Also, not a lot has been mentioned of the defensive side of the ball, but I am sure, the way they are signing players up, that it will be addressed soon. The only major announcement on defense is the return of Tanner Varner. As of now, this team is looking VERY good and I can't wait to get into the season!

In other news, the Flyers start this week. I mean the whole NHL starts this week but who cares about any of the other teams right?

As for the NBA...don't expect to see much action out of those guys, the season isn't looking real good right now.

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

Blast From The Past: Tony Graziani

There are certain names that will go down in history as some of the best players to ever play in the Arena Football League. One such player is Tony Graziani. He is a man who played the quarterback position masterfully for eight AFL seasons. In his career he threw for 23,606 yards with 494 touchdowns. He was once the highest paid player in the AFL. His arena career ended with a championship in 2008 with the Philadelphia Soul. Since the league returned to action, many AFL fans have wondered where Tony went. I tracked him down and had the chance to talk to him and see how things have been going post football in the life of #7.

Kyle DeRiemer: What have you been up to since leaving the AFL?

Tony Graziani: I have been living in Palm Desert, CA. I opened up a commercial real estate company called TD Desert Properties.

KD: Are you enjoying the new life?

TG: I enjoy my new life, especially raising my three children, Ben – 11, Will – 9 and Ava – 6.

KD: Do you ever miss playing in the AFL?

TG: I miss playing every day. I have been lucky enough to broadcast a couple of games on the NFL Network lately and that has been a good way to get my Arena Football fix!

KD: Have you thought about making a return to the game?

TG: I thought about playing and so I went to play golf to think it over. I was sore the next day and realized that I was in no shape to return.

KD: What would it take for you to come back?

TG: I would need a new knee and the ability to take a hit like Aaron Garcia.

KD: Have you been keeping up with the league since your departure?

TG: Yes, I have many friends who still play so I root for them.

KD: Do you have any thoughts or advice for your former team, the Philadelphia Soul, about their rocky season?

TG: The only thing I would say is that they have one of the best Arena Football minds in Coach Ho running things. All they need to do is listen to him and everything will work out great.

KD: Tell me about your thoughts on Arena Bowl XXII and how it felt to bring back a championship to a city that was starved for one.

TG: It felt great! The progress the organization made in my four years there was tremendous. I came to an organization that had little or no success and turned it into a champion. There is nothing like winning in a city like Philadelphia!

KD: Do you still keep in touch with any of the guys from the championship team?

TG: I do. Guys like Wes Ours, Chris Jackson, Rob Keefe, Mike Mabry, Gabe Nyenheis and play-by-play announcer Ari Wolfe.

KD: As a Philadelphia fan favorite, do you have any words for the Soul fans?

TG: I want to thank them for the unbelievable support and the best four years of my football life. Philly fans are the best in the league and I would love to come back and see them…Maybe I should rethink a return in 2012!

It is safe to say that the Philly faithful would love to see a return. I would like to thank Tony Graziani for taking the time to catch up with me as well as the Arena Football Nation. We hope to be hearing more from him in the near future. As always, thanks for reading...and remember Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

Bad News For Everyone But Arizona

As the Arena Football playoffs draw closer and closer, the two teams that have stood out all season are still reining on top of their respective conferences. The Jacksonville Sharks and the Arizona Rattlers have been dominant forces and don’t show any signs of slowing down.

Friday July 8th 2011 will be remembered as a day that every playoff bound team in the league will remember. Unfortunately for them, they won’t remember it for a good reason.

The Arizona Rattlers, who already have one of the top receiving groups in the league, added All-League receiver Chris Jackson. His return to the league should be an exciting thing, but it may end up only being exciting in the city of Phoenix.

Jackson has 991 catches for 13,229 yards and 318 touchdowns in his nine years in the AFL. He holds the second most touchdowns in AFL history. He won Offensive Player of the Year twice. Add to that his championship with the Soul in 2008, this guy is a monster signing to an already stacked team.

The reason for signing Jackson was so that if the NFL lockout ended and Rod Windsor has to leave the team, there is another man ready to take charge. While it may hurt other teams to see Jackson heading to a team that doesn’t seem to need the help, it made sense for him.

“I feel privileged to come in at a time where this team has already done a phenomenal job thus far in the season. Being a resident of Arizona, I decided I would give it a go and help out wherever needed. It’s a storied franchise and it’s good to be a part of it finally. I like that I have an opportunity to pursue another championship,” Jackson said.

After losing Donovan Morgan to the UFL, I am sure Philadelphia would have loved to see him back in Soul colors, but things didn’t pan out that way. Regardless of what team he will play for, it is good to see him back in the league again. Welcome home Chris.

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

Something To Remember In Philly

In 2008, Philadelphia was buzzing over their newest franchise. The Soul dominated the regular season, took control of every situation in the playoffs and pulled off the win in Arena Bowl XXII. This...is not 2008.

The Soul have had a very tough time this season and currently have a 5-10 record. In order for the Soul to have a chance at the playoffs, they must win every game till the end of the season. If that is not bad enough, the Pittsburgh Power and Cleveland Gladiators would have to lose every game till the end of the season.

While it may not look very likely this season, there is one thing that the people of Philadelphia need to remember. When the Soul emerged on the AFL scene in 2004, their record was a 5-11 washout. This is not new to Philadelphia as they have seen it before, and we all know what happened after that.

The Soul need to get back on track. It now seems like a trend to start slow for this team. The thing about starting slow is there is a lot of room for improvement. Once this team gets back into the swing of things, they will be bringing in league leading attendance again. That kind of crowd support can only help make a team better.

This is a team that has a ton of potential and will bring it out as the seasons roll on. Don’t be too upset about this slow start. As Philadelphians, we need to live by the quote we have lived by for many years. “There is always next year.”

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.

Thank You Edge

Monday, April 11th 2011 is a day that wrestling fans will remember for years to come. It is a sad day in the WWE Universe. Nobody died, but one of the greatest wrestlers of our time was forced into retirement by injury. Adam Copeland, AKA Edge, came to Monday Night Raw with the sad news and was given a standing ovation and much cheering and chanting for his many accomplishments in the WWE.

Edge has done so many things in this company. His first title with the WWE (then WWF) was in 1999 when he won the Intercontinental Championship. He formed a tag team with best friend William Reso AKA Christian and won the WWF Tag Team Championship 7 times. They became known for Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches. In 2001 the tag team split up.

All together, Edge has held 31 titles. He has been World Champion 11 times. 4 of those were WWE Championships and 7 were World Heavyweight Championships. He held the Intercontinental belt 5 times. He held the US championship just once. His total tag team tally is 14. He and Kurt Angle are the only 2 men who have held every single active male championship in WWE. On top of that, he won the King of the Ring tournament in 2001, the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match in 2005 and the 2010 royal rumble.

All of these accolades make Edge one of the best wrestlers of our time. It is unfortunate that a long lasting spinal injury brought on by a broken neck some years back is ending his career much earlier than it should be. However, when it comes down to it, it is better to see him retire (with his 11th world championship) before he ends up paralyzed or worse dead. Thank you Edge for everything you have done for the wrestling industry and for the wrestling fans worldwide. Just know that even when we hated you, we still loved you. I look forward to seeing you inducted in to the Hall of Fame…hopefully in 2012.

As always, thanks for reading...and remember

Those who can't play must judge like a pro.