The Unknown Poster

I dont know about truckload, but yes, Hutch is sure helping his cause. How about trading Mason and keeping Hutch? lol As far as experienced backups on cheap/expiring contracts who are playing very well, is there anyone better than Hutch right now? I thought the Pens would be interested awhile back. I think the Jets need something somewhat significant or they'd just keep him. They seem to value the idea of the Moose as competitive and I dont think they'd break that up without good reason. Whats the highest pick we could reasonably get? 3rd round? 2nd from a desperate team? I still maintain Petan would look good in a Pens uniform. Package deal?

They did really well in the US last year (compared to how New Japan usually does). With Jericho on the show (and Omega being more of a mainstream name in the US now), it would certainly make sense. They probably could have aired it on PPV in North America. They did that a few years ago when Jarrett promoted it did decent. But they are really pushing their own streaming network. I believe they launched an English version of the network homepage (one big complaint was that you could sign up in North America but the website was all in Japanese). They will get a lot of NA subs for this match.

WestJet better add some extra flights if that happens.

Thats possible. If I recall, the story with the Han Solo film is, the reason they fired the directors was because they were butting heads with Kasdan and HIS vision. Kennedy chose Kasdan. So perhaps he saw that same conflict with JJ and didnt want to go to war. But his son worked on Solo too...maybe he could be enlisted to help. I thought he just wanted to retire but then he took on Solo. Seems both his kids are both writers and directors. They should bring the whole family in for Star Wars if it saves us from another RIan Johnson mess.

You could. But the media coverage for Rousey winning the inaugural Women's Rumble and earning a title shot is probably bigger than just her debut in a losing effort. And having the match be for the title is an easier PR thing too. And then every pic of Rousey after WM is of her with the huge WWE logo belt. One of the reasons they wanted Rock to win the title was because they thought he'd carry the belt everywhere. Its actually a really good heel story of the "legit fighter" coming in to prove WWE fake fighters are pansies. But they'll position her as the face. If Charlotte was Hunter and Rousey was anyone from MMA, she'd lose. Actually they did that exact thing with Brock when he came back and lost to Cena. Losing a Rumble isnt a big deal but if its me, she comes in and wins, wins, wins, wins, wins, wins, wins...before finally losing. She can only ever lose for the first time once...she should be built up as a destroyer before then, including winning the Rumble. The original plan was a Four Horsewomen (Rousey's fight group) vs Four Horsewomen (unofficial friends group in WWE - Charlotte, Sasha, Baley, Becky) but the other two members of Rouseys team quietly stopped training so that seems like its off the table now. Which is why we all think Rousey is debuting at the Rumble.

@Logan007 Im with you. When TFA came out, I pledged to friends that it was "the best one since Empire...maybe Return". So Im right with you on that. There is no explanation for how bad the PT was. But as you said, some of the ideas were good. I think George lost touch with the purpose of film making though. I recall he was bent out of shape with the backlash and basically said, after Revenge, that he was done because why make movies if everyone is going to insult them. And I can accept that a film maker is an artist that has to be true to his craft but he forgets that the reason he could make terrible terrible films is because the fans made him a billionaire.

Not only criticism everywhere but a lot of the entertainment news sites have run stories about the backlash. Someone would have to be living in a cave to think the film has been universally praised except by Morning Big Blue members. lol And I agree with what you said about Rian. I think Lucasfilm over-reacted to backlash on TFA being a rehash and decided to go with something different for the sake of being different. Rian said hey I have some different ideas and thats what we got. Also, whether consciously or not, I think Rian felt he should do HIS movie but it was a direct sequel to TFA so he owed it to the story to not tell a NEW story, but to pick up on the plot threads of TFA. If he didnt want to continue someone else's story, he shouldnt have taken the job. Then again, when he turned in his story, Kathleen should have replaced him. JJ should have done all three, for better or worse. WITH KASDAN.

And that could be the direction. But if its Rousey, you sort of need her to win the thing. Not only for the big push but for the pub. A great example is when Jay Leno wrestled in WCW. Hogan made sure he had the early sequence with Jay having him in a wrist lock and Hogan on his knees. Why? Cause it was a great photo op and everyone with a deadline got the early pic and Hogan's face was everywhere selling for Jay Leno the next day (and that night). The easy plan would be Rousey wins, beats Charlotte at WM and then they do the slow build to Rousey/Asuka. Rousey/Asuka would be fine for WM on paper, but Charlotte is the easier story to tell to the media (being a Flair and doing interviews) and then Asuka gives them a second big match. If Ronda doesnt debut at the Rumble, Asuka winning makes sense. I'd expect a Rousey/Asuka confrontation in the Rumble if she's in it.

I can only assume Ronda comes in as a face given how insanely over she was during her WM appearance. But...you can never be sure with wrestling fans. She could easily get a monster face reaction at the Rumble and then the fans turn on her during the build for WM as they sometimes do with outsiders. Winner gets a shot at WM, against presumably Charlotte (which is probably the right match for Ronda). Ronda called her group the Four Horsewomen because she's a big Ric Flair fan. And Charlotte has enough mainstream appeal (as a Flair) to add to the selling of the match. Omega/Jericho is this Wednesday Night/Thursday Morning. Can be seen live on New Japan World (akin to WWE Network).

Ive been mostly out of touch the past month on wrestling news and rumors. But the hot rumor was Cena vs AJ for the title at WrestleMania but that apparently is NOT the plan and Cena is being saved for something "much bigger". Which...I dont know what it could be. Part of me thinks Cena/Nikki vs Bryan/Brie would be a huge story but aside from teasing Bryan, they've done nothing in that direction at all. Brock vs Roman looks set (and Cena vs either would not be huge right now). Hunter vs Angle *was* the original plan. Cena vs Angle would be pretty big but Cena isnt a great storyline opponent for Angle. Cena vs Hunter isnt huge. Cena vs Undertaker is about the only huge match they could make and it certainly wouldnt promise to be good...lol Unless its someone from outside. Rocky unlikely (and been done). Goldberg would work but isnt a great match-up (face/face).

I know there was speculation of turning Finn heel and reuniting with them. It might be as simple as them doing a Bullet Club reunion just to mess with fans around Wrestle Kingdom and the now-yearly hopes and prayers of WWE fans that Kenny jumps in time for the Rumble (he wont). But on paper, it makes sense just to mix up three guys that sort of need something new. I like them together as heels more than faces though. Finn as the smaller guy with two big buddies is an easy story for WWE fans to follow.

Agree and disagree. I dont think the divide is "true fan" vs "casual". I think if you have no knowledge of Star Wars, you have a better chance of liking it. Most of the criticism involves knowing Luke Skywalker although much of it too is TLJ not paying off TFA so you could have a 12 year fan that hates it too. And I agree with you that Luke was presented as lowly farmer with big dreams. So at that time, we could live vicariously through Luke. But as it turns out, he did come from a Force Dynasty and there was a lot of thought of fate in his becoming a Jedi. And thats what I think Disney wanted in Rey - the every-girl that every girl identifies with. And if Rian creates a new trilogy with those themes, great. Good for him. Hopefully its better than TLJ but we likely wont be critical of certain things in a fresh narrative that we are in a SAGA film. One of the weakest aspects to this trilogy, for me, is it doesnt connect to the previous six. Its a SAGA. Its SUPPOSED to connect. More over, as Kennedy proclaimed, "This is the Skywalker Saga". So when Rian walks into my office and says "I have some new ideas to really turn the idea of the Force and the Skywalkers on its ear" I'd reply "thats great, Rian. We really encourage fresh ideas here...as long as its within these strict guidelines of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga." And thats what I feel was the issue with Rian and this film.

Legit players. Good goaltending. Hard to argue that on paper, they're a top 3 team in the league but good for them. Good for the league too.

I actually liked that line in the movie especially because the first time Luke says it sets up the second time he does. That was well done. But I cannot overstate how good Mark Hamill was in this film. Had it been a BETTER movie, he could be up for awards. I believed every word out of his mouth and if you zoomed in on his eyes for the entire performance, you'd know exactly what he was feeling. His best performance as Luke by far, even with the worst material.

Very much agree. Kasdan helped improve the dialogue in Empire and Return a lot. But A New Hope is by no means terrible. Which is to be expected as the film Lucas tooled with the longest. The reason they keep telling us Kylo is so powerful is because what we see is the opposite, sadly. And I agree that this film is shockingly flawed given the expertise working on it. Its one of those things where, had they fired Rian and brought on someone to punch up the script it wouldnt have surprised me. The casino subplot is really not needed. But if you cut that, you need something else for Finn. The silly "we cant shoot the rebel ships" plot isnt *terrible* but pretty weak, but again, if you dont have it, you dont have the "beat the clock" narrative. If you cut the shitty things, you have a film that is about 40 minutes long. It needed a revamp. The comedy is shoe-horned. The Snoke death and Rey revelation are weak and make little sense. And Luke isnt true to the character we know and conversely, there was no reason good enough to justify his change. Even Poe, who arguably had the best arc, was stepped back for the purpose of showing growth, rather then growing him from where he left off in TFA. Flawed film. 100%

Thats very true. And sort of an odd model. I get a small bonus based on my targets being met as well as corporate targets. But it doesnt make me work harder. I dont know anyone that works harder because of their bonus and most people I know work in an environment where its hard to miss your bonus. I guess its part of the "pay packet" mentality but arent you hiring your executives to be successful? The multi-million dollar bonus is offensive. I recall my company had a year where they did 0% wage increases, arguing "recession". The CEO only got a few million that year. People were pissed.

Also keep in mind that Lawrence Kasdan helped write Empire and Return, TFA and the upcoming Han Solo films. He did not contribute to the PT or TLJ. And Lucas not having his wife edit the PT (they were divorced) should not be understated as well. Its a shame JJ didnt keep Kasdan on to flesh out the entire trilogy.

Buff in, Poolman out for tonights game.

Everything you just said was wrong. Firstly, you cannot hold up the PT as some way to defend the Last Jedi. One has nothing to do with the other (different writers, different directors, different owners). And while I have a friend who thinks Attack of the Clones was the best of all Star Wars films, the PT is generally considered shitty. And yet, some people like them. Which doesnt serve your argument that those that dislike TLJ are somehow angry nerds or something. You also cant really compare modern film making and modern audience sensibilities to the 70's. And yet, TFA, which was better than TLJ is simpler and more akin to the OT. But regardless, audiences DO expect better writing now. They expected it when The Phantom Menace came out too. That film was not loved. The OT had clear plots and were expertly edited into a cohesive narrative. I'd certainly argue that the OT were poorly written as far as the finished product. There is a lot of discussion about what Lucas created and what his then-wife salvaged through editing. A New Hope is a pretty straightforward plot. I dont find it clunky at all. Empire, same thing. Return suffers by the inclusion of the Ewoks, but again, the narrative is pretty clear, especially once Lucas knew he was making the trilogy. ANH and ESB are more cohesive together and as part of the trilogy than TLJ and TFA are together. We have to reserve judgement on the trilogy as a whole. I appreciate your devotion to your opinion, but you havent provided a single relevant position that counters the perspectives of thise who have disliked it and given reason for the dislike. You dont have to either. "Because I liked it" is good enough but then Im not sure why you continue to argue that its better than many of us think it is. If you feel we're all wrong, argue our specific points. No one can argue that you're not entitled to your opinion. But your opinion of enjoyment doesnt mean everyone else is wrong that the film just isnt that good, as visually appealing as it might be.

Im not sure what a bad Star Wars number would look like, under a billion dollars? Its all relative. I saw it twice for two reasons. I had already bought tickets for Christmas Eve because the gf wanted to see it (we had seen TFA on Boxing Day when it came out) but I was in Mexico when TLJ was released and I was getting antsy about spoilers. I went to Plaza Las Americas one day and the film was playing two hours later which gave me time to check out the mall. So I saw it first in Mexico. I loved Mark Hamill's performance. When I see a film that really disappoints me (ie. I expected it to be a lot better) and when it has elements I really like, I always want to see it again to really dissect it. When you see it for the first time, your expectations are different and you pick up different things. Especially a film like this where I know Im going to discuss it with people, I owe it to the discussion to have carefully watched it. And the first time I see a film, I try to be lost in the narrative and really enjoy it rather then "look" for things. Seeing a second time served my opinion better because I liked it more. But it reinforced those elements I disliked. Whereas I was confused or disappointed or shell shocked upon first viewing, there were times I caught myself physically reacting on second viewing (like shaking my head). Rotten Tomatoes is probably never a good gauge of a films quality, unless maybe its a really really bad score. its also possible, as previously mentioned, to like a bad movie.

Yes, which adds to Kylo. Although I suppose you're right in that the removing of children for teaching never seemed to have a negative result before. So maybe that doesnt work. Kylo's back story would be really interesting because he sure seems to have daddy issues. Kylo being so much like Anakin is nicely done. Rey being a Solo as well would have also been nice so that the love story of Han and Leia wasnt a complete failure.

Yup. I totally appreciate the idea of compensation for meeting successes. But why not provide more of that to your workers? I have a friends who work for banks and they had some nice perks (the usual free accounts etc) but also bonuses. Even the front line staff got nice bonuses (like Thousands, not hundreds). And even that is a drop in the bucket for a bank. The joke about US companies is ofcourse, people using the examples of some corporations giving extra bonuses to their staff to "pass on the tax savings". But thats a one time thing that is clearly meant to boost the tax bill. If the companies were serious, they'd pass on the savings with permanent raises in salary. But then we star to dovetail into a discussion of minimum wages and should a Burger King worker get $15/hour etc.

Thats ok. In the US, the corporations are taking their tax savings under the Trump Tax Bill and giving all the money to workers. hahahahah yeah right.

Yup. It was a half baked script. It needed to be put back in the oven. Im not sure why LucasFilm dropped the ball on this one. It wasnt long ago we were praising Kennedy for having the guts to fire Directors and make changes if she didnt like the vision. But she let THIS one go? Its not like it was a great story but we dont like it...as you mention, plot holes and goody sub plots (I love Del Toro but the whole casino plot should have been cut). I said the exact same thing to someone last week. They NEED Kasdan so badly. And we'll know soon enough as he wrote the Han Solo film (along with his son). If its good, especially after its issues, they should turn the whole thing over to the Kasdans. Yeah, there are the bones of a good film. I like the complicated depth to Kylo. A bad guy who is pulled to the light. I like it. BUT...in making Kylo complicated they give us an angry, frustrated character who is more like Anakin than Luke or Han. And thats totally fine...in fact, I really dig it. I like that he has temper tantrums. It speaks to the greater idea of what happens when you take children and try to teach them these pseudo religious martial arts. No wonder he's a petulant brat. But in serving that story, you rightly show us a character who isnt as powerful as he wants to be. Part of his issue is he is forever in the shadow of Vader and Han and Luke. Rey beats him in TFA. Kylo is not a great Jedi. And that works. But not as THE bad guy. Which is why Snoke is there. Snoke allows them to create a more nuanced Kylo. And thats why killing Snoke undermines everything. Because either the next film is a showdown between the whiney, petulant, not that powerful Dark Side user against the untrained, Mary Sue-ish Light Side user. And thats not very appealing. OR, they have to TELL US that Kylo is suddenly super strong and a bigger threat than Palps, Vader and Snoke. When everything we've seen shows us thats not the case. Like the scroll for IX has to include "Kylo Ren has now become the most powerful Dark Side user of all time". They have to just tell us that to add threat to the story. Rey now being just another nobody that has the force just like a million other people...again, a weak choice. If she's a Skywalker, maybe its a rehash. I get the messaging that Disney went with, that Star Wars and the Force are not just for Skywalkers. But how many kids want to be "A nobody from a junk planet". They all want to be Luke Skywalker. So Rey should have been a Skywalker. Making her a Kenobi or even related to Palps were better ideas than nobody. "Nobody" isnt turning the idea of Star Wars on its ear like they want to claim. Its doing nothing. The easy choice was making her Luke's daughter or Han & Leia's daughter. The risky choice was Kenobi or Palps. They chose neither and with "meh, we cant think of anything cool so meh".

Maybe. I can see those with more Star Wars knowledge being more annoyed by inconsistencies etc. My gf, for example, liked it. And actually liked some of the messages of the film such as Rey not being special and the Force not being something for special people. And those are messages that work on paper. But within THIS saga, they sacrifice the larger narrative to support. My gf's brother strongly disliked it but his kids liked it. Ofcourse his kids wouldnt have an appreciation for the OT like many of us. And I hate to think that Disney went into this film with that intent - to sweep away the old. But there is a sense of that to me. I guess if Luke Skywalker is an iconic hero to you, then you'd be disappointed in this film. If he's a background player in the story of Rey and Kylo, you wouldnt be as offended. For me, the treatment of Luke is the biggest offense and yet, also provides the best part of the movie - his "fake" fight is still awesome and everytime Mark Hamill was on scene was gold. But it wasnt OUR Luke. And thats not just a personal emotional thing...the film didnt fit the Saga, Luke being the most obvious example. When I went to see TFA, I was so worried they would screw it up, mainly because JJ had disappointed me on Star Trek so much. The moment I knew JJ got it was the very first line seen on screen - Luke Skywalker Has Vanished. That one line told me that JJ knew Luke WAS the franchise. Even though he was effectively not even in TFA, the whole film was about him. To suddenly change that up and have it be revealed that he doesnt matter was too jarring and didnt fit the narrative. Even the PT was about two things - Anakin becoming Vader and the twins being born. The narrative of Anakin as the Chosen One, we watched it knowing it was true...but only because of Luke's intervention. The saga is about Luke. Period. If they wanted to expand that (and Kathleen Kennedy herself said this) to be The Skywalker Saga, so be it. Anakin, Luke and...Kylo? If so, they REALLY have their work cut out for them in the next film.