Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Saturday, August 27, 2005 at 1:34 AM EST

It's been a while, albeit, I'm not sure I ever tried to do a column like this, but I got a lot of random little tidbits I'd like to throw out, and see what bounces back.. So, without further adieu, time for chapter 44 of the Palace.

Just added the TOMBSTONE WWE DVD on Undertaker and the Hardcore Homecoming DVD to my collection. Shane Douglas is a maniac, for starters, and the Tombstone DVD is done very, very well, in my opinion. I would consider both a must buy. Although one thing is for certain, Hardcore Homecoming is not suitable for the young at heart.

I read a story where the Dudley Boys, about to make their independent debut in King of Prussia, PA this weekend, can't use their names because WWE has them trademarked, and they found out about it one day prior to the WrestleReunion 2 convention. I know WWE is cost cutting up the wazoo, but isn't this just a little bit of cutting off your nose to spite your face? Why disallow them the opportunity to make money with their reputation they garnered in your company so that, when you decide you made the mistake and rehire them, they still have the resume from before. Now, it's like a whole separate entity. It just doesn't make any sense.

I also read a story where Matt Hardy is getting pissed off, and how Jeff Hardy ripped his brother for stringing TNA along. Well, Matt old boy, you reap what you sow. Edge is a moron, should not be getting push #1 from any organization, but we won't go there. But we all know VKM signed Matt Hardy back because the backlash from the fans has been enormous. But, since that first night on Raw a month or so ago, what has Matt Hardy done to impress anyone? Answer: Nothing. And now, fresh off Summerslam, a loss to Edge, and a loss to Rob Conway. Hello, anyone got a plot at the cemetery for Matt Hardy's career?

And another thing, I give Jeff credit for bashing his brother. Matt took the liberty of making this whole stinking nightmare public, and made every move he made front page news. Well, in the process, he took whatever momentum he had, and shoved it right down the toilet when he screwed TNA and re-signed with WWE. TNA was the best option for Matt Hardy, because TNA was going to give Matt Hardy the push he was dying for. Also, he had a backup plan if the push was unsuccessful. But, Matt went for the money, and now where is he? Back in limbo, like he was before, and now, without his girlfriend to break his fall. Enjoy your trip to the unemployment line again, you prima donna.

Still boycotting Smackdown. Even when it looks like the Dominick angle is finally put to rest, we still have to be forced to Rey Mysterio/Eddie Guerrero ONE MORE TIME, when the show debuts on Friday night, September 9th. What is WWE thinking when trying to produce a show for a 'move' such as this? Batista/JBL III, Rey/Eddie 925, wow, that's just so interesting and intriguing, I have to stop my entire life to make sure I watch those two matches. I'll give them one prop, the rematch between LOD 2005 and MNM will have some decent intrigue to it, but I would be surprised to see the tag titles change on this show. Hell, WWE will probably wait till the last Velocity taping to do that.

Impact continues to impress me. Although I am sickened by the sight of guys like Sean Waltman and Billy "Kip James" Gunn, talents such as AJ Styles, Petey Williams, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, AMW & The Naturals are the up and comers that WWE desperately is lacking. If TNA can handle the rough waters with Spike TV's impending debut, I can see the wars returning, and I can see WWE having some serious problems. Either which way, at this particular moment, I am still more interested in the indies, ROH, TNA, etc., than WWE.

Speaking of Ring Of Honor, I have my third row tickets for Glory By Honor IV at Sports Plus in Lake Grove on September 17th. AJ Styles vs. Jimmy Rave with the Embassy in his corner, and Foley in Styles corner in an anything goes match. I can only imagine the insanity that is liable to happen in this contest. I am looking very forward to this one. Look me up, if you're there. I'll be the big sumb*tch with glasses in the third row.

How angry must Shawn Michaels be? First, he is forced to job to Hulk Hogan, and now has gone from a heel against Hogan, to a face against the wet behind the ears greenhorn doofus Chris Masters? I mean, talk about a downgrade, or maybe a side step in opponents. First, HBK has to carry a 50 plus year old man with bad hips and no mobility, and now, he's gotta carry a 20 to 30 year old muscle bound clod with no gray matter between his ears. If I was Shawn, I'd put in for hazardous duty pay. Quickly.

A tidbit for my colleague and buddy Richie from Brooklyn. I was watching the DVD of Hardcore Homecoming, and Raven mentioned something to me that makes me violently ill, but actually is a compliment to how damn good the psycho is. Raven is the only wrestler to have action figures, me being the collector that I am, for the ECW, WCW, WWE and TNA brands. (I have the WWE and TNA Ravens... so I am a contradictory idiot for what I just said about being mad about this.)

I thought the draft was over. Can someone explain to me how a trade can occur after the draft lottery was completed? I mean, I can relate and understand why the trade was done, to allow Ashley Massaro a chance to develop as a personality without being compared to last year's winner, Christy Hemme, so it was viable to see Christy go to Smackdown. Candice and Torrie seemingly have become almost an item, so I guess two for one is not possible in one of these deals, so they take the exiled manager of the World Tag Team Champions, Super Stacy Keibler, and send her over to Smackdown. Now granted, Smackdown needs all the talent they can get, but both Christy and Stacy had niches on Raw, niches that I thought worked, Stacy with the tag champs, and Christy with Eugene. I certainly understand, as I said, Christy going, and I understand bringing Torrie over since it's been three years since she's donned a Raw ring, but Candice was part of the trade at draft time, so perhaps Candice set a record for the shortest duration ever on a show, what was it, a month? Make up your minds, WWE.

I have been writing this for the past couple of hours, breaking here and there, trying to figure out how I am going to address the Chris Jericho situation. This whole new cryptic message thing through the internet, and making use of the websites in storylines is starting to really bug me. I mean, come on, I know the Internet Wrestling Community can have its moments, but are we that powerful that we're going to have effects on so many people at so many levels? From Matt Hardy to Brock Lesnar to Chris Jericho, it seems like something is being cryptically brought to the forefront, which may be true, or may be totally against the grain of whatever is being discussed or planned, and then all that ends up happening is countless days of speculation until we find out absolutely nothing. I know that's a news story, but this is getting ridiculous. If the wrestlers are going to put websites out there, I know how busy they are, they should at least use them for what they're out there for, information about their careers. This cryptic now you see it, now you don't technique is insulting.

Now, I just did that whole piece, and I said zero about Jericho. Jericho has all the rights in the world to go tour with Fozzy and take time off from WWE. He pretty much has been non stop with WWE since his inception, with maybe some small pieces here and there. IF the statements that were released before are accurate, then WWE needs to seriously re-evaluate its talent, and what's being done to it. Here we have a main eventer, a man at the top of the food chain, leaving WWE because it's no longer challenging? Mental burnout from the road is one thing, and certainly understandable and expected from someone as busy as Jericho, but a lack of a challenge? That either sounds like a cop out, or something is going wrong seriously backstage at downtown WWE. It's impossible to speculate further, but for right now, Chris Jericho should go make music, heal his body and his mind, and return when he is ready, whenever it may be, and to keep his big mouth shut.

Congratulations to Chris Benoit on winning the United States title at Summerslam, and for totally, and I mean completely burying Orlando Jordan in the process. It couldn't happen to a ridiculously booked champion any better.

I read a rumour about a possible booking of a handicap match between Randy Orton and Cowboy Bob Orton, Jr. vs. the Undertaker. Please, please, please, please, please, for the love of all that is holier than thou, keep the damn geriatric wrestlers out of the ring. And I DO NOT MEAN UNDERTAKER.

Speaking of Undertaker, after watching his Tombstone DVD, I have determined that I like his American Bad Ass persona best. There was a lot more room to maneuver his character, and get involved in other aspects of it rather than the "dead man" gimmick. As my wife said, "when you're dead, you're dead."

I thought this one was going to be short, and it turned out much longer than anticipated. How is my first random thoughts only column? EMail me and tell me... Click here to drop me an email.

Till next time....

Kimosabe, Sumo!?!?!?!?!??!

Oh, yeah, lastly, for anyone in the Long Island area, September 2nd, Rey Mysterio appears live in Massapequa, Long Island. September 23rd, Randy Orton & Melina. Click here for information.