Sure, why not. Whatever. WWE Network and Wrestlemania

[Goalie]

Nikki is good looking but then she opens her mouth and talks. It's not good. Nikki is also dating John Cena so there's some politics going on there. She's gonna be the girl who has held tge belt the longest. Means nothing tho cuz she never actually defends it. Just like Cena has buried lots of talent and is this super Cena type, Nikki has become the same. Cena and Nikki are both stale and boring and in a way killing the product.

[The Unknown Poster]

Raw ratings, expected to be among the best of the year were actually down from last week. Very interesting.

I'd suspect the surprises will pop a number for next week though.

[The Unknown Poster]

Jimmy Snuka charged with 3rd degree murder

 

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-jimmy-snuka-grand-jury-announcement-20150901-story.html

 

Wrestling legend Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka is being charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend more than 32 years ago in an assault at an Allentown area motel, Lehigh County authorities said.

 

Snuka, 72, was arrested Tuesday morning at his New Jersey home and arraigned at 1:50 p.m. from the Lehigh County Central Booking Center. He was sent to county jail under $100,000 bail.

 

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin re-opened the case last year, prompted in part by a Morning Call investigation that raised questions about the death of Snuka's 23-year-old girlfriend, Nancy Argentino, in May 1983. The Call story revealed a never-before-seen autopsy report that labeled the case a homicide.

 

At the time of Argentino's death, Snuka was one of the World Wrestling Federation's biggest names, known for his high-flying finishing moves.

 

Snuka had been at a WWF taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds on May 10, 1983, and returned to his Whitehall Township motel room to find Argentino, of Brooklyn, gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her mouth and nose, records show.

 

Argentino was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital the next day. An autopsy determined she died of traumatic brain injuries and she suffered more than two dozen cuts and bruises — a possible sign of "mate abuse" — on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs and feet.

 

The autopsy also determined her injuries were consistent with being hit with a stationary object. In an autopsy report, forensic pathologist Isidore Mihalakis wrote the case should be investigated as a homicide until proven otherwise.

 

Snuka originally told at least five people, including the responding police officer, he shoved Argentino earlier that day, causing her to fall and hit her head, according to police interviews obtained by The Morning Call. He later told police those five people misunderstood him, and said Argentino slipped and hit her head when they stopped along the highway to urinate.

 

Snuka was the only person of interest in the case but was never charged.

 

The original Whitehall police investigation went cold June 1, 1983, after a follow-up interview with Snuka that was ordered by Lehigh Valley authorities and attended by WWF mogul Vince McMahon

 

Snuka, who lives in Waterford Township, N.J., was diagnosed with stomach cancer, his wife announced earlier this month.

 

In 1985, the Argentino family won a $500,000 wrongful death case against Snuka by default, but Snuka never paid because he claimed he was broke and couldn't afford a legal defense.

 

less than four months before Argentino's death, Snuka was charged with assaulting her in a New York motel and then fighting with police when they responded to the call. He pleaded guilty to harassment in the case with most of the serious charges being dropped.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Beat me to it TUP.

 

3rd degree murder AND manslaughter? Thought they be the same thing. If not how can you charge him with both?

[The Unknown Poster]

Beat me to it TUP.

 

3rd degree murder AND manslaughter? Thought they be the same thing. If not how can you charge him with both?

Im not sure but Ill guess.  I've seen 3rd degree murder also called voluntary manslaughter.  So it might be they are giving a judge/jury two options (voluntary/involuntary).  Or its just a way of charging for this particular crime in New jersey.  Im guessing they will say he did not intend to kill her but acted in such a way (assault) that intended to harm her or should have reasonably known she would be harmed.

 

There is a very interesting Vince McMahon twist to this but I have to leave so I cant discuss right now....lol  back tomorrow!

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

Beat me to it TUP.

 

3rd degree murder AND manslaughter? Thought they be the same thing. If not how can you charge him with both?

Im not sure but Ill guess.  I've seen 3rd degree murder also called voluntary manslaughter.  So it might be they are giving a judge/jury two options (voluntary/involuntary).  Or its just a way of charging for this particular crime in New jersey.  Im guessing they will say he did not intend to kill her but acted in such a way (assault) that intended to harm her or should have reasonably known she would be harmed.

 

There is a very interesting Vince McMahon twist to this but I have to leave so I cant discuss right now....lol  back tomorrow!

 

Hurry up already.

[The Unknown Poster]

Original story from 2013 that prompted the renewed investigation:

 

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-jimmy-snuka-cold-case-20130608-story.html

 

Thirty years later, Nancy Argentino's death remains unsolved. The Lehigh County district attorney's office has refused to allow the coroner to release her autopsy report over the past three decades.

 

Argentino, 23, died of traumatic brain injuries consistent with a moving head striking a stationary object, according to the autopsy. Her injuries weren't reflective of a singular head injury

 

Argentino suffered more than two dozen cuts and contusions — a possible sign of "mate abuse" — on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs and feet

 

Snuka and Argentino were the only two in the hotel room that night, records say. Snuka was later named a "person of interest" by the Whitehall Township Police Department, but no criminal charges were filed. In 1985, the Argentino family won a $500,000 wrongful death lawsuit against Snuka. Claiming he was broke and couldn't afford a legal defense, Snuka never paid.

 

The local police investigation effectively went cold on June 1, 1983 after a follow-up interview with Snuka that was ordered by Lehigh Valley authorities and attended by WWF mogul Vince McMahon. It is still open to this day.

 

In May 1983, the WWF was on the cusp of graduating from dingy Ag Hall and arriving at the bright lights and fanfare of Wrestlemania I just two years later. Snuka, on the verge of his 40th birthday, was at the height of his career.

 

"At that point in time, [snuka] could have probably been the number two guy in the WWF,"

 

Nancy worked in a dentist's office from the time she was 15 or 16 and became a dental assistant. She took some college courses, but eventually dropped out to travel with the WWF.

 

Never a wrestling fan herself, Nancy started going to matches at Madison Square Garden with one of her friends, who dated and married a WWF mainstay named Johnny Rodz, short for Johnny Rodriguez.

 

Argentino-Upham recalls Nancy going on a date with Hulk Hogan, who would soon become the face of the booming professional wrestling industry.

 

Nancy wasn't looking for a free ride, her sisters say, but she liked nice things and wanted the best for herself. Jimmy Snuka could provide that, and the couple started dating in 1982.

 

About 16 years Snuka's junior, Nancy was the star wrestler's travel companion, guide and "East Coast girlfriend," as he refers to her in his book.

 

older sister Lorraine was skeptical of the big-time wrestler.

 

"I really couldn't figure out what the attraction was," she said. "She was pretty and she had a great personality and he was weird. He never spoke. He used to come over to the house and he wouldn't say one word."

 

Lorraine was the one Nancy turned to whenever she was in trouble. And on Jan. 18, 1983, she received a message from the front desk of a Howard Johnson motor lodge in Salina, N.Y.

Snuka and Nancy were in a fight, the message said, and Nancy wanted to come home.

 

Police records documenting the incident, including Onondaga County Sheriff's Deputy Lawrence D. Witter Jr.'s sworn deposition, were presented in the 1985 civil lawsuit and reviewed by The Morning Call.

 

The hotel manager called police after guests complained the occupants of Room 1 "were raising hell and a male was beating up a female."

 

Police responded — and were met with almost superhuman resistance from Snuka. After a melee, it took at least five police officers and two police dogs to subdue and arrest the 6-foot-tall, 225-pound wrestler.

 

Snuka was charged with second- and third-degree assault, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration but accepted a plea deal that dropped all of those charges in exchange for pleading guilty to harassment in April 1983.

 

When the WWF finished its tapings at Allentown's Ag Hall on May 10, 1983, Snuka returned to the George Washington Motor Lodge to drink beers with his on-camera rival Don Muraco and fellow wrestler Mr. Fuji

 

Muraco and Fuji told police in their interview that Snuka told them his girlfriend was "not feeling well" and he wanted to return to his room to check on her condition.

 

By the time Snuka walked into Room 427, Nancy was almost dead.

 

Inside the emergency room, Snuka stood in one spot, staring at Nancy, according to witnesses interviewed by police

 

She was pronounced dead at 1:50 a.m. In the immediate aftermath, Snuka told at least five different people he pushed Nancy, and she fell and hit her head. He later said they misunderstood him.

 

According to police records:

 

• Snuka told the responding officer he and Nancy "were fooling around" outside the hotel room door when he pushed her and she fell, striking her head.

 

• Two emergency room employees, Carol McBride and Susan St. Clair, told police Snuka stated he and Nancy got into an argument and "he pushed her and she fell back and hit her head."

 

• Emergency room doctor John Fassl told police Snuka said he and Nancy were fooling around and she "was pushed and fell backwards and struck her head." At some point after the fall, they were fooling around again, with Snuka giving Nancy "light slaps to the face," Fassl told police. He also said Snuka seemed genuinely concerned for Nancy's condition.

 

• Hospital chaplain Barbara Smith helped Snuka call the Argentino family after Nancy was pronounced dead. She told police that Snuka told her he and Nancy had stopped on the way to Allentown to go to the bathroom and were clowning around when he shoved her with "his forearm and she fell backward on her back and hit her head on the concrete."

 

In an interview with police inside the morgue, Deputy Coroner Wayne Snyder said Nancy's body had "several black and blue marks." He suggested police interview Snuka and compare his verbal statement with the professional results of an autopsy.

 

About 9 a.m., inside the hotel room, Snuka was interviewed by three Whitehall police detectives. There, he told what he maintains to this day is the true story of Nancy's death

 

Jimmy and Nancy were on a highway somewhere in Pennsylvania and Nancy was "desperate to use the bathroom," Snuka told police.

 

"She went a little into the bushes and squatted," he said, according to police records. "In the meantime there were a lot of trucks coming by. So I said to hurry up and she jumped across the grass onto the road. And then she slipped and fell backward and hit her head. Right on the concrete on the side of the road, she just slipped backward."

 

Detectives obtained a copy of Snuka's schedule and the phone number for Vince McMahon and let Snuka go.

 

Five days later, on June 1, 1983, Snuka and McMahon met with Platt, then-Assistant District Attorney Robert Steinberg and Mihalakis, the medical examiner, in the DA's office law library.

 

There's no official record of what was said and Snuka doesn't remember much of what happened, according to his book.

 

"All I remember is [McMahon] had a briefcase with him," Snuka wrote in his autobiography.

 

Steinberg, now a Lehigh County judge, said Snuka didn't say much and McMahon "did all the talking."

 

"I remember Vince McMahon being what Vince McMahon has always been — very effusive. He was very protective, a showman," Steinberg said, noting he couldn't recall specifics of the conversation. "He was the mouthpiece, trying to direct the conversation."

 

Unbeknownst to most WWF viewers, the Argentino family had filed a civil lawsuit in 1985 alleging Nancy was injured because of Snuka's "intentional and/or reckless and/or negligent and/or careless" behavior that may have included "pushing, shoving and/or striking" Nancy along Route 22 or at the George Washington Motor Lodge.

 

In a sworn affidavit on Oct. 15, 1985, Snuka said he had been terminated from WWF, his family was extremely poor and he owed $75,000 in back taxes. Snuka's attorneys withdrew their representation that year, saying he couldn't afford to pay them.

 

The family was awarded a default judgment of $500,000, covering Nancy's future earnings and funeral expenses. They never collected a penny, according to Nancy's sisters.

 

The family also has the old photos of Jimmy and Nancy and the hospital bill that lists "altercation" as the reason for Nancy's injuries.

[iso_55]

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it. 

[Atomic]

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it. 

What do you think of Cesaro?  I have mixed feelings.  Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it. 

What do you think of Cesaro?  I have mixed feelings.  Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

 

I think he has the personality but its very rare for personality to be allowed to shine through in WWE.  Your personality is what the writers decide its going to be, not what it actually is.

 

Speaking of WWE writers, lets rant for a moment.  RAW was atrocious this week.  They had a shockingly low rating last week coming off of Summerslam but this week had a strong rating indicating the Sting angle created interest.  What did they do?  Within minutes of the start of the show, they had cut Sting's balls off and made the Sting/Seth match all about Hunter.  Much like they had Cena promo before Summerslam to make that match all about Hunter.

 

For Sting to go on and on about hw much he respected hunter and what a great man he was...after he cheated at WM and hit Sting with a sledgehammer, is ridiculous.  They arent even trying anymore.  The only stars in WWE are two 40+ year old non-wrestlers who own the company.  Its ludicrous.  It was embarrassing for Sting and the wind was immediately taken out of the sails of the fans.

 

Now onto to some good news.  Reports are that WWE has hired Sarah Stock to be a trainer.  Sarah is from Winnipeg, worked in Japan and made a career in Mexico as Dark Angel.  Also appeared in TNA as Sarita.  She worked a bunch of times for me a few years ago too.  She is a tremendous talent, super nice and has a great look.  She's exactly what WWE has been looking for...a "Mexican" style female worker (she's fluent in Spanish and works a Mexican gimmick).  She's getting a trainer gig because they dont like her age (36) which is stupid, but what can you do.  She's been a guest trainer at the performance centre a few times.  Another local Winnipeg wrestler makes it big.  Good for her!

[Atomic]

I understand what you're saying about personality but guys still have an innate charisma that you just can't write.  Their mannerisms and how they conduct themselves in the ring.  Guys with real star power.  And Cesaro just don't got it.  IMO.

 

I missed Raw this week.

[The Unknown Poster]

Cesaro's got it.

[iso_55]

 

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it. 

What do you think of Cesaro?  I have mixed feelings.  Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

 

He's not allowed to have a personality. He's being squashed to push Kevin Owens.  Andre The Giant had absolutely no personality yet he was famous. Cesaro has ten times the ability of Owens.

[Atomic]

Cesaro's got it.

Based on what? I get the argument that you believe he's being held back but if he has never shown any personality (and he hasn't) then how do you know?

[Atomic]

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it.

What do you think of Cesaro? I have mixed feelings. Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

He's not allowed to have a personality. He's being squashed to push Kevin Owens. Andre The Giant had absolutely no personality yet he was famous. Cesaro has ten times the ability of Owens.

KO is a damn good wrestler. Talk about the anti-Vince McMahon type. Does not have the look whatsoever but man can he put on a show. I'm liking this Owens-Cesaro rivalry.

[iso_55]

 

 

 

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it.

What do you think of Cesaro? I have mixed feelings. Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

He's not allowed to have a personality. He's being squashed to push Kevin Owens. Andre The Giant had absolutely no personality yet he was famous. Cesaro has ten times the ability of Owens.

KO is a damn good wrestler. Talk about the anti-Vince McMahon type. Does not have the look whatsoever but man can he put on a show. I'm liking this Owens-Cesaro rivalry.

 

I'm not a KO fan. I think he's okay but not better than a lot of guys on the roster. I don't think he's a Top 5 elite guy. He's a talented mid carder getting a push from Triple H. That pop up power bomb he uses isn't on him. His opponent has to actually do the move & sell it. To me, it looks so obvious. 

[Atomic]

 

 

 

 

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it.

What do you think of Cesaro? I have mixed feelings. Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

He's not allowed to have a personality. He's being squashed to push Kevin Owens. Andre The Giant had absolutely no personality yet he was famous. Cesaro has ten times the ability of Owens.

KO is a damn good wrestler. Talk about the anti-Vince McMahon type. Does not have the look whatsoever but man can he put on a show. I'm liking this Owens-Cesaro rivalry.

 

I'm not a KO fan. I think he's okay but not better than a lot of guys on the roster. I don't think he's a Top 5 elite guy. He's a talented mid carder getting a push from Triple H. That pop up power bomb he uses isn't on him. His opponent has to actually do the move & sell it. To me, it looks so obvious. 

 

 

Yeah, I would agree, not top 5 at all.  He'd be a guy I'd like to see going after the U.S. Title or maybe get him on a team looking for the Tag Titles.  Maybe a competitor for the Intercontinental title... maybe.  I do like his personality though, he makes a good heel.  I'd agree with the pop-up powerbomb comment.

[Goalie]

Owens is definitely more than a talented mid carder... so is cesaro.. I suggest to anyone who thinks otherwise to look up Kevin Steen and Claudio Castagnolli when they were in ROH... Watch some of their matches, watch their personality... they are allowed to be who they wanted to be. They both have "it" in spades. But in WWE, quite honestly the guy running things, Vincent Kennedy Mcmahon has lost "it" and wouldn't know "it" if "it" punched him in the face. 

 

This is the same Vince who signed Austin out of ECW, sorry actually JR was the guy who signed Austin and what did Vince do? The guy that was lighting it up in ECW with his promos? What did the genius Vince do... Called him the ringmaster and stuck him with Ted Dibiase and told him not to talk...

 

Brilliant really.

 

Scripted Promos don't work these days and 99 percent of them are scripted big time... sometimes you can tell when it's not scripted cuz the guy speaking actually shows some passion but for the most part, guys are told what to say and how to say it now a days by a bunch of hollywood writers who don't know the first thing about getting over in the wrestling  business. 

 

Owens is Over, Cesaro is over and that is saying something considering how Vince and his writing team has booked these guys on occasion, they are over because they are good in the ring, after all, it's wrestling... You aren't going to the show to watch people talk anyways at least i wouldn't.. I'm going to watch them wrestle. When they come to Winnipeg, i don't go up to my friends and say hey guys wanna go to the sports entertainment show, i say wanna go to the wrestling show at the arena? 

 

There is also a reason why the house shows in my opinion are 10 x better than what you get on tv... it's because at the house show, these guys are actually allowed to be themselves a little bit. 

[iso_55]

Owens is over because Triple H made sure he was over. He debuted him in WWE against John Cena. Much like in 2000 when Chris Jericho debuted in WWE against The Rock. Owens is a good worker & has his heel persona down pat. But Cesaro is the better wrestler hands down & isn't getting the push he deserves from WWE like Owens is getting. Vince doesn't like Owens look & doesn't think he's in very good shape. In other words, he thinks he's fat. Triple H likes Owens a lot & it remains to be seen what happens to Owens WWE career going forward because if Vince has his way Owens would be gone or squashed on the roster. 

[iso_55]

Shooting at WWE training facility in Orlando earlier this week. A deranged fan stalking a WWE or NXT female wrestler...

 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/31/us/florida-wwe-shooting/

[The Unknown Poster]

I was going to talk about Cesaro but I'll save it.

What do you think of Cesaro? I have mixed feelings. Awesome wrestler but doesn't seem to have the personality.

He's not allowed to have a personality. He's being squashed to push Kevin Owens. Andre The Giant had absolutely no personality yet he was famous. Cesaro has ten times the ability of Owens.

I wouldn't say that. Owens is very very good. Had the pleasure of having him work for me a few years back.

Cesaro is also very good. The fact two ROH guys are essentially semi main eventing WWE is great.

[iso_55]

About a year & a half ago it looked like Cesaro was getting a lot of heat & teased a face turn. The fans popped whenever he wrestled. Then he became a Heyman guy, turned completely heel once more  & it hasn't been the same since. Opportunity lost. Can't figure out what the writers were doing with him. Looks like they couldn't  either. What a waste. Just like Daniel  Bryan.

[Goalie]

Well. Last few shows I've watched I'd say Cesaro is one of the most over guys right now. Dude gets huge pops all the time. And Owens is over because just like Cesaro he's a good wrestler and always has good matches. Don't care what anyone says... guys who can wrestle generally get over.... even Rollins gets cheered at times because he's so good in the ring. Heel Face.. irrelevant. If you consistently put on good matches you get over. Daniel Bryan got over because despite how they booked him for a long time he would always put on the or one of the best matches of the night. A yes chant wasn't the reason. It's cuz like Owens Cesaro Neville even...Rollins really .. you actually get your "moneys" worth when they are on the card. Look at summerslam really... tge match that got crapped on the most was Orton vs Sheamus. Been there done that 100000 times. Fans don't care. They want new guys to cheer for. The days of jacked up muscle men are over.

[iso_55]

Well. Last few shows I've watched I'd say Cesaro is one of the most over guys right now. Dude gets huge pops all the time. And Owens is over because just like Cesaro he's a good wrestler and always has good matches. Don't care what anyone says... guys who can wrestle generally get over.... even Rollins gets cheered at times because he's so good in the ring. Heel Face.. irrelevant. If you consistently put on good matches you get over. Daniel Bryan got over because despite how they booked him for a long time he would always put on the or one of the best matches of the night. A yes chant wasn't the reason. It's cuz like Owens Cesaro Neville even...Rollins really .. you actually get your "moneys" worth when they are on the card. Look at summerslam really... tge match that got crapped on the most was Orton vs Sheamus. Been there done that 100000 times. Fans don't care. They want new guys to cheer for. The days of jacked up muscle men are over.

I think the reason that match didn't go over is as you say, the fans have seen it a hundred times before. Also, Sheamus as a heel just isn't connecting with anyone. He's probably one of the weakest Money In The Bank holders ever. There's no connect, no interest & no investment by the fans with the guy like there was before he was injured last year. No one cares about Sheamus & his Brogue Kick anymore as that's all he does in the ring. Orton is still a great wrestler but he has to get into a feud with someone else as Sheamus is just dragging him down as well.

[Goalie]

I think Orton and Sheamus are both stale and boring