Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Well, I figured that this is long overdue...

Not sure if it makes a ton of sense to keep this blog going anymore. Still getting a decent amount of hits, but really, anything I have to plug/comment on can be found at the World Wrestling Insanity forums these days.

Thoughts/suggestions/objections?

Catching Up Again (Ugh)

Sorry, folks. Been busy yet again the last few weeks. I have some interesting writing projects coming up, so please stay tuned. Hopefully it won't me another f'ng month to update this blog again:

World Wrestling Insanity columns:
The Ultimate Video Game MovieIron Shiek Claims CNN Misquoted Him
Canadian Bulldog's Real-time Raw Coverage (not bad if I say so myself for a first "real-time" Raw attempt)

Club WWI: As though you didn't have enough reasons to become a club member.... this month I interviewed the one, the only HULLLLLLLLLK HOGAN!!! Well, kinda. Also I reviewed XPW: Season One, one of the most confusing wrestling DVD's out there.

DVD's: I recently bought TNA's Year One DVD. Although it's one of their slicker ones to date, it's still a biased, and at times confusing piece of documentary. Let's put it this way: if you've been following the TNA story since 2002, you're not going to learn anything new. If you haven't, you're not getting the full story by watching this. WWE releases have some bias, absolutely, but they don't really ignore key parts of their history (well, unless you count Chris Benoit, I suppose). So very little reference to their NWA roots, not to mention Jerry Jarrett. I mean, Double J Senior did kind of start the company - just saying....

I've also seen XPW (and reviewed it on Club WWI) and The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class, which will be reviewed on World Wrestling Insanity fairly soon. I'm not in any great rush to see the Mysterio, Cena and Michaels ones, so maybe I'm learning to pick and choose what I buy in my old age...

FitnessBlog: 16 workouts during November, and all of them lengthy ones, as opposed to my previous 20-minute jaunts. Feeling a lot better, physically and have lost almost 10 pounds since mid-summer. So, not bad.

Raw's 15th Anniversary: What's not to love? Was easily the best wrestling show (pay-per-view or otherwise) I've seen all year. Not sure if that's more the general state of the game right now or what, but a pretty damn great show from start to finish.

Review: No Country For Old Men: Actually, I'm not going to bother reviewing it. Just don't see it -- trust me on this one, folks. It's not worth it. Yeah, I know - Cohn Brothers and all that. But Fargo this ain't. Just trust me. Lamest. Ending. Ever.

The Office Line Of The Night: Oh, wait, that's right -- no new episodes in the last month because of the fucking writers' strike. Damnit!



Okay, back at ya soon -- or most likely, mid-January. So, uh, happy holidays?

The official Canadian Bulldog/Aaron Wood feud logo.....

(Copyright James Guttman 2007. All rights reserved.)

Out Of Bloggfice Alert

I will be out of the country starting on Monday, and back online probably Friday morning. Would love to disclose more about the assignment, but unfortunately I can't.

In the meantime... there will be something by me on WWI next Tuesday (though the week after may be tricky) and probably a lack of audio shows for at least a week or so...

Catching Up With Canadian Bulldog

Sorry for the longer-than-normal delay in updates... just been hella busy lately with real life. So where do we start?

September FitnessBlog: I worked out a total of 18 times last month, which seems to be pretty much the average these days. But here's something cool -- my gym has recently changed ownership, and as part of the changes (read: an eventual grab for higher fees) they have a kind of "cycle" program where you cycle through 9 different machines as part of some proven system to help you lose weight, age better, feel better, etc. I've only done the whole loop twice so far, but I think I'm going to stick with it for a while...

Latest "Breaking News": Vince McMahon Chosen As Next James Bond

Latest Audio: Up on Club WWI right now, James Guttman and I talked for almost an HOUR about all things wrestling, including John Cena, who will take his place this weekend at No Mercy, why WWE is having trouble getting new fans, Hornswoggle, save_us.222, Damien Demento, Bubby Bulldog, the Canadian Target Hockey Stores and MUCH more!

Misc. television: If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and watch this week's Rick Mercer Report. I'm not a regular viewer, but I may very well become one, based solely on his comedy bit with embattled media baron Conrad Black.

And just to add a bit of hype, next week's True Wrestling Story is guaranteed to shock and surprise you! Tune in next Tuesday.... if, uh, I get enough time this weekend to work on it.

Happy 2nd Birthday, WWI!

Not to sound TOO self-serving, but I just wanted to wish World Wrestling Insanity a happy second birthday/anniversary/whatever. As someone who's been almost since the start, I have to tip my hat to James Guttman at constantly working on the site and keeping it fresh.

Again, I know this sounds like something of an infomercial, but I check the site daily, and not because I feel obligated to, but because I honestly like the way it's taken shape, and the unique "voice" we now have on the Web.

And while we're playing "Mutual Admiration Society" (tm Gorilla Monsoon), I thought I'd just mention that I was also mentioned in rather glowing terms on WWI's message board today by JG himself:

Of course, I have to point out the Canadian Bulldog too. CB makes me laugh every week whether it's through his column, audio, or email. Like ZAH, I searched him out and was amazed at how funny he was. His style was unlike anything I had read before online and it didn't overdo it like many others. He was a natural and I was really happy when he agreed to join us.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Complete and Utter SummerSlam

Tonight, please join me on World Wrestling Insanity because, for the first time ever (EVER!!!), I will be providing the site with LIVE coverage of SummerSlam.

Club WWI "Canadian Invasion"

Another reason to subscribe to Club WWI: Over the weekend, myself, James Guttman and my fellow Canadian ZAH participated in an hour-long audio roundtable that's now up on the site. It was a little more serious than I'm used to, but hey, any time you can fit both Umaga and Corner Gas into the same conversatiob, it HAS to be worth checking out, right?

Catching Up With The Plugs, etc.

Hey, guys. Apologies - I can't believe it's been more than two weeks since I've updated this blog! A couple of columns worth checking out:

The Boogeyman Joins Cast Of "The Office"

Breaking News: Kamala Hasn't "Ruled Out" Presidential Run

The True Wrestling Story Of John Cena

Also, just another plug for my "Complete and Utter Bulldog" audio show, available through Club WWI. A show is going up shortly that has me, out-of-character, ranting on the so-called "wrestling media". I know I'm shameless with the plugs, but I do feel this one is worth your time.

Welcome to THE POUND!!!

That's right -- thanks to some political lobbying, pleading and a few um, sexual favors, I now have my very own forum at the World Wrestling Insanity message board. Check it out here (under "Canadian Bulldog's Pound") and if you haven't already joined the message board, I'd highly encourage you to. Should be a blast!

Lyrics

Earlier today, I recorded a new song on my audio show "Complete and Utter Bulldog" (see Club WWI for full details). Here, then, are the lyrics to my tribute to Mr. McMahon:


Goodbye, Vinnie Mac
Though I never knew you at all
I had your DVD
And LJN wrestling doll

Watched you on the shows
When you'd, shout out with glee
How anything can happen, in
WWE

And it seems to me like you lived your life,
Like an asshole in the wind
Never caring 'bout your workers
Once they got pinned

And I wanted to work for you
But you never did!
You went and hired Viscera
And Crush and Sycho Sid

Goodbye, Vinnie Mac
Your ideas they always hit the mark
At least till "Austin"
Then they kind of jumped the shark

You screwed up "Katie Vick"
And then, "Billy and Chuck"
It led us to believe
That you didn't give a fuck

And it seems to be like you lived your life
Like an asshole in the wind
Never caring 'bout your workers
Once they got pinned

And I wanted to work for you
But you never did!
Instead you hired Viscera
And Crush and Sycho Sid

Why, Bulldog, Why?

To answer the two questions I've been asked, oh, at least a dozen times since yesterday's column hit: NO, this is not a work (though I have said that before and look what happened). And it has absolutely nothing to do with any "falling out" with Online Onslaught or Rick Scaia. So here's the deal...

I've been writing Inside The Ropes for four years, and it just got to the point where, largely, it wasn't fun anymore.

At the beginning, I could sit in front of the computer for half an hour and bang out ITR rather effortlessly ("that's what she said" -- sorry, had to say it). As I added more features and "matured" the column slightly, it took a bit longer to complete, but was always a lot of fun to work on. I don't mind spending time on something if, in the end, it still makes me chuckle.

Then in the last year, things became different. Part of it was the WWI gig, no doubt. Another part of it was keeping busier in general, with more of a social life and my day job has become more demanding. But even when those distractions weren't there, writing up ITR was no longer fun -- it became almost a burden.

I would sit at the computer screen for literally an hour, picking at the tiniest of ideas and then scrapping it, or doing a complete re-write. And in the run-up to WrestleMania -- which is usually my favorite time to write ITR-related columns -- I just wasn't feeling it. I decided that I had to cut either OO or WWI out for the time being, and I still have a lot more ideas for "Breaking News"/"True Wrestling Stories". ITR was becoming largely just a re-hash of things I'd already done.

I'm glad to say that, unlike WWE, Online Onslaught really DOES wish me the best in future endeavours, and that my exit was treated with the utmost respect. I told Rick just a few weeks ago that if I could think of another project -- one that doesn't take up ridiculous amounts of time on a regular basis -- I'd still love to contribute to his site. But that doesn't seem to be in the cards right now.

So "Canadian Bulldog" lives; he's just going to a lighter schedule (I ALMOST made an analogy of going from WWE to TNA, but I don't want to diss WWI like that).

Having said all that, I really appreciate everyone's feedback and comments, and of course, thank you all for reading. Inside The Ropes had a great run, and I'm happy it lasted as long as it did.

THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT!!!

Out Of Blogffice Alert

I'm going to be away for the rest of this week in Russoland (aka New Yawk City).... There should be a "Breaking News" out on World Wrestling Insanity later today, but I likely won't have an Inside The Ropes until the week after.

Programming Notes

After something of a hiatus, both Inside The Ropes and "Breaking News" should be back on their respective websites at some point this week. "Complete and Utter Bulldog" may or may not follow, depending on scheduling conflicts...

Coming Next Week To World Wrestling Insanity....

....possibly the best "True Wrestling Story" ever!

EVER!!!

TWS News

Just finished the first draft (yes, I often write drafts of larger columns) of the first TAG TEAM to be profiled in a True Wrestling Story. Hoping to have it done for publication next week... Stay tuned.

The greatest contest since "Roll Up The Rim To Win"

Announcing the "Guess the True Wrestling Story" contest over on World Wrestling Insanity. Win yourself a brand-new SUV, and lose weight while doing it*! Check out all the details in The True Wrestling Story of Sting.


* - not at all true.

The future of Inside The Ropes

Well, you all know the backstory by now. And as of today.... well, I'll let The Rick put it in his own words:

Goings and Comings

If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that the weekly "Inside the Ropes" column has been in something of a state of flux lately. Petty bickering and dick waving contests have even led to the point where just retiring the column entirely, and putting it up on the shelf along with the soon-to- be-departing Trish Stratus, seemed logical. Well, OO won't have to go that far, as it turns out. A solution has been reached. Has the Canadian Bulldog dropped his Diva Act, joined The Rick's own personal "Kiss My Ass" Club, and gotten his job back? Has PyroFalkon decided to keep the job by actually writing a halfway thoughtful column? Or is the actual truth something altogether more shocking and horrifying? There's only one way to find out people: check out the all new Inside the Ropes.