On Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 12:41 PM EST
It's time to discuss the End of the Year Palace Awards time. Since I didn't have the chance to take some information from my readers, I'm going to do my best to give you guys my opinions on some categories, and let you guys have the opportunity to respond accordingly. I have taken the time to create a facebook page for the column, so anyone who is on facebook can go there, and discuss this column, and I can publish some of the ideas that you may have in response to the content I hope to provide in this piece.
Ok. Let's get down to business.
Best Feel Good Moment of 2008
There's a clear winner here, and anyone who disputes me with this is nuts. From back in July of 2005 in Long Island, watching this man sign his WWE contract on the top of the ROH title to seeing him win the World Heavyweight Championship on the RAW episode right after a PPV, (to be honest, I don't remember which one), and have him beat, of all people, Edge, it was classic. I'm talking about CM Punk. I'm a huge Punk fan. From his days in ROH to his days current in WWE, I am still a Punk loyalist. I think that moment was done as beautifully as it could have been choreographed, and there was no other moment throughout the year in wrestling that made me smile and feel good more.
Most hated Moment of 2008
To be honest, there really isn't one moment that sticks out there above any other that makes me really despise being a fan of the business, and want to change the channel. I guess if there's anything that I can say I didn't appreciate the most, and can clarify itself in this category, it's the way TNA wrote Christian Cage off television by the mauling that he took at the hands of the Main Event Mafia.
Wait, hold on a minute, let me back up. I'll give you a most hated moment. It's in TNA, and it involves the Main Event Mafia. It's when Kurt Angle brought in the daughters of Jeff Jarrett in to the mix of the rivalry build up leading to the match at Genesis. It made Angle sound insane, in need of serious mental medial attention, and it made me hate this feud. It had all the elements of a business relationship gone sour, between boss and star employee, and when Angle brought in the picture of Jarrett's children, it went over the line. Way over the line, in my opinion. That is the winner, by a landslide of my most hated moment of 2008.
I'm writing this column off the cuff here, literally, with no research, so if I miss something, or neglect to mention something, well, correct me. That's what this forum is about, isn't it?
Favorite Moment I Witnessed Live in 2008
This is going to be even tougher for me to try and come up with an answer to, as I haven't been to a show since ROH's Sixth Anniversary Show. As I am looking at the ROH past results screen, that is the last show I have been to live. Damn. I haven't been to live pro wrestling in 10 months. Ouch. Well, one thing stands out from the 6YA show that I am mentioning here as my favorite moment I witnessed live. It was the Aries vs. Go Shiozaki match. It was a damn classic. Also, getting a chance to see Nigel vs. Dragon is never a bad thing, so I can give you that show as a whole as my favorite moment live in pro wrestling
Smartest Dumb Move in 2008
The smart move, I thought, was bringing in the NWA World Heavyweight title in to ROH. ROH needed some more name recognition in the states outside of their time dealing with the japanese promotions, and having NWA world title defense on ROH soil was a benefit for both companies. The NWA needs, and still does need, desperate exposure since the NWA titles have been rescued from TNA's grasp. ROH needed some more gems in their repetoire if they were ever going to land a television deal. GHC title defenses on US soil were too few and far between to be a bargaining chip by the administration of ROH. Now, with the removal of the NWA title from ROH soil, I think it's a chip that ROH has lost for a possible television deal in the future, and I think it's a blow to the NWA in their hopes of ever gaining national exposure again.
Biggest Disappointment
I have to say the TNA Impact video game. Not because of the fact that the game was fun to play but had an awful lot to be desired, but the fact that there really isn't going to be a sequel, and I wish, an evolution of the game. Use of the title belts. Use of a steel cage match. Use of other aspects of the games that are evident on the WWE games would have made TNA's expedition in to video game. I enjoy playing the Impact video game, but once the story is completed, the game loses its value immensely. With Midway's demise, the game has to be considered a major flop. And a major disappointment.
There's another disappointment I need to mention that is absolutely current, as in going down right now, which is why I am writing this in italics. I bought the Cross the Line DVD 3 pack, actually, my lovely wife did for me for Christmas. Victory Road and No Surrender's Discs have been Ok, but the Hard Justice DVD has been skipping and giving me a blurry picture. I went back to Best Buy and exchanged the product, and I am having the SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME EXACT DVD AT THE SAME EXACT MATCH, the last man standing match between Angle and AJ Styles. I emailed TNA to see if they can do something about it, and I suspect I'll get no response on it, yet. I intend on taking this further if I can, and I will let you know what happens as I do. What I want to know is, has anyone else had this problem with this box set. Please drop me a line by emailing me at clicking here.
Biggest Surprise
Obviously, there is only one thing that can be said here. Jeff Hardy winning the WWE Championship. I had said when Hardy got suspended for the second time while in WWE, I had said that I NEVER expected Hardy to see any aspect of the WWE title in his remaining time with the company. For Vince to take the leap, and put the title on Jeff is by far and away, the biggest surprise of the entire year.
Worst Championship Belt Design
The WWE Divas Championship. Someone puked on the belt. End of story.
Weirdest Title
The TNA Legends Championship. The belt is tremendous. The design, and the construction is absolutely first rate. But, the aspect of the title, and the qualifications of what is required to be a contender for it still to this day remains a mystery.
Best Storyline of 2008
It has to be the initial concept of the Mafia vs. the Frontline. All this splintering and in fighting amongst the Front line members, and all the gang style hits done by the mafia are quickly killing the storyline's initial success, but overall, this was the beginnings of what I hope to be more competitive programming from TNA.
Worst Storyline of 2008
Edge & Vickie Guerrero. I'm sorry, but this absolutely sucked from the word go. No way on the face of the planet is Eddie sitting up there watching and approving of what the WWE has had Vickie do in the past few months. It's been an embarassment from the beginning, and it just continues to fester like a rotting wound that doesn't seem to ever figure out a way to end. I also have to note the losing streak of MVP as one of the worst ideas known. I don't know if WWE is trying to send a message to some of its younger talents, since the roster has decreased in its average age considerably to not take anything for granted, but the talent MVP possesses is much too significant to be mired in such a no win scenario as a losing streak storyline.
Endless Feud of 2008
Robert Roode vs. Eric Young. Didn't this feud spill over from 2007 to now?? Isn't it still going on?
Most Disappointing Wrestler of the Year
It's not a hard one to say from my perspective, because there's only one that can fit this category, and that gentleman's name is Kurt Angle. Why? Simple. The man has taken obsession to a public forum and made it normalcy. He has lost everything, and he continues to compete in a public forum, and continues to show a personality that is as close to literal manic status that it's almost frightening to endure. Kurt Angle's career in pro wrestling has not been without it's share of ups and downs, but at this particular moment, he desperately needs to seek professional, medical, mental assistance, in order to keep his life on track, not his career.
There's been some rumours that Angle has wanted to potentially return to WWE once his career in TNA (contract) has elapsed. If I am WWE, I don't touch him with a ten foot pole. He's too much of a time bomb, and I believe it's been ticking for far too long. It's due to explode at any time.
Most Improved Wrestler of the Year
Matt & Jeff Hardy. A tie. Simply put, I never put them as full time world championship material. However, Matt has proven his mettle time and time again against embattled vets like Finlay, Mark Henry, Tommy Dreamer & others. Jeff's WWE title win simply puts him on this level by default. I never would have dreamnt that the former Brood, (I was watching the Edge DVD and the first ever tag team ladder match between E&C & the Brood (Matt & Jeff) could be singles world champions. However, I have been proven signifcantly wrong.
Best Comeback of 2008
It has to be John Cena. Cena comes back at Survivor Series, wins the World Heavyweight title, and seemingly hasn't skipped a beat. It's almost a foregone conclusion that the Champ will remain Champ all the way to Houston, Texas, and an eventual matchup with the most likeliest opponent left standing, Randy Orton. No bumps in the road, which has been a tremendous shock to me. I thought his work load had begun to make him much more suspectible to injury.
Biggest Surprise of 2008
John Bradshaw Layfield is still wrestling. I would've thought his body would have gave out on him. All reports I read said his body was going south on him in a big big way. With the fact that JBL is competing in the Royal Rumble for the World title recently cemented, it tells me that JBL still has a lot of gas left in the tank. The other surprise is the injuries of Kaz at the moment that TNA needs him most when the Suicide character is set to debut coinciding with the video game. It's such as shame that Kaz has been waiting to go forward with this angle for so long, and now, in the span of a month, hurt his arm twice, and virtually killed any chances of him going further in the character. And the saddest thing, and bigger surprise than Kaz's injuries, is the guy most likely to replace Kaz as Suicide is in Japan as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Low Ki. Ki was the voice in the video game, it'd be the absolute best call to bring him back in. Dollars to donuts they won't, and the idea will lose its luster in a hurry.
Tag Team of the Year
There's no question about it, I think LAX deserves to be the tag team of the year, but the facts are, they haven't been TNA tag team champs long enough during the year to warrant this distinction. With the lack of competition in WWE for tag team wrestling, I'll give the nod for tag team of the year is Beer Money. Storm and Roode are as good a tag team as possibly can be created. It's such a different element from Team Canada and AMW that it has to warrant distinction as being on top of the game at the end of the calendar year.
If I were to chose tag teams from the other major promotions, in ROH it'd have to be Kevin Steen & El Generico, for finally climbing the mountain to the ROH World tag team titles, and keeping them, although being involved in some bloody, insane wars with the Briscoes and the Age of the Fall.
If I were to chose tag teams from WWE, it'd be hard as hell to come up with one, but if I had to choose, it'd be, well, there's two choices. One is Carlito and Primo for winning the titles on their first opportunity, and the other is Miz & Morrison. Miz & Morrison appear to be the only true tag team in WWE, with the exception of the Colons. I thought this would see a rekindle of tag team wrestling. Obviously, this is WWE, so I guess I am mistaken.
Wrestler of the Year
There's a couple here I can mention. So I will. The candidates I would consider for wrestler of the year would be Chris Jericho from WWE, Nigel McGuinness from ROH, AJ Styles in TNA, and Keiji Mutoh from Japanese puroresu. I'll try and explain them all.
Jericho simply because he's been back a short time, and has already turned in to perhaps the top Raw heel, and won the World title twice. Not much else you can do to earn accolades from anyone. I'm not doing my job as a writer of wrestling if I don't recognize that accomplishment.
Nigel because bluntly, he's been ROH World Champion for the entire calendar year. He's going to break Danielson's record for the second longest reign as ROH title holder, and is in the running to beat Samoa Joe's legendary run of 21 months. I don't think he'll beat Joe's record, but he has managed to take on a lot of insanely talented stars from the ROH and NOAH rosters, and has managed to hold on to the belt in some major league intense matches. His match with Danielson at 6YA was nuts, and his match at Rising Above 07 against Aries was off the page.
Styles in TNA because bluntly, he has been given the chance to be AJ Styles. He's nobody's whipping boy anymore, and he is proving to the world that he can be the best on the planet at any given moment. He's taken all the talents from the front line, and made them better, and I believe, the Phenomenal One is the future uncrowned TNA World Heavyweight Champion. When Styles is allowed to do what he can do, there is no parallel. Finally, after months and months and months, what seemed to be an endless period of time, TNA has allowed AJ to return to his roots, and once again reclaim his position as the true Phenomenal One. Now, it's time to let him run with the brand on his back. He's ready to do so.
Keiji Mutoh, otherwise known as the Great Muta, has the IWGP Heavyweight title, and the All Japan triple crown championship. To be able to hold the top prize in two separate promotions at his advanced age tells me one of two things. He is either at the top of his game bar none, or there isn't much talent in Japan at the present moment. I disagree whole heartedly with the latter statement, with Liger still competing, as well as Nakanishi, Yano, Tenzan, Goto, Tanahashi, and others from New Japan, and the talents from NOAH and Dragon Gate as well. I am not that familiar with All Japan's talents, but I can tell you if Marufuji from NOAH is the AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Champion, there's got to be some heavy talent there, and being the brand setter as Muta is right now, requires recognition.
For more on Japanese puroresu, which is a hobby of mine, check out the Rising Sun Solilioquy that is written here at Wrestleview
What's next for 2009?? I haven't got a clue. I do know one thing that's in store. My 300th column here at Wrestleview, and my fourth year as the writer of the Pro's from the Palace column come February. I continue to have a blast doing this work, and as long as my readers check out my work, I'll be here to give it to you.
Ok, in closing, as I said, I had closed my blogs. But what I have done, is begun constructing a page for the Palace column on facebook. It's titled "Pro's from the Palace", and I believe that may be easier for you to search me out on facebook, if you're looking for me, go to facebook, and search for "Pro's from the Palace" (without the quotes). I'll try and see if the WV admins will let me put a facebook badge at the end of my columns, but I doubt it. I'm in the process of linking the archive of my work to that one location. I'm up in the 20's. I only have 260 plus more to go. Yay.
Anyways, let me get out of here.
Happy New Year to all my readers, and let's hope 2009 is a lot better than 2008, at least from my perspective.
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