WWE
– Here’s CM Punk’s amazing promo from last night’s Raw:
The following is the transcribed version of what he said. Courtesy of NoDQ.com:
(Punk sits down at the top of the ramp)
John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this, because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I wanna get off my chest.
I don’t hate you, John. I don’t even dislike you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back. I hate… this idea… that you’re the best… because you’re not. I’m the best. I’m the best in the world. There’s one thing you’re better at than I am, and that’s kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. You’re as good at kissing Vince’s ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don’t know if you’re as good as Dwayne… he’s a pretty good ass-kisser… always was and still is. Oops… I’m breaking the fourth wall. [Punk waves to the camera.] I am the best… wrestler… in the world. I’ve been the best ever since Day One when I walked into this company, and I’ve been vilified and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that nobody else wanted to admit. That’s right, I’m a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar… and he split, just like I’m splittin’, but the biggest difference between me and Brock is that I’m going to leave with the WWE Championship.
I’ve grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon’s imaginary brass rings that it’s finally dawned on me that they’re just that. They’re completely imaginary. The only thing that’s real is me, and the fact that day in and day out, for almost six years, I’ve proved to everybody in the world that I am the best on this microphone, in that ring, and even on commentary. Nobody can touch me. And yet, no matter how many times I prove it, I’m not on your lovely little collectors’ cups, I’m not on the cover of the program, I’m barely promoted, I don’t get to be in movies, I’m not on any crappy show on the USA Network, I’m not on the poster of WrestleMania, I’m not on the signature that’s produced at the start of the show. I’m not on Conan O’Brian, I’m not on Jimmy Fallon, but the fact of the matter is I should be, and trust me, this isn’t sour grapes, but the fact that “Dwayne” is in the main event of WrestleMania next year and I’m not makes me sick!
Oh hey, let me get something straight, those of you who are cheering me right now… you are just as big a part of me leaving as anyone else, because you’re the ones sipping out of those collector cups right now, you’re the ones that buy those programs that my face isn’t on the cover of, and then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face thinking you can get an autograph and sell it on eBay because you’re too lazy to get a real job.
I’m leaving with the WWE championship on July 17 and hell, who knows, maybe I’ll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling… maybe I’ll go back to Ring of Honor… [Punk waves to the camera again] hey, Colt Cabana, how you doing? The reason I’m leaving is you people because after I’m gone you’re still going to pour money into this company — I’m just a spoke on the wheel — the wheel’s gonna keep turning. And I understand that… that Vince McMahon’s gonna make money despite himself… he’s a millionaire who should be a billionaire… you know why he’s not a billionaire? It’s because he surrounds himself with glad-handing nonsensical [censored] yes-men like John Lauranitis, who’s gonna tell him everything he wants to hear… and I’d like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon is dead, but the fact is it’s gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.
Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon. You know we do this whole bully campaign…
(Microphone is cut off. Punk hits the mic a few times, says something inaudible, yells “I’ve been silenced”, and we fade to black.)
In light of that, WWE has “suspended” CM Punk indefinitely. The following comes from WWE.com:
“Monday Night Raw’s abrupt conclusion last night was not due to technical difficulties. The decision to suddenly end the broadcast in that manner was made by WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, who gave this quote to WWE.com:
“CM Punk was suspended indefinitely for his unprofessional conduct as soon as Raw went off the air.”
With his WWE contract expiring on July 17, one can only assume that this suspension effectively terminates CM Punk’s tenure with WWE.”
Many wrestlers, past and present, weighed in on Punk’s promo from Monday’s RAW. Here is what some of the top names in the industry are saying on Twitter about the memorable segment:
Steve Austin: @CMPunk just melted my 52 inch TV with a scorching hot promo…delivery, content, and attitude…one of the best promos I’ve ever seen.
Shawn Michaels: 2 words 4 @CMPunk- thata boy. Felt like old times. Anywho, back 2 my normal life, tweet u on touchdown:-)
Jim Ross: Amazing feedback on @cmpunk end of Raw comments. Too many overanalyzing it. Did you like it? If so, enjoy it. Was it compelling? Yes
Taz: Punk did a great job & I always liked him when we were in wwe together and his work! But I must say… There r many of us who were NEVER pushed to the level Punk was & were NEVER allowed to shoot like that, he’s lucky he was allowed to do that. But it was very strong & real!! I liked a lot! Good stuff Punk!
Colt Cabana: Colt Cabana’s Trending but @CMPunk should legit trend FOREVER. Coolest thing on wrestling since 1998. Can’t believe theyre gonna let’m walk
Chris Jericho: “Congrats to @cmpunk and Vince McMahon for doing something tonight that hasn’t been done in awhile…make history.”
Maryse: @CMPunk for President of the United-States….
Todd Grisham: Punk came unhinged tonight. Never seen anything like it in my 8 years @WWE
JBL: CM Punk’s promo-shoot or work? Who cares? When you are so good that you can put that doubt in viewers minds you have done your job very well
MVP: “My verdict after watching the @CMPunk promo, he just had his Austin 3:16 moment. Don’t fuck this one up WWE”
– Former WWE star Batista joined Twitter last week and has wasted to time making headlines with his newsworthy tweets. He’s trashed WWE’s current “PG” programming, addressed talk of his recent muscle loss and now is answering fan questions about whether he’d consider working for TNA Wrestling. Batista, however, said “absolutely not” about working the possibility of working for TNA or any wrestling promotion other than WWE. Batista tweeted on Mondaay:
“I keep getting asked about a possible TNA run…and the answer is absolutely not.”
“Nothing against TNA. They’ve got some great talent, but even though I don’t agree with the direction they’ve taken, I bleed WWE, which is why I’ve decided to sit it out rather than accept very generous offers from other promotions. Hope everyone can respect that.”
– The June 24 episode of WWE SmackDown scored a 1.72 cable rating, up from a year low 1.71 the previous week. SmackDown averaged 2.397 million viewers, down from 2.71 the previous week. This extends the program’s streak of less than 3.0 million viewers to eight consecutive weeks. It was the least watched episode of 2011.
– Batista took to Twitter last to comment on Finlay’s departure from WWE earlier this year.
“So I’m going to say this because I said I would elaborate later….and I’m sure I’ll get some grief over it but I don’t realy care. and this is completely the opinion of an outsider looking in,”
“I only know what I’ve been told about Fit Finlay’s release and I dont know exactly what happened…but no one in this world could convince me that Fit, the honorable man that he is, did anything that would warrant him losing his livelihood. I wouldn’t have made it to the top without fit, and I wouldn’t have made it through alot of the longass unbearable tours either.
“I seriously think that there’s a huge void in the WWE without him. He isn’t replaceable.”
Finlay was fired from his producer’s after authorizing the interruption of the American national anthem by The Miz during a live event. Batista was also asked to comment on Melina, his former associate. He wrote, “beautiful, talented, hope she gets out of wrestling asap.”
TNA
– According to the PWInsider, Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife Linda appeared on NBC’s Today show this morning and was interviewed by Matt Lauer to promote her new tell-all book, “Wrestling With The Hulk.” The most newsworthy part of the interview is Linda claiming that Hulk was physically violent with her during their marriage, a claim we haven’t heard from her before. Here’s a recap of her appearance:
Matt Lauer says that they reached out to Hulk Hogan, but he refused to comment. Linda was asked about her statements that drugs were rampant in the wrestling world during Hulk’s career, and said that drugs were always around the house, from painkillers to steroids. Linda said that Hogan would often become violent, throwing chairs, smashing doors and choking her.
Linda stated that “Hogan Knows Best” was good for the family because it brought them together during tough times. Their marriage ended shortly after the series was finished.
Lauer then asked her about Nick Hogan’s role in the accident that seriously injured John Graziano. She said that the eight months that Nick received was too harsh of a sentence.
NFL
– Free agent WR Terrell Owens (ACL surgery) has reportedly told “several people in the NFL” that he is considering retirement. CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman notes that while retirement is not imminent, “he’s told people in the sport he’s considering it.” Freeman also “doubt(s) Owens can ever be good again.” If Owens does retire, the 37-year-old would finish second all-time in receiving yards, tied with Randy Moss for second all-time in touchdown catches, and fifth in receptions. He has six Pro Bowls under his belt, and is a five-time first-team All Pro. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
– The agent for Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger (foot) tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that, despite Big Ben saying he might need foot surgery, there is “nothing new” occurring in regard to his health. The agent said that media reports were simply digging for a story, rather than reporting a real one. “There’s nothing new there. The doctors elected not to do surgery and to let it heal. … Ben is kind of surprised that it’s getting the attention. He hopes and expects never to have surgery on it. … It’s feeling great.”
– According to his personal trainer, Matt Gates, Dolphins’ WR Brandon Marshall (stab wound) has began running sub-4.5 forty-yard dashes in preparation for the upcoming season. Marshall is doing the same training regimen that he did prior to the 2006 NFL draft, and has reportedly posted a “max speed” of 22.5 MPH on a treadmill. He’s also currently training outside of South Florida. Marshall, however, has not attended any Dolphins’ player-organized workouts this offseason.
NHL
– NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has confirmed that Matthew Hulsizer is no longer attempting to buy the Coyotes. Hulsizer reportedly withdrew his bid after Glendale began to listen to offers from other potential buyers. Glendale has already paid $25M to cover some of the Coyotes’ losses for the coming 2011-12 season, so they’ve bought themselves a little more time to find a new owner that’s willing to keep the team in Glendale.
– According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, F Steve Stamkos and the Lightning are not close to agreeing on a contract extension. If no deal is reached, Stammer will become an RFA on July 1. Stamkos reported last week that the two sides were close to getting a deal done. Stay tuned.
– F Jaromir Jagr plans to decide what team he will sign with before the start of the free agent period on Friday. His agent, Peter Svboda said, ”We expect a decision in the next couple of days. Teams need to know their plan (going into free agency).” The Red Wings and Penguins are believed to be the frontrunners, though Pens’ GM Ray Shero hasn’t confirmed that he will present Jagr with an offer.
– The Capitals have signed F Brooks Laich to a 6-year/$27M extension. Laich, an impending UFA, recorded 16 goals and 48 points in 82 games last season. “It wasn’t very stressful at all. Washington was easily my first choice. I gave my agent instructions that I fully intended to return to Washington and that was my only choice. I wasn’t looking to test the market.”
– The Canucks have signed F Maxim Lapierre to a 2-year/$2M contract. Lapierre scored six goals and six assists in 78 during the regular season last year, as well as three goals and two assists in the playoffs.
– The Lightning have signed D Marc-Andre Bergeron to a 2-year/$2M contract. The 30-year-old, who missed half of the 2010-11 season following knee surgery, recorded two goals and six assists with the club in 23 regular games. He scored two goals and one assist in 14 games in the playoffs.
– The Penguins have signed F Pascal Dupuis to a 2-year/$3M contract. The deal comes with a $1.5M cap hit. The 32-year-old scored 17 goals and 20 assists in 81 games for the Penguins last season.
– The Panthers have acquired F Tomas Kopecky from the Blachawks for a 7th-round pick. The 29-year-old had 15 goals and 42 points in 81 games last season. He’s scheduled to become a UFA on Friday, so Florida needs to lock him up soon before he hits the market. They still need to add more than $20M in payroll to reach the salary floor next year.
– The Lightning have signed F Bruno Gervais to a 1-year/$500K contract.
– The Flyers have signed F Andreas Nodl to a 2-year/$1.69M contract worth 845K annually.
NBA
– The Nets and Pacers are expected to target free agent F David West, according to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Despite tearing his ACL on March 25, West announced Monday that he will opt out of his $7.5M player option. He hasn’t ruled out a return to New Orleans, but his days in New Orleans are very likely over, citing that he wants to win now. If it counts for anything, West grew up in New Jersey.
– Spurs’ F Tim Duncan is not expected to opt out of his final year of his contract, a source tells the Express-News. Duncan is set to earn $21.2M next season, so he’d be crazy not to play it out. The Spurs don’t plan on offering him an extension this week, so he’s set to become a free agent following the season. Duncan, 35, averaged just 13.5 points and 28.3 minutes per game last season.
– Warriors’ co-owner Joe Lacob said Monday that he has assured G Monta Ellis that the team is not shopping him. ”It would take a helluva deal that really made sense for the organization as a whole in order for us to trade Monta Ellis,” said Lacob. He’s still a lead candidate to be traded this summer. Expect rumours to continue through the start of the season.
– Blazers’ G Wesley Matthews (torn tendon in right ankle) reportedly suffered the injury in January, causing him to undergo PRP (platelet rich plasma) therapy, as well as remaining in a walking boot for 4-6 weeks. Despite this, Matthews played in all 82 games and put up impressive numbers for someone who couldnt’ feel his foot for the last two months. He’s still not 100% and he’s hopeful that he’ll avoid surgery.
– Mavericks’ G Roddy Beaubois (left foot) had surgery on Monday as a clean up from a lingering injury originally suffered last summer. He missed the majority of the season and the entire playoffs. He should be fine for the start of the season.
MLB
– Cardinals’ RHP Adam Wainwright (Tommy John) will throw into a pitching net three separate times this week. He has quickly gotten into a throwing a program, and told the St. Louis Post-Disptach on Monday that he wants to return to a major league mound by the end of this season. “My modest goal is try to talk them into letting me play on the playoff roster in October.” That definitely won’t happen, but it’s possible that he’ll be 100% by near season’s end. He should be good to go at the start of spring training next February. He’s on a $9M club option for 2012 and a $12M club option for 2013.
– Rangers’ owner Nolan Ryan said Monday evening that his club is not interested in OF Carlos Beltran or RHP Francisco Rodriguez. SI.com’s Jon Heyman linked the two on Monday afternoon, but Ryan quickly denied the rumour. “I don’t see that’s an upgrade [to the Rangers' bullpen]. And Beltran, you worry about his knee. And you’re taking on an awful lot of salary.”
– The Phillies have placed RHP Ryan Madson (bruised right hand) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 19. It’s not yet known how long Madson will be out. He’s posted a solid 2.03 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 31 innings this year but began feeling numbness in his pitching hand in mid-June.
– According to Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com, “a lot of clubs” are already showing interest in Dodgers’ RHP Hiroki Kuroda. He has a solid 3.10 ERA and 77/28 K/BB ratio over 101 2/3 innings despite a 5-9 record. According to Morosi, the Rockies and Reds had scouts at his most recent start, though it’s not clear if they were there to see him in particular. Kuroda has a NTC and will need to approve any trade.
– Tory Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies are interested in Dodgers’ UTIL Jamey Carroll. The 37-year-old has hit .300 with a .368 OBP over 280 plate appearances this season. He would likely start at second base if traded to Colorado, and is owed about $1M through the end of the 2011 season.