I respect Jon Jones, the talented athlete, and extraordinary fighter but I have a hard time liking Jon Jones the personality. His apparent lack of humility rubs people the wrong way. Jones will tell you he’s not cocky, just extremely confident. The fine line between the two, however, makes it difficult to tell if Jones’ self-critique is fact or fiction. As a result, he gets little benefit of any doubt when he voices his opinion. Continue reading “I Agree with Jon Jones”
The Body Slam Podcast is back with luckiest episode in the world, number thirteen. Atlee Greene, Todd Graham, and Shane Daly take a break from the hot topics of the week and discuss
– The difference between Daniel Bryan’s popularity versus Zack Ryder’s popularity.
– Where did the love for Rey Mysterio go after being one of the original internet favorites.
– Championship belts are pro wrestling’s most coveted prize and The Body Slam crew reveal their favorites.
The Body Slam Podcast would like to give a shout to Familiar Strangers who will bring a night of wonderful music to the Walnut Street Café in Lynn, MA on Saturday February 8th at 7:30 pm. There will be No Cover Charge, All money collected will be donated to Team Munchkin. Click here for more information on this great cause.
Click here and feel the Body Slam at gerweck.net
Snowpiercer Volume 1: The Escape | Writer: Jacques Lob | Artist: Jean-Marc Rochette Lettering: Gabriela Houston | Publisher: Titan Comics | Price: $19.99 | Release Date: January 29, 2014 | From my column at Forces of Geek.com
Snow and deadly subzero temperatures have blanketed the globe, killing off most life on the planet. What remains, lives aboard a train in perpetual motion. Continue reading “Review – Snowpiercer Volume 1: The Escape”
Originally written for and published by Camel Clutch Blog February 2014
Jake “The Snake” Roberts will be inducted into the 2014 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Roberts’ trials and tribulations over the years are well documented and it’s inspiring to see that he has battled back from the point of no return. The Hall of Fame is an honor that is long overdue for the snake man, but I didn’t always think that way.
As a kid, I was the prototypical fan who booed every villain and cheered every hero. However, I was lukewarm about Jake Roberts. The DDT was cool and it was fun to see his pet snake Damien, but I didn’t believe he could beat up anyone. His feud with Andre the Giant going into WrestleMania V validated my belief. The only way Jake had a chance against Andre was to capitalize on the big man’s fear of snakes.
Fast forward twelve years later to 2000 and I’m training to become a professional wrestler at Slamtech: The Wrestling University. Learning ring psychology is a crucial element in putting a match together. Without it, there is no story being told and it’s just fake fighting.
My instructor, “Brutal” Bob Evans would list various wrestlers whom we were to find tape on and study what they did in the ring. Jake Roberts was one of them. I scoffed at the notion. Of course, I did this mentally because doing so out loud would have resulted in a plethora of Hindu Squats.
I got home from training that evening and watched Best of The WWF Volume 8. The main event featured Jake Roberts vs. Ricky Steamboat. The match was fantastic, but what I was blown away with is how Roberts performed. He played the crowd like a fiddle without throwing a single punch. The way he responded and retaliated to everything Steamboat did was simply brilliant. I was in awe and humbled by his mastery of the craft.
As good as his work in the ring was, his promos were a on another plane. Jake Roberts’ interview before his match with Ted DiBiase at WrestleMania VI will go down as one of the best ever. He didn’t yell and scream and simply promise revenge. He instantly brought their feud to a whole new level by stating
“Everything you stand for is on the line.” DiBiase’s hubris was the Million Dollar championship and losing it would have been his undoing. Of course, the nine-year-old me couldn’t appreciate the brilliance at hand, but the twenty-one-year-old me marveled at his genius. He spoke softly and carried a big stick as he lowered his voice so people would have to open their ears and really pay attention to his words.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts and the WWE Hall of Fame go together like peanut butter and jelly. He is one of the all times greats that is easily identifiable and a fair amount of non-wrestling fans are familiar with his character. Every move he executed in the ring and every word he uttered into a microphone meant something. Nothing was wasted and his performance shined because of it.
While his time in WWF is his most remembered, his stints as a heel in Mid-South Wrestling and in Mexico was some compelling stuff that is worth going out of your way to see. His body of work over the years is a perfect example of how beautiful professional wrestling can be when it’s done right.
Alistair Overeem is receiving criticism for his post-fight interview at UFC 169. Following his unanimous decision victory over Frank Mir, Overeem said, “I heard there’s word that Brock Lesnar is about to come back to the UFC. Well I’ll be here waiting for him.” The resentment is reasonable but you can’t blame him for taking advantage of a situation that could mean a high-profile fight. Continue reading “Alistair Overeem is the Smartest Guy in the Room”
Twelve months ago, we assumed Alistair Overeem would steamroll over Antonio” Bigfoot” Silva to earn a heavyweight title shot. We also assumed that Frank Mir was going to bounce back into contention like had done before. Instead, it was Overeem who was steamrolled by Silva and has been knocked out two straight times while Mir has lost three in a row in an unimpressive fashion. They will fight each other this Saturday at UFC 169 in a bout that could very well see the loser cut from the promotion. Continue reading “The Ugly Truth: Frank Mir vs. Alistair Overeem”
Benson Henderson and Josh Thompson will headline UFC on Fox this Saturday night in Chicago, Illinois. Henderson is coming off his lightweight title loss and looking to leap-frog back into title contention. Thompson’s shot at UFC gold was derailed due to an Anthony Pettis shoulder injury, and he will have to deal with one tough consolation prize. Continue reading “Calling the Shots of Benson Henderson vs. Josh Thompson”
Cinema Salem hosted a special cinematography panel for The Wolf of Wall Street, and I learned a lot of things about film production. Cinema Salem owner Paul Van Ness said The Wolf of Wall Street is his theaters most walked out on film. Fans in attendance, which had before seen the film, voiced their opinion on the walkouts, and a debate spawned about the message of the film. Does it glorify greed, or is it a lesson in the dangers of self-indulgence?
Continue reading “Howl With The Wolf Of Wall Street”
Last weeks episode of Monday Night Raw ended with a frenzy of “YES” chants when Daniel Bryan turned babyface, after two weeks of being a heel, he laid out Bray Wyatt in the middle of the ring. It was the perfect scenario as Bryan had his nemesis all to himself and locked in a steel cage. The live crowd can make or break a match because they provide that intangible “thing” that makes a moment so special. However, in general, crowd reactions aren’t as vociferous as they once were.
Continue reading “Daniel Bryan’s Babyface Turn Elicits The Crowds Of Yesteryear”
Amala’s Blade: Spirits of Naanaron TPB
Writer: Steve Horton
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Colorist: Michael Dialynas
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $18.99
Release Date: January 22, 2014 | From my column @ Forces of Geek.com
Dark Horse Comics had an amazing 2013 with a plethora of books covering both familiar and foreign territory.
One miniseries that came out of nowhere was Amala’s Blade which tells the story of Amala, a young female assassin who is drawn towards a higher purpose. This trade collects all six issues including the Dark Horse Presents prelude released in 2012.
Continue reading “Amala’s Blade: Spirits of Naanaron TPB Review”
