Just watched the last few matches of Super Showdown.

HHH v Orton - dull, decent ending.

Kofi v Ziggler - decent enough

Lashley v Braun - didn’t pay much attention

Battle Royal - great moment and crowd reaction with the winner... otherwise typical battle Royal fare

Goldberg v Taker - started off well, by the end I was genuinely worried for both their safety. Lucky someone wasn’t badly hurt

14 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Going to go full Irish here, but what do ye think of Seamus? He has had some career, but it's safe to say he is a firm company man now. Just needs the intercontinental title for the grand slam. He is a good pro, but someone in wwe took a big liking to him. 

Balor is a bit pathetic now I think. Handsome guy who smiles is his role. He's a great performer, but I don't see him ever getting the universal title back. Ever. They should have had him go over Lesner as the demon. I mean, it is a show and he is over as fuck. They had him turn demon for the first time in ages for a, I think, lower PPV or possibly even Raw or Smackdown match against Corbin. I mean seriously. 

Big fan of Sheamus. I’d have liked to have seen him have a longer run as heel champ and a top guy, but I think the way his career has gone is typical of the times. I think he’d have really excelled if he’d have been 5 years earlier. That said, his career has been stellar, and his recent run with Cesar showed how good but undervalued the pair of them are. Workout buddy of HHH apparently, which I think has helped cement him as a company man for life, rather than Wade Barrett for example.

I loved Prince Devitt, but I can’t get anywhere near as interested in Finn Balor, particularly these days. The injuries certainly haven’t helped, but I think he was a better fit outside WWE... The buzz around bullet club seems so long ago, and it’s weird to think he was tearing it up in Preston for PCW just 5 years ago.

1. Rick Rude. The ultimate heel. Every major feud he had was really memorable. 100% believable in the ring, and being managed by Heenan always helps.

2. Scott Hall. Big nWo fan, and Hall was the workhorse of the top tier of the group. Underrated as a worker even during his Razor run.

3. Jake Roberts. Intense, one of the best promos ever, no wasted motion, equally superb as a face or heel.

Honourable mentions: Kurt Angle, The Rock, Bobby Eaton, Regal, Steiner, Booker T

Current top 3:

Samoa Joe, Zack Gibson, MJF

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Do you know what annoys me in wrestling? Crap finishers. AJ styles "styles clash" makes no sense and arguably ruins one of the best wrestlers of this generation.

Discuss 

Agreed. I’d add Miz’s Skull crushing finale to that list very near the top.

Two of my favourite ever finishers - Jake Roberts DDT, and Rick Rude’s Rude Awakening. Executed perfectly and with decent psychology behind them, and the physics of them make sense.

Sadly these days finishers (perhaps aside from the RKO) aren’t protected... on any given Raw people kick out of them. Not to mention most matches now contain at least 3 spots that would have resulted in an injury angle even as recently as the attitude era. To quote Cornette “nowadays the most deadly move is a school boy roll up”.

Just now, Mike E said:

Not only is it a weak-looking finish, it’s bloody dangerous when it goes wrong! I don’t think it’s actually killed anyone who forgot to tuck their chin yet, but it’s broken many necks!

You aren’t wrong there. Lionheart - Scottish wrestler, really good hand, seasoned pro broke his neck v styles in Preston a few years back. Just tucked his head instinctively.

32 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Can you see Cornette talking or is it just the audio? 

Have you watched Wrestling with Wregret? 

Most are just audio. Prichard did a series on the Network though which are basically rehashed versions of his old podcasts but filmed. Surprising how candidly he spoke considering the platform... his impressions of various people are always good value.

Yeah, I’m a big fan of Wrestling with Wregret. There is a lot of bad wrestling related content on YouTube these days, but Brian Zane is always a highlight.

I think comedy is definitely an essential part of wrestling. Bobby Heenan on commentary, The Rock in general, Kurt Angle, Edge and Christian, Regal, Kevin Nash doing paparazzi productions on TNA, Jay Lethal V Ric Flair, DX and nWo skits, Booker T and Goldust, Jericho’s list and the 1004 holds... all these are among the best things I’ve seen in wrestling. It’s the invisible handgrenades, invisible man, hands in pockets soft kicks, tampons in the mouth and dick flips that I can’t be doing with. I don’t find them either funny or entertaining. Quite the opposite. I think they are damaging. On a slightly related note, Janela is being praised for a hard hitting and brutal match in an arena, a takeaway and on the streets of Coventry over the weekend... against a 15 year old girl. Don’t know where to start with the issues I have with that.

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Ya, I didn't really try and find out what happened. I have in the past and the sum of the reasoning equated to around the same as this incident by the sounds of it. 

In fairness, drag queen and transvestite are pretty bang on descriptions...unless he doesn't enjoy dressing as a woman, in which case, he just shouldn't do it

Does Cornette do videos or is it just his podcast?  I never really found him that interesting, or maybe it's his accent. Something just doesn't do it for me 

It was on his podcast. I listen to it pretty regularly, and I’m a big fan of his and lean more towards his old school philosophy - he disliked the battle Royal even more than I did!  And his rants on Trump, Russo... anyone who has annoyed him are gold! They usually break down the podcasts into YouTube videos. I highly recommend one called Cornette to Russo: Put up or shut up

Bruce Prichard’s podcast used to be awesome, but since he’s back in the WWE fold its a lot tamer.

3 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I see online as well there is something of a backlash against Jim Cornette for comments he made about Sonny Kiss. Now I haven't seen Sonny Kiss before so don't know much about his? work, but that spot with Tommy Dreamer was not what I like in wrestling. Whatever about Orange Cassidys stick, the "butt bump" or whatever it's called looked ridiculous. Tommy Dreamer is excellent at self-promotion to stay relevant and fair play to him for that, he is a wrestling legend, but I can't believe he got involved in that nonsense. 

I mean there are gay wrestlers like Velveteen Dream and Parrow, who are tough and dish out beatings. Butt bumping is just silly and doesn't get the one doing it over as far as I am concerned. 

I listened to Cornette’s review the other day. I’d put the backlash down to Joey Ryan trying to stir things up, furthering his ongoing feud with Cornette. To paraphrase, Cornette’s comments were along the lines of “then came a guy dressed like a drag queen called Sonny Kiss who I have never heard of” he also later used the term transvestite, which I’m sure some will take exception to. Cornette hates sillyness in wrestling regardless of race, gender, sexuality... Joey Ryan with multiple agendas for me.

4 hours ago, Norbert Rassragr said:

When I used to watch wrestling when I was about 11, you had all sorts of crazy characters like Papa Shango, Ultimate Warrior. British Bulldog and so on. Do they still have such wierdoes or are they all just big macho guys in pants and women with thighs of steel and big tits?

They have cut down on the crazy characters dramatically. And the tits as well.

I’ve just watched the pre show from double or nothing... if that Battle Royal is anything to go by, their TV show is going to be disastrous!

I’ve no doubt the rest of the show picked up significantly, but even for a battle Royal this was dire.

Firstly the good - MJF and Hangman Page. Two stars. One heel one baby face. Any positives in this match revolve around these two. Seeing Billy Gunn and Glacier was fun.

Now for the negatives... Joey Janella is a dick who wrestles “invisible men” and always seems intent on crippling himself. He lit a cigarette which got stapled to his head by Jimmy Havoc (thankfully the iffy camerawork and chaotic approach to the match meant the camera missed it). Some guy called Orange Cassidy kept his hands in his pockets and slowly and gently kicked Tommy Dreamer in the shins. It appears that’s his schtick. Nonsense like that appeals to a very small minority of fans who are vocal on twitter and in tiny venues where this very indie stuff is normally played out. It will turn potential new fans off quickly. Shit like that, and the gushing reactions of a few, always smacks of people being in on a big private joke.

The rest was just people sitting all around the ring, patiently waiting for their spot. Brian Pillman Jr was criminally underused. 

This should have been an attempt to grab a few last minute PPV buys... a casual/lapsed WWE fan would dismiss this instantly.

Just now, Admiral Nelsen said:

Don't know enough about all the players you mention to say one way or another, but I agree entirely with where you see the squad. Definitely the bit about Bell. He for sure has some more improving to do, but I think one of the missed stories from our bad run from February was that he was getting steadily better, especially in defence.

Cooper is a name that has cropped up a few times with various clubs, seems highly rate and potentially the dominant centre back that we need. 

I’d happily see us spend every penny Venky’s have given us on Cooper and plug the other gaps with loans and frees. Could easily see him going for 8 mil.

Just now, Fraserkirky said:

I actually thought the article was quite good, calling for continuity. Mowbray has a similar budget to last year which is perfectly fine, 8-10m we have a chance to add a few key players and aim to challenge for top 6. The bed wetting needs to stop on here. 

As a Hibs fan, love McGeouch but he is not what we are looking for, injury prone and lacks athleticism for me. Fantastic passer of the ball though.  Not up to Championship standard in my opinion, should head back up to Hibs or Aberdeen. Wasn't first choice in League 1. 

Shame about Jacob Murphy, but I'm sure he ends up in the Championship somewhere. Right age, position etc, Surplus to requirements with the new sheik.

Next name up for Right Wing is Oliver Burke from West Brom, had a mixed time on loan with Celtic, but there were a few games I saw where he was unplayable. Right age for resell. Don't know if he is available or not. 

----------------New---------------

Nyambe New Lenihan New

--------------Travis New-------

----------New Dack Rothwell

------------------New-------------

I would target 6 new players this summer, with only a few leaving. 

Need new GK to challenge Raya

Need New Dominant Centre Half

Need New Starting Left Back, although I like Bell more than most on here. Fine at RB, with Travis able to cover, Bennett wont be going anywhere, JRC able to play there too.

Get Travis a proper quality athletic partner at Centre Midfield

Need a goal threat on the Right Wing, more of an inside forward, Brereton has been tried here to poor results, but I understand why.

New target man needed desperately.

We have enough depth in the squad and enough quality youngsters coming through the 6 new players need to be good enough to go straight into the starting eleven. 

 

Joe Hart GK (1m Loan Supplement) Them - I don't know how it would work but a season long loan makes sense. 

Jake Cooper CB (4m) Millwall

Jonas Knudson LB (Free) Ipswich

Harrison Reed CM (3m) Southampton

Oliver Burke RW (Loan) West Brom

Charlie Austin ST (1m, 1m wage supplement) Southampton

There is 10m right there, and a team good enough to challenge for top 6.

 

 

 

Think Cooper will command a much higher fee than that sadly...

You've probably got a much better idea than me, but Lawrence Shankland available on a free and being linked with Rangers and Celtic. Scored bags of goals for Ayr, but would he do it at this level?

I can’t see any drastic changes to WWE offering until after February next year when the XFL relaunches. I think that will start to tank pretty quickly and then Vince will be forced to do some shaking up. By that point we will have some idea of how much of a factor AEW will be a few months into their programming.

Ideal scenario would be Vince taking a back seat and concentrating on the XFL... but I can’t see that happening. Even if he did Bruce Prichard and Kevin Dunn would likely just become proxy Vinces.

Wow! Only just stumbled across this thread! Clearly should have ventured away from the footy forums before now! 

3 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Of their roster MJF looks like a great heel. 

I’ll go out on a limb and say he’s the best heel in the business at this current point in time. I saw him wrestle for PCW about 12 months ago and bumped into him in a takeaway after the show... I gave him some stick about having a fake Burberry scarf... he went into a full blown heel promo. Never broke character once, even when I bought him a pint in the pub later... I congratulated him on this and he asked me what the f*** I was talking... consummate heel, didn’t miss a beat!

At this point I’d take a Nixon link to us signing Kris Commons for 12.5 million... anything to move out of the purgatory of the last 4 pages.

Just now, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

You were doing ok till the bit in bold ?

Better goals to games ratio than Brereton ?

1 hour ago, AAK said:

Give it a rest, lets sign shearer on that basis, hes still better than downing at 45 or whatever he is. Fuck me didnt realise your club history made such a difference, in that case surprised rochina wasnt the next messi, bet you thought he was going off your logic.

Give what a rest exactly? Should I become absolutely hysterical at the prospect of being linked with someone, write him off before he’s even signed... let alone kicked a ball, and get all misty eyed about a player who the vast majority said was past it 72 hours ago but now seems to have inexplicably taken on legendary status?

If your reading of my post leads you to conclude that those are my thoughts on former clubs, try again without what I can only assume is blind rage clouding your judgement. I was pointing out that Downing has had a far more illustrious career than Conway, which would lead me to conclude he is a better player. The level at which he has plied his trade for the majority of his career being one factor.

Rochina was a selfish show pony and didn’t fit our team. I thought Keith Andrews was solid enough for us and got a tough time... but people are drawing comparisons more to the signing of Whittingham... who I did think would turn out to be decent. Turns out he wasn’t... Gordon Cowans was though.

Sometimes these sort of signings work out, sometimes not. Our fan base bemoan a lack of experience one minute, then claim anyone 32 years or over needs putting down. Personally, as I stated before, I’d rather us sign a winger in his mid 20s, proven and at his peak, who would regularly terrorise defences and help fire us to promotion with ease and stay with us for years to come... we aren’t going to be in the market for one of them though. 

IF we do get Downing, that’s not going to be the sum total of our transfer business. We definitely need a winger in my opinion, and while I might have preferred someone likely to start more games, surely he isn’t as bad a signing as some or making out.

Same age as Conway but...

35 England caps V 7 Scotland Caps 

38 Champ appearances last year V 21

Former clubs Liverpool, Villa, West Ham  V Ayr, Dundee and Cardiff

And lets not forget, Conway was offered a deal he didn’t fancy, so to say we shouldn’t have ‘got rid of him’ is a bit wide of the mark.

Yes, Downing will likely be offered a better deal than Conway... and rightly so.

Just now, Neal said:

I'd take Carrol on a pay as you play but I can definatley see him at a club like Burnley. 

If not for the injuries he could have been one of the best players of his generation. 

While we’d be lucky to get 10 games out of him in a season, he’d no doubt do the business when fit. 

15 hours ago, JoeHarvey said:

How our team SHOULD look for the first game next season:

                    Raya
New    Lenihan    New    New
                   Travis
            Dack      Maher
Rothwell                Armstrong
                Brereton

How our team WILL look for the first game next season:

                        Fielding
Nyambe    Lenihan    Mulgrew    Bell
                    Travis Evans
Bennett            Dack            Downing
                        Graham
 

On what planet should Brereton be starting before Graham?

If Brereton was a youth team graduate he wouldn’t make most people’s 18. Graham was far and away our most consistent performer last year, scored his fair share of goals, leads the line fantastically, and though getting on a bit, we should be getting every bit of game time out of him we can. I very much doubt his eventual replacement will be anywhere near as effective as he is... whether that is Brereton or anyone else we can attract at present.

Just had a look who Brentford’s GK coach is, and it’s somebody called Iñaki Caña Pavón.

“He has also worked at a collection of clubs in Spain and in the academy of Futbol Club Barcelona, where he started as a player. Iñaki played for Barcelona C before moving in to coaching, having come through the ranks at the Catalan giants”

Not sure about timelines etc, but possible he could have worked with Raya at some point before.

1 hour ago, matt83 said:

With 20,000 empty seats I’d just say anyone under 18 gets in free. Try and lock down future support. 

Gate receipts are almost irrelevant to running a club 10,000 season tickets at £300 is 3 million it’s a drop in the bucket. Might just about pay the wages of one player for all our contributions through the turnstile over the season. The revenue come from tv, sponsors and sadly presumably the bank of India. 

Hell let everyone in free for a season we probably deserve it. 

That’s what I thought, but Waggott have some interesting figures on match day revenue. Don’t want to quote wrong numbers, but I’m sure it will be on the radio lancs broadcast. It was a lot more significant than you’d think.

Just now, tugay5 said:

Anyone know if the supporters consultation evening will be aired on radio lancs ?

A condensed version. Date and time yet to be confirmed

Just now, Crimpshrine said:

What did you tell him ? 

It's a question I regularly ask myself but I don't really have a full answer.

For me, there would have to be a dramatic improvement in their communication with the fans. Stop being so aloof and realise we are the lifeblood of the club. 

I would not expect them to apologise for anything but if they were more open and provided explanations for their previous actions and identified their ambitions going forward then that would be a start.  It still feels to me that they consider Rovers as a hobby they spend a bit of time and money on every now and again - as necessary. I know it's a lot of money but they seem to be able to afford it easily enough so it's not a big sacrifice.

They say they consider Rovers part of their 'family' yet they haven't paid a visit for many years. Not the way you treat something/somebody you care about.

Despite  Mowbray and Waggott informing us how dedicated the owners are, I don't see any evidence besides paying the bills.

It feels like we are just treading water while Venky's are here.  I just don't feel that sense of belonging that is so important.  

 

 

Pretty much sums up my feelings, however talking with Steve Waggott was quite cathartic. I have faith he is trying to do the right thing, and will attempt to bridge the divide. Posted in more detail on the season ticket poll thread.

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Andy Holt on twitter saying Rovers aren’t ‘respecting boundaries’ as the Community Trust does outreach in Hyndburn.

Ossy/Rishton/Great Harwood etc. have been Rovers strongholds since day dot. Just because a 1970s bureaucrat makes up a borough called Hyndburn and puts Accy as its HQ means feck all.

 

The quicker they end up back in non League the better...

I think Sky TV has smashed down any notion of local boundaries