Tag: Seth Rollins

March 8, 2015 /

And then there appeared a curious GIF on my Twitter timeline: https://twitter.com/TraskVancity/status/574481893069955072 Seth Rollins waving the Russian flag. And over John Cena at that! Think of the thematic implications! Look, I know there’s deep thinking to be done about this one. I’ll update this post when and if it comes to me. 🙂

January 1, 2015 /

This final RAW of 2014 was fascinating, despite being pretty low key until the hostage situation at the end. There were no celebrations of Hulk Hogan or a holiday or a charity, just well-composed rising action and character development. The episode functioned as something of an airing of grievances, as is seasonally appropriate and a welcome change from the Christmas shenanigans of the previous week and the tired cliches of overall holiday season. It was…

December 18, 2014 /

I have precious little to say about TLC which is a shame, because I think so fondly of the days when tables, ladders, and chairs meant something huge. A ladder match used to fill me with fearful excitement, and the crunch of a split table would stir in me a primal thrill. I used to try to write poetry about the iconography of hardcore, hardcore being a kind of revolution, a period of anarchy in…

December 12, 2014 /

Well, you know. It was the Slammies and all, and there’s nothing like an awards show to dampen my writerly spirits. Plus, I’m a little behind still — I need to listen to the Vince McMahon podcast, but I first need to dig up my password so I can renew my subscription to then network, which recently expired. I almost don’t want to, considering how much I hate looking up passwords, as well as the…

November 23, 2014 /

I do understand that behind the kayfabe, John Cena is tired lately. Possibly starting to burn out. You can hear it when his voice cracks, and in the real emotion that surges beneath his words when he talks about the haters and his controversial roll as a booed babyface. His fortitude is mighty, but the grind of life on the road may be starting to take its toll. One night a couple weeks ago, he…

September 22, 2014 /

Night of Champions didn’t bore me once. Every match was solid, interesting, worthwhile to watch and played an important role in its narrative thread. (Except maybe Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho— that conflict seemed like a last minute idea somebody had and figured we wouldn’t notice it came out of nowhere because they called RAW last week a “season premiere”. But it was still a good match to watch.) Most impressively for me, though, was…

August 30, 2014 /

I’m struggling to read wrestling these past couple weeks. Sure, one week I was out in the sticks without even a viable internet connection, so that threw me off my rhythm. But the more pressing problem is the shite state of affairs in the current threads of WWE’s narrative. I’ve been listening to some podcasts. It’s not just me. I’m feeling stagnant, and the smarks are getting ticked off. We’re all starting to balk about…

August 9, 2014 /

There’s a new meme for Dean Ambrose: a sudden change from the lunatic brawler, which he was just too much of a heartthrob to really sell. Someone perhaps got wise and realized they were on the verge of squandering their gold with him. The concept thrown out there tonight is that Dean Ambrose “thinks with his heart, not his head.” Now this is very interesting, and it’s deliberate. Seth Rollins said it in the middle…

August 5, 2014 /

After last night, Dean Ambrose might be my favorite wrestler of all time. Oh, the hilarity! I am hopelessly in love. That man is a brilliant character. I thank the gods he did not go softly into the lunatic fringe. I will say I was concerned — he was on the verge of becoming a one dimensional madman, and wrestling has a history of turning promising characters into simplistic types. But suddenly he appeared composed,…

July 19, 2014 /

Imagine the narrative complexity of the fatal fourway that awaits us at Battlground on Sunday. Any man can pin any man and become the champion. At first it will start more or less as two against two. But then it will start to break down, there will have to be a parallel storyline outside the ring. Cain will most likely turn on Randy Orton, that much has been telegraphed. There will be battles within battles.…