Hey guys - I know I didn't follow up on the GAB, or Raw/Impact/SD for that matter - this is different from other times I say I'll post and don't. This week I've been helping darling hubby on a major-ginormous project, getting my apartment clean for our impending trip (housesitter and all), and BLOGATHONing on my other blog today (check a post or two down, or http://sarcasm.blogdrive.com for details. And I have NO desire to be on the computer tomorrow after this day lol.

So what say we make a date? Tuesday I will post my reax to Raw. Sound like a plan? YAAAAAY! See you then.

XO - Sarah

So it's about 10 hours before the GAB, and here is the finalized card and my thoughts on each match.

CRUISERWEIGHT OPEN: Chavo Guerrero vs. Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Jamie Noble vs. Shannon Moore vs. Funaki
My thoughts on this match are a bit mixed. On the one hand, after a long period of time of giving the cruiserweight title even less attention than is right, what a great way to spotlight almost all of WWE's great cruiserweight talent. Wreslers like Noble, Moore, and Funaki deserve some PPV time, as does the cruiser division. However, a surefire way of cheapening the belt is with highly confusing, multi-man matches like TNA has cheapened the X-division with at times. The success of this match will depend on how well they manage to keep the action follow-able and under control in that sense. PREDICTION: Jimmy Wang Yang.

SINGAPORE CANE MATCH: Sandman vs. Carlito
This feud seems kind of random to me, but then Sandman not being on ECW seems kind of random to me. I haven't seen Carlito in too many 'hardcore' environments to my recollection so it will be interesting to see how he does. Having said that - Sandman's an older ECW original in the twilight of his career - three strikes against him in the eyes of McMahonism. Look for him to do the job and put Carlito over. PREDICTION: Carlito.

WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH: Candice Michelle vs. Melina
These two have really impressed me and I'm excited for this match - while it doesn't make sense to give Candice such a short run with the belt, I think Melina is longterm the more bankable star. Look for her to regain here, and start a feud with Mickie James. As an alternative, look for Beth Phoenix to get herself involved, thereby starting a feud with one woman or another. PREDICTION: Melina.

US TITLE MATCH: MVP vs. Matt Hardy
The only thing easy to call about this match is that if the guys are allowed to do their thing - really do their thing - it will be an amazing fight. These are two top-notch competitors and I'm looking forward to them entertaining me. It will be a tremendous match between two men who really deserve the US title, and there would be no disappointing result. It's a win-win situation, and the REAL winner; the fans. PREDICTION: If I have to put it on one, I'll go with MVP, as he only recent won the belt. If he loses it to Matt, look for the feud to continue with the belt being traded fairly frequently between them.

INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE MATCH: Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy
It's interesting that both Hardy brothers are fighting for singles gold on this card. I want to give WWE credit for some smart booking and predict that the wwe.com story about sibling rivalry was a teaser - that one will win their belt and the other will turn heel out of jealousy (most likely Matt, as he's had a harder row to hoe to get to where he is). But that's way too interesting a story for WWE to book ... isn't it? In terms of this match, I think Umaga's been too destroyed by playing the McMahons' lackey to really play the indestructable monster right now. He'll get his heat back at Summerslam against the Jackass boys ... they wouldn't want the belt on him for THAT would they? PREDICTION: Jeff Hardy, possibly due to some interference/causing some friction with his brother Matt.

TEXAS BULLROPE MATCH: Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
I think this will actually be a pretty good match - they're hiding the Dust's flaws in a match that suits his style, and that has lots of opportunity for questionable wins, for violence, and to create a really emotional moment with Dusty being hurt by the brash, cocky young Legend Killer. I also see a major opportunity for a Cody Rhodes heel turn here, which I think would be interesting. Poor Dusty - he just can't seem to keep the love of his sons. PREDICTION: Randy Orton's the longterm performer here; he will win, with the help of Cody, Dusty's son.

ECW TITLE MATCH: John (don't call me Nitro) Morrison vs. CM Punk
This is a toughie, because both guys, as Zah pointed out over at World Wrestling Insanity, are at a pretty precarious position in their career. John Morrison won the ECW title on a fluke, because Chris Benoit infamously and tragically no-showed a PPV at which he was supposed to win the ECW title. He had been doing the job pretty routinely for months, and has to prove he belongs on this level of playing field. However CM Punk has been chasing the ECW title for so long, it's time he prove he can play with the big boys. They need to very carefully arrange this so neither guy gets hurt in terms of their credibility. PREDICTION: Expect a confusing ending, in which neither guy wins, or else in which CM Punk wins in some questionable manner. I don't see Morrison rightfully holding onto the title here.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: The Great Khali vs. Kane vs. Batista
Big Dave should win this one here. Hands down. I have nothing else to say. Come back soon Edge, Undertaker ... PLEASE!!! We miss you. PREDICTION: Batista.

WWE Title Match: John Cena vs. Bobby Lashley
I sniff Triple H's onscreen return here - his first match back will be Summerslam, but his first TV appearance should not be given away for free if they're building him up so strongly. And I can't imagine him caring enough about any other match - except maybe the Orton-Rhodes one, as Orton put him AND his DX partner out of action - enough to be bothered. Regardless I'm sticking to my usual policy on this one ... PREDICTION: Bet on Cena. You'll only be wrong once.

Hey guys - sorry I've neglected you, my wrestling Sarah-maniacs (or something) in the past 10 days-2 weeks or so. I've been busy and just getting back into the swing of things with my other online stuff too. I will be on later today/tomorrow with my GAB predictions. In the meantime -

Check out Zah's "Shakin' My Head" column over at World Wrestling Insanity - every week he picks three contributors to answer three major wrestling-related questions at the end of his column, and yours-truly did so this week. I provide my thoughts on Great Khali as new world champion (poor Edge - beyond not being able to get a break, the poor guy's being tormented, he keeps getting these half-breaks dangled under his nose, and then taken away from him for stupid reasons), on the likelihood of Samoa Joe as TNA champion, and my thoughts on the recent ratings dips experienced by Monday Night Raw.

Till later, jobbers. :)

*reposted from my other blog, SARcasm.

Hey all, so thanks to stumbling across a Facebook note written by an old friend of mine, Tatiana Warkentin-Hamill, I was introduced today to an event known as Blogathon. What is Blogathon? Well, much like Wake-A-Thons or 30-Hour Famines we all might have done in school or church groups, it's literally a 'blog' marathon. Myself and other bloggers (including Tatiana) have to write blogs every 30 minutes for 24 hours. It's from 6 am on July 28, until 6 am the next day. But this is crazy blogging with a difference ...

Namely; it's for charity. The charity I've chosen to blog, right here, for is Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. I chose this particular type of charity as a wrestling fan, in light of the recent murder of Nancy Benoit by her husband, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, to bring light to the problems women face in abusive or violent situations.

The specific services WCSWR provides are as follows:

1. Emergency shelters and services for abused women and their children
2. 24 hour emergency shelter
3. referrals, legal and court support, advocacy
4. crisis line support
5. outreach program
6. groups and one-on-one support
7. housing support.

These are all important services to those getting out of abusive home situations. You can find out more about WCSWR at their website, http://www.wcswr.org.

Now how do you donate, you ask? Easy! You go to the list of blogs (link provided below), and you find mine, the one labeled SARcasm. There, you can click 'donate now'. It's as easy as that, and if I don't keep up my blogging for the 24 hours, you are under no obligation to donate. Also, for those of you with no computer or pesky dialup access for which this is too difficult - I can make a proxy donation in your name!

Don't have a whole lot of money of your own to donate right now? That's fine. Some other ways you can help - pass the word along to friends, for one. Or pick your own charity, and blogathon yourself!

Now you might be wondering ... donations? Reading her blog updates that day? Blogathoning myself? How might I do these things. Well! It is now time for ...

A few other important links!

To find out about Blogathon itself, go to blogathon.org. There you can find out more about how it works. You can also sign up to Blogathon yourself.

To find a list of involved blogs (and the charities they're donating to), check out http://www.blogathon.org/list.php. There you can also donate to any of the charities - they're all great picks so don't be shy if there's one you feel more strongly about. Particularly check out "Deadly Waves of Stupidness" - Tatiania's blog, who got me started on this whole thing - and "SARcasm" - mine. :)

For that matter, continue to check out my blog at sarcasm.blogdrive.com and go check out hers, http://www.xanga.com/Luv_Monkee

Thanks for your support guys, and check blogathon.org out on the 28th - it sounds like an experience! :)

Petition to Unionize WWE - Click here.

Please read this article at the Pro Wrestling Torch - I have dealt for years with questioning and criticism as a wrestling fan, and this is probably the first thing ever (or at least in a very long time) to actually prick my conscience, and to make me realize we in our demands are just as responsible for what these men go through as Vince or anyone else. We pay our dollars for PPVs, merch, videos, tickets, and we add to their ratings (and thus ad revenues) by watching their free programming.

I don't think it's a good idea to stop watching completely, as that will just shut down a business that I feel if properly regulated CAN be great fun for us, and for the performers - but I definitely think I'm going to get on a roll and start a unioinization campaign. All join me! :D

Click here to read Pro Wrestling Insider's analysis of Chris Jericho's appearance as a panelist on CNN-HN's Nancy Grace show last night. It'll help you get a handle on what I'm about to rant about.

It is in fact a very intelligent assessment - an amazing feat considering the utter sensationalistic stupidity of the show itself. Really guys, to anyone who villifies wrestlers, wrestling fans, or others associated with the business as stupid or at least foolish, I think the lot of us have been coming off as more informed and intelligent since the Benoit tragedy than ANYONE in the mainstream media - at least cable news. I have seen and read very little 'out there' that reflects the journalists know a thing about wrestling - nor, in light of a major news story involving it, have they taken the time to do their homework.

Particularly, grating, at least on this panel (besides the thankfully one-of-a-kind Ms. Grace herself, of course), was Louis Fernando Llosa. Mr. Llosa, with all due respect - and that's not much - you're an idiot. A complete and total idiot, an insult to journalism, and thank Christ my husband cancelled his SI subscription or I'd be cancelling it for him. How does an uninformed vegetable like you get hired at such a respectable magazine? Or is wrestling just BENEATH a legit sports reporter like yourself? Are OJ and Tyrell Owens more up your alley, then? Tie Domi? Todd Bertuzzi? Or are you in the dark as to who they are too?

But I digress. Bottom line, folks - anyone who hosts these shows - or, conversely, participates in a panel on one - having done no research disgusts me. If it was Barry Bonds or Wayne Gretsky, or Tom Cruise or Paris Hilton, the effort would be made to know about their life's work (to the extent it's relevant) and the official circumstances surrounding everything.

Nancy Grace citing (several times) rumours that Chris Benoit himself had been murdered when I haven't heard those since late Mon. night, or that just prior to Benoit's death he had been demoted from "the 4 Horsemen to Raw"? Louis Llosa coming on the show not having the foggiest clue about the chronology of the events he was supposed to be commenting on? No surprise the one and only person actually involved in wrestling on the panel came off as the most informed and aware - he WAS the only one who cared enough to think and consider what had happened before going on a show to discuss it.

Look, it's a journalism basic. If a story is worth your time, do your research. Anderson Cooper found covering Paris Hilton the other night distasteful, but he took his time to do it properly. Whether the mainstream media wants to acknowledge it or not, wrestling is a very popular sport with a reasonably large following. That means that there is at least a small but significant portion of society right now having a hard time dealing with a tremendous loss and tragedy - if you can't respect Chris and/or his family and/or those in his profession, at least respect his fans, who are probably frankly the only ones REALLY watching your show(s) on this topic anyway ... and thus bringing in your advertising dollars ... by giving it a fair treatment.

Or give it no mainstream treatment at all. We wrestling fans are used to THAT much. And just as a PS? Don't, DON'T mention names like Owen Hart in the same sentence as drug related wrestling deaths! Although ... why not. It's not like every single one of those panelists - save one - wasn't revealed for the ignorant asses they were during this discussion last night.

Thank you, Chris Jericho - you know, one of those dumb RASSLERS - for being the voice of reason on a hard-hitting, analytical news show. I *heart* Y2J.

Can someone tell me how to reconcile the loathing and sickness I feel towards Chris Benoit and what he did to his wife and especially his child, while still respecting his work in helping younger wrestlers, the validity of his handshake, his work in the ring?

Can someone tell me this was some messed up, drug-induced, out-of-character occurence for him, that he was sick, and that on those grounds I can still love who he seemed to be, what he stood for in the business, minus the last 3-4 days?

Disgusted someone almost 6' tall and 200+ pounds resorted to killing a woman and a VERY young child ... angry at this man for letting down his fans, his colleagues, but most importantly his family and friends ... sad we've lost a great performer ... disappointed a hero can fall so damn far.

Can someome tell me this is just a bad dream? Can I wake up yet?

Hold your loved ones close - make sure they feel safe. It is all our responsibility.

Twice in a little over a year
This is tragic
This time a whole family
At least no grieving widow
To be exploited

Chris was an original
A professional
Whose handshake meant something
In a business where
They were all preludes
To a double-cross

First Sherri, now Chris ...
Vince can we drop it now?
It is offensive to run a death
'Storyline'
When so much real tragedy
Surrounds you

Although I suppose
You might be used to it by now
Shame

OK yeah so I think I've used that as a title before, but it's true this time. It's now the summer and I've got plenty to comment on. I'll be on tomorrow with my Vengeance predics, I just wanted to remind everyone I'm still alive. Teaching just beat the crap out of me for the year and had me down for the count. Anyone from here out who disrespects Matt Striker - I'd pick a career in the ring over this any day. ;)

Anyway ... the one thing I have to comment on is what everyone else is commenting on - the apparent demise of Mr. McMahon (particular method of referral to the Chairman chosen very deliberately). I will echo some sentiments I've read in a few places - I did not have a problem with this angle, and still do not inherently. In fact I think it's a great way to push the envelope and get ratings. Wrestling has been doing that for years, and hell -- just look at Eddie Guerrerro, has been exploiting the concept of death is not new in McMahon-land. However, if we are going to drop all pretense of propriety and out-and-out have death as an angle, then there have to be some boundaries, which WWE has thus far had a mixed bag of following. First of all, the 10-bell salute and overly-serious reaction of announcers and wrestlers is unnecessary. Esoecially in light of "Sensational" Sherri Martel's actual death within days of McMahon's fake one. It should be a much more tongue-in-cheek affair, which they've tried to do in some ways, such as with Cryme Tyme selling off Vinnie's things, and the new WWE.com t-shirt ("I DID IT"). But time will tell how this plays out - they'd better have a good pay-off, though this is WWE. I won't believe it till they do. Not that I believe they won't either, just that they're unpredictable in what they'll do well and what they won't.

RVD is gone, I'm presuming to TNA when he can although those in the know say he's taking some time off and who can blame him. It'll be interesting to see where he winds up. And the draft turned out pretty well. I was concerned at ECW and SD getting the short end of the draft stick with Raw getting built up, but it's kind of understandable in light of the spate of injuries that have hit Raw (not that SD's been unscathed by that either ...), and ECW and SD this week have done pretty well incorporating their new talent into their programming.

I also want to encourage you guys to head over to http://www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com and read Zah's "Shakin' My Head". He's got a very interesting US/Intercontinental dream title tournament going on right now, and every vote counts (three matches in this last bracket were decided by one vote). It's fun and interesting to observe.

As I said -back tomorrow with Vengeance predix.  And just remember - he has died for our sins of criticizing him and his fed, fans, and shall be back to sit in judgement of us non-believers in McMahonism. ;) Cheers.