From the Desk of Mr. V #71
June 3, 2010
By: Anthony J. Valvo of Wrestleview.com
Before I begin this week’s session there is something I want to share with you.
It is that time of year again, where Mr. V can remove the tie and long-sleeved shirts and break out the Hawaiian Shirt and sandals, sipping on his cup of cappuccino or Iced Coffee (by the way I got approval from the manager at my local Dunkin’ Donuts and now they are the official coffee of “From the Desk of Mr. V”).
I am not going to be all “CM Punk” here, but I will tell you all to stand up from your chairs. Close those textbooks, and sing along with me and JIMMY BUFFET!!
Behind the scenes of a Teacher’s Lounge after the last day of school! I have to thank Zac Clark for one of my favorite clips of all time.
And as always during the summer this column will be all for the students of WrestleView. So if you want something clean in this column, here is your chance! Not all at once though, I will go crazy. Like many teachers, my mind is fried right now. Here is hoping for a great column and if you have detention notices, classroom rules, and more e-mail them my way to mistervwv@hotmail.com.
Introduction (By: Rocky Dominguez and Michael Williamson)
Ladies and gentlemen take your seats it’s time once again to take a slammin journey through the world of wrestling with your teacher, your wrestling guide. Anthony J. Valvo!!!! – Rocky Dominguez
Class, summer is here and the season for swimming, camping, and cook-outs is upon us but that does not mean the learning ends. As we wind up this school year, please sit up straight and pay attention to the grademaster of professional wrestling, Mister V. – Michael Williamson
Welcome once again class to “From the Desk of Mr. V”. I am your resident teacher of WrestleView and I (and my students this week) will provide you with the good and bad of pro wrestling. Inside today will be a lecture on a few buzz worthy wrestling stories, detentions, Honor Rolls, and of course some Gold Stars (still sponsored by JR’s Family Bar-B-Q). Also each week I will keep the predictions standings up on my column to keep all of my readers (past and present) informed on the standings. So students have a seat and grab a beverage of your choosing. School is in session for the 71st time and I am your teacher.
On a side note before the quote, my friend James Lacerenza made a huge comeback for the “Pepsi Refresh Project” and thanks to your votes, he cracked the top 100 and is now in the running still for a $50,000 grant to send children who suffer from muscular dystrophy to a local camp in Spring Valley, NY. This is truly a great cause and all you have to do is just spend a moment of your time and vote. Consider this a homework assignment. Gold Stars to those who vote.
The site is http://www.refresheverything.com/mdcamp. It does not cost money to vote so vote everyday from now until June 30th. Thank you in advance.
Quote of the Week
I decided this week to go modern with the quote. Here is one from the leader of the Straight Edge Society, CM Punk (who is now wearing a ridiculous mask).
“Wow, somebody’s juices are flowing! And that’s a steroid joke for those who don’t get it.” – CM Punk
(From his days in ROH) “Anybody wants to call me the Triple H of Ring of Honor, I think that’s hilarious. I would prefer to call Triple H the CM Punk of the WWE!” – CM Punk
And something completely different…
“Now THAT’s some good cantaloupe!” – CM Punk (who doesn’t love cantaloupe anyway?)
Teacher’s Lecture
Overall, it feels that wrestling was a bit light on actual news and not rumors. With that, I will try and figure out some news items worth mentioning.
I will also let you all know that I WILL be doing another column this week. Summer vacation is approaching and I do have a new roster on NXT to introduce to my readers. So, keep an eye out for something this weekend or sooner. These NXT rookies will be evaluated just like the ones from the previous season.
1) Your Winner of NXT Season One…Wade Barrett!
Mr. V’s Take: I must say that I am really happy that it was Barrett. If you read my Mr. V #55 you would know how much I enjoyed Barrett’s work in the developmental stage and after weeks on NXT my patience paid off. I seriously thought since the start that he was going to at least be in the top three. Each week he showed that he can brawl with anyone. He wrestled the “rookies” and even top notch WWE Superstars (remember his match with John Cena) very well throughout. The guy was miles ahead of everyone, including David “This ain’t diet” Otunga on the mic and his wrestling matches up.
When will he get his guaranteed title match at a pay-per-view? That is a good question and I do find Barrett deserving of a mid-card title. R-Truth is very beatable and Barrett could very well be a United States champion in month’s time. However, I think Barrett’s best bet is in the now rejuvenated WWE Tag Team division. What? I said that the WWE has good tag teams? Well, last year they may have had only two or three tag teams. Here is a look at the current tag team division.
The Hart Dynasty – They are your champions. Are they the best tag team? I don’t think so. However, Tyson Kidd is a pretty solid wrestler and when DH Smith can develop more into the power prospect that we hope he can be this team has some true staying power.
The Usos – Rikishi’s twins boys have been very impressive in their short time in FCW. They have a TON of quickness and they can execute their moves well. Adding Tamina in the mix could also help with a really subpar Divas division, as we may finally see a good divas wrestling feud with Tamina and Natalya.
Santino Marella and (possibly) Vladimir Kozlov – I can really envision them getting a few victories. If they can’t wrestle, they will at least be very entertaining together.
(Possibly) Goldust and Yoshi Tatsu – It worked for a little bit in ECW, and I can really see them work their magic on Raw. At least show this team on Superstars, right?
The Dudebusters – I am still not sold on Caylen Croft. He just seems to blow through everything and lacks a good bit. I am more impressed with the skills of Trent Barreta. Barreta may be green at times, but I am excited to see where his potential is in a few months.
Curt Hawkins and Vance Archer – Apparently, they are a tag team and not a good one at that. Though I am starting to believe in Hawkins again.
(possibly in the future) Brett DiBiase and Michael McGillicutty (aka Joe Hennig) – I think they would have been brought up but with Brett’s recent surgery this was the best case scenario for the viewers to be introduced to Joe Hennig. All I can say is that he is a very talented up and comer. I just wished they could have been in this faction with Ted DiBiase, Jr. as it was rumored.
Maybe I am crazy, or smart. This division may not have proven talent, but they are young, fresh superstars and mix them with guys who could not be singles stars anymore and I think this could be a very good division if the WWE puts some time into each team.
Now, back to the focus of this bit and that is Wade Barrett. I really believe that Barrett will be teaming up with Chris Jericho and form a really nice tag team that could win those championships very soon. I think the moment they decide to go for the Tag Team Championship will spell the end of The Hart Dynasty’s reign as the holders. Here is hoping that this is correct, because Wade Barrett is for real.
2) Meet the Second Season NXT Rookies
I did this as a huge portion of my 55th column on WrestleView with the first season of NXT. I was very proud of that piece and I will do the same on a later date.
But to sooth your wrestling palate, Here is a quick summary on each based on the wrestlers announced.
Alex Riley (Miz is the pro) – They are building him up to be good and I don’t blame them. Riley is your current FCW Heavyweight Champion. He had to go through Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel to get it, and both of them were in the top three in the previous NXT.
Eli Cottonwood (John Morrison is the pro) – Cottonwood was an all-conference athlete on the basketball court with St. John’s in the Big East. His gimmick in FCW is a crazed man, but in the ring he is really not that great. Time will tell if he is ready for the WWE.
Husky Harris (Cody Rhodes is the pro) – Harris was known as Duke Rotundo and tagged with his brother Bo Rotundo. His father was Mike Rotunda, better known as I.R.S. to some. Don’t let his size fool you, as when he was in FCW he was the better Rotundo. He is quick and agile for someone his size. He did play college football a few years ago.
Kaval (Layla and Michelle McCool are the pros) – Kaval is the most well-known among all the NXT rookies. Kaval was known as Senshi and Low-Ki from his time in Ring of Honor and TNA Wrestling. He was with Ring of Honor in its debut, and beat guys like Daniel Bryan, Douglas Williams, and Christopher Daniels. Right now, I am very confused with this “pairing”.
Lucky Cannon (Mark Henry is the pro) – Lucky Cannon was known as Johnny Prime in FCW and he had some success in that territory. I saw a couple of his matches and I was not disappointed, though he was the loser in each singles match he was in. Still, Cannon shows potential and I do like this pairing.
Michael McGillicutty (Kofi Kingston is the pro) – McGillicutty is better known as Joe Hennig, son of non other than Mr. Perfect. When I saw his work in FCW, he is a spitting image of his father. Everything he did in FCW was pretty crisp and was the highlight of the show. Here is hoping he lasts pretty long in NXT, because he may be a huge favorite.
Percy Watson (MVP is the pro) – Watson was part of a faction not too long ago with NXT Season One Rookie Darren Young. Watson is an entertainer and a bit on the goofy side. I think he would need to control his excitement and he can shock people. With MVP as his pro, I think he will tone down the antics and focus on the basics.
Titus O’Neil (Zack Ryder is the pro) – They say he was a former Florida Gator, and they are not lying. He debuted in FCW recently and to be honest I am not impressed. With Ryder as his “pro”, I can see O’Neil being sadly eliminated first.
3) The Deadman rises, and then falls
In case you do not know, The Undertaker came back from his usual absence after WrestleMania to take on Rey Mysterio for a spot at the Fatal 4 Way Main Event for Jack Swagger’s World Heavyweight Championship.
During the match, according to sources on WrestleView, Mysterio apparently hit a Seated Senton wrong and The Undertaker suffered a concussion and broke his orbital bone as well as his nose. Talk about a triple whammy. Well, the bad news is that The Undertaker will not take part of that Fatal 4 Way and now it is open. Someone should fill it soon though, and I know it will happen even though I don’t read the spoilers.
I could tell for one that it was more serious than say “biting your tongue” or a simple broken nose. You could tell in Undertaker’s eyes that he was not there once his hand was raised. And there was a lot of blood. If it was a simple broken nose, Taker would patch it up and go hard. But with the broken orbital bone (which can put anyone out for a long time) and the concussion happening it was too much for him. The WWE is very cautious now when their superstars and concussions. Ted DiBiase, Jr. has not been actively wrestling on TV since his concussion and it is over two weeks now.
I am not calling The Undertaker a “quitter” though. He toughed it out like he normally does. I don’t really care how old he is, he is just the gutsiest man on that roster. Remember when he was burned because of his pyro back in February, yet still wrestled very well? That only proves the toughness of The Undertaker and I expect him to come back from his injury as strong has he can be. I pray and hope for a speedy recovery for The Undertaker because Smackdown is not the same without him.
Detentions
I am going to be completely honest with all of you. If you did something wrong or if any wrestling company did anything wrong, I have good news. NO DETENTIONS!!! I was actually in a good mood and this being the first week of my vacation I will leave the detentions up to my students. So e-mail me your worries to mistervwv@hotmail.com.
Mister V’s Honor Roll for the Week of May 24 – May 30, 2010
5/24 – Graded WWE Monday Night Raw Matches
5/25 – Graded WWE NXT Matches
5/26 – Column Writing. After that, I watched ROH on YouTube and recap the show.
5/27 – Graded WWE Superstars and TNA Impact Matches.
5/28 – Graded Smackdown Matches
5/29 – OFF DAY
5/30 – It will now be an OFF DAY until I finally get an FCW link.
Distinguished Honors – Zack Ryder vs. Evan Bourne, WWE Superstars, May 27.
Thoughts: This was a good back and forth paced match. Both men really let each other have it, as it felt stiff but they were pretty safe about it. This is probably the most action I have seen from both of them since their days in ECW, and it really made me miss their in-ring action. I was very glad to see both were showcased, especially Evan Bourne (who was really underrated before the May 31st Monday Night Raw). I wish to see both men carry this momentum to a possible mid-card deal on Raw because their main event on Superstars was a pretty good show.
Finish: Evan Bourne crashed the Shooting Star Press and Zack Ryder immediately went for the Zack Attack and hit it. Ryder defeated Bourne by pinfall.
Grade: B.
High Honors – Eddie Edwards vs. Colt Cabana, ROH on HDNet, May 24.
Thoughts: I liked this match a lot. It had a very good pace to it, which is a lot because Eddie Edwards usually does his offense very quickly. ROH did a great job booking Colt Cabana, as we know who he wants to go after based on his hatred to Steve Corino. In the ring, both were very technical with a good mix of holds and brawling. Overall, the match was solid in and out of the ring, but it was not a great main event that many are accustomed to with Ring of Honor.
Grade: B.
Honors – R-Truth vs. The Miz, Monday Night Raw, May 24.
Thoughts: One of the main reasons I bumped this match up to the honor roll was because it is nice to see R-Truth with a championship. He really gets the crowd going with his theme song and his moveset. The Miz was excellent in his in-ring work once again, as he worked on Truth’s arm pretty good. R-Truth deserves to hold some gold and it was a good move on the WWE’s part. However, this comes as a great responsibility now. R-Truth will now have to be more careful in the ring and don’t rely on his quickness too much. Overall, it was a good match and quickness prevailed.
Mr. V’s Grade Book for the Week
A+, A, or A-: None to Report
B+: None to Report
B: Eddie Edwards vs. Colt Cabana (ROH); R-Truth vs. The Miz (RAW); Cody Rhodes vs. JTG (Superstars); Zack Ryder vs. Evan Bourne (Superstars); and The Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio (Smackdown)
B-: Justin Gabriel vs. Wade Barrett (NXT); Kazarian vs. Jay Lethal (TNA); Desmond Wolfe vs. Jeff Hardy (TNA); AJ Styles vs. Mr. Anderson (TNA); and Big Show and Kofi Kingston vs. Drew McIntyre and Jack Swagger (Smackdown);
C+: Sheamus vs. Mark Henry (RAW); Edge vs. John Cena vs. Chris Jericho (RAW); R-Truth and David Otunga vs. Christian and Heath Slater (NXT); Jesse Neal and Shannon vs. Brother Ray and Brother Devon vs. Scott Hall/Kevin Nash/Eric Young (TNA); and Yoshi Tatsu vs. Primo (Superstars);
C: Eddie Kingston vs. Joey Ryan (ROH); Joey Ryan/Shawn Daivari vs. Eddie Kingston/Necro Butcher (ROH); CM Punk vs. Kane (Smackdown); Christian and Hornswoggle vs. Chavo Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown); and Luke Gallows vs. MVP (Smackdown)
C-: Maryse and Alicia Fox vs. Eve Torres and Gail Kim (RAW); Abyss vs. Orlando Jordan (TNA); and Lacey Von Erich and Velvet Sky vs. Sarita and Taylor Wilde (TNA);
D+, D, or D-: David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd vs. William Regal and Vladimir Kozlov (RAW)
F or INC: None to Report
Current Predictions of the Faculty Standings
(As of WWE’s Over the Limit)
2010-2011 Season (As of WWE Over The Limit)
1) Josh Boutwell (Viva La Raza and TNA Recapper)……………….38-22 (3-4)
2) David Stephens (That’s a Wrap and RAW Recapper)………….37-23 (4-3)
3) Students of the Week (The Best from Prev. PPV)………………36-24 (4-3)*
4) Jose Marrero (Wrestling Rumblings)……………………………………35-25 (2-5)
5) Matt O’Brien (Notes From The Nosebleeds)…………………………34-26 (1-6)
6) Daniel Browne (For Queen and Country)……………………………..34-26 (2-5)
7) WrestleView Students (The Loyal Readers)………………………..34-26 (4-3)
8) Mike Tedesco (Smackdown and NXT Recapper)…………………32-21 (6-1)
9) Anthony Valvo (From the Desk of Mr. V/ROH Recaps)……….31-29 (4-3)
10) Doug Lackey (Reality From Ringside)………………………………….30-30 (4-3)
11) Sean Hurley (The Sharpshooter)………………………………………..28-32 (1-6)
12) Jeff Springer (WWE Superstars Recapper)……………………………25-16 (0-0)
13) Joe Baiamonte (Baiamonte’s Casa/2009 WV Champ)………24-20 (0-0)
Soon to Be Students of the Week based on records from Over the Limit: Sean Martin, Crystal Mai, Jeremy Samples, Evan O’Brien, and Sam Newstone.
Mr. V’s Gold Star Segment (Sponsored by: JR’s Chipotle Ketchup)
The television writers for “Lost” (By: Robert Downing) – They earned one for doing an amazing job for six seasons.
Wade Barrett – The NXT Winner for Season One. I could not be happier for him. And shame on wrestling sites that would “report” that it was going to be David Otunga or Daniel Bryan.
Daniel Bryan, The Miz, and Michael Cole – If there were any highlights to NXT, this was it. Cole is hated more now by the fans, Bryan is now on a roll in the WWE, and The Miz now is the pro to FCW Champion Alex Riley. A Win/Win for everyone.
Evan Bourne and WWE Booking – I could not believe my eyes when I saw Bourne get that pin on Monday night. I hope this is not just a cup of coffee for Bourne, but the start of something really special.
Ken Anderson – I am sorry, but I am digging his tweener role here. He is hilarious on the mic last Thursday on an Impact that I thought was the best in a long time.
Shrek Forever After – Critics bashed on this, but I saw this movie (in 3D) and thought it was a touching movie for those that have families. I won’t go into much but I for one was satisfied with the ending to these chronicles.
Colt Cabana – He reminds us all that you don’t need a title to go completely over with a crowd.
Rhett Titus – Just because he is Rhett Titus (and I am going to attempt to get him on the Teacher’s Lounge someday).
Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics – Congrats on making the Finals in the NBA. My prediction? Celtics in Six.
Jay Lethal – Superb booking by TNA with this character. Lethal is a guy that people should watch.
WWE Superstars – For two weeks in a row, the shows were pretty solid. I really liked the one from May 20th in which I got to recap.
To all the readers that sent in their homework – Michael Williamson, Russell Norris, Suzanne Abshire, HalfsizedRuss, John Giammarino, Lester Juinor, Robert Downing, Pat Lorang, Rick Jackson, and CJ Bowman thank you all very much for completing the assignment.
Chicago Blackhawks – This team won the first two games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No Philly jokes here, they made if farther this year than the Penguins.
Kevin Castle – It is his 42nd Birthday today! Honestly he is one of the good guys when listening to any professional radio show.
TNA – For tying up almost everything in your recent Impact to the upcoming PPV.
Vince McMahon – He returned triumphantly on Monday Night Raw. Still (though many bash this man) one of the smartest men in the business.
Jim Ross – He accepted a deal to stay with the WWE. I for one am very happy about this because now he will still get good money and only have to travel occasionally. Thank you, JR.
NO Good Ideas or Bad Ideas. I did not get any of them.
Homework Analysis
The Question
Who would you book as the following:
WWE World Champion (held by John Cena)
World Heavyweight Champion (held by Jack Swagger)
TNA World Heavyweight Champion (held by Rob Van Dam)
ROH World Champion (held by Tyler Black)
Here are the names of the students of WrestleView who completed the assignment. Now I will share with you some of their answers, as if I showed every answer from them this column would be long: Michael Williamson, Russell Norris, Suzanne Abshire, HalfsizedRuss, John Giammarino, Lester Junior, Robert Downing, Pat Lorang, Rick Jackson, and CJ Bowman.
The Answers
For the WWE World Championship
1) John Cena
2) Sheamus
3) Edge
A few opinions by the students:
Looking at the newly stacked RAW rosters I can think of more than a few superstars I’d rather see as Champion over Cena but really Orton and Triple H don’t NEED the title in their current roles, Batista’s leaving. I would like to see Edge and Jericho continue their SD feud over the belt with Jericho ridiculing Edge about his sad run as a face. But the big problem is getting the belt off and away from Cena. The man is synonymous with the WWE title. I really don’t see anyone else as champion but CENA. Still I’d rather see either Jericho or Edge with the title. – Russell Norris
Obviously, a list of fresh challengers on RAW is lacking even with the recent draft. Plenty of Main Event Talent, but those bouts have been exhausted in the eyes of many. Oddly enough, I would have to say The Miz. If he gets a program against Randy Orton or John Cena again, he could breakout. His Bret Hart feud and Chris Jericho alliance has elevated him in my eyes. His wrestling has actually improved. He has seemingly worked hard. The Miz over John Cena would make sense. If booked properly, it could bring a lot of ratings. – HalfsizedRuss
I’d love to see Edge with the belt again. He is a great heel champion and it would only make his feud with Orton that much better. – Rick Jackson
For the World Heavyweight Championship
1) Jack Swagger
2) Christian
3) (tie) CM Punk and Matt Hardy
A few opinions by the students:
I would keep Swagger the champ. At first I was like “meh” but he isn’t that bad of a champ. If not Swagger then CM Punk. – Robert Downing
The right man (Swagger) has the Championship here. – Suzanne Abshire
At Fatal4Way, have the current champ drop the belt. This time, have C M Punk take the belt. This would take the SES to a whole other level. Many possibilities there. – Lester Junior
For the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
1) (tie) Rob Van Dam and AJ Styles
2) Ken Anderson
3) (tie) Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal
A few opinions by the students:
To TNA and Rob Van Dam. Way too much is written about what is wrong with TNA, but in my opinion RVD is the best option for elevating the company. Sting as a heel isn’t getting better and he’s really at the end of a great career. I would run the course with the RVD/Sting feud before making Sting a face once more before he retires. Ric Flair needs to leave also. AJ Styles does not need Naitch to keep him on top & RVD/Styles would be a top notch program. The potential in TNA is so much greater than the product they put out. Abyss can be a first rate monster and needs to turn heel against RVD. I would also use the impending Dudley split to give Bubba a shot against Rob. Eventually Rob would drop the belt to Desmond Wolfe, a well known heel champion. I think this would set up great programs with The Pope, Jeff Hardy, and MIIIIIIISTER Anderson (Anderson). When you can mix in Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe there’s so much more to TNA than Hogan/Jac..I mean Bischoff. – Michael Williamson
Put it back on AJ Styles, have him win it cleanly but stick with Ric Flair and attempt to parallel the Ric Flair from the 1980’s. When he was booed while fighting Dusty Rhodes and cheered when fighting the heel Nikita Koloff. Have RVD be a consistent challenger and have long but interesting matches between the two. – John Giammarino
I don’t agree with putting the title on RVD. I think what it the point of mentioning AJ Styles as the longest world champion in TNA if you yank the title off him so quick on Impact no doubt. But TNA is going to do what they want to so RVD is champ. I think AJ Styles should still be champion. On a side note, I can’t stand ANY Abyss angle run by TNA. – Pat Lorang
For the ROH World Championship
1) Davey Richards
2) Tyler Black
3) (tie) Christopher Daniels and Colt Cabana
A few opinions by the students:
Keep the ROH belt on Tyler Black, build up Kenny King, and have King take it at Death Before Dishonor or at the September 11th show in NYC. – CJ Bowman
I haven’t seen much from Tyler Black since winning the ROH World Title. I do think he deserved the title but now I believe that the best option for the championship is in Davey Richards. I would book Richards versus Aries in a prolonged feud. Roderick Strong could be a great champion but I believe Davey Richards is star power personified. Looking at the three top challengers, I actually believe Tyler Black is the weaker personality of the three. That says a lot. Time for a change. I do not think Tyler Black as a long-term Champion does ROH favors. – HalfsizedRuss
Clearly Davey Richards, he is the epitome of the ROH star and my favorite new star from the last couple of years. Heel or face, doesn’t matter he is a fantastic worker and fits in nicely with the ROH title. – John Giammarino
Mr. V’s Choices
WWE World Champion – John Cena. Every WWE Raw Superstar right now is trying to make that impact, but right now none of them match the value of one John Cena. I mentioned this before, but I am not sure. When you put the title on someone it is a big responsibility, especially one that holds more prestige than any other wrestling championship. Cena is loved by many fans, is a good role model, and someone that is good with celebrities. Sure, his wrestling is not as good as some but his charisma and loyalty to the WWE makes him a worthy champion.
World Heavyweight Champion – CM Punk. Undertaker? Too old and injured (and this was before he got hurt on Friday). Swagger? Though he is getting better, is he really worth a risk at the world title? Rey Mysterio? I never considered it. This made my choice very complicated but I decided to write down CM Punk as my champion because of many things. One is heel heat, as he may be the most hated wrestlers in the world based on what he did to two fan favorites (Jeff Hardy and Mysterio). Second, his mic work since his heel turn is second to none. He wants the fans to hate him and by the way he talks and the way he acts, he is the perfect man for the title. Think about it, you book your top heel on any brand and give him the title. People would tune in just to see him get pummeled.
TNA World Heavyweight Champion – Rob Van Dam. We may not agree with much of TNA these days but they are right with this one. TNA needs a familiar face to carry their company. Not many people know who AJ Styles is. The ex-WWE talents that enter TNA are still trying to find their gimmicks, with the exemption of D’Angelo Dinero. Mr. Anderson’s work is not bad, but he is a risk. Kurt Angle is always a good storyteller and well-known, however he is busy with movies and his line of food so he can’t be a champion to rely on. RVD has a strong fan base, is in great shape, and can execute his moves well. Van Dam would be the TNA Champ if I was booking this and I think many should agree as well.
ROH World Champion – Claudio Castagnoli. First off, as much as Tyler Black as improved a bit I would not have him be the face of my company. Black still needs to build chemistry in the ring and on the mic. Yes, it is improving, but there are many more people in that ROH Locker that can hold the title. I would book someone who is strong, powerful, and would something totally different to what the ROH crowd is accustomed to. The old saying in ROH is “when a face is a champ…they slowly lose their pops and then the fans turn on them”. It happened to their recent champions in Nigel McGuinness and Jerry Lynn. Austin Aries did not have that problem, because he is a heel. But I would give my title to a heel here who is powerful and can cut a good promo. It is smart to give Castagnoli some type of gold, as I have been a fan of his since I started watching HDNet. He can rile up a crowd and demonstrates great power and finesse. Those are traits I would build on in determining my champion. Though he is not a “Pick Six” guy I would take the risk and give the title to someone who is “Very European”.
NEW Homework Assignment will be handed out next week!
Dismissal
Well, that does it for me this week. I thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed this column as much as I typed it out. If you want to get a hold of me during the week, please e-mail me at mistervwv@hotmail.com or by leaving me a message on Facebook. I do get a lot of e-mails and may not reply in a timely fashion, but I will do my best to give you a quicker reply.
Now, students you are allowed to leave the classroom. Please push in your chairs, line up straight, and exit to the closest door around you. Until my preview of NXT Season 2, you are all……DISMISSED!!!!
Look for Mr. V on Facebook under Anthony J. Valvo in the Pittsburgh Network
If you enjoy Mr. V’s WrestleView columns, then take a look at my work on my other site Examiner.com
I will be adding a feature on that website starting in May! I just don’t know what to call my column on there yet.
http://www.examiner.com/x-26526-Pittsburgh-Pro-Wrestling-Examiner
THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE IS NOW PLAYING ON SATURDAYS!
Future Guests: Matt O’Brien and Sean Hurley from WrestleView.com
Already on the archives we interviewed Jose Marrero (Wrestling Rumblings), Crystal Mai from Diva-Dirt.com, and The YouTube Sensation who had choice words to CM Punk.
David Stephens (That’s A Wrap and Raw recapper) and I have a weekly Internet show only on the WrestleView Radio Network. It does cost a bit of money, but we will do our best to make it worth it. If you want to be a part of the Lounge for our “E-mails” section, you may drop us a line at teacherslounge@hotmail.com. To sign up, click here.