Bomber 2011 review

Great year from beloved Essendon Football Club. With Knights removed immediately after the 2010 season the Hird/Thompson regime swooped to power and preceded to do absolutely nothing. No major trades or delistings to start the new era. Well except one. Jay Neagle was given his marching orders and told to get in shape. The message was loud and clear though. The expectations on players were high and they were pushed to the limit throughout the summer.

The Bombers that showed up in the NAB Cup were fitter. Hungrier. You could see it in the way they moved and challenged their opponents. They weren't going to be swept aside and weren't going to be blown out. Their systematic demolition of the Bulldogs in Round 1 showed that Hird knew a thing or two and between he and his staff had figured out a few things about the list.

Dyson Heppell was a player. A natural who commanded immediate respect for his poise. He played every game and, for most of them, played well. Heath Hocking looked fitter and continued his improvement from 2010. There were changes though. Crameri lined up alongside Hurley and dominated both in the air and on the ground. He ended up the leading goal kicker and was sorely missed late in the season. Introduced late by Knights, Hird had found another avenue to goal. Hardingham had been Knights' answer to this problem though this year he proved a revelation down back. His huge leap and Fletcher-like arms disrupted contests across the defense. He improved remarkably across the season and for me was one of the real finds. Everyone knew David Zaharakis had something special and the increased time in the midfield allowed him to show it. After interrupted seasons in 2009 and 2010 he played every game this year and did enough in each become an automatic selection and win the best and fairest. Leeroy Jetta's start to the season deserves a mention as he out performed Alwyn Davey who was forced in the VFL for extended periods. Tom Bellchambers proved himself capable when he got a run. He rucks well and was able to go forward and stretch smaller defenses. Lovely mark of the ball too. The likes of Melksham and Howlett continued to improve in the midfield late in the year as the injury toll mounted. Howlett in particular seems to have learned a thing or two from his captain and is made of strong stuff.

Unfortunately the injury toll mounted and the lists lack of depth was exposed. While the Geelong win came from a side that missed Jobe Watson, the midfield was largely lost without him. Hocking continued to assert himself and really showed he is an integral part of the side. With limited opportunities as a small forward, Sam Lonergan went on the ball and fit in well as a back up for Jobe and Hocking. He certainly improved as the year went on and was missed in the final. Courtney Dempsey looked good in the first few rounds and his pace was sorely missed out of half back when he did his knee. Winderlich too brought pace to the half forward line- certainly Davey could match him for speed but not for smarts and accountability. The loss of these players, and holes created by a rolling stream of injuries to Hooker, Pears, Hurley, Watson, Welsh and Hocking, left the team exposed. McVeigh looked slow but his commitment was solid. Others, such as Remiers, Slattery and Dyson, got games by default and rarely made an impact. Stanton, despite his knockers, was a solid contributor in the midfield and worked hard to get himself into games. Unfortunately he chose inopportune times to kick poorly.

The rucks barely fired all year. The three ruck experiment didn't work, mainly because they didn't contribute enough when they went forward. They often got in Hurley's way or each others and weren't quick enough to pick up the clumsy crumbs. Hille struggles were largely due to a lack of fitness. He didn't have a full preseason due to injury and came in underdone. He was, however, the third most important player behind Jobe and Hurley and could genuinely influence a game when willing. Ryder was so up and down that it was hard to tell where his head was at. Some games he was ace but seemed to lack the athleticism and leap that made him so effective the last few years. If the price was right a new home could do him well in 2012.

The defense struggled under pressure and exposed the lack of defensive work there had been with Knights as coach. They couldn't stick tackles and lacked the skills to help each other at a contest. This is the next step in the path to the premiership. The tall stocks are good which could make Hooker expendable if a decent midfielder was on the table. A fit Pears is a must for next year. Carlise came into the side late and showed further promise. Certainly a keeper who, like Hurley, can play both ends.

Overall, any year that a team returns to the finals is a good one. A number of players put their hands up, and we found out that a few players were done. Williams has already retired without firing a shot and Welsh was let down by his body too often in the last couple of years. Slattery and Dyson did little when picked, which was only when players were missing. Davey and Remiers didn't show the consistency expected of senior players but have no real trade value and will get another year to produce. Colyer did well as a sub and has some speed.

The future is bright Bomber fans! Our best side is very competitive and the new regime are committed to developing this side.

Best 22 2011
B: Fletcher, Pears, Heppell
HB: Hardingham, Hooker, Dempsey
C: Jetta, Stanton, Howlett
HF: Zaharakis, Hurley, Monfries
F: Melksham, Crameri, Winderlich
R: Ryder, Watson, Hocking
I/C: McVeigh, Hille, Lonergan
SUB: Colyer
EMRG: Lovett-Murray (an effect sub early on, but still makes horrible decisions), Reimers, Davey, Bell Chambers.

This side never took the park. If it does watch out!

AFL - Australia's answer to professional wrestling PART 2

The rise of the AFL over the last two decades has been one of sport's great success stories. It has ballooned from a state-centric league to a national powerhouse. In particular the last ten years has seen record crowd figures and TV numbers culminating in 2011's $1.4 billion dollar TV rights deal. Hell, they even had their own pay-TV channel for a while there (something no other Aussie sport can claim)!

However the AFL finds itself at a tipping point. While growth has been steady, largely due to a series of checks and balances designed to keep the product equitable, it appears that the inevitable plateau is near. The very things that have seen the competition expand and succeed are now at the point of destroying the core product. For all the bells and whistles, AFL is (or should be) a sport. It is about teams competing to win each and every week. The phrase "integrity" of the competition gets thrown around a lot, by media and supporters alike, but the truth is the league's bean counters have slowly stripped the league of its competition. The greed and bonuses of fat cats have ensured that, while the game has numerically grown in size and stature, it has ceased to be a sport. Indeed, it bears more resemblance to the contrived world of WWE than the sporting glory of the world's great sporting leagues. Now they aren't all perfect, the EPL is only likely to be won by one of five teams, but only the AFL buggers up so many of the fundamentals that make for an engaging and truly significant sporting competition.

Let's break down some of the causes-

The recent expansion has watered down the teams. There is no doubt. With the lure to basketball in the 1990s and soccer in the 2000s the number of good players being produced is down. Bringing in more teams only increases the number of substandard players who pull on a jumper. One could argue that Fremantle have never one a meaningful game of football since their admission to the league in 1996. Port Adelaide do have a premiership, but currently have few players on the list that would attract attention elsewhere. Both Brisbane and Gold Coast have young sides that were routinely belted during 2011. The introduction of GWS Giants in 2012 will only see this record broken next year. At a league level, the competition is worse off when fewer teams have access to good players and have to fill lists with young kids or VFL rejects. (Not that I am disparaging the VFL warriors who eventually make the top league. The stories of Podsiadly and Barlow are brilliant and an inspiration to others to keep working hard. What this shows however is that the league now needs more players and needs to draw on lower comps to get players on their lists. This didn't happen as often 15 years ago.)

At a club level the effect is far worse. The majority of teams do not have depth to their lists. The Bombers best 22 looked great early in the season but take out a couple of players (Dempsey, Watson, Winderlich) and the reserve players couldn't make up for it. They lost five straight to teams that would finish below them. The Bulldogs were minus Lake and usually a midfielder (Cooney for instance) and they ceased to be competitive against teams they dominated just twelve months before. Carlton missed a couples of guys and had to dip into their list only to lose to teams beneath them (ironically including the Bulldogs). At face value this would make for a more interesting competition where anyone can beat anyone. But this isn't entirely the case when the talent on display is woeful. Jason Tutt looked brilliant for the Dogs when he debuted - against Port Power, who had lost back-to-back 100 point games, and a Freo side that had to request AFL assistance just to field a team. He'd probably look great against the suburban teams too.

Of course these weaker teams have little chance of becoming good again when the draft is so ridiculously compromised to set up the new teams. Between priority picks, which can't be removed until after 2012, (since Gold Coast have made it part of their initial strategy!) and the compensation picks the AFL has created a system that will stop clubs climbing back up the ladder. The introduction of free agency will only make this worse as teams with big cash reserves, facilities and sponsorship opportunities get the better players. Few players will want to hang out in Casey or Seaford. The Westpac Centre? Melbourne Airport? That's a little more like it! With a smaller percentage of good players in the league, spread inequitably amongst more teams, the quality of competition suffers. The AFL often quotes the high number of teams appearing in preliminary finals as proof the draft creates a balanced and fair competition. Whilst the statistic is true, the measure is inaccurate. If you examine the number of grand finalists in this period (2001-2011) the following patterns emerges:

• Brisbane defeat Essendon
• Brisbane defeat Collingwood
• Brisbane defeat Collingwood
• Port Power defeat Brisbane
• Sydney defeat West Coast
• West Coast defeat Sydney
• Geelong defeat Port Power
• Hawthorn defeat Geelong
• Geelong defeat St Kilda
• Collingwood draw with St Kilda and then defeat St Kilda in the replay.
• Collingwood vs Geelong
  

Of the ten teams that played off for a premiership in the last decade only two appeared once (and Essendon actually won the 2000 premiership). Teams stay dominate for extended periods of time. Look at the last five years and the numbers become EPL-like. Just five teams have contested the title in the last five years. Of these St Kilda complied top picks in the first half of the decade, Geelong recruited well, and Collingwood has a mix of top picks and players bought from other teams. The NBA has a similar pattern over the same time frame. The draft should be retained, but with a lottery system to prevent tanking. The salary cap should be strictly enforced (no more Judd rules) with a limit on payments. The trade period should be opened to facilitate movement. What we don't want is teams stock piling good players and we want bottom teams to be able to get access to good players to improve their chances of winning.

The distribution of players isn't the only cause for concern. The number of wins over 100 went up astronomically this year as top sides try to eek out every last bit of percentage from an opponent. In other sports, likebasketball, large victories are usually cooled off as the victor rests players and takes the foot off the accelerator in the last quarter. With the emphasis on percentage as a separator for teams, this is unrealistic to assume teams would ever go easy to finish a game off. The league itself is stopping games being competitive. The introduction of the substitute should be applauded for helping teams continue when players are injured. However teams with multiple injuries are effectively dead in the water anyway. The high impact nature of the sport means injury is inevitable, especially with the recent emphasis on quick bursts of speed over the endurance athletes of the old days. This need for percentage and loss of players mid-game only exacerbates the blow out potential in games. Perhaps the league could look at alternate scheduling arrangements to make head-to-head results of greater significance than percentage?

The percentage problem isn't one that can be easily fixed without addressing the fixture. And nothing in the AFL is more fixed than this. The AFL can never, and will never, be a competition while it presents this charade of a schedule. There is no formula for scheduling (like the NBA or NFL) nor is there scope for a simple home & away draw. The focus for the AFL is on big crowds and therefore big revenue. The teams themselves aren't relied on to be a draw, rather it is the history of the clubs and the number of supporters. The 22 round season is unworkable with 18 teams. Well actually that's not true. It is unworkable when Essendon, Carlton and Collingwood have to play each other twice for historical reasons. And Essendon and Richmond, and the respective interstate derbies. And some teams sell games to other clubs. This use of a deliberately planned fixture ensures the competition isn't competitive. As long as some teams get to play the last team twice, and others don't, the AFL isn't a competition. It is a deliberately manipulated form of entertainment. Like wrestling.

What could work is the use of a conference system. Splitting the league in two conferences of nine would enable teams to have a clear rationale for when and where they play. You would play the other eight teams in your conference twice (home and away) and the other conference once (rotating who is home and away on a yearly basis).

It could work like this:

• Conference 1: Collingwood, Richmond, St Kilda, Hawthorn, Melbourne, GWS, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane
• Conference 2: Carlton, Essendon, North, Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Adelaide, Port, West Coast, Fremantle.

The derbies are all still two games. ANZAC day would be the only Essendon-Collingwood clash.

That's a 25 game season where who is playing who is clear. The number of games is probably too high but in order to fix the first problem (dilution of the player pool) actually cutting two teams would solve this problem. The top four would play three weeks of finals before the top teams from each conference playing in the grand final. The competition, at least in terms of scheduling, is equal. Teams play finals at the ground of their choice (so their ACTUAL home ground- Geelong can play in Geelong). Surely a high finishing team earns this right.

Now none of this is likely to happen. (Actually we may have a chance on the draft rules). The AFL isn't interested in a fair competition that is an actual sport. They want 'more than a game', one that is an entertainment spectacle that attracts top corporate dollars and keeps their pay checks fat.

But the tipping point is close. How much longer will fans put up with lopsided matches with poor skills? How long will Bulldog, Saint, Demon and Richmond fans tolerate decades of disappointment when they realize they have no hope of winning a premiership in a competition that is designed to keep big draws in top?

Who knows? But we know crowd numbers were down this year and average margin was up. And the last two premiers are in another grand final... Hopefully someone realises there is greater worth in having a true competition than being Australia's answer to the WCW.

AFL - Australia's answer to professional wrestling. PART 1

There seems to be a lot of commotion lately about the current "state of the AFL" (referred to as if it were a nation of some sort- if it were a nation it would be Italy). The truth is the 'sport' has been sick for a while. Indeed, the primary function of the AFL is not to provide competition or sport, but rather the goal of the AFL commission is growth of the game. Part of the problem is that being such a unique (and basically nonsensical) game means that the guys running the league are also in charge of promoting the game. This doesn't exist in other sports. FIFA runs soccer, not EPL and FIBA promotes basketball worldwide, not the NBA. Now in both these cases it could be quite successfully argued that the competitions are more popular than the bodies and (outside of World Cup time) I would tend to agree. These are two of the most popular leagues in the world and they do so by having a healthy respect for the game and ensuring that there is actual competition. The AFL is the game and it is a game that only exists in Australia. There are a large number of factors that stop it growing beyond our borders and, in fact, may actually see it collapse on itself if they don't start to take a more global view. Part of the problem is that the AFL actually seems to be repeating some of the mistakes that we see in EPL (only five teams are ever even threats to the title) and NBA (the team costs have spiraled out of control after way too much expansion).

Before we think about the global aspects, lets examine the local problems. Firstly this is the only sport where missing a goal is rewarded. From an international perspective this makes no sense. You don't get something for nearly scoring a touchdown, you don't get one point for hitting the ring on a two point field goal, you don't get a point for kicking to the left of the goalie (actually you don't even get the ball back if you miss that one). But by no means is this the stupidest rule. The current state of advantage, holding the ball and incorrect disposal means that not even local supporters understand what the hell is going on. So bad are the interpretations of these rules that the PLAYERS (you know, who have grown up playing the game at a high standard and GET PAID to know the rules) don't even seem to know what is going on. As much as soccer players like to shrug their shoulders and plead innocent on illegal tackles, you know that they understand the rules that prevent what they have done. You can't say the same for footballers. The advantage rule actually makes the game worse, since the whistle stops the players unless someone grabs the ball and runs. Complicating this situation is the holding the ball, head high contact and incorrect disposal rules that seem so randomly called that players are lucky if they even know which way the umpire will point when the whistle blows.

This is where the AFL starts to look like WWE. No the match outcomes aren't predetermined (no matter what non-Collingwood supporters say) but the ref seems to apply their own rules to suit the situation. My favourite was a couple of years ago when the Bombers played the Hawks and a Bomber player was pinged for (I shit you not) "spinning 360 degrees". The player in question was grabbed by the waist and swung around before he hand balled. Now at what point has there ever been a rule that dictated being swung around for a full revolution meant you'd held the ball too long- especially when you disposed of it correctly? This the equivelent of some WWE referees suddenly calling a DQ when a wrestler uses the rope illegally. It is not even a rule!

Then there is the head high contact, deliberate out of bounds and deliberate rushed behind. These are applied so inconsistently that fans have little chance of figuring our what constitutes a violation or not. It is frustrating and actually stops new people getting into our game. How can there be 'no head high contact' when a player ducking his head can get smacked and it is called 'play on'? In basketball the basic rule is that there is no contact. Most good refs allow incidental contact and consistently let the same things go. However, no player can complain for being called for a foul when they initiate contact. The AFL doesn't follow this premise as they essentially have sub-rules for their main rules. This only adds to the confusion for all.

Don't even get me started on the rules that require players and umpires to acknowledge distance- the 15m to a mark rule and the 50m penalty rule- that are physically impossible to govern correctly. How can you judge a ball has traveled 15m when there are no markings on the ground to help you out? How can an umpire accurately move a player up the field 50 meters when all the grounds are different sizes (and again don't have regular markings)? Its not like we give them 20 minute quarters and no way of knowing how long is left. (Oh wait...)

The solution? Stop changing rules for one.

• Go back to pure interpretations of incorrect disposal (if it isn't a bloody handball then call it!) A player who is tackled and spills the ball should be pinged every time. It'll will quickly find its way back to the clubs and players will start training under pressure to make sure they know how to get an effective disposal away from a tackle (well except Richmond- it'll take them years to figure it out).
• Rule that any head high contact will mandate a free. Players will figure it out. However, incidental contact to the head that knocks someone out shouldn't result in suspension. Just a free is enough. The MRP should only rule on deliberate violations of the rule- not accidental. Accidental ones can be paid a free kick against and that is all.
  
• Get rid of the distance requirements for marks. Any kick by foot to a player is a mark. Most players play-on now anyway! Just save fans and umpires the stress of having to guess.
  
• Get rid of 50m penalties. Instead, when there is a transgression after a free kick has already been paid, the ball should come to the top of the center square closest to the offensive team's goal. If the transgression is already closer than the center square then the ball goes to the goal square (which is what happens in this situation anyway). This means opposition forwards are on notice. You'll give up more than 50 meters if you abuse an umpire or infringe on the mark. As a full forward there is nothing worse than watching the full back kick a goal.
  
• Don't let the umpire call advantage after blowing the whistle. If the whistle goes then the game stops. Simple as that.
• Don't have different time limits on when a player who has marked the ball needs to play on. Whether kicking for goal or field kicking the rule should be the same.
  
• Keep the behind rule. It is kind of charming and certainly makes the game unique. It will never make sense but is easily explained.

Fixing some of these rules will make life easier for the umpires and make the game a hell of a lot less frustrating to watch and play. It might even convince more people to play it.

In Part 2 I'll look at the entertainment part of the equation and why the AFL can't call itself a competition...
The recent expansion has watered down the teams.
The league itself is stopping teams being competitive.
The AFL isn't sport at all, but is all about the money.

And I'll suggest how to fix it.

The Closing...

My 25 Favourite Silverchair songs

With the band going into "indefinite hibernation" its a good chance to reflect on how bloody good this band actually is. Molly has said they are up there with AC/DC and INXS and it is hard to disagree. Actually there is room to argue that, while they might not have quite reached the heights of either, their output is more varied and represents a significant artistic achievement. Who would've thought the shy kids from Newcastle who said "you're gonna wait fat boy" would end up writing the defining Aussie 00s pop arena anthem ('Straight Lines') or having Guy Pierce direct a video ('Across The Night') or work with David Helfgot ('Emotion Sickness')?

Pretty amazing.

25. 'tomorrow'
24. 'young modern'
23. 'untitled'
22. paint pastel princess
21. Ana's song
20. cemetery
19. Mind reader
18. Pure massacre
17. Miss you love
16. Petrol and chlorine
15. If you keep losing sleep
14. Satin sheets
13. Tuna in the brine
12. Luv your life
11. No association
10. Spawn
9. After all these years
8. The greatest view
7. Slave
6. Across the night
5. Freak
4. The door
3. Israel's son
2. Emotion sickness
1. Straight lines

Feel free to disagree!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Term 1 2011

Thought I'd drop in some thoughts on the move and general progress in Term 1.

You can pretty much add "so far" to any of the statements after this. I am perceptive enough to realise I am still in a honeymoon period and that if I ruffle the wrong feathers things might just turn. I have zero intention of doing that, and I've learned enough in the last four years to handle myself better when conflict arises.

Actually, my ability to handle myself has probably been what I am proudest of. Little of my old reputation has followed me and it has been a pleasure to kind of start again and redirect my energies into new things, rather than being dragged into things I stopped believing in long ago. My mind has changed, for instance, about how to treat VCE students. While I was once a crusader for keeping the standard and expectation high, towards the end of last year I began to reconsider my position. Simply put, having a fifth of your students removed from the data (totally within the rules) doesn't help you progress your teaching. My numbers were good, but actually they were great, but reaching the bottom third needs to be the new priority. The culture I'm in now has forced me to confront this problem and reflect on my own practice. This challenge involves changing the system internally to ensure that (to paraphrase) few are left behind. The intervention system we (as a department) are suggesting is large in scale and deliberate in objective and method. Certainly this is exciting to be part of for the rest of the year. Sitting down with the boss and having him support a few of the programs we will start was a nerdy thrill as well.

I have enjoyed not being spread so thin, though as I discussed in a blog late last year, being involved in so many areas helped to broaden my perspective. I would certainly entourage it. That said, not being involved in student leadership, curriculum, school council, etc., has allowed me to focus on the core of my new role and really immerse myself in leading the English department. There are many facets and 29 people to lead. Without a stand alone literacy program I am effectively leading that, though I have focused on it being a team effort, rather than my responsibility. (Having the region coach as our coach helps enormously too). It took me two weeks to work out exactly what I was supposed to be doing but I feel my time is now well spent.

At this point the main priority has been supporting the staff. They are quite simply brilliant. Motivated and dedicated. Their freshness gives them an energy that has helped to revitalize me. I feel pumped to be around them and they are a joy to lead. Most take to tasks with gusto and are receptive to feedback. As I said to someone in the last week- we have an exciting young list that has the capacity to do amazing things in the near future. Hopefully we can hang on to all of them. Designing fac meetings using GANAG and creating time to establish a culture of collaboration has been worthwhile and, I think, challenged a few perceptions of how we will be teaching in the future. They have been receptive since day 1 and their encouragement tells me we have identified a good course to take. The goal for the year is to make life easier and put our fac in a position to lead the school in a number of areas. The competitor in me settles for nothing less. Working in a team with a clear focus, and being able to influence that focus significantly, has been a great experience.

The change has been good. I miss the odd face but the new ones have been welcoming. So far the 360 feedback has been good and I seem to have found a style that works for me. I did manage to go a couple of weeks without swearing, though one of the grads now blames me for her potty mouth. It was strange seeing old work people amongst so many unfamiliar faces. It still feels like I have one foot in the old world, though this will fade with time, since I certainly mention them too much. I have been quite open about my lack of experience (at appropriate times) since there is no point hiding the fact I'm new to the role. I have been able to build on my knowledge though and the professional focus here towards Marzano and Pollock has been of massive assistance. It may appear there are many balls in the air but I am learning to juggle them and my time with people like DT and AM has greatly helped this.

There are challenges ahead but I feel settled. It has been wonderfully exciting to be honest. There are differences in the school- some awesome, some terrible. For my own sanity I am focusing on the positives and working my way on influencing the negatives to protect my staff from burn out. It is hard work, but worthwhile work.

This really is the best job in the world.

Would love to hear your comments and your own progress in the last few months.

WrestleMania 27 predictions

The undercard-
a few matches here have a potential to be good but forgotten by the end.
But first The Rock comes out and welcomes the millions... and millions of people watching in the arena and at home. He says some funny shit about John Cena and The Miz. Wade Barrett will probably interrupt him.

Random collection of faces (Kane, Big Show, Kofi, Santino) D The Corre (a misspelt collection of heels- Wade Barret is only one who is over). It involves a messy finish where everyone hits their moves and Santino pins Slater with the COBRA.

Shemus D Daniel Bryan to retain the US Title. Should be a decent 10 minute match. Shemus cheats to win.

Rey Mysterio D Cody Rhodes. Rhodes comes out looking good but Rey (dressed at Captain America) gets the win with a 619. Cody will get his back in a mask-v-mask match next month.

Celebrity Match
Snooki's team wins. I'm not even sure who else is in it. I think John Morrison is. So he'll do something cool.

The midcard.
Jerry Lawler D Michael Cole (with Jack Swagger). Stone Cold stomps a mudhole in Cole. Then stuns Swagger. Lawler hits the fist drop for the win. Huge pop if this goes on early enough.

Austin and Lawler have a beer bash which is interrupted by someone. Someone takes a Stunner.

CM Punk D Randy 'The Ram' Orton. CM works the leg and escapes the RKO. Randy looks set for victory before someone runs in and trips him. Maybe Luke Gallows. They take an RKO and Randy gets rolled up. (Randy will bash his brains in next month).

MAIN EVENTS!!
Alberto "Nacho Libre" del Rio D Edge. Christian comes down to chase off the posse. Christian bumps into Edge who gets caught in the arm bar and takes ages to tap. Edge looks strong but del Rio celebrates his first title. Christian "looks" sorry. Edge pushes him away when he tries to console him.

Undertaker D Triple H. Have you seem WMX7? It'll be like that. Only slower. Triple H bleeds a little to make it look like he "died trying." Michaels doesn't get involved. At least I hope not. Lots of kicking out of finishers throughout. Streak continues.

John Cena D The Miz. This is just nuts. I don't know how The Rock gets involved physically and not have the whole thing look stupid. He can't shake Cena's hand because he'd look like a pussy. The Miz could use the rub, but can't be left lying by The Rock. Cena can't really afford that either- so maybe it is the reverse of Raw. Miz jumps Cena who is saved by The Rock. Cena and Rock stare down and they both hit their silly moves on Miz. Rock then rock bottoms Cena and thanks everyone for coming.

Oh, and Cena has already defeated Miz for the title- but the heel turn has begun. Cena turns on the fans the next night and takes out The Rock. Orton and Hunter start chasing (since no one else is over). Miz feuds with someone who ran out earlier.

New Blog: Forever Damned

I have started a second blog to document a project I am working on. It is a story about a story, all on a blog.

Confused?

It makes sense when you read it here http://kdforeverdamned.blogspot.com/

Maybe.