MLB

– The Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman reports that Red Sox’ RHP Josh Beckett’s contract extension will be a four-year/$68M deal. The Red Sox have concerns about the durability of his right shoulder, but Beckett has been as good as anyone in the AL East over the last several years. He will start on Opening Night this season against the Yankees. The deal is expected to be finalized in about a week.

– D’Backs ace RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) underwent an MRI on his right shoulder Wednesday. The results are not yet known, and might not be revealed until Thursday afternoon, but it’s a bad sign that an MRI was even taken. Clearly there’s something wrong with Webb’s surgically-repaired shoulder and we doubt he will return to a major league game by the end of April.

– John Hickey of AOL Fanhouse reports that the Mariners have made a “small offer” to free agent LHP Jarrod Washburn that’s believed to be less than $1.5M. The offer was not accepted, according to Hickey. The team is currently considering alternatives. The 35-year-old Washburn was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA in 20 starts with the Mariners last season before being swapped to the Tigers at the trade deadline.

– A baseball source tells Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com that talks between the Rangers and the Red Sox regarding 3B Mike Lowell have “accelerated” and a trade remains a possibility. The clubs agreed in principle to a trade in December involving C Max Ramirez, but the deal was nixed after it was revealed Lowell required surgery on his right thumb. The Rangers are still in the market for a right-handed hitting infielder, so if they’re happy with Lowell’s health, the remaining obstacle would be how much of his $12M salary the Red Sox are willing to eat.

– Phillies’ RHP Brad Lidge (elbow) received a cortisone shot in his right elbow and will start the season on the DL. The reliever had surgery on his elbow in November and on his and right knee and likely won’t be ready to pitch until mid-April at the earliest. He had the injection Tuesday after pitching in a minor league game. Lidge made his fifth appearance in a minor league game this month on Monday. The velocity on his fastball, typically in the low-to-mid 90s during the regular season, hasn’t reached 90 mph yet, which worried the Phillies.

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) has suffered another setback and has been shut down. He’ll start the season on the DL and is expected back in mid-May, but the Rockies can’t exactly form a timetable. Street was shutdown for the third time this spring Wednesday, a week after the right-hander said the plan was to see if he could work his way through the stiffness by going on a throwing program.

– The Brewers have released RHP Mike Burns.

WWE

– The general feeling among those in WWE is that Shawn Michaels is sincere about his retirement. While no one is ruling out the possibility of Michaels working a match or two down the line, many feel he believes he worked his final match on Sunday. During his farewell speech on Raw, he acknowledged there being a temptation to return to the ring but that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure it doesn’t happen. With that being said, many feel he will ultimately give in and return for at least one more match.

– Following up on Monday’s WWE RAW & TNA iMPACT! ratings…

WWE RAW’s rating was a 3.7, rounded up from a 3.68. The highest quarter hour of the show was a 4.1 for Shawn Michaels’ retirement ceremony at the end of the show.  USA Network executive Ted Linhart noted on Twitter that RAW’s second hour did 3 million adults in the 18-49 demographic.

As previously reported, TNA iMPACT! did a 0.62. Granted, the show went up against another stacked, newsworthy RAW, but you can bet iMPACT! won’t last long on Monday nights doing 0.6’s.

TNA president Dixie Carter posted a message on Twitter regarding iMPACT!’s ratings collapse, attributing it to the Shawn Michaels farewell on RAW:

“Thank goodness he can only retire once…hopefully. Shawn, congrats on an amazing career.”

– WWE.com has added former WWE Women’s Champion Candice Michelle to its Alumni section.

UFC

– UFC Welterweight fighter Thiago Alves successfully underwent an 8-hour brain operation at a New York City hospital today, according to TMZ.com. The operation was to separate an artery from a vein in his brain. Alves was scheduled to fight at last weekend’s UFC 111 pay-per-view, but was forced to pull out of the fight after a CT scan of his brain discovered the issue that led to today’s surgery.

UFC President Dana White told Dana White that the operation was a “complete success.” The Pitbull’s first words after getting out of surgery … “When can I start training again?” Alves will be in ICU for the next two days and is expected to make a full recovery and be training again in a month or so.

NFL

– The Bakersfield (CA) district attorney announced Wednesday that Cardinals’ OLB Joey Porter will not be charged with DUI. He was also accused of assaulting an officer. The D.A. hasn’t yet given an explanation, but the arresting highway patrol officer is under investigation for police brutality. Porter alleges that the cop pointed a gun at him.

NBA

– Knicks’ F Wilson Chandler (left groin) has been shut down for the remainder of the season.

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By: Michael Harrison – Toronto Blue Jays Way

To read more Toronto Blue Jays Way articles visit http://torontobluejaysway.blogspot.com/

Just one day after taking a screaming come backer off his finger Jays starting pitcher hopeful Marc Rzepczynski will miss up to six weeks with a broken middle finger. File that one under the “that was obvious” category. Immediately after Zep took the scorching ball off his digit, the 24 year maintained the injury was nothing serious. Ya right. Clearly, he was toast.

The unfortunate injury dramatically changes the face of Toronto’s starting rotation to begin the season. Rzepczynski shouldn’t have even headed north with the big club even before this occurred after a horrendous 6.10 ERA in the spring. So that essentially leaves Dana Eveland and Brett Cecil to duke it out amongst themselves for a starting rotation berth.

Eveland, acquired in the off-season from Oakland, has been brilliant in the Grapefruit League with a 1.23 ERA over 22 innings (2 starts) to go along with 19 strikeouts.   He’s also out of options so a spot on the staff appears likely.  Cecil, who showed great promise last season, showed his penchant for injuring his finger a couple of weeks ago while in his kitchen, causing him to miss some time. That hasn’t deterred him from pitching quite well in his two starts, fashioning a 3.38 ERA. The obvious way to settle the score? Perform this highly scientific task to determine who gets the starting nod.

WWE

– On Tuesday’s edition of SmackDown!, Chris Jericho was cutting a promo when Edge came out and speared him. Edge was leaving the ring when Jack Swagger knocked Edge down with the the MITB briefcase. Swagger then cashed in the MITB and beat Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship. By the way, this blurb contains spoilers.

Als, CM Punk challenged Rey Mysterio to a rematch of WrestleMania 26. He is going to put his hair on the line against Mysterio, who must join the Straight Edge Society if he loses. Mysterio did not come out to accept, which is likely leading to a match at Extreme Rules.

–  The ratings are in for the March 29, 2010 editions of WWE RAW & TNA iMAPCT!.

WWE’s post-WrestleMania 26 episode of Raw drew a 3.7 cable rating, up from 3.2. TNA iMPACT! featuring a 6-man six-man steel cage main event scored a 0.6 cable rating, down sharply from last week’s 0.9 and the worst rating on Monday nights yet.

NFL

– The Eagles are reportedly no longer shopping QB Michael Vick. Philly set the price way too high on Vick from the beginning. After settling on QB Donovan McNabb as the quarterback to deal, the Eagles can keep Vick as QB Kevin Kolb insurance and a Wildcat/short-yardage option in 2010.

– According to one senior team official with the Eagles, there is no “so-called frontrunner” in the QB Donovan McNabb trade talks. “We continue to engage in conversations with multiple teams that initially contacted us. Some of the offers involve draft picks, some involve a player, some involve many players.” The official also denied a report that they would require a top-42 pick to deal McNabb. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that “the ingredients were in place” for a trade with the Raiders, though two Oakland scribes insist the teams have yet to discuss McNabb.

– Former Broncos and Falcons K Jason Elam will announce his retirement from football on Wednesday. Elam will sign a one-day contract with the Broncos, for whom he kicked from 1993-2007. Elam, a 17-year vet, will retire as one of the most accurate field goal kickers of his generation and the best in Broncos franchise history. His 1,983 total points and 436 field goals are both good for fifth all time.

MLB

– According to the Boston Globe, there is a chance that, while RHP Josh Beckett’s contract will not have as many years as RHP John Lackey’s, the overall payout could still be more. There is an expectation that the contract likely could end up with a similar injury provision to the one Lackey agreed to, which has him playing a sixth year in Boston at the league minimum if he has Tommy John surgery sometime in the duration of the contract. Boston’s disinterest in going further than four years with Beckett is thought to be because of his testy shoulder. Beckett wants to get a deal done before the season opens this weekend and the paper reports that there is “optimism” that it’ll get done. Stay tuned.

– MLB.com reports that the Indians are trying to re-sign OF Shin Soo-Choo to a five-year extension with a team option for a sixth season, but talks are not going well. Choo made a little more than $420K last year and according to agent Scott Boras, is content with going to arbitration next offseason for the first time.

Of note, Choo has a military obligation to his country (South Korea), where everyone needs to serve two years in the military. Choo turns 28 in July. According to MLB, Choo has been trying to get the Indians to let him play for the South Korean baseball team in the 2010 Asian Games this coming November. If the team wins there, Choo apparently won’t have to serve the military term. The 27-year-old South Korean had 20 homers and 86 RBIs along with 21 stolen bases in his first full season in the majors.

– Jays’ LHP Marc Rzepczynski (broken finger) has been diagnosed with a fractured middle finger and is expected to miss up to six weeks. Rzepczynski suffered the injury when he was hit in the left hand Tuesday by a comebacker. He won’t be able to pick up a ball in at least two weeks and is obviously not going to be ready for the start of the regular season.

– The Astros have placed 1B Lance Berkman (left knee surgery) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26. Berkman underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in early March and has not yet fully healed. His knee actually swelled up when he took ground balls and attempted to run on Tuesday.

– The Mariners have placed 1B Ryan Garko on waivers. The Mariners have opted to keep 37-year-old 1B Mike Sweeney over Garko, who was signed to a one-year/$550K contract in February. It’s a surprising move, but Garko will have no shortage of potential suitors. The Rangers are rumoured to have interest.

NHL

– The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Flyers are expected to have a major roster shakeup if the team fails to make the playoffs this season. GM Paul Holmgren said, “There are certain guys on this team that are going to be back here next year. And there are certain guys who aren’t.” He apparently already has a pretty good idea of which ones are which. Stay tuned.

MMA

– Bobby Lashley was expected to make his return the cage next month at Strikeforce: Nashville event on 4/17, but its looking like the fight will get pushed back a month. Strikeforce: Nashville will air on CBS. The preliminary and main cards have been announced, with no mention of Lashley. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker spoke last month about Lashley’s next fight and said he wanted Lashley on the CBS show, but no opponent was ever signed.

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Lashley will likely fight on their May 15th card, which airs live on Showtime. An opponent for Lashley has not been named. Lashley is coming off a decisive victory over former UFC heavyweight Wes Sims at 2:06 minutes of the first round in his debut with the promotion. Lashley, 5-0, spoke to the media following the fight making it known he wants to fight the elite heavyweights in the promotion, naming guys like Bret Rogers and Alistair Overeem. Lashley has not commented on his status and any possible fights he may have been offered.

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MLB

– The Marlins have acquired LHP Nate Robertson and cash considerations from the Tigers for LHP Jay Voss. Robertson returns to the team that originally picked him in the fifth round of the 1999 draft. The 32-year-old has a 6.14 ERA over the last two seasons, and with the money the Tigers will likely have to kick in, the Marlins will be paying him as a fifth starter.

– ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that the Red Sox have offered RHP Josh Beckett a four-year contract extension. Olney adds that “there is optimism a deal will be completed in the next week or two.” If true, then maybe Beckett wasn’t fishing for a similar deal that RHP John Lackey got this winter. Beckett, 30 in May, went 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 199 strikeouts last year. He posted a 3.72 ERA and a 22/5 K/BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings of Grapefruit League play this spring.

– Rangers’ 2B Ian Kinsler (ankle) will likely begin the season on the DL. Kinsler has yet to run since suffering a high right ankle sprain on March 12. He said on Monday that he does not want to play if he can only jog. “Whatever we decide is going to be in the best interest of Ian,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. No official decision has been made as of yet.

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman’s left knee swelled up after he took ground balls and attempted to run on Tuesday. “When I tried to run, I just couldn’t do it. They’re going to back me down for a few days and see what happens.” Berkman, who had surgery earlier this month to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee, had previously said there was a “70% chance” he would be ready for Opening Day, but it’s very possible he’ll start on the DL.

– Red Sox’ RHP Junichi Tazawa (elbow) has been diagnosed with a sprained ulner collateral ligament by Dr. James Andrews. Tazawa and the BoSox are considering anything from rehab to Tommy John surgery. Expect Tazawa out for the first half of the 2010 season. The 23-year-old had an impressive 2.55 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 109 1/3 innings last season between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.

– The Marlins have released RHP Seth McClung.

– The Cubs have released 1B Kevin Millar.

– The Orioles have signed OF Joey Gathright.

– The Phillies have released OF Brad Wilkerson.

– The Rockies have signed OF Josh Phelps.

– The Jays have signed 2B Luis Figueroa and RHP Jonah Bayliss.

– The Rockies have signed RHP Rick Bauer.

– The Red Sox have signed LHP Scott Schoeneweis and released LHP Brian Shouse.

– The Brewers have placed RHP David Riske and 3B Mat Gamel on the 15-day DL.

– The Nationals have signed RHP Mike MacDougal.

– The Twins have signed LHP Ron Mahay.

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can (and should) read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. In this long entry, Ross talks about WrestleMania 26, Shawn Michaels’ retirement and more. Some highlights:

Michaels vs. Undertaker II: “The highlight of the evening was Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels which was obviously the match of the night. I’ve answered a few emails regarding this matter and it is obvious that I would have loved to have broadcast this bout but that wasn’t in the cards. At least I was in Phoenix and saw the event live and was then able to spend significant time with both HBK and with Taker after the event in private settings. Those experiences became my Wrestlemania Moments.”

Update On JR’s Health & Future in WWE: “As for me, life is good and I am healthy and happy. For those that have erroneously written or assumed that the reason that I did not announce at WM26 was because of health concerns, that assumption is incorrect, I’m happy to say. Broadcasting wrestling in WWE is likely history for me but there are many other areas to which I can contribute in WWE and those options, among others, will be weighed over the next month.”

Shawn Michaels’ Retirement: “I do think that Shawn will call it a day after losing his retirement match Sunday. Shawn has been blessed to have earned a great deal of money over the years and especially since he returned from an approximate 4 year hiatus due to lingering back issues. Unlike many wrestlers who retire, HBK doesn’t have to worry about financial or legal issues and will be able to be essentially a full time dad to his two, young children which is an amazing blessing.”

“Shawn’s farewell message Monday night on Raw was from his heart and not something that he read on a TelePrompter. What fans saw Monday night was legitimate, organic TV from arguably the greatest all around, in ring performer, certainly of his generation, and perhaps of all time. I sincerely appreciated Shawn’s shout out to me on Raw which was, symbolically, a fitting end to my own Wrestlemania tenure.”

NHL

– Flyers’ F Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for two games for a crosscheck to the face of Devils’ F David Clarkson. The incident occurred on Sunday and it resulted in Clarkson requiring three stitches to close the wound. Carcillo received a game misconduct on the play. He will be eligible to return on Sunday April 4 against the Red Wings.

– Canadiens’ F Glen Metropolit (shoulder) will miss the next six-to-eight weeks. An MRI revealed that he suffered a significant tear in the musculature of his left shoulder. Metropolit will attempt to shorten that recovery time with aggressive treatment. Barring a deep Habs playoff run, Metropolit is done for the season. The impending UFA has scored 10 of his 16 goals on the powerplay this season.

NFL

– Multiple Cowboys sources denied Tuesday that RB Marion Barber is on the trading block. The denials come after an NFL Network report that Barber is available via trade. Even though MBIII is due a $4M roster bonus and $3.8M base salary as a backup, the ‘Boys have a lot of backfield depth that they can’t afford to lose if they want to contend in 2010.

– The Texans have signed LB DeMeco Ryans to a six-year/$48M extension. The deal includes $21.75M guaranteed and $26.3M in the first three years.

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By: Michael Harrison – Toronto Blue Jays Way

To read more Toronto Blue Jays Way articles visit http://torontobluejaysway.blogspot.com/

There has been much debate over who should be the Blue Jays closer this year. Cito Gaston has three options in Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg and Jason Frasor at his disposal, but I believe the clubs stopper this should be obvious. In fact, so much so that I happily scooped up Frasor in a fantasy baseball draft last week after two people selected Downs and Gregg in front of me. The past couple of days, Gaston has alluded to the fact Frasor is probably going to be his guy for the forseeable future.

It makes sense to put him in that role. Frasor was fantastic last season, going 7-3 with a sparkling 2.50 ERA to go along with 11 saves. He pretty much pitched just like this all year. The team has everything to gain by installing him as closer, not only because he can get the job done, but because they can try to drive his potential trade value up for interested suitors. The Twins and Cubs reportedly are mulling over whether to acquire him. Toronto could squeeze a lot of saves out of him, then ship him out of town at the deadline, or if they so choose, receive higher draft pick compensation when he leaves at the conclusion of the season.

As for Downs and Gregg, the organization is hoping Downs can reclaim his status as a dominant 8th inning man so his market value is sky high. His contract also runs out after the season, so the same reasoning that is applied to Frasor works for him. Gregg, meanwhile, could slide into either role if Frasor or Downs is dealt, or leave after the campaign and also net the Jays another draft pick.

It’s the kind of innovative thinking that former New York Mets General Manager Steve Phillips couldn’t quite grasp.

UPDATE: Frasor has indeed been named Blue Jays closer to start the season.

RAW

Raw comes to you live from Phoenix, Arizona.

They open with a short highlight package from WrestleMania 26 that ended with the crowd chanting “HBK! HBK!” I honestly could care less about the show, I’m simply waiting for the farewell. That said, who isn’t?

Batista came out saying he didn’t care what happened at WrestleMania, saying that John Cena did’t beat him even though he just did. Cena came out and said Batista can ask for his rematch tonight, but Batista declined for it to happen tonight. A short brawl ensued with Cena getting the upper hand before Batista bailed. As soon as Batista leaves, Jack Swagger runs in and clocks Cena with the MITB briefcase! After a few more shots, he grabs the mic and proclaims he’s cashing in right now! But by the time a ref ran out, Cena was able to get up. Jack waived the ref off, so the briefcase was never officially used here. Awesome stuff. I wonder how long he’s going to do this for.

They showed early footage of HBK with Marty Jannetty and the Rockers, which was where I first saw him. There was zero indication that that skinny blonde kid would turn out to be the greatest WWE superstar of all time.

The guest hosts from “Hot Tub Time Machine” Rob Corddry and Clarke Duke announce a Legends Lumberjack match, followed by a Divas hot tub match. They also announced Batista/Swagger vs. Cena and a partner of his choosing. Not a great segment.

Christian d. Ted Dibiase in a Legends Lumberjack Match (*3/4)
the ring was surrounded by legends from the 1980s like Roddy Piper, Sargeant Slaughter, Ted DiBiase, Ricky Steamboat, Pat Patterson, etc. They got about five minutes to work. Cody Rhodes is apparently out with a concussion due to Orton’s kick to the head at WrestleMania 26, so we’ll see how this affects his draft status. The match went down the crapper when they got tossed to the floor and all the guys were fighting each other. They went back in the ring, Ted was distracted and Christian pinned him with the Killswitch. Post match, Ted got mad at his dad, Ted Dibiase Sr., for distracting him during the match. DiBiase has been a victim of some poor booking lately.

Clip of HBK turning on Jannetty during the Barber Shop segment. One of my all-time favourites.

Backstage
The guest hosts jumped into a hot tub with Tiffany, Rosa, Nikki & Brie Bella. I don’t remember what was said, I was busy looking at Tiffany in a bikini. The winner supposedly gets a shot at the Divas Championship or something.

Triple H came and cut a promo talking about what HBK means to him. He said he knew that Shawn could beat Undertaker, but it didn’t happen. He talked about knowing each other for 16 years and how they did it all side by side, back to back and even face to face (Summerslam 2002). He used the Kliq/Wolfpac sign as a symbol of that friendship dating back to the mid 90s with Hall, Nash & Waltman. He started tearing up, then talked about always wanting to say something, but never got a chance to say it until now. Before he says anything, Sheamus attacked him in the back with a steel pipe. HHH went down and then went to break with the trainers checking out HHH. All signs point to Sheamus beating HHH at Extreme Rules. Good promo by HHH. Right here, it hit me that HBK’s days in the ring are done. When HHH starts tearing up, you know it’s something sad.

Mickie, Gail, Beth, Eve & Kelly d. Vickie, Michelle, Layla, Alicia & Maryse (DUD)
Rematch from WM26. Maryse posed during the open, so Eve rolled her up and pinned in her immediately. It’s over already? (That’s what she said!). I’ve never seen a 10-woman match that ended in 5 seconds. Totally unnecessary.

Video package on the HBK/Razor ladder match at WM10. Insane match, even by today’s standards.

Bret Hart promo. He’s wearing a shirt with him and Owen from many years ago. He said Shawn Michaels was one of the best ever and wished him the best in the future. He mentioned his dad, mom, Owen & Davey Boy looking down from heaven and it prompted the crowd to start an “Owen” chant. He was about to leave when Miz & Big Show came out. Miz said that he’s 1-0 at WrestleMania, so he’s 17 wins away from reaching the Undertaker’s streak. Bret laughed, so Miz goes “Don’t laugh, I’m awesome!” Hysterical. Eventually all his talking to Bret led to the Hart Dynasty coming out to Bret’s aid. Dynasty challenges, Show didn’t want it, but Miz did, so it happened.

The Hart Dynasty d. The Miz & Big Show via countout (*1/2)
Non-title match, so there was never really any doubt that the Dynasty would win. The Hart Dynasty have been heels since they started in WWE, but this looks to be the face turn for them. They even wore white and pink tights rather than the usual black with pink. The heels worked over Tyson for a few minutes until he got the hot tag to DH Smith. Kidd ended up hitting the Hart Attack clothesline and then put Miz into the Sharpshooter while Bret was smiling at ringside. With Miz near the ropes, Big Show reached through and pulled him out of there. They walked up the ramp taking the countout loss. Hopefully this leads to a PPV title shot for them.

HBK video package with DX.

Backstage
More with the hot tub. Tiffany and Rosa leave. Craig Robinson comes on the TV and talked about how he was booking a “match” and the Bellas left. He also invited other guests into the tub, which prompted Mark Henry (in a red speedo) and Hornswoggle (with scuba gear biting Corddry’s feet) to join in. Mark Henry in a speedo in HD was one of the most vile experiences I’ve ever had. So disgusting.

I love how WWE promotes Audioslave’s “Be Yourself” album. They broke up a few years ago, and the CD is like 5 years old.

Jack Swagger promo. He said he’s the “odds-on favourite.” Still don’t know why he’s losing to Santino a month ago, but now gets MITB. He has no credibility anymore.

John Cena & Randy Orton d. Batista & Jack Swagger (*1/2)
One week after Orton teams with HHH, the guy he feuded with in the first half of 2009, he’s teaming with John Cena, the guy he feuded with in the second half of 2009. Great pop for the “surprise” partner. Orton’s face turn is really working even though he still has a heel character. The “RKO” chants during the match were pretty huge. The table puts over how big Swagger is at 6?6? 260 pounds, even though Christian, who should’ve won MITB, is never going to get that kind of push even despite having earned and proven it through 10+ years. Orton got the hot tag and eventually RKO’s Batista and Swagger for the cover. Crowd expoded.

They showed a video package on last year’s WrestleMania match with HBK losing to Taker. Has to be the greatest match of all time. For me, Hart/Austin at WM13 is a close second.

Shawn Michaels’ Farewell Speech
For those of you who didn’t see this, you have no souls. Go watch it. Now. Before he spoke, Undertaker came out, tipped his cap from the top of the ramp and walked back. HBK did a candid, heartfelt speech for about 15 minutes. He spoke openly about how all he ever wanted to do was wrestle, how he started at 19, got his beginning in the WWF at 23 and he was standing in the ring now at 44 (he’ll be 45 in the summer). The crowd was really great during the speech chanting “HBK! HBK!” as well as “Thank you Shawn! Thank you Shawn!” at various points throughout. He talked about how there was a time in his life when wrestling was the only thing he had in his life, which was true. If you read his book, he used drugs in the 90s, was a jerk and the only place where he felt comfortable was in the ring. He also mentioned being tough to get along with in the 90s, which was also true. A famous story from that era is that he changed in Vince’s office while everybody else changed in the same locker room. The guy was hated by most of his peers because he was such an ass.

The fans chanted “One More Match!” so he addressed that. He mentioned that a lot of guys say they’re retiring, but they come back and he doesn’t want to be one of those guys. He doesn’t want to go back on his word to the fans or the Undertaker. He made it a point to say, “I’m going to do everything in my power make sure that doesn’t happen” in reference to one more match. I believe him because, like he said, he’s an open book and he says what’s on his mind without much filter. I think as of right now he has no plans to wrestle again. He could very well change his mind in time for the next WM, but for now, I think he’s done.

HBK thanks Bret, calls out JR as the greatest announcer of all time and the production team while mentioning a guy named Adam that puts together the video packages of him. His speech about Bret was really touching, saying that he hopes Bret will take his friendship back and forgive him for all the stuff in the past. He also thanked Vince McMahon at length saying that without him he didn’t know if he’d be where he’s at right now. Shawn was basically on the creative team during his peak in 1997, which pissed off a lot of people in that era including Bret Hart.

He thanked the Jesus Christ for saving him and told his family that he’s coming home. Then he ended it with: “Ladies and gentlemen, the Heartbreak Kid has left the building.” For those not familiar with the reference, when his singles run started in the early 1990s they would have the announcer say that over the speakers before a match started. It would be after his match and it would happen at some random point later in the show. Of course, it was a play on Elvis Presley. HHH came out, they hugged and they spoke privately. He took out two glowsticks, put them in an X symbol on the ramp and walked off to leave Shawn on his own.

Amazing speech. I actually started crying – I’m sure I’m not the only one, either. A few of the parts in the speech really hit home: the first tear down Shawn’s cheek, the Bret part, the family. All of it was flawless. He soaked in the cheers, he let the crowd chant what they wanted and he spoke from the heart. It was almost as if he was talking to everyone individually. HBK was always one of the best on the mic. I would have liked to see some of his peers come out to hug him, or maybe say a few words, but it’s understandable why they didn’t. In a business that people say is “fake”, it was a very real moment. It was Shawn Michaels at his best because he was at home in the ring one last time.

Star of the Night
1. “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels

Final Score: 7

I have no favourite wrestlers left. HBK, Austin, Rock, Mr. Perfect, Razor Ramon…they’re all gone. The Attitude Era lies solely through Undertaker, HHH, Chris Jericho, Edge and Christian. It it time to stop watching WWE? Or at least time to stop ordering WrestleMania? As with Michaels, it was a long and memorable run. As with Michaels, you have to know when it’s time to walk away. I hate to say it, but that time may soon be coming.

I’m not entirely sure how to rate this show. I don’t really remember any of Raw except for the speech. I own a bunch of his matches and DVDs, his book, toys from back in the day, posters, etc. He was easily my favourite of all time, with Austin a close 2nd. Growing up and watching, until now, he’s been the hook for me and has kept me interested in WWE’s inconsistent product. HBK alone was capable of turning around shows and PPVs. Some PPVs would look awful, but it was OK – Shawn’s on the show, so we’re guaranteed at least one great match. The fans counted on HBK to deliver. time and time again, and for 25 years, he did so, better than anyone else.

I’m always going to remember March 29, 2010 because my favorite wrestler, Shawn Michaels, said goodbye tonight. His in-ring career may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime.

This marks the 4th time I have cried for the WWE: Owen and Eddie’s death, Ric Flair’s farewell speech and finally this one.

“Ladies and gentlemen, The Heartbreak Kid has left the building.”

Thank you Shawn Michaels.

Best. Superstar. Ever.

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri

NHL

– The Penguins have signed D Kris Letang to a four-year/$14M contract extension that will see him make $3.5M annually. Letang has 27 points and a plus-3 rating in 67 games this campaign. This extension means he will be a factor in the team’s long-term plans and with the talent they have the potential for more points is certainly there.

NBA

– According to the NY Post, Jazz’ F Carlos Boozer is expected to give the Knicks a serious look when he opts for free agency this summer. “I love D’Antoni, he’s the dope. Spending time with him in the Olympics, his offensive mindset is unbelievable. He’s got the best plays I’ve ever been around — on a whim. It’s like rappers when they come out on the top of the dome with quotes. He’s got plays in the back of his head with plays for that moment.”

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Nets are trying to sign Jeff Van Gundy as coach next season. Van Gundy supposedly wasn’t planning on coaching next year but the Nets are thinking they’ve got a decent chance to snag him. The team also supposedly want to talk to Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who has turned down lucrative offers recently from the Sixers and Kentucky.

– As expected, the Spurs are going to offer impending UFA G Manu Ginobili a contract upon season’s end.

– Knicks’ F Eddy Curry (calf) is out for the remainder of the season. Curry is owed a bloated $11.3M despite having played only 10 games in the past two seasons.

MLB

– SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the Royals have joined the bidding for free agent LHP Jarrod Washburn. Heyman reported last week that the Mariners are “seriously considering” Washburn, and confirmed Tuesday that talks remain open between the sides. Washburn went 9-9 last season with a 3.78 ERA but had a 7.33 ERA over his last eight starts.

– Mariners’ LHP Cliff Lee’s five-game suspension hearing has been postponed by MLB. Not all parties could attend the meeting, leading to the postponement. GM Jack Zduriencik said, “It’s just one of those things you have to deal with. We’ll wait for them to reschedule and and deal with it when it comes time to do so. As far as how this impacts us, we would have liked to have a resolution one way or the other, but it doesn’t appear it will go that way so we’ll just have to go with it for now.” The Mariners are waiting on the hearing before deciding if Lee, who has an abdominal strain, will begin the season on the DL.

– Red Sox’ RHP Junichi Tazawa (elbow) returned from a visit with Dr. James Andrews Tuesday and is considering surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow. “We haven’t really come up with a plan yet,” Tazawa said Tuesday, but Tommy John surgery is expected to be part of the discussion over the next few days. The Red Sox signed Tazawa to a three-year/$3.3M contract in December of 2008. He had a 2.55 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 109 1/3 innings last season between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.

– The Boston Herald reports that the Rangers are still scouting Red Sox’ 3B Mike Lowell. The earlier deal that would see Lowell being swapped for Rangers’ C Max Ramirez is still believed to be on the table. Lowell is owed $12M this season.

– The Nationals have claimed C Chris Coste off waivers from the Mets. The Mets had waived him this weekend after signing him in December. With Jesus Flores starting the year on the DL, Coste will battle Wil Nieves for the right to back up behind Pudge Rodriguez. Coste, 36, hit .224/.301/.317 with two homers and 18 RBI over 88 games between the Phillies and Astros in 2009.

– The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Braves are not shopping C David Ross. Manager Bobby Cox said, “I can tell you, we wouldn’t even think about trading him. That’s completely made up. It doesn’t make any sense.”  The rumour circulating was that Ross was available for another younger backup catcher in return. Ross hit .273 with seven homers in 128 at-bats last season as a backup.

– According to MLB.com, the Dodgers will not release 1B Doug Mientkiewicz. The 35-year-old was told he wouldn’t make the Opening Day roster, but the team wants to hold onto him for as long as possible in case OF Garret Anderson gets injured. Manager Joe Torre supposedly went so far as to ask Mientkiewicz if he wanted to stay on as a coach, but he apparently still wants to play. The team can only do this until Friday afternoon, when he can opt out of the contract.

NFL

– According to PFT, citing “multiple league and media sources,” Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford may refuse to sign a pre-draft contract with the Rams. Raiders’ QB JaMarcus Russell is the only No. 1 pick to not sign before the draft in the last four years. By refusing to sign, Bradford would gain leverage in contract talks. The move could also spur St. Louis to shop the pick, fearing Bradford might hold out like Russell, or even draft another player. Signing early and reporting on time would give Bradford his best chance to start on day one. Being drafted No. 1 would also give him his best shot at the biggest contract.

– The Cardinals have re-signed RFA WR Steve Breaston to a one-year/$2.396M contract. Breaston 2009 season was plagued with a knee injury, but will go back up with WR Anquan Boldin no longer on the wideout.

WWE

– Despite previous reports that the Undertaker would be taking time off after WrestleMania, WWE is promoting The Undertaker for the April 4 WWE SmackDown taping from the Allstate Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

– There was a production error during Rey Mysterio’s entrance last night at WrestleMania 26, though it was not shown on the PPV broadcast. He was set to be shot into the air via trap door, but the entrance failed to work. He was forced to crawl out of the hole and on to the stage.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Vickie Guerrero won last night because Eddie is buried in Phoenix, as he passed away while they were living there and it was their way of paying tribute to him. Apparently a lot of wrestlers went to Eddie’s grave to visit during the week.

TNA

– On his MySpace blog, TNA’s Mick Foley has posted saying his days in the ring are coming to an end soon. “I will be turning 45 in just a few months, and I can definitely see the end of the wrestling road coming. I’m really not sure when I’ll be back in TNA, or even if, or for how long, so I really want to be prepared for life after wrestling.”

– The PWInsider reports that Consequences Creed is no longer with TNA. His profile has been removed from the TNA website and Creed has posted the following on Twitter: “Thanks for the support! Yea it’s true no more TNA for me. So now it’s time to do work son! The only thing that can beat a Creed is a Drago!”

– The Nasty Boys — Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags — have reportedly been released from TNA Wrestling. According to the webmaster of the official website of The Honky Tonk Man, Knobbs was involved in an incident at a TNA function where Spike TV executives were present. They were said to be very unhappy with his behaviour, which resulted in both being let go. ProWrestling.net independently confirmed with their company sources that the duo has indeed been let go.

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri

WWE

– Shawn Michaels came up short against the Undertaker last night at WrestleMania XXVI and as a result, has been forced into retirement.

For those wondering, the angle is legitimate and Michaels days as an active performer are likely over. The word backstage at WrestleMania is that last night was Michaels’ final match (at least for a long time) and everybody was congratulating him on a great career and saying their goodbyes to him. The WWE Public Relations representative in the media section at WrestleMania was also telling reporters that the retirement is legitimate.

There has been talk of holding a retirement ceremony for Michaels on tonight’s RAW or in the near future. While the door is always open down the road for Michaels to wrestle “one more match,” he really is leaving WWE.

– The latest issue of WWE Magazine features an interview with Shawn Michaels and during the piece he is asked when he plans on retiring from the ring. He says he’s already made the decision to retire, but that he’d rather not disclose when it will be at this time. “I’ve made that decision, but I’d rather keep it private. I think about my retirement all the time.”

– In an interview with WWE.com following WrestleMania XXVI, Triple H strongly endorsed his opponent Sheamus and hinted at a rematch with the Celtic Warrior.

“I tell you what, there’s nothing I like better than a good fight. I look forward to getting back in the ring with Sheamus.”

Hunter said Sheamus has that “it” factor to be a top star in the company and showed the world at WrestleMania that he deserves his spot as one of WWE’s top up and coming stars.

“A lot of things go on in this business; a lot of things are said to get to WrestleMania. On the way here, I said if Sheamus didn’t beat me, he would fall into a pit of obscurity. Not going to happen. He has something I haven’t seen in a long time in this business. He reminds me of the way I started when I got into this business.”

– In an interview with the Ottawa Sun, WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin spoke about how WWE has changed since his days as an active superstar and said that he “absolutely” has one more match left in him.

“WWE has changed. It’s a different climate, more of a PG image. They’ve cleaned it up a bit. For me to go back, I have to watch my Ps and Qs. It’s another day and age. They’ve got young superstars to sell.”

When asked whether we’ve seen the last of Stone Cold in the ring, he gave a surprising answer that’s totally different from what Jim Ross has repeatedly stated in his blogs about Austin wrestling a final match.

“Do I have a match left in me? Absolutely. Do I want to do one more? I don’t know. I’m very content with leaving well enough alone. I don’t want to be 90% of what Stone Cold was.”

– WWE Hall Of Famer & former WWE Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was the special guest on Monday Night Mayhem’s WrestleMania XXVI Countdown Special. The highlights:

His relationship with his long-time friend, colleague, & fellow WWE Hall Of Famer, Jim Ross: “He was a tremendous help to me in my career all the way from WCW & calling my matches in the WWE. He was the guy that knew how to talk about ‘Stone Cold’ in the right way. Everyone knows me & Jim are very close personal friends. He was just in L.A. having some meetings and spent the night over my house. He’s a very good friend of mine.”

How the transition into acting was for Austin, especially with the mainstream world not taking professional wrestling & sports-entertainment too seriously: “It’s funny what some people in the outside world (or “mainstream”) think about pro wrestling or the people involved in pro wrestling. I’m humble when speaking about my acting. I think I have talent, and I think I have ability, but I still have to develop as an actor. It’s just like what I did in the ring. I was very green but I became very, very accomplished in the 20×20 ring. There’s not too many people that’s done what I’ve in that business. I don’t think pro wrestling necessarily prepares you to be a great actor, but my pro wrestling career, my largest body of work, and is the reason I’m getting the opportunities I’m getting in the movie world, and I take that very seriously. If someone as a certain opinion about my old business or my love of professional wrestling, then so be it.”

The Experience Of Returning To The WWE To Guest Host RAW Two Weeks Ago & How The Viewing Audience Saw A Tamed-Down “Stone Cold” That Evening (As Result Of The WWE’s Change To A PG Rating): “Being back in San Diego on Monday Night RAW was a blast, but probably the most fun for me was hanging backstage, sitting at a table, and talking to Triple H & Shawn Michaels, hanging out with The Big Show, and riding back to L.A. with John Cena…you know just spending time with the guys. I still love the wrestling business, and I always will. It’s responsible for where I am today, and I had so much fun doing it. I love being in front of the crowd, and I love my fans, but it’s changed a lot since I left. I was a very edgy, aggressive act as ‘Stone Cold,’ with the language, the middle fingers, & the beer. But it’s a PG show now, so I kinda went out there with handcuffs on so to speak. I couldn’t use all my tricks because it’s more of a kid-friendly show & a corporate- sponsorship friendly show, and I think that’s a great direction for the WWE to go in, because I think we pushed the envelope as far as you can push it back in the day when I was running roughshod over everybody. It was exciting.”

Why He Does Not See Shawn Michaels Stopping The Undertaker’s Undefeated WrestleMania Streak: “When I look at the card, of course I’m looking forward to Bret vs. Vince, but probably what I’m forward to the most is Shawn Michaels vs. ‘The Streak.’ I don’t think the streak will be snapped. Shawn Michaels is probably the best WrestleMania performer in the history of the business. He is going to pull out all the stops and that’s probably the marquee match for me.”

What a possible Bill Goldberg return would mean for World Wrestling Entertainment: “It’ll be interesting to see. His only year in the WWE was what it was, and you guys know what it was. So it’ll be interesting to see what he’ll bring to the table as far as is there a demand for him. I think with the lack of real depth on the roster, there could definitely be a spot for him. The business has changed so much, and even though Bill wasn’t an act that was carved out of ‘Stone Cold,’ his act is different too, so you gotta go out there & put a little time in the ring. It would take some work for him to make the transition into what is going out in the wrestling world today.”

-– In an interview with Kevin Eck of The Baltimore Sun, Shawn Michaels gives his feelings on Ric Flair continuing to wrestle despite losing a “career threatening” match against him two years ago at WrestleMania 24. HBK notes that Flair called him when he was going to sign with TNA to ask him if he was okay with it.

“He did call me. He called me once to let me know he was going to do the [Hulk] Hogan match in Australia. He wanted to know if it was OK and I of course told him that it was. Then he called me again when he was going to sign with TNA and asked the same thing. There’s nothing you can say. I certainly don’t have what it takes to look at somebody and say, “Don’t go make a living.” I told him that, for me, nothing can take away that special moment. It will still always be to me that I had Ric Flair’s last match. I tried to do the best job I could for him. I think it was a special moment. Anything after that [pauses]. I feel for him, but I’m certainly not angry or disappointed or anything. I would like to think that Ric probably would have liked that to have been his last match, too. The fact that it couldn’t be, I understand. Those are circumstances that I certainly can’t control.

“One of the things you have to understand is that if you’re going to be a friend of Ric’s, you sort of know that there’s some baggage that comes along with that. Certainly the older I get the more I’m learning about conditional situations, and the difference between that and unconditional — unconditional friendship, unconditional love. All those types of things we can talk about but it’s a whole other thing to put them into action. I do my best to put them into action. I want what’s best for Ric, even if Ric might not always be aware of what that is, I still want that for him. Nothing will take away from that moment. It’s sill truly special. I still wear my watch every day, so it’s still something I’m really proud of.”

MLB

– The Giants have signed RHP Matt Cain, RHP Jeremy Affeldt and RHP Brian Wilson to contract extensions that run through 2012. GM Brian Sabean said, “It’s our window. We had a position-player window with [Barry] Bonds and we have these guys for [2012] now. The comfort in knowing that they are going to be in Giants uniforms helping us win games is a statement in itself.” Cain got a new three-year/$27.25M contract worth $4.25M this year, $7M next season and $15M in 2012. Cain also received a $1M signing bonus.

– The Athletics have signed RHP Chad Gaudin to a one-year contract. Oakland’s bullpen is currently dealing with several injuries, so it seems likely that Gaudin will make the Opening Day roster as a swingman. The 27-year-old went 6-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 31 appearances (25 starts) last season. He struggled this spring with the Yankees, however, allowing 11 runs in 11 1/3 innings prior to his release last week.

NFL

– Steelers’ WR Santonio Holmes is facing a civil lawsuit for assault and battery, according to court documents. According to the complaint, Holmes allegedly “put his hand” in Anshonoe Mills’ face after she refused to leave the arm of a couch at a nightclub in Orlando earlier this month. Mills alleges that Holmes caused a laceration below her eyebrow and was blinded temporarily. She is seeking unspecified damages in the excess of $15K. Holmes has had some prior incidents and this will get commissioner Roger Goodell’s attention. The Steelers are drawing attention for all the wrong reasons.

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri

I’ve really got to come up with something clever to name these Raw Reviews and such. I’ll also need a banner of some kind. Anyone handy with Photoshop, or any ideas on catchy titles?

WWE WrestleMania 26

The 26th installment of WrestleMania comes to you live from Glendale, Arizona.

Nice opening package to start the show. Good job setting the mood. The set looks incredible – it’s like a pyramid of screens. The ramp is very long, which led to awesome zoom-ins of the guys as they made their way to the ring. The announcers are Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Matt Striker. Jim Ross is in attendance, but not commentating on the show. If he’s already there, why not throw him a mic?

Unified Tag Titles: (C) Showmiz d. John Morrison & R-Truth (*)
They note that the tag titles hadn’t changed hands at WrestleMania in nine years, and tonight wasn’t any different. Decent crowd early on, but with the open roof, it’s difficult to tell since the sound just escapes through the ceiling. Big Show made the blind tag and then KO’d Morrison as JoMo was going for the Flying Chuck kick. Match time was only 4 minutes. Why so short?

They showed a video package showcasing WM events. That was about half as long as the previous match.

Randy Orton d. Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase (*3/4)
What a fall for RKO – he went from main eventing ‘Mania to the second match. Yikes. Big pop for him, though. Cody out in flesh-coloured trunks. Gross. Funny how they talk about how Legacy treated Orton poorly as if Orton didn’t use them while they were together. As expected, Legacy double-teams Orton for the early portion of the match before they started breaking up each others’ pinfall attempts before fighting each other. So predictable. Orton made his comeback and gave them a dueling DDT off the middle rope, huge crowd pop and a nice spot. Huge “RKO” chants for Orton as he was staring at Rhodes in the ring. Instead of the RKO, Orton went into the corner to punt Rhodes, but the cameraman muffs the angle and misses the kick, only to see an over-the-shoulder of DiBiase on the floor. DiBiase came back in the ring, went for Dream Street and it was countered into a RKO for Orton. Average match, but there was never really any doubt that RKO wasn’t going to win. The crowd was hot when Orton made his comeback, which spells good news for his now-face run. Match length was about 9 minutes.

Backstage
Vickie Guerrero and heel divas cut a promo that included Jillian Hall singing. Santino showed up, plugged Slim Jims, spawning appearances from Mae Young, Gene Okerlund and Melina. Stupid segment.

Money in the Bank Match: Jack Swagger d. Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, Drew McIntyre, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, MVP and Christian (***1/2*)
Early on the babyfaces teamed up on Drew McIntyre. Matt Hardy was the first guy to touch the briefcase. Quite a few spots here – Bourne’s SSP on Christian off a scaffold, Ziggler’s ZigZag on Christian off the ladder, Hardy taking a back bump off the top of the ladder onto a ladder that was used a scaffold, Kane beating Ziggler with the ladder so badly that it snaps in half, Kofi using the broken ladder as stilts, Christian’s reverse DDT off the ladder on Hardy, etc. Swagger climbed up, hit Christian in the head with the briefacase and after 15 seconds of struggling he was able to pull it down. Good MITB match, but some botched spots spoiled it. 10 guys is far too many, but the match was still decent nonetheless. Not sure on Swagger winning – he’s been scarce the past five months, and now he wins MITB? Match went 14 minutes.

They showed clips from the Hall of Fame. Stu Hart’s induction not being on TV is an absolute farce. Bob Uecker was a laugh. Ted DiBiase had a great speech as well. That money was real, by the way – $100s and $5s.

They showed the Hall of Fame class on the stage. Mad Dog Vachon’s facial reactions were hilarious. Altogether, not a good induction class by any stretch of the imagination.

Triple H d. Sheamus (**1/2)
They mention Ric Flair when HHH breaks out the figure four – that’s probably the most promotion TNA has ever gotten. Striker calls HHH the “Ace of Spades” which is stupid, since that’s a Motorhead song. And he’s already got like a half-dozen nicknames. HHH looks extra tanned for this one. Crowd was dead for Sheamus’ offence, but came alive when HHH started mounting comebacks.  With Sheamus on offense the crowd was pretty dead, but they are a good crowd that woke up when HHH had his minor comebacks. Pretty slow paced. We got a video package for it. They even had clips of Ultimate Warrior at WM12 in 1996. The 14th WrestleMania for HHH. The only one he missed since starting in WWE was WM23 when he had the torn quad (the second one). Time flies. The table is in disbelief after Sheamus kicked out of the Spinebuster, despite HHH never pinning anyone with that move. Sheamus with a nice pump kick on the apron. Sheamus picked him up, HHH looked like dead weight and then hit the Pedigree for the pinfall. The Pedigree actually did come out of nowhere, so props to Cole on that. He’s what, like 3/150 now?  They built it up where the first guy to hit their finisher was going to win and it ended up being HHH. The ovation for HHH was awesome, I have to say.12 minute match.

Great video package for Punk/Mysterio.

Rey Mysterio d. CM Punk (**)
Punk cuts a promo saying there are 70,000 people throwing their life away with drugs and alcohol. So nobody’s Straight Edge there? “I choose to be drug free. I choose to be better than each and every single one of you…One Nation under Punk indivisible with integrity and sobriety for all.” Great promo, as always. Mysterio is wearing an Avatar-like costume. If Rey loses he has to join the Straight Edge Society, but I don’t see him losing. This is the beginning of this feud rather than the end. Can’t wait to see more of it. That ponytail was stuck on his mask, it looked so stupid. Match was full of counter moves. Mysterio with an Eddie Guerrero like frogsplash, but misses. SES interferes, but Punk’s GTS is countered into a head scissors knocking Gallows off the apron. 619, springboard splash for the pinfall. Way too short. This match had show-stealer written all over it. Match was only 8 minutes. Hopefully the feud does continue because I want to see these guys in a 15-20 minute match on PPV.

Good Vince vs. Bret video package.

No Holds Barred: Bret Hart d. Vince McMahon (*)
Hart’s pop was very good. He’s wearing a Hart t-shirt and jean shorts. An idiot in the first few rows has a sign that reads “Brett Beat Vince.” Fail. Vince came out to cut a promo saying there’ll be lumberjacks as well as a special referee. The lumberjacks are the Hart Dynasty as well as other members of the Hart family. The guest referee is Bruce Hart, who is wearing a referee shirt as well as shades. Bret cuts a promo saying he can’t believe they all agreed to this. He asked them if they got paid up front, they all nodded yes. He said there’s one thing he learned from Montreal is that there’s nothing sweeter than a double cross. They told him what they were trying to do, but they’re united. “Tonight, WrestleMania, it’s going to be forever remembered as the night that Bret Screwed Vince.” Bruce hugged Bret and they’re all with Bret now. Basically, it was a swerve on top of the swerve. Natalya beat up on VKM on the outside, leading to Striker wishing her the best in her future endeavors – nice. David Hart Smith held him up and Tyson Kidd came off the top rope with the Hart Attack clothesline for the nice spot. Bret teased the sharpshooter a few times before beating him with a crowbar and a chair about 15 times. No crowd reaction except for the first sharpshooter tease – Vince didn’t land a single blow, it was just Hart beating him the whole time. After the chair beating, the Hart Family started beating on the ring and the crowd went nuts as Bret put on the Sharpshooter. Vince tapped right away. Squash match at its finest. Did anyone think it was going to be close? 11 minute match.

They aired the promo for the Georgia Dome in Atlanta hosting WrestleMania 27 on April 3, 2011.

Announced attendance at this show: 72,219. Very impressive.

World Heavyweight Title: (C) Chris Jericho vs. Edge (****)
Great video package. Two of my favorites currently and all-time. I’ve been watching these guys for more than a decade, and it’s about damn time that two Canadians are in a huge title match. They mentioned that combined they’ve held 55 titles. Each guy started in WWE over a decade ago. Edge gets a “Sexton Hardcastle” indie reference from Striker. 10 minutes in, Edge “Spear” chants. He charges, but Jericho counters with a rollup leading into a Walls of Jericho. Crowd is going nuts as Edge got a nearfall cradle for two. A few close falls on signature moves. Edge charges in and Jericho hits the Codebreaker. Slow cover means a two count. The announcers are really putting over all the counters and nearfalls. The ref got bumped inadvertently by Edge, Jericho got the belt and hit Edge without the ref seeing but gets a two. Codebreaker by Jericho finishes him. Post match, Jericho went for a beating, but Edge was able to fight him off. He set him up on the announce table, Edge charged in and he speared Jericho through the black barricade wall into the ring bell area. This gives Edge his momentum back and also sets up a rematch next month at Extreme Rules. Jericho getting medical attention to his head – expect to see more of this soon. Great match overall. They did a great job of using counters, nearfalls and submissions to tease the finish. Slow start, then fast-paced with a huge finish. Very pleased with this one. I’m calling Edge to take the WHC at Extreme Rules. Match was 16 minutes.

They showed clips of the pre-show battle royal won by Yoshi Tatsu.

Diva Tag Match: Michelle, Vickie, Maryse, Alicia & Layla d. Beth, Mickie, Kelly, Gail & Eve (1/2*)
The face divas all took turns beating on Vickie in the corner. They start exchanging finishers about a minute into the match, about 8 in a row. Mickie’s DDT on Michelle was great while Eve missed her senton splash. Beth ended it by hitting Alicia with her glam slam. Dead crowd. Michelle tossed Beth out of the ring and helped Vickie to the top rope and she hit a “Hog Splash” as Cole called it. Vickie points to the sky at Eddie. Kelly’s shoulder went up on the pin, so the ref had her do it again and Vickie pinned Kelly in what was a blown pinfall. Match was 4 minutes.

WWE Title: John Cena d. (C) Batista (***)

Long video package to start. Batista gets the pyro and then the spotlight entrance. Cena gets his extended entrance with the US Air Force there. Cena lands a top rope Five Knuckle Shuffle. Batista Bomb and Cena kicks out at the 11 minute mark. They get back up and Cena hits the AA but Batista kicks out. Cena goes up top, he leaps and Batista counters into Spinebuster just like SummerSlam 2008. Batista goes for the Batista Bomb again, but Cena counters into a rollup and STF. Batista’s near the ropes, but he eventually taps out. The crowd was really into it and the last five minutes were pretty exciting. Batista won the belt at No Way Out, defended it successfully zero times and now it’s on Cena again. Why does everyone always have a short title run? A fan had a “Batista likes fish sticks” sign from South Park (Do you like fish sticks? (Yes). Do you like fish sticks in your mouth? (Yes) You’re a gay fish. Great episode with Kanye West.) 15 minute match.

The Streak vs. The Career: The Undertaker d. Shawn Michaels (*****)
Cole mentioned that Undertaker’s defeated 10 former World Champions in his streak. And Kool-Aid Man Mark Henry!

Nice staredown to start. Michaels did the Undertaker throat slash. They’re working the story that Undertaker’s got a bad knee and had Michaels work on it with the figure four. Kip up by Michaels, Undertaker catches him, hits a chokeslam and it only gets two. Undertaker went for the Tombstone, Michaels fought out and put him in the Ankle Lock and grapevine. No crowd reaction, since this isn’t even close to the ending. On the outside, Undertaker hit a Tombstone on the mat to a huge pop. Took a minute to roll Michaels in where he kicked out. Undertaker went for the Last Ride and Michaels was able to counter with an X-Factor-like counter. Michaels goes for the elbow and Undertaker puts up the knees to counter it. Undertaker slaps on the Hell’s Gate only for Michaels to counter into a cover for two, a great spot. Michaels separates and hits Sweet Chin Music, but only a two count. Michaels went for another superkick, but Undertaker countered with a Last Ride. He hits it for two. They take the monitors off the Spanish announce table and Michaels hit the Sweet Chin Music on the floor. Undertaker is laying on the announce table and HBK hits a massive moonsault from the top rope that breaks the table. BANANAS. Michaels popped to his feet before falling down again. So sick. Back in the ring, Michaels lands another hard Sweet Chin Music, Undertaker kicks out at two. If there was a perfect superkick, that was it. Another Sweet Chin Music is countered to a chokeslam. Tombstone by Undertaker hits. Covers him with the hands on the chest, but HBK kicks out, similar to last year’s spot. Crowd is chanting “This is Awesome.” The Undertaker was about to do the cutthroat signal, but he stopped. He told Shawn to stay down, but HBK struggled to his feet as he crawled up the Undertaker. He gives the cutthroat signal to Undertaker and then slaps him. Another Tombstone by Undertaker for the pinfall. That’s the end of Shawn Michaels’ storied career.

Post match, after Undertaker posed in his purple light he picked Michaels up. They shook hands and hugged each other while trying to stay on their feet. The final shot of the night was Michaels in the ring getting a standing ovation for being one of the best ever. THE best ever for me. I’m actually getting a little bit watery-eyed.

This was a fantastic match just like last year. Maybe even better. These are two of the best ever on the biggest stage going all out. They built to the finish to perfection. The idea was that Michaels wanted Undertaker to really beat him to earn the win and that’s what happened. Early winner of Match of the Year.

You could read Shawn’s lips saying “Thank you for a wonderful life.” The show ended with Michaels walking up the ramp, applauding and waving goodbye.

Final Score: 7

Three Stars:

* – Shawn Michaels. I don’t know if this really the end, but this was a great tribute to the greatest performer in the history of pro wrestling.
** – The Undertaker. Need I say anymore?
*** – Chris Jerichi/Edge. Has to be a tie.

Some of the midcard matches either weren’t as long or as good as I had hoped, but it was still alright. My already high expectations were not met. Jack Swagger winning MITB was a surprise. WWE has barely used him in the last 6 months, and now he’s likely to main event? It’s not bad, but it’s unexpected, sudden and random. Christian really needed to win this match. They’d better push him in a title picture and fast.

A fellow wrestling journalist pointed out that Mysterio doesn’t get a lot of time at WrestleMania. He was short against Eddie @ WM22, again when he won the title @ WM23, the poor match last year and now this year’s match was too short as well. The Bret/Vince match was what was expected – a VKM pounding with a sharpshooter submission. Nice to see Hart get some revenge after all these years.

Jericho/Edge was awesome. It was back and forth the whole time – spot, counter, nearfall. We’ll see how Extreme Rules does in terms of their program.

The Batista/Cena match was a strong second match from the top. Nothing memorable, but good considering neither guy has a reputation for being able to carry matches. Why Batista had a one-month run with zero title defences is beyond me. The title is meaningless if guys can’t defend it for extended periods of time.

Taker/HBK. Wow. This match lived up to the hype, big time. I thought there would be weapons or something with the No DQ stipulation, but I’m glad they didn’t go that route. Great spots as usual, namely the massive moonsault through the announce table. Crazy. It might have even topped last year’s match with all the kickouts they did. These two are among the best ever on the grandest stage of them all, and they’ve done nothing but mystify each others’ legacies. I’m sad to see HBK go, as he and Stone Cold are my 1-and-1A. HBK likely isn’t done forever, but his days as a full-timer are over. He will be back – hopefully. For how many more, and when? Who knows.

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri

By: Michael Harrison – Toronto Blue Jays Way

To read more Toronto Blue Jays Way articles visit http://torontobluejaysway.blogspot.com/

Vernon Wells is going to have a monster year. So much so that if Pierre McGuire called baseball games, Wellsy would be dubbed a monster every game. Seriously. I’m not being sarcastic. Really, I’m not. I believe that V-Dub will have an un-Vernon type season and actually produce. The longest tenured Blue Bird is going to have as much success this year as this bird of a different kind.

Really, Wells has positioned himself to be in the perfect win-win scenario. He’s played like crap for three years (relative to his $126 million dollar contract), so our expectations of him are at an all time sky low (or is it ground low?) He’s finally healthy going into the campaign, unlike the past couple of years. And Vernon is hitting behind Aaron Hill and Adam Lind. Can he really be that awful again?

Vernon always gets ridiculed for his pudgy body, and perhaps unjustifiably so. After all, he does look heavy like this. But why lose the weight? Where’s the motivation? It’s not going to change the fact he has wads of money filtering through his fat bank account for the next five years. Would you care about your performance and exercise? He would.

What do you think? Will Vernon be as pathetic as always? Or will he have a good season? Let your voice be heard by clicking on the “comments” button below this post.