It would, but I'm also hearing that part of this too is that the last failure was not a major cause for concern. What I mean is that it's been intimated that it was not like (and I am just throwing out a drug for the sake of illustrating a point, I have no knowledge of Jeff Hardy ever doing this) he was smoking crack and it showed up. It was more like he was probably taking a legal supplement, but it has a component that is often used to mask other more harmful and illegal substances, if that happened that would result in a wellness test failure and violation. So it seems the thought process here is he isn't in danger of strike 3, and it was also said he took a test recently and passed. Plus, let's say he takes one next month after the Rumble or something, and he fails, you think they'll announce that until AFTER he dropped the belt? That's the thing, WWE has flexibility in dealing with that third strike if it comes.

So Vince took the chance anyway knowing what would happen if Jeff Hardy takes the third strike. I honestly hope that Jeff does not fail Vince's expectation this time. Somehow, I doubt it.

There is always the chance that it will work out fine and it will be a good title run for Jeff. Yes there is the possibility that he could mess up and make everyone regret their choices, but on the other hand he could pull through and make for some great tv and PPV bouts. I say at least give him a chance to prove his worth before bashing him. Yeah there is risk involved but it could also benifit the company.

If/when he screws up I'll be right there with you guys on how Jeff threw opportunity away, but until then I want to at least give him a chance and try to enjoy the Hardy title run.

At 12/18/08 12:29 PM, Outlaw88 wrote: There is always the chance that it will work out fine and it will be a good title run for Jeff. Yes there is the possibility that he could mess up and make everyone regret their choices, but on the other hand he could pull through and make for some great tv and PPV bouts. I say at least give him a chance to prove his worth before bashing him. Yeah there is risk involved but it could also benifit the company.

When he takes the third strike AS THE WWE CHAMPION, it will be too late to bash him. The company's reputation is goig to be tarnished and there will be a long way towards recovery.
I hope that they take the title away from him ASAP before something ugly happens.

At 12/18/08 03:35 PM, Dream-of-Duke wrote: When he takes the third strike AS THE WWE CHAMPION, it will be too late to bash him.

But WILL he? That's the thing. We know they announce failure, but we don't know that they announce it immediately, and if Jeff's tests are done in say, a more secluded way then others, they could have him fail say tomorrow, and then decide to have him work until the Royal Rumble to drop the belt, then maybe wait another two weeks before they announce the failure. That's the thing, WWE really has the ability to control the information on this and even when say a PWInsider will report this stuff, they don't ever have exact dates (even in the pay section they don't give us exact dates) so he could fail as champion, but they could successfully manipulate it and cover it up until after he loses the belt. We only know he's supposed to get fired if he strikes out, but they didn't give a timetable on that.

Hmm. Doesn't sound good for Tomko...

Credit: PWInsider.com

Recently signed WWE star Tyson Tomko is currently dealing with a torn pectoral muscle. There are some within WWE who believe he actually worked his dark match at RAW with the injury, trying to keep it quiet.

While Tomko got a good reaction from the crowd, and there was even a chant for his name, one person who wasn't a fan of his work was said to be Vince McMahon. According to several sources, Vince was unhappy with his dark match which is leading a number of people within the company to believe that Tomko's return may be a short one.

McMahon was unhappy with Tomko's appearance, noting that he looked heavier, which would make sense considering he couldn't really work out with a pectoral tear. He was seen wearing his arm in a sling the day after his RAW dark match. There are rumors that Tomko has already been released, but we can't confirm those yet. However, more releases from the company are expected shortly as a way to cut spending.

Don't know how true this story is so take it with a grain of salt.

At 12/18/08 11:43 PM, aviewaskewed wrote: But WILL he? That's the thing. We know they announce failure, but we don't know that they announce it immediately, and if Jeff's tests are done in say, a more secluded way then others, they could have him fail say tomorrow, and then decide to have him work until the Royal Rumble to drop the belt, then maybe wait another two weeks before they announce the failure.

Just because they delay the announcement, it does not mean that the failure never happened. Regardless how the company tries to cover it up, it will be a slap on the face.

At 12/19/08 02:25 PM, Dream-of-Duke wrote: Just because they delay the announcement, it does not mean that the failure never happened. Regardless how the company tries to cover it up, it will be a slap on the face.

Sure, but I'm saying they can control the damage it does, and the perception to some degree. Plus, I think us being a good year and change out from Benoit, the media and the world have moved on to bigger problems (the economic situation) so nobody will really pay attention to another wrestler getting busted.

As far as Tomko. If Mike Johnson says it, it's going to be true. He actually talks to people within the company, and that's certainly a bad break for Tomko, but it's also stupid on his part that he injured himself, and instead of revealing that fact and saying "let me heal and let's see what we can do" he tried to work 'em to get a contract. I understand the guy needs to pay his bills and what not, but if your too hurt to work, you don't try to get a job with a new employer where your injury will hamper your ability to do said job, that's the easiest way to get fired and leave the impression with your boss that your untrustworthy and shouldn't be considered again.

When I read the beginning of this article I said aloud, "WOW! Theyre really givin druggies a free pass these days... first Jeff gets the strap, and nowthis?" Then I saw that he prolly wont be on TV and said "OOOH... that makes more sense." LoL

Source: Rajah

-- WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik is expected to be at Monday's Raw in Toronto, reports the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. However, Sheik is not expected to be used on camera, as he is being flown out to the show by a company along with several other guests who will watch the show in a corporate box.

At 12/19/08 03:44 PM, aviewaskewed wrote: Sure, but I'm saying they can control the damage it does, and the perception to some degree. Plus, I think us being a good year and change out from Benoit, the media and the world have moved on to bigger problems (the economic situation) so nobody will really pay attention to another wrestler getting busted.

Nobody is really going to pay attention? Not if he is/was the WWE champion. Assume that Jeff fucks up his drug test as the WWE champion, then the company takes away his title at RR, or even on RAW if they feel the urgency. Then fans with intelligence will wonder why the company took away the title from him so quickly, The fans will look at Jeff's history and it does not take a genius to figure out that Jeff fucked up again. No matter how the company tries to cover, the WWE will not fool us like a bunch of idiots.

God, I couldn't be happier with Jeff as the WWE Champion. I don't think there's anyone in the business who deserved it more than he did. But he's gotta face Vladamir Kozlov tonight? Big deal. I think Jeff will win it.

Matt Hardy and Edge will be awesome, Edge seriously needs to get his ass kicked again, someone needs to shut him the fuck up.

At 12/19/08 05:55 PM, Dream-of-Duke wrote: Nobody is really going to pay attention?

In the press who they'd worry about? Absolutely

Not if he is/was the WWE champion. Assume that Jeff fucks up his drug test as the WWE champion, then the company takes away his title at RR, or even on RAW if they feel the urgency. Then fans with intelligence will wonder why the company took away the title from him so quickly, The fans will look at Jeff's history and it does not take a genius to figure out that Jeff fucked up again.

Or you know, they'll think it was probably just business as usual as unless your name is John Cena, Triple H, or Batista, WWE does not guarantee long title reigns these days and hasn't for awhile now. People will make accusations, but until you get the wellness failure announcement, you can't prove jack crap.

No matter how the company tries to cover, the WWE will not fool us like a bunch of idiots.

Sure they can, and some people will even fool themselves thinking that when and if Jeff loses the belt it'll be because he failed a test or did something else retarded. People can change, and if the last violation really wasn't for recreational drugs like is being reported in some quarters, then the likelihood of him getting strike three is pretty low.

At 12/19/08 08:21 PM, mothballs wrote: God, I couldn't be happier with Jeff as the WWE Champion. I don't think there's anyone in the business who deserved it more than he did. But he's gotta face Vladamir Kozlov tonight? Big deal. I think Jeff will win it.

The WWE is still milking on Kozlov's "undefeated" streak. A DQ win is about as good as Jeff can get.

Matt Hardy and Edge will be awesome, Edge seriously needs to get his ass kicked again, someone needs to shut him the fuck up.

I like the angle that Edge won cleanly. Edge must look strong as he will probably be Jeff's next challenger at RR.

At 12/19/08 10:23 PM, Dream-of-Duke wrote: I like the angle that Edge won cleanly. Edge must look strong as he will probably be Jeff's next challenger at RR.

It looks like it could be a four way even from where I sit. Though I like the idea of moving H away from the belt (Hunter doesn't need it, and if Kozlov will ever get better, he has to be with a good worker like H). The 4-way could be a good way to hide the defects in Kozlov, but I'm not a fan of loading up the multi-man matches on PPVs, and Edge and Hardy could have a great main event I think, and I think a lot could be done with Edge playing off of what he said tonight (which essentially is true based off the finish) "You got one lucky night, one night of the right place at the right time" while pointing out his own successes (24 times a champion? Nuts! But it should also point out how little counting title wins really means now).

With a Hardy/Edge feud, all I can think is "TLC, TLC, TLC, TLC". Do you think they'd dig back into that well?

Not a big fan of WWE, but the choreography is masterful.

At 12/20/08 08:40 AM, HeartbreakHoldout wrote: With a Hardy/Edge feud, all I can think is "TLC, TLC, TLC, TLC". Do you think they'd dig back into that well?

Of course! Thats the match that realy helped define these guys and knowing how both of them work, they would have an awesome match. Thats something I'd really like to see.

At 12/20/08 08:40 AM, HeartbreakHoldout wrote: With a Hardy/Edge feud, all I can think is "TLC, TLC, TLC, TLC". Do you think they'd dig back into that well?

I hope so, both Jeff and Edge are experts of TLC matches. Make it happen!

I'm sure it's only a matter of time for that. We just have to wait until they narrow the fued between Edge and Jeff. With HHH and Kozlov still in the mix it would be tough to have that match with just them. I really can't see HHH in a TLC since he probably wouldn't want to take those risks. He's really not a ladder match guy. I can't even remember the last time he was in a ladder match. I think it was during his fued with HBK some years ago.

At 12/21/08 11:02 AM, Outlaw88 wrote: I'm sure it's only a matter of time for that. We just have to wait until they narrow the fued between Edge and Jeff. With HHH and Kozlov still in the mix it would be tough to have that match with just them. I really can't see HHH in a TLC since he probably wouldn't want to take those risks. He's really not a ladder match guy. I can't even remember the last time he was in a ladder match. I think it was during his fued with HBK some years ago.

Well, we had a triple threat at Survival Series, another one at Armageddon. I doubt that they will make yet another triple threat/fatal four way match at RR. With that in mind, the WWE title match is going to be a single match between Hardy and Edge. What the company can do is setting up HHH and Kozlov for a No.1 contender's match. As for the Undertaker, he can be off screen as long as he wants thanks to his gimmick.

At 12/21/08 08:19 PM, Dream-of-Duke wrote: As for the Undertaker, he can be off screen as long as he wants thanks to his gimmick.

Taker won't miss Mania unless he's hurt. Still, he'll need a new program going in, and I honestly do not want to watch another Taker title win this year. He did it back to back, it's a select club that's been able to do that (Hogan, Austin, and I believe those are the only other two), but three years straight? No, that's just padding it. He'll never lose at Mania and that's good enough for his Hall of Fame level resume (even though the WWE Hall of Fame doesn't really matter anyway)

At 12/21/08 11:59 PM, aviewaskewed wrote: Taker won't miss Mania unless he's hurt. Still, he'll need a new program going in, and I honestly do not want to watch another Taker title win this year. He did it back to back, it's a select club that's been able to do that (Hogan, Austin, and I believe those are the only other two), but three years straight? No, that's just padding it.

We will probably get HHH vs Taker at WM for the title, like it or not. But Taker does need to feud with someone before Mania. My guess is that the company will feed him with Kozlov.

At 12/22/08 07:41 AM, TheD-LucksEdition wrote: Personally I'd like to see Taker/Umaga at WM. We still haven't seen a feud between these two, and Umaga's scheduled to be back before WM to the best of my knowledge, so I think a match between him and Taker would be a good addition to the WM card.

I want the WWE to re-establish Umaga as an unstoppable monster, feuding with Taker and losing is not going to help him.

Morale low in WWF? I know a budget cutback is a real cunt, but yer still famous and on tv, traveling the world and getting paid to be on tv doing what you love most.

I dunno, I know what a strain it must be, we can only imagine, but still, you think having a dream job would be enough to keep yerself happy, especially in spite of budget cutbacks, you still get paid more than the average joe, doing work he hates 5 days a week, getting paid shit wages, and never achieving any kind of fame.

Source: Rajah

"The majority of the WWE roster is expected to be at tonight's Raw/SmackDown tapings from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The workers only have a three day break for Christmas before they hit the road beginning on Friday for a weekend house show tour followed by next week's television tapings. Morale in the WWE locker room is said to be low because of the budget cutbacks including the company cutting show payouts for performers by 50%."

At 12/22/08 03:46 PM, PantyWipe wrote: Morale low in WWF? I know a budget cutback is a real cunt, but yer still famous and on tv, traveling the world and getting paid to be on tv doing what you love most.

They do have a difficult job as it is. You have the strain they put on their bodies from wrestling, they have to travel constantly, which must be so draining on them, even without the actual wrestling. Together with the fact they're never with their families (3 days for Christmas? Ouch), this budget cut is taking from one of the only attractive parts of the job.
I don't know how anyone could desire to be on TV enough to justify the WWE lifestyle.

The difference between Kennedy and Umaga is that the latter does not have mic skills.
Since Umaga has been a jobber to the stars for a while, it is better for him win a few feuds over a upper-middle carder in style than losing to Taker. Sure Umaga can have the upper hand heading to Mania, but do not forget that Kennedy's awesome mic skill was also a major reason why his feud with Taker was so successful. I do not think that Umaga has the mic skills to make the feud interesting. Attacking with brutal force will not do it for me.

At 12/22/08 04:58 PM, HeartbreakHoldout wrote: I don't know how anyone could desire to be on TV enough to justify the WWE lifestyle.

It's not that, it's just love of the business and love of that art. CM Punk for example before he wrestled had a pretty good job as a product tester or something (he called it his "evil scientist job" in shoots) and could basically make his own hours and made good money. But he wanted to wrestle so as soon as he could get full time bookings and make enough to pay his rent with trainer Ace Steel he was out of there. That's how it is for most guys, this is all they want to do. But the grind hurts, the time away sucks, dealing with the pain sucks. Dealing with busting it and thinking your not respected by your bosses blows, and then having to take a cut in pay? Come on, you can't blame the guys for feeling a little down.

First off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (Or Happy Holidays, if that's how you roll) to everyone here. Also, I don't know if this has been posted, but I thought it was pretty big news.

Last week's main event angle, where Randy Orton kicked Batista in the head, was an angle to write Batista off of the show for a long period of time. Batista was having hamstring issues on the recent European tour, and those issues got much worse when he returned to the US. The plan is for Batista to have surgery soon, which could see him miss anywhere from 6-8 months. WWE is planning for a return no earlier than June, but possibly as late as August.

Batista has a history of muscle tears, as he has suffered two torn triceps injuries as well as torn lat muscles. With this most recent injury, all WrestleMania plans that had him involved will have to be changed.

Credit: Pwinsider.com

So there you have it. We will NOT have Batista vs Cena at Wrestlemania (YAAAY!), but it begs the question.. Who takes Batista's spot on the card? Will we get an incredibly overhyped. yet ultimately underwhelming match between Orton and Cena, or will HHH jump ship to RAW (For no reason) and be in the RAW main event at Wrestlemania?

"Who Told You?!" When Santino said that I almost died. I swear that was one of the funniest lines ever!

I enjoyed the matches for the qualifying matches. The best one to me was the one with CM Punk and Jericho. The finish for that was great.

HBK is in an interesting position. I wonder if this is pointing to JBL winning the fatal four way. Because HBK could eliminate Jericho and Orton and lay down for JBL.

It was great to see Trish again.

At 12/23/08 01:14 PM, Outlaw88 wrote: "Who Told You?!" When Santino said that I almost died. I swear that was one of the funniest lines ever!

Santino is the master of entertainement, enough said.

I enjoyed the matches for the qualifying matches. The best one to me was the one with CM Punk and Jericho. The finish for that was great.

Yea. It is also nice to see that the crowd was actually behind him.

HBK is in an interesting position. I wonder if this is pointing to JBL winning the fatal four way. Because HBK could eliminate Jericho and Orton and lay down for JBL.

Orton will win, no doubt. Remember the stare down last week at the end of the show? Orton also attacked Cena in the same show. So it is a no brainer that Orton will win the fatal four way.