TNA Impact – November 26, 2009

I was finally able to find this week’s edition of TNA Impact. I don’t know why TNA gets such a bad rap on the internet from people. I think TNA has the best show of all of them, better talent, better stories and better PPVs. This week’s TNA is to feature a tournament, I believe, I don’t check spoilers so it’s always a surprise to me, and I like it that way, makes the shows more enjoyable.

TNA opens with the recap of AJ and Daniels, Hogan, Team 3D, etc. Jesse Neal looks hilarious with the Mohawk; at first I thought Spike Dudley had Thanksgiving dinner early. Cue the opening theme and then Don West and Tazz. Ok, I’m in the minority but I miss Don West, he just had that special something for TNA, Tazz is ok, but West and Tenay were a good team. Tournament brackets are shown, and one match looks like a squash to me, Wolfe v. Suicide. The other 3 should be very good matches, hopefully Abyss, The Pope & Homicide win, then finals of Wolfe and Pope with Wolfe taking it, I’m probably wrong though, my prediction skills always suck.

1. Bobby Lashley v. Abyss. Interesting little info thing they show when the guy comes out, I don’t remember seeing that last week. Abyss has the coolest music, I still remember Jimmy Yang coming out to it. Fourteen years pro for Abyss, seriously, holy crap? Lashley starts out quick, Abyss with a vicious clothesline. Seems odd seeing two faces in the ring at the same time, but at least it’s not Scott Steiner! Abyss catching Lashley with a bear hug, one of the lamest looking moves in wrestling. I mean sure it hurts if you squeeze someone, but it just looks so gay, like they’re hugging each other! Lashley powers out, drop toe hold, was I the only one waiting for a 619? Lashley with a huge spine buster, which was impressive, clothesline over the top, Abyss pulls Bobby out, and Krystal takes an elbow from Abyss accidentally. Guess she shouldn’t have been out there, what’s the reason for her being there. Both men in the ring, Abyss distracted, hit with the big spear and Lashley with a dragon sleeper, Abyss taps. Damn, not the start I wanted. 2.5/5 a little too quick of a match, but at least we had no interference.

2. Backstage with Pirate Mick Foley and JB. Mick asking why Hulk was hired so secretly. Mick looks funny with the eye patch; all he needs is a pirate. JB trying to explain to Mick about all the radio shows Hulk was on. Mick says it stinks, and says Nash said Hulk is not coming alone. Please don’t let it be Scott “Last Call” Hall, that’s all they need. Foley says he’s going to talk to Kurt Angle.

3. Suicide v. Desmond Wolfe. OK, this gimmick needs to end, this is worse than Curry Man, just take the damn mask off Kaz. Desmond pushes Suicide down and stomps on the hand, then does it again. Crowd chants “You tapped out” at Wolfe, as he hits a belly to belly on the masked man. Suicide with a flip move to reverse the arm bar, Desmond gets back on the arm. I like the strategy, very reminiscent of the Andersons. Desmond nails Suicide in the corner and gets a two count. Desmond with a modified Cobra Clutch, then releases it, spins Suicide around, shoulder block and back to the Clutch. Mike and Tazz mention Homicide knows who Suicide is, then just reveal it. Suicide with springboard elbow, dropkick, rolling firemans carries and slingshot leg drop for a two count. Desmond powers Suicide down, sets him on the top rope, Suicide counters and hits a dropkick. Desmond sets Suicide on the top and hits a botched Tower of London. 2/5 the botched finish killed it. No replay shown, so obviously that was botched badly.

4. D’Angelo Dinero v. Kurt Angle. D’Angelo is such an amazing talent, what a mistake by WWE to get rid of him. Always cool the way Kurt comes up out of the floor. Can’t believe it’s been ten years since his debut at Survivor Series 99, seems like just yesterday. Angle starts with a headlock to shoulder block, D’Angelo with an arm drag to an arm bar. Another arm drag, who does he think he is Ricky Steamboat? D’Angelo with an arm bar, Kurt counters out, Dinero hits the flying shoulder block for a two count. Kurt catches Dinero with the belly to belly overhead, Dinero struggles up. Angle with the vertical Suplex for another two, Angle to a chin lock. Angle pounds down the Pope, Pope with an elbow and a series of clotheslines, Angle slides underneath and hits the triple German. Dinero counters the third though and hits one of his own and then the leg sweep clothesline, for a very close two count. Pope does his slide out of the ring to the crowd, and then sets Angle for the springboard elbow. That always looks so cool when he hits it. Sets him up for the DDD, Angle counters into an ankle lock, Dinero kicks out but hit with the Angle slam for the win. 4/5 Excellent match for a TV match, Angle offers the hand to Pope and helps him up. Classy move from Kurt Angle, very cool.

5. Kurt Angle backstage with Mick Foley. Kurt tells Mick the Mafia is no more, thankfully. Mick asks about Hulk coming in. Angle says to make the company better; Mick says what to take my job? Angle says I’m on board for this, and reminds Mick he better be on board. Angle brushes Mick off to get ready for his next round match.

6. Homicide v. Robert Roode. Two of my favorite guys in the company, hard to pick a winner here. Wow, 12 years pro for Roode, which is just surprising he’s been a pro longer then Angle! Homicide sneak attacks Roode before the bell. Homicide whips in Roode who comes back with the clothesline; Homicide rolls out of the ring and drags Roode out. Homicide gets the advantage and rolls Roode back in the ring. Homicide with a corner clothesline, Roode tosses hard to the other corner as Homicide poses. Homicide hits a series of knees to the back and locks in the Asiatic Spike, ala Ernie Ladd! Just as I type it, Tazz says it! Homicide with a jumping elbow to the face of Robert for a two count. Homicide goes for the Cutter; Roode reverses into tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Roode finally gets the advantage, hit with the knee though. Homicide can’t get Roode up for the Gringo Killer, but can’t do it, Roode tries for the fisherman Suplex, can’t hit it. Homicide runs in and hit with a spine buster for the surprise three count. 4/5 that was another great match, great work from two talented athletes. Homicide goes after the producer with a chair; Tenay and Tazz get in the middle. Homicide throwing a chair around as we go to commercial. We come back to a music video for some reason. Singer looks like former backstage announcer Goldilocks, is it? Sounds a lot like Hole, L7, Veruca Salt and all the other female grunge bands of the 80’s.

7. Knockout Battle Royal. You got to love the TNA Knockouts, so many beautiful and talented woman in TNA. Here comes my favorite Taylor Wilde along with Sarita. The two best looking women in TNA! Looks like ten knockouts in the battle royal; only one missing is Kong, as ODB is the referee for the match. Wonder why no Kong in the match for a number one contender. Zombie hot Daffney first one eliminated by Hamada only seconds in. Traci deposited on the apron by Alissa Flash, as the slug it out. Taylor and Sarita push Flash on the apron and double dropkick both ladies out. Commercial break, we come back and Lacey out during the break by Tara. Sarita out by the Beautiful People, Hamada and Taylor both go out together, damn. We’re down to Velvet, Madison and Tara. Gee, wonder who’s going to win now? Tara flips Madison to the apron and Velvet accidentally knocks Madison down to the ground. Tara catches Velvet in mid springboard with a big kick knocking Velvet out. Tara wins the battle royal and has her hand raised by ODB. There’s our Knockout match at the next PPV. 3.5/5 not a bad battle royal, typical for the woman as they don’t get a lot of time. Would’ve been better had Taylor won the match. Yeah, I’m not recapping the Hulk Hogan promo. Mick Foley backstage with Scott Steiner who’s yelling at a wardrobe person to make more Main Event Mafia clothes. Mick tells Scott that Kurt said the Mafia is dead, and then asks Scott about Hulk. Scott says name the smartest person you know, Mick is bleeped and Scott says times that by 10. Foley then asks Scott who Hulk is coming with and Scott doesn’t know. Mick continues his travels and finds Nash and Eric Young. Nash asks if he has the money he owes him, Mick says no and goes over his finances. Mick asks about Hulk again and Nash gives one name, Virgil! Nash says no, just kidding, it’s Disciple, just kidding again. Foley asks about Hall, and Nash says make sense. Mick says the company is going in the wrong direction. Nash says if Knobbs come in he quits, can’t blame him on that. Nash says as soon as he knows something he’ll tell Foley

8. Desmond Wolfe v. Lashley. Well this is a problem, which new guy is going to job to face Angle in the finals, it’s a given Roode is not beating Angle. Am I the only one who thinks Lashley is over rated and really doesn’t need to be there, Abyss got screwed? Lashley with a quick full nelson, ok, whatever there. Lashley has such a limited ability it’s pathetic to watch. Desmond goes to the arm and Lashley reverses. This is going to be a much slower match then Desmond’s first round match. Lashley with a wrist lock, not a wrist watch, Desmond gets Lashley to the ropes and hits an elbow to the face after Lashley breaks. Desmond with the Cobra Clutch move again, this is looking like a lame UFC match with all these submissions. Lashley reverses back to the wrist lock; Desmond reverses that and chokes Lashley in the corner. Desmond goes for the elbow in the corner, Lashley moves, and spear and stomach breaker from Bobby. Full nelson slam from Lashley, Lashley goes for a Suplex and Desmond snaps the arm. Desmond goes for the Tower of London, Lashley reverses to dragon sleeper, and Desmond has the ropes. Desmond snaps Lashley on the ropes and does the arm bar in the ropes. Desmond refuses to release the hold and Desmond get’s disqualified. 1/5 that was a crappy finish to a slow boring match, it was worse than a Viscera match! Lauren backstage with Lashley and Krystal, Krystal grabs the microphone sparing us listening to Lashley talk.

9. Robert Roode v. Kurt Angle. Well, unless Desmond screws Angle over we get Angle and Lashley in the finals. Either way I think Lashley is sadly going to win this tournament, not what I wanted to see. From the three guys left, I’d like to see Roode win, he’s been in TNA longest and deserves a couple big wins like this. Angle starts with a headlock followed by a shoulder block. Roode answers with a shoulder block of his own. Angle gets Roode in the corner and lays a couple shots on him; Roode gets a few shots back, but then gets caught with a boot to the face. Roode with a slam and splash for a near fall. Roode chops Angle in the corner and hits the “Curt Henning” jumping neck snap, which just makes me miss Mr. Perfect. Roode tossed out, Kurt follows and slams Roode’s head into the steps, both men in the ring now. Angle with a snap Suplex and locks in a reverse gut wrench. Angle with the overhead belly to belly and only gets two, surprisingly. Angle locks in the body scissors, as Roode escapes Angle to the headlock. Robert able to get out of, Roode catches Angle running into the corner and hits a blockbuster from the top rope. I love that move, both guys are down. Roode able to hit a flying forearm like Tito Santana for another close count. Angle slides into the ankle lock, Roode out and spine buster same way he beat Homicide earlier, but only a two count. Roode tries for the Suplex; Angle reverses to the German Suplex. Kurt Angle goes for the Angle slam, but Roode avoids hit, runs at Angle and hits the buckle, Angle Slam and Roode kicks out. Desmond comes out and Kurt takes off after Desmond, Angle not paying attention and gets counted out and Roode goes to finals to job to Lashley. 3.75/5 another great match tonight and glad to see Roode score the win, would’ve rather been a clean pin, but we’ll take what we get. Speaking of what we get, another freaking music video, what is TNA now sponsored by MTV? What a waste of time these videos are, could’ve given this time to the knockouts.

10. The champ is here, as AJ Styles is introduced to a huge ovation as always. Here’s a real world champion who deserves to be on top, as opposed to the WWE champions. AJ starts to talk and Daniels music hits. Daniels comes out and makes fun of AJ’s friendship with Sting. Daniels says he’s been a better friend to AJ then AJ was to him. He asks AJ where was his friend when he lost his job for 16 months, when he was playing Curry Man! AJ tries to explain and Daniels cuts him off. Daniels says he had to chance to win the title last month and AJ stabbed him in the back. Fans chant “Shut Up” at Daniels and he yells at the crowd saying you know he’s right. Daniels says he’s the better wrestler the AJ is and that’s why AJ was his friend, because he didn’t want him as an enemy. Daniels says the friendship was an anchor and now they are enemies and Daniels says AJ can tell his wife and kid’s Uncle Chris is sorry. AJ says his family will find out what Uncle Chris is all about and Daniels will find out what AJ is all about. This is going to be an easy match of the year, can’t wait to see it. Lauren backstage with Robert Roode and James Storm. Roode says he has respect for Lashley, but he’s going out there for not only himself but his partner as well. Roode tells Lashley to bring his best; because in a few minutes he’s going to find out it pays to be Roode!

11. Robert Roode v. Bobby Lashley. Well, I really don’t see Lashley jobbing to Roode here, so I’ll be really surprised if Robert can pull this off. Lashley uses his power to get Roode in the corner and we get a clean break. Lashley powers Roode down and goes for the dragon sleeper, Roode quickly to the ropes. Lashley hits a shoulder block and then looks confused, Lashley leapfrogs Roode and hits back elbow. Lashley drops an elbow and tries for the pin, but Roode kicks out. Roode tries to go over Lashley and gets caught, Roode slides out and hits Lashley with the arm breaker thing that Desmond did earlier. Commercial break and we come back to Lashley powering back to the advantage as Roode had the advantage during the commercial. Roode works the arm in the corner right in front of Krystal. Roode with a Fujiwara Arm Bar on Lashley, Lashley just barely able to get the ropes. Roode continues to pound on the big man, Roode makes the mistake of coming off the ropes as Lashley hits a full nelson slam. Lashley with a series of clotheslines and a one hand spine buster for a two count. Lashley puts Roode on the shoulder but Roode slides out and hits an arm breaker and almost scores the win. Lashley with a backdrop on Roode, Roode gets up and moves out of the way of the spear. Roode hits the fisherman Suplex and Lashley kicks out, damn. Roode to the second rope and misses the blockbuster and Lashley with a spear and the win. Crap, now we get Lashley v. AJ for the belt, I don’t want to see that. 3.5/5 Roode able to carry Lashley to a good match, but the wrong guy won. TNA wasted money on Lashley as I don’t think he’s the guy to be facing the champ. Never liked him in WWE and don’t like him in TNA.

Match Recap
1. Abyss lost to Lashley 2.5/5
2. Desmond Wolfe over Suicide 2/5
3. D’Angelo Dinero pinned by Kurt Angle 4/5
4. Homicide lost to Robert Roode 4/5
5. Knockout Battle Royal won by Tara 3.5/5
6. Desmond Wolfe disqualified against Lashley 1/5
7. Robert Roode beat Kurt Angle by count out 3.75/5
8. Lashley pinned Robert Roode 3.5/5

All in all a great show from TNA other than one match. The Angle/Dinero and Homicide/Roode matches made up for that. Five out of eight match got 3.5 or better, so to me that’s a great episode. I got Superstars finally, so that’s coming up next, either later today or tomorrow.

Während Halloween inzwischen auch einen festen Platz in der deutschen Kultur gefunden hat, ist Thanksgiving noch immer eine rein amerikanische Angelegenheit. Die Familien kommen zusammen, es wird Truthahn gefuttert, Football im TV geschaut und rumgegammelt.

In den 70er und 80er Jahren kam aber nach Football und Futtern noch Wrestling an die Reihe. Alle großen Territories hatten Thanksgiving Shows, die ein besonderes Highlight darstellten und die Arenen füllten. Die WWF setzte die “Survivor Series” zu Thanksgiving an und feierte damit auch Erfolge.

Doch in den letzten Jahren steht die Wrestling Welt an diesem Tag still. Wenn man Wrestling aber als Teil von Thanksgiving sieht, hat man nur noch die Wahl zwischen “WWE Superstars” und “TNA Impact”. Nicht gerade eine tolle Auswahl.

In diesem Jahr wollte es TNA mal wieder mit einem von Russo’s Tournaments versuchen, die schon in der WCW und TNA immer für Kopfschüttel gesorgt haben, weil Russo auch diese eigentlich simple Sache nicht ohne seine dämlichen Booking Ideen auf die Reihe bekommt.

Bei IMPACT am 26.11.2009 stand nun also die “Thanksgiving Championship Series” auf dem Programm. Ein Tournament mit 8 Wrestlern, dessen Sieger ein Title Match bekommt. Sollte ein Singles Wrestler a la Lashley oder Desmond Wolfe gewinnen, bekommt er ein Match um den TNA World Title. Gewinnt ein X-Division Wrestler, darf er Amazing Red um den X-Division Title herausfordern. Gewinnt aber ein Tag Wrestler wie z.B. Robert Roode, dann bekommen Beer Money ein Tag Title Match. Hört sich ja fast nach EVOLVE an Ist aber Russo, denn auch hier macht man wieder unnötig viele Regeln, zumal nur ein einziger Tag Wrestler im Tournament antrat.

Den Taping-Spoilern war zu entnehmen, dass man tatsächlich viel Wert auf Wrestling legte (was immer ein großes Plus ist!), doch die Halbfinals so bekloppt gebookt waren, dass im Endeffekt 2 Männer im Finale stehen, deren Halbfinalgegner zu dämlich waren und somit der Sieger eigentlich nur der Einäugige unter den Blinden ist. Nicht gerade der Sinn eines solchen Tournaments.

Damit hat es Vince Russo mal wieder geschafft, eine ansonsten gute IMPACT Folge ein bißchen zu versauen. Aber daran wird sich nie etwas ändern. Immer verzichtete man auf die Thanksgiving-typische Comedy, mit der man auch bei RAW am letzten Montag wieder genervt wurde.

Es sollte doch langsam auffallen, wenn IMPACT immer dann gut ist, wenn man sich auf simples Wrestling beschränkt und auf den ganzen Russo-Mist weitgehend verzichtet. Diese Gedanken habe aber keine Chance bei TNA, da darf man sich nicht blenden lassen. Diesmal gab es nur deswegen eine gute WRESTLING Show, weil man davon ausging, dass an Thanksgiving sowieso nur wenig Zuschauer dabei sind. Es ist zu befürchten, dass es kommende Woche wieder die übliche, ungenießbare Soße gibt.

TCS – QUARTERFINAL: BOBBY LASHLEY vs. ABYSS

Während die Beteiligten des Openers zum Ring kam, stellte ich mir eine Frage. Was war eigentlich vor 2 Wochen in Krystal Lashley’s Hotelzimmer passiert, als Scott Steiner dort eingedrungen war? Man hörte nie wieder etwas davon. So isser halt, unser Freund Vince Russo. Ich könnte mich auch fragen, warum Lashley bei TURNING POINT klar gegen Scott Steiner verliert, die Fehde dann weitergeht, sie bei FINAL RESOLUTION erneut gegeneinander antreten, man aber in dieser Woche die Fehde komplett vergisst. Zu viele Fragen.

Das Match war nichts dolles, relativ langsam und ohne große Höhepunkte. Ein Brawl außerhalb des Rings durfte natürlich nicht fehlen. Als Abyss zu einem Schlag ausholte, traf er die hinter ihm stehende Krystal mit dem Ellbogen im Gesicht. Die hatte dadurch einen verletzten Knöchel. Zurück im Ring fiel Abyss auf, dass irgendwas mit Krystal war. Obwohl er nicht mitbekommen hatte, dass es Krystal traf, machte er sich nun Vorwürfe. Lashley verpasste ihm einen Spear, es folgte der Dragon Sleeper und Lashley siegte nach 4′24”. Krystal war wieder top fit und hüpfte freudig erregt in der Gegend herum. Normalerweise würde man nun denken, dass Lashley und Krystal Heel turnen, aber bei TNA kann es auch sein, dass Krystal einfach nur vergessen hatte, welche Verletzung sie verkaufen sollte und das man diesen Fehler natürlich nicht rausschnitt.

Vor 2 Wochen wurde Mick Foley von Raven mit einem Feuerball attackiert und am Auge verletzt. Immerhin trägt eine Augenklappe. In der letzten Woche wurde er von Raven fast erwürgt. Wer ist so blauäugig zu glauben, dass die Foley diese Dinge auch nur mit einem Wort erwähnt?? Ihr armen Irren Natürlich war davon überhaupt nicht die Rede. Und dann wundert man sich, warum TNA keine Zuschauer hinzuewinnt und warum keine Fehde von Interesse ist. Foley sprach mit JB lieber über Hulk Hogan. Er wusste von nix, Kevin Nash deutete letzte Woche an, dass Hogan nicht alleine kommt … Bla Bla Bla. Foley wollte mal bei Kurt Angle nachfragen, ob der vielleicht etwas weiss.

TCS – QUARTERFINAL: DESMOND WOLFE vs. SUICIDE

Seit Wochen predige ich ohne Unterlass, dass man den Fans in der Impact Zone die Finishing Moves von Wolfie vorstellen muss, damit es beim nächsten PPV Match gegen Kurt Angle nicht wieder absolute Ruhe gibt, wenn er den “London Dungeon” oder den “Tower Of London” zeigt. Endlich hat man mich erhört und was passiert? Als Wolfie nach einem ordentlichen Match mit dem Tower Of London gewinnen wollte, verpatzte man den Move (keine Ahnung ob es Nigel’s oder Kazarian’s Fehler war). Das Match endete trotzdem nach 3′59”, wäre ja auch zuviel verlangt, wenn man das Finish in einer aufgezeichneten Show nochmal wiederholt und besser macht.

TCS – QUARTERFINAL: KURT ANGLE vs. D’ANGELO DINERO

An diesem, mit 4′28” leider viel zu kurzem Match, gab es absolut nichts auszusetzen. Beide Männer kommen wie Stars rüber, ihr Match war flüssig und fehlerfrei und das Finish perfekt gemacht. Angle setzte den Ankle Lock an, der Pope befreite sich mit einem Tritt, doch Angle ließ sofort den Angle Slam zum Pin folgen. Sehr gut! Das sich die beiden Beteiligten anschließend noch umarmten, war ein passender Touch.

Mick Foley wollte von Kurt Angle wissen, was der vom Thema “Hulk Hogan” hält. Foley ist froh das Hogan kommt, gemeinsam wird man TNA zu neuen Höhen führen. Foley sieht das anders und erzähle Angle von Nash’s Aussage, dass Hogan noch jemanden mitbringen wird. Laut Angle erzählt Nash aber nur Mist.

Eines muss ich sagen. Wenn Hogan niemals bei TNA auftaucht, da er gemerkt hat, dass er dort nichts erreichen kann, dann schaue ich mir alle IMPACT Segmente, in denen man über Hogan sprach, anstatt die eigenen Wrestler zu pushen, nochmal in aller Ruhe an und lache mich über die Dummheit von Dixie & Co. kaputt.

TCS – QUARTERFINAL: ROBERT ROODE vs. HOMICIDE

Auch Homicide, der uns ja neuerdings den durchgeknallten Heel gibt und Roode boten ein ordentliches Match, bei dem man nur den Aufgabe etwas bemängeln kann. Nachdem man aus potentiellen Finishing Moves ausgekickt war, siegte Roode mit einem schnöden Spinebuster. Ansonsten war das 3′41” lange Match ganz okay.

Nach dem Match drohte Homicide Stevie mit einem Stuhl. Stevie Richards? Nein, eine Produktions-Assistentin gleichen Namens, die man noch nie sah und auch niemals wieder sehen wird. Warum soll mich das interessieren? Ab und an tauchen bei TNA irgendwelche Gestalten auf, die genauso schnell wieder verschwinden. Wo ist eigentlich Bugsy McGraw?

Kurt Angle sagte in einem Interview, dass er das Tournament umbedingt gewinnen will, um dann eine Chance auf den World Title zu haben. Robert Roode sei zwar ein starker Halbfinalgegner, doch er hofft ihn besiegen zu können, um dann am liebsten gegen Desmond Wolfe im Finale anzutreten. Gutes, logisches Interview. Kommt bei TNA eher selten vor.

10 WOMAN BATTLE ROYAL

Als ich vor vielen Jahren mein Dasein als Wrestling Fan begann, war ich ein Freund von Battle Royals. Waren etwas besonderes und ich fand sie klasse. Hey, in Kalifornien waren die Battle Royals in den 70ern immer DAS Highlight. Doch in den letzten Jahren sind diese Matches einfach nur noch langweilig, wie man erst wieder am letzten Montag bei RAW sehen konnte. Ohne Vince McMahon und Jesse Ventura als Kommentatoren wäre ich eingeschlafen.

Doch die Women’s Battle Royal war eine freudige Überraschung. Non-Stop Action der Mädels (Tara, Velvet Sky, Madison Rayne, Hamada, Sarita, Daffney, Taylor Wilde, Lacey Von Erich, Alissa Flash & Traci Brooks), sehr unterhaltsam. Wrestlerisch sicherlich kein Highlight, aber solange es unterhaltsam ist, drücke ich gerne ein Auge zu. Zum Schluss sah sich Tara ganz alleine Velvet Sky und Madison Rayne gegenüber und die Fans drehten ab. Tara beförderte Madison mit einem Backdrop über das Top Rope und wenig später eliminierte sie auch Velvet zum Sieg nach 6′49”. Als Belohnugn bekommt Tara nun bei FINAL RESOLUTION ein Title Match gegen ODB, die bei der Battle Royal als Special Ref zugegen war.

Eric Young und sein neuer Kumpel Kevin Nash stellten nochmal klar, dass der Global Title niemals in den USA oder gegen einen Amerikaner verteidigt werden wird. Hmmm, da fallen mir gleich 3 Fragen ein.

1. Wer will Booker T’s Spielzeuggürtel überhaupt haben?
2. Wo liegt der Sinn des Gürtels?
3. Wenn jeder Champ seine eigene Regeln machen darf, warum lässt AJ Styles nicht nur  Titel Matches gegen Aliens zu und bleibt so auf immer und ewig Champion?

Mick Foley war auf der Suche nach Dixie Carter. Er will endlich Antworten auf seine Fragen. Das Gefühl kenne ich. Er traf aber nur auf Scott Steiner, der sich von einer Schneiderin neue Main Event Mafia Klamotten machen lässt, obwohl die Truppe längst nicht mehr besteht. Als ihm Foley genau das sagte und zudem darauf hinwies, dass auch Kurt Angle vom Ende der MEM sprach, war Scott kurz verwirrt. Dann fragte er Foley, wer wohl seiner Meinung nach der smarteste Mensch ist, den Foley jemals kennenlernte. Die Antwort wurde gepiept, aber ich bilde mir ein, er hätte “Paul Heyman” gesagt. Kann mich aber auch täuschen. Egal welchen Namen er nannte, die Frage bleibt, was das überhaupt sollte. Hatte er die Anweisung “Paul Heyman” zu sagen, damit man das piepen kann? Oder sagte er das als seine ehrliche Meinung und man entschloss sich in der Post Production den Namen zu piepen? Wenn ja, warum? Macht alles überhaupt keinen Sinn. Eines steht fest, die TNA Verantwortlichen sind nicht die smartesten Personen die Foley kennt. Wen immer Foley auch nannte, laut Steiner ist Hogan 10 Mal so schlau. Wage ich zu bezweifeln. Ebenso die Aussage, dass Kevin Nash niemals lügt und Scott deswegen auch glaubt, dass Hogan nicht alleine kommen wird.

Obwohl ihr Promo seit 10 Minuten vorbei war, standen Eric Young und Kevin Nash noch immer vor den Kameras. Hektische Betriebsamkeit ist was anderes. Mick Foley kam hinzu und in diesem Moment hatte ich genug von Foley. Absoluter Overkill. Nash will Kohle wegen seiner Suspendierung, die nie erklärt wurde, zurückhaben, aber Foley hat kein Geld. Wenn der “Executive Shareholder” der Promotion kein Geld hat, bedeutet das dann nicht, dass TNA keine Kohle macht? Foley wollte wissen, wen Hogan mitbringt. Nash nannte Virgil und Ed Leslie im Scherz, bevor er dann seinen Arm hoch hob und zu Foley rennen wollte. Man muss schon in den 90er Jahren Fan gewesen sein, um den Gag zu verstehen. Dann nannte er aber doch Brian Knobbs. Sollte der kommen, will Nash kündigen. Daran werden wir ihn im Februar erinnern. Nash versprach Foley dann hoch und heilig, dass er ihm den Namen nennen wird, wenn er ihn von Hulk erfährt. Foley ging weg und Nash lachte sich eins. Zum Glück war das endlich das letzte Segment mit Foley.

TCS – SEMIFINAL: BOBBY LASHLEY vs. DESMOND WOLFE

Dieses Match machte mich wütend. Nein, ich muss genauer sein. Das Match an sich war gut, Mat Wrestling der interessanten Art und so ganz nebenbei Lashley’s bester Auftritt seiner TNA Karriere. Aber das Finish war unglaublich blöd. Wolfie hatte Lashley im London Dungeon, doch Lashley lag in den Ringseilen. Während Ref Earl Hebner den 5 Count machte, brabbelte Wolfie etwas an die Adresse von Kurt Angle. Dabei vergaß er den 5 Count und wurde nach 5′07” disqualifiziert. Das machte ihn bestimmt wütend, denn so verlor er die Chance auf den Turnier Sieg und das Title – das mag der eine oder andere Leser jetzt denken. Natürlich nicht, er zog seine Jacke an, setzte seine Brille auf und ging weg. Auf dem Weg in den Backstagebereich sagte er “Das passiert mit Dir Kurt, wenn wir uns beim PPV sehen”. Was passiert? Kurt gewinnt via DQ, weil Wolfie zu dämlich ist? Boah, ich könnte mich immer noch aufregen.

Lauren wollte einen Kommentar von Lashley zu seinem Finaleinzug haben, doch Krystal schnappte sich das Mikro und meinte, dass niemand in TNA oder MMA den “Boss” stoppen kann. Allein die Tatsache, dass man Krystal für Bobby sprechen lässt, zeigt das Vertrauen der Booker in Bobby’s Fähigkeiten am Mikro.

TCS – SEMIFINAL: ROBERT ROODE vs. KURT ANGLE

Und noch ein gutes Match mit dämlichen Finish. Nach vielen guten und abwechslungsreichen Aktionen kam Desmond Wolfe zum Ring und spuckte in Richtung Angle. Der verließ den Ring und brawlte mit Wolfie. Der Ref schaute sich alles genau an. Im Wrestling Regelbuch wäre ja nun eine DQ von Roode fällig, weil sein Gegner illegal attackiert wurde. Aber nicht bei TNA. Da wird Angle ausgezählt und verliert so das Match nach 7′37”. Wie doof kann man eigentlich sein?

Was macht denn da der Fan in ollen Jeans und ‘nem billigen T-Shirt mit seinem Replica Belt im Ring? Ach ne, dass ist AJ Styles, der Champion der zweigrößten US Wrestling Promotion. Wenn Hogan das sieht, dreht er zurecht durch. AJ bitte Sting darum, ihn doch mal anzurufen. Dann kam Daniels, cooles rotes Hemd, Sonnenbrille, Weste. SO sieht ein Star aus! Daniels ist der Meinung, dass die Freundschaft zu AJ einseitig war. Während er alles für AJ getan hätte, benutzte ihn dieser nur und stand ihm in schweren Stunden nicht bei. AJ wollte nur sein Freund sein, damit er nicht sein Feind ist. AJ’s Antwort war weniger interessant. Man sieht sich beim PPV. Man kann nur hoffen, dass Daniels den Title gewinnt. Er hat es verdient, ist ein sehr guter Wrestler und gibt gute Promos.

Robert Roode sagte in einem kurzen Promo, dass er das Finale gegen Lashley auch für seinen Partner gewinnen möchte, da man dan die British Invasion herausfordern kann. Er respektiert Lashley, aber im Finale gehe es nur um den Sieg.

Dixie Carter wird den Fans nächste Woche alle Fragen im Bezug auf die Verpflichtung von Hogan beantworten. Das wird bestimmt ein echtes Shitfest!

TCS – FINAL: BOBBY LASHLEY vs. ROBERT ROODE

Das Finale hatte eine simple Story. Roode bearbeitete den durch den London Dungeon verletzten Arm von Lashley. Lashley ließ sich aber nicht unterkriegen und siegte dann nach 6′28” mit einem Spear. Er feierte mit Krystal und die Show war vorbei.

Wir halten fest, Lashley bekommt irgendwann ein Title Match gegen AJ, da er ein Tournament gewann. In der 1. Runde gewann er nur deswegen, weil sich sein Gegner um Frau Lashley kümmerte. Im Halbfinale war sein Gegner zu doof und wurde disqualifiziert. Und das Finale gewann er gegen einen Mann, der via Countout ins Finale kam, obwohl er eigentlich hätte disqualifiziert werden müssen. Ist der uncharismatische und ohne Feuer agierende Lashley nun plötzlich ein würdiger Herausforderer? Wohl kaum.

Positiv möchte ich aber nochmals festhalten, dass 50% der Show aus WRESTLING bestand und das ist eine gute Sache.

Campagne choc de l’association Plane Stupid pour dénoncer l’impact sur l’environnement des déplacements en avions.

Over at the TLS (enjoy Mr. Murdoch’s free content while you can), Stefan Collini lays into the successor to the RAE, the REF. His ire is mainly reserved for the new assessment category of ‘Impact’ which, under the terms of the consultation document, would amount to 25% of each unit of assessment’s score.

The article has elicited a predictable chorus of approval from arts and humanities academics. I can’t help agreeing, though, with my former Liverpool colleague Phil Davis that there is nothing particularly wrong with assessing ‘impact.’  The problem is more that this is currently skewed towards assessing the potential for economic exploitation rather than considering social value. Even so, two of the proposed ‘impact’ categories are ‘cultural enrichment’ and ’social welfare’.

That said, Collini still misrepresents, or misunderstands, what the consultation document says. 60% of the REF score will still be based around an assessment of research ‘outputs’ (books and articles to you and me.) So Collini’s hypothetical colleague producing excellent work on Victorian poetry is unlikely to be thrown on the academic scrapheap just yet because their university will need his/her international quality research to stick on its return of outputs (which will count for most of its score anyway.)

Moreover, not everyone will have to produce evidence of the ‘impact’ of their research. This part of the REF will be assessed by case studies and, as I understand it, each unit of assessment will only have to produce one case study per 5-10 FTE members of staff. Neither will academics suddenly have to frantically search for money-making research ideas (TV/radio series, stocking-filler books, merchandising) because though ‘impact’ ought to have become ‘evident’ sometime between 2008 and 2012, the research that produced that impact could have been generated a while before the census dates.

I would suggest that the REF consultation document, though it could with revisions, not least in terms of broadening what ‘impact’ means, actually represents a fairer and more flexible way of assessing academics ‘research activity’. The downvaluing of the importance of bibliometric data ought to reassure many who feared that the assesssment of outputs was going to turn into a crude exercise in citation counting. Other elements of the REF terms of assessment strike me as better than those employed under the RAE. For example, unlike ‘esteem’, ‘impact’ is much less open to the manipulation of networks of academic patronage (Prof. Y invites Prof. X to give a paper at his/her prestigious international conference and the favour is duly reciprocated.) The readiness of REF panels to evaluate so-called ‘grey literature’ also broadens the category of what we can count as an output, giving value to academic contributions to non-academic publications. Again, this ought to reassure those worried that REF would given even more clout to a small number of internationally-respected, peer-reviewed academic journals.

A bigger question is whether we ought to have research assessment exercises at all, given that they predictably reward institutions with in-built structural advantages in terms of staffing and resources. (Chris Dillow put up a very good post on the value of ‘elite’ universities over here.)

This video is about a kid and a baby. The baby bit his brother finger. Anyhoo it is soo cool and funny. Me and my dad saw it it was cool and funny hope you enjoy it.

Also most of you that have seen it is it ************************* or what Now there is a question: Have you  ever got enoyed but one of your borthers or sisters? tell me why

O noua campanie Stella Artois face valuri in NY, prin modul de prezentare si creare al unui print. De ce aceasta campanie ar fi mai speciala? Ei bine, acest proiect se doreste a fi un mic documentar care sa starneasca un buzz considerabil in randul consumatorilor. Modalitatea originala de a iesi in evidenta este insusi modul de creare a printului si nu neaparat conceptul.

Astfel s-a apelat la Colossal Media, o agentie specializata in hand-painting advertising care lucreaza si acum la printul pentru Stella. Cum este creat buzz-ul? In primul rand este vorba de munca manuala, iar arta cere munca, urmand ca in final sa fie apreciata. Cu totii stim ca obiectele hand-made 100% sunt extrem de apreciate, in special in randul segmentului premium.

Daca tot se creeaza o opera de arta, trebuie sa se si auda de ea nu? Pe online se poate gasi “The Ritual Project“, care  asa cum v-am pomenit se doreste a fi un mic documentar in care este prezentata evolutia proiectului asemeni unui jurnal. De asemeni puteti face cunostinta si cu toti cei 17 artisiti care iau parte la creatie.

Genial si de impact, sunt cateva cuvinte prin care pot descrie noua campanie Stella Artois.

The word of the day in UK academic research is “impact”, which means, roughly, research being noticed or making a difference outside “the academy”. (They don’t appear to count research-led teaching, which is the main way most of us have an “impact”. Nobody said this was all fair or logical). I object to the term “impact”; the image is very macho, very top-down, very important-scientist-saves-world-and-rest-of-us-look-on-in-awe, very inappropriate to subjects where human beings are studied. Still, it’s what we’re stuck with.The fashion in arts and humanities is to talk the even-more-horribly-named “impact agenda” (who invents these things?) down; and with many, many good reasons, mostly to do with the fact that we have as yet seen no good definitions of “impact”, its nature and its measurement, that would remotely do justice to the way research and its reception actually works.

I do not, however, have a problem with the idea that public servants ought to be able to give some kind of public account of the value of their work. And I have even less of a problem with the idea that my colleagues who give talks and write articles and offer advice for all sorts of “non-academic” groups should finally start getting some credit for this, rather than having to do it in their “free time” and feel vaguely guilty about not spending that time doing real academic work.

Under Solen co-founder and social media diva Anna Brones is competing to be Huffington Post’s Hopenhagen Ambassador.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is only weeks away. And that means that a decision on the future of our climate is imminent. HuffPost in conjunction with Hopenhagen.org is sending one person to Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference to both represent concerns of people around the world and to report back daily as a HuffPost citizen journalist.

Anna sums it up best in her video: “We are the last generation that gets to decide if we act on climate change. So let’s act together and ensure that all of our voices are heard.”

So, vote for Anna. I’d recommend you give her a 10, too! But I’ll let you decide that for yourself.

“Were you one of those verbally abused, physically blocked from entering, herded from your bus at the entrances to UCD today, had people sitting on the bonnet of your car? Democratic right to protest? What about democratic right to cross a picket? …” (discussion thread)

[Boards.ie, 25 November]

Our addiction to single-use plastics is leaving us with a severe problem of plastic pollution. The more plastic we consume, the more makes its way down the waste stream and ends up in our oceans. This is creating a severe problem not only for the health of marine life, but also our very own. The Algalita Marine Research Foundation has been doing a lot of good work in this realm, having traveled to and done extensive research in the North Pacific Gyre (otherwise known as the trash vortex), and in early 2010 they’ll be sailing to the Atlantic Gyre to continue their research. Chair of the Portland Surfrider Chapter, Stiv Wilson, has been invited to come along on the research mission.

Wilson will be giving the mission a strong media voice, writing for his own publication Wend Magazine, as well as Surfrider, Huffington Post and beyond.

But he needs your support! Head on over to the incredible funding platform Kickstarter to learn more about Wilson’s journey and make a contribution. He needs to raise $3,500 before December 25th. Make a contribution (even as little as $20 helps out) and feel good knowing that you’re supporting research that will affect our future. Click here to help out.

Time is a funny thing. We all have the same amount if it. The same 24 hours. The same 1440 minutes and the same 86,400 seconds, every single day.

What we do with them determines the degree to which we have can impact our lives and the lives of others. I have read that some consider time an illusion. That may be true. Regardless, the impact we have on the lives of others is not an illusion. Make the best of it and use it well. Create meaningful impacts every single second of every single day. This is the basis of good customer experience.

Be your best!
Stay Sharp and good luck!
Until next time my friends,

TNA wrestler Kip James enjoys some NBA action. Obstructing his view of the game are Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Rosie Perez, Brooke Shields and Tracy Morgan.

De curand Lafarge – uriasul din domeniul constructiilor si WWF – World Wildlife Fund – una dintre cele mai mari organiziatii non-guvernamentale de protectie a mediului, au reinnoit parteneriatul dintre cele doua pentru inca patru ani. Parteneriatul ce dateaza tocmai din anul 2000 are ca scop colaborarea intre organizatii pentru minimizarea efectelor actiunilor Lafarge asupra mediului in locatiile in care activeaza in toate colturile lumii, parteneriatul fiind unul global.

De altfel Lafarge a fost primul jucator industrial ce a devenit partener al WWF, fiind si acum cel mai mare partener si primind ca urmare a rezultatelor obtinute certificatul “WWF Conservation Partner”. Acest certificat utilizat de Lafarge pe scara larga, de la scrisori pana la website, de la comunicate de presa pana la bilantul anual reprezinta si o dovada de marketing social din partea Lafarge, fapt ce-i atrage o perceptie pozitiva din partea clientilor, partenerilor si nu numai.

CEO-ul Lafarge spunea la semnarea prelungirii parteneriatului ca “din anul 2000 Lafarge a facut o multime de pasi in vederea imbunatatirii impactului asupra mediului, o multime de alti pasi mai sunt insa de facut.. un astfel de parteneriat e o ocazie fantastica de a confrunta viziunea unui mamut industrial cu cea a unei ONG“.

Zonele in care colaborarea este activa de ambele parti sunt tarile cu economii emergente (Brazilia, China, India) in care investitiile Lafarge sunt foarte mari datorita cererii in crestere si conjuncturii economice, de asemenea domeniile cheie sunt reducerea emisiilor de dioxid de carbon – se stie ca acestea sunt mari in cadrul activitatilor procesatorilor de ciment, reducerea poluarii permanente cu diverse materiale rezultate din activitatea de productie, reducerea consumului de apa, reabilitarea carierelor de extractie.. Piatra de temelie a constituit-o definirea si implementarea unor instrumente de masurare si monitorizare a efectelor activitatilor Lafarge asupra mediului, de aici pornind masurile de control si imbunatatire a operatiunilor.

Interesant este faptul ca dupa semnarea parteneriatului dintre cele doua parti, mai multi jucatori industriali si-au aratat interesul si disponibilitatea de a colabora cu WWF, vazand in ea nu doar un instrument de marketing ci si unul de crestere a eficientei sau o provocare in realizarea unei imbunatatiri a eficientei activitatilor proprii.

The turn of the century brought a rapid development, the development, which was slowly gaining momentum. Once the new heart crowned homes, kitchen remodeling has taken center stage when it comes to functionality, style and comfort. A project like this is carried out as one of the most expensive renovation jobs of many American homeowners. But you can spruce your home and add to New York with the economy in turmoilthe financial burden in place for many because of the prolonged housing crunch. How? Take to this Budget kitchen remodeling ideas.

You can do so much influence, without a fortune with his decision to low-cost tasks and significantly increase the productivity of the beauty of the area. Whether you're in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Long and Staten Iceland Iceland, consider the integration of any or all of these practical updates in your household kitchen remodelingProject:

New lighting

Exchange and is designed for modern lighting under your safest bet to bring a different look to your kitchen. Not only that the results be quick, this is also an economic step forward in strengthening the overall efficiency of your home and value along with productivity in the region.

Refinishing or Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

For a fraction of the cost, you can refinish or reface your cabinets instead of new install. Since the functionUsually the bulk of the costs, such a project would prove useful to your budget kitchen remodeling efforts. Other than saving you a great reduction on materials, this requires less work to lower wage costs. Since the cabinets are the building blocks of the heart from home, a new look or shine renewal is overhauled to bring about the necessary sparkle to your kitchen.

New look for your walls

Its walls and the floor is one of the properties that frequently used as a basis for the entire design of the room. And as a replacement for the ground can cost a good deal, then work on the walls would be an ideal place. Depending on your personal tastes and preferences, you can either painted or wallpapered to achieve even a combination of both to create a unique look. For a nice rich texture, the benefits of the various painting techniques.

Tile Backsplash

To inject the personality of your kitchen budget > Reconstruction illuminate the area with some beautiful tile backsplash. With the very wide range of colors, shapes, sizes and styles to get the tiles in backsplash, you will discover your possibilities would certainly be more pleasant. Bring the fun and creative flair for your family and guests to enjoy. You can even touch a craftsman in the kitchen with hand-painted tiles.

Decorative Moldings

The installation of decorative moldings would be a perfect complement to your kitchen budget> Remodeling project. It can be done either one, to give the finishing touches on your wall or around the project to add interest to your old, but still give good-looking walls. These can even be your kitchen cabinets for these high-end look, but incorporate inexpensive facelift.

We have been reminiscing about a previous Thanksgiving trip; we traveled to Farm Sanctuary in northern California that rescues animals like cows, goats, turkeys, pigs, rabbits, and others that are often found on farms. Farm Sanctuary is safe place though where animals live long lives and die of old age, not by man’s hand. On that trip we sat down with a flock of turkeys and fed a Thanksgiving dinner to them. To see these turkeys approach us unafraid seemed remarkable in itself. To sit on the earth with them, reach out, and hand feed them cooked squash and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie and watch them enjoy it filled our hearts. Feeding dinner to the turkeys was an incredibly soul-cleansing experience in compassion. Moments like this are what I am especially thankful for this time of year.

Since we’ve gotten so much interest on our Noah’s ARK – Design Sale, we figured we’d give you guys some more awesome parts to empty your wallets for!

From The Company:

Ark Design’s R8 Wheel is a lightweight one piece design, developed for style, performance and strength. The R8 features eight solid spokes plus a signature “Balance Ring” to provide rigidity for reduce wheel flex and strength from direct impact. The spoke and rim design are specifically developed for large high-performance brake caliper and rotor clearance. The R8 is available in 18 or 19 inch diameter and various widths and offsets to fit numerous cars. Ark Design’s R8 wheel has gone through rigorous quality testing and is JWL (Japan Light Alloy Wheel) and VIA (Vehicle Inspection Association) certified.

Alright now you know the jist of it. Now go to our Noah’s ARK -Design The Sequel sale on EvoXForums and get the details!

Simplicity is not poverty, and it is not simple. In fact simplicity requires considerable thought as you sort through various things to determine which resources can be limited in order to actually rely on God.

But another significant aspect of simplicity is the intentional celebration of life; enjoying the good (and often overlooked) things of life.

I have been reading through a reader called “Praying with Francis of Assisi” by Joseph Stoutzenberger, and there is a chapter about simplicity. Stoutzenberger writes an exercise I chose to take hold of while I sat in a Charlotte coffee shop with my buddy Justin Wallace as he prepared to speak for his group of college students that evening.

———

He writes:

Pour a glass of your favorite beverage, or slice up a piece of your favorite fruit, cheese, cake, pie, or bread. Set the glass or plate in front of you. Reflect on the wonder of drink and food, their color, texture, and composition from earth to their present state.

Next, savor the smell of the beverage or food. Finally, take one sip or bite, roll the drink around your tongue or chew the food slowly. Closing your eyes may help to get the full effect.

Finish drinking the beverage or eating the food very slowly, pausing between each sip or bite.

End this action by praising God for His simple wonder.

———

Done!