EA SPORTS FIFA WORLD CUP 2014; hit or miss???

In previous posts and articles, we do this strictly out of pure harmless fun, well we try!

In this reiteration of another attempt to recreate the ever prized World Cup magic from EA SPORTS, is this doing much more harm than good to gamers and our oftentimes 'unsizable' wallets? The new FIFA World Cup 14 game is going be the new rave of the town! Why?? Because this is simply FIFA! No matter how hard EA Sports try at this time, this project won't fail... yet.

Here's a few reasons why FIFA are the triumphant kings in this one way street of football gaming battle:

• Konami never had the resources nor the power to compete with a global powerhouse like EA Sports and judging from the looks of this, they never will, not by a long shot.

• Despite the lack of licensing of FIFA 14 tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Europa League, EA Sports managed to get everything well put together, and besides the proper licensing of major Leagues, they managed to also get every single club and player details pound for pound in comparison to their real life details/features, which Konami has failed to achieve holistically time and time again!

• Who is FIFA's competition? MADDEN? NBA 2K14? Doubt that! This time around EA Sports have pushed the envelope to the limit of their gem, and surrounded it with a massive wave of promotions annually, some which even have featured Leo Messi and rap genius himself Snoop Dogg from previous commercial installments, this is simply awesome if you ask me!

• EA Sports have allowed Americans to actually care more about 'soccer' as it's affectionately called, because, let's be real, the gameplay leaves one intrigued about picking up a copy of all FIFA games since the first installment of FIFA 97 just to relive the epic generational transformation from title to title.

• Most importantly, it's World Cup baby! EA Sports have done it again!! They have created a huge new bank account strictly for the sales to be further earned from their WORLD CUP 2014 game, because of course, World Cup is only a matter of just mere weeks away! Who wouldn't want to represent their favorite country on the road to success? I would! 

• Finally, EA Sports created the opportunity for players to relive their dream, and begin the journey in their World Cup qualifying mode, so no more riding off into the sunset without ever wondering how the hell you got there first! Now you have the option to work your butt off till it hurts to participate in the greatest show on earth, even if it's powered by only a simple controller with DualShock 3 capabilities! Amazing!

Check out this FIFA WORLD CUP game clip below... The graphics are fantastic!

If I may stray off topic for a second here, I only wish EA had put in more time in perfecting Battlefield 4 the way EA Sports have nearly perfected their FIFA games, if only...!  The question begs to ask, should I acquire FIFA WORLD CUP 2014? I mean the demo was red hot, spectacular improvement on physics and a slight tweak on the game's engine, especially regarding off the ball movements which has been something EA has been quietly struggling with for a while, the one thing maybe Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer has mastered really well. My answer to the question, 'NO'! Reason being, FIFA 15 will be out in only a couple of months, just a couple, maybe September. Splashing USD $60 is way too much for what seems like only an expansion to FIFA 14, something that should've been definitely made as a DLC for way less than $30 bucks. FIFA World Cup 2014 is an amazing experience, no doubt, but I think for now I'll stay put with FIFA 14 and be extremely satisfied with my decision as it stands.

FIFA World Cup 2014 is in stores now! Will you back down? Or will you get up and 'play'?

2014 NBA PLAYOFFS: GO HARD OR GO HOME!

It’s that time of year – April- the month when the boys are separated from the men; the pretenders differentiated from the contenders. 16 teams remain, all with one dream, to hoist the NBA trophy and crown themselves kings of the wooden court. The Miami Heat has been judge and jury for the past 2 seasons and will undoubtedly be one of the favorites for this season’s title. Will it be a 3-peat or will Indiana step the pace up en route to championship glory? Will San Antonio be spurred to victory through the wisdom, skill and experience of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli or will Kevin Durrant, Rusell Westbrook & Co. roll the Thunder to the 16 wins necessary to take home the gold? The 2014 NBA Playoffs begin Saturday, April 19^th with a first round encounter between the Brooklyn Nets and the Toronto Raptors. Here are our predictions for these eight thrilling ‘best-of-seven’ match-ups:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Indiana Pacers v Atlanta Hawks – can’t see this series being won by any team other than Indiana. Sorry Atlanta, you may have gotten the Pacers at a low-point when they have lost six of their last 10 games, but there is just too much star-power and hunger in this Indiana line-up. Look out for monster scoring games by Paul George and Roy Hibbert in this series. As the 7’2 Jamaican-born Centre mentioned on FirstTake on ESPN, “the big dog gotta eat”…Look for the Hawks to be roasted in 5.

Miami Heat v Charlotte Bobcats – so anytime I think of this series the first image that comes to mind is King James holding a giant broom. Uhm, do I smell a series SWEEP? Miami have been out of sorts in recent games but should get back to burning opponents in the playoffs. It’s been a good season Cats, enjoy the playoffs and make your city proud! Heat to rise in 4.

Toronto Raptors v Brooklyn Nets – now this will probably be the most tightly-contested pairing in the first round…in the East that is. The Raptors have improved drastically from last season’s showing to be ranked third in this season’s playoff bracket. The Brooklyn Nets is a newly acquired team of experienced ball handlers. The Big Ticket, The Truth and Derron Williams are all seasoned vets. This may prove decisive in a big pressure moment in a big pressure game. I would not bet my house on this series but I would shoot for the Nets in 7.

Chicago Bulls v Washington Wizards – well it doesn’t take a wizard to figure out who is favorites to win this series. Then again, if you’re a wizard (from Washington) you might just about figure it wrong. With Joachim Noah playing some MVP type ball this season, he may just prove to be the ark needed to sail Chi-town through this first round match-up. Washington has made good progress this season and have a great Wall in their midst. I aint on that Bull but i’m saying the Wizards will be disappearing in 6.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Antonio Spurs v Dallas Mavericks – Two of Texas’ three representatives will face off in an epic first round encounter. Eight years ago Dallas was the toast of the town capturing that elusive NBA title with victory over the Miami Heat in a highly entertaining final. Fast forward to 2014 and Dallas may very well not only be the toast of the town but may be grilled, fried and baked by San Antonio if future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan and his capable allies are allowed to play to their optimum. Dirk Nowitski’s team can be a match for anyone on their day, but the question is…can they have 4 such days? A maverick in the true sense of the word is one that is different and ignores conformity. My predictions are for San Antonio to be riding out on their horses in 5. Its up to Dallas to be true mavericks and show us that these playoffs can be different.

Oklahoma City Thunder v Memphis Grizzlies – what a difference a year makes…well at least to some teams. Whilst the thunder have remained the same ruthless force they’ve been for the past few seasons, the Grizz have fallen off somewhat. Memphis made it to their first ever Western Conference final last year, only to be totally outclassed and outsmarted by the San Antonio Spurs. Can Zack Randolph and his troops march back into championship contention or will K.D. and the Thunder rain on the Grizzlies’ parade? I totally expect the 2014 scoring champion, Kevin Durrant, to take the bears by the scruff of the neck and to knock the stuffing out of them. Don’t be surprised if the big homie averages approximately 30 points, 7 boards and 5 dimes a games during this series. He’s hungry and the table is set for the eating. Thunder to roll in 6.

Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors – In my opinion, this is the match-up of the first round. Two good teams looking to do good things. Only thing is, just one can advance to the 2^nd round. Steph Curry, Blake Griffin, C.P.3 are all ultimate entertainers and should give viewers very good value for their money. The Clippers have just recorded their best ever regular season record and would love to culminate that success in NBA Championship triumph. Mark Jackson’s warriors will make a golden statement should they eliminate the Clips. A win for Doc Rivers’ L.A. boys would be just as impressive. Looking forward to all 7 games of this amazing series. On a coin toss, I’ll say Warriors to clip the series 4-3.

Houston Rockets v Portland Trailblazers – Houston we have lift off! It’s been a mighty long while since Rocket fans have been this optimistic about their team’s chances of going all the way. Dwight Howard, James Harden, Chandler Parsons and the H-Town Massive have been playing great ball all season and look set to appear as real challengers for the western crown. The Trailblazers though are no pushovers and have done pretty well themselves this season. Honestly I won’t even speak too much about this series…I have supported the Rockets since ’94 and I just want see my boys do well…and progress to the next round. “Houston we have a problem!” uhhm… I better not be hearing that from Mr. McHayle and his staff…I hope we’ll be blazing a trail of success beginning with Portland. I’m predicting the Rockets to take off in 5.

Real Madrid Copa del Rey Champions +major Scores across Europe

photo courtesy of BBC Sport

Congratulations to REAL MADRID for winning the Copa del Rey 2014!!

Top European games for 4/16/2014:

Copa del Rey Final

Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid


Barclay's Premier League

Everton 2-3 Crystal Palace

Manchester City 2-2 Sunderland


German DFB Pokal Semi Final

Bayern Munich 5-1 Kaiserslautern

Go Bale or Go Home! - (Barcelona vs Real Madrid Copa del Rey Final)

As the clock winds down for today's massive Copa del Rey showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid, all eyes will be on the man with the biggest number on his back, Gareth Bale. And no, I'm not referring to his number 11 print, I'm definitely pointing to the $130 million transfer price tag that's still sticking out of his well pressed Madrid jersey. Bale has taken no prisoners during his illustrious career in England, where the former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker wasted no time setting himself apart from the rest of his competitors during his last 3 seasons at White Hart Lane. Gareth has done the talking with his feet to justify that he's is among the world's best, but is he yet to prove that point at the Santiago Bernabeu?

Bale has so far netted in 14 goals in 25 appearances this season for Real Madrid, with this of course being his first season with the Los Merengues. He has so far enjoyed a pretty decent season with the club, but unfortunately, the 24 year old forward from Wales, has yet to justify his bank-buster price-tag. With the absence of Real Madrid's top  player, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale must now more than ever step up to the plate in tonight's clash with long-time rivals Barcelona if he is to prove that his world record signing was indeed not a bust. Bale will be elated knowing that Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are most likely among the list of absentees due to injuries, but that won't be enough to cover the fact that standing across the other end of the field will be the magician himself, Leo Messi and his notorious partners in crime which also includes Neymar and Iniesta! Bale will not be without proper reinforcements as the ever improving Luka Modric won't be too far from sight and Angel Di Maria will also offer some comfort as the Argentinian has simply been on fire this season! It's going to be a warfare tonight, as Bale will be the man to lead his team to battle, against a rival that aren't too keen on losing in el clasico!

The factor that will be in Bale and Madrid's favor, no doubt, will be the recent slump in Barca's season so far, as they currently sit third place in the La Liga table, four points behind leaders Atletico, with only four games remaining; also the grueling fact that they were convincingly knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals also by high-flying Atletico! If there is ever a time for Bale to shine, it has to be now! Bale thankfully is far from becoming a Madrid flop like Brazil's Kaka, but he has still yet to justify that title as the World's most expensive player. He has to bring that A-game in tonight's showdown, and this will finally prove to the world that he's either a hit or miss acquisition.

As for this season, Bale's goals have come only when his team have hitherto sealed their victory. He is yet to score a goal that changes the course of the game for Real, with the exception of his debut goal against Villarreal where the match ended 2-2 at the Estadio El Madrigal back in September 2013. He needs to also perform in the big games, where so far he has been all but invisible. Bale was signed to bring more trophies to the club, and stand out from the rest; and while he hasn't been in bad form this year, he has to eventually step it up if he's planning to stick around the Bernabeu for a long time, and most importantly, making the fans happy!

With that being said, I'm predicting a 3-2 Real Madrid victory, and I'm ready to bet my bottom dollar that Bale will unleash in tonight's game to answer his critics, that the price tag on his back is no heavier weight than his coveted number 11.

NBA 2014... already one heck of a season!

The Champs are Here! By now it's suggestive that I'm making a corny reference to the almighty Miami Heat! Although it can be argued that this great tower of power isn't so sharp anymore as of late; are they still a force to be taken lightly? Come to think of it, it's almost impossible to miss the fact that Miami aren't as hot as they were two years ago, but let's take a look at why they may still pull it off. Make no mistake about it, the last team you want to mess up against at this point is in fact Miami, not just because of their star trinity (James, Wade & Bosh) nope, but also the ugly truth that these guys really have that IT factor, the killer instinct; because when it's all said and done, the Heat sure know how to win when it matters most; and I say this, they know how to bring home the prize!

Miami's real challenge at this point will definitely come in the form of the Indiana Pacers & the San Antonio Spurs, which is a heck of a dilemma as they will have to beat not just one, but the two best teams right now in the NBA if they wish to hold on to their crown as kings of basketball! We know it's possible, it's doable, to say the very least, but the Heat will have to bring the house down if they want to see their gold again! 

There's no doubt in my mind that as much as Miami fans would love to see this cinderella story play on forever, bad news is the Heat maybe have only another two years at best with it's current team to enjoy the success they have been reaping for the past three years, as their team seems to getting a little bit old! But hey, that's just my opinion, but fate will have it that we are in for one heck of a nail biting Playoff series! My prediction? HEAT vs SPURS in the Finals! I'm betting on King James to deliver the KO punch that sends Miami to a third successive Championship, end of story! Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will have just about enough gas to drive the Spurs to the Final, but just not enough to make it back home. Simply, Heat will win this 4-2!

Why haven't I even mentioned Paul George until now? Well thankfully I just did, but it ends here, as I just don't think this will be the kid's year. I'm impressed at the hype he's been been generating, he's got skills but thats just what it will be, only a hype for now, a lesson learnt well when I had that unrewarded faith in Kevin Durant back in 2012, sorry!

I won't go any deeper as the Playoffs will undoubtedly be an open book; all statistics will be thrown out the window, history won't matter, only the game! 

Good morning everyone! And do enjoy this fantastic day! Stay safe!

Jamaican football will rise again, but only if....

Who could forget that glorious moment when the Jamaican Football team was once on top of the World? Yes I admit, there wasn't a trophy to show for it, but at this point you football enthusiasts and historians reading this should by now figure out I'm speaking of the coveted FIFA World Cup in France of '98! What began as a routine series of qualifiers that started with Jamaica's humble 1-0 victory over Suriname back on April 21, 1996, ended in quite the fairy tale fashion that quickly swept the sports universe off it's feet! November 16, 1997, will forever be remembered, and rightfully so! Jamaica 0-0 Mexico was the final song that the fat lady sang all throughout the National Stadium in Kingston Jamaica that day, all the way through to the final whistle! The capacity crowd of 35,700 at  'The Office' erupted like never before, as they united with the rest of the nation to bear witness to the Nation's glory of booking their tickets to the World Cup Finals, a fete that has never be repeated even up to this very day. 'WE  MEK IT, WE FINALLY REACH!' were the cries of a 71 year old local male shopkeeper from the city of Montego Bay that echoed throughout the nation's euphoria, along with pot covers of all shapes & sounds that went banging from one house to another, while even the skies paid tribute in its own way, emitting Black, Green & Gold for the world to know, the Reggae Boyz were coming!!!

A once renowned national achievement has now become nothing but a jaded memory that a nation has ultimately hoped to one day regain for the past 16 years and counting. Let's be real, Jamaica has produced some of the greatest athletes in the world... period! Names like; Merlene Ottey, Juliet Cuthbert, Herb McKenley, Deon Hemmings, Veronica Campbell, Shelly-ann Fraser, Theodore Whitmore, Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and the legend himself, Usain Bolt, have all made the headlines that have all been impactful in placing Jamaica on the map with the occasional 'big-ups' to go along with it. This is a really proud country that shows no fear, and this goes to show to the world that in this case, size doesn't matter, but results may vary!

I believe over the years the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has lost sight of one of the main product that a country needs in order to grow wholistically, maintaining its youth program. The Manning Cup and DaCosta Cup have been for decades, providing the public with some fantastic piece of entertainment, not to mention when one side of the football stand jumps to their feet and in unison shout 'GOOOAAALLLL!!' There's no greater feeling than following your alma mater on their journey to hoisting their respective cup in the air and blocking roads as the unlucky ongoing motorists then realize in sudden time that they are stuck in the celebrations as well! Now to the flip-side of the coin, when all's said and done, and graduation day finally emerges for these young and promising athletes, most of them are nowhere to be found! Is this true or am I just rambling incessantly? Answer, TRUE. Not everyone these days get as lucky as the 16 year old Jamaican wonderkid Leon Butler who got that scintillating deal with sports giants Nike earlier this year, congratulations to Mr. Butler by the way. Jamaican Football needs a hero, it needs help, but that can be done? The suggestion is simple, commercialize the National Premier League! There are leagues across the Caribbean, namely the TT Pro League in Trinidad and Tobago which has even adopted its very own professional transfer policy and the 'no salary cap restrictions' policy, which is a step in the right direction of enticing high school graduates into the professional world of football. What we fail to recognize, I believe, is that football isn't just a game, its business, a job that requires full-time attention. We can go back and make reference to prominent leagues such as the Barclay's Premier League, the La Liga in Spain and of course the German Bundesliga just to name a few, but that won't solve the problem, will it? Our recent partnership with the MLS is a glimmer of hope, but that won't suffice my friend. Jamaica needs to establish a more active program that caters to our youth and recruit them right after high school, utilizing their talent even after their stints representing the Reggae Boyz at the under-17/20 level. Much of our well established high school star players have gone to be an unfortunate has-been who can only reminisce on the days when they were once stars back when it mattered. Sad to say, superstar players such as Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge have both been enjoying all of their success in professional football, representing a stellar club that is Liverpool FC and a country currently on the hunt for their second World Cup title, England. I have no doubt that had these guys been included in Jamaica's National team, the Reggae Boyz would've been in a different position today, maybe even packing their bags for Brazil as we speak! There's a lot more of the Sterlings and the Sturridges in this country, we need to find them and mold them into national sensations at any cost! 

Jamaican Football needs effective leadership, and strict requisites put in place in order for one to be appointed Technical Director of the National Team. It needs the proper financial backing to see the country's dream take wings once again. I implore the JFF, and the organizations responsible for the domestic league, to take heed of what's happening, and cease to allow our talented young stars to keep drifting away in the wind, but instead utilize them to their full potential so they can finally aid in the rebuilding process of the National team. Gone are the days of having half the national players being 'english based', that is now long in the past; this country needs to focus more on developing the fresh products from home, right here in Jamaica! Explore extensive partnerships than what is currently in place, not only the Digicel Foundation, etc., but also the possibility of additional scholarships for these talented young and upcoming athletes, give them hope that all isn't lost, that their talent isn't only for show, but a reward isn't too far from sight. Football is not just a game, its life; it's what brings unity to a population of 3 million. Men and women, boys and girls gather to salute their national heroes on the big stage. I am 100% certain Jamaican football can once again rise to even greater heights than it did in '98, and be on par with the US Soccer team, and even Mexico, but it's what will be done from here on in that will prove what happens next. Jamaica! Are we finally ready to fight?

WWE RAW 4/14/14 Review in a NUTSHELL! (Tribute to Ultimate Warrior)

Photo from wwe.com

Great opening segment for the show tonight with the superstars making their way out and paying tribute with the WWE Universe to salute the late James Brian Hellwig, aka 'The Ultimate Warrior' who sadly passed away on April 8, 2014. R.I.P great WARRIOR, you will be missed and forever immortalized....

LETS GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD!

So here we have it, an elimination style tournament to see who's gonna be number 1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship? SWEET!

RVD def Del Rio

The first match with Del Rio vs the returning (again) RVD, was better than I expected. RVD laid a few impressive moves on Del Rio while the Mexican Aristocrat himself wasn't a bit too shabby but far from his best tonight, maybe he really needs Ricky Ricardo back with him on ringside! Man Alberto catapulted his way to the top then taken a heck of a freefall back to where he once started since his big debut... I can't help but think this guy's talent has gone down the drain since his clash with the ever popular 'Super-Cena' back at Hell in a Cell last October where he lost his coveted World Heavyweight Championship to the ever predictable monotonous symbol of Mr. You can't See Me! Not taking anything away from RVD, but I mean this guy has been damn well gone for a while now, is he going to once again grab his knickers and run away again after his short return to WWE? Eh, time will tell... Great win I must say for RVD with that 5 star frog splash!

Ryback/Axel def The Rhodes Brothers

Cody gave a hell of a show tonight and I'm more than convinced this kid needs to push himself away from his partnership with Goldust which only lasted for the moment it was fresh, which again was sometime last year?!  Ryback and Axel took a win that they finally needed to convince the fans (if they still have any left) that they are a force to be reckoned with, if thats the case. We're now looking at a bunch of goons dumped out of Heyman Academy, and it breaks my heart that these two had so much promise! Ryback needs to also break away from Axel, and be a star again, because man, as of late, the 'FEED ME MORE' chants would be once again well received by WWE at this point! We want back the old RYBACK!

Paige vs Alicia Fox

MAMMA MIA! What can I say??? Paige is young but man she's got it going on in the ring and she's not too bad on the eyes if you ask me... Why isn't she on Total Divas again?? Hmm WWE better look into that... This girl is an exciting talent and after her victory over Alicia Fox with that mesmerizing submission maneuver called the Scorpion Cross, Natalya you better scoot over cause 'The Champ is Here!' Come to think of it, how about 'Paige vs Natalya' Submission Match at Extreme Rules?? WWE please book this!

The USOs vs Orton & Batista

The exchange was quite entertaining in the opening segment of this bout... Usos displayed their athleticism to the maximum tonight and held up well against two of WWE's most decorated athletes to date (yes I'm talking about Batista too)... This is a big push for the USOs more than Orton and Tista regarding the match, giving them more challenges to prove themselves as worthy holders of the Tag Titles that is slowly getting back to prominence but still nowhere near touching distance of the days of the Road Warriors and the Godwins... The Shield made their presence felt by whooping some good ol' a** and raising hell on Orton and Tista tonight and laid them to waste pretty darn good like they were Big Bird and Cookie Monster, sad... I wonder if Orton/Tista might retaliate in some way tonight?? HMMM.... Guess we'll find out?

Cesaro def. Mark Henry

GUYS!!! Did you see that freaking neutralizer Cesaro hit on the world's strongest man?? It says it all, Cesaro is a future WWE World Heavyweight Champion! I guess this is now the guy that Ryback wants to be like? I almost forgot about Henry in this equation, this guy has lost the 'PAIN' in the 'Hall of Pain' and all I now see is one big empty hall that's now a storage space for unused junk... Mark has got to leave with what's left of his dignity. WWE has squandered this big guy's talent and turned him from the most feared athlete to a big side-boobed squash match master. Cesaro has advanced to the IC Semi-Finals with RVD.

Alexander Rusev def. Xavier Woods

(Yawn)... That sums up how I felt about this match... Feels like another Ryback Rewind... Rusev is only good for now until WWE eventually decides to turn him into The Great Khali version 2.0...

Sheamus def. Swagger

Good win for Sheamus in this one, he gave his usual best and unleashed the beast on Swagger tonight to advance to the IC Semi-Finals! Sheamus is another star who has been under the radar for some time and I just hope this is a push that will take him back to the promised land with the greats like Daniel Bryan and John Cena for example. As for Jack Swagger, you just plain SUCK dude! Swagger will always be good as a tag team partner because this guy fails to carry his own weight. Cesaro breaking away from this guy was the best thing Cesaro could've done for his career. Swagger lacks the most important thing, an in-ring personality.

Had to touch on the Wyatt/Cena promo tonight. For the most part this promo itself was entertaining because the Wyatts were involved thank God! Cena once again is trying a bit too hard to seem funny, almost as if his jokes were plain scripted perhaps? Some parts i tried to laugh so that I didn't seem that bored, but this promo that Cena pulled has been done before! Bray Wyatt on the other hand, held up well and carried the swing in the feud tonight, showing he's got the skills and the personality to carry the mantle as WWE's ultimate heel... Bray and Cena will lock up at Extreme Rules in a Steel Cage which will be awesome, but another defeat in the hands of Super-Cena will see Bray's push to the top be all but over....

Fandango & Layla def. Santino & Emma

FFFAAAANNNN-DDDAAANNN-GGGOOO!!! WE love this guy! But man am I tired of this rivalry! I was so happy to see Layla in that outfit for sure, but as for Santino and Emma, they can take a permanent leave of absence for all I care! Fandango needs to be pushed close to mid-level card and get the hell out of the low-tier field... It's a shame this guy didn't even make it to the IC Tournament tonight... such a waste...

Bad-News Barrett def. Dolph Ziggler

THIS IS AWESOME echoed around the sold out arena in Birmingham, Alabama tonight as this match kicked off perhaps the most exciting part of the show! Ziggler got one of the best matches of his career and this guy needs to keep working at it so he can finally be noticed again... I can't help but think maybe, just maybe. Ziggler would be better off as a heel? Just throwing it out there. Barrett was on fire! This guy reminded us why Nexus was so great with him at the forefront of the group... Barrett unleashed his Wasteland finisher and the Bull Hammer with venomous force tonight and man did the crowd go wild for WWE's top Englishman! This goes to show that WWE needs to invest more in their future stars and stop trying to get an old man like Sting to be on their show! Bad News Barrett has advanced to the IC Semi-Finals.

The Shield vs practically Everyone ended in a no-contest

Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Fandango, the entire 3MB, Titus O’Neill, Ryback, Axel, Alexander Rusev, and Bad News Barrett were all part of this weird Handicap match against a three member Shield? This was a heck of a punishment thrown out by the Authority for what happened on RAW last week, but I kinda think this was a wee bit too harsh! That a** whooping the Shield got tonight sorta brought back memories of the NWO, the 11 man team proved a bit too much for them and laid waste to the Hounds of Justice who tonight were nothing more than mere pups. If that wasn't enough for tonight, who's music do we hear after?? EVOLUTION is back!! Seeing Orton/Batista/Triple H all come out to their original Evolution music made the longtime WWE Universe feel a bit nostalgic tonight, but after all, its EVOLUTION! They made no mistake in laying the already destroyed Shield from a pile of rubble into a pile of hay after they were done with them tonight! RKO's, Batista Bombs and Pedigrees went flying everywhere tonight as if there was a fire sale going on RAW! Evolution stood above the wasted Shield to end the show... sweet! The Evolution may be a little over 10 years old, but it's sure great to see a real group come back to the WWE since the NWO! The 3MB's and others just weren't cutting it, and they needed to be shown how it's done, and now the Shield will finally have a true adversary!

Conclusion:

Very good show tonight, even with the absence of Daniel Bryan. I can't wait for more of the buildup leading to Extreme Rules, and to top it off, I hope Bray Wyatt finally shuts up John Cena! Great to see Cesaro pushed to newer limits each week, and is it me or are the Divas getting more TV time?? Great to see that for a change! Keep it locked right here as we will provide weekly reviews on WWE RAW!

PS. CM Punk isn't coming back no matter how much we chant his name every single week.

Time's up Wenger! (Part 1)

'Here's to greatness and new beginnings'! The much anticipated toast from Arsenal fans to their fellow compatriots around the world on the 30th of September 1996, after the dismissal of 'then' Gunners manager Bruce Rioch and the famous appointment of Arsene Wenger. This period was definitely the beginning of the road to the 'Invincibles', a stalwart image that has now faded into distant memory of what once was. During the 1996 to 2004 period, football bore witness to some of the most magnificent players to have ever graced the football field such as: Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit, Tony Adams, the ill tempered but rock solid Patrick Vieira, the controversial but talented Nicolas Anelka, the iceman Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and of course Mr. Arsenal himself, Thierry Henry. Iconic images of pure greatness under Wenger rewarded the happy gooners fans with coveted titles such as the English Premier League (now the Barclays Premier League) 1997-98, 2001-02 & 2003-04 and the FA Cup in 1998, 2002, 2003 & 2005! 

Let's fast-forward to now! Since 2005, Arsenal FC has won approximately 0 (ZERO) trophies to date! If this isn't a heck of a reversal, I don't know what is. Their collapse, believe it or not, began at the end of the Invincibles era, in 2003-2004. At the end of that dream team season, the nightmare began! Yes oh yes, our worst fears came to life, and that was relayed the moment Arsene Wenger lost sight of why he was brought to the club in the first place! Lovely that the manager chose to seek out new ways and means to develop his team, but quite simply, he's failed to accept that his attacking tactics that back in the good ole' days, would simply leave his opponents in awe of Arsenal's tremendous display, has now proved to the the cause of their failure! Wenger over the years grew with the club, but somehow, not mentally. His philosophy has often left the much committed fans on the verge of oblivion and total anger with a side order of frustration to add to the mix. Wenger today, simply has no tactics nor an answer to his team's decline! To put it quite frankly, he's lost his cutting edge. Since the departure of David Dein, then the inevitable tragic acquisition of Arsenal FC by the 'great' Stan Kroenke, the club's woes got worse, plummeting to the verge of obscurity! 

Track back to the January transfer window of this current season (2013-14), since Theo Walcott's injury back in January vs Spurs in the FA Cup tie, Wenger was urged numerous times to sign sign sign! Let's not get carried away by my implications, we don't expect him to make a City or Chelsea shopping list, just the necessary signings to bolster the cracks in the squad. Arsenal urgently needed a striker, yes! a striker! Who did they opt for you might ask? Kim Kallstrom?! Who is he might you ask? A Swedish international who was once valuable back in his days at Olympique Lyon in France 2006-2012 when French Ligue 1 was once exciting before PSG purchased it (obviously). Kallstrom is nearing 32, and is currently on loan, is this the answer to the Gunners' attacking problem? Maybe Wenger surely knows something we aren't aware of because the last time I checked, talent wins games and proper direction wins trophies! Wenger hasn't provided this since 2005, thanks to his lack of the obvious regarding making major signings. Arsenal's current top strikers are as follows: Olivier Giroud, and Yaya Sanogo, and I still can't figure out how Gunners have barely managed to score goals as of late?! Maybe because the Higuain summer deal was botched? Or did Arsene spend too much time trying to put together that extra £1 in the audacious £40,000,001 Luis Suarez summer bid that he put together from his car wash savings that would eventually prove a big joke and failure for the North London club? In the words of Andy Hunter from the Guardian, he described it as "the most insulting pound thrown at Liverpool by Arsenal since Jamie Carragher was struck by a coin at Highbury in 2002." OUCH! The audacity of Arsenal and Wenger to take advantage of Liverpool during their seemingly fragile period leading up to the start of their 2013-14 season, the moment that Luis Suarez was dying for a move away from Anfield to feature in Champions League football! Arsene Wenger was defended by the fact that Liverpool were unwilling to sell Suarez, but the truth is, no one truly knows what the outcome would've been had Wenger made a serious bid for the man who has now proven to be the best striker in England today. This incident has somehow brought Liverpool and Suarez closer to a realized dream, while Wenger and Arsenal have been brought closer to a trophy cabinet that may require dusting for a ninth straight year.

Make no mistake about it, yes Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil, that proved positive leading up to January-February where the German maestro maybe finally realized he's no longer at Real Madrid, and the guy up front is actually Giroud not Cristiano Ronaldo! No one can blame Ozil for his decline in his attitude, after all, a champion only desires to play in a team of champions, and sadly, Arsenal currently don't fit this bill. Wenger has once again failed to uplift his team, employ new tactics, and has now fallen to the bottom of the top four, and maybe at the end of this 2013-14 season, he'll take his place at the bottom of the top five. A team can't be successful if they've allowed for all their top players to keep on leaving (Nasri, RVP,Fabregas, Kolo Toure, etc.) and have failed time and time again to sign the proper reinforcements! 

Wenger, you will be greatly appreciated for your past achievements, but you wont be missed... When you finally decide it's time to leave, your bags would have already been packed and a first class plane ticket would have been booked by nearly every single Arsenal fan alive... Your time's up gaffer, and you know it!

Part 2 coming soon!