Where Eagles Dare Vs. The Big Brawl

* = Thank your Mr. Sandow, for you wisdom, your sweet beard, and your attempt to bring back the giant ring robe.











This will most likely be short today as I’m not really sure I have much to talk about, BUT I figure I should keep the ‘Blogmentum’ that I’ve established. If you listen to the Podcast I’m sure you’ll have noticed that it was INSANELY long this time, like 3.5 hours. That wasn’t by design, nor do I see it becoming the ‘norm’. In fact I think that we’ll be trying to tighten things up a bit and going as long as is needed. It’s not that the long episodes are ‘bad’, it’s just that they are L-O-N-G-! Dave and I have proven over and over again we can talk for HOURS and not get sick of one another. A lot of you don’t care for that, and really I’m sure David and I can think of other things to do with that time rather than give you mammoth Podcasts. So while we’ll try to trim it up a bit, we’re still going to do our ‘thang’ regardless of length. Oh, and if you didn’t know next week we hope to do the ‘Year In EVIL!’ Podcast where we will review the year in the way only we can. If you listen and have any suggestions drop them in the comments below.

Speaking of time wasting I finished reading Mark Chadbourn’s The Ice Wolves (** ½ out of 5).

It’s a Hellboy novel, although you’d barely know that reading it as it had FAR more to do with Mr. Chadbourn’s other characters. I’m a HUGE Hellboy guy; I dig the big red lug the most, so when I get a book where he is on the cover I want the book to be about him. What I’m not as interested in is reading about a man struggling with PTSD, a woman who he is ‘friends’ with but pines for, and his emotionally distant and aloof father. Granted the saving grace is this book is about the end of the world brought to you by EVERY Werewolf in the world trying to rest a magic item from Hellboy, and the ‘whiner’s crew’, while they search for it in a haunted house, so it’s got that going for it. Listen, I wanted to dig this book because it’s Hellboy, but I just couldn’t get around the predictable and slightly annoying secondary characters. I'm slightly surprised that this got throught the rigid quality control of Mike Mignola.  It just doesn't fit with all the 'Mythology' he's built up in giving us Hellboy's world.  Give me Hellboy fighting world ending Werewolves any day, but how about next time you have someone else write it.

I finally ponied up the ‘straight cash homey’ and grabbed the DLC for WWE ’13 on Xbox Live. I want to bitch and say it wasn’t worth and that I’m disappointed, but that would be a lie. Between the really great DLC stuff, I also was able to go through the Downloadable Community Creations catalog. All I can say is WOW! There are folks out there who are simply put artists with the Create-A-Mode. I filled all the slots for Create-A-Wrestlers with some of my favorite Face(s) and Heel(s) from around the world, including an amazing looking Jushin “Thunder” Liger. I had like 45 slots open and now they are all full, and the sad part is I would fill 50 more with ease. Now I’m just downloading Created Arenas so I’ll be able to add some flavor to my 18 extra PPV’s a year in My Universe. So this means it is time for another Blog segment that most of you will want to skip…

FAKE SPORT’S NEWS, WWE ’13 EDITION!

Since getting all these new competitors I re-booted the My Universe mode in order to better utilize my rosters. I started by putting most of the Attitude Era stars, with some exceptions, on RAW, I have currently eliminated Smackdown but put its roster to use on RAW as well. Wednesday nights are for Superstars, where two of my three new brands co-host the show, NXT & ECW. Thursday nights is WCW Nitro where I’ve littered the roster with WCW stalwarts like Kevin Nash and Booker T, but also put in characters that either had runs in the old WCW or I felt fit what I wanted that show to be better such as Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin (who competed in and was fired from WCW, over the phone while injured I might add, as the blond coifed Stunning Steve Austin in the late 80’s early 90’s). Friday’s is NXT which is made up of mainly young WWE guys, guys who are actually on the show NXT  currently, some CHIKARA talent, and some Ring Of Honor guys. Last, but not least is Saturday’s ECW, which is a hodge podge of ECW originals, ROH, New Japan, CHIKARA, NOAH, and even some WWE guys.

Thus far I’ve been sucked in to playing far more matches than I intended just because of the feuds and match ups on shows that I simply would have ignored previously. In fact I’ve lost more matches than I’d done previously with all the additional characters. Two matches, both losses, jump out at me as great examples why I’m obsessed with this game. First was last night’s Tag Team match on WCW Nitro  between two parts of Kings Of Jersey, Mortis (aka Chris Kanyon, Mortis just looks WAY cooler)

and Bam Bam Bigelow (their third partner is DDP) and my Nation Of Domination team of Mark Henry and The Godfather (the third member being Farooq). Two ‘Heel’ factions squaring off to see who the #1 Contender for the WCW Tag Team Titles, held by the Road Warriors, would be figured to be a war. That’s why I was amazed that half way through the match Mortis was waiting for the Bigelow tag and he withdrew his hand. He jumped down, waved off his partner and left him to get DESTROYED! And to be honest he did get destroyed. ‘The Beast From The East’ tried valiantly to hold off his opponents, but after Mark Henry totally escaped my Greetings From Asbury Park finish attempt it was all downhill. Eventually they threw Bigelow outside the ring and beat the piss out of him. It ended with The Godfather spearing him THROUGH the guard rail, and them leaving him lying to get counted out. It was brutal, and as slightly frustrating as it was, it was also INCREDIBLY awesome. Now I have two feuds going out of this as the Kings Of Jersey have to deal with dissension in their own ranks and with The Nation trying to destroy Bam Bam. By the way, does this look like the face of a man whose ‘heart pumps Kool-Aid’? I thought not. I THOUGHT NOT!

Which brings me to the second example; it was the CAW (the Create-A- Wrestler) of my friend & yours, Dark Dave against ‘Mr. Wrestling’ Kevin Steen.

I dig Steen, he’s got the anti-hero gimmick down, he can be damn funny on the microphone like when he does commentary for PWG, and for a chubby dude he has a great move set. I was interested in playing this match and seeing how it was going to shake out. I played as Dave and for the most part was getting the better of ‘Mr. Wrestling’ until I got CRUSHED with a Shining Wizard this caused Dave to bleed and I knew I was in some trouble. With some quick hand eye coordination I was able to get back into the match though, and even thought I had some serious momentum as I dropped Steen with high flying kick and ascended to the top turn buckle, beckoning Steen to get up so I could finish him with a leg drop. As Steen got up and Dave leapt I realized I might be in trouble. ‘Mr. Wrestling’ caught Dave in midair and Powerbombed THE CRAP out of him! It was a really neat spot and it was re-played like four times. Steen hooked the leg and that was that. I’m hoping that this is just the opening salvo into a feud between the two, because I sincerely enjoyed playing that match. I can only imagine what it would have been like on ‘Epic’ Match Experience level. Overall, the game is just continuing to blow my mind and I haven’t even touched the ‘Create-A-Story’ mode. It might be the very best video game I have ever set my grubby thumbs upon.

I’m going to stop now, because otherwise I’ll just keep ranting about how insanely good the game is and how much I love it. How about we wrap up this slog with some…

RANDOM CRAP!

- I thought about writing regarding my feelings about the tragedy in Connecticut, and then I realized sometimes saying nothing says the most.
- I received another copy of EACH of the second three releases of Terraclips for my final round of birthday gifts last Saturday in ‘The Cloud’. This will DRASTICALLY alter some of my D&D plans because I can NOT wait to make some serious ruins. Now that I have two of Vaults Of Ruin I think I can fill a table easily. This also means that I can finally build The Halls Of Torog for an adventure I’ve wanted to run using my two copies of Prison Of The Forsaken. Basically, this just opens up some options for me that should allow me expand on some ideas that have been just setting on the mental shelf.
- To say I’m tired is an understatement.
- I started watching 2012 CHIKARA’s Under The Hood this morning while waiting to come to the place that pays me. So far it’s decent, but I’m waiting for the main event matches. I’m eager to see Tim Donst and Eddie Kingston go to war. Oh, and of course to see the revenge of the devious genius Ultra Mantis Black!
- Last night Cassandra and I cooked together and it was not only a tasty meal, but a great time. Thanks sweetie!
- This morning on the Power Trip it sounded like a ‘bit’ got a little too real with ‘Meat Sauce’

and his girlfriend. I really hope it was a ‘work’ because if it turns out to be real then that is really messed up. They had, a few weeks ago, ruined his Christmas surprise for his girlfriend, the lovely Falen from KDWB. They adamantly claimed they didn’t know it was a Christmas gift, but being a constant listener I remember him telling them to shut up about it, and ‘C-Hawk’ & ‘Sludge’ kept going. So today they offered him an easy $300 to play a game successfully. The gist of the game at the end was that he had to answer some really difficult questions to get his money, and if he failed he had to smash some Christmas ornaments that he had taken from he and Falen’s tree. Well, being ‘Meat Sauce’ he failed miserably and commenced the crushing.

Apparently someone texted her and she called in bawling regarding one of the ornaments being from her dead Grandmother. I’m no judge of acting, but it sounded sort of real. If it turns out to be real then that’s messed up. At some point the teasing of Paul ‘Meat Sauce’ Lambert has crossed the line from fun teasing to just a constant mean droning. I like Chris Hawkey and even Corey Cove, but without Mike Morris to sort of buffer them with ‘Sauce’ they really have taken it a bit far. Like I said I hope it was a ‘bit’, because otherwise it really makes me want to stop listening.
- It’s sad but I’m starving for good Fried Chicken, Gyro’s, Chicken Wings, Egg Rolls, and Sushi. ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

I think that’s all I got today. If I don’t blog before, all of you who read this constant stream of insanity thank you and have a wonderful Holiday!

“Your solution, your proposition
It does repulse me, has me sick
I paid with my blood, my sweat and tears
To be in your school, your stubborn course

Counting numbers, without luck yeah
If I speak in a fowl tongue, you have my words
To realize and see, with an open eye
Gives you the magic, to give not die

It's not because of you
That I sit this one through
It's not because of you
And I'm still in love with what I do

Saints are coming, around the bend,
Without you knowing, they eat your brain
Choices were made, memories fall
Miles were driven
We were lost not gone

It's not because of you
That I sit this one through
It's not because of you
And I'm still in love with what I do

It's all because of you
That I sit this one through
It's all because of you
That I'm still in love with what I do”

      * = I hear ya Bats!  So the KFCs all over the place are closing down which gives me a distinct 'Sad Panda Face' as I will miss the Hot Wings.  HOWEVER, I've been informed that they will be replaced with Popeye's Chickens.  I'm torn, and now hungry.